Pebble Presents

In this episode of Pebble Presents, I chat with Burt Alper about audience-focused communication. Not the kind you do for a campaign or a brand brief - but the kind you need every day, inside your organization. You’ll hear us discuss why the career pivot from branding to communication coaching turned out to be no pivot at all, the AIM framework, and the shift from demographic to psychographic audience thinking. We also get into why marketers - professional communicators - are so often challenged at communicating internally.

If you are wondering how to diagnose when communication is your problem, and what to do about it, this episode is for you!

Emelia Rallapalli is the founder of Pebble, a brand strategy and marketing research consultancy. With decades of experience in global brand planning, strategy, and research, Pebble has helped shape businesses of all kinds, from ambitious start-ups to global Fortune 100 companies. 

Burt Alper is a lecturer at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. He also coaches senior leaders at Thoma Bravo, JMI Equity, Farallon, and FTV Capital, among many others. Previously, he co-founded Catchword and led the firm's strategy and business development initiatives. He has dedicated his entire career to making exceptional communication a competitive advantage. He helps clients articulate their ideas more effectively, efficiently, and confidently.

Welcome to Pebble Presents.

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If you liked this episode of Pebble Presents, please share it with colleagues and friends! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to rate/review/subscribe to the show.

Want more? Visit PebbleStrategy.com. 

You can also find us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/pebble-strategy/) and Instagram(https://www.instagram.com/pebblestrategy/).

Thanks for listening and joining the conversation!

References

• Burt’s website: www.burtalper.com
• Burt Alper on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/burtalper/

Show Notes 

1:01 - Emelia introduces Burt Alper

2:19 - Burt's path from branding to communications coaching

5:35 - The AIM framework: audience, intent, message

8:05 - Why people start with message instead of audience

9:03 - What makes a good intent or objective

19:40 - Burt reframes the Golden Rule into his Platinum Rule of communication

25:43 - How to think psychographically about your audience 

27:51 - Why marketers struggle to communicate internally, even when they're skilled externally

31:29 - How framing determines whether you get heard in a budget conversation

36:10 - Why creative professionals struggle to sell ideas inside their own organizations

41:07 - How to know when your business communication skills are holding you back

42:47 - How to solicit feedback on your communication style

47:39 - Applying market research thinking to internal communication

50:37 - Lightning round

55:51 - Emelia wraps up the episode

Episode Credits
Executive Produced & Hosted by Emelia Rallapalli
Produced by Stephanie Watanabe 
Edited and Post Produced by Erin Zimmerman
Artwork and design by Liisa Turan-Walters

In this episode of Pebble Presents, I chat with Dev Finley about how large language models (LLMs) are becoming a new kind of audience for brands, and what that means for the people responsible for brand and marketing strategy. You’ll hear us discuss why LLMs are becoming an influential part of the buyer journey, and what AI models actually look for when deciding whether to recommend a brand, and what erodes that confidence. We also get into the metrics that matter when implementing better AI brand alignment.

Emelia Rallapalli is the founder of Pebble, a brand strategy and marketing research consultancy. With decades of experience in global brand planning, strategy, and research, Pebble has helped shape businesses of all kinds, from ambitious start-ups to global Fortune 100 companies. 

Dev Finley works across brand strategy, storytelling, and partnerships. He’s helped tech companies—from Apple, Microsoft, and C3.ai to early-stage startups—find their voice, sharpen positioning, and build brand programs that drive growth. Today, Dev is helping brands claim their story in a market being reshaped by AI, and building the strategies, narratives, and tools to do it.

Welcome to Pebble Presents.

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If you liked this episode of Pebble Presents, please share it with colleagues and friends! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to rate/review/subscribe to the show.

Want more? Visit PebbleStrategy.com. 

You can also find us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/pebble-strategy/) and Instagram(https://www.instagram.com/pebblestrategy/).

Thanks for listening and joining the conversation!

References

• Studio Devoe website: https://www.studiodevoe.com/
• Dev Finley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devoe
• Dev Finley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devfinley/

Show Notes 

0:38 - Emelia introduces Dev Finley, who works across brand strategy, storytelling, and partnerships

2:15 - Dev's path from journalism school to advertising in San Francisco

6:00 - LLMs as an influential audience; and why they're not the same as a search channel

11:23 - AI brand alignment, defined — and why brands can't opt out of it

18:40 - Does AI favor big brands with big budgets, or does it level the field?

21:38 - The old website pages nobody's cleaning up, and why AI is reading them anyway

22:43 - Why "share of model" is the wrong way to measure AI visibility

28:34 - Where TV, radio, and out-of-home still fit in an AI-driven world

32:22 - What brands actually need to get right: positioning, pricing, and proof

36:25 - How executives can actually track whether AI brand alignment is working

44:11 - Lightning round

48:27 - Emelia wraps up the episode

Episode Credits

Executive Produced & Hosted by Emelia Rallapalli

Produced by Stephanie Watanabe 

Edited and Post Produced by Erin Zimmerman

Artwork and design by Liisa Turan-Walters

In this episode of Pebble Presents, I chat with Paul Peterson, founder of CoinJar Insights & Strategy and author of The Catalytic Customer: Accelerating Innovation and Growth from the Outside In, about business innovation and the catalytic customer.

You’ll hear us discuss Paul’s career arc, his journey to planning, innovation, and becoming an author; what innovation actually means; and how to align product and marketing if they aren’t necessarily talking about the same thing. We’ll talk about The Catalytic Customer, who they are, what traits to look for, and how to find them. And finally, we dive into what A.I. changes about customer insights, and what it fundamentally can’t change. 

Emelia Rallapalli is the founder of Pebble – a brand strategy and marketing research consultancy. With decades of experience in global brand planning, strategy, and research, Pebble has helped shape businesses of all kinds, from ambitious start-ups to global Fortune 100 companies. 

Paul Peterson is the founder of CoinJar Insights & Strategy and author of The Catalytic Customer: Accelerating Innovation and Growth from the Outside In. 

With more than 30 years in market research and innovation consulting, he has worked with companies including Google, Amazon, BMW, and HP, helping teams navigate high-stakes product and positioning decisions.

His work is grounded in a simple observation: most teams don’t struggle to gather input—they struggle to decide what to trust. His book introduces the concept of the Catalytic Customer—experienced, highly engaged individuals in a category whose perspectives help reveal where the market is going and what will make a product meaningfully better. 

Today, he works with product leaders to identify and apply these customers’ insights in moments where decisions need to hold under real-world pressure.

Welcome to Pebble Presents.

- - - - - - - - -

If you liked this episode of Pebble Presents, please share it with colleagues and friends! Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to rate/review/subscribe to the show.

Want more? Visit PebbleStrategy.com. 

You can also find us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/pebble-strategy/) and Instagram(https://www.instagram.com/pebblestrategy/).

Thanks for listening and joining the conversation!

References

• CoinJar Insights & Strategy website: https://www.coinjarinsights.com/
• The Catalytic Customer by Paul Peterson: https://bookshop.org/a/124174/9798999505736
• Paul Peterson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-peterson-mr/
• Find Pebble Presents on YouTube
  
  

Show Notes 

0:27 - Emelia introduces Paul Peterson, founder of CoinJar Insights and author of The Catalytic Customer

2:12 - Paul’s path from ad agency temp to 30 years in market research

09:53 - The pivot to book author

15:48 - Defining "innovation" — and where product and marketing miss each other

21:10 - Why research often fails to prevent bad decisions

25:38 - The role of trust in data — and the early warning signs of a broken approach

29:42 - The origin of "catalytic customer"

33:36 - Why every chapter ends with an action worksheet

35:23 - The three traits of a catalytic customer, vs. a heavy user

40:28 - Turning "they're too knowledgeable" on its head

43:42 - Building a systematic process for catalytic customer input

46:19 - Where AI helps insights — and where it pushes toward average

51:30 - Lightning round

57:18 - Closing thoughts and where to find the book

Episode Credits

Executive Produced & Hosted by Emelia Rallapalli

Produced by Stephanie Watanabe 

Edited and Post Produced by Erin Zimmerman

Artwork and design by Liisa Turan-Walters

In this episode of Pebble Presents, I chat with Kenneth Young, award-winning Industrial Designer and founder of Now Studio, about industrial design: what it is, why it matters, and what it looks like to build an independent design practice around it. Now Studio has been thriving at a time when many studios are struggling. In today’s conversation, Ken unpacks for us exactly why he thinks that is, and what it tells us about where creative work - specifically industrial design - is heading. 

In today’s episode, we discuss Ken’s journey into industrial design, what industrial design actually is, and where it fits into the product creation process, how Now Studio operates differently, and why clients are rewarding their approach right now. We also talk AI and commoditization and how these things are changing the field of industrial design, and where human craft and judgment can’t be replicated. 

If you want to improve the outcomes in your industrial design partnerships, this episode is for you! 

Emelia Rallapalli is the founder of Pebble – a brand strategy and marketing research consultancy. With decades of experience in global brand planning, strategy, and research, Pebble has helped shape businesses of all kinds, from ambitious start-ups to global Fortune 100 companies. 

Kenneth Young is an award-winning industrial designer and founder of Now Studio in San Francisco. With a diverse background in product development, he has helped bring dozens of successful products to market across multiple industries worldwide. Guided by a passion for purposeful design, Kenneth focuses on creating meaningful experiences that connect consumers with mission-driven brands.

Welcome to Pebble Presents.

- - - - - - - - -

If you liked this episode of Pebble Presents, please share it with colleagues and friends! Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to rate/review/subscribe to the show.

Want more? Visit PebbleStrategy.com. 

You can also find us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/pebble-strategy/) and Instagram(https://www.instagram.com/pebblestrategy/).

Thanks for listening and joining the conversation!

References

• Now Studio website: https://www.now-studio.com
• Kenneth Young on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/now-studio-sf
• Find Pebble Presents on YouTube

Show Notes 

0:27 - Emelia introduces Kenneth Young, NOW Studio, and what this episode covers

2:12 - Kenneth's path into industrial design, from New Zealand to San Francisco

6:39 - How design culture varies by geography — and what's distinctive about the Bay Area

8:15 - The personal and family influences behind how Kenneth approaches his work

9:51 - What led Kenneth to start NOW Studio

12:28 - What industrial design actually is — beyond the functional definition

14:21 - How industrial design differs from product design, and where it fits in the product development process

21:16 - What NOW Studio does differently — and why it's attracting clients in a difficult market

31:20 - Where commoditization is reshaping industrial design — and where it isn't

34:20 - AI's impact on industrial design: where it helps, and where it falls flat

37:07 - Kenneth's advice for people entering the field

42:20 - What to look for when hiring an industrial design studio

47:42 - Lightning round

51:51 - Emelia wraps up the episode

Episode Credits

Executive Produced & Hosted by Emelia Rallapalli

Produced by Stephanie Watanabe 

Edited and Post Produced by Erin Zimmerman

Artwork and design by Liisa Turan-Walters

In this episode of Pebble Presents, I chat with Nick Gadsby, Commercial Semiotician, Anthropologist, and Founder, about semiotics: a research methodology that most American marketers don’t understand, and might be missing out on. Unlike traditional research methods that focus on what people say, think or do, semiotics examines the signs, symbols, and cultural codes that influence how people make sense of the world around them. We'll talk about what semiotics is, why it matters for business strategy, and Nick will share practical, real-world examples of semiotics in action, talking about how the post-binary cultural shift connects to today’s fragmented media landscape. 

NOTICE: There are visual slides shared in this episode - please visit Pebble Presents on YouTube to view

Emelia Rallapalli is the founder of Pebble – a brand strategy and marketing research consultancy. With decades of experience in global brand planning, strategy, and research, Pebble has helped shape businesses of all kinds, from ambitious start-ups to global Fortune 100 companies. 

With an academic background in Anthropology (for which he has a PhD from UCL), Nick Gadsby is a Commercial Semiotician and Anthropologist, founder of The Answer - his cultural insight company, which provides cultural analysis for clients across numerous categories from finance to fmcg. 

Welcome to Pebble Presents.

- - - - - - - - -

Like the episode? Please share with colleagues and friends! Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to rate/review/subscribe to the show.

Want more? Visit PebbleStrategy.com. 

You can also find us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/pebble-strategy/) and Instagram(https://www.instagram.com/pebblestrategy/).

Thanks for listening and joining the conversation!

References

• Nick Gadsby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickgadsbytheanswer/
• Website: https://www.theanswerinsight.com/
• Find Pebble Presents on YouTube
• Wired For Culture - by Mark Pagel (referenced) - https://bookshop.org/a/124174/9780393344202
• The Blank Slate - by Steven Pinker (referenced) - https://bookshop.org/a/124174/9780142003343
• Thinking, Fast and Slow - by Daniel Kahneman - https://bookshop.org/a/124174/9780606275644
  
  

Show Notes 

0:27 - Emelia introduces Nick and the episode's focus

2:27 - Nick explains how he ended up in the field of semiotics

6:29 - Nick defines and discusses semiotics and why business leaders should care about it

10:32 - Nick walks us through how semiotics works as it relates to culture

21:42 - Nick discusses what decisions semiotics helps clients make, sharing B2C and B2B examples

39:45 - Nick explains the shift from binary to post-binary thinking, and how that can help marketers

50:18 - Nick discusses the need for semiotic analysis to be specific to its regional cultures

53:46 - Nick describes the connection between semiotics and system 1 thinking

1:01:54 - Emelia wraps up the episode

Episode Credits
Executive Produced & Hosted by Emelia Rallapalli
Produced by Stephanie Watanabe 
Edited and Post Produced by Erin Zimmerman
Artwork and design by Liisa Turan-Walters

In this episode of Pebble Presents, I talk with Johanna Pino, brand strategist, graphic designer, author, and instructor, about how to successfully brand a product or business. We discuss Johanna’s career journey, the four stages of successful branding, and what can get you to a sound design strategy (as well as the importance of implementation). This episode isn’t about one designer’s preferences. It’s about what’s possible when you apply a reliable method of brand work, so the investment has tangible impact. 

If you work in marketing, branding, or create assets and communications that use your company’s brand, this is for you!

Emelia Rallapalli is the founder of Pebble - a brand strategy and marketing research consultancy. With decades of experience in global brand planning, strategy, and research, Pebble has helped shape businesses of all kinds, from ambitious start-ups to global Fortune 100 companies. 

Johanna Pino is a brand strategist, graphic designer, author, and instructor. She has been creating strategy, identity, and strategic communication for startups and Fortune 100s, across industries for 30 years. Her passion is in creating functional beauty that solves problems and makes the world better.

Welcome to Pebble Presents.

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Like this episode of Pebble Presents? Share it with colleagues & friends! Apple Podcasts and Spotify to rate/review/subscribe to the show.

PebbleStrategy.com. 

You can also find us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Thanks for listening!

References

• The Elements of Branding by Johanna D. Pino
• Johanna Pino on LinkedIn
• Johanna Pino Branding
• What Color is Your Parachute by Richard N. Bolles (referenced)

Show Notes
0:28 - Emelia introduces Johanna and today's focus
2:40 -  Johanna traces her unlikely path to branding
6:34 - Johanna on family influence — and why blazing her own trail was the only option
8:02 - Johanna explains why she wrote The Elements of Branding — and what she wanted it to do differently
14:11 - Johanna breaks down the 4 stages of branding and why each matters
17:27 - Johanna on navigating conflicting stakeholder opinions
19:11 - Johanna on external audience research, customer opinion, visual equities — and how she applies each
23:41 - Johanna shares how to present discovery so client teams can align for strategy
26:13 - Johanna talks through phase lengths, design process, and team structure on the client side for decision-making
34:53 - When to lock design direction and why implementation needs as much planning as the design
42:54 - Johanna's advice for business leaders to set their branding process up for success
44:24 - Emelia leads Johanna through our lightning round
51:48  - Emelia wraps up the episode

Episode Credits
Executive Produced & Hosted by Emelia Rallapalli
Produced by Stephanie Watanabe 
Edited & Post Produced by Erin Zimmerman
Artwork & Design by Liisa Turan-Walters

In this episode of Pebble Presents, I talk with Eric Dunn, co-founder and executive director of Here Be Dragons, about creative independence and what it reveals about where the industry is heading. We dig into why consolidation creates opportunity for micro agencies, how independent shops are collaborating rather than competing, and what it takes — on both the agency and client side — to do work that actually holds up.

Emelia Rallapalli is the founder of Pebble - a brand strategy and marketing research consultancy. With decades of experience in global brand planning, strategy, and research, Pebble has helped shape businesses of all kinds, from ambitious start-ups to global Fortune 100 companies. 

Eric Dunn is the co-founder and executive director of Here Be Dragons, a San Francisco-based creative agency. Over 25 years, he's worked with clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies to the U.S. government, earning a reputation as what he calls "a zealot for creatively driven brands." Here Be Dragons has created work like "Shoulda' Been There" for Improv Comedy Clubs — the club's first brand campaign in its 60-year history. He is one of the clearer, more honest voices I've encountered on what's actually happening in the creative industry right now.

Welcome to Pebble Presents.

- - - - - - - - -

If you liked this episode of Pebble Presents, please share it with colleagues and friends! Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to rate/review/subscribe to the show.

Want more? Visit PebbleStrategy.com. 

You can also find us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/pebble-strategy/) and Instagram(https://www.instagram.com/pebblestrategy/).

Thanks for listening and joining the conversation!

References

• Eric Dunn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/here-be-dragons
• Here Be Dragons website: https://www.hbdagency.com

Show Notes 

0:28 - Emelia introduces today’s special guest and topic

3:32 - Eric shares how he got into advertising and creative work

6:04 - Eric on the founding of Here Be Dragons

11:21 - Eric and Ken's early conversations about what Here Be Dragons would stand for

13:36 - Emelia and Eric discuss agency consolidation and what it means for independent shops

21:27 - Eric shares what clients want that large agencies can't deliver — and what makes a strong client partner for an independent agency.

34:21 - How the collaborative micro-agency model works at Here Be Dragons

42:23 - The business reality: how independent agencies make the economics work

45:52 - Eric and Emelia discuss the talent and mentorship crisis: what's been lost and what's at stake

57:07 - What AI still can't do.

59:20 - What Eric is optimistic about for the future of the creative industry

1:01:57 - Emelia wraps up the episode

In this episode, Emelia Rallapalli pulls back the curtain on Pebble Strategy's recent brand refresh with longtime collaborators Liisa Turan-Walters and Theo Fanning. Together, they walk through why the timing was right, how they approached the project, and why strategy has to lead design. They cover the steps of a brand refresh and how to set teams up for success during a new brand system rollout. Emelia closes with what she learned by becoming her own client — and how it's changed Pebble.

Emelia Rallapalli is the founder of Pebble - a brand strategy and marketing research consultancy. With decades of experience in global brand planning, strategy, and research, Pebble has helped shape businesses of all kinds, from ambitious start-ups to global Fortune 100 companies. 

Liisa Turan-Walters is a creative who builds practical, scalable brand systems — designing frameworks that carry across every touchpoint, from websites and decks to print and physical spaces. Her clients have included Google, Visa, Samsung, TED, UnitedHealthcare, Hippo Insurance, and McDonald's.

Theo Fanning is the founder and creative director of Strange & Co., with a career spanning branding, advertising, and experience design across companies large and small. An illustrator and filmmaker by background, he brings a distinctly multidisciplinary lens to brand and creative work.

Welcome to Pebble Presents.

- - - - - - - - -

If you liked this episode of Pebble Presents, please share it with colleagues and friends! Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to rate/review/subscribe to the show.

Want more? Visit PebbleStrategy.com. 

You can also find us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/pebble-strategy/) and Instagram(https://www.instagram.com/pebblestrategy/).

Thanks for listening and joining the conversation!

References

• Book: Building Distinctive Brand Assets, by Jenni Romaniuk

Show Notes 

0:21 - Emelia introduces today’s guests and topic

0:50 - Liisa and Theo share the career paths that led them here

3:20 - Liisa shares why it was the right time for a Pebble brand refresh

9:20 - Theo and Liisa describe their approach to reworking the Pebble website

10:38 - Emelia discusses how the team employed and applied a strategy around the design for Pebble

15:20 - Theo and Liisa share when they think it's time for a brand refresh

17:08 - Emelia, Liisa, and Theo discuss characteristics of bad branding and core steps in the redesign

30:47 - Theo and Liisa discuss when to do a full rebrand versus refresh

31:35 - Liisa shares how to enable client teams for implementation success 

40:26 - Emelia describes how the brand refresh for Pebble went, and her takeaways

48:32 - Theo and Liisa participate in a lightning round

53:08 - Emelia wraps up the episode

Episode Credits

Executive Produced & Hosted by Emelia Rallapalli

Produced by Stephanie Watanabe 

Edited and Post Produced by Erin Zimmerman

Artwork and design by Liisa Turan-Walters

Website copy by Theo Fanning

Pebble illustrations by Goce Ilievski

Pebble website UX and Development by Eric Hsu

This Episode was recorded at Handsome in San Francisco, CA.

In this episode, Pebble Presents Emily Cushman. Emily walks us through her journey from her second-grade self (knowing she wanted to work in branding and advertising) to the cultural shift working in agencies vs working client-side. She shares what she’s found most effective when making a case for brand in companies where teams don’t know - or, in some cases, don’t care - about brand. Listen in to hear why Emily thinks research and insights are an essential part of brand building.

Emelia Rallapalli is the founder of Pebble - a brand strategy and marketing research consultancy. With decades of experience in global brand planning, strategy, and research, Pebble has helped shape businesses of all kinds, from ambitious start-ups to global Fortune 100 companies. 

Emily Cushman is a brand and creative leader who’s spent more than twenty years helping some of the world’s most loved brands find their voice and purpose. Today, as Director of Global Brand Strategy at Zendesk, she leads the charge on defining what the brand stands for — turning strategy into stories and ideas that connect with people on a human level. 

Over the years, Emily has guided Fortune 500 companies and emerging brands alike to bridge the gap between purpose, product, and experience, and her work has always centered on helping brands show up with clarity, heart, and authenticity.

At her core, Emily is a storyteller — one who believes the best brands don’t just sell, they inspire. She’s passionate about uncovering the spark that moves people, and turning that insight into creative ideas that build connection, culture, and growth.

Welcome to Pebble Presents.

- - - - - - - - -

If you liked this episode of Pebble Presents, please share it with colleagues and friends! Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to rate/review/subscribe to the show.

Want more? Visit PebbleStrategy.com. 

You can also find us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/pebble-strategy/) and Instagram(https://www.instagram.com/pebblestrategy/).

Thanks for listening and joining the conversation!

Show Notes 

0:28 - Emelia introduces today’s special guest and topic

2:06 - Emily recalls the journey that led her to her current profession

6:36 - Emelia shares a memory that Emily unlocked for her - and the two discuss looking back to pay-it-forward

19:27 - Emily divulges what happened, professionally, when she stepped out on her own

20:46 - Emily discusses how brand strategy discipline lives within the organization on the company side vs. on the agency side

23:56 - Emily recounts an example of when she was able to talk about brand so the organization recognized its necessity

26:09 - Emily describes what her team has done to position Zendesk globally for growth

28:26 - Emily shares where she sees insights being used and leveraged with the greatest impact for brand in organizations 

37:00 - Emelia and Emily discuss the brand as behavior, not just message

39:11 - Emily describes the culture of her company and if she has had to evangelize and make the case for brand

41:20 - Emily shares what she’s found has helped make the financial case for brand

43:11 - Emelia invites Emily to participate in a lightning round

51:44 - Emelia wraps up the episode

Episode Credits

Executive Produced & Hosted by Emelia Rallapalli

Produced by Stephanie Watanabe 

Edited and Post Produced by Erin Zimmerman

Artwork and Design by Liisa Turan-Walters

Today, Pebble Presents Sam Ladner. Emelia and Sam discuss Sam’s professional path that took her from journalism to sociology, the difference between foresight and innovation, and why foresight and visioning work so well in companies and applied settings. They also explore time, timing, and tempo: what they are, why they matter, and how to manage an attention budget as carefully as a financial one.

If you are looking to grow your company sustainably, this episode is for you!

Emelia Rallapalli is the founder of Pebble - a brand strategy and marketing research consultancy. With decades of experience in global brand planning, strategy, and research, Pebble has helped shape businesses of all kinds, from ambitious start-ups to global Fortune 100 companies. 

Dr. Sam Ladner is a sociologist who helps teams innovate, design, and learn. She has worked at Amazon, Microsoft, and Workday, reaching the rank of Senior Principal Researcher, and is the author of two books on methodology (working on her third): Practical Ethnography and Mixed Methods. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, Dr. Ladner’s research focuses on productivity, technology, and work. She received her PhD from York University and is a proud Canadian.

Welcome to Pebble Presents.

- - - - - - - - -

If you liked this episode of Pebble Presents, please share it with colleagues and friends! Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to rate/review/subscribe to the show.

Want more? Visit PebbleStrategy.com. 

You can also find us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/pebble-strategy/) and Instagram(https://www.instagram.com/pebblestrategy/).

Thanks for listening and joining the conversation!

Resources

• EPIC - https://www.epicpeople.org/
• Sam Ladner website: https://www.samladner.com/
• Freedom.to: https://freedom.to/
• Pomodoro Technique: https://www.pomodorotechnique.com/
• Readwise: https://readwise.io/

Show Notes 

0:28 - Emelia introduces today’s special guest and topic

2:55 - Sam shares the journey that led to her current profession

11:27 - Sam recalls family influences behind her career path

15:53 - Sam investigates some of the biggest misconceptions about sociologists’ work

19:03 - Sam describes what sociological practices look like within a commercial setting

22:06 - Sam discusses her work in foresight and how she applies the practice today

28:36 - Sam breaks down how to bring visioning work into the corporate world 

37:56 - Sam defines and discusses temporality and how it helps to unlock new thinking in business 

44:48 - Sam describes types of crises on the horizon and how businesses can (and should) start planning for them now

54:48 - Sam shares advice to help executives navigate long-term thinking

56:26 - Sam divulges how she manages her attention budget

59:19 - Emelia and Sam discuss executive functioning, dysfunction, and reflection

1:05:23  - Sam participates in a lightning round with Emelia

1:14:34 - Emelia wraps up the episode

Episode Credits

Executive Produced & Hosted by Emelia Rallapalli

Produced by Stephanie Watanabe 

Editing and Post Produced by Erin Zimmerman

Artwork and Design by Liisa Turan-Walters