Mitch Joel's Blog: Six Pixels of Separation, page 94

Tamsen Webster On Making Ideas Irresistible – This Week’s Six Pixels of Separation Podcast

Episode #787 of Six Pixels of Separation is now live and ready for you to listen to.

It feels like I have known Tamsen Webster since before she became the “Tamsen Webster” that the world has come to know. Tamsen has spent the last twenty years helping experts drive action from their ideas. Part message strategist, part storyteller, part English-to-English translator, her work focuses on how to find and build the stories partners, investors, clients, and customers will tell themselves—and others. She’s a professional advisor at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship and a mentor for the Harvard Innovation Labs. She’s also served for over eight years as executive producer and idea strategist for one of the oldest locally organized TED events in the world (TEDxCambridge). Her new (and first!) book is called, Find Your Red Thread – Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible. Enjoy the conversation…

You can grab the latest episode of Six Pixels of Separation here (or feel free to subscribe via iTunes): Six Pixels of Separation #787.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

SPOS #787 – Tamsen Webster On Making Ideas Irresistible

Welcome to episode #787 of Six Pixels of Separation.

Here it is: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #787 – Host: Mitch Joel. It feels like I have known Tamsen Webster since before she became the “Tamsen Webster” that the world has come to know. Tamsen has spent the last twenty years helping experts drive action from their ideas. Part message strategist, part storyteller, part English-to-English translator, her work focuses on how to find and build the stories partners, investors, clients, and customers will tell themselves—and others. She’s a professional advisor at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship and a mentor for the Harvard Innovation Labs. She’s also served for over eight years as executive producer and idea strategist for one of the oldest locally organized TED events in the world (TEDxCambridge). Her new (and first!) book is called, Find Your Red Thread – Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible. Enjoy the conversation…

Running time: 1:00:36.Hello from beautiful Montreal.Subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.Please visit and leave comments on the blog – Six Pixels of Separation.Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.or you can connect on LinkedIn.…or on Twitter.Here is my conversation with Tamsen Webster.Find Your Red Thread – Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible.Sign up for Tamsen’s newsletter right here.Follow Tamsen on LinkedIn.Follow Tamsen on YouTube.Follow Tamsen on Instagram.Follow Tamsen on Twitter.This week’s music: David Usher ‘St. Lawrence River’.

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #787 – Host: Mitch Joel.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

Six Links Worthy of Your Attention #580

Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see?

My friends: Alistair Croll (Solve for Interesting, Tilt the Windmill, Interesting Bits, HBS, chair of Strata, Startupfest, FWD50, and Scaletechconf; author of Lean Analytics and some other books), Hugh McGuire (Rebus Foundation, PressBooks, LibriVox) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person “must see.”

Check out these six links that we’re recommending to one another: 

The Billion User Table – 1729. “Congress wants to break apart big tech. While there are plenty of reasons why, it boils down to one thing: The size of their user table. Every social network and e-commerce giant has a database of their users. It’s how they’re valued. And, as the decentralized web approaches (no, really, that’s absolutely going to be a thing in a few years that we’ll take for granted), we don’t have to break up tech giants—just change how we regulate the user table. This is a brilliant article for both of you to read, but Mitch already got his music for the week (see the next link…).” (Alistair for Hugh). The Temptations and Black Sabbath – “Get Ready for the Grave” – Bill McClintock – YouTube . “YouTube has spawned a bunch of mashups, not just of songs, but of videos. Given that you love a good bassline, this one’s for you, Mitch.” (Alistair for Mitch). ‘We’re in trouble:’ Ag expert warns there’s no adapting if this summer’s ‘heat dome’ becomes the norm – Down To Business Podcast – Financial Post . “Having spent my early career working on climate change issues, I’ve always been surprised that more isn’t made of the potential impacts on agriculture. Human civilization has developed during a time of climate stability — enabling agriculture. If the climate gets significantly more chaotic, globally, crops everywhere could fail. It wouldn’t take much to tip us out of our relative equilibrium. If that happens….” (Hugh for Alistair). “Trolls need kind words the most” – Eurogamer . “A fascinating game where people just leave short messages for strangers, and what it can teach us about angry people.” (Hugh for Mitch). Can culture degenerate? – Aeon . “I find myself paying more attention to politics these days. I don’t think this is a good thing. Why? The divisive nature of fellow humans is very obvious when party lines come into play. On a random morning walk the other week, it got me wondering about the potential devastation that this could have on culture. Shortly thereafter, this article popped into my feed. The world can be a weird and mysterious place when that happens. Is culture subjective? ‘Looking toward today’s new writing, thinking, music and art, what do you make of contemporary culture? Do you see a thriving and innovative scene, replete with original forms and vibrant content? Or do you see something simple and stagnant, marked by dead-end ideas that either repeat the patterns of the past or offer only feeble attempts to craft a new aesthetic vision? In other words, is culture better or worse now than it used to be?’ This is a great read and will force you (and me) to introspect and/or to amp up the ‘get off my lawn’ rhetoric.” (Mitch for Alistair). American Shoppers Are A Nightmare – The Atlantic . “I am a mall rat and a retail nerd. I find it hard not to pull examples from retail when I give my presentations and I’ve never met a shopping mall that I didn’t want to explore. I just love it so much (I’m weird like that, I know). From independent and quaint mom and pop shops to the biggest malls in the world. From global brands to someone setting up their first Shopify account. I love it (and embrace it) all. When we think about business (or, in this case, retail), it’s easy to to think about how much the landscape has changed (this pandemic has really pushed that trope to an extreme). With that, what about the customers? The shoppers? Is the customer always right? I don’t think so. I believe that the right customer is always right. But, after reading this article, I’m left wondering if everyone is a nightmare… and if that’s the reason retail (and other businesses) have it so rough and tough?” (Mitch for Hugh).

Feel free to share these links and add your picks on Twitter, Facebook, in the comments below or wherever you play.

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends): 

Ryan Madora On This Month’s Groove – The No Treble Podcast

Ryan Madora is this month’s conversation on Groove – The No Treble Podcast.

You can listen the new episode right here: Groove – The No Treble Podcast – Episode #80 – Ryan Madora.

Who is Ryan Madora ?

You would think that Ryan Madora and I have been pals for many years. We are not. This is the first time that we’ve had the chance to connect, which is strange because both of us have been working here, at No Treble, for many years. In fact, Ryan has been a columnist here for close to a decade! There’s a reason why thousands of bassists rely on her writing and content. Ryan got started with an informal education on the Philadelphia blues scene before moving to New York to study Music Business and Communications at New York University. After graduating, she returned to Philly for a few years before throwing her gear in the car, and moving to Tennessee. Since moving to Nashville in 2012, she has had the privilege of working with artists like Garth Brooks, Darius Rucker, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Hanson, and many others. She is currently touring with guitar virtuoso Robben Ford. In 2019, she published her first book, Bass Players To Know – Learning From The Greats. If that weren’t enough, Ryan was voted “6th Best Bassist of 2020” by Bass Player Magazine/Music Radar. Enjoy the conversation… 

What is Groove – The No Treble Podcast?

This is an ambitious effort. This will be a fascinating conversation. Our goal at Groove is to build the largest oral history of bass players. Why Groove? Most of the content about the bass revolves around gear, playing techniques, and more technical chatter. For us, bassists are creative artists with stories to tell. They are a force to be reckon with. These are the stories and conversation that we will capture. To create this oral history of why these artists chose the bass, what their creative lives are like, and where inspiration can be found.

Listen in:  Groove – The No Treble Podcast – Episode #80 – Ryan Madora.

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends). 

Virtual Musicians Hit The Charts, Cheap Audiobooks And More

Your digital media catch-up is right here.

Every Tuesday – for just a few minutes – I join Heather Backman (my old buddy from her days on CHOM FM) on the air at Jack 103 (Rogers Sports & Media) to give a quick blast about the current state of technology, media and Internet culture. We’re calling the segment Tech Tuesday (and we do it in just a few minutes).

What is Tech Tuesday?

If you ever find yourself wondering… What, exactly, is the point of TikTok? How can I make myself look better on a Zoom? Reddit? What’s that about? How do I help my kids be safer online? Who’s the latest creator and streamer that I should be checking out?

You are not alone.

This is what Heather Backman and I discussed this morning over on Jack 103 FM for a couple of minutes:

This Virtual Artist Just Inked A Major Record Deal In China. One-Off Gimmick – Or A Sign Of The Future? (Music Business Worldwide).

“Our first ‘virtual idol’ signing is Ha Jiang , who already has more than 100,000 followers in China. Essentially, she’s a social influencer, known for her sense of style and fashion. The city of Shanghai even hired her to promote safe driving! A move into music is a natural next step. Her image is all about positivity and good vibes and her style is perfect for the dance genre. There’s a deep connection between Ha Jiang and her growing and very passionate fan-base. We’re going to pair her with some amazing songwriters and producers and make some impactful music that will introduce her to a whole new audience.”

App of the week: Chirp – get amazing limited-time deals on some great audiobooks.

What do you think… is this any different than Alvin And The Chipmunks, artists that lip-synch and/or CGI characters in a movie?

Subscribe to get it free in your inbox right here.

Clint Pulver On Nurturing A Great Organization – This Week’s Six Pixels of Separation Podcast

Episode #786 of Six Pixels of Separation is now live and ready for you to listen to.

My friend, Clint Pulver, is a keynote speaker, author, musician, pilot, and he cares deeply about the workforce. His sweet spot is employee retention. Why do people love their work and the company that they work for? More importantly, what turns them off (and how can your business fix that)? Clint has spent many years helping companies through his work and research as the Undercover Millennial. He has been featured in countless publications and, as a professional drummer, he has appeared in feature films and on America’s Got Talent. In 2020, Clint won an Emmy Award for his short film, Be a Mr. Jensen, which tells the story of how a single moment in time – and one particular mentor – can change the course of someone’s life. More recently, he published the book, I Love It Here – How Great Leaders Create Organizations Their People Never Want To Leave. In his book is research and the unscripted truths of the 10,000+ employees he has interviewed as the Undercover Millennial – which unveils the reasons for their lasting loyalty – and what triggers them to head for the exit door. Enjoy the conversation…

You can grab the latest episode of Six Pixels of Separation here (or feel free to subscribe via iTunes): Six Pixels of Separation #786.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

SPOS #786 – Clint Pulver On Nurturing A Great Organization

Welcome to episode #786 of Six Pixels of Separation.

Here it is: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #786 – Host: Mitch Joel. My friend, Clint Pulver, is a keynote speaker, author, musician, pilot, and he cares deeply about the workforce. His sweet spot is employee retention. Why do people love their work and the company that they work for? More importantly, what turns them off (and how can your business fix that)? Clint has spent many years helping companies through his work and research as the Undercover Millennial. He has been featured in countless publications and, as a professional drummer, he has appeared in feature films and on America’s Got Talent. In 2020, Clint won an Emmy Award for his short film, Be a Mr. Jensen, which tells the story of how a single moment in time – and one particular mentor – can change the course of someone’s life. More recently, he published the book, I Love It Here – How Great Leaders Create Organizations Their People Never Want To Leave. In his book is research and the unscripted truths of the 10,000+ employees he has interviewed as the Undercover Millennial – which unveils the reasons for their lasting loyalty – and what triggers them to head for the exit door. Enjoy the conversation…

Running time: 53:24.Hello from beautiful Montreal.Subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.Please visit and leave comments on the blog – Six Pixels of Separation.Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.or you can connect on LinkedIn.…or on Twitter.Here is my conversation with Clint Pulver.I Love It Here – How Great Leaders Create Organizations Their People Never Want To Leave.Be a Mr. Jensen.Follow Clint on Instagram.Follow Clint on LinkedIn.This week’s music: David Usher ‘St. Lawrence River’.

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #786 – Host: Mitch Joel.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

Six Links Worthy of Your Attention #579

Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see?

My friends: Alistair Croll (Solve for Interesting, Tilt the Windmill, Interesting Bits, HBS, chair of Strata, Startupfest, FWD50, and Scaletechconf; author of Lean Analytics and some other books), Hugh McGuire (Rebus Foundation, PressBooks, LibriVox) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person “must see.”

Check out these six links that we’re recommending to one another: 

Risking My Life To Settle A Physics Debate – Veritasium – YouTube. “Can a vehicle travel downwind faster than the wind? As a sailor, I know the answer is ‘no.’ It can tack downwind, where the sail acts like a wing, and travel faster. But straight downwind? No way. Well, I’m wrong, and while counterintuitive, the folks at Veritasium went to great lengths to demonstrate it. This is some nifty physics, and an example of engineering beating theory.” (Alistair for Hugh). The Secret Music Technology of Raymond Scott – The Honest Broker – Substack . “Mitch, this is one for your musical records. Any good EDM fan knows Moog, Dolby, and Linn. But Scott is new to me—and by the sounds of it, his secretive attitude and perfectionist mindset kept what was clearly one of the great music inventors from being a household name. This is a fascinating look at a quirky genius—and maybe a parable about open source and sharing.” (Alistair for Mitch). Earth’s Auroras Don’t Mirror – NASA . “The Auroras, both Borealis and Australis, aka Northern Lights are those freaky green/blue/yellow lights in the polar night sky. I remember one summer we could see them occasionally in Montreal! They are caused by flows of electrified gas flying out of the sun and interacting with the Earth’s atmosphere. For many years scientists thought that the Boreal and Austral versions of the lights were mirror images of each other — news to me! —  but turns out it’s not so simple.” (Hugh for Alistair). Dave Crockett: Escaping from the 1980 St. Helens Eruption – PortlandDriver – YouTube . “Ever have a bad day at work? Well at least you didn’t get caught in a volcanic blast (did you?).” (Hugh for Mitch). This Virtual Artist Just Inked A Major Record Deal In China. One-Off Gimmick – Or A Sign Of The Future? Music Business Worldwide . “It’s almost too easy to read this article and go deep on whether or not an avatar can be a celebrity, or be able to create some kind of art/content that the masses will embrace. It’s almost too easy to wonder if the future of celebrity and influencer is avatar-based (or a large part of that marketplace). I can hear the scoffing now. My reaction? How is this any different than Alvin And The Chipmunks, or as part of a greater conversation around singers who only perform the work of others? Again, easy to shake your fist at the technology, but I think virtual artists have been around forever in the form of cartoons and comic books and lip-synching.” (Mitch for Alistair). The Album That Changed My Life – Rick Beato – YouTube . “Over the past few years (thanks, Covid) I find my self increasingly more nostalgic and constantly on the prowl for both music and comic backs from my past that I didn’t spend enough time on back then. That could be a part of my deep interest in music genres like jazz and progressive rock. With that, I’ve been subscribed to Rick Beato’s YouTube channel for many years. It’s hard not to click on a link-baity title like, The Album That Changed My Life. Within this video is a deep-dive into the music of guitarist Joe Pass (another perfect example of an artists that I never gave much attention to). So, Rick’s video sent me down a rabbit-hole of Pass’ guitar magic. If this video doesn’t turn your crank, just watch this one, where Joe Pass plays ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’. Whether you can appreciate jazz or guitar playing or not, trust me… just… wow!.” (Mitch for Hugh).

Feel free to share these links and add your picks on Twitter, Facebook, in the comments below or wherever you play.

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends ;): 

Anthony Bourdain, The Ethics of Deepfakes, Clubhouse And More

Your digital media catch-up is right here.

Every Tuesday – for just a few minutes – I join Heather Backman (my old buddy from her days on CHOM FM) on the air at Jack 103 (Rogers Sports & Media) to give a quick blast about the current state of technology, media and Internet culture. We’re calling the segment Tech Tuesday (and we do it in just a few minutes).

What is Tech Tuesday?

If you ever find yourself wondering… What, exactly, is the point of TikTok? How can I make myself look better on a Zoom? Reddit? What’s that about? How do I help my kids be safer online? Who’s the latest creator and streamer that I should be checking out?

You are not alone.

This is what Heather Backman and I discussed this morning over on Jack 103 FM for a couple of minutes:

The Anthony Bourdain audio deepfake is forcing a debate about AI in journalism – Quartz.

“(Morgan) (Roadrunner – A Film About Anthony Bourdain’s film director) added that he obtained consent from Bourdain’s estate. ‘I checked, you know, with his widow and his literary executor, just to make sure people were cool with that. And they were like, ‘Tony would have been cool with that.’ I wasn’t putting words into his mouth. I was just trying to make them come alive,’ he explained to GQ. Bourdain’s ex-wife, Ottavia Busia-Bourdain, who appears extensively in the documentary, later contested that she ever gave permission for an audio surrogate.”

App of the week: Clubhouse and Clubhouse is now out of beta and open to everyone – TechCrunch.

Do you want to know if something is a deepfake?

Once the segment goes live on Jack 103, I will post it here for you to listen in, learn, share and engage….

Mitch Joel · Anthony Bourdain, The Ethics of Deepfakes, Clubhouse And More – Jack 103 FM – July 27th, 2021

Subscribe to get it free in your inbox right here.

Margot Bloomstein On Trust And Beating Consumer Cynicism – This Week’s Six Pixels of Separation Podcast

Episode #785 of Six Pixels of Separation is now live and ready for you to listen to.

Margot Bloomstein spends her time in the content strategy industry. She’s the author of Content Strategy at Work and the principal of Appropriate, Inc., a brand and content strategy consultancy based in Boston. For more than twenty years, she has led workshops, keynoted conferences, and advised marketing teams around the world. She developed the popular message architecture-driven approach to content strategy and created BrandSort, a tool embraced by consultancies to help their clients clarify their communication goals. More recently, she published the excellent (and timely) book, Trustworthy – How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust Gap. In an actionable framework focused on voice, volume, and vulnerability, her new book is about how to employ concrete tactics to help your business regain trust, respect, and customer loyalty. More importantly, how can you lead your organization and audience from cynicism toward something far more productive: hope. Enjoy the conversation…

You can grab the latest episode of Six Pixels of Separation here (or feel free to subscribe via iTunes): Six Pixels of Separation #785.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.