Send us a textChris Everett is a seasoned facilitator of transformative experiences for individuals and organizations. He is a musician, artist, designer, strategist, coach, farmer, and co-founder of an arts nonprofit in western Wisconsin. With over three decades in brandexpression and strategy, he is a master at using beauty as a powerful medium for transformation. From his early days in graphic design to deep dives into brand strategy and organizational culture, Chris's career reflects a persistent quest to uncover the deeper meanings of the beauty that we encounter in the world around us. He is deeply influenced by the teachings of the Delicate Lodge, a lineage of Medicine Wheel wisdoms that emphasize ceremony and ritual design. Adopting the title of "minister of beauty" in 2020, Chris embodies the belief in the sacredness of deeply human work and the transformative potential of beauty. Through his diverse roles and experiences, Chris also aids others in navigating their unique evolutionary journeys.In this episode, we talk about: How music and art shaped Chris’ childhoodHow spaces can be designed to feel more welcomingChris's journey from advertising to leadership developmentHow do you create genuine transformation in design?Chris’s quest to understand diverse perspectives on beautyHow beauty can elevate the way we think and show up our relationshipWhat does it mean to be a Minister of Beauty?Creating spaces for connection in natural environmentsChris’ vision for healing broken communities To learn more about Chris’ work, you can find him at:https://www.chriseverett.world/ Links Mentioned:Patterns of Transformation - Designing Sex, Death, and Survival in the 21st Century by Ida Benedetto - https://patternsoftransformation.com/ Support the show

Send us a textEsther Blázquez Blanco works with leaders, teams, and organizations crafting businesses that speak human. She does this by revealing the human connection and the emotional intimacy that exists in life. She works as a Company Culture and Leadership Consultant, Speaker, Executive Coach, and systemic Facilitator.  Esther helps companies find the truth behind the role and develop the relationship between the human and the company, and grow--or scale--in peace. Her vision is human, spiritual, simple, and direct. Esther is a journalist with a background in Innovation, Project Management, and fast-growing Startups. She has also dedicated part of her life to the study and teaching of meditation, performance, and personal growth.In this episode, we talk about: How Esther’s brother taught her what a true leader isHer experience of personal transformationReframing business competitors as sources of wisdom What a beautiful workplace culture looks likeOn a beautiful transformation Esther helped facilitateHow consultants can help create beautiful companiesHow everyone is called to be a leaderTo learn more about Esther’s work, you can find her at: https://www.estherblazquez.com/ Support the show

Send us a textSeth D. Kaplan is a leading expert on fragile states. He is a Professorial Lecturer in the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, Senior Adviser for the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), and consultant to multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, U.S. State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, and OECD as well as developing country governments and NGOs.In this episode, we talk about: The difference between social life in Western versus non-Western countriesHow Seth was drawn to the study of fragile statesHow strong relationships in a country are correlated with economic development and peaceWhy addressing key social problems requires starting at the neighborhood-levelThe relationship between life expectancy and one’s neighborhoodThe beauty of living in a thriving and close-knit neighborhoodHow modern society’s idea of happiness promotes lonelinessOn boosting the collective self-efficacy in an areaFive factors that help communities thriveHow religion can play a role in community buildingThe need for translocal organizations Cultivating college programs to develop civic leadersTo learn more about Seth’s work, you can find him at: https://sethkaplan.org/ You can order his book Fragile Neighborhoods here: https://www.amazon.com/Fragile-Neighborhoods-Repairing-American-Society/dp/0316521396/Support the show

Send us a textSean Vigue is one of the most followed yoga, Pilates, power yoga, flexibility training and performance enhancing instructors in the world with millions of followers in every corner of the world from beginners to elite professional athletes. He is a bestselling author of titles such as “Pilates for Athletes”, “Power Yoga for Athletes”, “Pilates for Men” and enjoys creating books which are accessible to everyone regardless of age and fitness level. Sean has produced thousands of online workout videos, a full DVD line, his own podcast and loves teaching at fitness conferences. Before diving into the world of fitness, he worked as a professional opera/musical theater performer in theaters around the world for over 10 years and over 40 shows. He also won numerous singing competitions for opera and music theater as a dramatic baritone. In his spare time he is an amateur film, opera and classical music historian and MST3k fanatic.In this episode we talk about: On pursuing a career in professional theatreThe key to discovering the passions that make you come aliveSean’s experiences teaching fitness classes at DisneyExploring the world of operaDiving into the field of publishing fitness booksFinding beauty in fitnessBalancing the functional and aesthetic aspects of fitnessHow yoga and pilates can unlock a spiritual and emotional journeySean’s future ventures Sean's advice for aspiring fitness instructors and those wanting to get started on their fitness journeysTo learn more about Sean’s work, you can find him at: https://www.seanviguefitness.com/ Support the show

Send us a textPallavi Dean plays at the intersection of design and entrepreneurship.  She founded her design firm Roar in 2013. A trained architect and sustainability specialist, she has won multiple awards for work across a range of sectors including commercial, hospitality, and residential. Recent work includes The Accor House of Original in Dubai, Sensasia Spa at Kempinski Dubai, and Mckinsey HQ in Doha.   She was born in India, raised in Dubai, and spent years working in London; her designs reflect these eclectic influences. A former professor of design, she strives to implement the latest theoretical and practical research into the firm’s designs. As a product designer, Pallavi collaborated with Artemide to launch ‘Interweave’ an interactive lighting system for Euro Luce in Milan 2019. Her work has been profiled in some of the world’s leading international media including the Financial Times, the BBC, Monocle, Wallpaper, and the Architectural Digest. She was named Architectural Digest Middle East Designer of the Year in 2020 and Designer of the Year globally by Interior Design Magazine in 2021.In this episode, we talk about: Growing up as a third-culture kidHow Pallavi’s upbringing shaped her love for design and creationOn creating spaces that engage and stimulate all five sensesFinding the balance between designing poetic and functional spacesHighlighting the beauty of imperfection in natureThe need for pain and suffering in order to appreciate the beautyExploring the vulnerability of artistic pursuitsHow Pallavi launched her own sustainable design firm, RoarThe importance of empathy-driven design and architecture Debunking misconceptions of design innovations in DubaiTo learn more about Pallavi’s work, you can find her on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roar_design_studio/ Website: https://www.designbyroar.com/about Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pallavidean/ Support the show

Send us a textDr. Dave Gammon is an integrative scientist who builds bridges beyond traditional scientific communities. Since 2006 he has taught mostly interdisciplinary science and general education courses at Elon University, where he is currently a Professor in Biology. His research projects in birdsong and in SoTL have become increasingly more interdisciplinary. He also performs a lot of science outreach, including running a science café, writing science articles for newspapers and magazines, and creating popular science podcasts.In this episode, we talk about: Dave’s formative experiences that led him toward biology and teachingWhat drew him to study birdsongOn finding the beauty in researchOn teaching a course on the Journey Through TimeDave’s passion to draw connections between science and other disciplinesThe power of collaboration and curiosity among academics The need for interdisciplinarity On introducing the beauty of science to the public through science cafésTo learn more about Dave’s work, you can find him at: https://facstaff.elon.edu/dgammon/ Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcastSupport the show

Send us a textSheri Parks, Ph.D. is a public intellectual, strategist, senior higher education professor, administrator, and author, working to bridge the wisdom of communities and the academy to address urgent societal challenges. Her positions have included Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the Maryland Institute College of Art and Associate Dean for Research, Interdisciplinary Scholarship, and Programing, and Founding Director of the Center for Synergy at the University of Maryland. Her signature public projects include Baltimore Stories: Narrative and the Life of an American City.In this episode, we talk about: What drew Sheri to study aestheticsHer research on everyday aestheticsSheri’s inspiration to move beyond academiaThe relationship between beauty and aestheticsThe "Baltimore Stories" projectThe relationship between aesthetics and social justiceHow aesthetics can be manipulated for unethical practices & propagandaAesthetic experience and trauma healingThe Natural Dye InitiativeTo reach Sheri, email her at: slp@umd.eduLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheri-parks-a8029331/ Resources Mentioned:Baltimore Stories: Narratives and The Life of an American City: https://vimeo.com/161042379 The Barclay Art Project which features the video she discusses in the podcast:https://vimeo.com/211528915Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcastSupport the show

Send us a textTim Leberecht is a German-American author and entrepreneur, and the co-founder and co-CEO of the House of Beautiful Business, a global think tank and community with the mission to make humans more human and business more beautiful.Previously, Tim served as the chief marketing officer of NBBJ, a global design and architecture firm. From 2006 to 2013, he was the chief marketing officer of product design and innovation consultancy Frog Design.Tim is the author of the book The Business Romantic (HarperCollins, 2015), which has been translated into nine languages to date. Tim’s writing regularly appears in publications such as Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Forbes, Fortune, Harvard Business Review, Inc, Quartz, Psychology Today, and Wired. His new book, The End of Winning, was released in German in 2020.In this episode, we talk about: How beauty and art shaped Tim’s childhoodHow he paved a multi-disciplinary career in design and marketingHow Tim started the New Romantic movement in business Tim’s pursuit to find the soul in businessHow The House of Beautiful Business began and expanded internationallyUnpacking the industry shift from human-centered to life-centered design Changing the traditional way we view businessNavigating the loneliness crisis in workplacesWhat does it mean to create hospitable spaces and workplaces?Practical advice to incorporate beauty at workTo learn more about his work, visit: http://timleberecht.com/ House of Beautiful Business: https://houseofbeautifulbusiness.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tleberecht/ Resources Mentioned:The Business Romantic: Give Everything, Quantify Nothing, and Create Something Greater Than Yourself by Tim Leberecht - https://a.co/d/eVPDt6I Death Over Dinner - https://deathoverdinner.org/ The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life from Work by Simone Stolzoff - https://a.co/d/3BPWRY7 Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcastSupport the show

Send us a textAdi Cohen is the founder of The New Movement, an architecture studio that designs one-of-a-kind projects worldwide. She is the host of the podcast ‘Go Out and Talk to Strangers’, TEDx speaker, Forbes-featured, passionate creator, and free thinker. Adi is on a mission to create ‘the most inspiring places on earth’, with the intention of using the built environment as a tool to help people thrive. Adi is a global citizen, and the first architect to be living a nomadic lifestyle while working. She uses her travels as a source of inspiration, a way to connect to ancient wisdom and learn from local communities.In this episode, we talk about: How Adi’s childhood influenced her desire to explore Adi’s life-changing decision to leave behind her stable job to pursue a global education How little changes in a space can greatly influence the social behaviors of peopleUnderstanding the neurobiological pattern of prospects and refugeOn reimagining offices that are able to genuinely cultivate creativity Designing international spaces with remote teamsOn bridging cultural differences among clients and teamsThe beauty of co-living in nomadic communitiesOn the absurdity of how humans spend more than 90% of their lives indoorsOn rejecting traditional career paths and notionsAdi’s commitment to helping others create beautiful livesTo learn more about her work, visit: Website: https://thenewmvt.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/nomad.architect.me/ IN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adi-cohen-architect/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomad.architect.me Email: info@thenewmvt.com Resources Mentioned:Openness to Experience: The Gates of the Mind - https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/openness-to-experience-the-gates-of-the-mind/ Accidental Genius: Revolutionize Your Thinking Through Private Writing - https://a.co/d/9wZSJNp Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcastSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Rob Dunn is the Senior Vice Provost of University Interdisciplinary Programs and a Reynolds Professor in Applied Ecology at North Carolina State University. As Senior Vice Provost he oversees efforts to spur interdisciplinary scholarship, education, and public engagement at NC State. As a scholar, he studies the ecology and evolution of societies and the species with which they interact. This has included projects on the global ecology of sourdough bread, the evolution of sour taste, and the origin of yogurt microbes, among many others. Dunn has published more than two hundred peer-reviewed articles and more than a hundred magazine and newspaper articles. He has published seven books, including, most recently, A Natural History of the Future and, with Monica Sanchez, Delicious, the Evolution of Flavor and How it Made Us HumanIn this episode, we talk about: 1. How Rob’s love for art and biology often intersect and interact with each other2. The distinction between elegance and beauty in ecology3. The value of art-science collaboration4. How can we better communicate important scientific discoveries to the general public?5. Rob’s interest in the interplay between speculative fiction and the future of science6. The adaptability of nature7. Is the scientific pursuit beautiful or violent? Or both?8. How can we make the funding for science endeavors more just?9. His new book on the origin of flavor and why pleasure matters10. The biology and psychology behind our cultural preferences for foodTo learn more about his work, visit: https://robdunnlab.com/ Resources Mentioned:Delicious: The Evolution of Flavor and How It Made Us Human by Rob Dunn and Monica Sanchez- https://www.amazon.com/Delicious-Evolution-Flavor-Made-Human/dp/0691199477  Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcastSupport the show