Think Forward: Conversations with Futurists, Innovators and Big Thinkers

• Think Forward EP 140: Afro Rhythms, Storytelling and Breaking Through with Ahmed Best

  What if the people best equipped to shape tomorrow aren’t engineers first—but emotional athletes? Our guest, Ahmed Best—actor, educator, Afrofuturist, and the pioneering performer behind Jar Jar Binks—shows how art can lead technology, not chase it. From South Bronx summers where hip‑hop was born to conversations with George Lucas at Lucasfilm, Ahmed traces a life lived at the edge of invention and explains why trusting artists to drive the tools changed cinema—and could change the future.We dive into dramatic narrative design, the class he created to teach future‑fluent storytelling that centers collaboration over hierarchy. Ahmed breaks down how performance capture emerged by following the actor, how the “used future” aesthetic reframed sci‑fi, and why the fundamentals of drama never age even as mediums flip from film stock to digital sensors and now to AI. He sees today’s AI as a creative accelerator that removes costly bottlenecks so humans can spend more time on what matters: feeling, choosing, and crafting meaning.Then we open up Afrofuturism through Afrohythms, the worldbuilding game he co‑created with Dr. Lonny Brooks. Using tension cards—“Black superheroes,” “James Baldwin,” and more—players define shared values, build planets, and practice radical imagination without the fear that keeps teams stuck. Ahmed challenges the industry’s obsession with “safe futures,” argues for protopia—incremental betterment we can actually feel—and points us toward the coming “bionexus,” where synthetic biology reshapes identity and possibility.If you care about culture, technology, and where they meet, this conversation is a map and a spark. Subscribe to Think Forward, share this episode with a friend who loves bold ideas, and leave a review to tell us the protopian story you want to help build.Order your copy of SuperShifts: www.bit.ly/supershiftsPodMatchPodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For InterviewsOrder your copy of SuperShifts: www.bit.ly/supershifts ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

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• Think Forward EP 139: Crafting Story Worlds with Peter Von Stackelburg

  We talk with Peter von Stackelberg about humility in consulting, why timeframes matter, and how narrative foresight turns data into action. We trace his path from journalism to futures, explore exploratory forecasts, and unpack story worlds, transmedia, and cycles.• building trust through listening and humility• why clear timeframes beat vague “someday” futures• exploratory forecasts with indicators and course corrections• using story to turn data into lived context• transmedia and story universes for sustained engagement• the layered timeline of trends, STEEP, and K-waves• what tracked in war, religion, and social change• a global platform for co-creating future stories• where to access Peter’s research and timelinesFor you to like and subscribe if you're watching this on YouTube, or to subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast playerOrder your copy of SuperShifts: www.bit.ly/supershifts ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

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• Think Forward EP 138 - Building Future Thinkers with Peter Hayward

  Peter Hayward shares his journey from a problem-solving tax professional to becoming one of the most influential futures educators, training hundreds of futurists and co-creating the renowned FuturePod podcast series.• Finding foresight in mid-career after experiencing existential questioning about purpose• Joining Richard Slaughter's first Master of Foresight class before eventually succeeding him• Understanding foresight as developmental - evolving as human consciousness evolves• Discovering that people seek futures thinking when they can't yet articulate what they want to become• Recognizing that organizations don't have futures - only people have futures• Building organizational foresight by aligning personal purpose with organizational purpose• Creating a "dance" between delivering immediate value and creating space for longer-term thinking• Using AI as a tool while maintaining human responsibility for context and moral judgment• Working with frontline employees who bring sophisticated real-world thinking to futures work• Grounding all futures work in a clear moral foundation, as Wendell Bell advocatedReach out if you're interested in being featured on FuturePod - Peter welcomes hearing from people who believe they have something valuable to contribute to futures conversations.FuturePod: www.futurepod.comOrder your copy of SuperShifts: www.bit.ly/supershifts ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

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• Think Forward EP 137: Mapping Tomorrows Terrain with Derek Woodgate

  What if the key to understanding tomorrow lies not in boardroom predictions but in the rhythms of a DJ's turntable? Derek Woodgate, with his 30+ years as an experimental futurist, takes us on a fascinating journey through his unique approach to futures thinking that blends underground arts with rigorous analysis.Derek reveals how his background in music management (working with bands like Swans and Sonic Youth) and his immersion in early digital communities shaped his distinctive methodology. "Think like a DJ," he explains, involves deconstructing concepts completely before rebuilding them into something revolutionary. This process requires skills beyond traditional analysis – demanding intuition, comfort with paradox, and the ability to see connections where others don't. • Bringing music, art, and cultural experiences into futures work through "think like a DJ" methodology• Breaking concepts down to their elements and reconstructing them with fresh perspectives• Finding "colors that are missing" and identifying rhythms between the beats when analyzing trends• Leveraging intuition and creativity alongside analytical skills for deeper futures insights• Balancing professional futurism work with real-world immersion in emerging cultural movements• Developing new educational approaches that break down silos for complex problem-solving• Working with AI as a collaborative tool while preserving uniquely human foresight abilities• Understanding "rebel laboratories" and underground innovation that signals future directions• Living the future rather than just studying it to better anticipate coming challengesIf you'd like to connect with Derek, you can reach him at [email protected] where he welcomes conversations about futures thinking.Order your copy of SuperShifts: www.bit.ly/supershifts ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

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• Think Forward EP 136 - Wandering the Future with Cecile Cremer

  Welcome to this episode of Think Forward! In this episode, we sit down with Cécile Cremer, founder of Wandering the Future, joins us to challenge conventional wisdom about how we prepare for tomorrow's challenges. With refreshing candor, she explains why she's moving away from traditional trend reports toward a more collaborative approach to future-building. "I truly believe that the future should be co-created with people from all over the world," she shares, questioning how much real influence isolated trend forecasting actually has on shaping our collective tomorrow• Moving beyond trend reports to co-create futures with diverse perspectives• The Future Fluent Framework: developing resilience, adaptivity, and consciousness• Why mindset must precede strategy for meaningful transformation to occur• Making futures thinking accessible through education and physical trend walls• Democratizing future literacy by teaching it alongside fundamental subjects in schools• How even small innovations can create a significant positive impact when guided by futures thinking• The importance of taking personal responsibility for shaping our collective futuresConnect with Cecile Kramer on LinkedIn or visit wanderingthefuture.com to learn how you can build a more resilient and hopeful future.Order your copy of SuperShifts: www.bit.ly/supershifts ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

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