What if the real challenge of creativity isn’t coming up with ideas… but creating the conditions where people believe in them enough to fight for them?

Today, we sit down with Neal Arthur, Global CEO of Wieden+Kennedy, the iconic creative agency behind culture-shaping work from Nike’s “Just Do It” to Coca-Cola and McDonald’s. Neal leads one of the world’s most inventive creative agencies, yet his lens on creativity isn’t about chasing brilliance. It’s about building the trust, safety, and belonging that allow great ideas to surface — and stick.

We dig into how he unlocks creativity in a world changing rapidly with AI: the tension between stability and risk, how leaders create conditions for honesty, and what AI means for the future of creativity and culture. We also get personal: how growing up feeling “othered” shaped Neal’s obsession with belonging and creative safety, why pressure rarely produces great work, and how optimism, resilience, and humility fuel constant reinvention.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to create conditions where pressure drops and creativity rises—even on deadline
• Why being “in it” with your team beats top-down mandates for great work
• The key to using AI right now: shrink the problem, play, tweak, learn
• Why “hard on the work, soft on the people” scales creative excellence
• How to navigate risk vs. stability when the future (especially with AI) is uncertain

If you care about unlocking world-class ideas in a rapidly changing world, this one is for you.

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Links & Resources

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What if the key to deeper connection isn’t in what you say — but in how your body speaks, listens, and moves?

On today’s episode, we sit down with Vanessa Van Edwards — behavioral researcher, bestselling author, and founder of Science of People. A self-described “recovering awkward person,” Vanessa turned social anxiety into a science-backed toolkit anyone can use to improve communication, connection, and leadership. Vanessa studies what happens beneath words: how posture, tone, eye contact, and presence shape how we’re perceived and how we make others feel.

Together, we explore the subtle science of connection — from how warmth and competence support charisma to the micro-cues that determine trust, likability, and confidence. This is an episode for anyone who wants to show up with authenticity, read the room better, and make their communication more impactful.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to use posture and physical space to project calm confidence
• Why warmth must come before competence to build trust fast
• How to eliminate vocal fry and question-inflection for stronger communication
• The key to spotting and disarming contempt before it festers
• How to teach kids “micro social skills” that build courage and connection

It’s a grounded, science-backed guide to showing up with more presence — and helping others feel at ease in your orbit.

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Links & Resources

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!

Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!

Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if instead of chasing a seat at the table, you built an entirely new game — and the world fell in love with it?

On today’s episode, we sit down with Jesse Cole, founder and owner of the Savannah Bananas and creator of Banana Ball. Jesse has built one of the most extraordinary, fast-growing sports movements by breaking every rule in the book. In an era where attention is the hardest currency, he’s turned baseball into a full-blown entertainment experience — part sport, part show, and all heart.

From selling out ballparks across America to giving foster families standing ovations mid-game, Jesse’s vision is driven by one principle: Fans First. He shares the habits and systems behind that mindset — from his “Learn, Change, Plus” culture of constant improvement to the leadership lessons that came from adopting two daughters during COVID. It’s a conversation about leading with joy, embracing risk, and using creativity as a form of love.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to design sold-out experiences by removing friction — and why iteration beats perfection
• Why culture must evolve from “team” to “teammates”
• The simple system that keeps the Savannah Bananas innovating nightly
• Why “winning” is redefined as a remarkable show and shared joy–not just the score
• How Jesse and his wife Emily turned their foster journey into Bananas Foster
• What it means to “play your own game” — in business and in life

This is a masterclass in building something meaningful — not by following the rules, but by following your heart.

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Links & Resources

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!

Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!

Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X

Banana Foster: https://bananasfoster.org/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.