The Combustion Chronicles

If the customer is always right, shouldn’t we listen to what they have to say? And shouldn’t we get their feedback to the employees who can act on it? That’s just what Ville Levaniemi’s company, HappyOrNot, is doing. The company’s globally recognizable feedback system uses smiley faces—and frowny faces—to instantly turn consumer responses into clear, actionable information. Believing data should be both transparent and democratized, Ville is looking to disrupt the way organizations relate to their employees and instantly get the feedback to the people who need it most, the frontline worker. Join us this week as we chat with Ville about the power of harnessing real-time feedback and how it can revolutionize the future of business and the customer experience.

Download the executive summary for this episode at shawnnason.com.

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From designing a new last name with her soon-to-be husband to lighting up the White House, Ashleigh Axios knows a thing or two about creating change. Inspired at a young age to never be satisfied with the status quo, she’s used her design chops to seize opportunities for breaking through barriers, challenging the norm, and inspiring others to think bigger about the world around them. Join us on this week’s episode as we chat with Ashleigh about bravely harnessing the power of design to be a vehicle for systemic change.

Download the executive summary for this episode at shawnnason.com.

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For Jared Odrick, life after professional football has been anything but boring. From world travel and speaking engagements to creative exploration and self-reflection, he didn’t get the memo that “retirement” means slowing down. But whether he’s clashing on the gladiatorial gridiron, writing his next opinion piece, or hashing out the intricacies of faith with a group of Orthodox priests, Jared is always pushing back against a world (and a game) that preaches conformity, using his distinct perspective to humanize the way we think about our athletes. Join us for this week’s episode with Jared Odrick, as we examine life after sports, controlling your own story, and our profound misunderstanding of the modern athlete. 

Download the executive summary for this episode at shawnnason.com.

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Teddy Abrams first dreamed of leading an orchestra when he was just nine years old. Barely two decades later, this musical phenom now leads both the Louisville Orchestra and Oregon’s Britt Festival. But Abrams isn’t just another orchestra conductor; he’s reinventing what an orchestra and its music can mean for a city and its people. He now dreams about far more than just waving a baton, and he’s just as comfortable hanging out with hip hop stars, bluegrass musicians, gospel choirs, and social-justice activists as he is on the podium. Join us for this week’s conversation as we sit down with the conductor extraordinaire to discuss how he’s using the universal language of music to break down walls and heal a city, offering a path forward not just for his community, but for humanity.

Download the executive summary for this episode at shawnnason.com.

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After a year of pandemic isolation and social turmoil, we could all use a little happiness. But how do we find it and how do we keep it? And is happiness even a choice? We explore those questions and more on this week’s episode with happiness expert Shawn Achor. The bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage and Big Potential, Shawn says increased—even radical—happiness is possible for anyone; it just takes the right mix of mindsets and behaviors. Join us as we sit down with Shawn to discuss his research, what the data tells us about happiness, and his proven strategies for creating a happier life.

Download the executive summary for this episode at shawnnason.com.

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What if we lived in a world where cognitive differences were embraced as strengths to be leveraged instead of disabilities to be managed? That’s just the world neurodiversity advocates Michael Brown and Tim Peace dream about. From ADHD to the autism spectrum, from bipolar disorder to depression and anxiety, the duo are hopeless champions for engaging neurodiversity as a unique opportunity to further humankind. Join Michael and Tim on this week’s episode as they challenge what we think we know about the brain and invite us to join a universal movement to harness the power of neurodiversity. 

Download the executive summary for this episode at manonfire.co.

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Imagine a reformed gang leader harnessing their inner poetic voice to fight for social change through the undeniable power and passion of their words. Imagine a community activist transforming the idea of what a gang is into what a gang can be. Now, imagine listening to that person’s stories through the lens of disruption. Join us for this week’s episode as we chat with Antonio (King Tone) Fernandez and trace his amazing journey from drug dealer to social justice activist and leader of The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation, New York Chapter, and dive into his inspiring stories of innovation, leadership, and hope.

Download the executive summary for this episode at manonfire.co.

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To kick off season four, we flip the script and put host Shawn Nason in the guest seat. That’s right: the unapologetic founder of Man on Fire and the Nason Group ecosystem (MOFI, Disruptor League, Truth Tellers, and The Pink Couch) will be the focus of the conversation for a change. It’ll be a unique opportunity to get inside the mind of this insanely creative disruptor and strategy expert who often gets pegged as a “corporate pastor” because he can’t help but take care of other people. Join Shawn and guest host Michael Harper as they explore the origins of The Combustion Chronicles podcast, the disruptive mindsets that are the foundation of their work, and what it really means to kiss your dragons. (Spoiler alert: it’s a good thing!)

Download the executive summary for this episode at manonfire.co.

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“You’ll remember it more by being in it.” That’s the mantra of Neil Mandt, CEO/Founder of CrimeDoor. He’s harnassing the massive potential for artificial intelligence and virtual reality to humanize experiences and enhance learning by creating multi-sensory, multi-dimensional experiences through the “spatial web.” A winner of 50 international film festival honors and multiple Emmy Awards, Neil stops by to share how rejection, world travel, and imagining the impossible continue to propel him forward towards designing a better future on a global scale.

Download the executive summary for this episode at manonfire.co.

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How does a KitchenAid brand ambassador and four-time Luxury Coffee Roaster of the Year blow people’s minds and tastebuds week in and week out without boring himself or his customers? Find out when we sit down with Chef Bryan-David Scott, America’s Celebrity Coffee Chef. Scott says the key to innovating in your field lies with two principles: being true to yourself and interrupting your routine to keep yourself surprised. That and a good cup of coffee will make epic sh*t happen.

Download the executive summary for this episode at manonfire.co.

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