Hope + Possibilities: A Love Letter to the Future of Work

Episodes

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  Thought Leadership: Sponsorship, Celebrity and Influence in Canada 08.10.2026 20m

  Who pays for the ideas you trust? Keswick, Ontario might be Canada's unexpected  capital of thought leadership. Amanda Cupido launched Let's Talk Thought Leadership right here, and our conversation has stayed with me. So this episode I'm going further: what actually shapes the ideas we call "thought leadership"? Money. Power. Influence. And whether the people broadcasting ideas ever listen back. In this episode: Why I pay for this podcast myself. I don't take sponsorship. Money shapes views in ways you don't always notice until later, and I'd rather not find out the hard way. I also won't take deals from AI companies, especially American ones. I don't know their relationships with government, and I'm not convinced the current US administration is acting in Canada's best interest. Honey, bees and a blind spot. OpenAI flew about 30 creators to Wildflower Farms, a luxury Hudson Valley resort, for "OpenAI Summer Camp": farm-to-table dinners, beekeeping, the works. OpenAI says it was about teaching creators its tools and that it welcomes healthy debate. But the posts were all honey and bees. AI's environmental footprint never came up. And when the backlash hit, it landed on the creators, not the company that paid for the trip. Grace McCarrick pointed out that most of the people taking that heat were women. I don't agree with everything about how she handled it, but she had a point. When academics become creators. Institutions bring their own hierarchies and politics. I look at Adam Grant: ahead of his new book Vibe, I revisit how he partnered with celebrities like Jennifer Garner to promote his last one. Was she paid? I'd assume so, and she should be. But it's never disclosed. Broadcast isn't community. I've followed Adam's work for about eight years and learned a lot. In all that time, I couldn't get a real conversation going, until this week, when I commented that his book tour skips Canada. He replied that he loves Canada and hopes to come next year. I appreciated it. But it shouldn't take eight years. If you're the only one talking, is it really a community? Softball questions. Actors are hosting more podcasts, and I'm seeing fewer trained journalists conducting interviews. What happens to ideas when nobody asks the hard questions? Where my work lands. I learned I'm ranking on a Goodpods chart for investigative journalism, and on a writing chart too. Charts aren't the point. What matters is that the questions I ask are being read at that level, even by an algorithm, when futurism doesn't fit neatly into any one box. Human thinking in an AI world. My transcripts get scraped to train AI. I can't stop that. So I focus on putting out the best human thinking I can, and I hope the real people who find it notice and give credit. George Michael as a fixed point. His arc is complete. I know what he stood for, and that won't change. Living public figures keep shifting their partnerships, which makes me wonder: is there a cultural divide between American and Canadian podcasting? The big idea: Thought leadership shapes the future. The people who absorb your ideas go on to decide how they behave, how they run their companies, and which social norms they support. What you consume shapes who you become, and that includes the thought leaders you follow. One small ask: I rarely hear from listeners, and I'll never stop asking. If a review or a question feels like too much, just hit subscribe on whatever app you use. Subscriptions move the charts. Sharing, saving and downloading help too. Coming up: I'm taking the Canada question further with Jan Ditchfield, founder of The Show, a Canadian podcast business mastermind for women entrepreneurs. (Full disclosure: I'm a member.) Subscribe so you don't miss it. Mentioned in this episode: Let's Talk Thought Leadership and Podcasting in Canada with Amanda Cupido (Hope + Possibilities): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-talk-thought-leadership-and-podcasting-in-canada/id1602822494?i=1000734558579 Let's Talk Thought Leadership, hosted by Amanda Cupido: https://www.letstalkthoughtleadership.com/ The Show, Jan Ditchfield's podcast business mastermind for women entrepreneurs: https://www.skool.com/theshow/about Vibe by Adam Grant: https://adamgrant.net/book/vibe/ Grace McCarrick on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grace_mccarrick/ Backlash to OpenAI luxury retreat highlights influencers' uncertain relationship with AI (CBC News): https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/openai-influencers-summer-camp-controversy-9.7296991 The Creators at OpenAI's Wildflower Farms Retreat, and the Backlash That Followed (Observer): https://observer.com/2026/08/openai-wildflower-farms-influencer-retreat/ Influencers draw backlash for attending OpenAI's first luxury trip (TechCrunch): https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/03/influencers-draw-backlash-for-attending-openais-first-luxury-trip/ Hope + Possibilities: Trust, Leadership + Strategic Foresight. A self-funded Canadian podcast. https://hopr.fm/k/xgtn2757/ Meta description: Who pays for the ideas you trust? Canadian futurist Nola Simon on sponsorship, OpenAI's influencer retreat, celebrity podcasts and AI, and why thought leadership shapes the future.
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  Strategic Foresight for Your Career: Planning When Planning Feels Impossible 06.10.2026 22m

  In this solo episode, I look at what strategic foresight really means for your career when nobody can predict what's coming: longevity, retirement, caregiving, loneliness, and why the human skills will matter more than technical ones as AI changes work. I maintain that career development is a form of futurism. How do you make decisions when you don't know what the future holds? Margaret Heffernan has a line I keep coming back to: in an age of uncertainty, planning becomes harder than ever, if not actually impossible, so flexibility, adaptability and the imagination to consider what could happen become vital skills. When things are stable, you can set a goal, watch the trends, steer toward it and land pretty close. Today, with AI and geopolitical tension, nobody can predict with any certainty how things will go. You still can't stop living or making choices. The question is what you have in place that lets you move forward and still pivot as things become clearer. So I get personal. Keith and I just turned 55. My dad is 94. My mom retired at 65 and died of dementia at 87. Longevity is on my side and my finances aren't ready for an early exit, so I expect to keep working into my mid-70s, maybe my early 80s, and I need income streams that could carry me to 100. That's why I've been reading Lynda Gratton's new book, Living the 100-Year Life. I also talk about: - Legacy. My mom took care of her family, and she had enough. I want work with resonance and impact for the next 40-plus years. - The nurture threads. I'm an only child with very little extended family, and my kids have told me they may not have kids. As a sole proprietor, I have to build friendship and belonging on purpose. Who witnesses me? Who needs what I know? - The retirement perception gap. The Old Grey Thinker, a former ship captain who writes on Substack, explores the distance between how retirement is sold and how it's lived, including what happens to your knowledge once "retired" replaces your job title. - Longevity rewrites the script. My husband's mom died at 54, when we were 34 and our oldest daughter was one. I was in the sandwich generation in my early 40s, raising young kids while caring for parents and handling estates. My dad worked into his 70s and only stopped because my mom got sick. - Out of sync and lonely. I was an older mom at 32, with nothing much in common with the mommy groups near me. I found my support online through Erica Ehm's YummyMummyClub. In Canada, we measure distance in hours. - Choose Your Own Adventure as a practice. What shaped you, what do you need right now, what has to be true to get where you want to go, and are you testing the alternatives? And the skills that matter most? Flexibility, mental agility, imagination, storytelling and knowing yourself. People call these soft skills, and they're anything but. Pure technical knowledge is what's most at risk from AI. What practices keep you imagining what's possible? MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE - Margaret Heffernan, On the Level (Substack): https://heffernanm.substack.com/ - Lynda Gratton, Living the 100-Year Life (September 2026): https://www.livingthe100yearlife.com/ - The Old Grey Thinker (Substack): https://substack.com/@theoldgreythinker - Erica Ehm (YummyMummyClub): https://www.ericaehm.com/ A SMALL EXPERIMENT I'm testing which listener actions actually move podcast charts. The simplest one is to subscribe, wherever you listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Goodpods. ```  
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  Who We Trust and How We Receive Advice : A Leadership Living Lab 02.10.2026 12m

  My last episode was about giving advice. This one is about the other side: how we receive it. I start with the type of advice. There's the advice you go looking for and the advice that shows up uninvited. Then there's the question of who you actually trust, and how you filter what's useful from what isn't. Advice doesn't have to come from someone who knows you. Mentorship is usually personal: parents, other adults in your life, coworkers, industry experts, even someone you're only loosely connected to. It's interactive and shaped around you. There's also thought leadership, where someone shares their expertise through books, TED Talks or videos without ever knowing you. That's a parasocial relationship, and it raises its own questions. How do you decide who gets your attention? And what happens when that person changes? I've lived this. When I first hired my coach, her focus was career advice, resumes and storytelling. Then she moved into meditation, and later went back to work full-time in leadership development. Adapting as she adapted was a real shift for me. Honestly, it turned out to be a gift, because it made me look at why her change mattered to my own story. We see the same thing with musicians and actors. When they move in a new direction, fans want more of the same. I'm seeing it in thought leadership too. Someone else's growth can threaten the story we've built about how they're useful to us. Stepping back to look at why is useful identity work, and I don't hear many people talk about it. I also talk about: A post this week asking why people who know you struggle to support you when you leave corporate work, and why they fall back on "go get a real job" Neuroplasticity as a gentler way to understand why some people can't adapt to your change, even when they care Building your own board of directors. I'm drawn to people with broad backgrounds across industries and roles, many of them 20 years older than me, and I balance that with younger voices Paying attention to people who make you uncomfortable, and working out whether the problem is their content, their delivery or your own bias A creator whose "cool millennial manager" positioning got my back up, and what I learned once I saw it as an intentional method for drawing in the audience she wants Power and influence matter in how you use them, and just as much in how you let others influence your choices. That's the part of receiving advice I don't think we talk about enough. Resources My previous episode: A Leadership Living Lab: The Future of Advice and Mentorship Rachel Botsman, Who Can You Trust? How Technology Brought Us Together and Why It Might Drive Us Apart (2017) Rethink Moments with Rachel Botsman (podcast): Apple Podcasts · Spotify Rachel Botsman's Rethink newsletter: rachelbotsman.substack.com Rachel Botsman on Instagram: @rachelbotsman Dorie Clark, Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future Dorie Clark on Instagram: @dorieclark On the Level with Margaret Heffernan (Substack): heffernanm.substack.com PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson (Substack): mollymcpherson.substack.com The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson (podcast): mollymcpherson.substack.com/podcast Share your story Has someone influenced you, or failed to? I'd love to hear the details. Podcasts aren't usually interactive, but I never stop trying. You can reach me by: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nolasimon Threads: @nolasimonsayings Substack: Everyday Futurism (@nolasimon)
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  The Future of Advice and Mentorship: A Leadership Living Lab 02.10.2026 12m

  A Leadership Living Lab: The Future of Advice and Mentorship | Episode 1 How do I advise my kid? It's one of the questions futurists get asked most. What should they study? What skills will be in demand by the time they graduate? Honestly, it's the most approachable version of futurism there is, because almost everyone ends up giving this kind of advice. Parents do. So do aunts and uncles, godparents, neighbours, and every leader who has someone show up asking for their perspective. This episode launches a new Living Lab series about how we give advice when nobody knows the future. I start with my daughter. She spent years preparing for a science degree, including a lot more math than she was ever happy with. Then we toured the campuses, and she hated every tour. Her plan said science, but her body was telling a different story. She let the plan go, took a gap year, and ended up studying social work, with art kept as something just for her. That's the pattern I want to dig into: we prepare for an imagined future, and then the reality of living it reshapes the plan. It happened to me too. I took math, minored in history, and ended up in financial services account management, working with American customers. Not exactly a straight line, right? In this episode: Why parenting is a futurism project, and why that makes giving advice a leadership skill Margaret Heffernan on making decisions in the moment without enough data How a few campus tours changed my daughter's plan Why the day-to-day reality matters more than the plan on paper The advice we recycle ("go in early, stay late") and what happens when nobody's in the office to see it Unlearning skills, and letting go of the parts of our identity that built our careers but won't build someone else's Three questions to ask before you give the advice: Is my advice still true for their world? What will their ordinary day actually look like? What's one small thing they can test before they commit? Bring it to the Living Lab. Send me your questions, what you've tried, or your own advice at [email protected]. You can also leave a review with your question in it. I may feature it in a future episode. Want to see what a Living Lab looks like? I started investigating AI on this podcast back in 2021, and those episodes became an accidental Living Lab. You'll find them at nolasimon.com/podcast. What advice have you been asked for lately, and how much of it is still relevant?  
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  Trust, Foresight, and Canadian Leadership: Reading the Convergences Reshaping Our Careers 29.09.2026 24m

  I'm looking at the current breakdown in the Canada–U.S. relationship — tariffs, trust, and everything in between — through the lens of my own career, and what it means for Canadian leadership at a moment of real convergence between politics, economics, and the future of work. For 16.5 years I worked for the American division of a Canadian company, hired under the premise that I could "pass" as American, complete with a Buffalo mailing address and rehearsed small talk about Buffalo traffic and snow. I unpack why I started trying to move out of that role in 2016, what the return of medical-bankruptcy calls after the rollback of Obamacare had to do with it, and why translating "American experience" back into the Canadian job market turned out to be far harder than I expected — even though I'd never actually left the country. From there, I widen the lens to what Canada's growing independence from the U.S. means for how we tell our own leadership stories, what a Canadian podcasting summit taught me about self-trust and sovereignty, and why I think the trending shift ahead calls for foresight and reinvention over stability — with or without AI's help. In This Episode: Why I was hired to help my employer's American clients believe I was American — and what 16.5 years of that actually required The three subjects I never discussed with American clients (gun control, healthcare, employment law/maternity leave) — and why What the return of "medical bankruptcy" calls after Obamacare's rollback in 2016 had to do with my decision to leave Why it took me three years to move internally from the U.S. division to the Canadian division of my own company — and why my American experience didn't translate the way I expected in the Canadian job market How I ended up in sales as the only story the Canadian market would accept, and what I learned instead Getting laid off, and starting my own company Attending a Canadian podcasting summit organized by Jan Ditchfield — and how one session on podcast SEO moved my show 85,000 spots in the global rankings Why "top 10% of global podcasts" sounds more impressive than it is (and what the real math looks like) Trust, self-trust, and sovereignty: how Canadians undervalue our own credentials on the world stage — the York University vs. NYU conversation, and what it says about institutional prestige What Canada's uneven track record on recognizing immigrant experience has in common with my own experience of "not having Canadian experience" despite never leaving Canada Why I think AI is fundamentally backward-looking and limited as a tool for foresight and futurism — and why I've pulled back from using it for writing My next project: a Living Lab series on what a less U.S.-dependent Canada means for the future of work, Canadian leadership, and the convergence of employees, freelancers, and consultants on the same teams Closing thought: Canadians think about the U.S. far more than the U.S. thinks about Canada — and what that means for where our trust and attention should go next Notable Quote: "I'm full of cake and hope." — Nigella Lawson (I'm borrowing this line from the Great British Bake Off as the spirit I want for this conversation — hopeful, positive, full of possibility.) Mentioned in This Episode: Jan Ditchfield's podcast, Small Town Stories — janditchfield.co/small-town-stories Jan Ditchfield — janditchfield.co | Podcast The Canadian podcast summit Jan organized — janditchfield.co/summit Amanda Cupido's podcast, launched in Keswick — Listen on Spotify My AI Living Lab series — Listen on Spotify Connect with Me: 🎙️ Hope + Possibilities: Trust, Leadership + Strategic Foresight 🌐 nolasimon.com  
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  Make It So: Futurism Is a Practice 06.09.2026 19m

  Make It So is my new eight-week seminar, and this episode is the full walkthrough — what it is, who it's for, and why I built it around practice instead of prediction. The name comes from Jean-Luc Picard: you're telling me you want to do something, so do it. And there's research behind that instinct. Herminia Ibarra at London Business School has shown that identity shifts when you apply what you're learning — you can think about something extensively, but real learning starts when you make it real. Leadership programs hand you a framework. This is a practice, and preparation starts with examining what you're already assuming to be true. That's my Assumption-Ground Audit: it doesn't start with strategy, it starts a layer back — what are we treating as settled that we haven't even looked at? Everyone has a history, a present, and a future, which means futurism doesn't require a crystal ball. It's woven into your life already — how you respond, how you plan, how you envision what's ahead. And there's no one future. There's futures. For decades, Canada operated on the assumption that the US was its biggest trading partner and a great neighbour. This summer, that's not proving reliable. Tariffs may be temporary. Repairs may not be. Whatever your version of that assumption is — in your work, your business, your family — you can't build for the future until you've looked at what you're assuming will hold. In this episode: Who this is for: people who sense things before the room catches up — not the "this is the way it always was" crowd Building across a permacrisis: climate, economic uproar, geopolitical drama, technology upheaval — how do you adapt when your strategy stops being realistic within 90 days? Why so much of change is rooted in identity, which assumptions are load-bearing in yours, and why letting go of a story you tell about yourself can feel like grief (my neighbours' US-centred retirement plans, my husband's shift as our kids moved to university) Trust: who you trust, why, what disrupts it — and how you repair it when the breach is cultural and underlying-values level, not day-to-day What's a true signal and what's just noise: how you scan, what bias impedes your noticing, and how you make meaning out of what you notice Scenario thinking as a leadership tool, not just a planning exercise Language and power: who gets to name things, who respects the reasons for a name, and what the Lake Ontario / "Lake America" drama says about hierarchy and identity Embedding: setting up a practice you run in your own life — almost like configuring a tool stack for a world that's shifting in real time How I used these skills myself: implementing work from home a full decade before the pandemic, and moving away from working for an American division ten years before this summer A note for American participants — what I'll ask you to be able to sit with before you join Why this is a moment to invest in Canada and be chosen for the Canadian perspective, not because the historical choice has always been an American expert These skills are transferable — they'll apply to your work, your parenting, your relationships. It's not a straight line; it's learning to work with the currents, the waves, the disruptions, and get closer to where you want to be. More of what you want, less of what you don't. That's the hope and possibilities in the future of work. The details: Eight weeks, starting Tuesday, September 8 Runs through Telegram and is designed to be asynchronous — live sessions are recorded, time zones aren't a barrier, and it's open to participants anywhere in the world Twenty seats total, across three tiers: Program (fully asynchronous, CAD $1,600), Program + Office Hours (CAD $2,400), and Program + 1:1 (CAD $3,200, two private sessions with me, by application) Enroll at nolasimon.com/make-it-so The future isn't predicted. It's practiced.  
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  Rated: Human AI Detectors, Slop Buttons, and the New Price of Reputation 04.08.2026 8m

  A reader told me my AI-assisted essay didn't sound like me anymore. That critique kicked off a week where reputation and AI collided in public three times: Substack's new Pangram "human-detection" scan, LinkedIn's AI-slop report button, and the backlash over an influencer's OpenAI brand trip. Each one exposes the terms platforms are quietly setting for anyone with a public body of work. This episode is me working out how to stay visible without giving up my own ground. Pillars: Trust · Visibility · Identity · Communication What's covered A critique that stuck (00:00–03:00) A reader told me my AI-assisted essay had lost my voice — that it sounded more like Claude than like me. I disagreed. But the position got harder to defend once I separated two questions: can I write, and why am I experimenting at all. Where AI actually fits my work (03:00–04:00) Useful for SEO, AEO, and discoverability. The trainer material — takeaways, reflection questions, anything designed to teach rather than model — is mine to write. That part was never up for experiment. Substack + Pangram (03:52–05:41) Substack now scans posts and rates them human, AI-assisted, or AI-written. My read: unreliable like every detector, and easy to game, since anything under 100 words, audio, video, or paywalled content can't be scanned at all. So who benefits? Substack gets a PR win. Pangram gets a funding-round talking point. Writers get scanned. My response: I'm moving my experimentation behind the paywall. LinkedIn's AI-slop button (05:57–07:12) No test, no proof, just crowd-sourced suspicion anyone can act on. Any anonymous reporting system carries the same abuse potential, and we already know where that lands: ageism, misogyny, racism. Thought leader vs. influencer, and the OpenAI brand trip (07:12–10:54) A creator I follow — she wouldn't call herself an influencer, but she functions as one — took an unpaid OpenAI brand trip and posted about it while running a bath. The comments tore her apart over data-center water use. Her defense was "I didn't know this would be controversial." That's a research failure, and for someone whose credibility rests on thinking things through, it's a costly one. Trust, reputation, and PR strategy (10:54–12:27) Getting torn apart in the comments isn't the answer either. I think we're capable of civil disagreement on both sides. But if you're a public persona doing brand deals, you need a real strategy: know your stuff, own it, explain it, and make sure the deal's values match yours. Platform incentives (12:34–15:00) LinkedIn's new multi-collaborator post feature runs on the same engagement logic under a friendlier name. More talking helps the platform at least as much as it helps you. And this goes past creators — if you're an employee, your public presence is also your resume. Reflection questions Is it actually worthwhile to take the risk of experimenting publicly with AI? What does a platform gain by having users rate each other as "less than human"? Who does that serve? Am I experimenting with this tool because it's genuinely useful, or just because it's there? Whose credibility is most at risk when anonymous, crowd-sourced flagging gets abused? Where's the line between thought leadership and influence, and does that line change how I'm judged? What is it about a voice I don't fully agree with that still works? What can I learn from that discomfort? Before taking a partnership or brand deal, have I actually researched who I'd be standing next to? Do public missteps deserve public dismantling, or is there a more civil way to hold the same concerns? How do I present myself in a way that builds trust and protects my reputation without getting defensive? Would I want my name permanently tied to this company or platform, in this form, five years from now? Am I transparent about how I'm using AI? Does that use actually serve me, my work, and my relationships? What future is this choice building toward, not just what does it do for me right now? How do I stay visible in a way that still feels ethical to me? A note on process: these show notes are pulled from my own transcript, not generated from a prompt. AI did the structuring and compression; the words are mine. Same distinction I draw in the episode: extraction and discoverability work, not voice work. It's not safe to be experimental for free anymore. I'll still be on LinkedIn, and the longer essays will still land on Substack — but the experiments are moving behind the paywall. If you want to watch the process, that's where it lives now.
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  Every Word You Said, Forever and Always 04.08.2026 16m

  If knowledge I gave a company five, ten, or twenty years ago is still generating value for them, why does the payroll relationship get to end while the value extraction doesn't? That's the question driving this episode. I read and respond to an excerpt from a LinkedIn post by a former colleague about AI systems that capture and index employee knowledge — the recordings, conversations, and stories that make expertise valuable — so all of it stays discoverable inside a company long after the person who generated it has left. Long-term extraction, in other words. My issue isn't with the AI capability itself. It's with the assumption sitting underneath the post: that a company can capture, index, and reuse a person's stories, judgment, and point of view indefinitely, without renegotiating consent, ownership, or compensation as the relationship changes. I trace it through consent, accountability, discoverability infrastructure, reputation risk, and the crux of it for me: compensation. Key themes Consent has an expiry problem. Recording something while employed isn't the same as consenting to its indefinite reuse after departure. Accountability gets murky once context changes. If old material is repurposed years later and it backfires, who answers for it? The person who said it, or the company that recontextualized it? Discoverability is infrastructure. Making knowledge "searchable" means it gets indexed, pattern-matched, and interpreted, which raises the attribution question: am I cited as the source, and do I have any say in that? Reputation and digital footprint are at stake, especially if it's a company or context I no longer want to be associated with. The employment contract has changed. Call it the Hotel California Clause: you can leave the company any time you like, but your value never does. Payroll used to be the deal: compensation flows while you're actively contributing. Indefinite knowledge capture breaks that link. The value keeps flowing. The payroll doesn't. This isn't limited to employees. Contractors, freelancers, and consultants recorded and captured through AI face the same exposure, and it's nowhere in their contracts. Whose knowledge "counts" in the first place. I raise the open question of whether ageism, racism, or misogyny shapes whose expertise gets flagged as valuable enough to capture and monetize. Regulatory retention sits in tension with all of this. At my old employer in financial services, everything was already subject to audit and kept on record for six or seven years: recordings, emails, anything written. That's extraction for compliance rather than knowledge-mining, but it's still capture and retention I didn't fully control. I don't resolve that tension here. Where regulatory retention ends and unregulated knowledge-mining begins deserves its own conversation. Reflection questions Use these for journaling, discussion, or a follow-up episode: What consent does a company actually have to use my recorded conversations, stories, and expertise after I've left? If information I provided years ago is repurposed and the context has shifted, who is accountable when it backfires: me or the company? If a company builds infrastructure to make my captured knowledge discoverable, indexed, and pattern-matched, do I have any say in how I'm cited or attributed? If a former employer is one I no longer want to be associated with, what recourse do I have over how my past contributions continue to represent me? If my knowledge is valuable enough to keep generating value years after I've left, why doesn't the compensation relationship continue too? Has the employment contract changed, from "paid for your labor while employed" to "paid for your labor, but your knowledge stays extractable indefinitely"? Does this exposure extend beyond employees to contractors, freelancers, and consultants? Is it addressed anywhere in those agreements? Whose knowledge gets deemed valuable enough to capture in the first place? Is there bias (age, race, gender) in that determination? What would it take to make this explicit: legislation, individual negotiation, or structural change at the organizational level? As AI capture of video, writing, and audio becomes normalized, what belongs in a contract today that wasn't there before? One-line takeaway The post calls it preserving wisdom. I'm asking who owns that wisdom once the relationship ends, and why consent and compensation don't get renegotiated along the way. This is an Assumption-Ground Audit This whole episode is the Assumption-Ground Audit in action, pointed at a LinkedIn post instead of a policy. The AGA is the method I use to surface the assumption sitting underneath a decision before it calcifies into precedent. The question is never whether the technology is good or bad. The question is what everyone is treating as already-settled that hasn't actually been agreed to. Here, the unexamined assumption is the Hotel California Clause itself: that indefinite capture and reuse of an employee's knowledge is simply part of the deal, and that consent, attribution, and compensation don't need renegotiating just because the mechanism changed from "someone remembers what you said" to "a system indexes it forever." That's the kind of assumption the AGA is built to catch before you build infrastructure, policy, or a vendor relationship on top of it. If you're building AI systems that touch employee knowledge, client data, or institutional memory, those assumptions are hardening into your roadmap right now, whether anyone has examined them or not. If you want to know what they are before they're impossible to walk back, let's have a conversation. Work with me on an Assumption-Ground Audit →
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  What Yapping Teaches Us About Trust 08.07.2026 15m

  Episode: What the YAP Challenge Teaches Us About Trust, Presence, and the Future of Work In this episode, I dive into the phenomenon of Jessie Jean's YAP Challenge—a 30‑day video‑creation program that has taken the creator economy by storm. Her first cohort brought in $1.2M, and the second crossed $6M, all at a price point of $297. I'm not interested in the hype or the mechanics of her launch; I'm interested in the trust behind it. Why This Challenge Captured My Attention I explore why so many people felt comfortable joining a program like this, especially at a moment when online courses are supposedly "dead." As I say in the episode: "What is it about her specifically that people trusted? And I'd argue… it's probably not necessarily her, but how it made them feel." Jessie didn't come out of nowhere—she had: 400K+ followers 12 years of online experience Funnel experts and coaches supporting her A beta tester who hit 1M+ views, proving the method worked But the real magic wasn't her credibility alone. It was the network effects she created by having participants post their homework publicly. People didn't just trust Jessie—they trusted the community. Why This Matters in a Corporate Context I connect the dots between the YAP Challenge and the future of employee-led communication inside organizations. Employees are more trusted than executives. Their authentic, unscripted presence online is a powerful asset for: Employer brand Recruitment Reputation Internal trust Cross-team visibility I share my own experience of building a personal brand inside a corporation and how, even years after leaving, people reached out because they trusted me. This challenge model could easily be adapted inside companies: Run it publicly on LinkedIn Run it privately on Slack Integrate it into employee advocacy programs Use it to build confidence, presence, and thought leadership As I say in the episode: "This type of challenge… gives them something that they feel they can control." Why Video Skills Matter Right Now Video is the antidote to AI slop. It captures: Voice Presence Gestures Authenticity Point of view It's proof of humanity in a moment when people are craving it. What I'm Paying Attention To I'm not participating in the YAP Challenge myself, but I'm deeply interested in: The systems behind its success The trust dynamics The transferable skills The implications for the future of work How organizations could use similar models to build capability and confidence Reflection for Listeners I close the episode by asking: Are you planning to join the YAP Challenge? What skills do you see emerging from participants? What parts of the model do you admire—or question? How could your organization benefit from something similar?     How this creator turned yapping on camera into a 4,000-customer, $1.2 million launch
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  The Assumption Ground Audit: Everyday Futurism as a Leadership Practice 28.05.2026 8m

  What Is an Assumption-Ground Audit? Introducing Make It So | Hope + Possibilities Episode description The assumption ground audit is a structured practice for surfacing the beliefs, values, and past experiences that silently shape your decisions — at work and in life. In this episode, Nola Simon introduces Make It So, an 8-week cohort built around everyday futurism and the assumption ground audit as a leadership practice. What is an assumption-ground audit? An assumption-ground audit is a reflective practice that asks: what decisions are you making based on what you currently believe to be true? Your assumptions aren't random — they're built from your values, your experiences, and the stories you've told yourself over time. The audit makes those visible so you can work with them intentionally, rather than having them work on you unconsciously. It's the foundation of everyday futurism: the idea that the future isn't built in grand gestures, but in the small, compounding decisions you make daily. About this episode In this episode, Nola introduces Make It So: an 8-week cohort launching June 1st, designed for people who understand that operating well inside ambiguity is the leadership skill. Make It So pairs everyday futurism with the assumption ground audit to help you integrate future-focused thinking into the way you already work and lead — not as a forecasting exercise, but as a daily practice. What's covered: What an assumption ground audit is and how to use it Why everyday futurism is a leadership capacity, not a prediction contest How the lice case study shows the way unexamined assumptions drive organizational decisions The three tiers of access: fully async, regular office hours, and 1:1 coaching (which includes Substack founder membership with trend and convergence reports) Why the cohort is capped at 20 — and why it closes Sunday Why Nola builds for digital community (and what a two-hour drive to Toronto has to do with it) Frequently asked questions What is everyday futurism? Everyday futurism is the practice of making small, intentional decisions that accumulate into the future you want — for yourself, your work, and the organizations you lead. It's not about prediction. It's about integrated thinking. What is the Make It So cohort? Make It So is an 8-week, mostly asynchronous cohort built around everyday futurism and the assumption ground audit. It's designed for leaders and implementers who want to develop futurism as a core leadership practice. Learn more and register here. Who is Make It So for? It's for people who already understand that ambiguity is normal, change is constant, and that how you think — not just what you do — is what determines how well you lead through it. How is this different from other futurism programs? Most futurism content centers the expert. Make It So centers you — your assumptions, your noticing practices, your decision-making patterns. The goal is a practice you can sustain, not a framework you borrow. Make It So Launches June 1st | Capped at 20 | Sign-up closes Sunday Register for the seminar Want to talk first? Book a call at nolasimon.com
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  Witnessed Trust: A PR Crisis, a Pop Star, and a Camera Walk Into a Stadium 01.04.2026 21m

  In this episode, I dive into trust through a pop culture moment that became a global case study: the Coldplay kiss cam incident. What looked like celebrity gossip actually opens up bigger conversations about leadership, workplace ethics, public perception, and how we decide who and what to trust. Time-Stamped Highlights 00:00 — I introduce the episode and explain why trust is the real story behind the viral Coldplay kiss cam moment. 02:00 — I recap the incident and how it became a global pop culture and PR event. 05:00 — I break down the Astronomer response and why their celebrity ad strategy became part of the trust conversation. 08:00 — I explore media framing, public perception, and why context changes how we interpret events. 11:00 — I ask: who do we trust more — the celebrity observers, the people involved, or the people managing the story? 14:00 — I explain why this is really a workplace issue, not just celebrity drama. 17:00 — I reflect on internal trust, leadership accountability, and what employees may have been thinking. 20:00 — I share the difference between sounding confident and actually having expertise. 23:00 — I reflect personally on learning, capability, and using AI as a tool rather than a substitute for expertise. 26:00 — I close with thoughts on discernment, trust signals, and what the future of work asks of us. Key Takeaways Trust is shaped by context, power, and perception. Viral moments often reveal deeper workplace and leadership issues. Media coverage can amplify or distort what people think they know. Confidence is not the same as competence. In a world shaped by AI and rapid change, discernment matters more than ever. I've also written a related case study called "A PR Crisis, a Pop Star, and a Camera Walk Into a Stadium" — you can find it on my website: www.everydayfuturism.com. I'd love to hear what you think. Reach me at [email protected] or leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts.
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  Canadian Perspective on US Politics and Values 28.01.2026 15m

  In this episode of Hope and Possibilities, I share a personal reflection on what's unfolding in the United States—and why it feels both shocking and familiar to me. I spent nearly 18 years in global financial services, 16 of them working closely with American clients, many based in Minnesota. That experience gave me an inside view of how U.S. systems shape people's daily lives—and where those systems quietly fail. Long before today's headlines, I began making deliberate choices to reduce American exposure in my work and center my career in Canada and other global contexts where values aligned more closely with mine. This episode isn't about blame. It's about perspective. I speak with deep respect for Americans—their decency, humor, and care—and with clarity about a hard truth: lasting change can only come from within. External voices have limits. Ownership matters. Drawing on professional experience, historical training, and family history shaped by wartime Europe, I reflect on why nostalgia is such a powerful force, why democratic pressure often looks uncomfortable, and why other countries are quietly recalibrating their relationship with the U.S. This is a reflection, not a prescription—an invitation to think more honestly about responsibility, leadership, and what it takes to shape what comes next. Timestamps 00:00 – Why this moment feels personal Why I chose to talk about this now 02:05 – My American work life Nearly 18 years in financial services, 16 with U.S. clients—many in Minnesota 05:15 – Working across values gaps What you learn when you avoid "safe" topics like healthcare, labor law, and maternity leave 09:10 – 2016 as a turning point Healthcare rollbacks, medical hardship calls, and knowing when work becomes untenable 13:30 – History as an early warning system How family history and studying history shaped my perspective 17:00 – A deliberate shift Why I chose, ten years ago, to reduce American exposure in my career 21:15 – Canadians opting out quietly Travel, consumption, culture, and economic consequences 24:50 – Why change must come from Americans The limits of external critique and the necessity of internal advocacy 29:00 – Protest, boycott, and democracy Why discomfort is often the price of democratic pressure 33:20 – Respect without nostalgia Holding affection for Americans while refusing to romanticize systems 37:10 – The long arc of change Why the Canada–U.S. relationship has been shifting for longer than most realize 40:45 – Closing reflection What the future depends on—and who must shape it
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  Self-Trust and Inner Practices 20.01.2026 16m

  There's a lot of data showing that trust in governments, institutions, and organizations is declining worldwide. Employers were once considered the last trusted institution—and even that is eroding. As someone who has spent years working independently, I've often noticed that these conversations leave out people like us entirely. When you don't have an employer, trust shows up differently. Stability looks different. And the relationship you have with yourself matters more than most people realize. So I wanted to start there. I talk about what it actually means to trust yourself when you're self-employed, when you don't see many role models living or working the way you do, and when the noise—from well-meaning friends, family, and society—keeps asking, "Why don't you just get a job?" For me, self-trust isn't abstract. It's practical. It shows up in how I decide to work, how I communicate, and how I choose between remote, in-person, or hybrid ways of connecting. It shows up in my values—impact, meaning, and helping shape a future of work that supports people, families, and communities, not just productivity metrics. I also share the inner practices that help me stay grounded when things feel uncertain. Meditation. Walking. Swimming. Paying attention to my body. Noticing what has always been true about me—what I'm drawn to, what calms me, what fuels my curiosity. I talk about rituals, habits, and even "extreme noticing": light on water, changes in seasons, how my body reacts to people, places, and decisions. These practices help me recognize what's changing, what isn't, and where opportunity actually lives—for me. As we move through uncertainty, I believe self-trust becomes a form of leadership. When you know your own reactions, values, and rhythms, you're better equipped to make decisions, form opinions, and move forward without needing constant external validation. I close the episode with an invitation: What helps you trust yourself? What rituals, habits, or inner practices keep you grounded? I'd love to hear your stories, and I may share some of them in a future episode as we explore how self-trust shapes how we lead, work, and relate to others. Because maybe—just maybe—trusting ourselves more is the first step toward trusting each other again. Leave me a voicemail with your questions or thoughts: https://podcastfeedback.com/hopeandpossibilities Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nolasimon Subscribe to my newsletter: Hope & Possibilities: A Love Letter to the Future of Work | Nola Simon | Substack Hire me via website: www.nolasimon.com
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  Beyond Hybrid/Remote: Leadership Decisions That Will Define the Next Decade 14.01.2026 17m

  In this episode of the Hope and Possibilities Podcast, I talk about what I'm seeing for 2026 and the future of work. My focus is shifting from solely helping companies adopt hybrid and remote work to looking at leadership more broadly. Flexibility, autonomy, and well-being aren't just perks anymore—they're core to how people want to work and how organizations succeed. We'll talk about the pressures around office return mandates, AI, and workforce reduction, and why I don't buy the narrative that humans are expendable. Instead, leadership in the future is about reinvention, redistributing work, and making sure people feel that they matter. I'll also share how I plan to use this podcast, my newsletter, LinkedIn, and email to create space for nuanced conversations about the future of work. And I want to hear from you—what questions are keeping you awake at night? Key Topics & Timestamps: [00:00:22] Why I'm pivoting my focus for 2026 [00:00:53] Why hybrid and flexible work aren't going away [00:01:32] Why autonomy and well-being often matter more than compensation [00:03:00] The circular debates around office space, identity, and leadership [00:04:39] How AI is changing the way work happens [00:06:26] Navigating conflicting narratives about AI and workforce reduction [00:07:16] Leadership as continuous reinvention, not a one-time project [00:08:34] Why making people feel they matter is central to leadership [00:09:49] Discernment as a critical skill in an increasingly complex world [00:11:05] How work is evolving—universal benefits, portfolio careers, and new models [00:12:06] How I'm shifting the podcast, newsletters, and my content strategy [00:15:10] How you can interact with the podcast and share your questions [00:16:26] Questions to reflect on: identity, life quakes, and navigating change Connect & Engage: Leave me a voicemail with your questions or thoughts: https://podcastfeedback.com/hopeandpossibilities Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nolasimon Subscribe to my newsletter: Hope & Possibilities: A Love Letter to the Future of Work | Nola Simon | Substack Hire me via website: www.nolasimon.com Takeaway: The future of work is about flexibility, discernment, and creating environments where people feel valued. Change is constant—how we respond and evolve will define the next chapter of our work and our lives.
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  How I'm Rethinking My LinkedIn Strategy for the Future: Designing for Future Focused Visibility That Feels Good 08.12.2025 22m

  In this solo episode of Hope and Possibilities: A Love Letter to the Future of Work, I'm talking honestly about how LinkedIn and social media are changing, and what that means for how I show up, get found, and build my business. I share how I went from casually using LinkedIn to becoming a LinkedIn Top Voice with a "small but mighty" following, and why the latest algorithm shifts are nudging me to rethink my strategy.​ I get into what's really going on with discoverability, including how proxy bias can quietly disadvantage women, people of color, trans folks, and anyone who doesn't fit the traditional leadership mold. I also talk about the emotional side of it—what it feels like when your impressions drop, your posts don't land the way they used to, and how I'm choosing to respond with experimentation instead of discouragement.​ I walk you through how I'm shifting from "cheerleader" style commenting to more thoughtful, strategic contributions that actually support my consulting work and signal my expertise. I share how I'm reworking my profile for people who are discovering me for the very first time through a comment, and why I'm putting more energy into things I own—like my website, blog, Substack, newsletter, and search-friendly content on platforms like Pinterest and YouTube.​ I also push back on the narrative that "everything needs to be in-person now." I talk about what it's really like living outside a major city, the time and energy cost of commuting, and why in-person events have to clear a pretty high bar for me: they need to help me make money, save time, or reduce risk—not just feel good in the moment.​ Throughout the episode, I keep coming back to one question: will future me be grateful for how I'm spending my time and attention right now? I share how I'm choosing to support important conversations about bias, platforms, and ethical AI without making "fighting the algorithm" the center of my business, and how I'm designing a visibility strategy that feels sustainable, values-aligned, and genuinely hopeful about the future of work.​ Key insights The LinkedIn algorithm is shifting from prioritizing posts to rewarding meaningful commenting, which changes how people get discovered and how you think about visibility and strategy.​ Proxy bias means that even if gender isn't a stated factor, variables like role, seniority, and activity levels can still disadvantage women, people of color, trans folks, and others who don't match the "default" leadership profile.​ Commenting as pure cheerleading doesn't necessarily drive business; strategic comments that demonstrate insight, credibility, and clarity on your services are far more valuable.​ Building on platforms you own (website, blog, email list) is essential so your work and relationships are not entirely dependent on platform whims and opaque algorithms.​ In-person-only strategies are exclusionary for many people, especially those who don't live near major hubs or carry significant logistical and emotional costs to attend events.​ Future-focused visibility is about making choices that future you will be grateful for—balancing values, energy, and the reality that friends are wonderful, but clients pay the bills. A personalized LinkTree for Nola Simon's presence on social media — Nola Simon Listen:   Hope + Possibilties: A Love Letter to the Future of Work Review: Hope + Possibilties: A Love Letter to the Future of Work  
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  Let's Talk Thought Leadership and Podcasting in Canada with Amanda Cupido 31.10.2025 59m

  Amanda Cupido — Founder of Lead Podcasting, author (including "Let's Talk Podcasting for Kids"), experienced broadcaster, keynote speaker, and TEDx presenter. Episode Themes Canadian Podcasting Gaps: Discussion on how most resources are American, and the importance of Amanda's contribution as an author of uniquely Canadian podcasting resources. Early Audio Influences: Amanda's lifelong fascination with audio and radio, and her journey into podcasting, contrasted by Nola's experience with talk radio growing up.​ Podcasting for Kids: Insights from Amanda's new book targeting children ages 5–8, the screen-free benefits of podcasting, and how early storytelling fosters creativity and healthy self-esteem. Women's Voices in Podcasting: Nola's statement: "We didn't get silenced. We picked up a microphone," sparking a wider conversation about the role of women over 50 in podcasting and representation in the industry.​ Combatting Loneliness: How creating and listening to podcasts helps establish connection, provide an outlet for ideas, and battle feelings of isolation.​ Leadership and Listening: Podcasting as a tool for improving both speaking and listening skills, and how these ripple into leadership and personal development. Canadian Industry Insights: Contrasting the Canadian and US podcast markets, the lack of mid-sized networks in Canada, and Amanda's experience with networks and sponsorships. Thought Leadership: Announcement and preview of Amanda's upcoming podcast "Let's Talk Thought Leadership," and a lively discussion on defining thought leadership — and its challenges — in the Canadian context.​ Standout Quotes "We didn't get silenced. We picked up a microphone."—Nola Simon "The whole thing with podcasting is such an accessible medium. And so I just want to continue to make it that and champion it."—Amanda Cupido "Every voice is unique, every voice is special."—Amanda Cupido​ Actionable Insights Review and support Canadian podcasts on platforms like Good Pods. Encourage screen-free creativity for kids via family podcasting activities. Independent Canadian podcasters should seek out emerging collectives for support and community. Be thoughtful about advertising: consider brand alignment when accepting sponsors to protect your ethical reputation. Resources & References Amanda Cupido: author of "Let's Talk Podcasting" (adult & kids editions) Lead Podcasting workshops and training New podcast: "Let's Talk Thought Leadership" (search for Amanda's name alongside the title to locate early episodes) Podcasts mentioned:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/louis-tomlinson-the-room-was-cold-that-day-when/id1291423644?i=1000730938704 Malcolm Gladwell: Working From… - The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett - Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bren%C3%A9-and-adam-grant-on-the-skillsets-of-empathy/id1730985049?i=1000731952564 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-department-of-physiological-hygiene/id1119389968?i=1000580226432 How to Connect Look for "Let's Talk Thought Leadership" on your favorite app (add Amanda's name for better search results).Amanda-Cupido.docx​ Connect with Amanda Cupido via Lead Podcasting for books, workshops, and speaking engagements. Amanda Cupido Podcast Producer and Consultant — Amanda Cupido Let's Talk Podcasting Let's Talk Podcasting: The Essential Guide To Doing It Right Book By Amanda Cupido, (Paperback) | Indigo Let's Talk Podcasting For Kids Book By Amanda Cupido, (Mass Market Paperback) | Indigo Amanda Cupido - Lead Podcasting | LinkedIn https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-talk-thought-leadership/id1849322663 Thank you for listening! Please subscribe, rate, and share if you enjoyed this episode — every review helps amplify Canadian podcasting voices.
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  Flexibility, Advocacy, and the Politics of Care 19.09.2025 13m

  If you say you don't want to be political, it's often because the system is already working for you. For those of us who've had to fight for flexibility, access, or equity—that's never been an option.   The Privilege of Silence When someone says, "I don't do politics," what they're really saying is that they're comfortable with the way things are. That comfort signals that their own ease matters more than the discomfort others experience under the same system. For many people—including me—that kind of silence has never been an option.   Personal Experience When I became a parent, I had no choice but to advocate for more flexibility in my work life. The traditional nine-to-five structure simply didn't accommodate what my family needed. My husband's self-employment gave us some breathing room, but it still wasn't an ideal solution. I had to push against systems that weren't built with me—or families like mine—in mind.   The Political Nature of Advocacy And that's the thing: standing up for what you need, especially when it's outside the norm, is inherently political. Asking for flexibility, becoming a subject matter expert, speaking out publicly—these are all political acts. Women, in particular, have historically carried the burden of caregiving, yet we've rarely been the dominant power in politics. That makes our voices not just necessary, but radical.   Historical Context We can't forget the barriers women have faced: being denied property rights, financial independence, even basic autonomy. These aren't ancient struggles—they've shifted within living memory. Cindy Gallup often reminds us, "Women are not the status quo because women have never been the status quo." That line sticks with me, because it captures how much work still lies ahead.   My Work and Its Political Nature The work I do today sits at the intersections of real estate, technology, policy, and community—and all of those domains are deeply political. To engage in them is to challenge entrenched systems, to question who benefits, and to advocate for something better. Conclusion So when someone says they'd rather not be political, what they're really saying is that the system as it stands already benefits them. My own experiences—raising a family in both Canada while working cross-border with the U.S.—have shown me again and again the importance of speaking up, not just for myself, but for those who can't. Because silence may feel safe, but it also keeps things exactly as they are.   Key Takeaways Choosing to be "apolitical" often means the current system is serving you well enough to remain silent. Advocacy for time and location flexibility is political because it challenges norms and policy. Caregiving is structurally undervalued yet central to how work and communities function. Publicly sharing your perspective—interviews, posts, speaking—is part of political participation. Policy shows up in daily life: schedules, pay, housing, urban planning, and technology access. Individual comfort can conflict with collective progress; silence sustains the status quo. Memorable Quotes "Standing up and asking for what you want when it's not the norm is a political act." "To be a caregiver is to be fundamentally political." "When you say you don't want to be political, it's because that system works for you." "Women are not the status quo because women have never been the status quo." — Cindy Gallup Mentions Remote work, hybrid work, and time flexibility as levers for equity. Historical barriers to women's financial autonomy (bank accounts, credit, lending). Cindy Gallup and MakeLoveNotPorn (context: women, power, and status quo). Corporate context: Canadian company with U.S. market dynamics and reputation considerations. Listener Reflection Prompts Where does your ability to stay "apolitical" rely on comfort or existing structures? What flexibility would materially change your capacity to care for others and do your best work? What is one small public action you can take this week to align your values and voice? Call to Action Share this episode with someone navigating caregiving and rigid work norms. Send your story or question about advocating for flexibility to be featured in a future episode. If this resonated, rate and follow Hope and Possibilities to support more conversations like this. Episode Tags Caregiving, Flexible Work, Remote Work, Hybrid Work, Privilege, Gender Equity, Policy, Workplace Culture, Urban Planning, Reputation Risk, Leadership, Advocacy  
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  Practical Futurism for Daily Life 11.09.2025 20m

    Practical Futurism for Daily Life Hope & Possibilities: A Love Letter to the Future of Work In this episode, I share how I think about futurism not just as theory, but as something you can actually live. My focus has always been: how do we bring futurism into daily life? How do the choices we make today move us closer to the future we want? I talk about the future-back method I first learned at the Institute for the Future, why noticing matters more than prediction, and how small shifts in attention can help you navigate change with more agency and optimism. In this episode, I cover: How I use the future-back approach to imagine 10 years ahead and work backwards Why I see scanning for signals as the heart of futurist practice The difference between signals, trends, and lasting change (with stories about cell phones, remote work, and commercial real estate) My personal story of choosing flexibility early so I could be the parent I wanted to be Why agency and autonomy matter more than ever in how we work and live How I balance hopeful futures with the reality of shadow sides Futurism doesn't have to be abstract. It can be practical, embodied, and deeply personal. For me, it's a way to navigate uncertainty while staying aligned with the life—and future—I want to build. Resources & Links Join my 21 Day Futures Challenge to start practicing futurism daily Connect with me on LinkedIn Subscribe to Hope & Possibilities: A Love Letter to the Future  of Work wherever you listen to podcasts
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  What Got You Here, Won't Get You There 06.09.2025 20m

    🎙️ Hope and Possibilities with Nola Simon 🗓️ Episode Title: What Got You Here, Won't Get You There 🧭 Length: ~20 minutes 🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts ✨ Episode Summary (from me, Nola): In this episode, I reflect on a concept that's been showing up in a lot of places in my life and work lately: "What got you here won't get you there." It's a phrase I learned from Marshall Goldsmith, and it's one that keeps offering new layers of meaning the more I sit with it. I talk about how this idea plays out in leadership — especially the shift from being an individual contributor to stepping into management or executive roles. I use parenting as a metaphor (because let's be honest, parenting and leadership have a lot in common), and I even dive into a pop culture example that might surprise you: Liam Payne from One Direction — and how his career arc illustrates what happens when our playbook doesn't evolve with us. I also get personal about my own journey. I started my consulting business from a place of deep necessity — as a working mother trying to be more present for my daughters. But now that my girls are 18 and 20 and no longer at home, I'm finding myself in a new season. I'm reevaluating what work looks like for me now, and what I want to model going forward. I invite you to reflect alongside me: 🌀 What's no longer working for you? 🌀 What do you need to let go of — even if it brought you success in the past? 💡 What I Talk About in This Episode: The theory of "What Got You Here Won't Get You There" and why it matters How leadership changes the skill sets that matter Why parenting is a powerful metaphor for management What Liam Payne's career taught me about reinvention The evolution of hybrid/remote work and how mandates affect trust Why I'm reconsidering my focus — and what I might do next The impact of AI, demographic shifts, and generational change on work Why clarity often comes after you take the next step 🗣️ A Few Things I Said That Might Stick With You: "The goal of a parent is to raise adults. So if you've raised adults, you've achieved your goal." "You're not in control — but you are responsible. That's leadership. That's parenting. That's life." "Sometimes what made you successful also makes you stuck." "It's not that your past success isn't valuable — it's just not enough to carry you forward." 💬 Let's Keep the Conversation Going I'd love to hear your take. 🌿 What playbooks might be holding you back? 🌿 What do you think you'll need to drop or rethink to grow into your next chapter? Send me a message, tag me online, or email your thoughts. Let's connect. 🙏 Thanks for Listening If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone else who's in a season of change. And if you're enjoying the podcast, I'd love it if you'd follow, rate, or leave a review — it helps more than you know.  
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  Presence, Work, and AI: Stories Beyond Location 21.08.2025 21m

    🎙️ Episode Title Presence, Work, and AI: Stories Beyond Location 📖 Episode Summary In this episode of Hope & Possibilities: A Love Letter to the Future of Work, I dive into a theory I've been working on: our stories about work are deeply tied to presence—but not always in the ways we think. When I look back on my own career, most of my success stories didn't happen in person. They happened over the phone, on a webinar, or through a screen. I rarely met my clients face-to-face, and yet that work shaped everything I achieved. Along the way, I've noticed how much physical presence—height, energy, laughter, even hair color—shapes the way people are recognized and valued at work. For some, being seen in person is essential. For others, like me, virtual spaces open up new ways to make an impact. Then there's AI. If AI doesn't rely on presence at all, what does that mean for how we define influence, storytelling, and success in the workplace of the future? This episode is an invitation: to rethink the stories you tell about your own work, and to explore what presence really means beyond location. 🗝️ Key Themes How my career stories evolved outside of physical presence Why energy, visibility, and recognition feel different in person vs. virtual The role of autonomy in choosing how and where we work What's missing from the "return to office" conversation How AI challenges our assumptions about presence and influence 💡 What You'll Take Away How to notice whether your influence depends on being in the room—or not Why remote work fuels some people and drains others How storytelling reveals hidden biases in work culture What AI might mean for the future of presence 📣 Your Stories Matter I'd love to hear from you. Has working in person been essential to your success? Or has working virtually allowed you to thrive in ways you couldn't before? Send me your story at [email protected] or visit nolasimon.com. 🔗 Connect with Me Website: nolasimon.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nolasimon