Known CEO & Co Founder Kern Schireson joins Ren Akinci to challenge some of the business world’s favorite ideas: Does culture really eat strategy for breakfast? Is failing fast actually good advice? And will AI eventually have a place on the org chart? They also unpack how Known came to be, why data scientists and creatives are a natural pairing, and the thinking behind an agency built to bring very different disciplines together.

Our host Ren Akinci sat down with Tatyana Jones, Founder and CEO of DEFI Snacks, a multi-award-winning brand challenging the $27 billion chocolate category with high-protein, superfood-infused bites rooted in her Ukrainian heritage. A former Mars Wrigley brand manager, Tatyana, shares what it really takes to build a brand from scratch; navigating the risks of first-time founding, defining an identity in a crowded market, and staying true to a mission that gives back to women-owned businesses.

When Kate Isichei's children were diagnosed with Autism and ADHD, it didn't just change her family — it transformed her career. Now, as Founder of Where to Look Communications and as Neuroinclusion Navigator, Kate helps organizations rethink how they hire, communicate, and lead. In this episode of Great Minds: People & Culture, she joins Ren Akinci for a candid conversation about what companies are getting wrong and what small shifts can make a big difference for neurodivergent employees.