Advertise on podcast: The Forward Podcast with SmartOSC

“If you want a family, you should have a family. I hope your kids work at the company one day.” – James C. Rhee We couldn’t have asked for a more inspiring guest to The Forward Podcast than James C. Rhee - CEO, Founder, Author, Educator, and Private Equity Investor. He’s helped transform iconic brands, stood on global TED stages to speak about leadership, and guided young minds at Howard, MIT, and Yale. James shares the lessons that shaped him - from childhood to the C-suite.James’ journey spans some of the most fascinating intersections of human experience and professional growth: Childhood lessons that taught him about agency, problem-solving, and kindnessFounding and growing businesses while investing in people and mentorshipNavigating the role of fear, ego, and empathy in leadershipUsing storytelling to align people and purpose across organizations From early life experiences to building businesses, James’ story is anchored in one thing: helping people see what’s possible and act with care. Episode Chapters: 01:28 – Welcome & Introduction 06:30 – Red Helicopter Story: Childhood lessons on agency 26:00 – Kindness in Business 45:10 – Managing Fear & Ego: Overcoming internal barriers 55:30 – Storytelling in Business: Aligning teams and culture 58:05 – Technology & Agency: Using AI without losing core values 1:01:00 – Final Reflections: Practical advice for life and work Whether your goal is personal growth, leadership impact, or building stronger relationships, this episode is packed with actionable stories, insights, and tools you can start using today.

🎙️"If you don't have diversity in lived experiences, we're going to start to perpetuate by an infinite magnitude the inequalities that already exist in the system.” We met Samantha at Money 20/20 Bangkok and knew we had to bring her onto the show. In this conversation she challenges assumptions, surfaces hard truths, and shows how inclusive design isn’t just ethical - it’s smart business. In this special conversation, we dig into: ✓ What gets missed when there’s no diversity at the decision-making table ✓ The danger of designing for “ideal” users instead of real, messy humans ✓ Why chasing hype without asking the right questions leads to fragile solutions ✓ Practical ways fintech teams can build better, more thoughtful innovation from the ground up Whether you design products, build policy, lead teams, or care about fairer systems - this episode will make you rethink how finance gets built. #TheForwardPodcast #Rethink #SmartOSC #SamanthaLee #Fintech #InclusiveDesign #Innovation

Link to buy the book! Redesigning Thinking: How Service Design is Solving Our 21st Century Challenges  https://www.amazon.com/Redesigning-Thinking-Service-Solving-Challenges/dp/3111392821 💡 “When we make a decision, we are in fact designing. And if we are making that decision without considering the human being, then that's a poor decision.” – @CliveGrinyer To put it simply: if you’re human, this episode is for you. We couldn’t have dreamed up a better guest to close out this season of The Forward Podcast: Rethink than Clive Grinyer — one of the leading voices in service design and author of the brand-new book Redesigning Thinking: How Service Design is Solving Our 21st Century Challenges. Clive’s career spans some of the most fascinating corners of design: Co-founding consultancy Tangerine with @JonyIveSenior leadership roles at Cisco, Samsung, and OrangeDirector of Design at the UK Design Council (2001–2003)Leading service design at Barclays, transforming customer experienceTeaching Service Design at the RCAFrom physical products to digital interfaces to entire customer journeys, Clive’s work has always been anchored in one thing: making design genuinely serve people. In this conversation with our host @AzizaOBeirne we explore the following chapters: Episode Chapters: 00:00 – Welcome &  Introduction Aziza introduces Clive and the theme of the episode.01:30 – The Moment Clive Discovered Design Clive shares the story of wanting to cheer people up with murals and how he found his path into design.04:45 – Early Lessons from a Dress Shop: The magical experience of his grandmother’s boutique and learning the theatre of service.09:00 – What Is Design, Really? Clive gives his current definition of design and why it’s about more than aesthetics.13:30 – From Human-Centred to Humanity-Centred Design How “Project Love” explored designing for empathy and connection.18:15 – The Most Outdated Thinking in Business Today Clive on the dangers of speed, agile gone wrong, and poor leadership habits.24:00 – Why Now Is a Crucial Turning Point From Gen Z’s purpose-driven mindset to the rise of AI and the role of creativity.26:45 – What You Can Do Today to Rethink Design Actionable advice for individuals and organizations to redesign their thinking.30:55 – The Best Examples of Great Service Design From Apple to Gov.uk — real-world examples of systems that just work. 38:30 – Why Change Is So Hard in Banking and Business The painful truth about transformation and why startups often miss the mark43:00 – Final Reflections: Advice to My Future Self Clive reflects on patience, empathy, and what he’d tell his younger self.Whether your goal is business growth, social impact, or simply building stronger relationships with your customers, this episode (and Clive’s book) is packed with accessible insights, stories, and tools you can use right away. #ServiceDesign #DesignThinking #TheForwardPodcast #FutureOfBusiness

What if rethinking your shopping list could change the world? In this episode of The Forward Podcast: Rethink, @AzizaOBeirne is joined by @ChrisBaker, award-winning strategist, social entrepreneur, and author of Obsolete: How Change Brands Are Changing the World. Chris is the driving force behind:🧻 Serious Tissues – tackling deforestation with recycled, plastic-free toilet paper and nearly 2 million trees planted☕ Change Please – a coffee company that’s helped thousands of people out of homelessness through barista training and employment We dive into:💡 What defines a Change Brand—and how they’re disrupting tired categories💸 Why your wallet may be more powerful than your vote⚡ How legacy companies can rethink from the inside out🏷️ What brands like Tony’s Chocolonely, Wild, and Liquid Death are getting right—and why they’re gaining loyalty fast Whether you're a brand builder, a conscious consumer, or just someone wondering how small habits can create big ripple effects—this conversation will get you rethinking the power of your personal spending. #TheForwardPodcast #SmartOSC #ChrisBaker #Obsolete #ChangeBrands #SeriousTissues #ChangePlease #ConsumerPower #Rethink #BrandStrategy #ImpactBrands

Finance in Asia is moving fast. But is it moving in the right direction? Right now, too many fintech solutions are built for the top of the pyramid , for people with stable incomes, credit histories, and easy access to financial services.That leaves millions excluded and opens the door for predatory products to fill the gaps. At the same time, cross-border payments remain fragmented. Regulation struggles to keep pace with innovation. And while AI is racing ahead, too often it’s being used to replicate outdated processes instead of truly rethinking what’s possible. So: What needs a rethink?And how can we build a future of finance that is truly inclusive, effective, and human? In this episode, recorded at Money20/20 Asia, you’ll hear from the people asking and answering the hard questions, and shaping what comes next. Featuring voices from (in order of appearance) ⁠Samantha Lee⁠, Chief of Staff at Discover Payments ⁠Eric Margaryan, ⁠Head of Sales | Fighting Fraud & Money Laundering with AI/ Machine Learning at Tookitaki ⁠Puneet Gambhir,⁠ Head of Risk and GrabDefence Business⁠Oliver Beaumont,⁠ CEO and Co-Founder of TARN ⁠Christian Villegas, ⁠⁠Digital Channels Group Head at Bank of the Philippines Islands Sean Murphy COO at The Connector⁠Neha Josi⁠, Director of Projects at DEPT, also ran the Unfiltered stage at Money 20/20Medhy Souidi, Founder of What The Fintech, Transformation Lead - Head of Innovation & Experiences at DBS Hong KongSunday Domingo, Global Head, Digital Channel Solutions at Standard Chartered Hosted by: Aziza O'Beirne About The Forward Podcast: Rethink - When the old answers don’t fit, it’s time for new questions. Rethink is a new season of the award-winning Forward Podcast built around slowing down, questioning assumptions, and sitting longer in the problem stage -  before rushing to solutions. Too often, businesses cling to what they know, hiding behind the old “this is how we’ve always done it” line. It's the fastest way to kill diversity of thinking, new ideas, and meaningful change. This series is about rethinking what's broken: outdated products, workplaces stuck in the past, leadership resisting change, and tech that no longer serves the people using it. In each episode, we sit with rethinkers:  founders, creators, strategists, and innovators, who are challenging norms and building better ways forward. From redesigning shopping experiences to making digital finance more accessible, we explore how slowing down to ask better questions leads to stronger, more human-centered futures. Because solving yesterday’s problems with yesterday’s solutions won’t get us where we need to go. Slow down. Look closer. Build better. Brought to you by SmartOSC, a global digital transformation agency https://www.smartosc.com/ #Money2020Asia #Money2020Bangkok #Money2020 #Fintech #Banking #InlcusiveBanking #Innovation #Panelists #Innovation #Money2020Europe

3 days. 200 of Asia’s most influential tech leaders, banks, startups, retailers, regulators, and creators, all under one roof to talk about where the future of fintech is heading. Thousands of guests. One big question: What made you rethink? We went floor to floor at @Money20/20 Asia, one of the biggest fintech events in the world, to speak with speakers and attendees who are actively shaping the future of finance. We asked them 👉 What moment at Money20/20 has stopped you in your tracks and made you rethink? From AI’s double-edged potential to fraud, inclusion, and rethinking what real innovation actually looks like, this episode captures brilliant moments that may stick in your mind for days to come. 🎙️ Featuring: • @MedhySouidi (DBS & @WhatTheFintech) – on GenAI use cases beyond banking in Asia • Sunday Domingo (Standard Chartered) – on collaboration and the push-and-pull of AI • Christian Villegas (BPI) – on protecting vulnerable users and cross-border innovation • Neha (Dept) – UX and designing unfiltered, honest conversations • Eric (Tookitaki) – on why digital literacy is key to protection • Puneet Kambir (Grab) – on risk, fraud, and the upside of a unified AI narrative • Oliver Beaumont (Tarn) – on what really matters in payments • Samantha Lee (Discover) – on inclusive design and the cost of chasing hype Hosted by: Aziza O'Beirne 👇 If you were there, what moment made you stop and rethink? Leave a comment below About The Forward Podcast: Rethink - When the old answers don’t fit, it’s time for new questions. Rethink is a new season of the award-winning Forward Podcast built around slowing down, questioning assumptions, and sitting longer in the problem stage -  before rushing to solutions. Too often, businesses cling to what they know, hiding behind the old “this is how we’ve always done it” line. It's the fastest way to kill diversity of thinking, new ideas, and meaningful change. This series is about rethinking what's broken: outdated products, workplaces stuck in the past, leadership resisting change, and tech that no longer serves the people using it.  In each episode, we sit with rethinkers:  founders, creators, strategists, and innovators, who are challenging norms and building better ways forward. From redesigning shopping experiences to making digital finance more accessible, we explore how slowing down to ask better questions leads to stronger, more human-centered futures. Because solving yesterday’s problems with yesterday’s solutions won’t get us where we need to go. Slow down. Look closer. Build better. Brought to you by SmartOSC, a global digital transformation agency https://www.smartosc.com/ #Money2020Asia #Money2020Bangkok #Money2020 #Fintech #Banking #InlcusiveBanking #Innovation #Panelists #Innovation #Money2020Europe

What does it really mean to rethink not just technology — but the culture behind it? In this episode, we talk to Shawn Lim, a journalist-turned-solopreneur whose work now lives at the intersection of identity, media, and digital transformation. After more than a decade reporting on adtech, agency shifts, and marketing innovation across APAC, Shawn now runs Human Algorithm — a newsletter and podcast that challenges surface-level stories in business and explores more human, inclusive ways forward. We cover #AIagents, #brandloyalty, #parenting, #burnout, and why #internalculture is no longer something that stays hidden behind closed doors. Shawn shares his own story of #reinvention, from being told he couldn't write without a degree, to becoming one of the best tech reporters in #APAC. “We live in an age of automation, but we still need that human connection. That’s why I chose the name Human Algorithm.” - Shawn Lim Whether you're working in retail, BFSI, or tech or you're simply trying to build something that lasts this episode is about moving beyond the hype and doing business in a way that feels more honest. ⏱️ Episode Chapters:00:00 – What moves Shawn forward07:29 – Bullying & self-acceptance11:28 – Solopreneur life & parenting 15:38 – Human connection in the attention economy19:21 – Accountability & what AI could actually solve23:22 – Outdated business assumptions26:44 – Future trends: storytelling, B2H, and AI agents30:22 – The fall of brand loyalty34:33 – Burnout & letting go of people-pleasing The Let Them Poem by Cassie Phillips The Let Them Book from Mel Robbins

Flat websites. Frustrating Size Guides. Endless scrolling. Overwhelmed customers. While it seems everything else has evolved around us, in 2025, online hopping still hasn’t caught up with consumer needs. To kick off our Rethink series, we speak to Olivia Lee. Olivia is the founder of LIVVIUM, a digital fashion and Web3 consultancy helping brands create more immersive, human-centered experiences online. Named one of the Top 100 Global Women in Emerging Tech, she works at the intersection of digital fashion, consumer experience, and the future of the metaverse. In this episode, Olivia challenges the assumptions digital fashion and retail need to rethink and shows us what a better future could look like. In this episode, we talk about: Why online shopping is overdue for a radical redesignHow digital fashion is moving from novelty to purpose: reducing waste, building communities, and changing how we express ourselves online Why the future of shopping won’t be about search bars, it’ll be about experiences that anticipate your needs How small businesses can rethink without needing massive budgets - and the free tools already availableWhat it means to build shopping experiences for people, not just for brands If you’d like to skip along to key moments that work best for you, here you go:  00:00:00 - Olivia Lee: Speaking on Retail & Reinvention 04:00 - Career Journey &Coming across the Metaverse 07:40 - Metaverse Career Path 11:13 - Human-Centric Digital Fashion 15:05 - Digital Fashion: Moving from Novelty to Community 18:32 - Digital Fashion's Evolution 22:16 - Digital Fashion: Innovation 26:01 - Brand Loyalty Through Data 30:05 - Metaverse Shopping Revolution 37:10 - The Future of Fashion & AI Agents About The Forward Podcast: Rethink- When the old answers don’t fit, it’s time for new questions. Rethink is a new season of the award-winning Forward Podcast built around slowing down, questioning assumptions, and sitting longer in the problem stage -  before rushing to solutions. Too often, businesses cling to what they know, hiding behind the old “this is how we’ve always done it” line. It's the fastest way to kill diversity of thinking, new ideas, and meaningful change. This series is about rethinking what's broken: outdated products, workplaces stuck in the past, leadership resisting change, and tech that no longer serves the people using it.  In each episode, we sit with rethinkers:  founders, creators, strategists, and innovators, who are challenging norms and building better ways forward. From redesigning shopping experiences to making digital finance more accessible, we explore how slowing down to ask better questions leads to stronger, more human-centered futures. Because solving yesterday’s problems with yesterday’s solutions won’t get us where we need to go. Slow down. Look closer. Build better.

When the old answers don't fit, it’s time for new questions. New season coming soon:🎙The Forward Podcast: Rethink! A lot of the problems we’re trying to solve today are built on assumptions that no longer fit. We’re asking: What’s overdue for a rethink? Instead of rushing to solutions, we're sitting longer in the problem stage. This season, we’re speaking to rethinkers. The ones who stay curious instead of comfortable. The ones who are rethinking how we build communities, how we design shopping experiences, how we make digital finance more accessible - those who are rethinking outdated products, workplaces stuck in the past, leadership resisting change, and tech not serving the people using it. Because solving yesterday’s problems with yesterday’s solutions won’t get us where we need to go. Slow down. Look closer. Build better. First guest announcement coming to you this Friday, 25th April - Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode, we’re peeling back the layers with Rebecca Parsons — Board Member, Author, Speaker, and Former CTO Emerita of Thoughtworks! As a long-term tech devotee, Rebecca has left her mark across academia, government research, nonprofits, startups, manufacturing, and massive enterprises. She’s a passionate advocate for programming languages, AI, and evolutionary computation — all while keeping her feet firmly planted in the ever-evolving tech community. 💡 In her own words: "I’m a geek through and through. I can’t imagine not being in the technology community. That’s just who I am." What’s inside this conversation: 👀 The myth of “magic fairy dust” technology and solutions 🔍 Balancing fairness and profit in data collection (and the risks of using proxies for race, gender, and religion) 🌍 Performative DEI, personal values, and advice to future selves 🔑 The future of the CTO role: will we see more combined CTO/product roles? 🤖 Continuous Delivery and DORA Metrics: transforming deployment practices 💡 The value of saying “I don’t know” in a constantly changing world …and so much more! 🌟

In this episode, we’re peeling back the layers with @CharityMajors, CTO and Co-Founder of @Honeycomb.io, the pioneers of observability for complex systems. Charity’s career has been built on designing and managing massive distributed systems at Parse (acquired by Facebook), Facebook, and Linden Lab (makers of Second Life). She’s also the co-author of #ObservabilityEngineering and #DatabaseReliabilityEngineering (O'Reilly). In this conversation, we don’t hold back! Charity and Aziza dive into what’s causing tears of joy and tears of frustration in the tech world as well as discussing:  🔍 Why observability is crucial and the shift from Observability 1.0 to 2.0 👀 The need for transparency and accountability in leadership 🌍 Performative DEI, personal values, and advice to future selves 🔑 What it means to be a CTO — going beyond traditional roles and assumptions 🤖 Why AI won’t build your teams, and the importance of junior engineers 💡 Socio-technical pathways to high-performing teams ...and so much more! 🌟 Cut The Onion, hosted by @AzizaOBeirne, is a mini-series where we peel back the layers of tech roles, exploring the stories of those working in tech across various industries. Honest takes, trends, and tips for going forward! Brought to you by @SmartOSC- www.smartosc.com

Today, we're peeling back the layers with Philip Gill, CTO at SmartBox Group - the number one experience #gift provider in Europe, selling millions of gifts every year!! From #QualityAssurance to #CTO, it's a road less traveled, but it comes with incredible stories and perspectives. These stories include Phil’s experience working in various countries before joining Smartbox a decade ago. How he has surrounded himself with smart, driven, and passionate people, who always keep user experience at the heart of their work.  As a CTO, Phil advocates for #sustainable working environments and avoiding single points of failure. In this episode, we hear all of this and more… 🔑How to build trust and agility in tech teams 🤝 The importance of calling BS (B*llsh*t) on some #AIhype and finding real value 🛠️His thoughts on #BuildVSBuy 📈 The Keys to Delivering Strategic Projects: Lessons from Smartbox's #eCommerce Rebuild ⏱️ How to Improve #CycleTimes and Team Happiness 🚫 The importance of Zero Distraction 💬 How to Empower Decision-Making and Shorten Decision Chains 00:00:40 - Introduction and Typical CTO Day 00:03:37 - Balancing Planned and Operational Work 06:54 - Importance of Collaboration and Quality 10:45 - Evolution of CTO Roles and Leadership 00:14:04 - Challenges and Hype in AI Industry 17:04 - Custom Solutions and Expertise 00:20:07 - Business Continuity Challenges 23:36 - Evolution of Scalable Systems 00:27:22 - Delivering Major eCommerce Projects 00:33:41 - Advice for Digital Transformation Success Cut The Onion, hosted by @AzizaOBeirne, is a mini-series where we peel back the layers of tech roles, exploring the stories of those working in tech across various industries. Honest takes, trends, and tips for going forward! Brought to you by @SmartOSC

In this episode, we’re peeling back the layers with Florian (Flo) Pasquier, CTO at Carma. From engineer to co-founder and CTO, Flo’s career has been filled with eye-opening twists, turns, and valuable lessons! We’ll be getting a front-row seat to his brilliant mind and experiences and hearing about why building strong engineering teams with empathy and storytelling is critical for navigating the fast-changing tech landscape. You’ll hear all of this and more: 📈 Continuous Learning & Strong Foundations – Why these are essential for staying ahead in a rapidly evolving industry. 🔧 The Tech Leader Toolbox – From DevOps and CloudOps to SecOps (Security Operations), CTOs are managing an increasingly complex set of tools and responsibilities. 📣 Bridging the Gap – How CTOs and technical leaders can connect technology with decision-makers to drive meaningful impact. 📖 Storytelling & Leading by Example – Why these tools are crucial for shaping boardroom conversations and promoting tech understanding across an organization. 💰 Tech as a Revenue Enabler – The challenge of shifting the perception of tech teams from cost centers to value-driven enablers—and the cultural change needed to make that shift. About Carma: Carma is a fully digital car dealership, offering a wide range of quality pre-owned vehicles at fixed prices, delivered right to the home with a 7-day returns policy with no questions asked! Visit their website here About Cut The Onion: Cut The Onion is a mini-series where we peel back the layers of what it truly means to be a Chief Technology Officer. We’re diving deep into tech roles that are often misunderstood, exploring the stories of leaders across various industries, and bringing you the honest takes, trends, and tips you need to move forward. It is all brought to you by SmartOSC - With 18 years in operation, SmartOSC is an award-winning digital commerce agency of 1,000+ experts, across seven countries including Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, the US, and the UK. Check out our website: https://www.smartosc.com/

“We cannot solve a misuse of trust in people with blockchain technology. But I think what we can solve is the trust in systems challenge.” Today, we're peeling back the layers with Sebastian Bode, The VP of Engineering at the Cardano Foundation. Sebastian turned his childhood dream job at Ubisoft into a career that’s spanned robotics, automotive, finance, and now blockchain! After years as an engineer, Sebastian made the leap to leadership and realized what really excites him isn’t just solving technical problems—it’s working with people and creating environments and systems that thrive on truth, education, resilience, and adoption. We spoke to Sebastian to hear about his experience, getting to the core of his motivations and the future of the Cardano Foundation. Here’s what you can expect to hear: 💡 Blockchain Education, Literacy, and Regulation ⚙️ Chang hard fork and decentralized governance 🚀 Innovations and trends that he is keeping a close eye on 🔎 Leadership advice - The importance of curiosity and stepping out of the blockchain bubble ...and much more! Also, this week, over 10,000 attendees from over 25 countries will gather in Dubai for the Cardano Summit 2024. The Cardano Foundation will be joined by speakers such as Binance CEO Richard Teng and Animoca Labs Co-Founder and Chairman Yat Siu at the global blockchain event. The Cardano Summit brings together industry leaders, blockchain enthusiasts, regulators, policymakers, engineers, and developers. You can still get tickets by clicking the link below, listeners of Cut The Onion also get a lovely 10% discount on tickets by using the code: CDS24MEDIA10 https://summit.cardano.org/ What is Cut The Onion, we hear you ask? It’s a mini-series where we peel back the layers of tech roles. We’ll be getting to the core of tech roles that can oftentimes be misunderstood and exploring the stories of those working in tech across a multitude of industries - bringing you honest takes, trends, and tips for going forward.

In this premiere episode of our brand-new mini-series Cut The Onion, we're kicking things off by sitting down with Joel Beasley, the creator of  @ModernCTO  (ModernCTO.io) Joel Beasley is somewhat of a CTO whisperer - he’s interviewed almost 1,000 CTOS since releasing his book ‘Modern CTO’ and podcast of the same name. In this episode, Joel takes us behind the curtain to share the lessons he’s learned from countless conversations, his personal journey as a CTO, and what is the source code of his being, his core, and what moves him forward in life.  We’ll peel back layers on: Joel’s biggest frustrations with the tech industry The innovations that bring him the most joy The power of focusing on "the next right thing" Why you "fall to the level of your systems" How to figure out what type of CTO you really are …and more insights from one of the most fun, engaging, insightful, and HONEST voices in this space. If you want to skip to any point: 00:00:24 - Journey into Podcast Creation 05:14 - Evolution of Media and Podcasts 10:24 - The Tidal Wave of AGI That is Coming 14:57 - AI Transparency and Challenges 19:58 - Data Center Operation and Innovation 24:32 - CTO Roles and Self-Awareness 29:27 - Understanding Organizational Needs 34:15 - Designing Systems for Success 39:10 - Mentoring and Personal Growth 49:38 - Perseverance and Motivation Cut The Onion is a mini-series where we peel back the layers of what it truly means to be a Chief Technology Officer. We’re diving deep into tech roles that are often misunderstood, exploring the stories of leaders across various industries, and bringing you the honest takes, trends, and tips you need to move forward. It is all brought to you by SmartOSC - With 18 years in operation, SmartOSC is an award-winning digital commerce agency of 1,000+ experts, across seven countries including Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, the US, and the UK. Check out our website: smartosc.com #CTO, #Podcast, #ModernCTO, #GaryVaynerchuk, #Microsoft, #Interviews, #Technology, #AGI, #Future, #Death, #AI, #VeniceAI, #Transparency, #Ethics, #NanonuclearTechnology, #ZeusAndOdinReactorSystems, #Misconceptions, #Communication, #Leadership, #BusinessSystems, #Mentorship, #Principles, #Laundry, #Robots, #NeverGivingUp