Jump Podcast

It’s a new year, unwritten and full of possibility. Before the noise and distractions rush in, take a moment to decide what direction you actually want your company to head. The most disruptive companies in history didn’t lead with 50-page strategy decks; they rallied people around big, focused challenges.   Drawing on examples from President John F. Kennedy's race to the moon to companies such as Amazon and Netflix, hosts Dev Patnaik and Michelle Loret de Mola look at the big "moonshot" challenges that secured their place in history, for better or worse. And as they unpack them, they demonstrate the characteristics of a winning challenge. But first, you have to figure out where your moon is.

AI-induced layoffs. Chatbot psychosis. Climate disasters. Gene-editing breakthroughs. Self-driving cars. 2025 felt like a sci-fi movie trailer. In this year-end episode, Dev and Michelle take us beyond the moments and examine the momentum underneath it all—the shifts rewiring markets, geopolitics, and society. Because when robotaxis go from fiction to reality in a matter of months, it’s a signal the future is changing lanes quickly.

Stuart Russell raises alarms about the potential dangers of AI, suggesting it could surpass human capabilities. He discusses a future where human work is largely obsolete and raises concerns about an economy losing its rationale. The hosts explore the distinction between wisdom and intelligence, emphasizing that wisdom could be a significant competitive advantage amid AI advancements. They also tackle the role of empathy in leadership and innovative tech like Nike's robotic ankle and China's underwater data center pilot.

In a world overflowing with information, wisdom is surprisingly hard to come by. We dig into the difference between wisdom and knowledge, why knowledge doesn't necessarily precede wisdom, and how leaders can cultivate it (doing, reflecting, coaching). We close from Headlines from the Future, including China’s underwater data center, the global spread of 3D‑printed guns, and Nike’s robotic ankle brace.

In a captivating discussion, Zack Kass, a global AI advisor and former Head of Go-To-Market at OpenAI, shares insights from his book, The Next Renaissance. He envisions a future driven by unmetered intelligence that democratizes access to knowledge and sparks scientific breakthroughs. Zack emphasizes the difference between knowledge and intelligence, while acknowledging the potential risks of AI. He offers practical advice for business leaders on leveraging AI as a competitive edge and advocates for reimagining organizations to foster innovation.

Last week, Lululemon’s founder and former CEO fired shots at the company with a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal. And the numbers are on his side—the company's stock has plummeted more than 50% in the past year. In this episode, we unpack what the clash reveals about the challenge of scaling without losing your edge—and what future-focused strategists can learn about navigating category maturity, cultural relevance, and corporate nightmares.

In this episode of the Jump Podcast, Dev and Michelle unpack the “Great Lock-In of 2025”, a viral challenge born on TikTok that they reframe for strategy leaders. They challenge executives to treat Q4 as “Q0”, a time to run small experiments, close open loops, and reset leadership habits before the new year. This episode is a call to action for leaders ready to lock in and lead with intention. It’s about turning intention into momentum—and, for some, that shift in mindset may manifest as getting bangs.

Disney’s decision to suspend—and later reinstate—late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is all anyone can talk about. The involvement of Trump-appointed FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has sparked debate over free speech and potential government overreach. But Dev Patnaik and Michelle Loret de Mola argue that, at the heart of the controversy, lie important lessons for enterprise businesses on navigating conflicting stakeholder demands in an era of crisis overload.

What kind of future are we actually building—and is it one we want to live in? Live from Jump Offsite 2025 in Napa Valley, Dev Patnaik and Michelle Loret de Mola share takeaways from three days of deep dives, bold ideas, and uncomfortable truths. AI is accelerating, but do we really understand what we’re unleashing? Culture is shifting, but are we losing the social glue that holds us together? And in business, do startups still have the edge when it comes to disruption? One thing we walked away with: it’s time to pause and ask where our current trajectory is leading, and what trade-offs we’re willing to make along the way. And if you're still holding out hope for a brighter future, good news: your dog might live to see it.

We speak with cognitive scientist Shannon Heald to explore what it really means for AI to be a thought partner, and why the missing piece is metacognition. We examine how we’ve moved from offloading memory, with tools like maps and lists, to offloading generation with large language models, and what that means for leaders trying to balance efficiency with insight. Shannon also shares how leaders can pair AI’s ability to performance tune with a process of captured serendipity to evolve better ideas. AI can help you reach your goals, but you still need to go outside to find out what a hike is. The Jump Podcast  The Jump Podcast is the conversation for you, our tribe of future-focused leaders. Hosts Dev Patnaik and Michelle Loret de Mola explore the most pressing issues in business strategy, culture, and leadership, with insights that help even the most seasoned strategists reframe how to lead and how to plan for What's Next. From interviews with thought leaders to Headlines from the Future, The Jump Podcast aims to widen your perspective to plan for change before the ground shifts beneath your feet.   Jump Associates Jump is the strategy firm for future-focused leaders. We help ambitious companies see what’s coming and adapt before they fall behind. For over 25 years, we’ve worked with teams at Google, Nike, Samsung, Target, and Virgin to solve their most pressing growth challenges. In a world mired in yesterday’s data, we look ahead—integrating strategy, culture, and leadership to help organizations grow through change.