What if the greatest return on investment you could ever make wasn't in a company, a career, or even yourself—but in other people?

In this episode of the Lowcountry Life Design Podcast, host Benjamin Lee sits down with Lancie Affonso, longtime College of Charleston educator, mentor, entrepreneur, and lifelong learner whose journey began thousands of miles away in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Lancie shares how he came to the College of Charleston as a first-generation international student in 1992, never imagining that he would eventually spend more than two decades teaching and mentoring students at the institution that helped shape his own life. Today, his work spans computer science, business, entrepreneurship, technology, and Life Design—but at the center of it all is a simple belief: investing in people creates an impact that can extend far beyond ourselves.

Together, Benjamin and Lancie explore what it means to think bigger about purpose, why our most meaningful goals often require community, and how mentorship can help us see possibilities we might never discover on our own. Lancie explains why he encourages students to develop "big, hairy, audacious goals," embrace failure, experiment quickly, and surround themselves with people who can help them grow.

The conversation also explores intentionality and presence—why designing the future shouldn't prevent us from living in the present. Lancie shares his approach to creating time for what matters, pursuing lifelong learning, and even taking pieces of the life we imagine for retirement and incorporating them into the lives we're living today.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why purpose isn't necessarily something you discover once—it can emerge and evolve throughout your life
• How setting bigger goals can push you beyond the limitations you've placed on yourself
• Why mentorship and community are essential to meaningful growth
• How to become more comfortable with failure, experimentation, and imperfect action
• Why being fully present with another person may be one of the most valuable forms of mentorship
• How authenticity begins with recognizing and embracing the qualities that make you uniquely you
• Why lifelong learning matters more than simply accumulating knowledge
• How Life Design gives us a framework for continually experimenting, adapting, and redesigning our lives
• Why human connection may become even more important as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in our lives

The conversation eventually turns toward one of the biggest questions facing education today: What does learning look like in the age of AI?

As someone who teaches computer science, data, cybersecurity, and business, Lancie offers a thoughtful perspective on using technology without losing the human element. He discusses redesigning assessments, experimenting with AI in the classroom, balancing high-tech learning with intentionally low-tech human interaction, and why education must continue evolving alongside the tools available to students.

But through every topic—purpose, failure, technology, education, authenticity, and Life Design—the conversation keeps returning to people.

Because careers change. Technology changes. Our plans change. Even our understanding of our own purpose can change.

But when we invest in people, remain curious, embrace failure, and build communities that help one another grow, the impact of our lives can extend far beyond anything we could accomplish alone.

Whether you're a student trying to figure out what's next, an educator or mentor hoping to make a difference, or simply someone learning how to navigate an increasingly uncertain world, Lancie's story is a reminder that you don't need to have your entire life figured out.

You need the willingness to keep learning, the courage to experiment, and people willing to walk alongside you.