Snafu w/ Robin Zander

Robin P. Zander
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Weekly

Welcome to Snafu, a podcast about sales, persuasion, and work. Amidst all the change going on in the world today, "durable" skills are often the most resilient. Snafu is a podcast for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and ambitious professionals who need to sell – but aren't quite comfortable yet. Robin Zander has spent more than 20 years tackling things he doesn't know how to do. From starting a restaurant in three weeks without any prior restaurant experience to performing as a self-taught acrobat with the San Francisco Opera, Robin has built his life and career around learning new things. But growth isn't all upside. Trying new things comes with lots of failures. On Snafu, Robin sits down with authors and entrepreneurs to talk about a more human approach to sales, persuasion, and work.

  1. Oct 17

    The Most Successful Marketing Campaign in History

    The desire for diamonds isn't natural, and it's not ancient. It's entirely manufactured by one company inside a single decade. I got engaged last year. And like most women in America, my wife had a couple of criteria: a ring, and a diamond on it. Specifically, she wanted a lab-grown diamond. I got curious and went on a deep research inquiry into the history of diamonds, the origins of the diamond engagement ring, and the cartel behind it all. Over the course of this episode, we dive into the history of diamonds. We study the myth behind diamonds, and we go from the founding of the diamond industry in South Africa — the De Beers cartel — all the way through the current day, and how that empire, which lasted for more than 100 years, has been radically disrupted by the adoption en masse of lab-grown diamonds. For this research, I've pulled on a lot of resources, but three books in particular: The Last Empire: De Beers, Diamonds, and the World by Stefan Kanfer  The Rise and Fall of Diamonds: The Shattering of a Brilliant Illusion by Edward Jay Epstein The Heartless Stone: A Journey Through the World of Diamonds, Deceit, and Desire by Tom Zoellner We start with the myth of diamonds, then the history of the cartel, and then bring it all the way to the present day to ask: why did this industry work? As with any successful persuasive campaign, it's important to understand what was done, why we believe what we do, and how you can protect against these techniques being used on you in the future. I'm Robin P. Zander. This is Snafu. Thanks for being with me. Let's dive in.

  2. Sep 9

    What AI Can't Do For Your Relationships featuring Eric Mill and Jessica Montague

    I recently sat down Eric Mill and Jess Montague, the co-founders of Relatable, for a conversation about the skills that become more important as AI continues to change the way we work. We talked about their journey from working as marriage and family therapists to building Relatable, a relationship learning platform that brings many of the skills they have developed through years of therapy into the workplace. Eric and Jess shared what they see when they work with founders and leaders, including the less obvious forces behind high performance. We talked about grit, fear, insecurity, and the drive to build something meaningful, as well as the difference between using fear as fuel and building from a place of curiosity and abundance. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Eric and Jess, co-founders of Relatable.

  3. Sep 9

    What Theater Can Teach Us About Work featuring J. Noble and Nora Wheaton

    I recently welcomed J. Noble and Nora Wheaton from American Conservatory Theater (ACT) onto the Snafu podcast for a conversation about theater, storytelling, leadership, and what the performing arts can teach us about how we communicate and work together. We talked about the tension between adapting to the person or situation in front of you while still bringing your own personality, perspective, and strengths into the conversation. We also explored storytelling and the role it plays in everything from sales and leadership to building relationships and communicating ideas. J and Nora made the case that many workplace conversations could benefit from the same intentionality actors bring to a performance: listening carefully, understanding what you're trying to accomplish, paying attention to how you're affecting the people around you, and being willing to rehearse before the stakes are high. This was a fun conversation about something I think we could all use more of at work: the willingness to practice, experiment, listen, and be a little more human. If you're interested in storytelling, communication, leadership, authenticity, theater, or simply finding better ways to work with other people, I think you'll enjoy this one.

  4. Aug 25

    The New Rules Of Teamwork In The Age Of AI featuring Dane Groeneveld

    I recently sat down with Dane Groeneveld for the second part of our conversation on Snafu, where we went deeper into his journey, his thinking on teams and leadership, and what it takes to navigate work when the world changes faster than we can plan for it. We talked about Dane's childhood growing up in Australian mining towns, his 25-year career in recruiting, and the experiences that led him to become fascinated by what makes some teams thrive while others struggle. We also explored AI, from its potential to create abundance to the disruption and uncertainty it may bring. Dane shared how he thinks about using AI without losing the human judgment, curiosity, and struggle that help us actually learn. We also talked about family as a team, curiosity, failure, surfing, and what happens when humans and AI start building things together. If you're interested in AI, teamwork, leadership, organizational culture, or navigating uncertainty, I think you'll enjoy this second conversation with Dane.

  5. Aug 3

    The Myth of AI Adoption

    Snafu w/ Robin Zander

  6. Jun 3

    The Art of Human Connection featuring Adam Rosendahl

    In this episode, I'm joined by Adam Rosendahl – facilitator, artist, and founder of Late Nite Art – for a conversation about creativity, trust, belonging, and why deeply human experiences may matter more than ever in an increasingly AI-driven world. Adam's work uses collaborative art, storytelling, music, and facilitation to help people lower their defenses and reconnect with one another in ways that traditional meetings, networking, and workplace culture often fail to create. We explore how creativity can function as a kind of social technology — building trust, emotional openness, empathy, and shared experience across strangers, teams, and organizations. We talk about the origins of Late Nite Art, the leadership camps and formative experiences that shaped Adam's philosophy, and why so many people today feel disconnected despite being constantly online. Along the way, we explore relationship-centered leadership, workplace trust, emotional safety, political polarization, experiential learning, and why organizations increasingly need spaces for genuine human connection. Toward the second half of the conversation, we discuss AI, automation, digital overwhelm, and the growing tension between technological acceleration and preserving humanity, creativity, and embodied experience. Adam also reflects on friendship, handwritten art, illuminated notes, and why imperfect human-made experiences may become even more valuable in a world saturated with AI-generated content. If you're thinking about creativity, leadership, belonging, trust, or how to stay emotionally grounded in rapidly changing times, this conversation is for you.

  7. May 22

    Why Human Experience Still Matters In The Age Of AI featuring Sara Loncka

    In this episode, I'm joined by Sara Loncka – experiential learning designer, leadership strategist, and CEO of Experience Institute – for a conversation about why human experience may matter more than ever in an increasingly AI-driven world. Sara's work focuses on leadership development, experiential learning, and organizational transformation, but this conversation goes far beyond workplace training. It's about what happens when people become disconnected from themselves, each other, and the environments shaping their lives – and why intentional experiences can interrupt the routines, assumptions, and identity patterns we often move through unconsciously. At the center is Sara's distinction between "little e" experiences and "Big E" Experiences. Little e experiences are the stories, habits, and assumptions people accumulate over time. Big E Experiences are intentionally disruptive moments that create reflection, discomfort, curiosity, and transformation. We talk about why growth often requires stepping outside familiar environments, embracing beginner mindsets, and placing ourselves in situations where certainty and competence disappear. We also explore the origins of Experience Institute, why traditional corporate training often fails, how experiential learning creates lasting behavioral change, and the challenge of building organizations that remain deeply human as technology accelerates. Along the way, Sara reflects on founder transitions, reinvention, identity, discomfort, and how even small experiences can quietly reshape the direction of a person's life. Toward the end, the conversation becomes more personal as Sara shares how pregnancy and motherhood have challenged her relationship with control, embodiment, and uncertainty – becoming a different kind of transformational experience entirely. If you're thinking about leadership, personal growth, reinvention, or how to stay connected to what feels deeply human in rapidly changing times, this conversation is for you.

  8. May 6

    Incorruptible: How Great Companies Stay Great featuring Eric Ries

    In this episode, I'm joined by Eric Ries – entrepreneur, founder of the Lean Startup movement, and author of The Lean Startup and Incorruptible – for a conversation about what it actually takes to build companies that last. Eric's work has shaped how startups and large organizations approach innovation, but this conversation goes deeper than experimentation. It's about what happens after you succeed and why so many good companies slowly lose their way. At the center is a concept he calls financial gravity: the invisible force that pushes organizations toward short-term decisions, often at the expense of customers, employees, and long-term value. We talk about how this pressure shows up everywhere – from venture-backed startups to public companies – and why even well-intentioned leaders struggle to resist it. We dig into real examples, from Costco and Patagonia to lesser-known companies that have built what Eric calls "incorruptible" systems – organizations designed to hold their values under pressure. That means not just strong culture, but governance, ownership, and structures that reinforce the mission over time. We explore: Where things break.  Why founders lose control.  Why incentives drift.  Why "best practices" often lead to worse outcomes.  And why resisting that pull requires more than good intentions. Along the way, we touch on AI, alternative ownership models, and the growing tension between innovation and accountability, especially as new technologies are being built inside increasingly concentrated power structures. If you're building a company, thinking about long-term value, or trying to create something that doesn't fall apart as it scales, this podcast is for you.

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About

Welcome to Snafu, a podcast about sales, persuasion, and work. Amidst all the change going on in the world today, "durable" skills are often the most resilient. Snafu is a podcast for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and ambitious professionals who need to sell – but aren't quite comfortable yet. Robin Zander has spent more than 20 years tackling things he doesn't know how to do. From starting a restaurant in three weeks without any prior restaurant experience to performing as a self-taught acrobat with the San Francisco Opera, Robin has built his life and career around learning new things. But growth isn't all upside. Trying new things comes with lots of failures. On Snafu, Robin sits down with authors and entrepreneurs to talk about a more human approach to sales, persuasion, and work.

Information

  • Creator
    Robin P. Zander
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Robin Peter Zander
  • Show Website
    Snafu w/ Robin Zander