🔦 Today’s spotlight is on someone who has mastered the art of leading through disruption — Matt Behrend.

Before he ever stepped into the world of marketing and technology, Matt started with a background in psychology, which explains a lot about how he leads. He understands people first, markets second — and that’s why his teams follow him through change with clarity and conviction.

When I asked him how he balances reacting to short-term pressure while still steering Agility toward long-term growth, he said something that stuck with me:

⚡ “You can’t protect your future by panicking about the present.”

That mindset has shaped Agility’s trajectory through some of the biggest industry shifts we’ve seen.

One of Matt’s core beliefs is that smart teams and strong culture outperform any external headwind. For Agility, that means practicing radical clarity — no spin, no politics, no guesswork. It’s a cultural habit that has kept the company resilient when things got tough.

And if you’ve followed Agility’s work, you’ve seen how Matt brings creativity and technology together in a way that elevates both. With a psychologist’s lens, he understands that tech should enhance creative thinking, not silence it. It’s the combination that has produced some of Agility’s most successful ideas.

🔥 But perhaps his most provocative point of view is around the future of brand creativity. Matt believes the industry needs to “burn the ROAS flag” — because chasing short-term return is killing long-term brand value. In a world obsessed with dashboards and two-week performance windows, he is one of the few voices pushing companies to invest in brand building that lasts. 🔥

No surprise he’s built an audience of nearly 10,000 professionals who show up for his honesty. When I asked him the advice he gives most often to leaders trying to grow without burning out their teams, he didn’t hesitate:

“If people are exhausted, they stop imagining. And imagination is where growth actually starts.”

Matt Behrend is the rare leader blending psychology, creativity, tech, and brand vision into something that actually moves businesses forward. If you’re not following him yet, you should be.

🎙️ New Episode: The Untold Story Behind the Scratch Foundation Cat — With Designer & Artist Wing Ngan

Today, I’m honored to share a conversation with Wing Ngan — the designer, artist, and original creator of the Scratch Cat and many of the sprites that have fueled the imagination of millions of kids worldwide.

Wing’s journey is as inspiring as the character he brought to life.

Born in #Hong Kong, Wing moved to the U.S. at 17. He had been drawing since he was a young child, sketching between school, home, and the Chinese restaurant where his father worked long hours. He always loved design, but like many kids of immigrant parents, pursuing art felt almost impossible to justify.

One night, after a long shift at the restaurant, Wing found the courage to tell his father ('cause he knew he was tired!) he wanted a creative future — but he softened the blow by saying he wanted to be an architect. That small act of bravery changed everything. He was accepted to University of Massachusetts Amherst, discovered graphic design, and instantly fell in love with the form, the craft, and the possibility it held.

That path eventually led him to Massachusetts Institute of Technology., where he spent about six weeks working closely with Mitch Resnick and the learning lab teams. With a remarkable amount of trust and creative freedom, Wing explored how the now-iconic Cat should look, feel, and move. That freedom — he emphasizes — was what allowed him to create a character that has since become a global symbol of creativity for kids everywhere.

Today:

✨ More than 200 million kids have interacted with the Scratch Cat.

✨ Over 500,000 projects are created on the platform every single day.

✨ Scratch has become the world’s leading creative learning movement, reaching nearly 30 million users annually.

In our episode, Wing shares & shows:

1️⃣ His personal journey — from Hong Kong to UMass to MIT.

2️⃣ The early inspiration and emotional intention behind the Scratch Cat.

3️⃣ The design principles that allow sprites to be simple, expressive, and infinitely remixable.

4️⃣ What it was like collaborating with Mitch Resnick and the Scratch team during the platform’s earliest days.

5️⃣ How to design characters for a global audience of kids and educators.

This conversation is a beautiful reminder that creativity isn’t just a skill — it’s a bridge. Wing’s work has helped hundreds of millions of kids feel joy, confidence, and agency in what they can create.

The Scratch Cat isn’t just a character — it’s a companion in the creative journey.

🎙️ Building Trust, Culture & Clarity: Leadership Lessons from Steve Halland

What separates good companies from great ones? According to Steve Halland, CEO of The Halland Group, it comes down to vision, trust, and culture.

Steve has scaled organizations from scrappy startups to multi-billion-dollar enterprises, doubled revenue as a CRO, and led multiple companies through successful exits. But what makes his approach different is how deeply he focuses on people—the leaders, teams, and relationships that fuel real growth.

In this episode of “Let’s Talk About…”, we unpack:

💡 How to build vision and clarity that aligns everyone in the organization

💡 Why relationships and trust are the foundation of joyful, successful companies

💡 How to create space for leaders and teams to talk openly about change

💡 The critical mindset shift executives must make to scale, delegate, and truly listen

💡 What it takes to navigate choppy waters—M&A, turnarounds, or even an IPO—without losing your culture

💡 The biggest operational gaps Steve sees when stepping in as an embedded advisor or interim leader—and how to fix them fast

😊 As Steve puts it: “If you’re not having fun, why do it?”

Because in the end, culture isn’t just a line on a slide—it’s the engine that drives scalable, resilient, and joyful companies.

👇 Tag a leader who’s building something bold and wants to lead with trust and vision.