Think Forward: Conversations with Futurists, Innovators and Big Thinkers

Welcome to Episode 122 of the Think Forward Show!  In this insightful episode, I sit down with Joanna Lepore, who leads Global Foresight at McDonald's Corporation. From her journey as an "accidental futurist" to co-founding FIG (Foresight Insight Group), Jo shares how real transformation starts at the core and ripples outward. In this episode, we explore: Why internal foresight capa...

"The only future we can make is the one we can imagine." Most organizations treat imagination like New Year's exercise equipment—they know they should use it, but somehow it ends up gathering dust in the corner. Join me for Episode 121 of the Think Forward Show as we explore how imagination transforms futures work from abstract possibilities into tangible futures we can build. In th...

🚀Episode 120 of the Think Forward Show is ready for you! 🚀 What if the key to seeing the future was learning to notice what others miss? 🎙️ Welcome to the Think Forward Show Episode 120: Non-Obvious Thinking with Rohit Bhargava 🔍 I'm Steve Fisher, your guide on this futurist journey, and in this enlightening episode, I sit down with Rohit Bhargava, author of the Non-Obvious series and the...

🎙️ Welcome to Think Forward Show Episode 119: The Art of Trendspotting 🔍🌐 I’m Steve Fisher, your guide on this futurist journey. In this episode, we continue our Being a Futurist series, and I dive deep into Trendspotting —a crucial skill for anyone looking to anticipate change, identify opportunities, and navigate the future. If you’ve ever wondered how to distinguish between a fad, a trend, an...

🎙️ Welcome to Think Forward Show Episode 118: Engineering Foresight with Kara Cunzeman 🌌🔧 In this episode, I sit down with Kara Cunzeman, a visionary in applied foresight, to discuss how engineering and futures work intersect to tackle some of the most complex national challenges. Kara brings a unique perspective, blending systems engineering with strategic foresight to guide national security a...

🎙️ Welcome to Think Forward Show Episode 117: Mapping Impacts: The Futures Wheel 🔮🧠 I’m Steve Fisher, your guide on this futurist journey. In this episode, we continue our Being a Futurist series and dive into The Futures Wheel , a powerful tool to explore the ripple effects of trends and decisions. Whether you’re in strategy, innovation, or foresight, this episode will equip you to map out impa...

🎙️ Think Forward Show Episode 116: The Future is Plural with Dr. Dimeji Onafuwa 🌍🌈 I’m Steve Fisher, your guide on this futurist journey, and in this thought-provoking episode, I sit down with Dr. Dimeji Onafuwa to dive into pluralism in design and the concept of the pluriverse, where diverse perspectives create a more prosperous, more inclusive future. From transition design to ontological desi...

🎙️ Welcome to Think Forward Show Episode 115: Futures Research Methods 🔮🧠 I’m Steve Fisher, your guide on this futurist journey, and in this episode, we continue our Being a Futurist series by diving into one of the most essential aspects of foresight: Futures Research . Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just beginning your futures journey, this episode will help sharpen your research skills and...

🎙️ Welcome to Think Forward Show Episode 114: The Future of Systems Part 2 featuring John Smart 🌍🔧 In this exciting follow-up, I continue my conversation with renowned futurist John Smart, diving even deeper into systems thinking and evolutionary development. We cover: 🔧 The three mandates: creation, protection, and adaptation 📊 How networks are the ultimate winners in complex systems 💡 Key i...

 Welcome to Think Forward Show Episode 113: The Future of Systems Part 1 featuring John Smart 🌍🔧 I’m Steve Fisher, your guide on this futurist journey, in this special two-part episode, I sit down with futurist John Smart to explore systems thinking and how it shapes our understanding of the future. Whether you’re in strategy, product innovation, or a foresight enthusiast, this conversation is p...

🎙️ Welcome to Think Forward Show Episode 112: Scanning the Future 🌍 I’m Steve Fisher, your guide on this futurist journey, and in this episode, we’re diving deep into a critical tool for every futurist: Environmental Scanning . Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned expert, this episode will sharpen your skills and provide new insights on how to spot future opportunities and challenges. 🔎 Key T...

In the latest episode of the Think Forward Show , I sit down with Dr. Jake Sotiriadis, Executive Director of Global Foresight and Strategy at Phaedrus Engineering, to discuss the future of defense and national security.  We explore how strategic foresight, threatcasting, and systems engineering are shaping modern warfare and decision-making. Plus, Jake gives us a sneak peek into his upcoming book...

Welcome to the Think Forward podcast.  My name is Steve and I am a futurist.  Welcome to our eighth episode, where we discuss the concept of "Domain Maps". In this episode continuing our "Being a Futurist" series, we cover the following: What domain maps are How to build them from scratch Real-life examples of their application in foresight, strategy, and innovation An walkthro...

🚀 Ready to unlock the future of innovation? In Episode 109 of The Think Forward Show, I sit down with Christian Mulroth, CEO of Itonics, to explore how companies can thrive in a world of rapid technological shifts. From creating a game-changing Innovation Operating System to navigating the transformative power of Gen AI, Christian shares the secrets behind turning ideas into disruptive innovation...

Welcome to the Think Forward podcast.  My name is Steve and I am a futurist.  Welcome to our eighth episode, where we discuss the concept of "Futures Literacy". In this episode continuing our "Being a Futurist" series, I break down this powerful skill, showing how it’s not about predicting the future but about expanding your ability to understand and shape it. From personal gro...

Welcome fellow futurists and big thinkers to the Think Forward podcast.  My name is Steve and I am a futurist.  Welcome to our seventh episode, where we greet our third official guest, Phil Balagtas. Phil is a designer, futurist and author. He was the founder of the Design Futures Initative, current partner at his design firm, HABITAT and a professor at ELISAVA. He is also formerly of McKinsey and...

Welcome to the Think Forward podcast.  My name is Steve and I am a futurist.  Welcome to our sixth episode, where we unpack what it means to think like a futurist. So whether you're a seasoned professional looking to sharpen your foresight skills or just someone curious about what the future might hold, this episode is your ticket to understanding how futurists approach the great unknown. My...

Welcome fellow futurists and big thinkers to the Think Forward podcast.  My name is Steve and I am a futurist.  Welcome to our fifth episode, where we greet our second official guest, Guillermo Sohnlein. an explorer and entrepreneur with the WayPaver Foundation, Humans2Venus and SpaceBridge Partners to name a few of his "parallel entrepreneurship" endeavors.   In this episode, Guillermo...

Welcome to the Think Forward podcast, where we explore the trends and technologies shaping our future. I'm your host, Steve Fisher. In Episode 104, we'll explore the concept of weak signals and how they help futurists identify emerging trends in our fast-paced, information-rich world. Today's podcast title is called "Can't Stop the Signals". It comes from the movie &q...

Welcome fellow futurists and big thinkers to the Think Forward podcast.  My name is Steve and I am a futurist.  Welcome to our third episode, where we greet our first official guest, Dr. Ja-Nae Duane. a behavioral scientist at Brown University who researches how organizations can prepare for disruptive events and adapt their systems and behaviors.   In this episode, Dr. Duane dives into the world...

Welcome to the Think Forward podcast.  My name is Steve and I am a futurist.  Welcome to our second episode, where I discuss what a futurist is and does in today's world. There is much more I could expand on but consider this a start to frame up what we do as professional futurists and what you can do if you are looking to become one. My goal with this podcast is do a few things, first to hav...

Welcome to the Think Forward podcast.  My name is Steve and I am a futurist.  I wanted to start this first episode to explain what this show is about and why I think you should listen. I will also take some time so you can know me a little better and how I come to you today as your host on this journey into the future. So welcome to the Think Forward podcast. My goal with this podcast is do a few...

We celebrate our milestone 100th episode and the culmination of our Foundations in Foresight series by reflecting on our journey and preparing for what comes next. • Reflecting on the journey of building a comprehensive foundation for understanding and shaping the future • Revisiting key elements including nine super shifts, the Transform Model, and futures-fluent mindset • Transitioning from lear...

The mindset you bring to uncertainty, change, and possibility is the most powerful element in effective futures thinking, not just the frameworks and methods. • Futures fluency resembles learning a language, where patterns become intuitive and contextual meanings become apparent with practice • Being futures fluent means developing an intuitive understanding of change, system interactions, and str...

We conduct a comprehensive future readiness assessment to help you measure your capabilities across five key dimensions and create a personal development roadmap for navigating transformation effectively. • Future readiness isn't a single capability but a multidimensional capacity spanning how you think, what you know, how you act, and what systems you've built • The five dimensions of a...