The More the Brainier

Christine Renaud, CEO @ Braindate
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  • BUSINESS
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The More The Brainier is collaborative problem-solving in action: real stories, shared wisdom and experience – a candid, brave space where creative minds tackle their pressing questions together. Think of it as a supercharged braindate, where each bite-sized episode spotlights one guest's burning question and the beautiful solutions that emerge when brilliant people think together. Feeling stuck on a challenge? Sometimes all it takes is a fresh perspective (or three) to illuminate the path forward. ✨ We'd love to hear from you! Send us your guest suggestions or comments to TMTB@braindate.com

  1. 12/16/2025

    As I get older my definition of success keeps changing, so how do I manage my expectations while still remaining true to myself?

    🎙️💭How do we live the divide between our vision of success, what we truly want and reality?  Lesly Simmons was formerly Head of Community Innovation at Amazon, she left it this year to acquire and run a toy company, Mobius Toys. This move builds upon Lesly’s work with The Dollhouse Project that produces inclusive experiences for children and families. As she moves closer to work that is truly meaningful to her, she simultaneously finds herself doing work she didn’t sign up to do. She brings her burning question to:   🔹Noel Pacarro Brown, Author and Thought Leader in Sustainable Finance:  🔹Marni Heinz, Go-To-Market Expert at Datadog and Leadership Coach:  And Christine Renaud, Braindate (host) The three women join Lesly to address her burning question: 🎙️ As I get older my definition of success keeps changing, so how do I manage my expectations while still remaining true to myself? Covered in this episodeStaying true to yourself when you yourself are changingHow definitions of success have changed over the yearsOther people's successIf not now, when? If not me, who?Explaining to others what feels right to meInward connection, grace, compassionWho's the beholder?The fruit and the potStepping back to see 80/20 ✨Find inspiration and algorithm-free perspectives through shared experience, wisdom and good conversation at The More the Brainier This episode of The More the Brainier was produced by Christine Renaud and Jane Gibb. Editing and sound engineering by Jenya Sverlov and Chris Leon. #TheMoretheBrainier #success #truetoself #seasonsofchange  #fortysomething

    39 min

  2. 12/09/2025

    How to navigate a professional pivot that feels like a step backward when it's actually a step forward?

    🎙️You’re sailing along in your career, you’ve got the experience and respect to go with it. Then you realise to do what you really want to do, you’ll have to change tack, change your boat, let go of the hard-earned position, the esteem of your colleagues/peers and head off into the unknown. How do you navigate these transitional waters and the feelings that come with change?  Marni Heinz, Go-To-Market Expert at Datadog and Leadership Coach is not afraid of following what feels right to her, no stranger to charting a new career course and knows the direction in which she needs to go, yet even with this knowledge she still finds the period of transition the hardest one. She seeks out the advice of  🔹Lesly Simmons, Owner and President, Mobius Toys, Former Head of Community Innovation at Amazon:  🔹Noel Pacarro Brown, Author and Thought Leader in Sustainable Finance:  and Christine Renaud, Braindate (Host) to dig deeper into: How to navigate a professional pivot that feels like a step backward when it's actually a step forward? Covered in this episodeGoing against the grain but staying true to oneselfLife pivotsUnpacking the questionThe role of time in pivots/overwhelming periods“Repotting the plant”Spotting the invitations to go deeper “good content”What anchors us in times of flux?Business timelines vs personal timelinesShifting one’s mindset #TheMoretheBrainier #careerpivots #braindate  #careertransitions  Subscribe to find inspiration, algorithm-free perspectives and good conversation at The More the Brainier. To contribute to the discussion, join us on Braindate’s LinkedIn post about this episode of our show or send us an email at TMTB@braindate.com This episode of The More the Brainier was produced by Christine Renaud and Jane Gibb. Editing and sound engineering by Jenya Sverlov and Chris Leon.

    34 min

  3. 12/02/2025

    How can we keep a pulse on the shifting rules of society while also maintaining a direct line to our intuition?

    🎙️You need to follow the regulations but they’re not necessarily “just” and they’re moving. How do you work towards equity in ALL senses of the word? What can help you navigate these waters? What if we saw capital as a potential healing agent for our society? These a just a few of Noel Pacarro Brown's thoughts that come up in this episode. Author and Thought Leader in Sustainable Finance, Noel guides families to make investments and lasting legacies with their wealth. When you deal with hundreds of thousands of dollars and you care about harmony and equality, how do you ensure you are adhering to the rules of the trade and those of shared humanity? Noel knows intuition can guide us to achieve greater harmony in her line of work, but how?  Noel calls on: 🔹Marni Heinz, Go-To-Market Expert at Datadog and Leadership Coach, 🔹Lesly Simmons, Owner and President, Mobius Toys, Former Head of Community Innovation at Amazon, and Christine Renaud, TMTB host and CEO of Braindate, to address her burning question: How can we keep a pulse on the shifting rules of society while also maintaining a direct line to our intuition? Covered in this episodeMemorable hosting momentsLeadership in shared resources and sustainable financeImportance of place in connectionsDisparity between the profit driven aspect of world of finance and the needs of society: how intuitively it feels like the drive for profit over well-being will accrue more risk in the long-runHow this disparity is relevant across sectors at the momentHow to bring more visibility to this issue How to tap deeper into your intuition and make it more readily availableWhat to look at more closely to shift one's perspective when tackling a divideFinding common groundBringing more love and community into business Subscribe to find inspiration, algorithm-free perspectives and good conversation at The More the Brainier. To contribute to the discussion, join us on Braindate’s LinkedIn post about this episode of our show or send us an email at TMTB@braindate.com This episode of The More the Brainier was produced by Christine Renaud and Jane Gibb. Editing and sound engineering by Jenya Sverlov and Chris Leon. #businesscoaching #sustainablefinance #peercoaching  #intuitiveinvesting #healingcapital

    36 min

  4. 06/17/2025

    How do we break down the barriers to collaboration when we gather?

    🎙️How do we change the status quo? Conventions tend to be, well, conventional. Mingling people in rooms for a few days has been the default for a long time: the challenge is getting the delegates on board to try something new.  Mara Sandoval designs the gatherings for high-level decision makers. For her, experience design plays a key role in generating outcomes when people gather and it needs to be centre stage in the planning process rather than an afterthought. She calls on 🔹Alex McLean, CEO & Co-Founder, Alveole and 🔹Cindy Gallop, Founder & CEO, MakeLoveNotPorn to join her exploration of the burning question: How do we break down the barriers to collaboration when we gather? Covered in this episodeBeing a great guestAnthropology and graphic design in content and space Design as a theory of changeBringing collaborative design to boardroomsThe need for a common languageWhy are we gathering?The pivotal role of human interactionAn easy way to encourage collaboration typical conferences = boringBruce Mau incomplete manifesto for changeTypical conferencesPower of intention as participantThe people you need in the room Host: Christine Renaud, Braindate Subscribe to find inspiration, algorithm-free perspectives and good conversation at The More the Brainier. To contribute to the discussion, join us on Braindate’s LinkedIn post about this episode of our show or send us an email at TMTB@braindate.com This episode of The More the Brainier was produced by Christine Renaud and Jane Gibb. Editing and sound engineering by Jenya Sverlov and Chris Leon.

    31 min

  5. 06/10/2025

    How do I find investors/donors who 'get it' for MakeLoveNotPorn?

    🎙️How do you find the people you need when you don’t know where to look? Cindy Gallop's mission is to help end rape culture globally through education and awareness. Cindy has solid experience getting her message across and getting things done: after identifying a lack and a need in the market back in 2012, Cindy created the online platform, MakeLoveNotPorn, a subscription service aimed at providing an alternative to porn. Cindy seeks investors for MakeLoveNotPorn, she knows the money is out there but the typical investor route is not open to her. She explains the situation to: 🔹 Mara Sandoval, Head of Event Design and Interaction, World Economic Forum; and 🔹 Alex McLean, CEO & Co-Founder, Alveole  Together, they address her burning question: How do I find investors/donors who 'get it' for MakeLoveNotPorn? Covered in this episodeEarly experiences of earning and saving moneyOrigins of MakeLoveNotPornCindy's Burning Question: How to find investors? Barriers and solutions to business growth in sex tech Host: Christine Renaud, Braindate Subscribe to find inspiration, algorithm-free perspectives and good conversation at The More the Brainier. To contribute to the discussion, join us on Braindate’s LinkedIn post about this episode of our show or send us an email at TMTB@braindate.com This episode of The More the Brainier was produced by Christine Renaud and Jane Gibb. Editing and sound engineering by Jenya Sverlov and Chris Leon.

    36 min

  6. 06/03/2025

    How do I make people care about nature being an integral part of the city?

    🎙️ How can nature and humans thrive in cities together? Alex McLean, started beekeeping at 15 and it’s taken him around the world and into business as Co-Founder and CEO at Alveole, a turnkey urban beekeeping company. Alex negotiates partnerships with commercial real estate across North America and Europe; one of his main challenges is translating the need for nature alongside us in cities for the people who have the power to improve the urban environment for all city dwellers. In this tenth episode of The More the Brainier, Alex receives advice from:  🔹 Cindy Gallop, Founder & CEO, MakeLoveNotPorn; and 🔹 Mara Sandoval, Head of Event Design and Interaction, World Economic Forum Together, they address his burning question: How do I make people care about nature being an integral part of the city?  Covered in this episodeAlveole and its missionUrban beekeeping 101How do we get people to care about nature in cities?Moments of aweWhat do bees represent?The transformation of SingaporeNature as privilegeNormalising nature Outreach to childrenEdible citiesThe link between nature, health and wellbeingStorytelling as a tool to bring nature to children The power of gardeningPotential for radical improvement with urban planningBottom-up change limitationsWhen top down models for change are necessaryHow can everybody benefit? Today’s guests: Alex McLean, (Main guest); Cindy Gallop; Mara Sandoval Host: Christine Renaud, Braindate Subscribe to find inspiration, algorithm-free perspectives and good conversation at The More the Brainier. To contribute to the discussion, join us on Braindate’s LinkedIn post about this episode of our show or send us an email at TMTB@braindate.com This episode of The More the Brainier was produced by Christine Renaud and Jane Gibb. Editing and sound engineering by Jenya Sverlov and Chris Leon.

    32 min

  7. 05/20/2025

    How can I switch from citizen-spectator to active participation in an increasingly turbulent world?

    How can we have a tangible impact on the world? How does change begin? In his role as Creative Director of Cities at Moment Factory and also through events he has organised within his community, Fady Atallah works by creating experiences but he's still frustrated that he can't feel a tangible impact. He feels we can do more. Fady enlists the help of:  🔹 Jennie Glazer, CEO at Coqual, The Centre for Talent Innovation; and 🔹 Paul Propster, Chief Story Architect, NASA/JPL StoryLab (Retired) in this ninth episode of The More the Brainier. Together, they tackle his burning question: How can I switch from citizen-spectator to active participation in an increasingly turbulent world? In this discussion we cover politics, cities, climate, culture: what becomes apparent is that people don’t need more inspiration. They need a place to start. Design is often for attention but not necessarily for agency. What if intentional design created moments and experiences that made people feel like they have a role to play? Covered in this episodeOvations: standing or sitting?Moment Factory Citizen spectator –  experience as a citizenInertia at different levels: federal: infrastructure: municipal and arts/cultural The potential for change in public urban spaceWhat to change and how, micro to macro Thinkers: Henry Jenkins: civic engagement: building a story to include the collective; Marshall Ganz: story of me, story of us, story of now; Amy Edmunsdon: psychological safety: creating safe spacesHow do we design for trust and not compliance?Do we need a civic overhaul or more to create moments that remind people that they belong?Plan the expeditionThe need for new language: flip the perspective to create traction, motivationWhat's your prototype?Writing a document of referenceDesigning for agency, with conviction. Today’s guests: Fady Atallah (Main guest); Paul Propster; Jennie Glazer Host: Christine Renaud, Braindate Subscribe to find inspiration, algorithm-free perspectives and good conversation at The More the Brainier. To contribute to the discussion, join us on Braindate’s LinkedIn post about this episode of our show or send us an email at TMTB@braindate.com This episode of The More the Brainier was produced by Christine Renaud and Jane Gibb. Editing and sound engineering by Jenya Sverlov and Chris Leon.

    36 min

  8. 05/13/2025

    What are the big questions I should be asking as a leader to shape a better future?

    🎙️If you had 100 plus global multinational Fortune 500 member companies working arm in arm with you, to what would you draw to their attention? Our second guest in this series: Jennie Glazer, works with C-suite leaders whose businesses have an impact on the lives of thousands in her role as CEO at Coqual, the Centre for Talent Innovation. She sees her privileged position as an opportunity to ask questions that count. She calls on:  🔹 Fady Atallah, Creative Director of Cities at Moment Factory; and 🔹 Paul Propster, Chief Story Architect, NASA/JPL StoryLab (Retired) to explore the kinds of questions she could be asking in this eighth episode of The More the Brainier. Covered in this episodeThe power of gathering: live performancesCoqual: enabling people to fully contribute at workCreating space for innovationBurning question: what are the questions we should be asking as leaders?Digging down to the real questionsWading through uncertaintyShort-termism - no termismWhat can growth look like?Hitting the mute buttonWhat are the mechanisms for changeThe what is, the what if and the what could beDouble bottom line: doing good and making moneyLearning form organisations and "the smaller guys" Today’s guests: Jennie Glazer (Main guest); Fady Atallah; Paul Propster Host: Christine Renaud, Braindate Referenced: Cosm (02:11) P***y Riot, Riot Days (03:58) EPIC PLayer's Spring Awakening (8:53) LaGuardia High School: Considering Matthew Shepard, The Opera (Clip)(9:44) Hal Gregerson Questions are the Answer (27:33) Subscribe to find inspiration, algorithm-free perspectives and good conversation at The More the Brainier. To contribute to the discussion, join us on Braindate’s LinkedIn post about this episode of our show or send us an email at TMTB@braindate.com This episode of The More the Brainier was produced by Christine Renaud and Jane Gibb. Editing and sound engineering by Jenya Sverlov and Chris Leon.

    35 min
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About

The More The Brainier is collaborative problem-solving in action: real stories, shared wisdom and experience – a candid, brave space where creative minds tackle their pressing questions together. Think of it as a supercharged braindate, where each bite-sized episode spotlights one guest's burning question and the beautiful solutions that emerge when brilliant people think together. Feeling stuck on a challenge? Sometimes all it takes is a fresh perspective (or three) to illuminate the path forward. ✨ We'd love to hear from you! Send us your guest suggestions or comments to TMTB@braindate.com

Information

  • Creator
    Christine Renaud, CEO @ Braindate
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Christine Renaud, CEO @ Braindate
  • Show Website
    The More the Brainier