Are We There Yet?

Hosted by Jamie Hardy, Sonja Ernst

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Are We There Yet? is about recognizing, defining, and building pathways toward a more sustainable working future. How can we collaborate with others in a way that brings authenticity and durability to our projects and relationships? What tools can we leverage to communicate productively towards a shared goal? What can leaders do to shape where we’re going, and how to get there? Hosts Sonja Ernst and Jamie Hardy are two humans on a quest to understand just where we’re headed, in monthly conversations with pioneers, professors, artists, and experts in the fields of science, technology, placemaking, coalition building, AI, and so much more. Whether you're a business leader, a technology enthusiast, or simply curious about the future of how we do things, this podcast is for you.

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35 recent

June 10, 2026Episode 937 min

Quality Is a Strategy: Creating Regenerative Economies with Kristi Wiedemann

How can local systems solve global problems? Will we ever know the true cost of convenience? Can the profound act of caring transform economic systems?In this episode, PhD researcher Kristi Wiedemann shares with Sonja and Jamie insights from her work studying local fiber systems in New York, where farmers, makers, and textile producers are experimenting with more regenerative ways of creating clothing and other fiber products. Together, they explore the environmental and social costs of fast fashion, the promise and challenges of regional production, and why care—for land, animals, workers, and consumers—may be one of the most overlooked ingredients in sustainability.Beyond textiles, the conversation reaches toward larger questions about efficiency, consumption, mental health, and what we lose when speed and convenience become our primary values. From soil-to-soil production systems to the joy people find in making things by hand, a hopeful vision of a future built on quality, connection, and long-term thinking emerges.

May 13, 2026Episode 838 min

Dysregulated Leaders, Broken Teams: New Criteria for Sustainable Leadership with Aram Cargill

Are we leading from conscious choice, or from stress, ego, and conditioning? Who are we beneath the roles and personas we construct to function in society? What if the biggest problem in leadership isn’t strategy, but self-regulation?In this episode, Aram Cargill unpacks with Sonja and Jamie a systems-based view of leadership rooted in neuroscience, physiology, and human behavior. Aram challenges common ideas around authenticity, arguing that leadership isn’t about self-expression, it’s about self-regulation, humility, and the ability to hold pressure without passing it on.The conversation explores how being present in our body through stress relief, sleep, breath, and even food rituals shape our capacity to lead, why our digital environment is eroding our ability to relate to others, and what it means to build sustainable leadership in a rapidly changing world.

April 22, 2026Episode 746 min

Growing Through Change: Franziska Altenbeck on Meeting the Moment Wherever You Are

What do we lose when we resist inevitable change? How can organizations create stability in the face of constant evolution? How do we define progress if we're never truly "there yet"? Franziska Altenbeck, an industrial engineer and healthcare-sustainability innovator, is intimate with an ever-changing environment: she has relocated 17 times in her life and built a career across Germany, France, and beyond. In this episode, Franziska shares how a childhood in a coal-mining community shaped her relationship with change, and why she believes the inability to embrace it is one of society's greatest risks. The conversation travels through invisible labor in the workplace, caregiving skills that never show up on a performance review, the dangers of taking AI at face value, and what it means to be a bridge builder rather than a trailblazer: a rich, wide-ranging discussion about leadership, authenticity, and what it truly means to grow.

March 18, 2026Episode 642 min

Process Over Results: Raising Resilient Thinkers in an AI-Saturated World with Derek Hyde

Who are we if our identity is wrapped up in how others see us? What happens to leadership when a generation grows up on shortcuts and instant answers? What kind of society are we creating when we prioritize results over process? Derek Hyde, an American educator in Germany, reflects with Sonja and Jamie on identity, change, and AI in the classroom. Drawing on his military and international school experience, he explains how diversity turns students into subject‑matter experts and future leaders by recognizing that everyone has value. The conversation explores how one's identity is shaped both internally and by others’ perceptions, especially for third‑culture kids, and touches on a warning that AI and information overload have the potential to erode process, critical thinking, and resilience in our future leaders. Progress may move at a different pace for everyone, but without its daily churn, we will never reach our goals.

February 4, 202642 min

Learnings From the AI Revolution: Data Sovereignty, Growth Mindset, and the Problem of Scale with Kevin O'Donovan

Who should own, control, and profit from data? Will AI ultimately kill more jobs, or create them? Are the human timescale and the AI timescale compatible? Technology evangelist Kevin O’Donovan joins Sonja and Jamie to unpack how AI and emerging technologies are reshaping organizations, energy systems, and everyday work. Kevin explains why AI is different from past tech waves, acting as a horizontal force that touches every function, from engineering and procurement to HR and customer support. Can large organizations really reskill their way through disruption without also changing their mindset and culture? In a world increasingly reliant on electricity faced with mounting pressure on energy systems from data centers, electric vehicles, and automated factories, how does AI both drive demand and enable smarter grids, materials, and optimization? The conversation zooms in on people: who wins, who risks being left behind, and how small and medium businesses can use AI as a great leveler. In a world of unknowns—from geopolitics to AI—are we doomed to chaos, or are we humans wired to make it through?

January 21, 2026Episode 442 min

Beyond the Numbers: Building Authentic Client Relationships with Ryan Vogel

Can technology ever truly replace the human touch in client relationships? How can one adapt a communication style to ensure one's advice is truly understood? How does authentic team connection strengthen organizational success? Sonja and Jamie interview Ryan Vogel, Chief Planning Officer at Novi Wealth Partners, on the importance of personalized communication and deep understanding of client needs, particularly during times of distress. Vogel highlights the role observation plays in tailoring advisor-client interactions, and honors team diversity as a bedrock of organizational sustainability and, ultimately, client satisfaction. Despite AI's potential to transform his industry, Vogel believes the human element remains crucial in building sustainable, authentic relationships with clients.

December 17, 2025Episode 337 min

The Power of Yet: Rethinking Change in Education with Justine González

Today’s learners are tomorrow’s leaders. How can we help young people build a solid foundation now to succeed in an increasingly uncertain future? As AI rewrites the rules of the classroom, what must we do to keep humanity and equity at the heart of education? How can school leaders truly support educators and students through upheaval and innovation? And what does radical acceptance have to do with fostering ethical, lasting change?In this episode, Sonja and Jamie welcome nationally recognized education leader and social impact strategist Justine González. Justine shares her journey of self-acceptance, lessons learned from leading change in some of the country’s largest school districts, and how she helps educators navigate stress, transformation, and the evolving classroom. Together they unpack the power of honest self-reflection, the importance of listening to all voices in a community, and the promise and pitfalls of technology in our schools. Join us for an inspiring conversation on resilience, leadership, and what it takes to reimagine education for everyone.

November 19, 2025Episode 252 min

How to Run a Business Out of the Ground: Permaculture and Corporate Leadership with Vincent & Caroline Jeanteur

How can the principles of tending a sustainable garden transform the way we lead in business? In this episode, Sonja and Jamie talk with Caroline and Vincent Jeanteur, co-founders of executive coaching firm Emergentiel, about weaving permaculture principles into business strategy. Rooted in ethical land stewardship, permaculture offers a powerful framework for reimagining how organizations use resources, engage teams, and measure success, much as you would when growing food for harvest. Caroline and Vincent share how trust, vulnerability, and open dialogue can spark innovation, and how “edge thinking”—seeking ideas from unexpected places and valuing out-of-the-box directions—fuels creative breakthroughs. The conversation also explores nature as a coaching tool, helping leaders gain new perspectives and strengthen team dynamics through shared observation. From decentralization to multi-local strategies, we invite our audience to rethink leadership, cultivate resilience, and embrace a more human-centered approach to corporate leadership by looking to the land as teacher.

October 22, 2025Episode 130 min

Transforming Life and Business through Permaculture: Ethics, Zones, and Real-World Applications with Jamie Hardy

Who are we without a living relationship to place and community? How do we measure progress in ways that keep people and systems alive? Season 3 of Are We There Yet? opens with an exploration of what it means to live off the land—metaphorically, physically, collectively. Despite being creatures who created rich cultural traditions rooted in ancestral place, we are also now global citizens, and for many our connection to land has been fractured, potentially altering who we are as a species. So what does it mean to “return to the land” in a modern, digitized life? With each new episode, Season 3 will focus on the lessons we can learn from permaculture—a modern philosophy built on indigenous traditions co-developed over millennia as we evolved in our environment—as both a land-based practice and a framework for living. Within a structure provided by the twelve principles of permaculture, hosts Sonja Ernst and Jamie Hardy discuss how the philosophy’s core ethics—Earth care, people care, and fair share—extend beyond gardening to shape business, communication, and personal growth in ways that will help shape our future for the better.

August 22, 202547 min

Turning the Tide: Olympic Swimmer Natalie Hinds on Leadership, Burnout, and Self-Discovery

You’ve worked tirelessly and achieved the pinnacle of what is humanly possible long before turning 30. Then what? What measures success when medals fade into memory? Are we more defined by expectations—our own, others’—or by the choices we make every day? When staring down burnout, is stepping back quitting, or preserving oneself? Olympic bronze medalist swimmer Natalie Hinds shares with Sonja and Jamie her powerful journey from Midland, Texas—where she followed her older sister into the pool and kindled a love of swimming—to the international stage. As one of the few Black girls in her community sport, Natalie forged a new path for herself and others to follow in her wake. But this success came with intense pressure, ultimately leading to burnout. After time away from competition helped her rediscover her passion and clarify her goals, Natalie returned at the top of her game. Now half a decade later and leading a life largely off the blocks, she has a wise perspective on the connection between teamwork and leadership, as well as the value of prioritizing mental health and wellbeing. Natalie’s story is an inspiring reminder that success isn’t just about medals—it’s about embracing the journey, finding balance, and leading with authenticity.