Meet the humble leader who used AR to send women to the moon and saved millions along the way! (And that's just one of the impressive things she's done with XR and AI!) Shelley Peterson is the founder of Wizard Wells and a pioneering leader in applying augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and AI to solve real-world enterprise problems. 

Drawing from her deep experience in aerospace and immersive tech, Shelley focuses on removing barriers to adoption so organizations can harness these tools for measurable impact.

Key Takeaways:

• Bridging the Gap: Shelley helps enterprises move XR and AI initiatives from pilot experiments to full-scale deployment, addressing both technical and organizational hurdles.
• User-Centered Design: Successful adoption starts by understanding the needs of frontline workers, creating intuitive tools that integrate seamlessly into their workflows.
• Proof Through Value: She advises starting with a specific, high-impact use case to generate measurable ROI — building momentum and internal champions for broader rollout.
• Change Management: Technology alone is not the answer; leadership buy-in, training, and cultural readiness are critical for lasting transformation.

Her mission with Wizard Wells is to demystify emerging tech for leaders, help them identify where these tools can solve real problems, and remove the friction points that keep innovations stuck in “pilot purgatory.”

About Shelley Peterson, Wizard Wells 

Shelley Peterson is a pioneer in the XR industry, with decades of experience demonstrating the power of immersive technology across civil, commercial, and defense programs, including Lockheed Martin’s space initiatives. As a former Director in Microsoft’s Mixed Reality organization, she developed strategies to drive ROI and impactful outcomes for industry, government, and education.

Shelley’s career began early—earning her mathematics and physics degree young and teaching college math at just 20. She went on to lead innovations in military aircraft training, electronic warfare, and satellite systems, and today serves on the Barbara Bush Foundation Technology Advisory Board, the AWE Advisory Committee, SMU's Advisory Council, and the HarvardXR Advisory Board.

Her work has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, and The Wall Street Journal, and she continues to inspire the next generation through STEM outreach.

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Dr. Diane Bowser is Senior Manager of Emerging Technologies at Lenovo and founder of CodeReal, bringing a rare blend of R&D leadership, arts background, and startup hustle to the world of XR (extended reality) and wearables. 

Key Takeaways:

• Bridging Startup and Enterprise: Diane operates at the intersection of nimble startup energy (CodeReal) and scale-driven corporate innovation (Lenovo). She encourages founders to blend creative, non-technical perspectives with technical knowhow.
• Making Innovation Human: Her goal is building technologies (especially wearables and XR) that respect users' privacy, data, and trust—extending Lenovo’s reputation for security into new product lines.
• From Arts to Tech: Diane credits her arts background for resilience, negotiation skills, and a user-centric approach—highlighting how creative, non-traditional founders can thrive in tech if paired with the right collaborators.
• Focus & Letting Go: She shares the importance of time-blocking, realistic metrics, and having the humility to let go of bad ideas (or mismatched team members) to focus on what works, both for individual startups and within global R&D.

Diane’s journey spans classical music, philosophy, teaching, and company-building, united by a drive to break barriers and make technology human-centric. Her story is one of continual reinvention, boundary-crossing, and championing both technological progress and the people behind it.

About Dr. Diane Bowser, PhD

Dr. Diane Bowser, PhD is a Senior Manager guiding Lenovo’s Emerging Software UX Team. The Emerging Software UX Team designs experiences for new technologies, AI, and XR hardware products from inception to two years as they enter Lenovo’s commercial product portfolio.

For 2025-26, her work centers on building next-generation AI and Spatial XR technologies. The Emerging Software UX team looks forward to new lighter spatial form factors in XR and agentic AI in spatial computing with integration into the commercial Think Series hardware. 

Before joining Lenovo, Diane was, and is, a co-founder of CodeReal, LLC, a company that develops augmented reality (AR), mixed-reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR) applications for companies, institutions, and manufacturers that require targeted spatial components.

As an academic (Ph.D. in Philosophy, AOC - Technology), Diane spent 20 years teaching in various public and private institutions at the university level. Most notably Clarion University and the University of Pittsburgh where a technology prototyping class inspired her to work exclusively with start-ups over the last decade to seed business growth in 3D design, augmented reality, mixed reality, and virtual reality enterprise-level ventures.

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Christina Heller is an Senior Producer at Meta Reality Labs Entertainment and multimedia producer with over 11 years of experience in XR innovation.

From launching two startups—VR Playhouse and Meta Stage—to producing indie film "Unexpected Treasures," Christina embodies the creative spirit that drives breakthrough storytelling across emerging media platforms. 

Key Takeaways:

• Technology as Enhancement, Not Escape: Christina focuses on how VR can improve people's real-world experiences—from fitness and meditation to front-row concert access—rather than providing mere escapism.
• The Builder's Advantage During Troughs: While markets fluctuate through hype cycles, builders consistently see technology improving. Christina emphasizes that "troughs of disillusionment" are actually when the most meaningful innovation happens.
• Collaborative Leadership in Creative Media: Whether producing VR experiences or indie films, Christina prioritizes team dynamics, good vibes, and appreciation throughout the creative process, recognizing that impact happens in the journey as much as the destination.
• Embrace Strategic Naivete: Christina's approach combines confidence with comfort in the unknown—diving into new mediums knowing she'll become an expert through the doing, while being smart enough to accept help where needed.
• Community-Driven Storytelling: Her latest film "Unexpected Treasures" is rooted in local Joshua Tree alien folklore and shot entirely in her community, demonstrating how authentic stories emerge from what you know and where you belong.

Christina's work spans from helping millions find wellness through VR fitness apps like Fit XR and meditation through Tripp, to bringing fans closer to their favorite artists through immersive concerts. Her indie film represents a return to "flatties" (2D films) while maintaining her commitment to community-centered storytelling and the XR creator ecosystem she calls "absolutely obsessed with."

About Christina Heller

Christina is a multimedia producer and entrepreneur with a passion for creative technology. For the past decade she has led teams and created projects for virtual and augmented reality. She is currently a Senior Producer at Meta for the Reality Labs Entertainment team.

Christina was the founding CEO of Metastage from 2018 - 2023. During that time, Metastage completed over 200 productions with major brands and award winning projects, including two Emmy nominations. Prior to leading Metastage, Christina was the CEO of VR Playhouse, an immersive content company with projects featured at SXSW, Sundance, and Festival de Cannes. 

She is a recipient of the Advanced Imaging Society's Distinguished Leadership in Technology Award (2018), an AWE XR Hall of Fame inductee (2024), one of 2024's top "Women of the Future" and was named in the Huffington Post as one of 5 women changing the virtual reality scene. 

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Jim Keyes, bestselling author of “Education is Freedom” and former CEO of Blockbuster and 7-Eleven, is a living example of how access to knowledge can transform a life. Jim’s journey began in a tumultuous, disrupted household, where independence was forced on him at an early age. 

Rather than letting these disadvantages define him, Jim embraced education—not to climb the professional ladder, but as the ultimate pathway to freedom: freedom of choice, freedom to chart his own course, and freedom from obligation to anyone or anything.

Key Takeaways

• Education = Freedom: Learning isn’t just for jobs or money; it provides the ultimate freedom to choose your own path and live adventurously.
• Turning Disadvantage into Agency: Growing up in a disrupted home gave Jim a unique drive for independence, realized through continual self-education.
• Self-Reliance through Knowledge: The more you learn, the less you depend on others’ approval or authority, especially in uncertain times.
• Resilience Over Resentment: Facing public criticism and hardship (even at the Fortune 500 level) is easier with a mindset focused on learning and adaptability.
• The Power of Curiosity: The single “secret code” to success is staying curious and committed to personal growth at every stage of life.

Jim credits his resilience and self-reliance to his pursuit of learning. He explains that education allowed him to sustain his independence, providing the flexibility to navigate both personal and professional obstacles. Jim’s perspective reframes adversity as a kind of advantage: growing up with less meant greater agency, drive, and the realization that knowledge—and not just money or titles—enables a truly adventurous and autonomous life.

About James Keyes

James W. Keyes is known internationally as a business and social change agent. Currently spearheading several initiatives in the tech, art, and education space, his career has included serving as Chief Executive Officer of two Fortune 500 companies, 7-Eleven, Inc. and Blockbuster, Inc., and serving on numerous civic boards. Now, a best-selling author, Keyes has written Education is Freedom: The Future is In Your Hands.  

Coming from humble beginnings in the small town of Grafton, Massachusetts, Jim’s father taught him “the absolute key to freedom is to learn as much as you can, every day of your life”. Keyes majored in political science at College of the Holy Cross, and graduated cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He earned a MBA degree from Columbia University in New York, and went on to establish himself in corporate America.  

On his quest of lifelong learning, and passionate about aerospace and aviation, Keyes has been a pilot for over 40 years. He is “single-pilot” certified in Textron C525 series Citation Jets, and is also certified to fly helicopters and floatplanes. He is a skilled sculptor, painter, musician, and composer. 

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Nils Pihl is the CEO and founder of Auki Labs, a deep-tech company redefining how augmented reality (AR) can power meaningful social and business experiences. What started in 2019 as a passion project to create AR overlays for tabletop games like Warhammer quickly evolved into a multimillion-dollar company at the forefront of spatial computing. Nils shares his conviction that new business models and decentralized technology will fundamentally reshape software—and even capitalism itself.

Key Takeaways

• Start Small, Think Big: Auki Labs began with playful AR overlays for games but scaled quickly by focusing on community ownership and decentralized models.
• Decentralization is the Future: True value creation in software will come from platforms owned and operated by their users, not just corporations.
• Augmented Reality, Real Impact: AR is at its best when it enhances live, shared experiences—turning the virtual into a collaborative tool for everyday life and business.
• Innovation Through Openness: Embracing open-source and collective funding accelerates innovation and broadens the impact of new technology.

Beyond the technology, Nils’s philosophy challenges traditional business frameworks: he explores open-source, collective governance, and decentralized funding models as the future of innovation. He remains motivated by the “software upgrade of capitalism,” aiming to empower people—not just companies—through technology that invites participation, not just passive consumption.

About Nils Pihil

Nils Pihl is an entrepreneur, behavioral engineer, and social transhumanist with a deep focus on the intersection of modern technology and human behavior. Nils founded Auki Labs which is advancing the development of the Auki Network and posemesh protocol, a decentralized machine perception network designed to help devices, robots, and embodied and physical AI perceive and interact with the world around it through a shared understanding of space. 

A thought leader in the realms of technology and memetics, Nils applies his expertise in meme theory, game theory, and behavioral psychology to craft compelling narratives that shape the path of the AI revolution, future of augmented reality, and the acceleration of robotic technologies. 

About The Glow Up

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Cathy Hackl, renowned futurist and CE “Godmother of the Metaverse,” is at the forefront of exploring how AI and immersive technologies are transforming human relationships, intimacy, and connection. In this episode, Cathy shares her personal experiments dating AI “boyfriends,” her vision for the future of dating, and why she believes technology can enhance—not diminish—our capacity for meaningful relationships.

Key Takeaways:

• Intimacy Economy: Cathy sees a shift from the “attention economy” to an “intimacy economy,” where AI and personalized tech foster deeper, more meaningful digital connections. 
• Tech Intimacy Scale: She’s developing a framework to help people measure and improve how technology supports their relationships, moving beyond swipes and superficial engagement to true presence and connection. 
• Human + AI Relationships: Cathy’s week-long experiment dating four AI “boyfriends” (ChatGPT, Gemini, Meta AI, and Claude) offered insights into what AI can and can’t provide, and why human messiness remains irreplaceable. 
• Future of Dating: She envisions dating platforms that use 3D presence, spatial computing, and even gaming to facilitate authentic connections, moving beyond 2D apps to immersive, shared experiences.
• Tech for Good: Cathy’s mission is to help people use technology intentionally to become better partners, parents, and coworkers—advocating for tools that enhance empathy, communication, and real-world connection. 

Cathy’s journey is both personal and professional. As a single mom, tech leader, and public speaker, she’s determined to demystify the future of relationships and empower others to navigate love, family, and work in a world where AI and immersive tech are ever-present. 

About Cathy Hackl

Cathy Hackl is a globally recognized tech & gaming exec, futurist, & speaker focused on spatial computing, virtual worlds, augmented reality, AI, & gaming platforms strategy. 

She’s the co-CEO of Future Dynamics, a spatial computing and AI solutions company & a top tech voice on LinkedIn. She’s the creator of the Tech Intimacy Scale and is currently conducting research and experiments on AI and the future of love and relationships.Hackl has worked at Amazon Web Services (AWS), Magic Leap, and HTC VIVE and has worked with companies like Nike, Ralph Lauren, Walmart, Louis Vuitton, & Clinique on their emerging tech & gaming journeys. 

As a sought-after keynote speaker, she’s spoken at Harvard Business School, MIT, SXSW, Comic-Con, WEF, CES, MWC, & more.  She’s one of Ad Age’s Leading Women of 2023, was featured on the cover of Forbes Latam’s 100 Most Powerful Women 2023 issue, and is on the Vogue Business 100 Innovators inaugural list.  She hosts Adweek’s highly successful TechMagic podcast and is popularly known in tech circles as the Godmother of the Metaverse. .

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Alex Rühl is an award-winning immersive creator, technologist, and innovation leader whose career spans VR content creation, enterprise consulting, and emerging technology strategy. As founder of Cats Are Not Peas and former Head of Emerging Tech at PwC, Alex has helped shape how global organizations adopt and scale immersive technologies.

Key Takeaways

• Roots in Innovation: Alex’s journey began with a fascination for new tech, inspired by her family’s early adoption of internet tools and gadgets.
• Immersive Content Pioneer: She spent seven years building VR experiences and later expanded into AR and other immersive formats, always seeking to understand how people create and engage with new media.
• Enterprise Innovation at PwC: At PwC, Alex led metaverse and emerging tech initiatives, guiding large organizations to adopt VR, AR, blockchain, AI, and quantum computing for real business value.
• Value-Driven Approach: She emphasizes that enterprise adoption hinges on clear value—saving money, saving time, or creating new revenue streams.
• Authenticity Over Transaction: Alex stresses the importance of genuine relationships in business, advocating for honesty and setting realistic expectations, especially in high-stakes innovation projects.
• Learning Through Experimentation: She shared the story of launching Geospatial Insights, an enterprise app for Apple Vision Pro, highlighting the importance of transparency about risks and learnings in new tech deployments.
• Balancing ROI and Innovation: Alex discusses the tension between the need for measurable ROI and the necessity of learning and experimentation in innovation, advising founders to focus on the right industry and buyer profiles.
• Personal Glow Up: After a decade in immersive tech, Alex is taking a well-earned break and looking forward to a new phase of “giving back,” sharing her knowledge and supporting the next generation of innovators.

About Alex Rühl

Alex Rühl is an award-winning virtual reality creator and founder of Cats Are Not Peas. Formerly head of Metaverse Technologies at PwC. Since starting her VR career in 2015, she’s written, directed and exec produced several original pieces included 360º romcom Keyed Alike (Starring Gemma Whelan, HBO’s Game of Thrones, and Natacha Karam, Fox’s 9-1-1: Lone Star), interactive VR thought experiment Playing God (premiered at Cannes XR 2019) and her most recent piece Rock Paper Scissors which had its world premiere at Venice Film Festival in 2022 (first VR piece funded by BFI Network).

 A notable figure in the XR industry, she has received industry recognition for her work in immersive storytelling (The Drum’s 50 under 30, Women of the Future Awards, Pioneers of XR Award) and is a global keynote speaker on the topic of the metaverse (TEDx, BFI, Adobe, Royal Television Society, Department of International Trade & more). 

Alex has worked alongside the world’

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Megan Moseley is a somatic therapist and embodiment coach at BodyWise, with a 36-year background in physical therapy and extensive training in somatic psychology, interpersonal neurobiology, nervous system resiliency, trauma release exercise, and embodiment coaching. 

She integrates these disciplines to help individuals and organizations shift from surviving to thriving by regulating the nervous system and fostering authentic self-alignment.

Key Takeaways:

• Holistic Approach: Megan’s work is rooted in a holistic understanding of the body and mind, emphasizing “the body keeps the score” and the importance of healing both individual and collective nervous system dysregulation.
• From Surviving to Thriving: She identifies a global epidemic of anxiety, depression, disconnection, and disease, rooted in chronic nervous system dysregulation. Her mission is to help people move from a state of constant striving and survival into one of safety, presence, and thriving.
• Embodiment and Authenticity: Megan defines embodiment as being in authentic alignment with oneself—gut, heart, and head working together. This alignment fosters psychological safety, clarity, compassion, and collective creativity, especially in group and corporate settings.
• Corporate and Group Impact: Megan has led transformative workshops for organizations like Salt & Straw and Central City Concern, focusing on authentic leadership, nervous system regulation, and creating psychologically safe environments that encourage innovation and belonging.
• Innovative Modalities: She is integrating psychedelic facilitation (specifically psilocybin) into her practice, using trauma release exercise as an accessible, “psychedelics light” tool for processing and integration.

Megan’s approach is deeply relational and evidence-based, drawing on the latest science in nervous system regulation and trauma healing. 

She emphasizes the ripple effect of personal transformation on families, workplaces, and communities, and is passionate about making her tools accessible to a wider audience.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share the inspiring stories from The Glow Up!

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Part Two: 

Charlie Fink is a veteran of the extended reality (XR) and tech media industries, known for his Forbes column, the AI/XR Podcast, having attended AWE (Augmented World Expo) nine times, written three books, and taught as a professor at Chapman University. His work now blends XR, AI, and storytelling, with a focus on what’s new and breaking in technology.

Key Takeaways:

• Shift to AI: Charlie’s focus has moved from XR to AI, which he believes represents a value creation opportunity on par with the internet and mobile revolutions.
• Wearables and the Future: He sees unlimited potential in wearables, envisioning a future where humans merge more closely with machines, although he remains skeptical about the need for displays in smart glasses.
• Unintended Consequences: While acknowledging the risks and unintended consequences of new technologies, Charlie is pragmatic about the industry’s trajectory, noting that developers and users will inevitably adopt new tools regardless of warnings.
• Teaching and Community: He is passionate about teaching students to use AI effectively and remains deeply engaged with the tech community, both as a consultant and as a speaker.
• Storytelling and Hollywood: Charlie is working on animated and AI-driven content in Hollywood, emphasizing the importance of balancing creative and business decisions to achieve transcendent experiences.
• Podcasting and Media: His podcast, recently rebranded to “The AI/XR Podcast,” has grown significantly, with 50,000 downloads per month, demonstrating the value of longevity and adaptability in media.

Charlie reflects on the evolution of technology, the importance of timing, and the inevitability of most ideas failing despite the brilliance of their creators. He continues to explore new opportunities in tech, media, and consulting, driven by a desire to remain relevant and make a positive impact.

Subscribe for more inspiring stories of innovation. 

About Charlie Fink ---

Charlie Fink writes a weekly technology column for Forbes covering AI and XR, and co-hosts its companion show, The AI/XR Podcast. He is the author of the critically acclaimed AR-enabled books Charlie Fink’s Metaverse (2017) and Convergence: How the World Will Be Painted With Data (2019). 

Fink teaches emerging media at Chapman University in Orange, CA, and at Arizona State University’s graduate program in Narrative and Emerging Media in Los Angeles. He is also CEO of Sprocketdyne, an AI animation studio he co-founded with film director Rob Minkoff. 

Fink's forty-year career at the intersection of storytelling and technology began at Walt Disney Feature Animation, where he famously conceived the idea for The Lion King and subsequently became the studio’s youngest-ever vice president of creative affairs. 

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Charlie Fink is a leading voice in the world of innovation, extended reality (XR), and technology storytelling. Best known for his Forbes column, the AI/XR Podcast, and a decades-long career spanning Disney Animation, AOL, and multiple startups, Charlie shares his insider’s journey from the VHS era of Disney classics to the frontlines of AI-generated media.

Key Takeaways:

• Decades in Innovation: Charlie started in Hollywood as a production assistant, quickly rising to become the youngest Vice President of Animation at Disney, working on classics like “Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin.”
• Full-Circle Creative Career: Though he moved from animation to live-action (and learned the lessons of following one’s instincts in the entertainment industry), Charlie’s career brought him back to animation—now powered by AI and collaboration with industry legends like Rob Minkoff.
• Digital Media Trailblazer: At AOL, Charlie was among the first to shape original, interactive online content and recognized (ahead of its time) the potential for LinkedIn-style social networks within AOL’s platform.
• Hands-On with XR and AI: Today, Charlie produces the AI/XR Podcast, teaches at Chapman and ASU, writes a weekly Forbes column, and advises countless startups. He’s currently working on a new book and a series of animated shorts created with AI.
• Lessons for Innovators: Charlie highlights the importance of helping others without expecting anything in return, embracing the unknown, and not missing new waves of innovation—even if you’re already successful.
• Foundational Influence: As someone who’s both witnessed and helped shape pivotal shifts in media and tech, Charlie’s story is about the power of curiosity, adaptability, and community.

Subscribe for more inspiring stories of innovation. 

About Charlie Fink ---

Charlie Fink writes a weekly technology column for Forbes covering AI and XR, and co-hosts its companion show, The AI/XR Podcast. He is the author of the critically acclaimed AR-enabled books Charlie Fink’s Metaverse (2017) and Convergence: How the World Will Be Painted With Data (2019). 

Fink teaches emerging media at Chapman University in Orange, CA, and at Arizona State University’s graduate program in Narrative and Emerging Media in Los Angeles. He is also CEO of Sprocketdyne, an AI animation studio he co-founded with film director Rob Minkoff. 

Fink's forty-year career at the intersection of storytelling and technology began at Walt Disney Feature Animation, where he famously conceived the idea for The Lion King and subsequently became the studio’s youngest-ever vice president of creative affairs. 

Fink's work in immersive technology began in 1992 as COO of Virtual World Entertainment, a groundbreaking location-based VR company founded by Tim Disney.

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.