ClarityConnects

Humanizing technology for genuine growth -- David Ryan Polgar

We live in a digital age full of astonishing connection possibilities. But are we connecting in a way that nourishes genuine meaning and maximizes our human existence? Hear my conversation with David Ryan Polgar, tech ethicist, and the Founder of All Tech is Human, as we explore how we can humanize technology for the growth of individuals and businesses, simultaneously. Topics include:

• Ethics and its importance in tech
• Technology will not solve all your problems
• Can we scale intimacy through tech?
• Hyper-personalization and diversification of thought
• How to start instilling laws and guidelines for AI

Here are the resources we mention during this episode: 

https://www.davidpolgar.com/

https://alltechishuman.org/

 Enjoy!

The heart of inclusive UX and design -- Regine Gilbert

Inclusive design: what does it really mean and how can we best apply its principles? Hear my conversation with Regine Gilbert, Visiting Industry Assistant Professor at NYU, and author of the best-selling book “Inclusive Design for a Digital World”, as we explore the importance of UX and inclusivity from a human perspective. Topics we cover include:

• Breaking down UX, inclusivity, and accessibility in a practical way
• The importance and joys of having an inclusive mindset
• Inclusive design is lucrative for companies
• Baby steps to start incorporating inclusive design in your work
• How to experience empathy and become more aware of your biases
• The beauty of universal design

Here are the resources we mention during this episode: 

1. Inclusive Design for a Digital World book by Regine Gilbert
2. The Design of Everyday Things book by Don Norman
3. Don't Make Me Think book by Steve Krug
4. Webaim: Web accessibility in mind
5. W3C: The World Wild Web Consortium
6. RegineGilbert.com

Enjoy!

Personal branding from the inside out - Touseef Mirza

Teaching personal branding at NYU for the past few years has enabled me to fully grasp the core of personal branding and effectively put it into practice. On this episode, I share how the power of personal branding can help you genuinely connect with yourself and influence others. Topics include:

• What does personal branding really mean?
• The foundational framework of personal branding
• Personal branding: beyond just content creation and social media
• Craft your personal brand statement
• How to best utilize social media for your personal brand

2 resources I recommend from the show:

• The Desire Map book from Danielle Laporte
• Power posing video from Amy Cuddy

I hope you enjoy this episode!

3% Conference 2019 Takeaways -- Anaka Kobzev

In November 2019, I went to one of my favorite yearly events, the 3% conference in Chicago. Hear Anaka Kobzev, Global Head of Communications at TBWAWorldwide, and I share our main takeaways from the event as we cover the following topics.

1. The full spectrum of what diversity and inclusion actually really means.

2. A transformative transgender story reflecting the power of these individuals in business.

3. Tapping into our emotional intelligence for a thriving workplace.

4. A modern company needs their male leaders to support and uplift women.

5. The bold and brilliant Cindy Gallop with her relentless effort in making strides for gender equality.

At the end, Anaka shares her beautiful #ClarityMoment on vulnerability.

I hope you enjoy it!

Google search bar insights -- Janneke van Geuns

Let’s tap into the wolrd’s biggest database of human intent: Google search. Hear my conversation with Janneke van Geuns, the Head of Insights and Analytics at Google, as we explore what the digital data from Google search is telling about human beings’ behavior and how you can use these insights to help your brand connect more meaningfully with your audience. Topics we cover include:

• Predominant themes surfacing from organic search
• Top consumer behaviors applicable to all verticals
• How brands can effectively use big data to align with their customer’s state of mind
• The process of insight discovery and its implementation into brand strategy outputs
• Voice technology and how people are using it

I hope you enjoy it!

Adweek 2019 takeaways -- Brooke Vines

Last week, I went to Adweek 2019 in NYC with my business partner Brooke Vines. Hear our #ClarityMoments from the event as we cover the following topics:

• Purpose-driven brands and how to connect genuinely with humans were the most predominant themes. We share examples from big brands (Verizon, IPG, Anheuser Busch) as well the new initiative Lion’s Share
• Mom’s and women speak their truth in the advertising industry by expressing their honest views and emotions in a more courageous and compassionate way
• The outspoken, resourceful, and activist life force of the GenZ population
• Tiktok is the current hottest social media platform…and why brands need to get on it NOW
• Meditation and mindfulness has finally arrived at Adweek and the business world…hallelujah

At the end, we contemplate on our awesome Madonna concert experience and the social justice art of Olafur Eliasson. Both artists show us the true nature of being a creative, how we can challenge the status quo, connect more viscerally with others, and uplift the human spirit.  

What is a brand? - Touseef Mirza

Everybody talks about brands and branding, but not a lot of people really fully understands what it means.

In this episode, come with me on a journey to get a sound foundation on brands and branding: we will explore the definition of branding, how to use brand principles into practice, the difference between branding vs marketing, my 3Cs to create an effective brand messaging statement, as weel as talking about the impact of brands as it pertains to culture, and visa versa, and the human essence.

2 amazing books that I highly recommend on branding that I mention in this episode:

• Primal Branding by Patrick Hanlon
• Zag by Marty Neumeier 

Welcome! - Touseef Mirza

Welcome to the very first episode of ClarityConnects! My name is Touseef Mirza, the creator and host of this podcast and in this episode, I am providing an overview of ClarityConnects: why this podcast came to be, the topics we will cover, the lovely guests that I will interview. I also share #ClarityMoments that solidified my understanding of the sheer importance of recognizing the human essence in brands to create true impact. Let's begin this new journey!

Some Clarity Quotes from this episode:

Branding can be used to unify humanity--Debbie Millman

The future of business is doing good and making money simultaneously--Cindy Gallop

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel--Maya Angelou

Thank you!