Iconoclast Insights

André Daus
  • 0.0 (0)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Iconoclast Insights challenges conventional thinking in politics, business, and beyond. Hosted by André Daus, this podcast dives deep into the ideas and assumptions that often go unquestioned. Expect raw, unfiltered perspectives that cut through the noise and take on everything from outdated business practices to societal norms. If you're tired of the same old advice and eager for fresh, independent thought, tune in for sharp, thought-provoking episodes that spark change.

  1. The Shortcut Tax

    3D AGO

    The Shortcut Tax

    The Shortcut Tax: Why Bad Solutions Sell Better Than Good Thinking The worst professionals in your industry are probably making more money than you. Not despite their incompetence - because of it. Why do buyers keep rewarding people who promise shortcuts over those who solve actual problems? Why do agencies with terrible websites sell branding? Why do consultants who've never solved your specific problem win the contract? This episode challenges both sides: the sellers who've mastered the art of promising certainty, and the buyers who keep paying for the illusion of simple solutions to complex problems. If you've ever wondered why your expertise isn't translating into sales, or why the solutions you bought aren't solving your problems - this is your wake-up call. About Iconoclast Insights: A podcast that challenges conventional business wisdom. No easy answers. No comfortable conclusions. Just the strategic opposition you need to think differently.

    11 min
  2. What Are We Actually Afraid Of?

    FEB 4

    What Are We Actually Afraid Of?

    Millions installed OpenClaw without reading the manual. Now we're debating AI regulation. Before that, we demanded privacy laws while posting our lives on Facebook. We add compliance checkboxes without understanding the legal implications. We subscribe to Cloudflare Pro and call it security. The pattern is obvious: We act first, then rationalize our risk posture afterward. This isn't about AI. It's not about Europe versus America. It's not even about risk-averse versus risk-hungry. It's about something more uncomfortable: Most people don't actually know whether they're taking risks or avoiding them. They just know how to justify whatever they already did. In this episode, we examine the gap between the risks we claim to manage and the ones we're actually taking. Because if you don't know what you're afraid of, you can't possibly know if you're being cautious or just performing caution. The question isn't whether to take risks or avoid them. The question is whether you're honest about which risks you're already taking.

    10 min
  3. Good Enough Never Was

    JAN 28

    Good Enough Never Was

    Standards don't collapse overnight. They erode gradually—one small compromise at a time—until "acceptable" stops meaning "good" and starts meaning "barely functional." And somehow, we've agreed to call this evolution. In this episode, I break down exactly where and how standards have quietly dropped across education, business, personal life, and health. Not through deliberate decisions, but through reasonable-sounding justifications that accumulated into systemic mediocrity. You'll hear why: Education now prioritizes progression over competenceBusiness rewards visibility more than delivery"Self-care" became an excuse for avoiding growthWe're managing decline instead of building capacityThis isn't nostalgia—it's pattern recognition. And if you run a business, lead a team, or simply refuse to accept that "good enough" is actually good enough, you need to understand this mechanism. The challenge: Find one area where you've quietly lowered your own standards—and decide what it takes to raise them back. Iconoclast Insights: Where conventional wisdom comes to get questioned.

    14 min
  4. I Fought the Law

    JAN 21

    I Fought the Law

    Everyone wants change. Nobody wants to lose power. This episode isn't about mindset, culture, or openness. It's about what transformations consistently avoid: systems, incentives, and power. Why do transformations fail even when everyone agrees? Why do old structures outlive every new initiative? Why do organizations feel like they're moving – without actually changing? The uncomfortable answer: People aren't the problem. The system is doing exactly what it was built to do. This episode is a diagnosis for everyone who had good ideas and lost anyway. For leaders who want change – and realize that visions don't replace decision rights. No methods. No frameworks. No feel-good messages. Just one question that hurts: What is your system so good at that it survives every attempt to change it?

    11 min
  5. Not Everything Is Bait

    JAN 14

    Not Everything Is Bait

    "The bait must appeal to the fish, not the fisherman." You've heard it before—probably from a coach, a consultant, or some guru who thinks they understand your business better than you do. It's supposed to mean you need to give your audience what they want, not what you want. But here's what nobody admits: This metaphor has become a weapon to shut down differentiation and creative thinking. In this episode, I connect a recent LinkedIn exchange about podcast distribution to something happening right now in German education: Lower Saxony just removed written division from elementary schools because it's "too complex" for students. Both scenarios reveal the same dangerous pattern: optimizing for immediate comfort over long-term capability. Surrendering expertise to popular opinion. Racing to the bottom while calling it progress. Yes, the bait must appeal to the fish. But you still choose the fishing spot, the timing, the rod, and which fish you're targeting in the first place. Not everything is the bait. Excellence requires challenge. Differentiation requires risk. And sometimes, the best strategy is doing what the fish doesn't expect.

    14 min
  6. When Did We Stop Thinking?

    JAN 7

    When Did We Stop Thinking?

    Two types of people: those who chase every buzzword without asking why, and those who declare things impossible without actually trying. Both have stopped thinking. In this episode, I challenge the intellectual complacency that's infected business thinking. From AI agent hype where nobody asks "why do we need this?" to GDPR compliance panic where everyone says "it's too hard" – people have replaced thinking with consensus-seeking. The loudest voice wins. The shiniest buzzword gets adopted. The most common complaint becomes insurmountable truth. Meanwhile, I implemented GDPR compliance across 20 sites while others were still complaining it was impossible. Why? Because "Geht nicht, gibt's nicht" – there's no such thing as "can't be done." This isn't about being contrarian for sport. It's about the competitive advantage you gain the moment you start actually thinking while your competitors outsource their brains to the crowd. What have you accepted as impossible without actually thinking it through? What bandwagon are you on without knowing why? Time to start thinking again.

    12 min
  7. New Year's Resolution Delusion

    12/31/2025

    New Year's Resolution Delusion

    Why do we wait for January 1st to change what we already know needs changing? In this final episode of 2025, we challenge the cultural ritual of New Year's resolutions and ask the uncomfortable questions: Are you committing to change, or just performing it? We explore the arbitrary nature of calendar-based behavior change, how ritual substitutes for real commitment, and why genuine transformation doesn't wait for permission from a date. Plus, an update on what's coming in 2026, including video episodes and conversation formats. This is Iconoclast Insights – where we challenge the conventional thinking that keeps you stuck. What's coming in 2026: Video episodes launching in JanuaryLonger conversation episodes with guestsSame provocative challenges, expanded formatsConnect with me on LinkedIn: André Daus

    11 min
  8. A Contrarian Take on Santa Claus

    12/24/2025

    A Contrarian Take on Santa Claus

    Does Santa Claus exist? No, seriously—let's run the numbers. In this special Christmas Eve episode, I'm doing something different. Instead of the usual business strategies and contrarian frameworks, we're taking on the most successful mass delusion in human history: Santa Claus. 378 million children. 91 million households. 31 hours. One sleigh traveling at 650 miles per second. The physics are... problematic. Each of the 216,000 reindeer required would vaporize in under five seconds. Santa himself would be pinned to his sleigh with 2,000 times the force of gravity. It's not a logistics operation—it's a disaster. But here's where it gets interesting: everyone knows this. We perpetuate the myth anyway. And maybe—just maybe—that's not a bad thing. This episode asks a question I don't usually ask on Iconoclast Insights: which lies are worth keeping? When does a shared delusion create more value than the truth? And what does Santa Claus teach us about knowing when to challenge assumptions and when to let the magic stand? A festive episode about physics, philosophy, and why sometimes the big red clown deserves our respect. Merry Christmas, Iconoclasts.

    11 min
See All (49)

Trailer

About

Iconoclast Insights challenges conventional thinking in politics, business, and beyond. Hosted by André Daus, this podcast dives deep into the ideas and assumptions that often go unquestioned. Expect raw, unfiltered perspectives that cut through the noise and take on everything from outdated business practices to societal norms. If you're tired of the same old advice and eager for fresh, independent thought, tune in for sharp, thought-provoking episodes that spark change.

Information

  • Creator
    André Daus
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © André Daus
  • Show Website
    Iconoclast Insights