We're living in a moment that rewards speed and scale above almost everything else. And while many argue that AI is finally freeing creatives up to do more of what they love, the pressure to produce more, faster, hasn't gone anywhere. Which is why, as we explore in today's conversation, one of the most radical things we can do with these tools isn't to move faster, but to go deeper.

Joining me is Branko Lukic, a cognitive architect, designer, and innovator. Born and raised in Belgrade in the former Yugoslavia, Branko's career took him from some of the world's leading design firms, including frog design and ideo, to founding his own award-winning studio, nonobject, which was later acquired by Logitech. Today, Branko is the Vice President of AI Design and Innovation at VF Corporation.

Branko was also the speaker at CreativeMornings San Francisco in December 2025, where he explored the theme of INNOVATION and introduced the concept of Perfect Flaws: the idea that our imperfections and idiosyncrasies aren't limitations, but the very thing that makes human creativity irreplaceable.

In this conversation, we talk about the first time Branko used AI (an experience that moved him to tears), how decades of meditation and mindfulness have shaped his creative practice, and why our unique imperfections are our most valuable assets.

In a world that can so often feel heavy, choosing joy day in and day out can actually be a pretty radical act. So what does it take to build a life and a community around joy?

Joining me in this episode is Stephanie Cowan, a friendship facilitator, community advocate, speaker, and social artist based in San Francisco, who is one of the most joy-centered people I know. Through her connection design studio, Mission Serendipity, and her gathering series, The Drop In, Stephanie has spent years fine-tuning a formula for large-scale human connection, and our conversation explores everything it's taken for her to get here.

Stephanie also spoke at CreativeMornings San Francisco in January, where she explored Coorsoo — a Farsi word meaning "faint glimmer of hope" — and coined the term glimmer maxing: the practice of infusing joy, whimsy, and positivity into your everyday life.

Please note: this episode discusses topics related to eating disorders and body image.

When I first discovered Submit Your Ick on Instagram, I was instantly hooked. Each episode is equal parts cringe, comedic, and relatable.

The Ick is a weekly anthology series that takes real, crowd-sourced dating stories and turns them into scripted mini-films. Each one captures that very specific, very human moment when "this could be something" becomes"I'd rather be anywhere else." It's the internet's most unromantic romantic comedy, and in under a year, it's grown to 15 million monthly viewers and 580,000+ followers, making it the fastest-growing scripted social show ever.

Ari Cagan and John Connor Hammond are the co-founders of American Picture Company, a New York-based studio making television for your phone. They're the creators of award-winning films and viral series, including Keep the Meter Running and Boy Room, and The Ick is their first original series.

In this conversation, we get into The Ick’s origin story, what it actually takes to start up and run a production studio, and why they believe the future of storytelling lies outside the traditional film and TV distribution pipeline.

I sat down with Ari and John earlier this year during a trip to New York, and I left genuinely energized. They have such a sharp read on where storytelling, internet culture, and community-building are all heading, and this episode gets into all of it.

Oh, and I also share a little personal news in this episode. (I’m moving to NYC this summer—GAH!!!) Super stoked, a little nervy, and looking to connect with listeners based there. Hmu!