Advertise on podcast: The Rethinking Work Show

As companies retreat from public commitments and corporate values, what are they risking in the process? Haider Nazar, co-founder and CEO of MAHA Global, explores the growing gap between what companies say and what they stand for, why silence can carry a hidden reputational cost, and what the next era of corporate conviction might look like. Haider Nazar is the Co-Founder & CEO of MAHA Global. With over two decades of expertise in data, enterprise software and organisational transformation, his leadership spans the growth of numerous companies, including four successful exits and securing over $200M in combined equity and debt financing. Nazar has served dozens of Fortune 500 Brands leveraging advanced technology to drive strategic decision-making. Driven by the belief that integrating corporate reputation with profit motives can drive positive social and environmental change, Nazar continues to pioneer innovative solutions that empower organisations worldwide. His commitment to leveraging data-driven insights underscores his mission to enable impactful decision-making and foster sustainable growth. EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

As AI makes work faster and easier, what might we lose along the way? Bala Muthiah explores the hidden cost of convenience, why productive friction strengthens learning and judgment, and how we can use AI without outsourcing our ability to think for ourselves. Bala Muthiah is a Director of Engineering focused on building real-time, AI-enabled systems at scale. His work sits at the intersection of technology, leadership, and culture—specifically how organizations design environments where AI strengthens human judgment rather than replacing it. An immigrant turned Silicon Valley leader, Bala brings a people-first lens to engineering, emphasizing curiosity, resilience, and decision-making under pressure. Beyond his day-to-day work, he advises startups, mentors founders and engineers, and serves on nonprofit boards. His perspective blends hands-on operating experience with a deep interest in how tools, incentives, and systems quietly shape how people think and work. EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

What if building a bigger business doesn’t require building a bigger team? Tim Huelskamp, co-founder and CEO of 1440, shares how a small, focused team reaches millions of readers, and why staying lean, curious, and intentional can create outsized impact. Tim Huelskamp spent a decade in private equity helping scale growth businesses before building one of his own. He's the co-founder & CEO of 1440, a community for the knowledge-obsessed. Every day, the 1440 team scours the internet, cuts through the noise, and delivers fact-based, insights that help millions of readers keep learning. Along the way, 1440 has been named one of Inc.’s Best Workplaces three years running, and ranked among the Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing private companies. Before 1440, Tim invested in and helped grow businesses at a $20B private equity fund, serving on the boards of companies across a range of industries. He also co-founded Fifth Star, a philanthropic venture fund providing "friends and family" capital to underrepresented founders. They've backed more than 30 founders to date. Based in Chicago with his wife, Jennifer, Tim is passionate about building businesses, lifelong learning, and great conversations.  EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

How do you keep evolving when the world around you won’t stop changing? Marketing leader Lou Paskalis explores what it takes to reinvent your career, stay relevant through disruption, and embrace change before it’s forced upon you. Lou Paskalis is CEO and Founder of AJL Advisory, a consultancy focused on helping marketers to improve their business narrative and tech companies to better understand marketers and their needs. He also serves as Chief Strategy Officer of Ad Fontes Media a Public Benefit company that is dedicated to increasing advertisers’ investments to reach audiences in quality news journalism with a unique technology that allows them to measure, mitigate and monitor bias and reliability in a manner consistent with their values and principles. Paskalis sits on the advisory boards of Ebiquity, Nielsen and POSSIBLE, among others and is very active with the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) in several key areas, including their ongoing efforts in supply path optimization. Previously, Paskalis was President and COO of MMA Global, a trade association focused on architecting the future of marketing. In that role, he was responsible for driving innovation and change across a broad portfolio of functional areas, initiatives and forward-looking activities centered on shaping the future of marketing. Prior to MMA, Paskalis spent three decades of client-side leadership experience, having led Global Communications Planning, Media Investment, Marketing Data Strategy and Brand Safety and Suitability at Bank of America; Media, Content and Mobile Marketing at American Express. He is well-known as an outspoken champion for marketing innovation, governance and the advancement of the art and science of marketing as well as a strong advocate for ad-supported journalism and marketers’ unique responsibility to support news organizations in their valiant efforts to uncover, disseminate and defend truth. He makes his home in Manhattan and is a lifelong F1 fan and enjoys international travel. EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

As AI becomes more capable, what will make humans indispensable? Matt Lewis, founder and CEO of Transformental, explores why the future of work depends not just on smarter technology, but on strengthening human judgment, leadership, and the qualities that AI can't replicate. Matt Lewis is the Founder and CEO of Transformental, the first AI-enabled consultancy focused entirely on human-centered transformation. Over a career spanning neuroscience, data science, healthcare, and innovation, Matt has helped organizations navigate complex change while keeping people at the center of the equation. EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

How do you find work that aligns with who you are, not just what you can do? William Vanderbloemen, founder and CEO of Vanderbloemen Search Group, explores how understanding your strengths, behaviors, and motivations can lead to more fulfilling careers and more effective leadership in a rapidly changing world of work. William Vanderbloemen, founder and CEO of Vanderbloemen Search Group, is a renowned speaker, author and expert on leadership, workplace culture and staffing issues. When William combined his ministry experience as a Senior Pastor with the best practices of executive search, he created a brand new industry: executive search for faith-based organizations. A firm believer in data, William has discovered trends and traits common to the best leaders through more than 3,000 executive searches and 30,000 interviews. EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

Is career success measured by moving up or moving forward? Cliff Maxwell, co-founder and CEO of Vocation, explores the difference between career progression and career progress, why fulfillment matters as much as advancement, and how individuals can take greater ownership of designing meaningful careers in a rapidly changing world of work. Cliff Maxwell is the Co-founder and CEO of Vocation, an AI-powered career coaching platform for students and professionals to discover their next step. Prior to Vocation, Cliff spent several years investing in early-stage technology startups and was the Chief of Staff to the late Professor Clayton Christensen who developed the theory of 'disruptive innovation'. Cliff's career began as a CPU design engineer. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and graduated from Brigham Young University with a BS in Electrical Engineering. He resides in Salt Lake City where he is busy raising three boys.  EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

What happens when you leave the career you've spent decades building? Julie Fedele, a Future of Work strategist and portfolio career mentor, explores why career transitions are as much about identity as opportunity, and how more professionals are moving beyond traditional employment to build a body of work that’s truly their own. Julie Fedele is a Future of Work strategist and portfolio career mentor based in Melbourne, Australia. A former C-suite leader and venture builder across Australian and European startups in HealthTech, ClimateTech, and Media, she works at the intersection of individual career transition and organisational workforce design. Julie helps women in mid-to-senior career stages move from the corporate model to what she calls the Hollywood Model: a shift from employee to talent, where you build a body of work, move between productions, and own your career narrative and income mix. Her methodology blends strategic business frameworks with diagnostic tools for energy and decision-making. She writes rawmaterials, a weekly newsletter on identity, income, and the real work of building something that's yours, and is currently writing Off Script, a book on the structural shift reshaping how we work. EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

In a world overflowing with productivity tools and AI assistants, are we actually working better together? Toby Daniels, co-founder of ON_Discourse and Domain, explores why the future of work depends on better collaboration, stronger networks, and systems that help us think and not just work more effectively. Toby is the Co-Founder of ON_Discourse, a global network of technology, business and innovation leaders, investors and entrepreneurs and Co-Founder of the (domain), an AI collaboration platform that connects your work to your network. Domain is now available as a free public beta: ondomain.ai Prior to this, he was the Chief Innovation Officer at Adweek, the leading source of news and insight serving the brand marketing ecosystem. Toby was also the Founder & Chair of Social Media Week, which Adweek acquired in January 2021. Prior to the acquisition, Social Media Week was owned and operated by Crowdcentric Media, which Toby led as CEO for over ten years. Before Crowdcentric, Daniels led business development in the US for Mint Digital and prior to that was the Managing Director of Online Creative Communications, a London based digital agency that he managed for 7 years. Toby is also an advisor to a number of companies including Adweek, Legends, a confidence-training program for elementary schoolers, building legendary kids in 5 minutes a day, and Simon Data, a SaaS marketing platform that helps clients deliver better customer experiences using data.  He was also an advisor to BOND, which sold to Newell Brands in 2016. As a thought leader in media, marketing and technology, Toby has been featured in mainstream and trade media, including articles on CNN.com, The NY Times, The Next Web, Huffington Post, AdWeek, PSFK and Fast Company. He speaks regularly at conferences and has given talks at PdF Latin America in Chile, Social Media Brazil, The Co-Creation Conference, Phoenix and SXSW. In 2013, The Next Web named Toby as one of New York's 50 NYC Tech Entrepreneurs You Need to Know About. In 2014 Toby co-curated the book On! The Future of Now, with the proceeds going towards supporting clean water projects in the developing world. EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

As AI transforms marketing and reshapes organizations, what skills and leadership qualities will matter most? Richard Sanderson, Partner at Spencer Stuart, explores how companies are rethinking talent, adapting team structures, and balancing automation with human judgment. Richard Sanderson is a Chicago‑based Partner and Consultant at Spencer Stuart, where he advises CEOs, boards, and people leaders on recruiting and retaining transformational marketing, customer, and growth executives. His work spans all industries, and he is retained to solve some of the most complex leadership mandates that require a nuanced understanding of modern marketing, product, and customer strategy.  Over the years, Richard has shaped high‑impact executive searches ranging from Chief Marketing Officers to senior customer, brand, digital, growth and experience leaders across a range of Fortune 500 companies, middle-market private equity backed businesses, and early-stage category disruptors. EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

What if teams weren’t built around roles, but around problems? Britt Gage, founder and CEO of oAT (of All Trades), explores the shift from static org charts to dynamic teaming, where generalist operators execute, adapt, and connect across functions. As AI reshapes work, Britt argues the future belongs to flexible, problem-centered teams, and to organizations designed to move as fast as the challenges they face. Britt Gage is the founder and CEO of oAT (of All Trades), a company reimagining how teams are built in the age of AI. Drawing on 15+ years in early-stage startup operations across talent, growth and people functions, Britt launched oAT to offer organizations an alternative to rigid, specialist-driven hiring models. of All Trades (oAT) is built around a different kind of operator, embedded generalists who flex around problems rather than job descriptions. Over the past five years, oAT has grown from a solo practice to serving 50+ organizations from startups to nonprofits. At the core of their work is a proprietary Dynamic Teaming methodology, where teams form around problems and disband when problems change, where skills matter more than titles, and where generalists become the essential connective tissue holding it all together.  EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

In a world where skills expire faster than ever, how do you stay relevant? Veronika Kryuchkova explores the idea of the “capability stack", a dynamic mix of core, human, and future skills, and why thriving in today’s workplace requires continuous reinvention, high agency, and the ability to learn, unlearn, and evolve faster than the market. Veronika Kryuchkova is the Global Head of Capability Building for the Reckitt Marketing Academy, where she leads initiatives to equip teams with the skills and mindsets needed to drive transformation at scale. The Academy reaches 90% of Reckitt’s marketers across 59 countries and has been recognized externally with the prestigious Learning Technologies Award for its impact. Her work focuses on how individuals and organizations build the capabilities required to adapt in a rapidly changing world, with a particular emphasis on continuous learning, reinvention, and high-agency performance. Beyond her corporate role, Veronika hosts the podcast Get Superpowered, where she explores the human side of transformation, including creativity, connection, and courage. Through her work, she champions the idea that thriving in the future of work requires not just new skills, but a new approach to growth—one rooted in curiosity, adaptability, and intentional development. EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

What if we stopped paying for time and started paying for outcomes? Matt Seiler, founder and CEO of Excelerators Inc., explores why traditional compensation models are breaking down in an AI-driven world, and how performance-based pay, better incentives, and a renewed focus on human value can reshape how we work, measure success, and reward impact. Matt Seiler is the founder and CEO of Excelerators Inc., a company focused on helping organizations rethink talent, incentives, and performance in an AI-driven world. A three-time CEO in the advertising and media industry, Matt has spent more than two decades leading and transforming companies, and the last seven to eight years reimagining what effective talent management looks like today. He has played a key role in building and scaling tech-enabled marketplaces that connect people to work they are most energized to do and organizations to the talent best suited to deliver results. With Excelerators Inc., Matt is expanding that vision beyond individuals to help companies redesign how they structure teams, measure value, and reward performance. Known for his focus on performance-based compensation and the intersection of technology and human potential, Matt brings a practical and forward-looking perspective to the future of work. EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

As AI accelerates and traditional corporate structures strain under pressure, what does leadership look like in the next era of work? Justin Billingsley, co-founder of Simbioniq and former Global CMO of Publicis Groupe, explores why the age of heroic managers is giving way to orchestrators who design systems that think, adapt, and coordinate at scale.  Justin Billingsley is Co-Founder of Simbioniq, an AI company creating psychologically complete digital humans for marketing research, and author of "Brandflow: The Marketing Orchestration Playbook." As former Chief Marketing Officer of Publicis Groupe, including seven years on the Management Committee, Justin led marketing transformation for one of the world's largest advertising holding companies. His earlier client-side experience includes leadership roles at Coca-Cola, Nokia, Orange, and Unilever. Justin writes Brandflow, a twice-weekly strategic newsletter for senior marketing leaders navigating what he calls "The Great Compression” or the simultaneous forces of budget decline, platform disintermediation, AI automation, and margin compression reshaping the industry. His work focuses on sustainable transformation practices, moving from "sidelines to arena," and building competitive advantage through systematic orchestration rather than heroic coordination. EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.

Are we preparing students for the world of work or a world that no longer exists? Authors Alexandra Levit and Stephanie Loeck explore how work-based learning can close the gap between education and employment, and why real-world experience, not just classroom instruction, may be the key to building adaptable, future-ready talent. Purchase and learn more about their book Make School Work here: https://makeschoolwork.org/ Alexandra Levit is the founder and CEO of Inspiration at Work, a futurist consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations and their employees thrive in a rapidly evolving business landscape. A former nationally syndicated columnist for The Wall Street Journal, Alexandra is the bestselling author of They Don’t Teach Corporate in College, Humanity Works, and Make School Work, which addresses the American youth employment crisis through work-based learning. She holds a certificate in strategic foresight from the University of Houston and advises leading organizations including Deloitte, American Express, Adecco, and Upwork on leadership, workforce transformation, technology adoption, and skills development. Alexandra has collaborated extensively with U.S. government agencies, including the Department of Labor and Department of Defense, and her work has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, Forbes, CNN, and NPR. Recognized by Thinkers50 and the American Management Association, she lives in Chicago. Stephanie Loeck is Vice President of Strategic Development at GPS Education Partners, where she leads national growth initiatives advancing work-based learning and expanding career-connected opportunities for students. A passionate workforce and education advocate, Stephanie brings expertise across strategy, policy, communications, and economic development to help modernize the transition from school to work. At GPS Education Partners, she shapes long-term growth strategies, builds partnerships, and drives thought leadership around learner-centered program design. She played a key role in developing GPS Ed’s signature six-part work-based learning framework, which supports program implementation, continuous improvement, and sustainable impact. Previously, Stephanie served as Vice President of Partnerships at America Succeeds, engaging business leaders in education reform initiatives such as Durable Skills and Age of Agility. She has also worked in economic development and with technology startups. Based in Colorado, Stephanie serves on national advisory boards championing authentic, career-connected learning aligned with the future of work. EPISODE CREDITS Produced, edited and mixed by Ria Tobaccowala Artwork designed by Ben Damiano Additional music licensed through Premium Beats LINKS Explore more about the new frontiers of work at Rethinkingwork.io For more actionable insights that inspire subscribe to Rishad Tobaccowala's free weekly substack: The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past. This show is also available on YouTube which includes visual supplements. Rishad's Book Rethinking Work is available in print and audio. Click here for where to buy.