Jump Podcast

In this episode, Michelle Loret de Mola and Dev Patnaik take on one of business’s oldest questions: Why do great companies actually fail? Is it really arrogance and complacency that bring companies down… or is that just a narrative we’ve been telling ourselves for centuries?   From the chaos hitting SaaS companies in the wake of AI to classic examples like Kodak and AOL, Michelle and Dev unpack what’s really going on beneath the surface. They argue that failure isn’t about leaders getting “too big for their britches,” but about something far more human: our tendency to focus on the present, stick with what’s working, and struggle to let go of a winning formula, even when we know the world is changing.   This episode is a sharp, practical look at what it takes to actually build the bridge from today to tomorrow, and why so many companies fall short trying. If your strategy feels like a warm bath, it might be time to get out of the tub anyway.   #SAAS #strategy #AI #innovation #futurefocus   Links Subscribe to receive Dev’s weekly future focused letters: https://www.jumpassociates.com/podcastandnewsletter/   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-associates   Start a conversation: inquiries@jumpassociates.com   The Jump Podcast The Jump Podcast features Dev Patnaik in dialogue with Michelle Loret de Mola. This is the conversation for future-focused leaders thinking about strategy, culture and leadership. The world is crazy. Everything seems to be changing, and not always in a good way. Today, business leaders are struggling to figure out how to avoid becoming the next Kodak, Blackberry or Blockbuster. But fear not, dear listener. Things can get better. People can do better. And the world can be better.   Jump Associates Jump is the world’s leading independent strategy and innovation firm. We work with the world’s more admired companies on their most important growth challenges. Using a future focused approach to strategy, we’ve helped these firms to grow their businesses in times of change.

In this episode of the Jump Podcast, Dev Patnaik sits down with Anousheh Ansari to explore the power of bold challenges and “moonshot” thinking. Anousheh shares the story behind the early days of the XPRIZE Foundation, from the audacious $10M prize that helped kickstart private spaceflight to the dozens of competitions now tackling everything from wildfire detection to clean water and human health. The conversation dives into how well-designed incentives can unlock creativity, attract massive investment, and reshape entire industries. But it also confronts a harder question: if technology can create a world of abundance, why doesn’t everyone benefit? Anousheh reflects on the future she hopes we build, and why leaders must actively shape that future rather than assume it will arrive on its own. And if she gets her way, the future may look a lot like Star Trek - a world of abundance where we don't worry about scarcity... though we're still waiting on the replicators. #Moonshots #Innovation #Leadership #XPRIZE #futurefocus   Links Subscribe to receive Dev’s weekly future focused letters: https://www.jumpassociates.com/podcastandnewsletter/   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-associates   Start a conversation: inquiries@jumpassociates.com   The Jump Podcast The Jump Podcast features Dev Patnaik in dialogue with Michelle Loret de Mola. This is the conversation for future-focused leaders thinking about strategy, culture and leadership. The world is crazy. Everything seems to be changing, and not always in a good way. Today, business leaders are struggling to figure out how to avoid becoming the next Kodak, Blackberry or Blockbuster. But fear not, dear listener. Things can get better. People can do better. And the world can be better.   Jump Associates Jump is the world’s leading independent strategy and innovation firm. We work with the world’s more admired companies on their most important growth challenges. Using a future focused approach to strategy, we’ve helped these firms to grow their businesses in times of change.

In this episode of the Jump Podcast, Michelle Loret de Mola and Dev Patnaik dig into what’s unfolding in Minneapolis and why it has become a real time stress test for leadership. As immigration enforcement spills into everyday life and disrupts business, they explore why this moment is not just political but deeply human. Drawing on neuroscience, empathy, and leadership examples, Michelle and Dev examine why some people feel outrage while others feel nothing and what that reveals about our sphere of concern. The conversation challenges leaders to ask a hard question: who do you consider your people and how big is that circle? And if your empathy still is not kicking in, it might be time to put down the potato chips.   Links Subscribe to receive Dev’s weekly future focused letters: https://www.jumpassociates.com/podcastandnewsletter/   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-associates   Start a conversation: inquiries@jumpassociates.com   The Jump Podcast The Jump Podcast features Dev Patnaik in dialogue with Michelle Loret de Mola. This is the conversation for future-focused leaders thinking about strategy, culture and leadership. The world is crazy. Everything seems to be changing, and not always in a good way. Today, business leaders are struggling to figure out how to avoid becoming the next Kodak, Blackberry or Blockbuster. But fear not, dear listener. Things can get better. People can do better. And the world can be better.   Jump Associates Jump is the world’s leading independent strategy and innovation firm. We work with the world’s more admired companies on their most important growth challenges. Using a future focused approach to strategy, we’ve helped these firms to grow their businesses in times of change.  

It’s a new year, unwritten and full of possibility. Before the noise and distractions rush in, take a moment to decide what direction you actually want your company to head. The most disruptive companies in history didn’t lead with 50-page strategy decks; they rallied people around big, focused challenges.   Drawing on examples from President John F. Kennedy's race to the moon to companies such as Amazon and Netflix, hosts Dev Patnaik and Michelle Loret de Mola look at the big "moonshot" challenges that secured their place in history, for better or worse. And as they unpack them, they demonstrate the characteristics of a winning challenge. But first, you have to figure out where your moon is.

AI-induced layoffs. Chatbot psychosis. Climate disasters. Gene-editing breakthroughs. Self-driving cars. 2025 felt like a sci-fi movie trailer. In this year-end episode, Dev and Michelle take us beyond the moments and examine the momentum underneath it all—the shifts rewiring markets, geopolitics, and society. Because when robotaxis go from fiction to reality in a matter of months, it’s a signal the future is changing lanes quickly.

Stuart Russell raises alarms about the potential dangers of AI, suggesting it could surpass human capabilities. He discusses a future where human work is largely obsolete and raises concerns about an economy losing its rationale. The hosts explore the distinction between wisdom and intelligence, emphasizing that wisdom could be a significant competitive advantage amid AI advancements. They also tackle the role of empathy in leadership and innovative tech like Nike's robotic ankle and China's underwater data center pilot.

In a world overflowing with information, wisdom is surprisingly hard to come by. We dig into the difference between wisdom and knowledge, why knowledge doesn't necessarily precede wisdom, and how leaders can cultivate it (doing, reflecting, coaching). We close from Headlines from the Future, including China’s underwater data center, the global spread of 3D‑printed guns, and Nike’s robotic ankle brace.

In a captivating discussion, Zack Kass, a global AI advisor and former Head of Go-To-Market at OpenAI, shares insights from his book, The Next Renaissance. He envisions a future driven by unmetered intelligence that democratizes access to knowledge and sparks scientific breakthroughs. Zack emphasizes the difference between knowledge and intelligence, while acknowledging the potential risks of AI. He offers practical advice for business leaders on leveraging AI as a competitive edge and advocates for reimagining organizations to foster innovation.

Last week, Lululemon’s founder and former CEO fired shots at the company with a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal. And the numbers are on his side—the company's stock has plummeted more than 50% in the past year. In this episode, we unpack what the clash reveals about the challenge of scaling without losing your edge—and what future-focused strategists can learn about navigating category maturity, cultural relevance, and corporate nightmares.

In this episode of the Jump Podcast, Dev and Michelle unpack the “Great Lock-In of 2025”, a viral challenge born on TikTok that they reframe for strategy leaders. They challenge executives to treat Q4 as “Q0”, a time to run small experiments, close open loops, and reset leadership habits before the new year. This episode is a call to action for leaders ready to lock in and lead with intention. It’s about turning intention into momentum—and, for some, that shift in mindset may manifest as getting bangs.