What Does It Mean to be Human? An Exploration of Belonging in an Age of Hybrid Intelligence. | Jennifer Sertl, VP, Mktg, Circle Optics, Strategist, Futurist

What Does It Mean to be Human? An Exploration of Belonging in an Age of Hybrid Intelligence. | Jennifer Sertl, VP, Mktg, Circle Optics, Strategist, Futurist

Who Is Jennifer Sertl? Jennifer Sertl is an internationally recognized strategist, leadership coach, and marketing executive with more than two decades of experience across transportation, beauty, defense, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing. She is actively consulting through her firm Agility3R, where she helps organizations and executives build strategic capacity through resilience, responsiveness, and reflection. Jennifer is also Vice President of Marketing at Circle Optics, a deep tech company pioneering stitch-free panoramic imaging systems for aerospace, defense, and robotics. Her consulting and executive advisory work spans global companies including Genesee & Wyoming Inc., Zotos International, TRACSIS, Fujifilm, and Optimax Systems Inc., where she delivers transformation through behavioral branding, system design, and narrative intelligence. Jennifer is affiliated with several innovation ecosystems—including the MARL Accelerator, Upstate Venture Connect, Luminate Accelerator, GENIUS NY, and Alley to the Valley—supporting founders and leaders as they navigate growth, alignment, and complexity. She is the designer and creative director of three thought leadership platforms: ~ Studio A3R – her personal podcast, where she hosts thinkers and visionaries exploring the theme “The antidote to chaos is connection.” ~ 360° Pulse Podcast – produced for Circle Optics, focusing on Wide Field of View Innovation ~ Slow Drip Podcast – hosted by India Osborne, where Jennifer serves as creative director and co-producer Jennifer personally hosts both Studio A3R and 360° Pulse, and brings a high level of strategic storytelling and philosophical depth to each. A seasoned facilitator, she previously led three executive roundtables for Vistage International, curating thought leadership for C-level executives. She currently teaches “Exploring Innovation” at Rochester Institute of Technology and has spoken on global stages including Sibos, Asian Banker Summit, and the New York State CIO Conference. She is co-author of Strategy, Leadership and the Soul and The Upstate Founders Playbook, and serves on multiple advisory boards focused on technology, ethics, and workforce development. Jennifer lives in Rochester, New York. When she’s not consulting or creating, she’s likely hiking, reading existential philosophy, or hosting intimate salons that foster connection across disciplines and generations.

We Can't Do it Alone. Business Design, Innovation & Co-Creation | Patrick Van der Pijl, Founding Partner, Business Models, Inc.

Who Is Patrick Van der Pijl? Patrick founded Business Models Inc. the company that drives growth through innovation. BMI helps leaders and teams to systematically grow the core business, unlock new opportunities and build innovation capabilities. They work in collaboration with our clients like IKEA, ING, Mars, Medtronic and Heineken to create lasting results. After producing the global bestseller Business Model Generation, Patrick began writing his own books on business collaboration tools and methods, including Design a Better Business and Business Model Shifts. Through these books, he continues to explore business design—helping leaders and teams innovate, grow, and transform through practical tools, strategic thinking, and impactful business models. His latest book, Augmented Collaboration, explores an innovation workflow powered by AI and will be released on September 1, 2026. Available here - https://augmentedcollaboration.com/pages/buy-the-book

The Search For Meaning With the Luckiest "Mann" in the World | John David Mann, NYT Bestselling Author & Coauthor, The Go-Giver

As I dug into John's story in preparation for his episode, I stumbled into not only a prolific writer but a deep thinker with a rich and interesting story. The kind of story and person I just love having a conversation with on the Team Powdered Donut™ podcast. John is as eloquent a speaker and thinker, as he is a writer. His own love story with Ana led to their book The Go-Giver Marriage, and they have another one on the horizon from their love story, "The Start of Something Big." As you get ready to listen to a truly special episode, these two quotes really stood out, both of which we discuss in the episode. One from John's Substack, "Mann’s Search for Meaning," definitely worth subscribing to by the way. John starts each post with a quote. This one from C.S. Lewis from the start of John's post, "On love, grief, and joy stood out. “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken." And finally, from Doris Lessig, the oldest winner of the Nobel prize in literature. "Whatever you're meant to do, do it now. Circumstances will always be impossible." Thank you John for inspiring us all not only with your more than 40+ books but to making the impossible possible! Who is John David Mann? John David Mann is an award-winning author whose books have sold more than 3 million copies in 3 dozen languages, including the New York Times bestselling memoir The Red Circle with former Navy SEAL Brandon Webb and the New York Times bestselling parable The Latte Factor with personal finance legend David Bach. As a teenager, John started his own high school and was an award-winning composer and cellist before turning to careers as an entrepreneur and author. His classic The Go-Giver (with Bob Burg) has sold over 1 million copies in 38 languages and won the Living Now Evergreen Medal for its “contribution to positive global change.” His book Take the Lead (with former White House staffer Betsy Myers) was named by Tom Peters and the Washington Post “Best Leadership Book of 2011.” His first novel, Steel Fear (with Brandon Webb), was nominated for a Barry Award in 2021 and named one of the “best books of the year” by Publishers Weekly. John lives in Florida and New England, where he leads a coaching program called Writing Mastery Mentorship. https://johndavidmann.com

The Holy Grail of Content Marketing - Ideas, Influence and Income | Tanya Hall, CEO, Greenleaf Book Group

Who Is Tanya Hall? As CEO at leading hybrid publisher Greenleaf Book Group, Tanya drives growth efforts and fosters a culture built around serving authors. Prior to her current role, Tanya worked directly with Greenleaf's authors to develop publishing strategies (including multiple New York Times bestsellers); spearheaded growth strategies, including Greenleaf's ebook program and the River Grove digital-first imprint; and built Greenleaf's distribution organization, working directly with retailers and wholesalers to develop one of the fastest-growing distribution businesses in the industry. Tanya is the author of Ideas, Influence, and Income, a comprehensive guide to writing, publishing, and launching your book--and monetizing your content.

Intro to Season 3 of the Team Powdered Donut™ Podcast