Today we are joined by Roger Wilkins, an American now living in Adelaide. Jason and Roger chat trying to make sense of the differences and similarities between Australian and Americans. Roger is a strategic communications advisor and republican political advisor. A strategic thinker and man with an eclectic background from selling solar power to veteran affairs, and has worked in communications and strategic roles in New York and New Hampshire, and shares a fascinating take on what makes the United States of America tick. It's politics, people and history, and we discuss how this compares with life in Australia. Real People is a podcast hosted by Jason Dunstone, the founder and managing director of Square Holes. Subscribe to Real People on your favourite podcast player. Jason builds on his 25 years of conducting human-centred research, interviewing average and not so average people (rich, poor, old, young, content and vulnerable) to understand what they believe and how they behave. Check out the Real People website - http://squareholes.com/realpeople Connect with Jason Dunstone on Twitter @jasondunstone - https://twitter.com/jasondunstone?lang=en Send Jason an email - jason@squareholes.com Read more blogs from Jason Dunstone - https://squareholes.com/blog/author/jason/ Find out more about Square Holes - http://www.squareholes.com/ Produced with Apiro Media - https://www.apiropodcasts.com/

Today we are joined by Jamin Brazil, market research entrepreneur, and tech pioneer. Fresno, California-based Jamin is the super popular host of the Happy Market Research Podcast with more than 300 episodes in which he interviews consumer insight and research professionals and entrepreneurs from across the world. Jamin comes from a position of informed influence having founded top online survey platform Decipher in 2000 and Focus Vision research platform Focus Vision in 2016. An active contributor to the research industry and supporting early stage companies throughout California, Jamin is adjunct professor at California State University and an all-round nice guy. We discuss the world in 2020, research, entrepreneurship and much more. Real People is a podcast hosted by Jason Dunstone, the founder and managing director of Square Holes. Subscribe to Real People on your favourite podcast player. Jason builds on his 25 years of conducting human-centred research, interviewing average and not so average people (rich, poor, old, young, content and vulnerable) to understand what they believe and how they behave. Check out the Real People website - http://squareholes.com/realpeople Connect with Jason Dunstone on Twitter @jasondunstone - https://twitter.com/jasondunstone?lang=en Send Jason an email - jason@squareholes.com Read more blogs from Jason Dunstone - https://squareholes.com/blog/author/jason/ Find out more about Square Holes - http://www.squareholes.com/ Produced with Apiro Media - https://www.apiropodcasts.com/

We are joined by Ebony Gaylor, Managing Partner of newly launched social cause agency Decade of Action, a partnership with Thinkerbell's Adam Ferrier and Margie Reid. Ebony has held key strategy and social change roles, most recently for the Australian Red Cross. We discuss Ebony's background and childhood, and the motivation behind Decade of Action, and why businesses play a critical role in addressing urgent global challenges over the next 10 years and beyond. We discuss how business has a critical role to play and needs to take more targeted and authentic action. We explore the key role of evidence in identifying critical causes, that may seem left of centre to many of the more visible issues that come top of mind. And approaches to working with influential businesses, brands, governments and movements to boldly define their purpose platform and galvanize their assets, ideas and to have a positive impact on the world. Real People is a podcast hosted by Jason Dunstone, the founder and managing director of Square Holes. Subscribe to Real People on your favourite podcast player. Jason builds on his 25 years of conducting human-centred research, interviewing average and not so average people (rich, poor, old, young, content and vulnerable) to understand what they believe and how they behave. Check out the Real People website - http://squareholes.com/realpeople Connect with Jason Dunstone on Twitter @jasondunstone - https://twitter.com/jasondunstone?lang=en Send Jason an email - jason@squareholes.com Read more blogs from Jason Dunstone - https://squareholes.com/blog/author/jason/ Find out more about Square Holes - http://www.squareholes.com/ Produced with Apiro Media - https://www.apiropodcasts.com/

Today we are joined by Dr Fiona Kerr, Founder and CEO of the Neurotech Institute, and leading futurist and author Steve Sammartino in our first double header with previous guests. Fiona was interviewed in episode 11 of Real People and Steve in episode 16. This most certainly was an explosion of thinking as Fiona and Steve shared their observations of the world in chaos and what this means moving forward. We discuss a huge amount in a rollercoaster chat from digital sovereignty to how well Australia is performing at a global scale. We discuss the hunger games of the US and lessons as to how to take a longer-term perspective can be learnt from places like Finland. We ponder is Australia more like the US or Europe? And, does Australia's safe stability make us lucky or lazy? We discuss systems thinking and blind spots. What future capitalism will look like. And, the high likelihood we will just slot back into comfortable old ways, even with the pause during COVID-19 to slow down and think about better ways moving forward. Real People is a podcast hosted by Jason Dunstone, the founder and managing director of Square Holes. Subscribe to Real People on your favourite podcast player. Jason builds on his 25 years of conducting human-centred research, interviewing average and not so average people (rich, poor, old, young, content and vulnerable) to understand what they believe and how they behave. Check out the Real People website - http://squareholes.com/realpeople Connect with Jason Dunstone on Twitter @jasondunstone - https://twitter.com/jasondunstone?lang=en Send Jason an email - jason@squareholes.com Read more blogs from Jason Dunstone - https://squareholes.com/blog/author/jason/ Find out more about Square Holes - http://www.squareholes.com/ Produced with Apiro Media - https://www.apiropodcasts.com/

Today we are joined by Distinguished Professor Genevieve Bell, Director of the 3A Institute at ANU in Canberra, a collaboration with CSIRO's Data61, with the mission of building a new applied science around the management of artificial intelligence, data, technology and their impact on humanity. Genevieve is also Senior Fellow, New Technology Group at Intel, since joining Intel as a researcher to conduct ethnographic research in 1998. This is a most fascinating discussion about the world in chaos, how we are adjusting and what might come. We discuss key themes such as contact tracing and mass surveillance, and how critical it is that our communities embrace to fight COVID-19. We explore how the devastating Australian bushfires and now COVID-19 have shone the light on our vulnerabilities and segments of the community that were already falling through the cracks dealing with inequality, personal dangers and complexities, and the role of the government in supporting this. Genevieve shares her perspective on how Australia has dealt with COVID-19 compared with other parts of the world, and how it is near impossible to understand the situation without more data and stable models. Real People is a podcast hosted by Jason Dunstone, the founder and managing director of Square Holes. Subscribe to Real People on your favourite podcast player. Jason builds on his 25 years of conducting human-centred research, interviewing average and not so average people (rich, poor, old, young, content and vulnerable) to understand what they believe and how they behave. Check out the Real People website - http://squareholes.com/realpeople Connect with Jason Dunstone on Twitter @jasondunstone - https://twitter.com/jasondunstone?lang=en Send Jason an email - jason@squareholes.com Read more blogs from Jason Dunstone - https://squareholes.com/blog/author/jason/ Find out more about Square Holes - http://www.squareholes.com/ Produced with Apiro Media - https://www.apiropodcasts.com/

Today we are joined by Dr Rebecca Huntley, one of Australia's foremost researchers on social trends. A regular media commentator and writer, including for the Quarterly Essay of March 2019, in which she explored how Australians are calling for change from our government in climate change and wider social issues, and the corruption of democracy. Rebecca is the author of numerous books, including 'How to Talk About Climate Change in a Way That Makes a Difference,' Still Lucky and The World According to Y. We discuss the changes that may come from the chaos of bushfires then COVID-19, some thinking around how Australia and Australians have responded well to a pandemic, and ponder 'are we still lucky?' We discuss fairness vs freedom and the likely shift in thinking towards Australia seeking a greater level of self-sufficiency moving forward, and the wider impact on our cultural values. Real People is a podcast hosted by Jason Dunstone, the founder and managing director of Square Holes. Subscribe to Real People on your favourite podcast player. Jason builds on his 25 years of conducting human-centred research, interviewing average and not so average people (rich, poor, old, young, content and vulnerable) to understand what they believe and how they behave. Check out the Real People website - http://squareholes.com/realpeople Connect with Jason Dunstone on Twitter @jasondunstone - https://twitter.com/jasondunstone?lang=en Send Jason an email - jason@squareholes.com Read more blogs from Jason Dunstone - https://squareholes.com/blog/author/jason/ Find out more about Square Holes - http://www.squareholes.com/ Produced with Apiro Media - https://www.apiropodcasts.com/

Today we are joined by JP, John-Paul Drake Director of Drakes Supermarkets. We go on a fabulous journey going back to JP's entrepreneurial childhood, hear about riding the retail rodeo of the past few months, and how a bit of right place right time luck is awesome. We try to make sense of all the crazy hoarding and hear about JP's global social media attention for his one finger salute at the man wanting a refund on 150 packs of toilet paper. This is a great chat about the importance of agility in business, standing up for your staff, particularly against the rare arse of a customer, how the waves seem be bringing consumer sentiment back to 'buy local' and how JP and the Drakes team are leveraging this now and into the future. We talk about marketing and authenticity against the supermarket juggernauts and a whole lot more. Real People is a podcast hosted by Jason Dunstone, the founder and managing director of Square Holes. Subscribe to Real People on your favourite podcast player. Jason builds on his 25 years of conducting human-centred research, interviewing average and not so average people (rich, poor, old, young, content and vulnerable) to understand what they believe and how they behave. Check out the Real People website - http://squareholes.com/realpeople Connect with Jason Dunstone on Twitter @jasondunstone - https://twitter.com/jasondunstone?lang=en Send Jason an email - jason@squareholes.com Read more blogs from Jason Dunstone - https://squareholes.com/blog/author/jason/ Find out more about Square Holes - http://www.squareholes.com/ Produced with Apiro Media - https://www.apiropodcasts.com/

Today we are joined by EB, Elaine Bensted, the Chief Executive of Zoos SA, including Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park. We hear about EB's childhood growing up loving animals, then having a successful corporate career and passion for education, with her role prior joining Zoos SA, the CEO of TAFE SA. EB discusses finding joy in the chaos, and how a complex like Zoos SA, with its 3,000 animals needing care irrespective of visitors, adjusts, makes some hard decisions, and positions itself for short term survival and long term success. Real People is a podcast hosted by Jason Dunstone, the founder and managing director of Square Holes. Subscribe to Real People on your favourite podcast player. Jason builds on his 25 years of conducting human-centred research, interviewing average and not so average people (rich, poor, old, young, content and vulnerable) to understand what they believe and how they behave. Check out the Real People website - http://squareholes.com/realpeople Connect with Jason Dunstone on Twitter @jasondunstone - https://twitter.com/jasondunstone?lang=en Send Jason an email - jason@squareholes.com Read more blogs from Jason Dunstone - https://squareholes.com/blog/author/jason/ Find out more about Square Holes - http://www.squareholes.com/ Produced with Apiro Media - https://www.apiropodcasts.com/

Today we are joined by Brent Hill, the Executive Director of Marketing at the South Australian Tourism Commission. The leader behind recent campaigns 'book them out' responding to the devastating bushfires, and SA TV sharing content from across South Australia, responding to the 'stay at home' COVID-19 pandemic. Brent could have never imagined being involved in a tourism campaign to encourage people to stay at home, but that's the situation at the moment and for the foreseeable future. How does a tourism team deal with such a predicament? This is a most fascinating discussion about marketing and leadership in a topsy turvy world, including empowering the team to ever seek inspiration, and to unlock Edward de Bono's thinking caps, and not overusing the black hat, encouraging tourism operators to share their story through compelling content, that nowadays does not always need to be of the highest production standards. And, stimulating joy in challenging times is critical. Encouraging people to support local producers through online purchasing of artisan wine, gin, food and other products is important to build connection, and to build a huge appetite for travelling South Australia's wonderful regions once the restrictions are removed. A discussion about marketing and joy in a world of uncertainty and chaos. Real People is a podcast hosted by Jason Dunstone, the founder and managing director of Square Holes. Subscribe to Real People on your favourite podcast player. Jason builds on his 25 years of conducting human-centred research, interviewing average and not so average people (rich, poor, old, young, content and vulnerable) to understand what they believe and how they behave. Check out the Real People website - http://squareholes.com/realpeople Connect with Jason Dunstone on Twitter @jasondunstone - https://twitter.com/jasondunstone?lang=en Send Jason an email - jason@squareholes.com Read more blogs from Jason Dunstone - https://squareholes.com/blog/author/jason/ Find out more about Square Holes - http://www.squareholes.com/ Produced with Apiro Media - https://www.apiropodcasts.com/

Adam Ferrier is the founder of Thinkerbell. He's a popular public speaker and author of recent release 'Stop Listening to the Customer' and previous popular read The Advertising Effect: How to Change Behaviour. He's a former Strategy Planner at Saatchi and Saatchi, Co-Founder and Global Head of Strategy at Naked Communications, current Board member of Tribe, and Co Founder of the Market Science Ideas Xchange and more. We discuss Adam's take on these crazy times we are all presently living through, and how it is hard to predict what new behaviours will stick and which will revert back. How will consumer behaviours change as a result of COVID 19? Adam shares some insight as to why leaders should stop listening to their customers, but rather be confident and true to the brand and what makes it distinctive. We discuss how user centred design and CX is often more so about boring efficiency than better for the brand or the customer. We discuss the pratfall effect, optimism bias, brands performing well in the chaos and lots, lots more. Real People is a podcast hosted by Jason Dunstone, the founder and managing director of Square Holes. Subscribe to Real People on your favourite podcast player. Jason builds on his 25 years of conducting human-centred research, interviewing average and not so average people (rich, poor, old, young, content and vulnerable) to understand what they believe and how they behave. Check out the Real People website - http://squareholes.com/realpeople Connect with Jason Dunstone on Twitter @jasondunstone - https://twitter.com/jasondunstone?lang=en Send Jason an email - jason@squareholes.com Read more blogs from Jason Dunstone - https://squareholes.com/blog/author/jason/ Find out more about Square Holes - http://www.squareholes.com/ Produced with Apiro Media - https://www.apiropodcasts.com/