Strategize This Podcast

Synchronous or asynchronous? Manja Horner compares online learning models — from live cohorts and role-play simulations to self-paced automated programs — and warns why scalable courses often suffer from low completion without the right design.

Marc Gutman explains why 90% of brands fail on social media by only talking about themselves. Drawing on Patagonia, Nike, and the Edelman Trust Barometer, he reveals how brands can use storytelling to enlist customers into a shared community and worldview — not just build an audience.

Video strategist Mo Ismail reveals his framework for telling engaging stories in 15-30 second videos on Instagram and TikTok. His approach starts with one question: what is the punchline? Mo explains why identifying the single most potent learning outcome — then getting creative with how to convey it — beats trying to cram everything into a short clip.

Social justice designer William Hardaway challenges brands to stop manufacturing diversity with stock photos and start letting communities tell their own stories. He shares how Nike let Kaepernick speak unfiltered and why revenue-sharing with artists beats profiting from their culture.

Brand strategist Marc Gutman breaks down the anatomy of a great story, from the classic three-act structure to why your audience must be able to locate themselves within your narrative. Trained under legendary screenwriting coach Robert McKee, Marc reveals why something simply has to happen for a story to resonate.

Adam Matossian and Alicia Jones kick off Week 5 of Strategize This with a focus on storytelling — exploring how brands can use narrative principles to connect with audiences. This week features Marc Gutman, William Hardaway, and Mo Ismail sharing insights on story anatomy, cultural diversity through narrative, and short-form video storytelling.

Mo Ismail returns to answer the debate every content creator faces: video quality, content quality, or speed to publish? He makes the case that speed to market beats perfectionism, and offers a practical framework for balancing polished monthly content with consistent daily output.

Brand strategist Marc Gutman of Wild Story shares his framework for storytelling on social media, arguing that authenticity and specificity beat polish every time. He reveals why the best content creators treat social like a TV show — entertaining first, selling second.

Video strategist Mo Ismail breaks down how to create content that fosters belongingness and social connection. He shares two actionable techniques — leading with relatable stories and using inclusive language — that turn generic advice into content people actually engage with.

William Hardaway explores how cultural appropriation shows up in fashion and design, arguing that intent does not excuse impact. He reveals how rethinking design thinking with identity and acknowledgement can prevent brands from causing unintentional harm.

Adam Matossian and Alicia Jones kick off Week 4 of Strategize This with the theme of content creation — previewing episodes on cultural appropriation in fashion, content that drives connection, storytelling on social media, and balancing video quality with speed to publish.

Why do most online courses go unfinished? Manja Horner identifies the real roadblocks — irrelevance, overwhelm, poor navigation — and shares actionable tactics for accountability systems, micro-learning phases, and designing safe spaces for failure.

Marc Gutman of Wild Story explores how empathy drives design thinking — and when storytelling becomes a trap. He shares a journal-entry exercise that forces brands to remove themselves from the narrative and make their customer the hero.

Manja Horner of Boost Learning Development reveals the three critical gaps every course must address: knowledge, skills, and mindset. She shares her learner journey mapping process and explains why experts who skip the basics lose students fast.

Adam Matossian and Alicia Jones kick off Week 3 with a focus on digital products — the revenue streams that work while you sleep. This week features Manja Horner on course design and completion, plus Marc Gutman on storytelling in design thinking.

William Hardaway reveals why representation alone won't fix racist fashion campaigns — you need voice, not just seats at the table. He breaks apart creative frameworks like design thinking and agile to show how "objectivity" and "standards" can mask systemic bias.

"Lose the word diversity." William Hardaway explains why the term signals inaction to people of color and urges brands to move beyond performative language toward transparency, equity, and inclusion — because real change requires admitting what you're still working on.

Video strategist Mo Ismail delivers a clear prescription for scroll-stopping video thumbnails: make your title the star, keep contrast simple, and test legibility at 25% zoom. Think of your cover like a movie theater marquee — the title gets people through the door.

National Geographic Explorer Matthew Cicanese shares why choosing a photography style starts with curiosity, not camera gear. His "Look See" workshop teaches the difference between looking and seeing — and why your unique perspective is what makes your brand visuals stand out.

Adam Matossian and Alicia Jones kick off Week 2 exploring how purpose and intention shape brand look and feel, with National Geographic photographer Matthew Cicanese on choosing a photography style, Mo Ismail on creating scroll-stopping video covers, and William Hardaway on diversity in fashion and design.

William Hardaway, working at the intersection of social justice and design thinking, explains why empathy seeking — not surveys — is how leaders uncover workplace social challenges. He introduces his "elephant in the room" activity for surfacing what goes unsaid.

Video strategist Mo Ismail redefines on-camera confidence as clarity, not charisma. He explains why trying to be authentic is itself inauthentic, and shares why the only role you can play is yourself — because you can't win someone else's game.

National Geographic Explorer and Forbes 30 Under 30 winner Matthew Cicanese shares how he overcame imposter syndrome to submit his application with just five days left. His secret: suspend the disbelief, because the clock is ticking and you only get one shot.

Manja Horner, founder of Boost Learning Development, challenges the myth that you need a PhD to teach online. She reveals why being just a few steps ahead of your learner is enough — and how to validate your expertise before building a course.

Adam Matossian and Alicia Jones kick off Season 2 with a new one-question format, previewing a week of conversations on leadership and the courage to stand out — featuring guests tackling expertise, imposter syndrome, on-camera confidence, and social justice in the workplace.