Welcome to episode #1005 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation).

Every major leap in human connection starts as a simple question: what if? For Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard, that question led to the invention of the cable modem and the birth of broadband internet access as we know it. Often called the “father of the cable modem,” Rouzbeh is a visionary engineer and entrepreneur whose work transformed how billions of people access information. His new book, The Accidental Network, traces the improbable journey from an idea nobody believed in (“why would anyone want the internet at home?”) to the global infrastructure that now powers our economy, culture and daily life. In this conversation, he reflects on the messy, human side of innovation: the skeptics who dismissed broadband, the long nights building hardware that few thought possible, and the radical choice to make his breakthrough technology open-standard so the world could share it. Rouzbeh speaks with humility about how chance, persistence and purpose collided to shape the digital age, and how broadband became not just a business revolution but a social one, connecting homes, hospitals, schools and communities. He also wrestles with the moral dimension of progress, calling for a balance between capitalism and conscience as we enter an era defined by AI, environmental strain and “data as the new oil.” From the early chaos of coaxial cables to the moral complexity of modern networks, Rouzbeh’s story is a reminder that technology’s true purpose isn’t speed or profit... it’s improving the quality of life for everyone it touches. Enjoy the conversation…

• Running time: 1:00:46.
• Hello from beautiful Montreal.
• Listen and subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.
• Listen and subscribe over at Spotify.
• Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Thinking With Mitch Joel.
• Feel free to connect to me directly on LinkedIn.
• Check out ThinkersOne.
• Here is my conversation with Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard.
• The Accidental Network.
• Follow Rouzbeh on LinkedIn.

Chapters:

(00:00) - The Accidental Network: Origins and Vision.
(06:00) - The Entrepreneurial Journey: Overcoming Naysayers.
(12:07) - From Business Applications to Consumer Connectivity.
(17:51) - The Open Standard Gamble: A Strategic Choice.
(23:45) - Navigating the Dot Com Boom and Bust.
(30:08) - The Rise of Broadband: Transforming the Cable Industry.
(30:35) - The Journey of an Entrepreneur.
(32:01) - Scaling and Selling the Company.
(33:27) - Contributions to the Cable Industry.
(36:11) - Philosophy of Innovation and Humanity.
(39:11) - Data as a New Resource.
(42:13) - Access as a Human Right.
(43:26) - The Last Mile Challenge.
(46:36) - Future of Connectivity.
(50:02) - Centralized vs. Decentralized Networks.
(54:07) - Environmental Considerations in Technology.
(56:15) - Reflections on a Successful Career.

Welcome to episode #1004 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation).

What does it really mean to lead with values when so much of modern business seems built on quarterly results and surface-level culture? Robert Glazer has spent his career proving that sustainable performance isn’t just about financial results. It’s about the alignment between who you are and what you stand for. As founder and chairman of Acceleration Partners (a marketing agency), Bob built a company repeatedly recognized as one of the best places to work. Beyond the accolades, he is an author of seven books, including Elevate, Elevate Your Team and his latest, The Compass Within: A Little Story About the Values That Guide Us. In this conversation, Bob explores the central role that core values play in authentic leadership, how formative experiences shape decision-making and why self-awareness is the foundation of both personal and organizational growth. He explains how parables and storytelling can make complex business ideas more memorable, why mentorship still matters in a polarized and tech-driven world and how the rise of AI is intersecting with deeply human questions about meaning, integrity and belief. Bob reminds us that values are not slogans for walls or websites but active forces that define culture, guide behavior and ultimately determine whether leaders and organizations thrive or falter. In an era where data can overwhelm judgment and polarization can fracture trust, his work pushes us to examine whether our actions reflect the values we claim to hold, and how to close that gap. Enjoy the conversation…

• Running time: 57:33.
• Hello from beautiful Montreal.
• Listen and subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.
• Listen and subscribe over at Spotify.
• Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Thinking With Mitch Joel.
• Feel free to connect to me directly on LinkedIn.
• Check out ThinkersOne.
• Here is my conversation with Robert Glazer.
• The Compass Within: A Little Story About the Values That Guide Us.
• Elevate.
• Elevate Your Team.
• Get Bob’s newsletter, Friday Forward.
• The Elevate Podcast.
• Follow Robert on Instagram.
• Follow Robert on LinkedIn.

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to Core Values and Leadership.
(03:00) - The Power of Parables in Business.
(06:01) - Understanding Personal Core Values.
(09:06) - The Intersection of Values and Leadership.
(11:50) - Authenticity and the Authentic Self.
(14:45) - Navigating Values in a Polarized World.
(18:00) - The Role of Values in Business Decisions.
(20:57) - The Challenge of Aligning Personal and Company Values.
(23:50) - Embracing Values in a Complex World.
(31:10) - Authenticity in Business Decisions.
(33:58) - The Cost of Upholding Values.
(35:23) - Core Values and Decision Making.
(39:24) - The Evolution of Relationships.
(41:31) - Character Development in Storytelling.
(44:04) - The Role of Mentorship.
(48:12) - AI as a Thought Partner.
(53:46) - Cognitive Dissonance and Values.

Welcome to episode #1003 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation).

When you look closely at leadership, it often seems like a conversation about others… how to motivate, how to manage, how to inspire. But what if the real work starts somewhere far more intimate… with yourself? Margaret Andrews, a distinguished educator, consultant and leadership expert, has spent years making the case that true leadership begins with self-awareness. It’s the quiet realization that the patterns of your past, your assumptions and your worldview don’t just shape who you are… they shape how you lead. Margaret’s career has taken her from executive roles at institutions like MIT and Harvard to the classroom, where her popular course Managing Yourself And Leading Others has drawn thousands of leaders seeking to better understand their own strengths and blind spots. This journey culminated in her new book, Manage Yourself To Lead Others - Why Great Leadership Begins With Self-Understanding, which distills years of teaching and research into practical frameworks for leaders who want to navigate complexity without losing sight of their humanity. In this conversation, Margaret pushes us to rethink the building blocks of effective leadership: feedback as a gift (even when it stings), authenticity as resilience and adaptability as a modern necessity in a world where AI and technology are rewriting the rules of management. We also explore how success is deeply personal (not a one-size-fits-all construct handed down by society) and something each leader must define for themselves. Margaret’s perspective resonates because it is both pragmatic and deeply human. She doesn’t shy away from the messy truth that leadership is often uncomfortable, but she also insists that discomfort is where growth lives. By weaving together scholarship, personal experience and insights from her work with executives around the globe, Margaret makes a compelling case for leadership as an ongoing journey of self-discovery. For anyone looking to evolve not just as a professional but as a whole person navigating a rapidly changing world, her work is a beacon. Enjoy the conversation...

• Running time: 1:03:08.
• Hello from beautiful Montreal.
• Listen and subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.
• Listen and subscribe over at Spotify.
• Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Thinking With Mitch Joel.
• Feel free to connect to me directly on LinkedIn.
• Check out ThinkersOne.
• Here is my conversation with Margaret Andrews,.
• Manage Yourself To Lead Others - Why Great Leadership Begins With Self-Understanding.
• Her course: Managing Yourself And Leading Others.
• Follow Margaret on LinkedIn.

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to Leadership and Self-Management.
(05:55) - The Role of Feedback in Leadership.
(12:01) - The Impact of AI on Interpersonal Communication.
(17:55) - The Challenges of Self-Selection in Careers.
(23:54) - The Evolution of Job Tenure and Leadership Dynamics.
(32:35) - Navigating Leadership Challenges in a Public World.
(39:51) - Understanding Leadership Styles and Personal Evolution.
(45:26) - The Changing Perception of Leadership in Society.
(53:13) - Balancing Fast-Moving Environments with Reflective Practices.
(01:02:23) - Parenting Lessons Applied to Leadership.

Welcome to episode #1002 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation).

What if code isn’t just software, but the culture script of our age shaping what we notice, how we decide and who holds power? That’s the provocation at the heart of Sam Arbesman’s new book, The Magic Of Code - How Digital Language Created And Connects Our World - And Shapes Our Future, which he uses to reveal how programming moves from the screen into the fabric of everyday life. Sam is Scientist in Residence at Lux Capital and a visiting scholar at Harvard. He connects emerging technologies with human systems and helps founders, leaders and the rest of us make sense of complexity. He is also the author of two other influential books (The Half-Life of Facts and Overcomplicated). In this episode, we get a plain-English tour of why coding now functions as cultural literacy, why “vibe coding” and natural-language tools lower barriers without removing responsibility, and how to think clearly about the trade-offs when AI accelerates creation but also amplifies hidden assumptions. Sam breaks down how to treat algorithms less like oracles and more like instruments, demystifying engagement mechanics on social platforms, highlighting the shrinking shelf life of facts and offering ways to keep agency when tools get smarter and more opaque. These are practical frames for navigating complex systems (and their failure modes), along with a humane case for humility in product and policy and a reminder that the goal isn’t more tech for its own sake, but better versions of ourselves using it. If you care about where code, culture and creativity meet… and how to keep your bearings as the ground shifts… this one delivers both the big picture and next steps for smarter, more intentional use of the tools we’re all inheriting. Enjoy the conversation...

• Running time: 56:47.
• Hello from beautiful Montreal.
• Listen and subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.
• Listen and subscribe over at Spotify.
• Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Thinking With Mitch Joel.
• Feel free to connect to me directly on LinkedIn.
• Check out ThinkersOne.
• Here is my conversation with Sam Arbesman.
• The Magic Of Code - How Digital Language Created And Connects Our World - And Shapes Our Future.
• The Half-Life of Facts.
• Overcomplicated.
• Lux Capital.
• Sign up for Sam’s newsletter.
• Follow Sam on LinkedIn.

Chapters:

(00:00) - Exploring the Role of a Scientist in Residence.
(03:08) - The Evolution of Knowledge and Information.
(05:50) - The Importance of Coding in Modern Society.
(08:54) - Demystifying Coding and Access to Technology.
(12:11) - Cultural Shifts in Technology Perception.
(15:08) - Understanding the Complexity of Code.
(17:58) - Code as the Grammar of Modern Civilization.
(20:48) - The Impact of Code on Society.
(24:08) - The Future of AI and Coding.
(32:58) - The Evolution of Programming.
(36:14) - Vibe Coding: The Future of Software Development.
(39:44) - Democratizing Software: Customization for Everyone.
(43:09) - The Complexity of Technology and Trust.
(48:28) - Understanding Complex Systems.
(51:58) - Human Limitations in Technology.
(54:09) - The Role of Technology in Shaping Humanity.

Welcome to episode #1001 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation).

Toby Stuart is a Distinguished Professor of Business Administration at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, where he directs the Berkeley-Haas Entrepreneurship Program and the Institute for Business Innovation. Over his career, he has also taught at Harvard, Columbia, Chicago Booth and MIT Sloan, and he is recognized globally as one of the leading thinkers on entrepreneurship, networks and organizational strategy. Beyond academia, Toby sits on the boards of multiple technology companies, cofounded the Black Venture Institute, and serves as the founding Chairman of Workday’s AI Advisory Board. His latest book, Anointed - The Extraordinary Effects Of Social Status In A Winner-Take-Most World, examines the invisible hierarchies that govern so much of human life and why small advantages so often compound into massive outcomes. From why blurbs on books sway readers, to how neighborhoods or technologies become “the next big thing,” to the inequalities embedded in who gets credit for innovation, Anointed reveals how status shapes trust, opportunity and even our sense of self (I loved this book). Toby argues that status is both necessary - helping us navigate infinite choices in the modern world - and corrosive, creating inequality that is often disconnected from true merit. In our discussion, Toby unpacks the mechanics of anointment, the ways status rubs off through association and how technology, especially AI, might both entrench and disrupt these hierarchies. The conversation explores the paradox of meritocracy, the illusions of self-anointment in today’s digital culture and the future of work as AI accelerates change. If you’ve ever wondered why some ideas, people, or companies get chosen while others languish (or even how you go to where you are), this conversation will challenge you to see the hidden operating system behind everyday decisions. Enjoy the conversation...

• Running time: 55:24.
• Hello from beautiful Montreal.
• Listen and subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.
• Listen and subscribe over at Spotify.
• Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Thinking With Mitch Joel.
• Feel free to connect to me directly on LinkedIn.
• Check out ThinkersOne.
• Here is my conversation with Toby Stuart.
• Anointed - The Extraordinary Effects Of Social Status In A Winner-Take-Most World.
• Haas School of Business.
• Follow Toby on LinkedIn.

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to Toby Stuart.
(01:50) - Understanding Anointed and Social Status.
(04:40) - The Necessity and Corrosiveness of Status.
(08:54) - Blurbs, Status, and the Publishing Industry.
(12:40) - The Role of Association in Anointment.
(15:29) - Breaking into New Fields and Status Transfer.
(19:44) - Meritocracy and the Role of AI.
(27:12) - AI's Impact on Status and Society.
(31:38) - The Impact of AI on Status and Credentials.
(34:46) - Evaluating Human Contribution in the Age of AI.
(39:17) - The Future of AI Regulation and Power Dynamics.
(45:29) - Self-Anointed Status in a Digital World.
(51:25) - Reflections on Status and Personal Growth.

Welcome to episode #1000 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast.

Patrick Tanguay is a self-described generalist, synthesist and curator whose lifelong curiosity and love of reading have led him across multiple careers, and now shape one of the most thoughtful newsletters in the futures-thinking space. As the creator of Sentiers, a weekly “futures thinking observatory” (and one of my most favorite reads), Patrick spotlights signals of change across technology, society, and culture. He helps readers trace emergent paths instead of prescribing them. Alongside his writing, he designed and launched Station C, one of the first co-working spaces, co-founded the print magazine, The Alpine Review, and seeded communities like Creative Mornings and some of the earlier community get-togethers for the digital enthusiasts. For episode #1000, Patrick guides us through how he curates global currents of change, explores how platform design, sense-making systems and personal knowledge management influence our capacity to understand the future, and why the skills of generalists matter now more than ever. He walks us through why Sentiers became such a respected newsletter and how its architecture reinforces and expands his handwritten trail of ideas. Across the show we consider how to build a personal “observatory,” not just follow feed algorithms, how to connect seemingly disparate signals from AI to city futures, and why being able to notice what’s happening before everyone else is becoming more crucial... and more rare. This is an episode for curious minds, digital gardeners and anyone searching for clarity amid chaos. I hope that you will also take a couple of moments to listen to my opening monologue about my reflections on the past 1000 episodes (nearly 20 years), and what the future will hold for this show starting next week. Enjoy the conversation…

• Running time: 1:28:08.
• Hello from beautiful Montreal.
• Listen and subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.
• Listen and subscribe over at Spotify.
• Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Six Pixels of Separation.
• Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.
• Check out ThinkersOne.
• or you can connect on LinkedIn.
• ...or on X.
• Here is my conversation with Patrick Tanguay.
• Sentiers.
• The Alpine Review.
• Follow Patrick on LinkedIn.

Chapters:

(00:00) - The Evolution of Six Pixels of Separation.
(04:14) - Introducing Patrick Tanguay.
(05:31) - The Art of Thinking and Curating.
(20:56) - Foresight and Future Thinking.
(29:54) - Navigating the World of AI.
(41:41) - The Role of Reading in Deep Thinking.
(01:00:08) - The Future of Knowledge Work.
(01:10:04) - The Intersection of AI and Human Purpose.

Welcome to episode #998 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast.

Annie Wilson is a marketing professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and co-author, with Ryan Hamilton, of The Growth Dilemma - Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things. Her work examines the deep interplay between consumer behavior, culture and brand identity, helping leaders understand why growth often creates as many risks as it does opportunities. In The Growth Dilemma, Annie unpacks how efforts to reach new customer segments can clash with the values of loyal buyers, sometimes threatening the very meaning of a brand. Drawing from real-world examples (from Apple’s software missteps to Gucci’s unintended association with reality TV fame) she reveals how scarcity, exclusivity and cultural perception shape brand power in ways most executives overlook. Beyond brand strategy, Annie’s research and teaching explore the ways marketing has evolved as a discipline, especially in an era of AI, fragmented media and globalization. She highlights how authenticity, community and cultural nuance are becoming non-negotiable for sustainable success, and why short-termism remains one of the most dangerous traps for modern marketers. For those navigating the intersection of consumer connection and cultural influence, Annie offers a critical lens on how to balance growth with integrity, how to adapt without betraying your core identity and how to see branding not just as a commercial practice, but as a cultural one. This conversation is essential listening for anyone grappling with the future of marketing in an age of shifting consumer expectations, technological disruption and global homogenization. Enjoy the conversation...

• Running time: 1:01:53.
• Hello from beautiful Montreal.
• Listen and subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.
• Listen and subscribe over at Spotify.
• Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Six Pixels of Separation.
• Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.
• Check out ThinkersOne.
• or you can connect on LinkedIn.
• ...or on X.
• Here is my conversation with Annie Wilson.
• The Growth Dilemma - Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things.
• Follow Annie on LinkedIn.

Chapters:

(00:00) - The Changing Landscape of Marketing.
(02:56) - AI's Role in Marketing Education.
(05:49) - The Evolving Perception of Marketing as a Career.
(09:13) - Advertising in a Fragmented Media World.
(12:07) - Branding in a Personalized Market.
(14:59) - The Growth Dilemma: Balancing Consumerism and Sustainability.
(33:01) - Cultural Influence Over Brand Identity.
(35:53) - The Balance of Growth and Authenticity.
(39:01) - The Evolution of Consumer Connection.
(41:47) - Navigating Brand Growth and Consumer Expectations.
(47:07) - Short-Termism in Marketing Strategies.
(51:58) - Scarcity and Exclusivity in Brand Strategy.
(55:52) - Consumer Perception and Brand Influence.