Fake Plastic Trees
Some Questions.
Here are some questions that move things into “real” territory quickly. Use them to open a team offsite, kick off a leadership session or reset a group that’s gotten a little too tactical for too long.
No need for icebreakers or gimmicks.
Just ask and listen.
The answers will tell you everything you need to know.
1. Name three people outside your immediate family who have influenced your life.
2. What are three moments or events that genuinely shifted how you think or who you are.
3. If you had ten years left, what would you do differently tomorrow.
4. Tell what part of you have you sidelined. (The thing you wished you had done).
Purposeful Work Boosts Engagement, but Few Experience It
“Only 13% of employees with strong work purpose report feeling burned out “very often” or “always,” compared with 38% of those with low purpose.”
PwC’s Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2025
“With trust, cultural support, and clarity about workplace changes in an age of AI, leaders can boost employee motivation while igniting reinvention and growth.”
They Came for Timothée. They Left With $250 Windbreakers.
The Marty Supreme PR masterclass is in session.
The Oxford 2025 Word of the Year Is ‘Rage Bait’
We are furious.
5 Trends That Will Shape Workplace Culture In 2026
Here come the prediction lists!
Playlist
Inspired by a late afternoon charcuterie at Staplehouse.
SpeedStudio Podcast
Ep. 116 – Aaron Gouw, Carbs Fuel
This week we are in the studio and joined by Aaron Gouw, Co-founder & Chief Product Officer of Carbs Fuel, a new sports nutrition company making a huge impact in the endurance world. The intro finds Nikki and Chad in the Studio pre-Thanksgiving where they chat house parties, un-massaged kale, the Marty Supreme PR strategy, and the protein craze v carbs revolution.
They chat with Aaron about riding in Golden, founding Carbs remotely, the importance of simplification and affordability, grams of carbs per dollar, girl math and athlete math, washing gels, branding process, developing product, pitching to manufacturers, and why you don’t ask for MOQ’s. They also go deep on what causes GI distress, runners versus cyclists fueling views, what elite level marathoners require, short crank arms (155’s!), the future of CARBS, and why they won’t be doing a cocktail line (Chad’s idea).