In this episode, Kane Jackson speaks with filmmaker Martin Oetting about his documentary "Purpose," which explores reimagining economic systems that prioritize wellbeing over GDP growth. Born in West Germany to a politically engaged family, Martin brings personal insight to this challenge of creating economies serving people and planet.

The conversation covers Martin's seven-year journey creating a film following two economic pioneers: Katherine Trebeck (Australian economist in Scotland) and Lorenzo Fioramonti (Italy's former Economic Development Minister). Martin's project was sparked by the 2016 US election, which made him question how supposedly successful economies could produce profound societal dysfunction.

Martin articulates the fundamental shift wellbeing economy advocates propose: measuring what truly matters to people (family, health, security, meaningful work) rather than just money made. He discusses translating complex economic concepts into compelling narratives and his vision for making "economics a popular sport" through community dialogue. Despite current setbacks, Martin maintains that purposeful action toward better systems remains both possible and necessary.

1. The Purpose of "Purpose" (03:15-06:54) - How West Germany's post-war validation through economic growth informed Martin's interest in alternatives to GDP as our success yardstick.
2. What Really Matters (06:54-09:53) - How people universally value family, health, security and work, yet economic measurements fail to reflect these priorities.
3. GDP's Flaws (07:48-09:53) - How this convenient but flawed short-term solution became permanently embedded, counting aggregate money without measuring distribution, equality, or wellbeing.
4. Trump's Election as Catalyst (10:03-12:43) - How this pivotal moment made Martin question America's economic "success" despite social and democratic dysfunction.
5. America as Cautionary Tale (12:43-14:26) - How countries still point to America's GDP growth while ignoring declining life expectancy, crumbling infrastructure, and democratic instability.
6. The Time-Poverty Paradox (15:18-17:35) - How growth-obsessed economies rob people of time to contemplate alternatives, leaving economics to specialized "oracles."
7. Wellbeing Economy Framework (18:06-23:30) - Society collectively deciding what goals matter, setting measurable indicators, then inviting all actors to compete on finding solutions.
8. Trickle-Down Economics Critique (23:30-25:49) - The false promises and communication challenges in our "post-truth sound bite world."
9. Storytelling for Change (25:49-29:52) - Martin's quest to translate economic, academic and political work into relatable art forms through film, stage shows, and writing.
10. Academic Responsibility (27:16-29:52) - Critique of academics speaking only to peers rather than making work accessible to the public.
11. Advertising Techniques for Academia (29:52-31:26) - How focusing on outcomes rather than specifications could help communicate complex ideas.
12. Political Navigation Lessons (31:26-33:56) - How Martin's directness works in certain contexts but limits political effectiveness.
13. Filmmaking Journey (34:18-40:05) - The ups and downs of Martin's process, from initial joy through pandemic isolation to distribution challenges.
14. Creator Perspective Challenges (40:05-44:42) - The psychological challenge of spending thousands of hours with creative material and maintaining fresh eyes.
15. Strategic Optimism (45:23-49:06) - Balancing daily doubts with purposeful action and present-moment awareness.
16. Individual Action Steps (49:54-53:36) - Creating study groups, making economics a "popular sport," and questioning GDP growth alternatives.
17. Respecting All Life (55:04-57:13) - Martin's wish for universal respect for all living beings and recognition of our interdependence.

In this compelling episode, host Kane Jackson speaks with Nikki Tugano, founder of Seen Culture, who strategically navigated the venture capital landscape as a solo non-technical founder to secure funding for her tech startup. From her formative years in the Philippines to becoming a recognised force in the tech world, Nikki's journey demonstrates how unique perspectives and psychological insights can become powerful business advantages.

The conversation reveals how Nikki leveraged her background in psychology and commerce to understand human potential at scale, why self-awareness creates competitive advantages in business (particularly given that while 95% of people believe they possess it, only 10-15% actually do), and how her experiences of being underestimated motivated her to build a platform that captures hidden value in organisations. Through strategic decisions like reinvesting every dollar into her company, Nikki illustrates how entrepreneurs transform constraints into catalysts for innovation.

This insightful discussion examines the psychology behind funding decisions, the business case for recognising diverse contributions, and what becomes possible when systems are designed to unlock potential rather than perpetuate traditional patterns.

Nikki discusses how being raised by her grandmother and growing up as an only child cultivated her independence and internal locus of control - traits that became entrepreneurial assets.

How understanding attachment styles and psychological patterns equipped Nikki with exceptional self-awareness and relationship navigation skills essential for leadership.

Why psychological understanding provides more business value than traditional commerce education, given that business fundamentally operates through systematic people dynamics.

Analysis of Harvard Business Review findings showing the gap between perceived and actual self-awareness, and how this creates opportunities for conscious leaders in startup ecosystems.

Strategic analysis of how affinity bias, confidence perception, and gender dynamics influence funding decisions, including why women's demonstrated self-awareness doesn't always translate to funding success.

How Seen Culture quantifies overlooked contributions in organizations using data-driven approaches similar to sports analytics, creating measurable business value.

Nikki's approach to startup bootstrapping, including reinvesting every dollar into the business, utilizing accelerator resources, and maintaining singular focus on mission execution.

How encounters with bias provided valuable market research, revealing gaps in traditional business practices and validating the need for Seen Culture's solutions.

How early life experiences created a higher tolerance for uncertainty and challenge, providing advantages in the high-stress startup environment.

The multiplier effect of recognising hidden talent - how democratising recognition creates better problem-solving capacity across organisations and society.

Nikki's evolved perspective on building diverse teams, using sports team composition as a model for understanding how different strengths create competitive advantages.

Kate Kirgizova's observation of Nikki's commitment to her mission - reinvesting every resource while maintaining unwavering focus on creating systemic change through technology.