Consciousness Minded

Moving beyond expertise and specialization, innovation in the AI era belongs to connectors, cross-pollinators, and the intellectually adventurous. Are you a know-it-all, or a learn-it-all? In this thought-provoking SXSW talk, Mike Bechtel—renowned futurist and Deloitte Consulting’s Chief Futurist—challenges one of today’s biggest myths: that deep expertise and narrow specialization are the ultimate keys to innovation and career success. Drawing from history, business, science, and his own personal journey, Mike reveals how our obsession with being the expert can actually hold us back. In a world where technology is raising the bar for what machines can do, the real opportunity for [More]

Innovation Under Siege: How U.S. Patent Trolls Are Stifling Progress and Crushing Small Businesses The patent system was built to protect inventors, fostering creativity and driving progress. But today, it’s become a weapon—wielded not by innovators, but by opportunists known as patent trolls. These entities exploit loopholes in the system to extort money from legitimate businesses, crippling innovation and suffocating small companies under the weight of frivolous lawsuits. This isn’t just an abstract policy debate—it’s a reality faced by countless small businesses and entrepreneurs every day. Austin Meyer, founder of Laminar Research and creator of the widely successful flight simulator [More]