Talking to rooms that did not want to listen
I spent two years speaking to groups about racism and violence — kindergarteners, at-risk teens, police officers, teachers, community councils. Wildly different rooms, one common problem: telling people things did not change them.
I failed at several careers
Finance. Sales. A non-profit. Academia. I burned out in every one of them. But the failures were useful — they showed me the only thing I was consistently good at was taking something dull and making people care about it.
Competing in boardrooms across the world
I travelled to business case competitions in Dallas, Singapore, Copenhagen, and Ottawa, building value propositions and presenting them to judges under pressure. You learn quickly what actually moves a room and what just sounds good.
I went looking in strange places
Cognitive science and psychology, yes — but also poker players, police interrogators, professional wrestlers, and stand-up comedians. People who cannot afford to lose a room. I tested what they do in classrooms, boardrooms, football stadiums, and street parties until I knew what held up.
