The Growth Distillery

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Episodes

Latest episode

Dec 2025

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EN-AU

About the show

Welcome to The Growth Distillery Podcast, with Dan Krigstein. This podcast is the space where we offer illuminating insights into the mind & mood of Australians, and expert perspectives on the tactics & strategies that can deliver growth regardless of economic climate. Join Dan Krigstein, an expert currently leading News Corp Australia’s Growth Intelligence Centre advising publishers, brands, and industries across the country in the development of their growth strategies; through unapologetic customer-led thinking and data-based foresight.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

December 9, 202537 min

AI, Intuition and Strategy: The Future of Decision-Making with Ganna Pogrebna and Graham Kenny

In the final episode of Rules Don’t Apply, Dan Krigstein sits down live at SXSW with two absolute powerhouses: Professor Ganna Pogrebna, behavioural scientist and AI ethics expert and Graham Kenny, one of the world’s leading thinkers on strategy and organisational performance.Together, they’re the perfect paradox: the humanist and the data modeller, the strategist and the scientist and they’re teaming up to challenge some very comfortable assumptions about how modern businesses think, plan, measure and decide.In this episode we explore:• Why so many brilliant strategies collapse on execution• Why AI is reshaping executive roles, culture and organisational structure• The magic mix of intuition vs data in high-stakes decision-making• How to stop drowning in metrics and find the four things that actually matter• Why uncertainty isn’t the enemy, it’s the opportunityIf you’re a leader, strategist, creative, technologist or just someone who loves seeing smart people challenge each other, this one’s going to hit the spot. Expect big laughs and sharper thinking. Hit play and enjoy the chaos.

December 4, 202528 min

Nano Girl: Reclaiming Curiosity as a Superpower

In Episode 10 of Rules Don't Apply, Dan Krigstein sits down with the unstoppable Dr Michelle Dickinson, aka Nano Girl: engineer, nanotechnologist, science storyteller and professional exploder-of-things (in the best possible way).Recorded live at SXSW Sydney, this conversation dives head-first into the very real, very human side of AI, education, curiosity and how we protect the next generation without holding them back. Michelle brings her trademark warmth, wit and wisdom blending deep technical insight with an unapologetically human lens.In this episode we explore: • How digital inequality is shaping who benefits and who misses out• The “McDonald’s approach” to tech for kids• Why curiosity is a lifelong superpower (and how school squeezes it out of us)• How leaders can build cultures where introverts, deep thinkers and quiet creatives thriveFor anyone who’s planning for the future, shaping it or nurturing the next generation who’ll live in it, this episode is for you.

December 2, 202535 min

The Science of Play: Reclaiming Connection & Resilience with Dr Kate Renshaw

In this episode, Dan Krigstein sits down at SXSW with Dr. Kate Renshaw. Founding director of Play in Field Therapy to explore how play is not just for children, but a powerful tool for connection, creativity and wellbeing at every stage of life.Dr. Renshaw, an expert in the language of play, shares how rediscovering play could be the antidote to burnout, disconnection and the “too serious” culture we’ve built around work and learning.In this episode, you’ll explore:• Why play isn’t just “fun” it’s fundamental to mental health and resilience.• The difference between play and play-based learning.• How reframing questions as “I wonder…” can open real connections with kids (and adults).• What schools and businesses can learn from the science of play.• Why bringing a bit of silliness back might just make us all smarter and happier.Tune in and rediscover how curiosity, courage and play can change the way we live and lead.

November 27, 202536 min

Depth Over Speed: Lisa Watts on Redefining Modern Media

In this episode of Rules Don’t Apply, Lisa Watts, CEO of The Conversation, joins Dan Krigstein for a deep dive into truth, trust, and the future of Australian media.Lisa shares how The Conversation is redefining journalism by partnering with academics to make complex ideas clear, credible, and accessible to everyone and why, in an era of AI and misinformation, that mission has never mattered more.In this episode, you’ll hear:• How The Conversation bridges the gap between academia and the public to make knowledge more accessible.• Why building trust, not chasing clicks, is the real currency of modern media.• Lisa’s perspective on navigating AI, misinformation, and the responsibility of truth-telling.• What authentic, evidence-based journalism looks like in 2025 and beyond.• The power of expert voices and how they can help shape a more informed, fact-led future.This is one you won't want to miss, because redefining truth starts with the right conversation.

November 24, 202528 min

Ricky Sutton: Uncensored Truth on Media's Future

In this live SXSW Sydney edition of Rules Don’t Apply, Dan Krigstein sits down with Ricky Sutton journalist, strategist and creator of the Future Media podcast for a bold, no-filter conversation about how storytelling, truth and media power are being rewritten by AI.Ricky brings decades of newsroom experience, entrepreneurial grit and a touch of chaos theory to the stage arguing it’s time for media to stop playing defence and start fighting smart.In this episode, you’ll hear about:• Why the media industry has “forgotten it can win” and how to fix that• Why “doing more with less” is the wrong AI mindset• The chaos engine: how randomness keeps creativity alive• Why truth isn’t one thing and why that’s okay• How creators and journalists can learn from each otherSmart, surprising and a little provocative, it’s a masterclass in what happens when courage meets creativity.Tune in, think differently and dare to do things your own way.

November 20, 202535 min

Founding CEO - Virgin Unite and Planetary Guardians

Welcome back to Rules Don’t Apply with The Growth Distillery.In this episode, Dan Krigstein sits down with the incomparable Jean Oelwang, Founding CEO and President of Virgin United, and a woman who has spent decades building partnerships that literally change the world.From working alongside icons like Nelson Mandela, Jane Goodall and Sir Richard Branson, to championing unity, moral leadership and purpose-driven business, Jean brings rare wisdom, warmth and clarity to a world in chaos.This conversation is equal parts moving, energising and delightfully human featuring stories of radical hope, unexpected friendships and the kind of leadership we all wish we saw more of.In this episode, we explore:• Why genuine partnership still feels “radical” in business• How love (yes, love!) can be a legitimate leadership strategy• What companies get wrong about culture and how to fix it• The rituals, values and behaviours that make relationships last• How we can rebuild unity in a world addicted to divisionIf you’re craving big ideas, practical inspiration and a reminder that connection still wins this one is unmissable.

November 18, 202540 min

Reanna Browne on AI, Health, and Climate Change

If you’ve ever wondered who really shapes the future, here’s the truth: we do. Every decision we make today defines what comes next. And our next guest helps guide us toward making the right ones.Recorded live at SXSW Sydney, Dan sits down with Reanna Browne: futurist, strategist, unapologetic systems thinker and occasional “bad dinner guest” (in the best possible way).Reanna is on a mission to redesign how we live, work and lead, putting humanity, health and hope back at the centre of progress. Together, they unpack the signals shaping tomorrow, and why small actions today can shift everything.What this episode explores:• How health and work are becoming inseparable• AI as both a technology and an ideology• Why “ridiculous” ideas often become tomorrow’s normal• Practical ways to navigate change without burning out• The power of agency: future happens through action and inactionSit back, grab a coffee and open your mind, the future's still ours to shape.

November 13, 202536 min

Manon Dave: The Future of Imagination

This week, host Dan Krigstein sits down with creative technologist, musician, strategist (and self-proclaimed “maker of cool sh*t”) Manon Dave. From composing tracks for global artists like will.i.am and Snoop Dogg, to shaping innovation inside major broadcasters like the BBC, Manon is the definition of a modern polymath.Together, they dive into what happens when art meets algorithm and why imagination, originality and cultural instinct matter more than ever in an AI-accelerated world. In this episode, we explore:•How technology is levelling the creative playing field•Why “feel” beats precision in music, ideas and product design•Innovation vs indulgence: knowing when to kill an idea•Imagination as the new creative superpower•What the “Netflix problem” means for the future of creativityGet ready to hear from someone effortlessly cool, sharing TV series recommendations, fresh thinking, and a candid look at what it really takes to thrive at the creative-tech crossroads.

November 10, 202536 min

Sandy Carter: The Future of AI

Welcome back to Rules Don’t Apply!In Episode Three host Dan Krigstein sits down with the exceptional Sandy Carter, Silicon Valley powerhouse, COO of Unstoppable Domains, bestselling author and one of Forbes’ Top 10 Women in Tech.Sandy has been shaping the future of emerging technology. In this conversation, she breaks down what truly drives success in AI adoption, why culture can make or break innovation and how leaders can empower their teams instead of scaring them into silence.This episode explores:•How to create a culture where AI enables people not replaces them•How leaders can remove fear and build trust in transformative change•The role of ethics, transparency and accountability in the AI-powered future•Why failure deserves celebration and how it unlocks bigger winsIt’s a sharp look at how culture, trust and tech will shape the leaders of tomorrow.Hit play and join us as we explore the real rules of innovation....

November 6, 202533 min

The future doesn’t belong to the ones who know. It belongs to the ones who are curious.

Welcome to Episode 2 of Rules Don’t Apply. Dan Krigstein is joined by Dr Frederik G. Pferdt, Future Optimist, Educator, Entrepreneur, Award-Winning Author and Google’s first-ever Chief Innovation Evangelist.For more than a decade, he helped shape the creative culture behind some of Google’s most ambitious breakthroughs and now he’s focused on helping people design more hopeful futures.In this inspiring conversation, Frederik reveals why curiosity is the most powerful tool we have for shaping what comes next and how optimism, imagination and play can unlock innovation in every workplace. This episode explores: •Practical rituals for building bold, creative teams.•Why making space for emotion fuels better problem-solving.•How leaders can help people feel safe enough to experiment, fail and try again. If you’re a leader, creator or simply someone wanting to feel excited about what’s ahead this episode will shift your mindset.Hit play, stay curious and join us in designing a more optimistic tomorrow.