Design Nerds Anonymous

ThinkLab and SURROUND

Design Nerds Anonymous is a podcast about what’s next, shaped by design, human behavior, and data.

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99 episodes
Updated July 23

Episodes99

Newest first

The Road Show Begins: Come Build What's Next with Us
We're hitting the road... and we'd love for you to come along. Over the next few months, Design Nerds Anonymous is leaving the studio for a series of live podcast recordings, keynotes, and conversations across North America as part of the Work for What's Next Road Show. In this special episode, Amanda shares what to expect, why every stop is intentionally different, and how you can join the conversation—whether that's in person or right here on the podcast. Here's where we're headed, what we're exploring, and how you can be part of it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 23 · 6 min
Signals of the Future: A Playbook for What’s Next
The future of work isn’t a distant horizon—it’s already taking shape in small, often overlooked signals. In this episode, we explore the early indicators reshaping how work is designed, led, and experienced. The conversation connects these signals to practical action, offering leaders a clearer way to spot what’s emerging and make smarter decisions about what to do next. Links Mentioned: Grab your copy of Work for What's Next. Sign up for ThinkLab’s Newsletter to keep up with industry trends. Follow Amanda on LinkedIn for more workplace insights. Book Amanda to speak This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial, THE MART & NeoCon, and The Mav Group. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 14 · 14 min
BONUS EP: LIVE from the PDC Healthcare Summit 2026
In this special episode of Design Nerds Anonymous, host Amanda Schneider takes you inside the PDC Summit—one of the rare events where the full spectrum of healthcare decision-makers comes together under one roof. Recorded live from the show floor, this episode captures an unfiltered look at the real conversations unfolding between owners, clinicians, facilities leaders, architects, engineers, designers, and construction managers. Featuring voices like Clayton Mitchell (Yale New Haven Health), the award-winning Dr. Scott Zeller, Kelly Miller (RWJ Barnabas Health), Ed Cheshire (Nationwide Children’s Hospital), and Lynn Aguilera (Stanford Medicine Children’s Health), this episode dives into what leaders are truly grappling with right now—from funding pressures and ROI to communication breakdowns and what happens after a project is complete. Because today’s biggest challenges in healthcare design aren’t just about space. They’re about how decisions are made, and what it takes to make them better. Links Mentioned:  Grab your copy of Work for What's Next. Sign up for ThinkLab’s Newsletter to keep up with industry trends. Follow Amanda on LinkedIn for more workplace insights.  Book Amanda to speak See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 7 · 1 hr 1 min
Mentorship and Learning for What’s Next
In Season 10, Episode 6 of Design Nerds Anonymous, host Amanda Schneider turns to two critical forces shaping the future of work: mentorship and learning. She’s joined by Elisabeth Mejia, President of IIDA New York and Interiors Leader for HKS in New York, and Paridhi Chawla, Vice President of Student Development for IIDA New York and a Gen Z designer at TPG Architecture. Together, they explore what happens when institutional knowledge is at risk of retiring out, why mentorship can no longer sit only with the most senior leaders, and how learning must become more distributed, reciprocal, and adaptable to keep pace with change. Links Mentioned: Grab your copy of Work for What's Next. Sign up for ThinkLab’s Newsletter to keep up with industry trends. Follow Amanda on LinkedIn for more workplace insights. Book Amanda to speak This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial, THE MART & NeoCon, and The Mav Group. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
April 30 · 33 min
Communication and Collaboration for the New Rhythm of Work
In Season 10, Episode 5 of Design Nerds Anonymous, host Amanda Schneider turns to two of the most pressing realities of modern work: communication and collaboration. She’s joined by Dr. JJ Peterson, former head of StoryBrand and a leading voice in modern messaging, and Gideon Spitzer-Williams, who leads global experiential marketing for Canva’s B2B organization. Together, they explore why more communication does not automatically create clarity, how AI should amplify wisdom rather than replace it, and what it takes to design communication systems that create momentum instead of noise. Links Mentioned: Grab your copy of Work for What's Next. Sign up for ThinkLab’s Newsletter to keep up with industry trends. Follow Amanda on LinkedIn for more workplace insights. Book Amanda to speak This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial, THE MART & NeoCon, and The Mav Group. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
April 23 · 35 min
The Power of Microcultures: Designing Culture and Purpose That Stick
In Season 10, Episode 4 of Design Nerds Anonymous, host Amanda Schneider zooms out from trust and talent to explore the deeper belief systems holding organizations together: culture and purpose. She’s joined by Ron Tite—author, speaker, founder of Church+State, and former stand-up comic turned award-winning creative director—who has helped global brands align what they believe with how they behave. Together, they unpack why so many organizations get purpose wrong, how short-term thinking erodes real growth, and what it takes to translate lofty ideas into behaviors people across generations can actually see, feel, and follow. Links Mentioned: Grab your copy of Work for What's Next. Sign up for ThinkLab’s Newsletter to keep up with industry trends. Follow Amanda on LinkedIn for more workplace insights. Book Amanda to speak This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial, THE MART & NeoCon, and The Mav Group. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
April 16 · 33 min
The New Rules to Recruit and Retain
In Season 10, Episode 3 of Design Nerds Anonymous, host Amanda Schneider builds on last week’s trust conversation by tackling the next logical shift: recruitment and retention. She’s joined by two voices with beautifully opposing (and complementary) lenses: Grace Snelling, editorial assistant at Fast Company covering design, branding, and cultural shifts with a front-row Gen Z perspective, and Megan Detratto, partner and co-founder of TOKONEXT who’s spent 20+ years advising AEC firms on talent acquisition, succession, and next-gen leadership. Together, they explore why “less loyal” may be the wrong diagnosis, how cynicism is rising across generations, and what it looks like to design organizations people want to grow inside—not escape from. Links Mentioned: Grab your copy of Work for What's Next. Sign up for ThinkLab’s Newsletter to keep up with industry trends. Follow Amanda on LinkedIn for more workplace insights. Book Amanda to speak This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial, THE MART & NeoCon, and The Mav Group. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
April 9 · 42 min
Digital Sparks, Human Sticks: Trust & Connection in the Phygital Future
In Season 10, Episode 2 of Design Nerds Anonymous, host Amanda Schneider continues the season inspired by her new book, Work for What’s Next, with Eric Termuende, bestselling author and keynote speaker who’s delivered 500+ talks worldwide on leadership, culture, and the future of work. Together, they dig into one of the most foundational shifts in the book: trust and connection—why we’re more connected than ever, yet somehow feel more disconnected at the same time. Expect practical, human-first strategies for building trust without shortcuts, a nuanced take on authenticity, and a surprisingly perfect metaphor involving gas station sushi. Links Mentioned: Grab your copy of Work for What's Next. Sign up for ThinkLab’s Newsletter to keep up with industry trends. Follow Amanda on LinkedIn for more workplace insights. Book Amanda to speak This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial, THE MART & NeoCon, and The Mav Group. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
April 2 · 34 min
Why Fixing Work Fixes Everything
In the Season 10 premiere of Design Nerds Anonymous, host Amanda Schneider kicks off a season built around the ideas inside her upcoming book, Work for What’s Next, with a guest who lives at the intersection of innovation, risk, and human potential: Deb Golden, Deloitte’s US Chief Innovation Officer. Together, they unpack a core tension shaping work right now: companies keep trying to fix a software problem (culture, trust, systems) with hardware (office mandates). The result is a conversation about the trust gap, unlearning outdated rules, and what it takes to design workplaces that become magnets—not mandates. Links Mentioned: Grab your copy of Work for What's Next. Sign up for ThinkLab’s Newsletter to keep up with industry trends. Follow Amanda on LinkedIn for more workplace insights. Book Amanda to speak This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial, THE MART & NeoCon, and The Mav Group. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
March 26 · 40 min
Education Decision Making in Practice LIVE from EdSpaces in Columbus
Recorded live at the EDspaces conference in Columbus, this episode explores how education leaders are navigating high-stakes decisions under unforgiving timelines. Hear why trust, clarity, and early alignment matter more than ever, what’s slowing education projects down, and how partners can help schools move forward with confidence and credibility. LINKS: End-User Decision Making Join Thinklab’s research Podcast Discussion Guide 5 Question Quiz to Earn CEU Credits Thank you to our episode sponsors: Shaw Contract and Haworth. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
February 5 · 32 min
What Shapes Hospitality Decisions Behind the Scenes: Behind Thinklab’s Private Research
In this episode, ThinkLab’s hospitality research takes center stage as Amanda Schneider and Erica Waayenberg unpack how decision-making is shifting across hotel and hospitality projects. From rising risk aversion and burnout to growing expectations around business acumen and the practical role of AI, this episode explores what hospitality end users need most right now and how teams can move forward with more clarity and confidence. LINKS: End-User Decision Making Join Thinklab’s research Podcast Discussion Guide 5 Question Quiz to Earn CEU Credits Thank you to our episode sponsor: Mohawk See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
January 29 · 30 min
What Drives Healthcare Design Decisions Today: LIVE from HCD in KC
Live from the Healthcare Design Conference in Kansas City, this episode explores how healthcare end users are navigating increasingly complex decisions for the built environment. Hear why early problem-spotting beats crisis response, what’s breaking alignment at the start of projects, and how clearer communication and stronger partnerships can help healthcare teams move faster with more confidence. LINKS: End-User Decision Making Join Thinklab’s research Podcast Discussion Guide 5 Question Quiz for CEU Credits Thank you to our episode sponsors: Haworth and Clarus. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
January 22 · 32 min
Inside Corporate Decisions for the Built Environment: LIVE from Chicago
Live from Chicago, this episode dives into how corporate end users are making decisions differently in today’s built environment. Hear real conversations straight from ThinkLab’s Corporate Hackathon on why flexibility matters more than cost, what’s slowing projects down, and how clearer, more empathetic partnerships can move work forward faster. LINKS: End-User Decision Making Join Thinklab’s research Podcast Discussion Guide 5 Question Quiz to Earn CEU Credits Thank you to our episode sponsors: Shaw Contract and Clarus. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
January 15 · 30 min
Radical Futures: What Could 2040 Really Look Like?
What will life look like in 2040? In this special season finale, we fast-forward to the future and ask our guests to share their most radical—but entirely possible—predictions for what’s ahead. From breakthroughs in design and technology to shifts in culture, climate, and the way we live, these ideas push the boundaries of what we think is possible. Some will inspire you. Some might shock you. All will make you see the future in a new way. This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial and Kimball International. Click here for more info on this episode, plus to learn more about Design Nerds Anonymous and ThinkLab. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Oct 23, 2025 · 28 min
What Is Next for Hotels and Hospitality Spaces?
From luxury seekers to digital nomads to next-gen travelers, hospitality spaces are evolving at record speed—Marriott is opening a new hotel in the U.S. every 20 hours. In this episode, we explore the values transforming what guests want—sustainability, personalization, wellness, and tech—and how hotels, rentals, and travel experiences are adapting. Joining us are Jason Robertson, VP of Global Design Strategies at Marriott International, and Aliya Khan, VP of Global Design and Lifestyle Brands at Marriott International, who share insider perspectives on where the industry is headed and who’s leading the charge. This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial and Kimball International. Click here for more info on this episode, plus to learn more about Design Nerds Anonymous and ThinkLab. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Oct 16, 2025 · 30 min
What Kind of Homes Will Gen Alpha Want?
What does “home” look like to a generation raised on smart tech, climate anxiety, and constant change? Backed by new research, this episode reveals how Gen Alpha is already shaping the future of housing—from the way homes are designed to where they’re located and even how they’re owned. We’re joined by Dani Mariano, CEO at Razorfish, and Allison Robl Stransky, strategic insights leader at Samsung, who share their perspectives on trends like modular living, adaptable spaces, and sustainability-driven design. The data tells a story we can’t afford to ignore, because it’s relevant to everyone, no matter where or how you live. This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial and Kimball International. Click here for more info on this episode, plus to learn more about Design Nerds Anonymous and ThinkLab. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Oct 9, 2025 · 37 min
Work, Reimagined: Gen Z’s Blueprint for the Future
As Gen Z comes of age in a world shaped by AI, automation, and rapid change, they’re rewriting the rules of work. Backed by new research, this episode explores how their approach to careers, company culture, and the workplace itself is breaking the mold—from demanding flexibility and purpose to embracing entrepreneurial mindsets. Joining us is Alexandra Levit, future-of-work strategist, author, and advisor to Fortune 500 companies, who shares her perspective on how organizations can adapt now to attract and retain this emerging generation of talent. This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial and Kimball International. Click here for more info on this episode, plus to learn more about Design Nerds Anonymous and ThinkLab. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Oct 2, 2025 · 28 min
How Will AI Shape the Future of Healthcare?
The first generation of true digital natives is about to step into the role of healthcare decision-makers—and they won’t settle for the systems we have today. Backed by new research, this episode explores how future generations could reshape everything from how we design clinics to how care is delivered. Will hospitals shrink? Will wellness go fully digital? And are we ready for what they’ll demand? This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial and Kimball International. Click here for more info on this episode, plus to learn more about Design Nerds Anonymous and ThinkLab. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Sep 25, 2025 · 32 min
What Does the Future of Learning Tell Us About the Future of Work?
As learning environments evolve—from AI-enhanced classrooms to creative, skills-based spaces—they’re revealing more than just new ways to teach. They’re shaping the expectations, mindsets, and capabilities of the future workforce. In this episode, we’re joined by Tom Vander Ark—education futurist, author, and CEO of Getting Smart—whose influence spans from leading major school districts to advising global organizations on the future of learning. With decades of experience at the intersection of education, innovation, and workforce development, Tom helps us connect the dots between how we learn today and the workplaces we’ll need tomorrow. This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial and Kimball International. Click here for more info on this episode, plus to learn more about Design Nerds Anonymous and ThinkLab. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Sep 18, 2025 · 33 min
How Will Gen Alpha Shape the World We Haven’t Built Yet?
This isn’t just another episode—it’s a conversation with the man who named Gen Alpha. Mark McCrindle is one of the world’s leading social researchers and futurists, and he's trusted by global brands and governments alike to decode what’s next. In this exclusive interview, he joins us to unpack the generation born into AI, shaped by tech, and already redefining how we think about design, sustainability, and innovation. If you’re trying to understand the future, start here with the person who helped define it. This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is presented by Mannington Commercial and Kimball International. Click here for more info on this episode, plus to learn more about Design Nerds Anonymous and ThinkLab. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Sep 11, 2025 · 41 min

Design Nerds Anonymous

The Road Show Begins: Come Build What's Next with Us

Signals of the Future: A Playbook for What’s Next

BONUS EP: LIVE from the PDC Healthcare Summit 2026

Mentorship and Learning for What’s Next

Communication and Collaboration for the New Rhythm of Work

The Power of Microcultures: Designing Culture and Purpose That Stick

The New Rules to Recruit and Retain

Digital Sparks, Human Sticks: Trust & Connection in the Phygital Future

Why Fixing Work Fixes Everything

Education Decision Making in Practice LIVE from EdSpaces in Columbus

What Shapes Hospitality Decisions Behind the Scenes: Behind Thinklab’s Private Research

What Drives Healthcare Design Decisions Today: LIVE from HCD in KC

Inside Corporate Decisions for the Built Environment: LIVE from Chicago

Radical Futures: What Could 2040 Really Look Like?

What Is Next for Hotels and Hospitality Spaces?

What Kind of Homes Will Gen Alpha Want?

Work, Reimagined: Gen Z’s Blueprint for the Future

How Will AI Shape the Future of Healthcare?

What Does the Future of Learning Tell Us About the Future of Work?

How Will Gen Alpha Shape the World We Haven’t Built Yet?