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Van Lai-DuMone, founder of worksmart Advantage, is a dynamic force redefining how teams harness creativity and curiosity in the workplace through her groundbreaking Creative Integration™ method. With 20+ years of experience spanning startups to industry giants like Google and LinkedIn, she designs transformative learning experiences that drive innovation from the inside out. A TEDx speaker and author of What If Pigs Can Fly?, Van draws deep inspiration from her mother—a Vietnamese refugee who became one of the first licensed Vietnamese manicurists in the U.S., igniting an $8.3 billion industry. Van’s work is a bold invitation to reimagine what’s possible when curiosity leads the way.
📣QUOTE: “Curiosity is the most powerful thing we own 🔑. It’s an invitation to ask, ‘What if?’ and reimagine what’s possible.” - Van Lai-Dumone
Fergie’s Top 5+ Knowledge Nuggets and Take-Aways:
🔹 Valuable Time-Stamps🔹
🕒 [00:03:00] Van shares her family’s dramatic escape during the fall of Saigon 🇻🇳
🕒 [00:05:00] How Tippi Hedren sparked an $8.3B nail industry 💅
🕒 [00:13:00] The turning point that led Van to launch WorkSmart Advantage 🚀
🕒 [00:19:00] Using LEGO and creativity to unlock leadership potential 🧱
🕒 [00:27:00] Van’s advice to her younger self about overcoming self-doubt ✨
🛠️ Recommended Resources:
Visit Work Smart Advantage
Pick Up Van’s Book: What if Pigs Can Fly
Leadership Canvas Cohort
Worksmart Shop
Van’s Linked IN
Van’s Facebook
Van’s Instagram
Van’s Youtube
Host Your Podcast for Free with Buzz Sprout
Music Courtesy of: fight by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/58696 Ft: Stefan Kartenberg, Kara Square
Artwork courtesy of Dylan Allen
By Scott Ferguson4.8
5656 ratings
Van Lai-DuMone, founder of worksmart Advantage, is a dynamic force redefining how teams harness creativity and curiosity in the workplace through her groundbreaking Creative Integration™ method. With 20+ years of experience spanning startups to industry giants like Google and LinkedIn, she designs transformative learning experiences that drive innovation from the inside out. A TEDx speaker and author of What If Pigs Can Fly?, Van draws deep inspiration from her mother—a Vietnamese refugee who became one of the first licensed Vietnamese manicurists in the U.S., igniting an $8.3 billion industry. Van’s work is a bold invitation to reimagine what’s possible when curiosity leads the way.
📣QUOTE: “Curiosity is the most powerful thing we own 🔑. It’s an invitation to ask, ‘What if?’ and reimagine what’s possible.” - Van Lai-Dumone
Fergie’s Top 5+ Knowledge Nuggets and Take-Aways:
🔹 Valuable Time-Stamps🔹
🕒 [00:03:00] Van shares her family’s dramatic escape during the fall of Saigon 🇻🇳
🕒 [00:05:00] How Tippi Hedren sparked an $8.3B nail industry 💅
🕒 [00:13:00] The turning point that led Van to launch WorkSmart Advantage 🚀
🕒 [00:19:00] Using LEGO and creativity to unlock leadership potential 🧱
🕒 [00:27:00] Van’s advice to her younger self about overcoming self-doubt ✨
🛠️ Recommended Resources:
Visit Work Smart Advantage
Pick Up Van’s Book: What if Pigs Can Fly
Leadership Canvas Cohort
Worksmart Shop
Van’s Linked IN
Van’s Facebook
Van’s Instagram
Van’s Youtube
Host Your Podcast for Free with Buzz Sprout
Music Courtesy of: fight by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/58696 Ft: Stefan Kartenberg, Kara Square
Artwork courtesy of Dylan Allen