Belief, Potential And Breakthroughs With Nir Eyal - TWMJ #1028
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1028 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). In a world increasingly defined by information overload and ideological certainty, the ability to change one’s mind may be the most undervalued skill of all… and few thinkers have explored that terrain as deeply as my friend, . A bestselling author, behavioral design expert and former lecturer, Nir has built a career examining how habits are formed, how attention is controlled and how human behavior can be shaped both externally and from within. His previous works, and , established him as a leading...
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The Science Of Storytelling With Will Storr - TWMJ #1027
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1027 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). is an award-winning author, journalist and storytelling researcher whose work explores one of the most powerful forces shaping human behavior… the stories we tell ourselves about the world. Over the course of a career that blends psychology, neuroscience, investigative journalism and narrative craft, Will has become one of the most compelling voices examining how stories shape identity, belief and culture. His bestselling books include , , and , each offering a deeper look at the hidden forces driving...
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Getting Your Strategy Right With Kevin Ertell
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1026 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). At a time when strategy has become a kind of corporate theater… carefully crafted presentations, ambitious roadmaps and bold declarations that rarely survive first contact with reality… has spent a career focused on the harder question: why execution so often fails. Kevin is the Founder and CEO of and a veteran operator whose three decades of experience include leading large-scale retail and e-commerce operations at global brands like , , , and . Over the years he has developed a reputation as a...
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What Is Happening With AI With Ann Handley - TWMJ #1025
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1025 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). At a moment when panic travels faster than proof, few marketers are as clear-eyed… and as human… as . A pioneering digital marketing strategist (), bestselling author ( and ), longtime champion of writing that actually means something and dear friend (also, if you’re not susbscribed to her newsletter, , you really should be), Ann has built a career reminding businesses that the point of content isn’t velocity… it’s connection. In her recent essay, , she pushes back against the apocalyptic...
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Making The Internet Suck Less With Cory Doctorow - TWMJ #1024
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1024 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). At a time when the digital infrastructure that underpins modern life feels increasingly hostile, few voices have been as prescient... or as relentless... as . A science fiction novelist, journalist and technology activist, Cory serves as Special Advisor to the and has long stood at the intersection of storytelling, policy and power. Over the course of a prolific career (one that includes bestselling fiction, influential tech policy books like and , and his widely read blog) Cory has chronicled how...
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Distrust, Polarization And Hypocrisy With Michael Hallsworth - TWMJ #1023
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1023 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). In an era where outrage travels faster than reflection, few accusations carry as much moral force as the charge of hypocrisy… and yet few concepts are as misunderstood. is Chief Behavioral Scientist at the and a leading voice in behavioral economics, with academic appointments at the and a career devoted to understanding how real people actually think and act in complex systems. His research spans public policy, organizational behavior and social judgment, examining how incentives, norms, and...
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Real Transformations With Phil Gilbert - TWMJ #1022
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1022 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). At a moment when organizational change is too often treated as a mandate rather than an experience people choose to embrace, has spent his career proving that transformation only sticks when it earns genuine buy-in. Phil is a design executive, transformation leader and former General Manager of Design at , where he architected one of the largest cultural and operational shifts in corporate history, helping nearly 400,000 employees across 180 countries become more entrepreneurial, agile and...
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Navigating Strategy In The Age Of AI With Roger Martin - TWMJ #1021
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1021 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). At a time when strategy is often confused with forecasting and certainty is mistaken for rigor, the work of insists on a more demanding discipline: making clear, integrated choices under uncertainty. Named the world’s #1 management thinker by in 2017, Roger is a , strategy advisor, and the former Dean at the at the , where he served for fifteen years and reshaped how management education engages with real-world complexity. Over decades, he has advised CEOs at companies including , , , , , and ,...
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Boundless Creativity And Design Mastery With David "Shingy" Shing - TWMJ #1020
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1020 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). At a time when technology listens more closely than people realize and advertising feels less predictive than presumptive, understanding how culture, data and human behavior collide has become essential. has spent his career at that intersection, shaping how global brands think about creativity, relevance and the emotional consequences of digital systems. Know as the Digital Prophet at (and then ) and a very influential voice in modern branding and innovation, Shingy has advised companies, leaders and...
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Leadership Unblocked With Muriel Wilkins - TWMJ #1019
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1019 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). At a time when leadership is being tested less by strategy and more by inner capacity, clarity of judgment and emotional steadiness, the work of stands out for its insistence that progress begins from the inside out. Muriel is an executive coach, CEO of , and a trusted advisor to senior leaders navigating complexity at the highest levels of organizations, drawing on more than two decades of experience working with C-suite executives and high-potential leaders. A graduate with a background in consulting...
info_outlineWelcome to episode #998 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast.
Annie Wilson is a marketing professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and co-author, with Ryan Hamilton, of The Growth Dilemma - Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things. Her work examines the deep interplay between consumer behavior, culture and brand identity, helping leaders understand why growth often creates as many risks as it does opportunities. In The Growth Dilemma, Annie unpacks how efforts to reach new customer segments can clash with the values of loyal buyers, sometimes threatening the very meaning of a brand. Drawing from real-world examples (from Apple’s software missteps to Gucci’s unintended association with reality TV fame) she reveals how scarcity, exclusivity and cultural perception shape brand power in ways most executives overlook. Beyond brand strategy, Annie’s research and teaching explore the ways marketing has evolved as a discipline, especially in an era of AI, fragmented media and globalization. She highlights how authenticity, community and cultural nuance are becoming non-negotiable for sustainable success, and why short-termism remains one of the most dangerous traps for modern marketers. For those navigating the intersection of consumer connection and cultural influence, Annie offers a critical lens on how to balance growth with integrity, how to adapt without betraying your core identity and how to see branding not just as a commercial practice, but as a cultural one. This conversation is essential listening for anyone grappling with the future of marketing in an age of shifting consumer expectations, technological disruption and global homogenization. Enjoy the conversation...
- Running time: 1:01:53.
- Hello from beautiful Montreal.
- Listen and subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.
- Listen and subscribe over at Spotify.
- Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Six Pixels of Separation.
- Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.
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- or you can connect on LinkedIn.
- ...or on X.
- Here is my conversation with Annie Wilson.
- The Growth Dilemma - Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things.
- Follow Annie on LinkedIn.
Chapters:
(00:00) - The Changing Landscape of Marketing.
(02:56) - AI's Role in Marketing Education.
(05:49) - The Evolving Perception of Marketing as a Career.
(09:13) - Advertising in a Fragmented Media World.
(12:07) - Branding in a Personalized Market.
(14:59) - The Growth Dilemma: Balancing Consumerism and Sustainability.
(33:01) - Cultural Influence Over Brand Identity.
(35:53) - The Balance of Growth and Authenticity.
(39:01) - The Evolution of Consumer Connection.
(41:47) - Navigating Brand Growth and Consumer Expectations.
(47:07) - Short-Termism in Marketing Strategies.
(51:58) - Scarcity and Exclusivity in Brand Strategy.
(55:52) - Consumer Perception and Brand Influence.