Poets & Thinkers

What  if we gave ordinary citizens the power to decide how public money is spent? Graça Fonseca did just that. With her pioneering vision, she built the world’s first national participatory budget, helped transform a crisis-era Lisbon into Europe’s entrepreneurial city of the year, and served as Portugal’s Minister of Culture through COVID. Now she’s asking an even bigger question: who gets to ima...

What if the most important thing a leader can (re)learn now is to be silly and playful? In a world obsessed with optimization and yearning for certainty, Gabriella White makes the case for a radically different kind of readiness and skill building in the age of AI: one rooted in play, presence, and the courage to be ordinary. Gabriella is a trained actor turned interdisciplinary creative leader wh...

What happens to art when the systems designed to replicate it at mass can’t actually feel anything? In this conversation, Ben sits down with designer-turned-composer Sean Wolcott who draws a sharp lines between technology, knowledge and lived human experience – and makes the case that no amount of computation can bridge the gap. Sean has lived at the intersection of visual art, design, and music f...

Can designing a movement get the smartest people to work on the biggest problems instead of disappearing into what one author calls “the Bermuda Triangle of talent”: consulting, tech, and banking? In this episode, Ben sits down with Harald Dunnink, designer, serial co-founder, and advocate for moral ambition. Harald founded Momkai, a Dutch design agency “for people who give a damn,” co-founded De...

What if the best business advice ever came from a five-year-old: “I think you should add some googly eyes and rainbow colors!” In this episode, Ben sits down with Andy Allen, co-founder of Not Boring Software, 2 times Apple Design Award winner, and former co-founder of the groundbreaking startup FiftyThree – makers of the Paper app and Pencil stylus.  Andy challenges the dominant narrative of soft...

What if the most radical question you can ask yourself as a leader isn’t about strategy or growth – but simply “How am I actually feeling?” In this very personal episode, Ben sits down with Jerry Colonna, legendary executive coach, former venture capitalist, and author of Reboot and Reunion . Speaking just days after becoming a grandfather, Jerry brings the full weight of his wisdom as “Holder of...

In this episode, Ben sits down with Omari Souza, design researcher and professor, founder of the State of Black Design Conference, and author of his newly released book  Design Against Racism . A first-generation American of Jamaican descent and first in his family to attend university, Omari brings a perspective shaped by being the sole Black male graduate in his design program—an experience that...

What if the only way to unlock ingenuity in our organizations is by showing up as authentic leaders who first and foremost know how to “hack their brain” and lead themselves? In this episode, Ben sits down with Christina Goldschmidt, VP of Product Design at Warner Music Group and adjunct professor at NYU Stern. With her deep understanding of neuroscience and trauma-informed leadership, Christina b...

What if the future of business isn’t human at all—and maybe that’s exactly what will liberate us to become more humane? In this first episode of season 2, Ben sits down with Tim Leberecht, co-founder and CEO of the House of Beautiful Business, and author of The Business Romantic . Speaking from Istanbul, Tim doesn’t mince words: business is fundamentally broken, caught in an unholy alliance of tec...

What if our desperate need for certainty, predictability, and control is not making us safer but actually making us psychologically ill? In this episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the hidden pathology of modern life with João Sevilhano, a psychologist, business consultant, and philosopher whose work challenges the fundamental assumptions of how we organize society, education, and business...

What if the race toward “superintelligence” is misguided and what does a more humanistic vision for AI adoption actually look like? In this episode of Poets & Thinkers, we dive deep into the intersection of artificial intelligence, culture, and human agency with Prof. Arvind Narayanan, a computer science professor at Princeton University whose work has fundamentally challenged how we think abo...

What if the biggest regret we’ll have in 10 years isn’t over-regulating AI, but failing to educate people about it? In this episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the intersection of AI policy, national sovereignty, and digital literacy with Jaxson Khan, a unique cross-sector leader who transitioned from startup founder to senior policy advisor for Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and...

What if the people building AI are so caught up in the rush to market that they’ve forgotten to ask the most important question: what does this mean for humanity? In this refreshingly honest episode, we explore the human side of artificial intelligence with Danielle McClune, a writer and poet who has spent the last years at the epicenter of AI development at Microsoft, training conversational mode...

Humans are multisensory beings. What if the tiny sounds you hear from your devices every day are literally vibrating through your body, changing your nervous system, and collectively creating decades of audio pollution? And what do we do about it in an age where generative AI is likely going to add even more noise?  In this fascinating episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the profound inter...

What if venture capital is finally getting the reset it desperately needed? And what does that mean for the qualities and skills required for future founders, startup leaders, and even investors? In this episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the future of venture capital and startup building with Pascal Unger, managing partner at pre-seed VC firm focal. From his base in Miami, Pascal brings...

What if the very technology that promises to make us more efficient is actually creating “soul gaps” – spaces where human understanding and meaning simply cannot be replicated? In this deeply insightful episode of Poets and Thinkers, we explore the future of humanistic leadership with Michael Ventura, founder of SubRosa, author of “Applied Empathy,” and a fascinating polymath who bridges brand str...

What if the discomfort leaders feel right now, at the beginning of the AI age, isn’t a problem to solve, but the exact place where transformation happens? In this episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the future of organizational leadership and human potential with Meg Bear, a seasoned tech executive turned “future inventor” who brings a unique perspective as a fifth-generation Bay Area nati...

What if the struggle and friction in the creative process is actually what makes art meaningful – and what we’re at risk of losing in our rush toward AI efficiency? In this deeply reflective episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the intersection of human creativity and artificial intelligence with Nando Costa, a renowned designer and artist who has been at the very forefront of Generative AI...

Digitalization promised us a brave “new work” world. But instead we ended up with more meetings and “fake work”. What’s next and how do we transform our obsession with productivity tools and endless meetings into meaningful work and real innovation?  In this episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the future of work with Markus Albers, a Berlin-based journalist, author, and entrepreneur whose...

What if the key to navigating our AI-driven future isn’t about becoming more technological, but rather more authentically human? In this inspiring episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the intersection of technology, leadership, and human dignity with Frances West, a pioneering executive whose wisdom spans decades of technological transformation. As IBM’s first-ever Chief Accessibility Offic...

What if our fixation on avoiding failure is the very thing blocking us from building organizations that maximize human ingenuity? And why is this business critical in the AI age?  In this episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the intersection of leadership, innovation, and human potential with John Danner, renowned business advisor, professor, and bestselling author. Drawing on his extensive...

What if the very technology that distracts us could be transformed into a mirror reflecting our deepest human connections? In this fascinating episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the intersection of tradition, technology, and mindfulness with Berlin-based artist and designer Hojin Kang.  Born to Korean parents in Germany, Hojin creates art that brilliantly juxtaposes ancient spiritual prac...

What if our approach to AI and technology development is overlooking the most fundamental human value – dignity? In this thought-provoking episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, global policy, and human-centered technology with Manail Anis Ahmed. As a global citizen who has shaped educational institutions in the Middle East and led AI policy resear...

What if our obsession with being the best is actually holding us back? In this inaugural episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the myth of greatness with Avram Alpert. He is a writer and teaches at Princeton University.  Avi challenges the idea that only the “best” deserve success. He proposes an alternative: “ Embracing a ‘good-enough’ approach.” – with a focus on fostering sustainability,...