Inspired by Monica Parker's Wall Street Journal best selling book, “The Power of Wonder”, we brought together a distinguished panel featuring Monica Parker, Melissa Gonzales, Andy Grover, and Dan Mazzarini to discuss how wonder, curiosity, and awe have shaped their lives and careers. Join us for this special episode recorded in front of a live studio audience in New York City's BHDM studio where we delve into the transformative effect of wonder and how it shapes how we live, engage with, and think about the world and its most pressing problems.

Highlights:

04:18 Exploring the Essence of Wonder with Monica Parker

20:21 The Rookie Experience: Learning, Growth, and Vulnerability

26:20 Embracing the Rookie Mindset: Inspirational Stories

36:59 The Ultimate Cookie Debate: What's Your Favorite?

39:54 A Toast to all the Smart Rookies

Our MC:

Kelly Hoey is the author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World. She’s currently working on her second book which focuses on the unique networks women need for career success. Kelly has contributed to a variety of publications including The New York Times, Inc., Fast Company and Forbes - these and other unexpected career opportunities (such as meeting Malala) she notes, are a direct result of building a network. jkellyhoey.co

About Our Panelists:

Monica Parker is the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller The Power of Wonder and a world-renowned speaker, writer, and authority on the future of work. Parker has spent decades helping people discover how to lead and live wonderfully. The founder of global human analytics and change consultancy HATCH, whose clients include blue-chip companies such as LinkedIn, Google, Prudential, and LEGO, Parker challenges corporate systems to advocate for more meaningful work lives. In addition to her extensive advocacy work, Parker has been an opera singer, a museum exhibition designer, a policy director, and a homicide investigator defending death row inmates. A lover of the arts, literature, and Mexican food, Parker and her family split their time between Atlanta, London, and Nice. Her wonderbringers include travel, time spent with friends, and live music.

Melissa Gonzalez, a visionary leader at MG2, where she heads the MG2 Advisory Group. Melissa's journey from a Wall Street executive to an influential entrepreneur has seen her collaborate with dynamic direct-to-consumer brands and industry stalwarts. Her expertise lies in blending physical and digital realms to create immersive retail experiences, notably for companies like Nordstrom and Victoria’s Secret. As the author of "The Pop-up Paradigm," Melissa's work in generating over 200 tangible consumer experiences underscores her commitment to building authentic human connections in today's digital age. Recognized as a top executive and a voice of influence in retail, she's been featured in prominent publications and is the driving force behind the Retail Refined podcast. Beyond her professional achievements, Melissa finds inspiration in daring pursuits, like skydiving from 10,000 feet.

Dan Mazzarini is an award winning designer whose work includes high profile residences, hotels, restaurants, and retail. Helping clients tell a story through the spaces, he re-imagines visual landscapes embracing a sense of theatricality and the unexpected.

Andy Grover is a visionary leader who has redesigned healthcare delivery experiences. He applies his expertise in real estate, design and branding to successfully scale start-ups that combine innovative bricks-and-mortar service delivery with technology.

Reference:

* “Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World” by Kelly Hoey

* “The Power of Wonder: The Extraordinary Emotion That Will Change the Way You Live, Learn, and Lead” by Monica Parker.

* “The Pop-up Paradigm: How Brands Build Human Connections in a Digital Age," by Melissa Gonzalez

* BHDM Studio

Add Your Voice to Our Final Episode!

We’re curating listener questions to include and answer in our season wrap-up. Leave us a voice memo with the biggest questions and takeaways from this season of Smart Rookie. What questions still linger for you? What do you wish we’d talked about more?

Get in touch: DM us on Instagram, or send us an email, smartrookie[at]thenucleusgroup.com.

Credits:

* Chelsea Carlson, Podcast Art Designer

* Ashley Bradford, Theme Music Artist

* Sam Nash, Audio Engineer

* Gabriela Acosta, Executive Producer

* Jeffy Hnilicka, Event Producer

* Smart Rookie is brought to you by brand and strategy collaborative, The Nucleus Group.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit smartrookie.substack.com