Best Aarron Podcasts (2026)

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Grammy Nominated Artist: Taking Control of the Gaming Industry 1:24:38

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1h ago1:24:38

1:24:38

This episode is electric!!! What a way to start the year!!! This week, I sit with Jaye Watts, also known as LettaJ…Grammy nominated recording artist. Songwriter. Gamer. Founder of Coexist Gaming. Jaye didn’t wait for permission. She didn’t fit herself into existing systems. This EXCELLENT woman built worlds where media, entertainment and technology…

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Mark Wilson: Fast Company's Global Design Editor on design's defining moments in 2025 42:23

13h ago42:23

42:23

As 2025 draws to a close, it’s time to pause and take stock of what’s been a transformational year in design. From Figma’s landmark IPO to the rise of AI across every category of product, to major brand evolutions at Nike, Netflix, and The New York Times—this year has been defined by what our guest today calls “mass acceleration.” Visit our Substac…

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Video Rewind: Cassie McDaniel: How Medium eliminated its PM function and started moving faster 27:00

8d ago27:00

27:00

We’re taking a holiday break, so we’re rewinding to one of our favorite episodes this year with Cassie McDaniel, Medium’s head of design. We’re also including video from the episode, which you can watch here or on our YouTube channel at dbtr.co/youtube. We hope you have a lovely holiday season with your family, friends, and loved ones. —Eli & Aarro…

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Aaron Draplin: Field Notes co-founder on what skate culture taught him about design 27:14

15d ago27:14

27:14

A larger than life figure in the creative world, Aaron Draplin has been designing everything from logos to posters since 1995. Few designers are as prolific as Aaron. He’s the founder of Draplin Design Co. (DDC). Priding himself on craftsmanship and quality, the DDC has made stuff for Field Notes, Esquire, Nike, Red Wing, Burton Snowboards, Ford, a…

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What She Survived Will Shock You. What She Became Will Move You. 1:53:46

17d ago1:53:46

1:53:46

Jazzlyn’s life began in the shadows of harm. She was a child who learned cruelty before she ever learned safety. She endured sexual abuse, physical violence, and psychological terror. She was treated like something to be used rather than someone to be loved. She was passed from person to person, stripped of choice, then held hostage with a gun pres…

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Embracing Authenticity and Creativity with Marc Thiele 1:13:58

18d ago1:13:58

1:13:58

Marc Thiele is the organizer of the Fantastic Beyond Tellerrand Conference that happens every year in Germany. I just got back from his event in Berlin, and I really feel like Beyond Tellerrand should be on every creative person's bucket list. The show is exceptional and balances practical knowledge with diverse creative inspiration. The curation, …

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Jessica Hische and Chris Shiflett: Designing business tools that support how creatives actually work 1:08:48

23d ago1:08:48

1:08:48

Jessica Hische and Chris Shiflett first crossed paths at Studiomates, a Brooklyn based co-working space where some of New York’s most talented designers built businesses and influential organizations. Visit our Substack for bonus content and more: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/jessica-hische-and-chris-shiflett Jessica, known for her lettering a…

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2025 Holiday Gift Guide 44:41

21d ago44:41

44:41

It’s that time of year again—our favorite episode to put together. A moment to look back at the objects, experiences, and ideas that sparked creativity for us this year. From books that moved us to tools that surprised us to experiences we can’t stop recommending, we’ve gathered a set of gift ideas for the designers, makers, and curious people in y…

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Aarron Lambo: Controversy in Human Form 2:10:46

1M ago2:10:46

2:10:46

Aarron Lambo is controversy in human form. And in his own words…he’s “a problem.” He provokes the system and divides the public. There are those who admire him and there are those that love to hate him. As his therapist for many years, I see a version of him that the public never gets to witness. Now he is sitting across from me on The New Mind. He…

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Working Towards Balance with Designer Cameron Moll 1:26:35

1M ago1:26:35

1:26:35

I talk with Cameron Moll, a veteran web designer, leader, consultant, maker, and family man. Our wide-ranging conversation covers longevity in a fast-moving industry, diverse management and design styles, the power of authenticity, the importance of diversity, how Cameron's faith informs his values, and the significance of cultivating hobbies. Join…

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Phil Gilbert: Making a 114-year-old, 400,000 person company care about design 44:09

1M ago44:09

44:09

Changing the culture of a 400,000-person company isn’t just hard—it’s the kind of transformation most leaders wouldn’t even attempt. But when Phil Gilbert joined IBM as General Manager of Design in 2010, that’s exactly what he set out to do. And remarkably, he had a lot of success. Visit our Substack for bonus content and more: https://designbetter…

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Cecilia Brenner: Moving beyond design theater to measurable impact 22:53

1M ago22:53

22:53

We’ve talked to many design leaders who have burned out after a decade or more of corporate work. But after 17 years at Philips designing health innovations, Cecilia Brenner wasn’t burnt out…she loved it. And she wanted to find a way to scale her sense of purpose, so she joined Design for Good as Managing Director, and found a way to work with hund…

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Video Rewind: Jordan Mechner: Pioneering game designer on creating Prince of Persia, Karateka, and a new graphic novel memoir 24:57

2M ago24:57

24:57

This is a preview of a premium episode. You can find a video version of the full episode on our YouTube channel: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dvoGPZEY1g⁠ We’ve been on the road this week, recording some in-person episodes in Portland Oregon, with Ryan Coulter—co-founder of The James Brand, and the wonderfully hilarious graphic designer Aaron D…

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Crafting Joyful Experiences Through Music with Seth Casana 1:22:42

2M ago1:22:42

1:22:42

I talk with Seth Casana, an entertainment consultant at BigWig Productions, DJ, and musician based in Fredericksburg, VA. At first glance, Seth appears unassuming, but his stage presence is unforgettable. He's known for his soulful funk performances in unique costumes, including a moped helmet with bowling trophies and samurai armor made from compu…

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The Truth about Trafficking in the Adult Industry 3:02:26

2M ago3:02:26

3:02:26

This is one of the most powerful and confronting conversations ever shared on The New Mind. Samantha Browne was trafficked into the adult industry at sixteen. Her childhood was stolen and her trauma was normalised by a world that hides exploitation behind glamour. In this episode she speaks with clarity, courage and compassion about what really hap…

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Ben Swire: Author of "Safe Danger" on the hidden reason team building efforts fail 50:20

2M ago50:20

50:20

As educators, we’ve grown wary of the term “safe spaces,” especially when what many students really need is a space to engage with “dangerous” ideas. But true dialogue doesn’t begin with risk—it starts with trust. Our guest today, Ben Swire, wrote the book Safe Danger, which offers a thoughtful, practical approach to building the psychological safe…

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Conceived in Violence. Creating a Legacy 1:10:41

2M ago1:10:41

1:10:41

Today I welcome Dr Celeste Aouilk-Jaiyeola. Her life did not begin in comfort or safety… She was born from rape. Her very existence began in violence…Yet she became a woman defined by purpose, confidence, and brilliance. She turned pain into progress and trauma into truth. From the start, life was not easy. Growing up surrounded by domestic violenc…

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Jeremy Faludi: Sustainability professor on why most sustainable design fails before it starts 21:48

2M ago21:48

21:48

Design is a problem solving discipline. We research user needs, explore solutions, make things, and ship them. But one important stakeholder is often missing from the conversation: the world we live in. What toll do the products we design impose upon the environment? Sustainability is an essential part of the discipline of design, but not understoo…

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The Power of Exuberance with Rebecca Garza-Bortman 1:12:58

2M ago1:12:58

1:12:58

Brad Frost sits down with the enthusiastic and ultra-talented Rebecca Garza Bortman. As a story designer, Rebecca is known for her contributions like the iconic red YouTube play button and her current role at the Chan Zuckerberg Institute. The conversation covers a broad range of topics, from the importance of family and the influence of music on i…

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Alison Rand: Leading with radical humanity instead of radical candor 46:37

2M ago46:37

46:37

We’ve worked alongside people for years, only to realize that we know nothing about their personal life. And it probably affected our working relationship. Knowing your colleagues as humans reframes inevitable challenges at work. Had we known our colleagues better, would we have worked through disagreements better or found new ways to collaborate? …

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The Brief: How our recent past should prepare us for the age of AI 14:47

2M ago14:47

14:47

In this issue of The Brief, we’re reflecting on what we learned about the past and future of design from our conversation with Paola Antonelli (The Museum of Modern Art), Mark Wilson (Fast Company), Kate Aronowitz (GV), Mike Davidson (Microsoft), and Meaghan Choi (Anthropic). Looking back at 30 years of design by Eli Woolery Roughly thirty years ag…

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My Cell Neighbour was Ian Huntley: The Lost Boy who Faced his Demons 2:21:08

3M ago2:21:08

2:21:08

Justin Rollins, author of The Lost Boyz, joins me on The New Mind Podcast to reveal the shocking truth of his life and what led to ending up in prison, where his cell neighbour was child killer Ian Huntley. In this raw and unforgettable conversation, Justin opens up about his descent into violence, addiction, and madness, and how he found redemptio…

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Fitz and the Tantrums: Finding your creative voice in your 40's and why success feels different than you think 29:20

3M ago29:20

29:20

This is a preview of a premium Design Better episode. Visit our Substack to hear the whole interview, for bonus content, and more: ⁠https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/fitz-and-the-tantrums With the 150th official episode of Design Better, we’ve got something special for you. For many of us, if we haven’t had creative success by our 40’s, we feel lik…

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Bonus Episode: 30 years of design with Wert&Co, live in NYC featuring Paola Antonelli, Mark Wilson,Kate Aronowitz, Mike Davidson, and Meaghan Choi 1:12:14

3M ago1:12:14

1:12:14

Visit our Substack for bonus content and more:https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/bonus-episode-30-years-of-design Today we celebrate 30 years of Wert&Co.—the quiet champions of design who have shaped our field by placing the brightest designers in roles of influence at brands that impact culture, commerce, and community. Design Better is brought to …

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Finding Balance in Design, Creativity and Life with Aaron Draplin 1:45:12

3M ago1:45:12

1:45:12

Brad Frost sits down with legendary graphic designer Aaron Draplin to discuss his distinctive thick line style and extensive portfolio, ranging from logos to the iconic Field Notes brand. The conversation takes a deep dive into the complexities of work, hustle, and burnout, along with the struggle to overcome a scarcity mindset despite achieving fi…

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Honour Killing Survivor: My Own Family Believed I Deserved to Die 1:29:07

3M ago1:29:07

1:29:07

In this truly inspiring, but raw and transformative episode of The New Mind Podcast, I sit down with Nina Aouilk to uncover how we can rewire the mind after deep trauma and reclaim our true power. Nina shares her harrowing story of surviving the most horrendous abuse and an attempted honour based killing…and how she transformed her pain into purpos…

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Rewind: Paola Antonelli: How design shapes culture 59:17

3M ago59:17

59:17

Visit our Substack for bonus content and more: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/rewind-paola-antonelli Design Better has been on the road recently, recording a live episode in Manhattan for design search firm Wert & Co’s 30th anniversary. Guests for the episode included Paola Antonelli (senior curator in the Department of Architecture and Design a…

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Keith Sawyer: Become more creative by learning to see 28:14

3M ago28:14

28:14

This is a preview of a premium episode on Design Better. To listen to the whole episode, head to our Substack: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/keith-sawyer The key to creativity isn’t about having brilliant ideas in isolation, but about cultivating our ability to observe the world around us, and make the intuitive leaps that connect disparate ide…

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Jae Park: Designing a new generation of vehicles at Ford, and why friction matters in the creative process 47:11

3M ago47:11

47:11

Visit our Substack for bonus content and more: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/jae-park As designers and creatives, many of us spent years of our career looking at blank canvases and attempting to find the best place to start solving the problems in front of us. Now that AI can churn out designs and imagery, not to mention writing, video, and eve…

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P*RN STAR REVEALS What Men Are Too Ashamed to Admit 1:49:15

4M ago1:49:15

1:49:15

This is a conversation many will judge before they listen. Stirling Cooper’s name is familiar to some for his time in the p0rn industry. However, he is now an author. A speaker. A coach. He understands strategy. Biology. Male psychology. Some may approach Stirling’s journey with scepticism…and rightly so. This is a space historically saturated with…

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Astro Teller & Ivo Stivoric: Why moonshots require unlearning everything you know 27:27

4M ago27:27

27:27

This is a preview of a premium episode. To hear the full episode, head to our Substack: ⁠https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/astro-teller-and-ivo-stivoric-why⁠ When a company talks about taking a “moonshot,” it often ends up being something trivial: a new emoji keyboard, or delivering a pizza in less than 30 minutes. But at X, the Moonshot Factory, w…

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From Bodyguard to Boxing Coach... Saving Young Lives from the Streets 1:29:25

4M ago1:29:25

1:29:25

One bad decision can change everything. In this powerful episode of The New Mind Podcast, close protection officer and youth boxing coach Marc Smith reveals the brutal truth about knife crime, and how discipline, respect, and the boxing ring can save lives before it is too late. Marc has seen the devastation of violence first-hand. Now, he is on a …