Mind the Machine

In this episode of Mind the Machine, we sit down with executive coach Renita Kolhorn to explore why emotional intelligence is becoming more important than raw IQ for founders, leaders, and decision-makers navigating AI-driven change.Renita shares insights from her work with entrepreneurs, military special forces, and high-performing executives, breaking down how emotions influence behavior, decision-making, and leadership under pressure. She explains why emotions are often misunderstood, how survival triggers shape our reactions, and why discipline, awareness, and practice are essential leadership skills.We also dig into how AI changes the leadership landscape. As machines take over more analytical tasks, the uniquely human skills of emotional mastery, intuition, observation, and self-awareness become even more critical. This conversation challenges leaders to slow down, notice what is happening around them, and strengthen their sense of self in an increasingly automated world.If you are building, leading, or investing in the future of technology, this episode offers a grounded, practical look at how mastering emotions can unlock better decisions, stronger relationships, and more resilient leadership.Follow Mind the Machine:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindthemachinepodcastTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindthemachinepodcastWebsite: https://findgood.tech/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findgood-tech/Timestamps00:00 Introduction and opening clip on emotions00:45 Why emotional intelligence matters for modern leadership01:43 Renita’s background: Juilliard, martial arts, and executive coaching05:41 Discipline, focus, and deliberate practice08:29 Emotional mastery and performance under pressure10:30 “Emotions are just chemicals” explained12:04 Managing emotions versus suppressing them14:33 The FAST framework: survival triggers that drive behavior17:30 Do you need to dig into the past to change behavior?19:10 Practicing new leadership behaviors22:00 Why EQ matters more than IQ in an AI-driven world25:35 AI, decision-making, and the limits of data28:11 Intuition versus ego and how to tell the difference32:24 Slowing down to access intuition35:18 Pattern recognition and discernment in leadership38:07 AI, identity, and the need for a strong sense of self41:20 Feedback, self-worth, and AI as a mirror44:07 One practical habit leaders can start today47:24 Closing thoughts and wrap-up

Today we’re talking with Ryan Fox, CTO of Super.com, about what it really looks like to rebuild a company around AI. Ryan walks through why they literally shut down their old systems, why AI is both opportunity and constraint, and what leaders get wrong about adoption. He also breaks down how Super.com scaled from hotel booking to a financial super-app serving everyday Americans.We cover the shift to AI-first thinking, change management inside large teams, credit-building opportunities for underserved users, and why many AI pilots fail. Ryan also shares his personal journey from Google SRE to CTO, and why he eventually wants to bring AI back into the medical world.Follow Mind the Machine:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindthemachinepodcastTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindthemachinepodcastWebsite: https://findgood.tech/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findgood-tech/⸻TIMESTAMPS00:00 AI mindset shift and breaking old habits00:16 Today’s guest: Ryan Fox, CTO of Super.com00:50 How Super.com started as a hotel chatbot01:19 The early NLP era and why it was too soon02:11 Pivoting into a full super-app03:03 Revisiting old tech after the 2022 AI explosion03:40 Why they shut down their old systems entirely05:01 Building an “AI-first” product workflow06:08 Rethinking designers, engineers, and team workflows07:41 Solopreneurs, MVPs, and why scaling is different09:11 Why AI lets them execute more of their backlog10:49 What makes Super.com’s membership valuable12:02 The shocking debit-card discovery13:06 Credit access, demographics, and opportunity14:06 Financial literacy plus opportunity15:38 Bespoke financial coaching with AI16:57 How they use AI in pricing and backend systems17:44 “Spot”: an AI savings agent concept18:51 Macro AI trends Ryan is watching19:21 Shifting to an AI-first mindset across a company20:54 Training non-technical staff to use AI tools22:26 Fear, indifference, and adoption challenges23:47 AI failures, hype, and real timelines24:40 Why many orgs aren’t data-ready26:21 Legacy leaders misreading AI signals27:06 The reality: most experiments won’t work (and that’s OK)28:36 Ryan’s personal journey: engineering, Google, startups30:18 Growing with Super.com from early days to CTO31:03 Why the journey matters more than the destination31:41 Future hopes: bringing AI into medical fields32:50 Closing reflections and thanks

Paul Adams, Chief Product Officer and CMO at Intercom, joins Mind the Machine to break down how AI is reshaping customer service, product development, and the future of work. He explains how Intercom rebuilt its entire strategy in a matter of days after ChatGPT arrived, why he believes we are still at the very beginning of the AI cycle, and what second and third order effects will change the world in ways most people don’t yet see.Paul also shares practical advice for startup founders, students, and career-builders. He talks through why proximity and relationship capital still matter, why companies should rethink their entire operating model instead of piloting isolated AI projects, and how AI is creating new roles instead of simply replacing old ones.This conversation covers AI transformation, product strategy, future hardware, personal AI, workplace change, education, and how to prepare yourself for the next decade of innovation.Follow Mind the Machine:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindthemachinepodcastTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindthemachinepodcastWebsite: https://findgood.tech/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findgood-tech/00:00 Intercom’s rapid shift after ChatGPT01:50 Why customer service is fundamentally broken03:32 How Intercom invented modern business messaging04:47 What Fin is and why AI excels at customer service08:13 Is AI underhyped? Paul’s view from Google and Facebook11:07 Why AI is a bigger wave than mobile13:22 Where we are in the AI timeline (Paul’s “1999 internet” analogy)15:01 Second- and third-order effects that will transform society18:24 Personal AI and how daily life will change20:36 How hardware will evolve in an AI-first world23:43 Why young people have a massive advantage in the AI era27:11 How to use AI like a powerful tool instead of Google31:34 Why proximity, trust, and human relationships still matter40:57 Practical guidance for companies starting an AI strategy43:18 Why isolated AI projects fail without whole-company adoption

What does it truly mean to be human in an age of intelligent machines? Michael Arena, Dean of the Crowell School of Business at Biola University and former executive at AWS and General Motors, joins Cheryl Goodman to explore the intersection of faith, technology, and human dignity in the AI era.He shares his personal journey from the fast-paced world of Amazon to Christian higher education, how Biola is shaping future leaders to think ethically first, and why “building the humans that build AI” may be the most important mission of our time.Sponsor: https://Perseverance.acFollow Mind the Machine:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindthemachinepodcastTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindthemachinepodcastWebsite: https://findgood.tech/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findgood-tech/Timestamps:00:00 Introduction — “We’re not just a set of outputs”00:23 Sponsor: Perseverance.ac00:41 Welcome and guest introduction: Dr. Michael Arena, Dean at Biola University01:34 Ethics-first approach to AI education03:17 From General Motors to AWS — Michael’s career journey04:06 How faith and human dynamics guided his transition to academia06:15 The meaning of being human in an AI-driven world08:19 Fear, dignity, and the pace of technological change09:54 Knowledge vs. wisdom — the essence of true learning12:02 Protecting the inner human experience14:04 Hearing God’s call and leaving Amazon17:11 Finding balance in a distracted, tech-driven world19:09 Teaching discernment and ethics to future AI leaders21:12 Stewardship, not advocacy, of technology22:28 Human skills that endure in the age of AI24:40 Building empathy and trust in fast-paced teams25:20 The power of ethical leadership in innovation26:07 Accountability, truth, and faith in AI systems29:18 Can AI ever truly understand the Word of God?30:23 Why Christians must engage with AI, not retreat from it33:07 AI’s dual nature — both dystopian and redemptive potential34:50 “We build the humans that build AI”36:14 What gives Dr. Arena hope about the future38:06 Biola’s AI Lab, Studio, and adaptive MBA39:22 Bringing industry leaders into the classroom40:57 Final reflections — shaping the future with ethics and grace

In this episode of the Mind the Machine Podcast, we sit down with Michael Steep — former Senior VP of Xerox PARC and Founder of Stanford’s Disruptive Technology Program — to explore how to separate hype from reality in the fast-moving world of AI and emerging technology. Steep explains how the new Alliance for Societal Impact brings together family offices, startups, and universities to drive innovation that solves real human problems.We also discuss how family offices can complement or even replace traditional venture capital, why “builder capital” matters for long-term societal impact, and how San Diego is becoming a growing hub for innovation beyond Silicon Valley.Follow Mind the Machine:🌐 Website: https://findgood.tech/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindthemachinepodcast🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindthemachinepodcast💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findgood-tech/Timestamps:00:00 Sorting the hype from reality in AI00:28 Sponsor: Alliance for Societal Impact00:46 Guest intro — Michael Steep’s background at Microsoft, Xerox PARC, and Stanford02:15 The rise of exponential innovation03:13 Founding the Alliance for Societal Impact04:14 Family offices and their role in technology and social good05:27 Making innovation practical, not theoretical06:18 Creating lasting impact beyond conferences07:09 Preview of the March 2026 conference08:25 Connecting PhD researchers with next-gen investors09:10 San Diego’s startup ecosystem and AI opportunity10:28 Building bridges between regions and Silicon Valley11:25 Why corporate leaders don’t understand Silicon Valley12:00 Why San Diego offers a better cost structure and talent opportunity13:12 What a family office is and why startups should care14:09 How family offices differ from traditional VCs15:09 Education, funding, and alternatives to venture capital16:14 Cutting through AI hype to find real applications17:19 Partner introductions and expanded discussion18:33 Bob shares his “why” and the story behind Guitars Over Guns22:52 Lessons on resilience, education, and legacy23:40 The origins of his family office and long-term focus25:07 What makes family office capital different27:08 Spiritual capital and passion-driven founders28:23 Connecting innovators and investors for long-term impact29:18 The global stakes of AI and geopolitical sustainability30:56 Generational wealth transfer and the risk of lost legacy32:26 Academia’s role in innovation — from Stanford to MIT and Caltech34:31 Building cross-university collaboration for real-world results35:21 San Diego as a rising innovation hub37:02 Builder capital vs. venture capital38:13 The importance of trust and legacy in family office investing39:15 Lonnie shares insights from his books Beyond Business and Beyond Fortune41:00 How businesses can move from profit to purpose44:48 Level 1, 2, and 3 business frameworks for societal impact46:14 Why entrepreneurs must build more than money47:09 The two sides of AI: code creation vs. human impact48:57 Why trust and validation are key to ethical AI50:19 How entrepreneurs can lead with conviction52:26 Lonnie’s powerful closing story on legacy and gratitude55:29 Closing remarks