FUTURE OF XYZ
Episodes
Future of Thinking About the Future | Nick Foster | S7 E19 (Rerelease)
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E19 Rerelease (150th episode overall): Acclaimed industrial designer and recent author, Nick Foster RDI, joins XYZ for our 150th episode of the ser...
Future of Regenerative Design | Dr. Delfina Fantini van Ditmar | S7 E25
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E25: For our final new episode of 2025, we’re speaking with Dr. Delfina Fantini van Ditmar - a Senior Researcher at the Royal College of Art wher...
Future of Fine Dining | Jo-Ann Makovitzky & Wylie Dufresne | S7 E24
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E24: Happy Thanksgiving, America! And happy eating everyone everywhere! In this special edition, we’re speaking about food, and specifically, fin...
Future of Applied R&D | Martha Tsigkari | S7 E23
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E23: Our guest this week is Martha Tsigkari, a Senior Partner at Foster + Partners, among the world’s most acclaimed architectural firms founded ...
Future of Being Replaced | Tey Bannerman | S7 E22
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E22: Everyone is talking nonstop about how machines, robots, and AI are going to replace humans in the workforce and beyond. But what’s true? Thi...
Future of Anime | Gita Rebbapragada | S7 E21
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E21: In this episode, we speak with Gita Rebbapragada, COO at Crunchyroll, the global entertainment platform specializing in anime, manga, and Asia...
Future of Creativity | Doreen Lorenzo | S7 E20
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E20: What is creativity and why does it matter? How does creativity differ from innovation? What is the role of imagination? Of education? In the F...
Future of Thinking About the Future | Nick Foster | S7 E19
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E19 (150 overall): Acclaimed industrial designer and recent author, Nick Foster RDI, joins XYZ for our 150th episode of the series! In this special...
Future of 3D Computing | Brittan Heller | S7 E18
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E18: If you were to read Brittan Heller’s CV, you might wonder why we’re speaking with her about the ‘Future of 3D Computing’. A Yale-educa...
Future of Floor Coverings | Ana Cunningham & Ali McMurter | S7 E17
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E17: Off the shelf or highly bespoke, interior designers know that the choice of floor coverings is one of the most important decisions they can ma...
Future of Pattern Making | Shelly Xu | S7 E16
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E16: The fashion industry is one of the world’s largest polluters, responsible for 10% of total greenhouse gas emissions and with 87% of textiles...
Future of Different | John Roescher | S7 E15
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E15: John Roescher and I met at SXSW earlier this year. When asked what he wanted to speak about on XYZ- the Founder and CEO of the Austin-based de...
Future of Passive House | Luis Medina & Ken Levenson | S7 E14
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E14: You may never have heard of a Passive House, or the Passive House movement, but building to Passive House standards means meeting specific cri...
Future of Hospitality | Neil Jacobs | S7 E13
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The hospitality industry encompasses various sectors including hotels, restaurants, entertainment, and tourism. Our guest this week is Neil Jacobs- a ...
Future of Play | Chris Down | S7 E12
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S7 E12: Global toymaker Mattel knows a thing or two about Play. Operating in 35 countries with products sold in over 150 countries, the toy giant who ...
Future of The Mouse | Xinyue Zhou | S7 E11
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder how the “mouse” evolved? Or, how the graphical interface that introduced clicks and drags and the hover state changed the human-comput...
Future of Neuroaesthetics | Suchi Reddy | S7 E10
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Neuroaesthetics is all about how human-focused design affects our wellbeing. Our guest is an award-winning architect guided by the philosophy that "fo...
Future of Value Creation | Tensie Whelan | S7 E9
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This May 1st- known in Europe as May Day or International Workers' Day- we’re exploring the intersection of capitalism, people, and planet. A distin...
Future of Urbanization | Kevin Kennon | S7 E8
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Of the world’s 8.2 billion population, nearly 6 in 10 people live in urban areas. By 2050, it’s expected to be 7 in 10, and closer to 8 in 10 by 2...
Future of Car Design | Sam Livingstone | S7 E7
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is sexier than a beautifully-designed car? From vintage classics to newer EVs and autonomous vehicles, this episode explores the many ways that c...
Future of Reusable Packaging | Mike Newman | S7 E6
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Starting in the last mid-century, companies and consumers began moving away from commonly reusable/refillable packaging for goods like milk, eggs, liq...
Future of Hope | Nancy Giordano | S7 E5
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fascinated by the intersection of tech, business, society and our own expanding consciousness- with experience ranging from frozen foods to reinventin...
Future of Pleasure | Ti Chang | S7 E4
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a week after Valentine’s Day, the annual hallmark of romantic love, and we’re exploring a related idea- that of pleasure. Our guest is an a...
Future of Typography | Charles Nix | S7 E3
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Typography is a graphic art that involves selecting typefaces, point sizes, line lengths, line spacing, letter spacing, and spaces between pairs of le...
Future of Gaming | Andrew Augustin | S7 E2
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Worldwide video gaming revenue was estimated at nearly $455 billion in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.4% expected through the e...
Future of Customer Experience (CX) | Henry Kim | S7 E1
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to a new year! For our first episode of 2025, we are speaking about customer experience. Our guest is the Global Head of Design Strategy in th...
Future of Snow Sports | Mark Sullivan | S4 E4 (Rerelease)
26 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tis the season for SNOW! And what better seasonal re-release than our amazing conversation from early 2023 about the ‘Future of Snow Sports’?! Our...
Future of Greatness | Pascale Sablan | S6 E7
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our final new episode of the year, we have the privilege to speak with visionary architect and activist, Pascale Sablan, only the 315th living Afri...
Future of Digitality | Nadine Clarke | S6 E6
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Digital has become such a part of our lives, intertwined with everything we do, that most of us- personally or professionally- never pause to think ab...
Future of Furniture | Hlynur Atlason | S6 E5
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This fascinating episode begins with the etymology of the Italian word “mobilia”, then continues into the historical evolution of furniture design...
Future of Space Communications | David Rager | S6 E4
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our guest this week may have the world's (or universe’s?) coolest job! As Creative Director at NASA, David Rager oversees the agency's visual brand....
Future of Circularity | Joe Iles | S6 E3
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Want to learn about circularity, but not sure what it is? Few people are better poised to talk about maximizing systemic change and collective action ...
Future of Music | Marcus G. Miller | S6 E2
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A musical virtuoso who tours with Jon Batiste and serves as the Musical Director of Grace Farms Foundation- our guest this week brings us an episode t...
Future of Design | Amy Devers, Josh Rubin, & Evan Orensten | S6 E1
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What other topic would we discuss in our 125th overall episode and kickoff to a new season, with our new presenting sponsor, @ifdesign and now as part...
Future of Innovation | Andrew Lane | S5 E9
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Innovation- it's a huge topic ranging from the invention of the wheel or printing press, to mindset shifts or harnessing the technology that fuels our...
Future of Exploration | Chris Rainier | S5 E8
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“We are a species of curiosity and survival; I’m convinced that exploration is embedded in our human DNA.” Chris Rainier is the son of an explor...
Future of Open Hiring | Joseph Kenner | S5 E7
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine a hiring process where all you have to do is put your name on a list. Where you can earn a living wage regardless of your education, disabilit...
Future of Purpose Trusts | Nathalie Reitman-White | S5 E6
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How can companies ensure long-term mission alignment and drive value beyond just wealth creation for shareholders? Learn about the growing movement to...
Future of Complexity | Justin Cook | S5 E5
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Leap Year! From cross-disciplinary design and discontinuity, to systems thinking and all that needs to be redesigned in the world – Episode 5,...
Future of Nutrition | Lorena Mucke | S5 E4
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
ABOUT: Our guest this week runs an education nonprofit whose vast curriculum helps millions of individuals from ages 12-99+ understand more about how ...
Future of Finance | Valerie Red-Horse Mohl | S5 E3
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we hear from a woman who has spent her illustrious career in the world of money, capital, and investing. As an inaugural member of U.S. Tre...
Future of Motivation | Patrick Mork | S5 E2
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As we continue into Season 5 and a theme of the new year, we’re exploring Motivation. What it is, how one finds it and keeps it, and how it necessar...
Future of Wellness | Urvashi Bhatnagar | S5 E1
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What topic is better to kick off the new year than ‘future of wellness’?! Tune in for a holistic conversation about how health, science, economics...
Future of Caregiving | Martha Wofford & Dr. Farah Shafi | S4 E25
21 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Caregiving is about taking care of others, but unpaid caregiving is a unique crisis in America. This holiday season, as we wrap up the year and end of...
Future of Bravery | Chris Deavers | S4 E24
07 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From the Author of “Brave Together” and Co-Founder of BraveCore, a leadership + culture consultancy, we hear about bravery- what it is, how it can...
Future of Children's Books | Kelly Anne Manuel & Steven Joseph | S4 E23
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This American Thanksgiving, we’re speaking with two children’s book authors about the value of stories, imagination, creativity, and exposure. Fro...
Future of Public Health Equity | Lori Rose Benson | S4 E22
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Back in 2006, world-renowned beatboxer, Doug E. Fresh teamed up with Dr. Olajide Williams, a neurologist at Columbia University to change health outco...
Future of Mount Everest | Ben Ayers | S4 E21
26 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
WOW. Do not miss this episode! From reverence for the mountain in the local Sherpa and original outdoors community, to the impact of humans continuous...
Future of Developmental Disabilities | Doreen Samelson | S4 E20
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From ADHD and Autism Spectrum to Cerebral Palsy, Down’s and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, ‘developmental disabilities’ is a large umbrella that includ...
Future of Consumer AI | Sevgi Koklu & Elaine Parr | S4 E19
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
AI may be the tech term du jour, but the team at IBM has been on the cutting edge of developing AI since the 1950s. Today, two of IBM’s business uni...
Future of Supermodels | Ashley Brokaw | S4 E18
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As NY Fashion Week kicks off, we speak with one of the industry's top casting directors. She’s worked with Prada, Vuitton and all the biggest brands...
Future of Social Impact | Heather Hiscox | S4 E17
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Social Impact is a term bandied about across nonprofit, corporate, government, and philanthropic communities– but what is it really and how is it ev...
Future of Art Galleries | Alex Farkas | S4 E16
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2022, nearly $70 billion of art was sold across markets, categories, sales channels, talent levels (and price points). But our guest this week- a l...
Future of Offshore Wind | David Hardy | S4 E15
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A first-time co-production with The Boston Globe's Rhode Island Report, this is an in-person conversation with the CEO of North America’s largest of...
Future of Empathy| Dr. Terri Givens | S4 E14
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is empathy? How is it different than compassion? And what role does it play in bridging the divides that seem to be growing across society? Our g...
Future of Metabolic Health | Dr. Richard Maurer | S4 E13
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is metabolic health? In this great conversation with a naturopathic physician specialized in metabolic health and performance, we explore the int...
Future of Oysters | Skip Bennett | S4 E12
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Found in the country’s top restaurants and revered by food critics and amateur eaters alike, Island Creek Oysters are among the very best. How bette...
Future of Globalization | Karen Kornbluh | S4 E11
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Who better to drive a conversation about the perils & pitfalls of globalization today and introduce the myriad plans & promises of a future mo...
Future of the Internet | David Kirkpatrick | S4 E10
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 100!! This week, long-time tech journalist, David Kirkpatrick joins us to talk about all that’s happened since Intel introduced t...
Future of Maritime Shipping | Timothy Cosulich | S4 E9
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Responsible for transporting nearly 80% of all goods worldwide, there are more than 60,000 merchant ships in operation today. Both essential contribut...
Future of Learning | Sage Salvo | S4 E8
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s conversation is among the most important topics that will influence our collective futures. In this eye-opening conversation with a mult...
Future of Humanitarian Aid | Avril Benoit | S4 E7
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In a world riddled with conflict, natural disaster, and uneven access to medical care– Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF as it’s known on the ground...
Future of Women at Work | Randi Braun | S4 E6
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As Women’s History Month 2023 comes to a close, we want to shed light on the important subject of Women at Work. Our guest says “the gender pay ga...
Future of Documentary Film | Chiemi Karasawa | S4 E5
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sunday night, the world watched the 95th Oscar Awards in Hollywood, CA. This week, FUTURE OF XYZ is speaking with an award-winning Director & Prod...
Future of Snow Sports | Mark Sullivan | S4 E4
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our guest this week is a former professional snowboarder and Olympic commentator, as well as the Founder of Snowboard Magazine and Tailgate Alaska. In...
Future of Renewable Energy | Eric Blank | S4 E3
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With 35 years experience in renewables, plus law and economics degrees, our guest this week now leads the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. From w...
Future of Democracy | Dr. Andrew Schmookler | S4 E2
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Greeks defined democracy as “power of the people” since "demos" means people and "kratos" means power. But is it still “the people” who ha...
Future of Parkinson's Disease | Vanessa Arnedo | S4 E1
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the world after Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s Disease affects approximately one million Americans an...
Future of Farming | Renee Giroux | S3 E37
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 37, SEASON 3: In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday in America, the community it brings together, and the bounty of the harvest it celebrates -...
Future of the Strategic Narrative | Guillaume Wiatr | S3 E36
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 36, SEASON 3: What is a strategic narrative and how is it different than a story? What role does the narrative play in corporations and societ...
Future of Consumer Analytics | Devon Bergman | S3 E35
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 35, SEASON 3: If you’re not a marketer or corporate data geek, you may not know about consumer analytics. If you are or aren’t – definit...
Future of Psychedelics | Jodi Green | S3 E34
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 34, SEASON 3: In this special Halloween edition, we learn from a specialized attorney all about psychedelics. What they are, how they work, an...
Future of Language | Casper Grathwohl | S3 E33
19 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 33, SEASON 3: Are you a language geek? This week's guest shares a fascinating perspective- from the rise of English as the world's 'lingua fra...
Future of Blockchain | David Ritter | S3 E32
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 32, SEASON 3: Blockchain is a buzzy topic at the moment, but what do you really know about it? From Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, to th...
Future of Fandom | Chris Walker | S3 E31
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 31, SEASON 3: Whether sports, music, entertainment, food or fashion- we're all fans of something. This week, we explore the importance of fand...
Future of HR | Ira Wolfe | S3 E30
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 30, SEASON 3: From recruiting to retention, respect to recognition- we explore the evolving workplace, the new power of employees, measuring p...
Future of Sustainable Supply Chains | Leonardo Bonanni | S3 E29
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 29, SEASON 3: What is supply chain mapping? Why does responsible sourcing matter? How do companies track the environmental and social impact o...
Future of Fashion Shows | Gayle Dizon | S3 E28
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 28, SEASON 3: The Spring/Summer 2023 fashion season is kicking off, and Future of XYZ is back with an amazingly talented, long-time brand expe...
Future of Gen Z | Larry Milstein | S3 E27
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 27, SEASON 3: Interested to learn about Gen Z? Often maligned, often hyped, our guest this week is a Gen Z himself, as well as an expert on ma...
Future of Augmented Reality | Jay Silvas | S3 E26
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 26, SEASON 3: Wondering what our future looks like- literally? Well, it's all here in this fascinating conversation about how emerging technol...
Future of Elections | Aaron Hamlin | S3 E25
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 25, SEASON 3: At a time of measurable declining democracy around the world, our guest this week speaks about how the choice of voting method i...
Future of Venture Capital | Gopi Rangan | S3 E24
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 24, SEASON 3: Ever wonder what venture capital is all about? Curious who provides the funds, who generates the ideas, and who makes the money?...
Future of Beauty | Elana Drell-Szyfer | S3 E23
29 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 23, SEASON 3: Tune in for a holistic exploration of everything beauty with a beauty industry veteran and skincare company CEO. Learn about tod...
Future of Law & Activism | David Johnson | S3 E22
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 22, SEASON 3: In this profoundly informed conversation with corporate attorney, public policymaker, and Stanford Law School and d.school Lectu...
Future of Upskilling | Frances Valintine | S3 E21
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 21, SEASON 3: As the world changes, technology expands and humans live longer- continued learning is more essential than ever. Tune in to hear...
Future of Cybersecurity | Corey White | S3 E20
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 20, SEASON 3: From offense (i.e. ransomware and spearfishing), to defense (i.e. anti-virus and multifactor authentication)- our guest this wee...
Future of The Future | Brian Collins | S3 E19
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 19, SEASON 3: When you give a visionary, non-conformist his choice of topics- you'd better guess he'll choose something meta. Brian Collins is...
Future of Tennis | Caitlin Thompson | S3 E18
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 18, SEASON 3: The Summer season is upon us and the French Open is underway, so when better to chat with the Publisher and co-Founder of Racque...
Future of AgTech | Kevin Lang | S3 E17
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 17, SEASON 3: With billions of investment dollars pouring in to the agricultural technology space and innovations that leverage input data, ma...
Future of Foreign Policy | Elmira Bayrasli | S3 E16
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 16, SEASON 3: In a moment of global pandemic, rising populism, climate change, war, genocide and declining US hegemony- a long-time expert and...
Future of Teaching Climate Change | Dr. Alyson Mike | S3 E15
20 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 15, SEASON 3: By now, nearly all of us know and accept that climate change is real. On this Earth Day 2022, learn from a presidentially-awarde...
Future of Responsible Growth | Dr. Wai-Chan Chan | S3 E14
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 14, SEASON 3: COVID forced a lot of change in the world. Amidst the chaos and loss, one positive outcome is the "perfect storm" of awareness a...
Future of Literature | Robert Lopez | S3 E13
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 13, SEASON 3: Etymologically, ‘literature’ derives from an equivalent Latin word that means "learning, a writing, formed with letters, gra...
Future of Public Benefits | Trooper Sanders | S3 E12
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 12, SEASON 3: From a leader who has served in two White House administrations and is now CEO of a nonprofit that helps Americans access the pu...
Future of Workplace | Amy Hill | S3 E11
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 11, SEASON 3: Since the pandemic began two years ago, everyone has been talking about workplace. This week, hear from a workplace expert about...
Future of Deep Tech | Joyce Shen | S3 E10
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 10, SEASON 3: Ever or never heard the expression ‘deep tech’? Wonder what it is, how it’s different from ‘high tech’, or how it appl...
Future of Coffee | Maciej Kasperowicz | S3 E9
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 9, SEASON 3: Are you a coffee addict? A specialty bean enthusiast? Interested in the supply chain of one of the world's most highly prized and...
Future of Nomadic Living | Matthew & Joanna Hofmann | S3 E8
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 8, SEASON 3: It’s a big leap of faith to hit the road in permanence or semi-permanence, yet today more than 15.5M Americans are digital noma...
Future of Beyond Zero | Nathan Havey | S3 E7
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 7, SEASON 3: As the world struggles in its race to achieve carbon neutrality- or ‘Net Zero’- by the newest target date of 2050- our guest ...
Future of Paid Media | Samir Balwani | S3 E6
17 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
EPISODE 6, SEASON 3: From the changing role of the CMO to the incredible opportunity for brands in an increasingly direct-to-consumer (D2C) world—th...