Roots To Fruits

In Episode 4 of Roots to Fruits, Kelly Williams explains the heartbeat of his debut book, Tiny Hands: The Soft Power Model.This isn’t a conversation about strategy. It’s about systems that feel.It’s about fascia, trust, resonance, and why one coherent nervous system can rehydrate the room.Together, we walk through the Hydration Ladder—a biological and organizational model that maps how flow is lost and restored in teams, companies, and bodies.We unpack core dichotomies like:Enzymatic leadership vs. control from fearCo-regulation vs. co-isolationComposting grief vs. accumulating residueReverberance vs. performanceMass vs. energyThis episode is for regenerative designers, sustainability leaders, nervous system nerds, and anyone trying to build something alive in a brittle world. Chapters (00:00:00) - Roots to Fruits(00:01:08) - Chris Schaefer on Becoming More Unflappable(00:02:53) - Tiny Hands: A Soft Power Model(00:07:41) - Riffing on the Voids(00:08:41) - The Hydration Valves(00:09:36) - The Hydration Ladder(00:14:14) - Meeting the Enzyme and the Real(00:19:14) - Co-Regulation vs CO isolation(00:23:05) - Vulnerability vs Fear in Business(00:27:32) - Composting Grief(00:30:44) - Reverberant vs Performative Optics(00:34:42) - On the Performative Side(00:37:24) - Hard Power vs Soft Power(00:41:58) - A Lesson on Mass vs. Energy

In this episode of the Roots to Fruits Podcast by Kelly Williams, we explore a regenerative, cellular blueprint for building resilient systems rooted in connection, hydration, and trust. Soft power and local action create lasting change, and community-led solutions like the Dayton Food Bank offer inspiring examples of what’s possible.If you want to understand how to build stronger teams, healthier communities, and a sustainable future, this conversation is for you. Chapters (00:00:00) - What does sustainable agriculture look like?(00:01:11) - Roots to Fruits: The Collapse Blueprint(00:05:18) - How to Compost Our Grief(00:07:59) - Grief and the Psychology of It(00:10:28) - Chemical Leadership: Hydrate vs. Distress(00:17:00) - Kelly on the Boundary(00:24:41) - Local programs to help with waste diversion(00:31:16) - Generation X on Connecting the Planet(00:34:04) - Roots to Fruits: Build a Strong Relationship

In this episode of the Roots to Fruits podcast, Kelly Williams and Chris Schaefer explore the importance of hydration in individuals, teams, and organizations. They discuss how dehydration affects team dynamics and organizational culture, the role of leadership in fostering a hydrated environment, and the challenges faced by industries in transitioning to regenerative practices. The conversation highlights the need for material honesty in sustainable packaging and offers insights for companies looking to navigate this complex landscape. Chapters (00:00:01) - Have We Reached a Hydration Crisis at Companies?(00:01:22) - Roots to Fruits: Soft Power(00:06:19) - Base Building: The Hydration Loop(00:10:10) - Understanding the Individual's Chakra(00:11:44) - How to Hydrate Your Team(00:16:15) - The Organization's Need for a Secretary(00:17:30) - In the Elevator With Elon Musk(00:18:31) - Hooverization of a Company(00:24:19) - The State of the Packaging Industry(00:29:11) - The Supply Chain echo chamber(00:31:40) - Sustainable Materials: The Design Norms(00:36:02) - How to Hydrate Your Company's Growth(00:40:38) - What Would an Enzyme-Based Leader Look Like?(00:42:31) - The Hydration of Your Company(00:44:21) - Roots to Fruits: Episode 3

What if the systems we rely on, in business, life, and even packaging, are failing because they’re brittle, not because they're broken? In this foundational episode, I unpack the idea of soft power: a force that connects rather than controls. From hydrogen bonds in nature to the hidden dynamics inside teams, this conversation explores how regeneration starts not with data, but with hydration — personal, organizational, and ecological. Chapters (00:00:00) - Roots to Fruits: The Soft Power Model(00:01:17) - The Ultimate Human Desire: Soft Power(00:08:35) - In the Elevator With Kelly(00:12:14) - What Is Soft Power?(00:18:33) - In the Elevator With Bioplastics(00:21:22) - What would be your best near term recommendation for regenerative packaging?(00:23:54) - Kelly, in the book(00:30:41) - Bond Soft and Build Strong