From Prison to PhD, the Inspiring Life and Work of Dr. Stanley Andrisse
Blue Sky
Before Stan Andrisse was sentenced to ten years in prison for a Class A drug felony, the prosecutor had asked for a life sentence, suggesting that the defendant was irredeemable. In the years since, Stan, now “Dr. Andrisse” has proved this attorney and many others wrong. While in prison, he discovered an interest in science and endocrinology and today is a tenured professor at the Howard University College of Medicine. To create similar opportunities and career paths for others who are or have been incarcerated, he founded the nonprofit . Chapters:...
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Kevin Lowe on How He Found Hope After Losing His Sight
Blue Sky
Kevin Lowe has come a long way since he was seventeen years old and lost his eyesight during a medical procedure gone wrong. In this Blue Sky conversation, Kevin describes how he’s rallied from this devastating event to live a life full of resilience, purpose, and optimism. This episode concludes with a surprise musical feature, courtesy of Kevin himself. 00:00 Kevin Lowe’s Childhood & Early Life Kevin Lowe shares insights into his childhood in East Central Florida, highlighting a carefree upbringing centered around outdoor activities with his cousin...
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ENCORE PRESENTATION: TED Leader Chris Anderson on His New Book, Infectious Generosity, and Why He Believes That Now Is the Time for Us All to “Reclaim the Internet” for Good
Blue Sky
Chris Anderson was inspired by the growth of TED once they expanded from being simply a conference company to adding the concept of offering their talks free to the world over the internet. He’s now calling on us all to “reclaim the internet” and use it as a force for spreading less hate and division and more kindness and generosity. His new book, , lays out clearly the reasons why generosity is good for the world — as well as for us as individuals — then details a plan by which this movement can spread virally. Chris’s views on these subjects are aligned...
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ENCORE PRESENTATION: NYT Bestselling Author Matt Ridley on His Motivation to Write The Rational Optimist and Why He Believes That Human Prosperity Will Inevitably Continue to Increase
Blue Sky
Matt Ridley’s seminal book, , has inspired many since its publication in 2010 and greatly influenced the creation of The Optimism Institute. In this far-ranging discussion, Matt will describe an early education that he said was steeped in pessimism but how later in life he found that much of what he’d been taught was simply not true. This led him to set on a nearly evangelical quest to spread the word that interaction and trade between people and nations, including the free exchange of ideas, will continue to set us on an inexorable path towards increasing prosperity. ...
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Amy King’s Innovative and Optimistic Approach to Solving Homelessness in America
Blue Sky
Amy King watched the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and seeing people sheltered in a leaking football stadium inspired her to work with her husband on shelter solutions. The result was , a company that makes safe, secure, and easily assembled temporary shelters. In this episode she shares her inspiring story and details about her remarkable company. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Amy King and Pallet This chapter introduces Amy King, founder and CEO of Pallet, a public benefit corporation addressing homelessness. 02:07 From Child...
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Empathy Expert Mimi Nicklin Explains Why and How She’s Optimistically Attacking the World’s Empathy Deficit
Blue Sky
Mimi Nicklin left a successful career as a marketing executive to take on the task of educating the world on the value and power of empathy. In this episode, Mimi describes the alarming “empathy deficit,” its root causes, and practical strategies like self-empathy and “ALUR” (Authenticity, Listening, Understanding, Recognition) that she espouses to reconnect our workplaces and world. Chapters: 00:00 Mimi Nicklin’s Global Journey Mimi Nicklin, a British native, has spent nearly two decades living and working across Asia Pacific and the Middle East, finding...
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Technology Management Expert Paul Leonardi on Why Technology Exhausts Us and What We Can Do About It
Blue Sky
Paul Leonardi is an expert in technology management and has developed a deep understanding for why today’s digital tools—even those that are helpful—can contribute to our growing sense of exhaustion. Pulling from research he’s written about in his book he explains why this happens and as importantly, what we can do about it. Chapters: 02:00 Why Digital Exhaustion? Paul Leonardi discusses his 20-year career helping companies implement new technologies and his observation of the increasing dread people feel towards new tools. He highlights how the solutions...
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Guy Kawasaki Describes Working with Steve Jobs and Other Remarkable People Who’ve Used Optimism as a Strategic Advantage
Blue Sky
Guy Kawasaki has had an amazing life and career. After growing up in Hawaii, he went to California for college and later went on to what was then known as Apple Computer where he was a self-described “brand evangelist” during some of their highest growth and most entrepreneurial years. He describes Steve Jobs as being optimistic almost to the point of being delusional, and working for him has inspired Guy to be interested in mold-breaking people ever since, hence the name of his popular podcast, . He has also written 17 books on a variety of subjects, his latest being , which...
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Could Venture Capital Invest in World Peace? Guest Brian Abrams Has Set Out to Do Just That
Blue Sky
We all know that huge sums of money are invested in creating new, more effective weapons of war. Brian Abrams sees an opportunity to invest instead in what he calls “peace tech,” emerging businesses using technologies and creative methods designed to prevent war from happening in the first place. He’s created a new firm, , and in this Blue Sky episode he describes with infectious optimism his exciting vision for the future. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Brian Abrams Bill Burke introduces Brian Abrams, founder of B Ventures Group, an investment fund...
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Scott Nash Reflects on His Remarkable Career Marked by Curiosity, Experimentation, and Optimism
Blue Sky
Blue Sky host Bill Burke first met Scott Nash nearly 30 years ago, when both were working in the cable television business. In the years since, Scott has gone on to a successful career in publishing, both as an illustrator and an author, and with his wife Nancy co-founded on a small island in Maine. In this episode, Scott describes his outgoing, experimental, and optimistic nature and how these traits have led to his remarkable success in publishing, art direction, and non-profit entrepreneurship. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction & Early...
info_outlineKevin Lowe has come a long way since he was seventeen years old and lost his eyesight during a medical procedure gone wrong. In this Blue Sky conversation, Kevin describes how he’s rallied from this devastating event to live a life full of resilience, purpose, and optimism. This episode concludes with a surprise musical feature, courtesy of Kevin himself.
00:00 Kevin Lowe’s Childhood & Early Life
Kevin Lowe shares insights into his childhood in East Central Florida, highlighting a carefree upbringing centered around outdoor activities with his cousin Josh. He also opens up about his parents’ divorce in second grade and the significant role his grandmother played in his life.
04:46 Loss of Sight and Other Complications
Kevin recounts the discovery of a plum-sized brain tumor at 17, which, though non-cancerous, posed a life-threatening risk. He describes the traumatic surgery that led to complete blindness, loss of smell, short-term memory loss, and a permanently damaged pituitary gland.
11:02 Journey Through Grief and Despair
Kevin candidly discusses the profound sadness and despair he experienced after losing his sight, describing it as being ‘trapped in hell.’ He reveals his nightly prayers for his sight to return and even for the courage to end his life, ultimately finding strength in his faith and family.
15:04 Perseverance and New Beginnings
Kevin shares his journey of rebuilding his life, including his determination to graduate with his high school class despite his blindness. He discusses his internships in travel and radio, which eventually led him to start his own travel agency, Better Days Travel, and his pivotal realization from an audiobook to embrace life despite his challenges.
23:12 The Podcast: Grit, Grace, and Inspiration
Kevin talks about how the 2020 pandemic and his sister’s suggestion led him to start podcasting, a medium he quickly realized he was ‘designed for.’ He details his podcast, Grit, Grace, & Inspiration, which focuses on sharing stories of overcoming adversity and inspiring others, encapsulated by his tagline ‘turning setbacks into stages.’
31:54 Technological Advancements and Echolocation
Kevin highlights how technology, particularly the iPhone with its voiceover feature and apps like Apple’s ‘Be My Eyes,’ has significantly improved his life. He also fascinatingly explains how he learned echolocation, a skill that allows him to perceive his surroundings through sound, giving his world shape again.
42:20 Advice and Gratitude
Kevin expresses gratitude for his seventeen years of sight, which aids his interpretation of the world, despite being a ‘picky blind person’ about colors. He offers heartfelt advice to those facing setbacks: ‘give yourself grace’ and remember that ‘it’s going to get easier, it’s going to get better.’
45:20 Blue Sky Above - A Musical Surprise
The host discusses the inspiring technological advancements and echolocation techniques Kevin shared. As a special surprise, Kevin produced an original song, ‘Blue Sky Above,’ which is played to close the episode.