Ingenious Thinkers

Hosted by Say Hi to the Future

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231

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Feb 2026

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About the show

Say Hi to the Future’s podcast Ingenious Thinkers is an inclusive platform aimed at highlighting the human side of ingenuity: clever, inventive, and original thinking. Hosted by Ken Tencer, our goal is to highlight new and interesting ways of looking at the world by speaking with ingenious thinkers and doers from all walks of life. With an eye toward the future, our mission is to explore how non-conventional thinkers are taking on some of our most complex problems.

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February 20, 202633 min

When Technology Moves Faster Than Culture: Janice Gassam Asare on AI and Inclusive Leadership

In this episode of Ingenious Thinkers, Ken Tencer speaks with Janice Gassam Asare about the widening gap between technological capability and cultural readiness.AI is advancing quickly. Organizational culture, governance structures, and equity frameworks often are not. Janice explains why leaders must critically examine how emerging technologies can reinforce existing inequalities, why inclusive leadership requires structural commitment, and how organizations can avoid outsourcing ethical judgment to algorithms.This is a grounded and practical discussion about leadership accountability in the age of AI. Rather than framing innovation as inherently positive, the conversation invites leaders to slow down, assess impact, and build systems that reflect intentional values.Brought to you by Say Hi to the Future.Listen now and join the conversation.

January 30, 202629 min

The Discipline Behind Great Ideas: Fredrik Härén on Making Creativity Practical

Creativity is not a nice-to-have. It’s becoming one of the most valuable capabilities in business, leadership, and life.On this episode of Say Hi to the Future, Ken Tencer welcomes Fredrik Härén, an internationally known voice on creativity and ideas, for a conversation that encourages listeners to rethink how innovation actually happens. This episode isn’t about shortcuts or surface-level inspiration. It’s about the deeper mindset shifts required to think differently in complex, fast-moving environments.Whether you’re leading a team, building something new, or simply trying to stay adaptable in a changing world, this episode offers perspective on why curiosity, openness, and creative thinking are skills worth cultivating intentionally.Listen in for a reflective and energizing discussion on the role of human ingenuity in shaping what comes next.

January 16, 202633 min

From Disengaged to Driven: Diondra Filicetti on Reclaiming Passion at Work

What if engagement isn’t something you demand, but something you design?In this episode, Diondra Filicetti joins Say Hi to the Future: Ingenious Thinkers to explore the quieter, often overlooked elements that shape strong leadership and meaningful work. Her perspective centers on clarity, connection, and the role intention plays in how people learn, collaborate, and grow within organizations.Rather than chasing trends or surface-level solutions, this conversation encourages a deeper look at how leaders influence energy, culture, and momentum simply through how they show up. It’s a thoughtful listen for anyone interested in building workplaces, and careers, rooted in purpose rather than pressure.

December 17, 202532 min

When Strategy Breaks Down: Hilton Barbour on the Missing Role of Culture

We often assume that if a strategy is smart enough, it will succeed. But experience tells us otherwise.In this episode of Ingenious Thinkers, Hilton Barbour joins the conversation to explore why strategy so often breaks down after it leaves the planning phase. This episode takes a wider view of strategy as something shaped by people, culture, and context rather than documents and declarations.Rather than offering quick fixes or surface-level advice, this conversation encourages listeners to rethink how organizations approach foresight, decision-making, and long-term alignment. It speaks to the realities of uncertainty and the limits of control in complex environments.Whether you lead teams, advise organizations, or simply think deeply about how ideas turn into action, this episode offers a thoughtful pause and a new lens on what it means to plan for the future.🎧 When Strategy Breaks Down: Hilton Barbour on the Missing Role of CultureHosted by Ken Tencer

December 5, 202532 min

The Road Ahead: Capital, Innovation & America's New Economic Story

Elizabeth MacBride and Seth Levine join us for a conversation that reaches far beyond the pages of Capital Evolution. Their work explores how economic renewal is unfolding at the ground level, through entrepreneurs, community builders, and innovators who often go unseen in traditional narratives.What makes their perspective powerful is its grounding in real experiences. They highlight the resilience of individuals working outside major hubs, the creativity that emerges from constraint, and the importance of recognizing the diverse engines that keep an economy alive. Their insights invite us to consider the possibility that the future of entrepreneurship will be more distributed, more human-centered, and more deeply connected to place.This episode offers space to reflect on where opportunity comes from, who fuels it, and how each of us plays a role in shaping the next chapter of economic evolution.A meaningful, forward-looking listen for anyone curious about the changing foundations of innovation and the human stories behind economic change.

November 7, 202524 min

Unlocking Human Potential: Carey-Ann Oestreicher on Leading with Purpose

In this episode of Say Hi to the Future, host Ken Tencer welcomes Carey-Ann Oestreicher, Executive Coach and CEO of Potential Unlimited, for a conversation about leadership, purpose, and the power of personal awareness.This is not a typical conversation about performance or productivity, it’s a reflection on what it truly means to lead from a place of authenticity. Carey-Ann has built a career around helping leaders see beyond metrics and titles to rediscover the human element that fuels growth. Her work invites people to look inward, to question what drives them, what connects them, and how they can bring more intention into their everyday decisions.At its core, this episode is about growth, not the kind that shows up on a balance sheet, but the kind that shapes who we are. It’s about the moments that remind us to pause, to listen, and to lead with empathy. Carey-Ann reminds us that leadership begins long before we step into a boardroom. It begins with understanding ourselves, acknowledging our limits, and choosing to move forward with purpose.In a world that often values speed and certainty, this conversation offers stillness and reflection. It’s a reminder that leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about having the courage to ask better questions.

November 1, 202532 min

Beyond the Blueprint: Jeevak Badve on Creating Meaningful Change

In this episode of Say Hi to the Future, host Ken Tencer welcomes Jeevak Badve, Chief Growth Officer at Sundberg-Ferar and a leading voice in global innovation, creativity, and business transformation.Jeevak brings a rare combination of technical expertise, cultural curiosity, and human-centered thinking. With experience spanning continents and industries, he has spent his career helping organizations uncover the deeper “why” behind the things they create — and translating that understanding into meaningful progress.This conversation goes beyond buzzwords. It explores what it truly means to think forward, to build systems and products that reflect who we are, and to cultivate a mindset where innovation serves both people and purpose.

October 25, 202537 min

Empathy Meets Evidence: Rethinking Diabetes with Jane Speight

Empathy. Innovation. Humanity. Three words that define the kind of leadership shaping the future of every industry, especially healthcare.In this episode of Ingenious Thinkers, host Ken Tencer speaks with Dr. Jane Speight, a leader who reminds us that progress is never just about technology or policy, it’s about people. Her work is a testament to how understanding human experience can drive change that lasts, not just within systems, but in lives.This conversation invites listeners to reflect on how we define “care,” and how empathy and evidence can coexist to create a more balanced, sustainable approach to innovation. It’s about slowing down to ask better questions, about what matters most and who we’re designing for.🎙️ Tune in to be inspired by the thinkers who remind us that the future starts with compassion.

October 16, 202534 min

Ep 175: Sustainability, Rewired: Farrell Calabrese on What Business Could Be

Farrell Calabrese believes that sustainability is no longer a department — it’s a mindset that belongs at the very centre of strategy. As the Founder of FMC Impact, she’s spent her career helping leaders design businesses that grow through purpose, not around it.In this episode, Farrell shares how systems thinking and human-centred leadership can help organizations move beyond performative sustainability and build cultures that create lasting value — for people, for the planet, and for profit. Her insights challenge conventional notions of growth and remind us that when values and business align, real transformation begins.

September 24, 202533 min

Ep: 174 - From Vision to Reality: John McCabe on Building Smarter AI

John McCabe, Senior Design Manager for Watsonx at IBM, joins Ingenious Thinkers for a conversation on leadership, design, and the future of AI. John shares how his success has come from looking at problems differently than the rest of the market — blending creativity, technology, and human-centered design to create transformative experiences. Discover how he leads global teams, pushes boundaries in design, and redefines what’s possible in the world of artificial intelligence.