🎙️ In this episode, I sit down with Jace Wallace, founder of Uhsteem and creator of The Daily, for a grounded conversation about self-leadership, community building, and the power of simple, action-based tools.

Jace’s journey spans music, film, entrepreneurship, and community-led experiences - and it all traces back to an early creative spark: making beats as a kid, building with friends, and discovering what it means to create with people, not just for them.

We unpack how a tour that didn’t go as planned became the catalyst for The Daily, including the “champagne moments” practice: celebrating real wins (big or small) as fuel to move forward, especially when life feels overwhelming.

We explore:
 🥂 Why celebrating yesterday’s wins can reset your mindset today
 ✍️ How The Daily turns reflection, goals, and affirmations into one simple system
 🤝 What it really takes to build community - safe spaces, shared ownership, and passing the mic
 🌍 Jace’s North Star, People. Purpose. Paper, and his his vision to take Uhsteem global

Follow and explore more of Jace’s work:
 🌐 Uhsteem: uhsteem.com
 📲 Socials: @uhsteem
👤 Jace: @iamoliverlastname

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, distracted, or stuck in “survival mode,” this episode is a reminder: progress doesn’t start with perfection -  it starts with intention.

🎧 Podcast produced by Riti Suresh.

🎙️ In this episode, I sit down with Adrian Duke — Co-Founder & CEO of iX Labs — to kick off Season 3 of the Commudemy Podcast with a deep dive into immersive, gamified, and experiential learning.

Based in Vancouver, Adrian leads iX Labs at the intersection of storytelling, spatial design, gaming, and emerging technology. His work challenges traditional approaches to learning by designing experiences that are felt, not just delivered.

Adrian shares his unconventional journey - from building extreme amusement rides and escape rooms to architecting XR-powered learning environments for global brands - and explains why interactivity, emotion, and shared experience are the real drivers of engagement and retention.

We explore:

•  🎮 How gamification and interaction design transform how teams learn and collaborate
•  🧠 Why technology should support learning, not distract from it
•  🌍 The difference between AR, VR, and XR — and how blending physical and digital worlds unlocks deeper engagement
•  🤝 How experiential learning reveals leadership styles, communication gaps, and team dynamics in real time
•  📊 What engagement really means — and how data, metrics, and self-reflection shape better learning outcomes
•  ✨ Why storytelling and emotional connection matter as much as content

Follow and explore more of Adrian’s work:
 🔗 LinkedIn: Adrian Duke
🌐 iX Labs: ixlabs.ca
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ix_labs_studio/
 

🎧 Podcast produced by Riti Suresh.

🎙️ In this episode, I sit down with Sarah Filman – founder of Playful Perspectives and co-founder of The Improv Mindset – to explore how play and improv reshape the way we lead, connect, and build culture.

Once a product manager navigating traditional leadership frameworks, Sarah shares how discovering improv transformed her approach to communication, risk, and authenticity - both personally and professionally.

We dive into:
 🎭 How improv builds trust, courage, and creative confidence
 🧠 Why play is a mindset, not just a team-building exercise
 🤝 What it means to co-create community and shift from solo to shared leadership

Sarah also introduces her latest project: a hands-on activity deck designed to bring moments of play into everyday work - no facilitation experience required.

✨ Want to try it out? Sarah and her co-founder Jordan host a monthly Playful Mindset session—open to all professionals who are play-curious.

Follow and explore more of Sarah’s work:

 🔗 LinkedIn: Sarah Filman
🌐 Playful Perspectives: https://www.playfulperspectives.com
🧠 The Improv Mindset: https://improvmindset.fun
🃏 Playful Activity Deck: https://www.playfulperspectives.com/cards
🎟️ Join a session: improvmindset.fun/play

🎧 Podcast produced by Riti Suresh.

🎙️ In this episode, I have a wide-ranging conversation with Will Fan – CEO and Head of School at NewCampus, a modern business school based in Singapore that's reshaping how companies build learning cultures across Southeast Asia. 🇸🇬✨

Will shares his 10+ year journey as an entrepreneur, investor, and education innovator, from launching a scrappy startup called QLC to growing NewCampus into a regional powerhouse that has served over 130,000 learners and 500+ tech companies. We dive deep into:

🌏 Why Southeast Asia is the ideal testbed for reinventing education
 📚 Building learning in the flow of work—not outside of it
🤝 Community as the cornerstone of business (not just a feature)
⚙️ Leveraging AI to reduce operational drag and increase human connection
🧠 Creating people-first companies and why Will’s team moved to a 4-day workweek
📈 Measuring impact in L&D—why ROI conversations must start with revenue

His philosophy? Build skinny, think long-term, and center relationships—in your team, in your product, and in your ecosystem.

Be sure to follow Will and his work here:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hellowillfan/
🌐 NewCampus: https://www.newcampus.com

🎧 Podcast produced by Riti Suresh.

🎙️ In this episode, I sit down with Daniel Chipres — founder of MyOasis, an AI-powered mental health platform rooted in compassion, cultural fluency, and intentional healing.

From a childhood marked by instability to a transformative chapter in the military, Daniel’s journey is a raw, moving story of growth, faith, and purpose. We explore how his lived experiences informed the creation of MyOasis — a tool that reimagines mental health care for communities often left out of traditional systems.

We dive deep into:
 🧠 Why mental health solutions must be culturally fluent, spiritually inclusive, and personalized.
 🛠️ How AI can support, not replace, human connection in therapeutic settings.
 📿 The role of spiritual awakening in Daniel’s healing and entrepreneurial journey.
 💡 Building tech for good — designing an ecosystem that supports both therapists and clients.

Daniel’s approach is deeply human:

Design tools with empathy. Build systems that serve. And never lose sight of why we heal — to give back, to grow, and to uplift others.

🔗 Be sure to follow Daniel and MyOasis:

Instagram: @elprofesor.ai
LinkedIn: Daniel Chipres
Website: MyOasis

🎧 Podcast produced by Riti Suresh.

In this episode, I sit down with Shraddha Rawat and Parisha Jain, the dynamic co-founders of The Learning Designers Community (LDC) — a volunteer-led global collective of 4,300+ learning professionals spanning 38+ countries.

Born from a single post in a Google Group, LDC has rapidly become one of the most vibrant, cross-sectoral communities in the world — uniting educators, corporate L&D leaders, edtech innovators, and nonprofit professionals with one mission: to reimagine learning design for a more human, inclusive, and impactful future.

We explore:
 💬 How Shraddha and Parisha turned a grassroots idea into a thriving global community.
 🌍 Why cross-sector collaboration is the key to unlocking meaningful innovation in learning.
 🤝 What it really takes to nurture a member-led community — from orchestration to vulnerability.
🧭 Their vision for the future: regional chapters, sustainable operations, and a stronger Global South voice in L&D.

Whether you’re a learning designer, community builder, or someone rethinking how humans learn — this episode is packed with practical wisdom, honest reflection, and inspiration for what’s possible when people come together with purpose.

Be sure to follow and support the LDC here:

🔗 LDC LinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14371079/
🔗 LDC Linktree: https://linktr.ee/learningdesigners
🔗 Shraddha’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shraddharawat11/
🔗 Parisha’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parishajain/ 

Podcast produced by Riti Suresh. 

In this episode, I have an energizing conversation with Philip Magnuszewski – AI community organizer, tech industry veteran, and the force behind New Hampshire’s grassroots AI movement. 🤖

Phil shares his 25+ year journey in technology and how it led him to build hyper-local, people-powered ecosystems that make AI accessible, ethical, and actionable. We dive deep into:

🌐 The growing digital divide and why awareness alone isn’t enough.
 🏘️ Why community-led AI is the most powerful way to bring people along for the ride.
 🌲Lessons from New Hampshire: how to launch your own local AI initiative—and why one event is all it takes.

Phil’s approach? Start local. Listen closely. And trust the power of people coming together to make sense of something that’s shaping all our futures.

Be sure to follow Phil and his work here:
 🔗 LinkedIn Group: AI in New Hampshire
📬 Phil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philmagnuszewski/

Podcast produced by Riti Suresh. 

In this episode, I sit down with Mikhail Markine – software engineer, performance coach, and elite skydiver. 🎙️🔥

With over 13,000 jumps, 4 World Championship golds, 4 World Cup golds, and numerous national titles, Mikhail brings a world-class lens to everything he does. We recently met in person in San Francisco, where I got to hear his story firsthand.

Mikhail’s personality brings a rare mix of vulnerability, thoughtfulness, and ambition. From high-stakes teamwork to finding purpose through performance, this is a conversation about pushing limits and staying human. We dive into:

🚀 How stress, fear, and focus can unlock peak performance.
 🧭 What it takes to build trust—in the air and on the ground.
 🛠️ Why systems thinking, checklists, and mental preparation matter under pressure.
 🤝 The role of mentorship, humility, and community in long-term success.

Now reentering the world of tech and entrepreneurship, Mikhail is merging the precision of engineering with the depth of human leadership.

Follow Mikhail and his work here:

Website: https://feeltheairsports.square.site/about
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikhail-markine/

Podcast produced by Riti Suresh. 

In this episode, I bring on as my guest Scott Rusnak — executive coach, expert EOS Implementer, board-certified coach for the US and British Olympic teams, and seasoned entrepreneur. 🎙️✨

We dive into:

• 🚴‍♂️ Lessons from competitive cycling and entrepreneurship
• 🧠 The six key components of EOS (Vision, People, Data, Issues, Process, Traction)
• 🤝 The power of saying "no" and building the right community
• 🌎 Thriving in a tech-driven, human-centered world
• 🔥 Becoming the architect of your own life
  
  
  

Follow Scott and his work here:

• Website: https://scottrusnak.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottrusnak/

Podcast produced by Riti Suresh. 

In this episode, I have a powerful conversation with Abubakar Sheriff — founder of Qariyb, a community-driven events platform on a mission to bring people closer through intentional, inclusive, and spiritually aligned gatherings. 🎙️✨

Abubakar shares his journey from growing up in Saudi Arabia and Philadelphia, to launching Qariyb out of a missed event and a deep desire to reconnect people with purpose-driven communities. We dive into:

🌐 Why proximity is possibility — and how physical closeness amplifies human connection.
 🤝 Building tech that serves people, not replaces them — a case for values-aligned design.
 🕌 Creating space for Muslims to find events, experiences, and each other — all in one place.
 🧠 Lessons from instructional technology and community leadership that power his product vision.
 🛠️ The reality of being a lean founder and staying grounded in sincerity when the road gets tough.

His mantra? Start with sincerity. Serve your people. Build from proximity.

Be sure to follow Abubakar and his work here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abusheriff
Qariyb: https://www.qariyb.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qariyb

Podcast produced by Riti Suresh.