Christian Davies FCSD is the Chief Strategy Officer at Bergmeyer | B Corp™ and... has held the #1 position for the most frequently listened to episode of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast since our talk more than 2 years ago! So... why not do Christian 2.0? In this conversation, host David Kepron and Christian start with ideas about designing in a state of entropy moving to what makes experiences awesome, why it's about people not projects, the power and utility of AI as a tool in our ever-changing designers toolbox, moving from pencils and paper to pixels and production and B Corp businesses.

Author of "FLUX: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change," April is a one-of-a-kind pathfinder and guide to all things flux, from organizational change today to a future defined by uncertainty. She is ranked as one of the 50 Leading Female Futurists in the world by Forbes, and advises Fortune 500 companies, startups, financial institutions, local and national governments, think tanks, and non-profits worldwide. April and host David Kepron talk about the pace of change, navigating though uncertainty and how we need to develop a "FLUX mindset" and deeper relationship with change leading to growth and wellbeing for us individually and collectively.

Jaime Schwarz is much more than the founder of BrandTherapy, he deeply understands technology, startups, marketing, AI, NFTs, deconstructivist philosophy, Web 3.0, holding patents and more. Schwarz is an award-winning copywriter and creative director, having worked with over 100 brands at NYC agencies before starting his entrepreneurial journey. And what a journey it has been! In 2017 he authored the world's first NFT-focused patent and launched BrandTherapy.coach, a product market fit-focused consultancy built on the technique of letting the brand speak for itself.

Claire Coder was selected as one of Forbes' 30 Under 30 and she is the 27 year old CEO of Aunt Flow. At 18 years old she got her period in public without the supplies she needed and from that moment, Claire dedicated her life to developing a solution to ensure businesses and schools can sustainably provide quality period products for free in public bathrooms. Today Aunt Flow products are in 60,000 public bathrooms, 150 universities, 600 schools and 28 Fortune 500 company buildings. For Claire, when she hears 'no' she sees it as an invitation to ask questions.

Charles Leon couldn't just sit still when the COVID pandemic had us all locked up in our homes. He had to get out and walk. And so he did, with sketchbook in hand. Drawing was a passion he put to good use discovering the city he loved and lived in, London. But it was more than simply drawing the buildings on the streets where he wandered, it was a learning process beyond their history. He discovered their stories as well as his own and published his sketches and watercolors in a 5 volume series of books.

Natalia Olszewska studied medicine but always had a yearning for architecture. After graduating from medical school, a trip to the Venice Biennale with architect friends flipped the switch and she began to see the connection between medicine, specifically neuroscience, and architecture. Natalia's co-founding role at IMPRONTA, a consultancy specializing in health and well-being design, underscores her commitment to leveraging neuroscience and applied sciences in architecture.

Louisa Whitmore is a TikTok phenom (louisatalksbuildings) who comments on architecture around the world. She started posting content about buildings she loved, as well as those she loved to hate, when she was a young teenager and now has close to 400K followers. Her no-holds-barred, some times hilarious personal user-experience point of view architectural critiques reach thousands. She was chosen to host a multi-episode documentary series "The Nature of Design" on biophilia in architecture and sees her posts as making an easy access forum to discuss architecture.

Trevor Bullen is the Dean of the School of Design at Dunwoody College of Technology where he is integrating his international award winning experience with shaping the future of design education. Trevor has taught architectural design at the Boston Architectural College, the City College of New York as well as the University of Minnesota and now focuses his attention on growing Dunwoody College. Trevor and Host David Kepron talk about design education, the changing needs and expectations of students and how technologies are a positive tool in the design process and need to have then not supplant creative vision.

Mardi Najafi, RDI, IDC has had a colorful and accomplished professional journey leading to his current role as Principal, Chief Creative Officer, and Retail & Hospitality Practice Lead at SDI Design. Mardi is passionate about pushing the boundaries of design to craft immersive, transformative environments that captivate audiences. In this episode host David Kepron and Mardi talk about life's moments of serendipity, how whey influence a professional path, design education and how design in integral to positive experiences.

Tara Haase Hieminga is the Elevated Shopper Experiences Global Lead at Mondelēz International. With brands that are recognized around the world like Oreo, Cadbury, Toblerone, Chip Ahoy, Hu, Lu, Ritz and many more, you could think that they might rely on brand recognition to drive sales. But then you'd be wrong. They are increasingly using an understanding of how neuroscience and customer behavior are connected to capture attention in the competitive snack market as customers walk the grocery store aisles.

Ron Thurston's life mission is to celebrate, elevate, and empower the people and spirit of the retail industry. With over three decades of leading retail stores and operations for top American brands like Gap, West Elm, Apple, Tory Burch, Bonobos, and Saint Laurent, Ron has honed an extensive skill set in retail strategy, management, and innovation. He is moving the retail mindset from 'accidental' to 'proudly intentional' about choosing a career in retail, whether it is as part of a leadership team to the best stock person there ever was.

Samar Younes is a creativity maven who wields the tools and touch of an artisan and the deftness of a data scientist in making the new possible. Educated as an architect and artist, Samar Younes is a Beirut-born hybrid artist, futurist, and creative catalyst whose work embodies a transcultural approach that yield unique visions of places and things. She blends generative AI with artisanal craftsmanship and ancestral wisdom to create immersive experiences that challenge stereotypes and envision nuanced futures.

Angela Gearhart spent 20 years with Sleep Number Corporation where she was the VP Connected Brand Experience changing the way customers buy beds by integrating relevant technology to enhance emotional connections to the brand and its products. She is deeply connected to the retail industry through multiple industry associations and is now the Executive Practice Director, Connected Customer Experience at AAG Consulting Group. In the upcoming episode of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast "Ep. 69: Keeping Retail Relevant with Emotional Connections and Engaging Tech" host David Kepron and Angela talk about how well-integrated technologies foster long-term connections to brands and their products.

James Damian had an early career in retail under the mentorship of the legendary Gene Moore of Tiffanys in New York, later becoming the Senior Vice President / Chief Design Officer of the Experience Design Group of Best Buy and the Chairman of the Board of Buffalo Wild Wings. He understands the power of a pause and exudes a palpable passion for people, creativity and leading like the conductor of a symphony orchestra. Host David Kepron talks with James unpacking a creative career and his core principles of transformative leadership.

Nicole Malachowski understands speed, like mach 2 speed. As a former F-15E fighter pilot and former member of the USAF Thunderbirds she is battle savvy, knows her way around expensive tech and has taught fleets of other pilots that protect freedom. Her intelligence and experience has also landed her a position in the Executive Office of the President as a Commissioner on The President’s Commission on White House Fellowships. It wasn't a dog fight that ended her active military career but something that could sit on the head of a pin. In the "blink of a bite" a tick shifted her life trajectory and she now is an internationally sought after keynote speaker and advocate for education on tick-borne illnesses.

Maya Colombani is a passionate advocate for sustainability practices and corporate responsibility for social transformation. She has profoundly transformed the L'Oréal approach to sustainable development and human rights fueling new reflections both on environmental issues as well relations with the indigenous people. Maya's voice for change earned her the prestigious “Canada’s Clean 50” award that "recognized the most impactful 50 individual leaders that have demonstrated measurable leadership in fighting climate change and helping Canada transition to a low-carbon economy." In Ep. 65 "Responsibly Sustainable: The Only Way To Do Business" of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast, Colombani and host David Kepron deep dive into sustainability and human rights-focused business practices that will shift more than the beauty business paradigm.

Laura Inserra is a world-renowned leader in sound healing and founder of Chambers of AWE, LLC. She describes herself as a 'sound alchemist,' a multi-instrumentalist, educator, and multimedia producer. She lives and creates at the confluence of global music, ancient wisdom traditions, and cutting-edge technology. In Ep.65 of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast - "A Structured Improvisation With A Sound Alchemist" - host David Kepron and Laura Inserra dig into the healing power of music, ancient traditions and creating sound journeys that transport participants into experiences that are transformative.

Jean-Paul Morresi is a designer who has had a creative career in retail working and living around the world. Over 3+ decades, Jean-Paul has worked across 5 continents, run offices in Toronto, Stockholm and Dubai, overseen a Shanghai based creative team, and led projects teams across the Americas and Europe. He believes that the small things he creates, that nevertheless touch many people, create positive impact and maybe lasting change. In this discussion, that plays more like a get-to-know-you-fire-side chat, JP Morresi and host David Kepron talk about a career in retail from working the sales floor to leading creative teams in international design firms.

Valerie Corcias has a passion for color and how it influences our emotions. As the Co-Founder of mycoocoon | Color Therapy and Co-Founder of Brainbo App, she believes that color and emotions are deeply connected. In this episode, host David Kepron and Valerie Corcias talk about her experience with color and commitment to creating social, technological, and human connections. She and her husband/co-founder Dominique Kelly have created mycoocoon, a worldwide project to improve well-being by balancing energy through color experiences and natural elements that awaken the senses.

Ken Nisch is a leader in the retail design world and Chairman of JGA an internationally recognized design firm. Ken's new book, co-authored with Vilma Barr, called "Sustainability for Retail: How Retail Leaders Create Environmental, Social and Cultural Innovations" details the activities of retail companies, manufacturers and suppliers who have embraced a sustainability practice worthy of special mention. Host David Kepron and Nisch deep dive into talking about major international brands and their initiatives to put sustainability at the core of their businesses.