The Impossible Network cover art

The Impossible Network

The Impossible Network

Written by: Fabrica Collective
Listen for free

About this listen

The weekly podcast tells the stories of curious-minded, purposeful people, creating positive change for social good.

Our guests include creative problem-solvers, storytellers, activists and artists, social impact entrepreneurs, and philanthropists from across the arts, business, science, and technology, working to solve some of our more pressing problems.


Each week, host Mark Fallows explores who his guests are as humans, who or what made them, what they are working to achieve or impact in the world, and where serendipity has impacted their journey.


Learn, gain insights, and be inspired by how a diverse range of people have broken through obstacles, fearlessly exceeded the boundaries society sets, and taken chances, regardless of risk, that most fear, in pursuit of their ‘impossible’.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fabrica Collective
Careers Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Success Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Embracing Uncertainty: A Conversation with Futurist Tamar Kasriel
    Jan 7 2026

    Tamar Kasriel is a futurist and author of Could: The Smart Thinking Handbook for When Nothing Is Certain.

    In this conversation, Tamar traces her unconventional path, from studying history at Oxford to teaching English in rural Japan to advising some of the world's biggest brands on what's coming next. Along the way, she explains why the skills she learned studying historiography (the study of how history is written) are surprisingly useful in an age of disinformation, and why the goal of futures work isn't prediction. It's readiness.

    We explore why multiple truths can coexist, why pessimism has no predictive advantage, and why agency, not certainty, is what leaders actually need right now.

    This is Part One of two conversations. In Part Two, we'll dive deeper into the ideas in Tamar's book.

    Timecodes

    00:00 Introduction

    02:00 From Oxford to Japan: An unplanned path

    08:00 Why multiple truths can coexist

    13:00 Retail as "the sharp end of consumption"

    21:00 Selfridges: From icon to cautionary tale

    28:00 "It's not about being right, it's about being ready"

    37:00 How scenario planning saved supermarkets in COVID

    44:00 Herman Kahn and the origins of scenario planning

    47:00 Why the book is called "Could"

    50:00 "Pessimism has no predictive advantage"

    55:00 Agency comes with accountability

    Socials

    Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamarkasriel/

    Website https://www.tamarkasriel.com/

    Links

    Could: The Smart Thinking Handbook for When Nothing Is Certain.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • Economic Inequality & The Stories That Silence It
    Apr 25 2025

    I hope this is a thought-provoking episode. In it I explore why economic inequality persists despite overwhelming evidence of its damaging effects. I reference economist Gary Stevenson's stark assessment of wealth concentration and connect it with Jon Alexander's work on the narratives that shape our society. The episode delves into how our collective stories; from being "subjects" to being "consumers" have blinded us to systemic issues and blocked meaningful change. I share Jon's work on the emerging "Citizen Story" as an alternative framework that could transform how we address inequality through collaboration, agency, and shared responsibility. This episode may challenges you to reconsider the stories you live by and their power to reshape your economic future.

    TIMESTAMPS


    00:00 Introduction and Topic Overview

    00:52 The Problem of Economic Inequality

    00:55 Gary Stevenson's Insights

    02:15 The Consumer Story

    05:11 The Citizen Story

    06:04 Practical Steps Towards Change

    08:55 Conclusion and Call to Action


    SOCIALS

    https://instagram.com/markfallows

    https://linkedin.com/in/markfallows


    LINKS

    Citizens Jon Alexander

    Gary Stevenson The Trading Game

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    10 mins
  • Building a New Game for Capitalism - A Conversation with Chad Grills
    Apr 10 2025

    Today, I'm joined by Chad Grills, an entrepreneur, veteran, and visionary who's on a mission to reimagine how capital flows to startups.

    In our conversation, Chad shares his fascinating journey from small-town Maryland to military service in Iraq and Egypt, to becoming a writer and entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. Now based in Texas, Chad is the founder of National Capital League, a startup developing a game designed to help people make or raise money in alignment with their values.

    As a father of five, Chad offers thought-provoking perspectives on education, raising children in today's digital world, and the importance of outdoor play. We discuss the challenges facing young men in society, the shifting economic landscape, and how courage might be our most needed and contagious virtue.

    As usual I ask the three fundamental questions at the heart of The Impossible Network: Who are you as a human being? What made you the human you are? And what are you working to achieve?

    This is a conversation about faith, entrepreneurship, and creating a future where capital flows to those embodying virtue. Let's dive in with Chad Grills.

    Time stamps


    00:00 Introduction to Chad Grills

    01:39 Chad's Early Life and Values

    08:01 Parenting and Education in the Digital Age

    10:45 The Impact of AI on Society

    13:07 Chad's Professional Journey

    21:01 Challenges Facing Young Men

    23:45 Geopolitical and Economic Observations

    30:03 Transitioning from Silicon Valley to New Beginnings

    30:25 Introducing National Capital League

    31:09 The Concept of Private Markets

    32:55 Building a Game for Entrepreneurs

    35:16 Challenges in Entrepreneurship

    38:30 Virtue and Capital Flow

    45:27 Guiding the Next Generation

    47:57 Inspirations and Legacy

    51:29 Documentaries and UAPs

    54:56 Final Thoughts and Next Interview



    Social Links

    Linkedin


    Links In The Show

    Age of Disclosure

    The Fourth Turning

    Only The paranoid Survive

    The Man Who Solved the Market


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    57 mins
No reviews yet