How I Work

The secret to using AI well might actually be teaching it to shut up. 

In this bonus episode, I’m joined by Elan Lee - the brilliant mind behind Exploding Kittens and Throw Throw Burrito. While you might expect someone like Elan to use AI to design wild new worlds or characters, that’s not what he does at all. 

Instead, he’s found a way to make AI his creative sparring partner - one that never interrupts, never judges, and somehow helps him think more clearly. 

In this chat, Elan shares how he uses AI to stress-test ideas, solve tricky design problems, and even guide his morning creative walks. His approach flips the script on AI - using it not to generate answers, but to ask better questions. 

Elan and I discuss: 

• How Elan uses AI to uncover blind spots in game instructions 

• Why he treats AI as a creative sparring partner, not a substitute for imagination 

• The surprising way he uses AI to fix in-game economies and balance point systems 

• His daily three-hour “thinking walks” with ChatGPT - and the prompt that changed how he works 

• The one mindset shift that turns AI into a powerful tool for creativity and reflection 

KEY QUOTES 

“When you are working with AI, you don’t let it answer questions for you - you let it ask you questions.” 

“The best ideas come from combining old ideas in new ways. AI just helps me see those connections.” 

Explore Elan’s games at explodingkittens.com and connect with him on Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn.  

If you haven’t yet listened to my full conversation with Elan - where we dive into creativity, failure, and how he built a global game company that thrives on iteration - you can find that episode here. 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  

Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  

Get in touch at [email protected]  

Credits:  

Host: Amantha Imber  

Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI can feel like the ultimate shortcut – no blank pages, no stuck moments. But what happens when you hand over too much of the thinking? 

In this Quick Win, I chat with business professor and author Scott Anthony about how he uses AI as a sparring partner for ideas, and why keeping ownership of the hard thinking is essential if we want to stay sharp.  

Scott and I discuss: 

• Why AI can easily replace the discomfort that leads to original thinking 

• How Scott uses multiple AI models (ChatGPT and Claude) to brainstorm from different perspectives 

• The importance of setting context and personas when prompting 

• Where Scott draws the line between useful AI help and losing his “thinking muscle” 

• A simple test to check if you’ve outsourced too much of your thought process 

KEY QUOTES 

“Use AI to brainstorm, to challenge, to widen the lens – but keep ownership of the hard thinking.” 

“Once you stop struggling with the blank page, you risk losing the very skill that makes your ideas valuable.” 

Check out Scott’s new book Epic Disruptions. 

Listen to the full conversation with Scott here. 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  

Connect with me on the socials:  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanthai  

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  

Get in touch at [email protected]  

Credits:  

Host: Amantha Imber  

Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s one thing to be told you can’t have it all. It’s another to be told you can’t be both a CEO and a mother. 

When an investor said exactly that to Dr Catriona Wallace, she didn’t flinch. She refused to choose and went on to found Flamingo AI, one of the world’s first artificial intelligence companies, becoming one of only two women in history to list a female-led tech company on the ASX. 

In this conversation, Catriona and I talk about what it takes to hold your ground in the face of sexism and scrutiny, how she stayed true to herself while leading a global company, and why she believes you can be both an ambitious leader and a present parent. 

We also dive into her work in ethical AI, exploring how she uses AI tools not just to improve productivity but also to reflect, make better decisions, and even coach her own AI companions toward self-awareness. 

Catriona and I discuss: 

• The investor who told Catriona she couldn’t be both a CEO and a mother - and why she refused to choose 

• The million-dollar investment she walked away from (because of her nose ring) 

• How she learned to lead without compromising who she is 

• What “non-linear thinking” looks like when you’re raising five kids while running a global company 

• How she uses AI companions for reflection, productivity, and even spiritual insight 

• The eight core principles that guide ethical AI development 

• Why authenticity - not conformity - is the future of leadership 

KEY QUOTES 

“The moment you start to compromise and change, more things will compromise and change - and you lose who you are.” 

“I’m in deep love with AI, even though I’m one of the people saying it might kill us - so we’d better do it ethically.” 

Connect with Dr Catriona Wallace on Instagram, LinkedIn, and via her website. 
Check out her book Rapid Transformation for more on how to embrace change through technology and leadership. 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  

Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  

Get in touch at [email protected]  

Credits:  

Host: Amantha Imber  

Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five years ago, Dr Catriona Wallace drank ayahuasca for the first time - expecting enlightenment but instead meeting her shadow. What followed was seven hours of confronting ego, identity, and the parts of herself she’d spent years avoiding. 

In this bonus episode, I sit down with Dr Catriona Wallace to explore how her experiences with plant medicine completely reshaped the way she leads, tells the truth, and understands her purpose. 

Catriona shares how facing her darkest parts helped her release control, redefine success, and lead with greater authenticity and courage. 

Just a quick note - nothing you’ll hear in this episode is medical or legal advice, and we’re definitely not suggesting anyone try anything that’s illegal where they live. Think of this as an open conversation, not a recommendation. 

Catriona and I discuss: 

• The unexpected transformation that came from Catriona’s first ayahuasca experience 

• How confronting ego and identity shifted her leadership style 

• Why she believes truth-telling is the foundation of authentic leadership 

• The powerful reframe from “What’s my purpose?” to “What is needed of me?” 

• How plant medicine taught her the importance of surrender, service, and alignment 

KEY QUOTES 

“Seven hours of ayahuasca is like seven years of psychotherapy.”

“Instead of asking, ‘What’s my purpose?’, I now ask, ‘What is needed of me?’” 

Connect with Dr Catriona Wallace on Instagram, LinkedIn, and via her website. 
Check out her book Rapid Transformation for more on how to embrace change through technology and leadership. 

If you haven’t listened to my full conversation with Catriona - where she opens up about leading with authenticity, standing firm in the face of sexism, and the now-famous moment she walked away from a million-dollar investment because she refused to compromise who she is. You can find that here. 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  

Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  

Get in touch at [email protected]  

Credits:  

Host: Amantha Imber  

Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if every morning you woke up to the biggest breakthroughs in your industry - already summarised and ranked before your first sip of coffee? 

In this Quick Win episode, I speak with Morgan Brown, Vice President of Product and Growth at Dropbox, about how he uses AI to simplify his workday - from automating his inbox to designing a daily AI briefing that scans and summarises the entire landscape of research papers, newsletters, tweets, and podcasts. Starting with one simple prompt, Morgan built a system that cuts through noise and delivers only what really matters. 

Morgan and I discuss: 

• How Morgan uses AI to automate routine tasks like email triage and information curation. 

• The process he followed to build a personalised daily AI news digest. 

• Why his approach started not with coding, but with one simple question: What do I keep checking every day? 

• How he refined his system through prompts, iteration, and feedback loops — just like editing a great piece of writing. 
• The mindset shift from consuming more information to filtering for signal over noise. 

KEY QUOTES 

“I realised there was no way to stay on top of that volume consistently - so I started with a prompt.” 

“I didn’t start with coding or fancy tools. It started with asking, what sources do I keep checking and how can I pull them together?” 

Connect with Morgan Brown on X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and his website https://www.morganbrown.co/  

Check out Morgan’s book Hacking Growth.  

Get your hands on Morgan’s AI research prompt here. 

Listen to the full conversation with Morgan here 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ 

Connect with me on the socials: 

Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) 
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) 

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe 

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. 

Get in touch at [email protected] 

Credits: 
Host: Amantha Imber 
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, I shared part one of my conversation with my teammate Aly Solly from Inventium. We unpacked some of the lessons from 2024 - our toughest year yet. 

After the cracks and burnout of 2024, this episode is all about how we rebuilt trust, reset our culture, and found our way back to being a team again. 

Aly and I talk about the offsite that changed everything, the small rituals that reconnected us, and how we learned to speak openly - even when it felt uncomfortable. 

We also discuss: 

• The “Deal or No Deal” moment that clarified who was really in for the rebuild. 

• Simple but powerful rituals - like our Team Health Monitor and Monday meeting questions - that strengthened connection. 

• The pivotal offsite that helped the team confront the past and name the elephants in the room. 

• How the team rebuilt trust through shared ownership and reflection instead of blame. 

• Signs that things had genuinely changed. 

• Why rebuilding trust starts with leaders taking emotional risks. 

KEY QUOTES 

“Trust isn’t rebuilt by policies or posters. It’s rebuilt by people taking small emotional risks again and again.”  

“Your vulnerability allowed us to be vulnerable. It reminded us that we were all on the same boat again.”  

Every Monday, we start our team meeting with one random question to break the ice and reconnect as humans. Here are a few of the questions we’ve loved: 

• If you could have any superpower for a day, what would it be? 

• If you could swap jobs with anyone for one week (realistic or not), who would you pick? 

• If you were arrested for a crime, what would your friends assume you’d done? 

• If you suddenly woke up as a billionaire, what would be the first completely unnecessary thing you’d buy?  

• If you could instantly learn any new skill, what would it be? 

• What’s a habit or routine you’ve recently picked up that’s working for you? 

• What’s a hobby or activity you’ve always wanted to try but never got around to? 

If you missed part one, I recommend listening to that first so you understand how bad things got before we began to rebuild. Listen here. 

Connect with Aly Solly on LinkedIn. 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ 

Connect with me on the socials: 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanthai 

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe 

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. 

Get in touch at [email protected] 

Credits: 
Host: Amantha Imber 
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you think AI is just about saving time or cutting headcount, you’re missing its biggest potential. 

In this Quick Win episode, futurist Bob Johansen – a distinguished fellow at the Institute for the Future in Silicon Valley – shares why leaders who only see AI as a productivity tool are missing the point. 

Bob explains that the real opportunity lies in using AI to augment how we think: to get unstuck, explore new ideas, and stretch our minds in ways we can’t do alone. 

Bob and I discuss: 

• Why most leaders are stuck using AI for efficiency instead of creativity 

• The mindset shift from artificial intelligence to augmented intelligence 

• Bob’s prediction that almost all leaders will be augmented within ten years – or out of the game 

• How to use AI as a thought partner to challenge your ideas and expand your curiosity 

• Practical ways to start practising this today through conversation, not just prompts 

KEY QUOTES 

“Ten years from now, almost all leaders will be augmented – or you’ll be out of the game.” 
 

 “The story isn’t about computers replacing people. It’s about humans and computers doing things together that have never been done before.” 

Connect with Bob on LinkedIn and learn more about his work at the Institute for the Future. Check out his latest book, Navigating the Age of Chaos 

Listen to the full conversation with Bob here. 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ 

Connect with me on the socials: 

Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) 
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) 

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe 

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. 

Get in touch at [email protected] 

Credits: 
Host: Amantha Imber 
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often talk about success stories, not the moments when things completely fall apart. But sometimes, that’s where the biggest lessons hide. 

In part one of my two-part conversation with my teammate Aly Solly, we talk about Inventium’s hardest year yet – the one that tested trust, stretched leadership, and forced us to rebuild from the inside out. 

After I released my Leadership Lessons episode from 2024, I had so many people reach out asking what really happened. How bad did it get? And how did we fix things? 

So, I sat down with Aly – who lived through that tough period – to unpack what it actually feels like when a high-performing team starts to unravel. 

Together, we talk about the cracks that appeared when trust faded, what it’s like to lead through burnout, and how even the best intentions can backfire. 

Aly and I discuss: 

• The inside story of Inventium’s most challenging year – when hierarchy and structure divided the team instead of strengthening it. 

• How burnout crept in and why high performers stopped working together. 

• The unexpected damage caused by trying to “do the right thing.” 

• How Aly’s trust in the team – and in me – began to fracture. 

• The small moments that started to rebuild trust between us. 

• What it’s like to face retrenchments as both a leader and teammate. 

• The moment everything finally broke – and the phone call that changed how we work together. 

KEY QUOTES 

“It’s funny how the most instinctive thing to do is often the least constructive thing to do.”  

“I was so burnt out, but that moment we rebuilt trust reminded me what mattered about the work we do.” 

Connect with Aly Solly on LinkedIn. 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ 

Connect with me on the socials: 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanthai 

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe 

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. 

Get in touch at [email protected] 

Credits: 
Host: Amantha Imber 
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the smartest thing a leader could do is try to make themselves obsolete? 
That’s exactly what Georgie Holt, co-founder of Flight Story, set out to test. Her 60-day AI experiment wasn’t about replacing herself - it was about freeing herself from the operational noise that stops leaders from thinking, leading, and creating. 

 In this Quick Win, Georgie shares how she built Scout - a custom AI assistant that automated the admin side of hiring and saved her 20 to 25 hours every week. By “killing off” the operational part of her role, Georgie found more time for what truly matters: people and purpose. 

Georgie and I discuss: 

• The question that sparked Georgie’s 60-day AI experiment 

• How she built Scout in a few conversations with GPT - no coding required 

• Why mapping out her pain points was the real unlock 

• The mindset shift from efficiency to presence 

• How she now uses that freed-up time to focus on people and long-term vision 

Follow Georgie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgie-holt/ 

Listen/watch Diary of a CEO: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDiaryOfACEO  

Listen to the full conversation with Georgie here. 

My new book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: 

https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ 

Connect with me on the socials: 

LinkedIn 

Instagram 

Want more tips to improve the way you work and live? 

Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for practical, science-backed strategies: 

https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  

For full show notes from all episodes, visit: 

https://www.amantha.com/podcast 

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Credits 

Host: Amantha Imber 

Episode Producer: Sam Blacker, The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We love to pretend we’re above jealousy – that successful, self-aware people don’t feel it. But that’s a lie. 

When bestselling author and Mamamia Out Loud co-host Holly Wainwright found herself wide awake one night, jealous of a close friend’s success, she realised jealousy wasn’t something to outgrow. It was something to pay attention to. 

Because jealousy doesn’t just make you small. It points to what you secretly want – the thing you’re scared to say out loud. 

In this episode, Holly and I talk about the strange power of envy: how it can shake your sense of self, clarify your ambitions, and even become the most honest career compass you’ll ever have. 

Holly and I discuss: 

• The moment Holly recognised jealousy in herself and what it revealed about her buried ambitions. 

• How jealousy can act as a signpost for what you really want – if you’re brave enough to look at it. 

• The difference between ambition and competition, and how one can paralyse while the other propels. 

• Why success metrics constantly shift, and how to define what “doing well” actually means for you. 

• How to stay grounded and generous when envy or comparison start to creep in. 

• The link between gratitude, perspective, and creative freedom. 

Key Quotes 

“You’re only jealous of things you really, really want.” 

“If I focus all the time on what other people are doing, that’s what paralyzes me.” 

Connect with Holly on Instagram and LinkedIn, listen to Mamamia Out Loud and Mid, and check out her latest book He Would Never here. 

Listen to Part 2 of this interview with Holly Wainwright here. 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ 

Connect with me on the socials: 
Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) 
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) 

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple-to-apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe 

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. 

Get in touch at [email protected] 

Credits: 
Host: Amantha Imber 
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.