Digitally Curious

Do you think disruptively? In this episode we spoke with self-described "Rough Diamond", Nicole Yershon about what it means to think like a disruptor and how disruption can be turned into an advantage.Nicole is not new to disruption. When Nicole joined Ogilvy in 2000 she was given the simple brief of “bringing the agency into the 21st century”.She achieved this by building relationships with third party suppliers and embracing new technologies that saw Ogilvy digitise some 10,000 tapes of adverts dating back to the 1950s. Nicole later went on to be the founding partner of Ogilvy’s London Digital Innovation Lab – the dedicated Innovation unit of Ogilvy & Mather Group where she worked with brands such as Amex, IBM, BP, Selfridges, Unilever, BA and Wetherspoons. She’s also famous for her “black book” of leading suppliers.In 2016 she founded the NY Collective with a mind to remove the traditionally opaque practices of consulting and marketing agencies.We spoke about topics such as:• Turning disruption into an advantage• Why we need disruptors in any business• The prayers, players and stayers• The Ogilvy Lab Rats and Lab days• Measuring the impact of disruption• Can disruptors be made or are they born?• How a “black book” of suppliers became a community• 3 Things for next week • Be curious• Get outside your comfort zone• Be authenticThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

Cryptocurrency and especially bitcoin has been one of the most over-hyped technologies this decade. To better understand the opportunity for cryptocurrencies and blockchain, I spoke with Jeremy Epstein, CEO of Never Stop Marketing, who has 20 years of international marketing experience.Most recently, Jeremy was VP, Marketing at Sprinklr which grew from a $20 million valuation and 30 people to $1.8 billion valuation and 1400 people in 4 years.Today, Jeremy is a highly sought-after marketing advisor in the crypto/blockchain industry and has worked with some of the leading and most innovative projects including OpenBazaar, Zcash, and DCorp.He's spent the last 4 years deeply understanding the world of crypto and blockchain and his insights in this episode should help you better understand what lies ahead for this much discussed technology,In this episode we covered:What interested you about cryptocurrencies?Why is cryptocurrency so misunderstood?Why crypto represents the next evolution of the internetThe value transfer revolutionRe-engineering Blockchain in 2019?Is Blockchain always the best solution?The open public blockchainHelping the 2Bn unbanked peopleCreating a global trust layerStakeholder capitalismThe problem with bitcoin - humans are greedyWhat does it feel like to own crypto?Facebook's crypto ambition - LibraThe rise of surveillance capitalismThe problem with Facebook launching LibraHow holding bitcoin increases its valueParticipatory capitalWho is responsible for promoting the benefits of crypto?Blockchain can help with insurance policiesRapid insurance payments using smart contractsSending donations using bitcoinThree things for next week1. Read the bitcoin whitepaper2. Buy some bitcoin3. Send someone some bitcoinThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

Great content that cuts through the noise is key in a disrupted B2B world. In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Eric Fulwiler who recently joined 11:FS - a financial services transformation company as CMO, overseeing their media and marketing teams across the group.He spent the last 10 years in digital advertising agencies, most recently as UK Managing Director for US-based VaynerMedia - a creative, media, and production agency. Before agency life, and as a side hustle along the way, he’s worked on and advised numerous start-ups. He’s a frequent speaker and contributor on the state and future of marketing, brand strategy, and digital media.We discussed a range of topics including:What does the 11 stand for in 11:FS?What does 11FS do?Are you a consultancy or a tech companyDigital banking is only 1% finished - what's left to do?How do you differ from the big 4?Disruptive consulting - disrupting the disruptorsUsing podcasts to attract clients and share knowledgeThe quality of the content depends on the intentThe Rise of UK Fintech movieHandling growth vs innovationWhere do the existing banks have an opportunity to change?Will the challengers get scale before the incumbents get innovation?Fintech innovationNatwest Bank's innovation journeyWhat are your largest challenges as a CMO?The promise of Open Banking3 things for next week around content marketingPut value at the top of the pyramidBe iterative and reactiveYou need to drive business resultsThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

With the rise and rise of online shopping can the high street survive? To answer this question and others on the future of retail I asked Julian Fisher, CEO of Retail platform Jisp for his expert views.Julian has enjoyed a varied background in technology, payments and new media, and in 1994 he launched the UK’s first internet exhibition.Since then his work has remained inexorably linked to the internet and improving sales, payment and issues with compliance together with information solutions for a wide and diverse group of blue-chip companies.In this episode we discussed:Can the high street be saved from the threat of Amazon?The High street vs the internetWhat can high street retailers do to prevent extinction?The last Blockbuster on the planetSainsbury's and ArgosThe John Lewis online strategyThe problem with showroomingMeeting consumer demands in-storeJohn Lewis in-store iPhonesThe Apple retail experienceRemoving the pay-deskThe John Lewis Partnership modelRetailTainment - Retail + EntertainmentToday at Apple - why it works so wellWhy a helpful store assistant will make you buy moreHow to double transaction revenueHow delivery services are disrupting restaurantsThe delivery channel is not important - it's all businessThe dark kitchen conceptThe latest retail innovationsUsing retail data to create better experiencesWhat will the high street look like in 5-10 years?The role of cash in retailHow mobile is key for retailThe future retail mixThree practical tips for retailersTalk to your staff and customersBe bold & innovative & fail fastMake your customers the focusThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

In this episode we speak with Dr Elaine Kasket who tells stories about the impact of the digital age on how we live and how we die, and helps others write and speak powerfully about what matters to them. She is the author of a fascinating book on the subject “All the Ghosts in the Machine” which I had the pleasure of reading ahead of our recording.In this podcast, you will also learn·      The ethics and privacy of family letters·      The laws of data ownership·      The deceased's right to privacy·      Why you need a digital will·      The need for a Facebook Legacy Contact·      The legal issues around legacy contacts·      Your digital afterlife on other platforms·      Context collapse and personal brand·      Eulogy for a digital stranger·      The DeathTech space·      Are you ready for your own digital afterlife?·      3 tips to get your digital life in orderThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

In Episode 10 of the Actionable Futurist® Podcast we speak with Lauren Walker, who at the time of recording was the Chief Operating & Data Officer in EMEA for leading agency Dentsu Aegis. She is now Managing Director at Accenture Interactive.Lauren joined Dentsu in 2017 from IBM and lead a team of more than 600 people across operations, market research, social science, digital and data science, and engineering. In May 2021 she moved to be Managing Director at Accenture Interactive.Prior to these roles, she spent a decade at IBM with a raft of senior roles - most recently head of data strategy partnerships for Europe.Lauren was also director of competitive strategy at Choicepoint, now part of LexisNexis, and spent two years as a special advisor to the Director of the White House in Washington DC.In this fascinating podcast, we covered the world of data and looked at what's next.Disclaimer: Lauren's comments are her own and not that of her previous or current employer.Connect with Lauren on LinkedInFollow Lauren on TwitterThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

In Episode 9 we speak with James Varga, who co-founded The ID Co in 2011 with a mission to create convenience  allowing consumers to sign up to new products and services in seconds.He is active in a number of local and global efforts to help people do more online, including the Fintech Delivery Panel, the Open Banking Excellence where he is Co-founder and Trust In Digital Life.As one of the first to call for Open Banking in the UK, James has a wealth of experience in this space. Having previously built a personal finance management and aggregation service, he has a unique perspective that highlights the importance of customer convenience in the overall success and adoption of Open Banking. Among other things we discussed:What is Open Banking?Applications for Open BankingThe identity challengesMatching the right person to the right productGDPR and Open BankingData ownership is key2018 - the year of regulated disruptionGiving the consumer back controlWhy has Open Banking been slow to take off?Is Open Banking good for banks?The real opportunity for Open BankingWhat's the Open Banking silver bullet?Account aggregation is just the startUsing data for customer onboardingConsumer behavioural changeThe balance between convenience and rewardBanks are bad at using dataBeing a B2C Fintech isn't easyMonzo's IFTTT integrationConsumer data ownership is keyWe need to give consumers an incentive to use Open BankingInstant loans - 45% revenue increase & 7% fraud reductionThe Australian Open Banking sceneThe open data approach is a riskGetting the regulators involved3 things for next weekThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

In Episode 8 we speak with Dr. Lynn Gribble, who is one of Australia’s founding coaches, an accidental academic and an award-winning author and university lecturer.She’s known as a digital innovator for her work in technology-enabled academia and she calls herself a “pragmatic futurist coach”. She also helps people to “future proof” their careers in an ever-evolving workplace.We spoke with Lynn from Sydney, Australia where she lives and works.We discussed a range of topics relevant to companies of any size including:The future of work is about relationshipsDo people want to be managed in the digital age?Managing the circumstances not the peopleSoft vs disciplinary skillsWe need people to connect peopleWhat we can't teach AI to do is make a human connectionPeople are the only truly sustainable competitive advantageWhat is the future of work?People need to be agile and take ownership of their skills developmentFlexibility is the key in the gig economyThe serviced office of the futureThe one piece of technology that will drive fundamental changeThe digital agentHome robots are the hardest workersThe receptionist of the futureThe stigma of retrenchmentManaging MillennialsWhat ice skating can teach youWhat organisations get wrongIf you punish risk you will get no innovationAre we addressing ethics in business?The link between risk and ethicsWhat 3 things can you do next week?1. Build relationships not networks2. Take a small risk & do something new3. How can I be kinder & more connected to colleagues?Thanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

In Episode 7 we speak with Pitching expert Peter Hopwood and answer the question “What’s the Future of … Pitching for Success?”Peter is a communications and presence coach, public speaking and pitch trainer and conference host.We spoke with Peter from Croatia where he lives and works.We discussed a range of topics relevant to companies of any size including:Getting people curious about your businessSimple tricks for networking eventsHow to stand outMistakes people make when pitchingWhy the first 60 seconds is keyThe worst pitch everShow you care what you're talking aboutThink about your style and toneGetting your nerves under controlOwning the pauseHow being different gets you noticedChannelling Don Draper from Mad MenThe importance of rehearsalsThree things you can do next weekWhy should people listen to you?Think about your "sexy secret"Find out more about PeterThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

In Episode 6 we speak with the CEO of Integral Communications Group Ethan McCarty  and answer the question “What’s the Future of … Employee Communication?”A former journalist, Ethan joined IBM in early 2000 to manage the web presence for IBM’s $6 billion a year research division, he also co-authored their groundbreaking blogging guidelines, launched IBM’s intranet podcasting platform and worked on IBM’s award-winning annual report to shareholders.He is now the CEO of Integral Communications Group, a consulting firm specializing in employee activation, as well as a masters-level lecturer on digital media and employee communications for Columbia University.We spoke to Ethan from New York where he lives and works.We discussed a range of topics relevant to companies of any size including:Why Ethan started an employee activation companyInternal vs External communicationsHarnessing your external networkEmployee Advocacy beyond: "Please retweet this"How do you measure employee engagement?Helping attract new talent to the firmUsing communication as a recruitment toolHow do you "activate" employees?Stop "interruption messaging"Culture and purposePersonal brand vs company brandRenting your brand to an organisationEminence vs advocacyShowing up with your networkDesign your value proposition to be network permeableGetting your digital tools readyWhat 3 things can you do next week to start an employee engagement program?1. Start talking with employees2. Reinspect the measures of our work3. Inspect your practice of iterationThe Agile ManifestoThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious