The Growth Distillery

In the final episode of Rules Don’t Apply, Dan Krigstein sits down live at SXSW with two absolute powerhouses: Professor Ganna Pogrebna, behavioural scientist and AI ethics expert and Graham Kenny, one of the world’s leading thinkers on strategy and organisational performance.Together, they’re the perfect paradox: the humanist and the data modeller, the strategist and the scientist and they’re teaming up to challenge some very comfortable assumptions about how modern businesses think, plan, measure and decide.In this episode we explore:• Why so many brilliant strategies collapse on execution• Why AI is reshaping executive roles, culture and organisational structure• The magic mix of intuition vs data in high-stakes decision-making• How to stop drowning in metrics and find the four things that actually matter• Why uncertainty isn’t the enemy, it’s the opportunityIf you’re a leader, strategist, creative, technologist or just someone who loves seeing smart people challenge each other, this one’s going to hit the spot. Expect big laughs and sharper thinking. Hit play and enjoy the chaos.

In Episode 10 of Rules Don't Apply, Dan Krigstein sits down with the unstoppable Dr Michelle Dickinson, aka Nano Girl: engineer, nanotechnologist, science storyteller and professional exploder-of-things (in the best possible way).Recorded live at SXSW Sydney, this conversation dives head-first into the very real, very human side of AI, education, curiosity and how we protect the next generation without holding them back. Michelle brings her trademark warmth, wit and wisdom blending deep technical insight with an unapologetically human lens.In this episode we explore: • How digital inequality is shaping who benefits and who misses out• The “McDonald’s approach” to tech for kids• Why curiosity is a lifelong superpower (and how school squeezes it out of us)• How leaders can build cultures where introverts, deep thinkers and quiet creatives thriveFor anyone who’s planning for the future, shaping it or nurturing the next generation who’ll live in it, this episode is for you.

In this episode, Dan Krigstein sits down at SXSW with Dr. Kate Renshaw. Founding director of Play in Field Therapy to explore how play is not just for children, but a powerful tool for connection, creativity and wellbeing at every stage of life.Dr. Renshaw, an expert in the language of play, shares how rediscovering play could be the antidote to burnout, disconnection and the “too serious” culture we’ve built around work and learning.In this episode, you’ll explore:• Why play isn’t just “fun” it’s fundamental to mental health and resilience.• The difference between play and play-based learning.• How reframing questions as “I wonder…” can open real connections with kids (and adults).• What schools and businesses can learn from the science of play.• Why bringing a bit of silliness back might just make us all smarter and happier.Tune in and rediscover how curiosity, courage and play can change the way we live and lead.

In this episode of Rules Don’t Apply, Lisa Watts, CEO of The Conversation, joins Dan Krigstein for a deep dive into truth, trust, and the future of Australian media.Lisa shares how The Conversation is redefining journalism by partnering with academics to make complex ideas clear, credible, and accessible to everyone and why, in an era of AI and misinformation, that mission has never mattered more.In this episode, you’ll hear:• How The Conversation bridges the gap between academia and the public to make knowledge more accessible.• Why building trust, not chasing clicks, is the real currency of modern media.• Lisa’s perspective on navigating AI, misinformation, and the responsibility of truth-telling.• What authentic, evidence-based journalism looks like in 2025 and beyond.• The power of expert voices and how they can help shape a more informed, fact-led future.This is one you won't want to miss, because redefining truth starts with the right conversation.

In this live SXSW Sydney edition of Rules Don’t Apply, Dan Krigstein sits down with Ricky Sutton journalist, strategist and creator of the Future Media podcast for a bold, no-filter conversation about how storytelling, truth and media power are being rewritten by AI.Ricky brings decades of newsroom experience, entrepreneurial grit and a touch of chaos theory to the stage arguing it’s time for media to stop playing defence and start fighting smart.In this episode, you’ll hear about:• Why the media industry has “forgotten it can win” and how to fix that• Why “doing more with less” is the wrong AI mindset• The chaos engine: how randomness keeps creativity alive• Why truth isn’t one thing and why that’s okay• How creators and journalists can learn from each otherSmart, surprising and a little provocative, it’s a masterclass in what happens when courage meets creativity.Tune in, think differently and dare to do things your own way.