In this episode of the d.MBA podcast, we explore the exciting and rapidly-evolving field of artificial intelligence and its potential impacts on the design community and the future of business. We discuss: The latest advances in AI technology and how it is transforming the way we design products, services, and experiences. We also delve into the potential risks and opportunities that AI presents for businesses and designers, and offer insights on how to navigate this rapidly-changing landscape. Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of AI and its implications for the future of design and business. The episode’s description was written by an AI chatbot ChatGPT. Impressive, right?

How can we best align the goals of employees and owners? It’s an age-old problem of a principal-agent relationship. But there is a promising trend that could really align incentives between employees and owners. It’s by making employees owners! We decided to invite two d.MBA alumni, Sandra Fernandez and Chris How to share how employee ownership works in their companies. We talked about: what even are employee-owned companies, what are the benefits and drawbacks for employees and companies, and the advice Sandra and Chris would give to others who are in the position to suggest or adopt the employee ownership program.   www.d.mba

In the latest Designer in Nature Talking Business, we are hosting Elisabeth Graf, a service designer, innovation coach, and facilitator. And a d.MBA alumna! Lilly shared how she got into design and learned about the importance of a business concept called opportunity costs. Along the way, we also discussed how she negotiated her salary and got a 50% raise only 3 months after being hired, and why her most hated business buzzword is MVP.

According to the Oxford dictionary, a moat is “a deep, wide ditch surrounding a castle, fort, or town, typically filled with water and intended as a defence against attack”. Ok, basically some kind of defense around the castle. So, how does this concept translate to business? And design work? Martyn Reding, chief design officer at Upzelo and former head of design at Virgin Atlantic, shared how he learned about economic moats and how he uses the concept in designing digital products.

Let’s take a moment of silence. Adobe is acquiring Figma. Judging by Adobe’s previous acquisitions this is surely the end of Figma’s best days, right? But Adobe is promising to keep Figma independent! Should we believe Adobe? But let’s also celebrate. The founder of Patagonia is giving away his company to fight the climate crisis. He is setting a beautiful example of how companies can shift their main stakeholder from stockholders to the society and planet. But it also sets a dangerous precedent that other billionaires could exploit. In this episode, we cover: why is Adobe really acquiring Figma, is Adobe likely to keep Figma independent, and how Patagonia’s news is a beautiful and dangerous precedent for other billionaires.   www.d.mba/mini-mba

Most of us have already tried to offset the carbon footprint of our consumption. Maybe you’ve paid to offset your flight, a parcel delivery, or even production of a product you bought. And it made you feel good, right? Well, this episode will make you feel a bit worse. Sorry. But if you are ready to take the red pill listen in and we’ll share: how governments try to force certain industries and companies into decreasing pollution, why do some companies voluntarily offset their carbon footprint, and why, unfortunately, neither of these two paths is currently effective.

When you hire a designer to help you on a project, you don't expect them to say: "What if we don't focus on users here?".  Franz shared his story of working on a client project that benefitted from designing for suppliers, not customers. To make his point for focusing on suppliers he used a tool called a value chain. Tune in to Designers in Nature Talking Business, our new podcast format where designers (in nature) share their stories of how they learned or used their favorite business tools. And learn what is a value chain and how you can use it too!

Recently, you may have heard that money is getting more expensive. But how can the money be more expensive? Money is, well, just money. To clarify this business lingo, Alen and Franz break down the current business environment and share what sets the price of money. We talked about: what cheap and expensive capital even means, why is money now getting more expensive, and what implications this has on the business world.

It’s usually a bad sign when currencies take over news. It was no different this July 13th when the news broke that one euro is worth exactly one dollar for the first time in twenty years. The US dollar has been gaining strength against other currencies over the last six months due to various reasons, which we cover in detail in this episode. But the question is: Who benefits from a strong dollar. A strong dollar is good for US companies, right? Well… It is not that simple. Listen in to learn what are the most common factors why currencies fluctuate, who benefits from a strong US dollar, and which companies and individuals will be harmed by it?

Working as a freelancer comes with opportunities and challenges. One of these challenges is how you position yourself to get the clients you love working with. And secondly, how do you price your services so you can survive and thrive. We invited two d.MBA alumni and design freelancers (well, they prefer the term contractors - more about that in the show), Tom Prior and James Bickerton to share their experience. We talked about: how James charges $7,500 for a 90-minute workshop when being a specialist makes more sense than being a generalist and how the future of freelance work could be equity pay.