Jump Podcast

Biomimicry: A Conversation with Janine Benyus

As our society pushes for sustainable development, the ancient strategies of the natural world offer a fresh perspective on modern innovation. In this episode, Michelle and Dev dive into the world of biomimicry with Janine Benyus, cofounder of the Biomimicry Institute. The conversation explores how nature’s 3.8 billion years of evolution offer a treasure trove of innovative solutions for modern challenges in sustainability, design, and even social innovation. Janine shares fascinating examples, from using plant chemistry to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables to using bone-inspired algorithms to design lighter and more efficient structures. The discussion also touches on the profound shift needed in corporate and societal mindsets, drawing lessons from nature’s inherent mutualism and enduring partnerships to foster collaboration over competition.
Janine will be joining us at The Jump Offsite in September. Invitations are now closed, but we hope to see you next year!
#biomimicry #sustainability #innovation #sustainablefuture #circulareconomy 
Chapters
3:08 The Sustainable World Outside Our Doors
9:00 Biomimetic Solutions: Changing Materials and Chemistries
20:32 Mutualism in Nature and Social Innovation
28:20 Applying Mutualisms in the Corporate World
36:55 Headlines from the Future
Headlines from the Future
US colleges are cutting majors and slashing programs after years of putting it off. https://apnews.com/article/college-degree-programs-cuts-music-f0c271f6d61a13404f93688fcc6c589b
The US Department of Transportation has laid out a nationwide road safety plan that will lead to cars communicating with each other. https://www.engadget.com/transportation/the-us-lays-out-a-road-safety-plan-that-will-see-cars-talk-to-each-other-170043265.html 
Researchers are testing the use of mRNA to get damaged livers to repair themselves, in a move that could one day lessen the need for organ transplants. https://www.wired.com/story/mrna-organ-rejuvenation-pittsburgh-upmc-center-transcriptional-medicine/ 
Links
Subscribe to receive weekly Dev’s future focused letters: https://www.jumpassociates.com/email-sign-up/
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-associates
Start a conversation: inquiries@jumpassociates.com
The Jump Podcast
The Jump Podcast features Dev Patnaik in dialogue with Michelle Loret de Mola. This is the conversation for future-focused leaders thinking about strategy, culture and leadership. The world is crazy. Everything seems to be changing, and not always in a good way. Today, business leaders are struggling to figure out avoid becoming the next Kodak, Blackberry or Blockbuster. But fear not, dear listener. Things can get better. People can do better. And the world can be better.
 
Jump Associates
Jump is the world’s leading independent strategy and innovation firm. We work with the world’s most admired companies on their most important growth challenges. Using a future focused approach to strategy, we’ve helped these firms to grow their businesses in times of change. 

AI Changing Workflows: A Conversation with Ian Beacraft

As AI continues to shape the future of industries around the globe, understanding its practical applications is essential. In this episode, Michelle and Dev welcome Ian Beacraft, renowned futurist and CEO of Signal and Cypher, to discuss the transformative power of AI in modern workflows. Ian shares how companies can strategically adopt AI to enhance efficiency and drive innovation. The conversation explores the psychological challenges leaders face when adopting new technologies and the necessity of a balanced approach between optimism and pragmatism. When it comes to implementing AI, don’t just “let the dogs run through the field”.
 
Ian Beacraft will be joining us at The Jump Offsite in September. To request an invite, visit: https://www.jumpassociates.com/offsite/
 
#AI #workflows #techtrends #futureofbusiness #artificialintelligence #businessstrategy
 
Chapters
5:50 The Approach to Implementing AI
22:18 Managing the Emotions and Psychology of AI Adoption
28:58 Rethinking Collaboration and Interaction
35:45 Headlines from the Future
 
Headlines from the Future
Used electric cars are not just cheap—they are cheaper than similar gas cars. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/electric-vs-gas-cars-it-cheaper-drive-ev
Americans aren’t just waiting longer to have kids and having fewer once they start—they’re less likely to have any at all. https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/relationships/americans-babies-childless-birthrate-daf438f9
Engineers have invented a new way to remove health-harming 'forever chemicals' from water—using 3D printing. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-health-threat-chemicals-3d-ceramic.html
 
Links
Subscribe to receive weekly Dev’s future focused letters: https://www.jumpassociates.com/email-sign-up/
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-associates
Start a conversation: inquiries@jumpassociates.com
 
The Jump Podcast
The Jump Podcast features Dev Patnaik in dialogue with Michelle Loret de Mola. This is the conversation for future-focused leaders thinking about strategy, culture and leadership. The world is crazy. Everything seems to be changing, and not always in a good way. Today, business leaders are struggling to figure out avoid becoming the next Kodak, Blackberry or Blockbuster. But fear not, dear listener. Things can get better. People can do better. And the world can be better.
 
Jump Associates
Jump is the world’s leading independent strategy and innovation firm. We work with the world’s most admired companies on their most important growth challenges. Using a future focused approach to strategy, we’ve helped these firms to grow their businesses in times of change.

Fighting Friction: A Conversation with Bob Sutton

Friction is a natural part of any organization, but it’s not necessarily a beneficial one. As organizations grow to tackle more complexity, it is important for leaders to identify and minimize unnecessary friction while fostering an environment where productive friction can thrive. In this episode, Michelle and Dev welcome Stanford professor Bob Sutton to explore his latest work, "The Friction Project." Together, they discuss how leaders can effectively manage organizational friction by distinguishing between the friction that hinders progress and the friction that stimulates creativity and innovation. Bob shares fascinating anecdotes and lessons from top companies and his extensive research, providing practical advice on reducing bureaucratic hurdles and promoting a culture of creativity.
Bob Sutton will be joining us at The Jump Offsite in September. To request an invite, visit: https://www.jumpassociates.com/offsite/
#leadership #FrictionProject #organizationalbehavior #innovation #businessgrowth
Chapters
03:44 Efficiency and Creativity in Organizations
14:56 Flexibility in Leadership Styles
19:57 The Value of Creative Friction
33:40 Headlines of the Future
Headlines from the Future
Extreme heat swells NYC bridge, exposing infrastructure weaknesses. https://www.fastcompany.com/91154590/extreme-heat-broke-a-new-york-city-bridge-expect-more-infrastructure-mishaps-like-this
Wealth preservation reaches new heights with cryonic revival trusts. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-09/rich-people-freeze-themselves-and-fortunes-for-future-revival
Carbon capture ‘butter' revolutionizes dairy alternatives. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/bill-gates-backed-startup-creates-butter-from-thin-air-and-heres-how-it-is-an-eco-friendly-option/articleshow/111842426.cms?from=mdr# 
Links
Subscribe to receive weekly Dev’s future focused letters: https://www.jumpassociates.com/email-sign-up/
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-associates
Start a conversation: inquiries@jumpassociates.com
The Jump Podcast
The Jump Podcast features Dev Patnaik in dialogue with Michelle Loret de Mola. This is the conversation for future-focused leaders thinking about strategy, culture and leadership. The world is crazy. Everything seems to be changing, and not always in a good way. Today, business leaders are struggling to figure out avoid becoming the next Kodak, Blackberry or Blockbuster. But fear not, dear listener. Things can get better. People can do better. And the world can be better.
 
Jump Associates
Jump is the world’s leading independent strategy and innovation firm. We work with the world’s most admired companies on their most important growth challenges. Using a future focused approach to strategy, we’ve helped these firms to grow their businesses in times of change. 

A Real Approach to Artificial Intelligence

Since ChatGPT's release in November 2022, AI has revolutionized the world, driving unprecedented innovation across industries and transforming how businesses operate. Companies are leveraging AI for everything from creating synthetic audiences for real-time insights to assisting engineers with coding and predicting customer behavior for better retention. Even traditionally cautious sectors like finance are diving in, with giants like Goldman Sachs leading the charge. This isn’t just a tech trend, it’s a fundamental shift in how businesses approach growth and innovation. Embrace the future—AI is here to stay!
For more on artificial intelligence, visit: https://www.jumpassociates.com/what-every-company-can-learn-from-apples-ai-strategy/
#AI #techrevolution #generativeAI #businessgrowth #innovation 
Chapters
02:06 Different Approaches to AI Adoption
08:17 Apple's AI Strategy
17:49 Leveraging Strengths and Solving Challenges
30:58 Headlines of the Future
Headlines of the Future
Google sets up AI to predict floods and send cash before disaster hits. https://www.fastcompany.com/91144047/google-using-ai-to-predict-floods-and-send-families-cash-before-disaster-hits
Early puberty surge in girls tied to mental health risks. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/early-puberty-mental-physical-health#:~:text=Research%20has%20found%20that%20girls,pronounced%20ways%2C”%20says%20Chaku.
Marine fungus breaks down floating plastic pollution. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2435037-marine-fungus-can-break-down-floating-plastic-pollution/
Links
Subscribe to receive weekly Dev’s future focused letters: https://www.jumpassociates.com/email-sign-up/
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-associates
Start a conversation: inquiries@jumpassociates.com
The Jump Podcast
The Jump Podcast features Dev Patnaik in dialogue with Michelle Loret de Mola. This is the conversation for future-focused leaders thinking about strategy, culture and leadership. The world is crazy. Everything seems to be changing, and not always in a good way. Today, business leaders are struggling to figure out avoid becoming the next Kodak, Blackberry or Blockbuster. But fear not, dear listener. Things can get better. People can do better. And the world can be better.
 
Jump Associates
Jump is the world’s leading independent strategy and innovation firm. We work with the world’s most admired companies on their most important growth challenges. Using a future focused approach to strategy, we’ve helped these firms to grow their businesses in times of change. 

Microtribes: Navigating Growth in a Fragmented Market

Across industries, execs are racing to drive consumer demand. Some are looking to spur enough product innovation to meet their ambitious growth goals. Others are building new loyalty programs that will keep consumers coming back for more. B2B companies are focusing on new sales incentive programs to increase their numbers. But igniting outsize growth isn’t simply about drumming up mass demand. And as the first wave of results come in from these growth initiatives, some leaders are beginning to notice an underlying flaw in their assumptions. And that flaw has massive implications for how large companies think about growth. An age of microtribes may require companies to fundamentally rethink their approach to innovation… “The flood gates are out there.”
For more on microtribes, visit: https://www.jumpassociates.com/why-microtribes-are-wrecking-company-growth-plans/
#microtribes #growth #nichemarkets #futureofbusiness #consumerdemand
Chapters
1:23 Market Assumptions
6:04 The Rise of Microtribes
14:00 Organizing by Tribe
30:00 Headlines of the Future
Headlines of the Future
Korean scientists found a way to grow beef stem cells inside of rice without substantially increasing its cost. https://www.freethink.com/science/cultivated-beef-rice 
Increased glacial melt due to global warming brings us closer to catastrophically slowing down the Gulf Stream. https://theconversation.com/atlantic-ocean-is-headed-for-a-tipping-point-once-melting-glaciers-shut-down-the-gulf-stream-we-would-see-extreme-climate-change-within-decades-study-shows-222834
Researchers are successfully growing animals in an artificial wombs called Biobags. https://www.freethink.com/futurology/artificial-wombs-ectogenesis
Links
Subscribe to receive weekly Dev’s future focused letters: https://www.jumpassociates.com/email-sign-up/
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-associates
Start a conversation: inquiries@jumpassociates.com
The Jump Podcast
The Jump Podcast features Dev Patnaik in dialogue with Michelle Loret de Mola. This is the conversation for future-focused leaders thinking about strategy, culture and leadership. The world is crazy. Everything seems to be changing, and not always in a good way. Today, business leaders are struggling to figure out avoid becoming the next Kodak, Blackberry or Blockbuster. But fear not, dear listener. Things can get better. People can do better. And the world can be better.
 
Jump Associates
Jump is the world’s leading independent strategy and innovation firm. We work with the world’s most admired companies on their most important growth challenges. Using a future focused approach to strategy, we’ve helped these firms to grow their businesses in times of change. 

After Me, the Flood: Exec Succession Planning

Jamie Dimon recently announced that he plans to step down from his role as CEO of JPMorgan within the next five years. In this episode, Michelle and Dev dive into Dimon's retirement plans, the implications for JPMorgan, and how future-focused leaders can prepare for their own succession. This conversation is packed with insights on leadership transitions, the challenges of succession planning in an era marked by boomerang CEOs, and what it means to prepare the next generation of leaders...a duck out of water? Not so bad.  
For more insights on wisdom in leadership, visit: https://www.jumpassociates.com/why-leadership-is-in-crisis-when-we-need-it-the-most/
#successionplanning #jamiedimon #jpmorgan #boomerangCEOs #leadership #succession
Chapters
3:45 Why Succession Planning is Challenging
10:37 Developing Your Leaders
25:55 Rising Expectations for Moral Leadership
34:22 Headlines of the Future
Headlines of the Future
South Korean scientists found a way to use sound waves to help neurons form new, functional connections. https://www.freethink.com/health/ultrasound-brain-stimulation
The rise of generative AI could wash out thousands of languages that lack sufficient text with which to train AI models. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/04/generative-ai-low-resource-languages/678042/ 
Psychedelics are finally entering clinical trials to treat chronic pain, and not just mental health conditions. https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2024/5/15/24156372/psychedelics-chronic-pain-cluster-headache-medicine-lsd-psilocybin
 
Links
Subscribe to receive weekly Dev’s future focused letters: https://www.jumpassociates.com/email-sign-up/
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-associates
Start a conversation: inquiries@jumpassociates.com
The Jump Podcast
The Jump Podcast features Dev Patnaik in dialogue with Michelle Loret de Mola. This is the conversation for future-focused leaders thinking about strategy, culture and leadership. The world is crazy. Everything seems to be changing, and not always in a good way. Today, business leaders are struggling to figure out avoid becoming the next Kodak, Blackberry or Blockbuster. But fear not, dear listener. Things can get better. People can do better. And the world can be better.
 
Jump Associates
Jump is the world’s leading independent strategy and innovation firm. We work with the world’s most admired companies on their most important growth challenges. Using a future focused approach to strategy, we’ve helped these firms to grow their businesses in times of change. 

Driving Customer Loyalty by Rethinking Customer Value

Starbucks became a gold standard in the beverage industry for not only selling creative drinks that people loved, but for creating a “third place” for people to connect. Recent earnings calls, though, reflect the company’s struggles with retaining customers amid inflation. In this episode, Dev and Michelle discuss how Starbucks—and companies across industries—can leverage their strengths to meet ambitious growth expectations in times of volatility and uncertainty.
For more insights on Loyalty, visit: https://www.jumpassociates.com/category/loyalty/
#futurefocused #starbucks #laxmannarasimhan #dunkin #timhortons #earningscalls
Chapters
2:00 The Role of the New CEO and Restoring Trust
10:25 Starbucks as a Third Place
20:42 Different Levels of Loyalty
37:23 Headlines of the Future
Headlines of the Future
The global cybersecurity worker shortage could reach 85 million workers by 2030. https://www.freethink.com/hard-tech/cybersecurity-shortage 
Nearly every day for the last six weeks, California’s electric grid has run on 100% clean electricity for hours at a time. https://www.govtech.com/smart-cities/california-hits-new-record-for-renewable-energy-generation 
A new AI platform can generate millions of gene-editing CRISPR proteins unlike any seen in nature. https://www.freethink.com/robots-ai/ai-designed-crispr 
Links
Subscribe to receive weekly Dev’s future focused letters: https://www.jumpassociates.com/email-sign-up/
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-associates
Start a conversation: inquiries@jumpassociates.com
The Jump Podcast
The Jump Podcast features Dev Patnaik in dialogue with Michelle Loret de Mola. This is the conversation for future-focused leaders thinking about strategy, culture and leadership. The world is crazy. Everything seems to be changing, and not always in a good way. Today, business leaders are struggling to figure out avoid becoming the next Kodak, Blackberry or Blockbuster. But fear not, dear listener. Things can get better. People can do better. And the world can be better.
 
Jump Associates
Jump is the world’s leading independent strategy and innovation firm. We work with the world’s most admired companies on their most important growth challenges. Using a future focused approach to strategy, we’ve helped these firms to grow their businesses in times of change. 

When to Double Down and When to Walk Away

Walmart’s decision to close all of its medical clinics can seem like a bad omen for other disruptors in the primary care space, like Walgreens. At the same time, Amazon is doubling down on its investment in healthcare. Is Walmart doing the right thing for its future? In this episode, Dev and Michelle discuss how to evaluate a future-focused opportunity and decide when it’s right to walk away or to go all in, regardless of the industry you're in.
 
For more stories and insights, visit: https://www.jumpassociates.com/industries/detail/healthcare/
 
#futurefocused #strategy #walmart #amazon #walgreens #healthcare #primarycare
 
Chapters
1:17 Making The Right Moves
13:50 Giving Yourself Time To Make Things Work
22:28 Having a Hobby
30:17 Headlines of the Future
Headlines of the Future
The number of students enrolled in vocational-focused community colleges increased 16% from 2022 to 2023. https://www.npr.org/2021/11/15/1055841358/biden-signs-1t-bipartisan-infrastructure-bill-into-law 
The Environmental Protection Agency announced limits on PFASs (“forever chemicals”) in drinking water for the first time. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-will-epas-new-rule-about-forever-chemicals-protect-your-drinking-water/
A first-of-its-kind pill protects humans against Lyme disease by paralyzing and killing ticks. https://www.wired.com/story/pill-kills-ticks-lyme-disease-babesiosis-anaplasmosis/
Links
Subscribe to receive weekly Dev’s future focused letters: https://www.jumpassociates.com/email-sign-up/
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-associates
Start a conversation: inquiries@jumpassociates.com
The Jump Podcast
The Jump Podcast features Dev Patnaik in dialogue with Michelle Loret de Mola. This is the conversation for future-focused leaders thinking about strategy, culture and leadership. The world is crazy. Everything seems to be changing, and not always in a good way. Today, business leaders are struggling to figure out avoid becoming the next Kodak, Blackberry or Blockbuster. But fear not, dear listener. Things can get better. People can do better. And the world can be better.
 
Jump Associates
Jump is the world’s leading independent strategy and innovation firm. We work with the world’s most admired companies on their most important growth challenges. Using a future focused approach to strategy, we’ve helped these firms to grow their businesses in times of change.  

When Is It Okay to Fake It in Innovation?

Innovation has a long and complicated relationship with the “fake it until you make it” mindset. It’s common in the startup world to use unscalable, manual techniques to test demand for a product or service—and then automate processes later on. In this episode, Dev and Michelle discuss notable companies that have employed this strategy to very different outcomes, from Zappos to Amazon and Theranos. 
For more innovation stories and insights, visit: https://www.jumpassociates.com/category/innovation/  
#futurefocused #strategy #innovation #amazongo #theranos #elizabethholmes #zappos #grubhub
Chapters:
7:40 Selling a Vision vs. Overselling
18:30 The Role of Prototyping in Startup Culture
23:26 Headlines of the Future
 
Headlines of the Future:
The Pentagon is building thousands of AI-enabled drones in anticipation of a conflict with China. https://www.vox.com/world-politics/24107959/replicator-drones-china-taiwan-ukraine-pentagon
 
Rejoyn just became the first FDA-approved app to treat major depression in patients who are already taking anti-depressants. https://www.npr.org/2024/04/04/1242721542/the-fda-has-approved-the-first-app-to-help-treat-depression
 
More companies are trying out four-day workweeks after pilots across the UK, Iceland, Portugal, and more have yielded positive results. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20240223-ai-could-make-the-four-day-workweek-inevitable
Links
Subscribe to receive weekly Dev’s future focused letters: https://www.jumpassociates.com/email-sign-up/
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-associates
Start a conversation: inquiries@jumpassociates.com
The Jump Podcast
The Jump Podcast features Dev Patnaik in dialogue with Michelle Loret de Mola. This is the conversation for future-focused leaders thinking about strategy, culture and leadership. The world is crazy. Everything seems to be changing, and not always in a good way. Today, business leaders are struggling to figure out avoid becoming the next Kodak, Blackberry or Blockbuster. But fear not, dear listener. Things can get better. People can do better. And the world can be better.
 
Jump Associates
Jump is the world’s leading independent strategy and innovation firm. We work with the world’s most admired companies on their most important growth challenges. Using a future focused approach to strategy, we’ve helped these firms to grow their businesses in times of change.

Rethinking Your Innovation Strategy

While most large companies have an established approach to innovation, few have one that really works–or one that will get them to their next phase of growth. In this episode, Dev and Michelle discuss how leaders can fundamentally rethink their innovation strategy based on their unique strengths and limitations.
 
You can read more about this in Dev’s article on jumpassociates.com https://www.jumpassociates.com/is-it-time-to-rethink-your-innovation-strategy/
#futurefocused #strategy #innovation #growthstrategy #nike #ozempic #openai #procterandgamble
 
Chapters:
1:17 A Shift in Focus on Innovation
14:40 What Companies Should Ask Themselves
34:40 Disruptive Innovations
38:24 Headlines of the Future
 
Headlines of the Future:
Peter Thiel-backed Cognition Labs unveils “world’s first” complete AI software engineer. https://www.freethink.com/robots-ai/ai-software-engineer-devin
 
The average number of undergraduate CS majors in U.S. and Canada has tripled since 2005. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/03/computing-college-cs-majors/677792/#
Scientists have observed a rare, massive spawning event of heat-resistant corals in the East Asian region. https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/24098428/scientists-ocean-coral-spawning-bleaching-great-barrier-reef
Links:
Subscribe to receive weekly Dev’s future focused letters: https://www.jumpassociates.com/email-sign-up/
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-associates
Start a conversation: inquiries@jumpassociates.com
The Jump Podcast
The Jump Podcast features Dev Patnaik in dialogue with Michelle Loret de Mola. This is the conversation for future-focused leaders thinking about strategy, culture and leadership. The world is crazy. Everything seems to be changing, and not always in a good way. Today, business leaders are struggling to figure out avoid becoming the next Kodak, Blackberry or Blockbuster. But fear not, dear listener. Things can get better. People can do better. And the world can be better.
 
Jump Associates
Jump is the world’s leading independent strategy and innovation firm. We work with the world’s most admired companies on their most important growth challenges. Using a future focused approach to strategy, we’ve helped these firms to grow their businesses in times of change.