On Becoming

About On Becoming

FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN’T DONE YET. You don’t need to have it figured out, just willing to make the next move. A podcast for founders making the next thing work, athletes rebuilding, artists facing a blank page, parents rethinking who they are. Expect honest conversations about the messy middle and what it takes to keep going.

Publisher

Josh Heinrich

Category

business · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

9 Apr 2026

Latest episode

21 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

9 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Oct 2026

   On Becoming S2 EP3: James Centenera — From McKinsey to Education: Why Resilience Alone Isn’t Enough?

   Resilience alone is not enough. Some people from humble beginnings have had to practise it all their lives. They adapt, take a hit and keep showing up. But when capital, access and opportunity are scarce, resilience can become a way of surviving rather than a way of moving forward. Talking to James Centenera, this was the idea I kept coming back to. James made an important distinction: Resilience is the ability to bounce back when something goes wrong. Optimism is the belief that the future can be better. But neither is enough without a genuine opportunity to act. At TULA, James and his team tried to make that practical: delivering education comparable to a $25,000 a year international school for families who could afford roughly A$1 a week. That meant stripping education back to its core—great guidance, meaningful learning and support that could actually reach people. It also made me question what we measure. Credentials can tell us what someone has learned. They do not always tell us whether that person can turn learning into judgement, agency and something real. I have met people with extraordinary qualifications who struggle with that. And I have met people with immense resilience, intelligence and care whose circumstances have not given them a fair chance to apply it. Education cannot simply be a pipeline into a job market. It has to help people learn how to think, adapt, regulate themselves, work with others and build a future. That is also why James’s view on AI matters. AI should not remove the challenge from learning or do the work for us. It should help people learn at the right level, give educators better insight, and make more opportunities possible. Maybe the question is not only whether education produces employable people. Maybe it is whether it gives people the discernment, confidence and opportunity to shape the world they enter. Chapters 00:00 From Engineering to Education 03:07 The Drive to Give Back 05:57 Cultural Influences on Generosity 09:00 Finding Purpose in Education 12:02 The Challenges of Social Entrepreneurship 14:59 Unlocking Potential Through Education 18:01 Navigating the Entrepreneurial Landscape 20:56 Building a Sustainable Model 23:58 Innovating for Affordability 26:55 Selling Vision vs. Reality 29:55 Evolving Roles in Education 33:06 Harnessing AI for Learning 36:59 Challenges in Educational Systems 40:00 The Role of Friction in Learning 45:52 Adapting to Change in a Tech-Driven World 51:06 Human Connection in an AI Era 54:45 Navigating Inequality and Opportunity 58:39 Resilience and Optimism: A Balancing Act 01:00:00 Influential Figures: Learning from the Greats 01:02:59 The Role of Sports in Personal Development 01:05:03 Mindset: The Key to Overcoming Challenges 01:07:53 Exploring New Adventures: Skiing and Fly Fishing

2. 

   14 Oct 2026

   On Becoming S2 EP2: Andy Polaine, From Early Digital Design to AI, Has Anything Really Changed?

   Speed is now an unquestioned good. But are faster products actually better? In this episode of On Becoming, Josh speaks with Andy Polaine—design leadership coach, co-founder of the experimental interaction-design collective Antirom, and co-author of Service Design: From Insight to Implementation. From early digital media to AI, Andy has watched the tools change repeatedly while many of the human problems remain the same. They explore why speed, growth and output can become misleading measures of progress; what we lose when there is no time to pause and think; and why taste, judgement and care still matter in an age where AI can generate almost anything. Because making more is not the same as making something worthwhile. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Design Tools 02:45 Andy’s Journey into Design 06:01 Influence of Family on Design Career 08:04 Understanding Good Design 10:10 The Impact of Upbringing on Creative Fields 11:49 The Evolution of Design Processes 12:23 Speed vs. Thoughtfulness in Design 16:11 The Importance of Design Language 18:57 The Role of Education in Design 21:35 The State of Product Design 23:52 Cultivating Creativity in Design 25:14 The Evolution of Advertising and Interaction 29:49 The Interplay of Technology and Creativity 31:00 The Challenges of Modern Design 38:40 Navigating Design Leadership 44:19 The Role of Discernment in Design 44:54 The Designer's Self-Assessment 46:25 Taste vs. Discernment in Design 48:14 AI's Limitations in Design 50:29 Embodied Cognition and Experience 52:12 Metaphors and Human Understanding 54:57 The Evolution of Interaction Design 57:07 Human-AI Interaction and Consciousness 01:00:12 Teaching Design in the Age of AI 01:03:22 The Impact of AI on Creative Quality 01:06:47 The Impact of AI on Creativity 01:07:54 Evolution of Design Leadership 01:09:57 The Interpersonal Dynamics in Design 01:10:57 Reflections on Coaching and Diversity 01:12:00 The Journey of Writing and Personal Growth 01:13:55 The Influence of Technology on Creative Processes 01:17:00 Conversations with Influential Figures

3. 

   7 Oct 2026

   On Becoming S2 EP1: Vicki Powell, How Lume Measures Cortisol, from a Rural Farm to Apple Demo Days

   In this conversation, Vicki shares her journey from growing up on an organic farm in Australia to becoming a mechanical engineer at Apple and co-founding Lume Health, a company building wearable technology to measure hormones. The discussion explores the influence of cultural background, the importance of teamwork, the impact of personal experiences on career choices, and the intricate relationship between cortisol and daily life. They also cover the impact of hormonal rhythms on productivity, the importance of consistency in daily routines, and how cortisol management can benefit individuals, particularly those with ADHD. Other topics include the future of wearables, the role of AI in personal health, and the evolving landscape for women in engineering and technology. Vicki also discusses female entrepreneurship and the importance of data in understanding health and wellness. The conversation weighs data-driven insights against the complexities of human consciousness, emphasising the need for a deeper understanding of individual differences. Takeaways Cultural influences shape work ethic Emotional experiences drive career changes Hormonal rhythms impact productivity Access to information is crucial Support for female entrepreneurs Importance of data in health Chapters 00:00 Vicki's Journey and Background 02:05 Cultural Influences on Work Ethic 04:17 Lessons from Manufacturing at Scale 09:40 Teamwork and Performance in Sports 12:17 Creativity Under Constraints 16:08 The Impact of Personal Loss 25:05 The Role of Cortisol in Daily Life 29:43 Understanding Hormonal Rhythms 30:57 The Importance of Consistency 32:43 Navigating Sleep and Productivity 35:18 Cortisol Management and ADHD 38:05 The Role of Continuous Measurement 40:50 Balancing Optimization and Authenticity 51:20 The Future of Wearables and AI 52:43 Women in Engineering and Tech 57:03 Empowering Female Entrepreneurs 59:13 Understanding Hormonal Differences 01:00:12 The Role of Data in Health 01:03:06 Balancing Data and Consciousness 01:07:54 Exploring Human Complexity 01:11:23 Influential Figures and Their Impact

4. 

   14 Sept 2026

   S1 EP6: Tenaya Jorgensen on Ibsen, Identity, and Building Theatre in Oslo

   I𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗛𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. That was one of the central ideas from my conversation with Tenaya Jorgensen, PhD on the ON Becoming podcast. Tenaya is a co-founder of OsloEnglishPlayers, which brings Henrik Ibsen’s work to English-speaking audiences in Norway. Despite Ibsen’s international importance, his plays are not performed regularly in Oslo—even in Norwegian. For visitors who travel to Norway wanting to encounter his work, that leaves a real gap. Oslo English Players is working to fill it. Tenaya’s own journey—from literature and archaeology to green technology, mapping and theatre—gave our conversation an unusual perspective. The common thread is context. Archaeology looks into the past. Technology often looks towards the future. Both require you to see the wider system while paying attention to the details. We explored why Ibsen’s questions remain so immediate: 𝗗𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆? 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀? 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗼𝘅𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲? One line from our conversation stayed with me: “𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗜 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.” There is something important in that. Solutions can quickly become controlling. Good questions give people room to think, interpret and participate. We also discussed finding humour in darkness. Ibsen’s plays can be psychologically heavy, but Oslo English Players sometimes performs against the text—allowing a character to laugh off something devastating, as people often do in real life. The contrast makes the serious moments land harder while giving the audience room to breathe.And audiences have responded. With very little marketing, their outdoor performances sold out through word of mouth, people watching the stage being built and a simple QR code. Some visitors even planned their trips around seeing Ibsen performed in Oslo. Imagine Ibsen being performed regularly in English, in the historic and scenic surroundings of the city where he lived and worked.𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝘇𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗺. Old stories allowed to breathe, evolve and speak to new audiences. That is what Oslo English Players is beginning to build through Ibsen on the Fjord.

5. 

   9 Aug 2026

   On Becoming Emma Skattum

   Emma shares her journey from engineering to the fashion industry, her fascination with trash, and the importance of longevity in sustainability. She discusses the circular economy, resale, and the impact of consumer demand on the fashion industry. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including AI, pronunciation, home refurbishment, fashion, sustainability, technology, and business strategy. The guest shares insights on consumer behavior, secondhand fashion, and the challenges and opportunities in the fashion industry. The conversation also delves into the CEO's perspective, market expansion, technology, and competition in the resale industry. Takeaways Fashion Industry Transition Sustainability and Longevity Resale and Consumer Demand AI application in fashion Consumer behavior in fashion Challenges and opportunities in the fashion industry CEO's perspective on business strategy and market expansion Technology and competition in the resale industry Chapters 00:00 Circular Economy and Resale in Fashion Industry 56:17 Competition and Value Creation in Resale Industry

6. 

   27 May 2026

   On Becoming Victoria Allers Wismer

   A founding CMO is not just a CMO who joins earlier. It's a different operating system. A CMO joins when the company is found. There's a brand, a team, a budget, a playbook. Channels that work. A story the market already believes. Their job is to scale what's there. A founding CMO joins before any of that exists — and that's exactly where Victoria Allers Wismer (https://www.linkedin.com/feed?nis=true#) enters the picture. A founder's vision. A half-formed story. No team beneath them. No playbook to inherit. A market that doesn't know it needs you. Their job is to make it real — from nothing, under pressure, with incomplete information. One is a founder. The other is an operator. Victoria is the former.

7. 

   28 Apr 2026

   On Becoming: Ida Tin

   What a pleasure sitting down with Ida Tin — the woman who literally coined the term Femtech. She grew up on motorcycles. One year old, sitting in front of her mother, crossing South America, Africa, the former Soviet Union. By the time she was an adult she was leading tours through Mongolia, Cuba, and Vietnam — and writing a book about the inner and outer journey. Then she built Clue. 10 million active users. 190 countries. Over $60M raised. What struck me most wasn't any of that. It was her humility. Ida has this uncanny ability to walk into a room — a boardroom, a market, an entire industry — and hold the frame. To make the simplest question feel urgent enough to invest millions into: why are you not seeing the value in this underappreciated demographic? Not through force. Through bridge-building — finding the connection between what you already believe matters and what you've been overlooking. No anger. No lecture. Just clarity. And honestly? As a man, sitting with that question changed something for me. Taking the time to genuinely appreciate difference — not as a moral exercise, but as a strategic one — might just be the best bet you ever make. She's also written a guide for men who want to invest in female founders building Femtech. Worth reading — and worth sharing. New reel dropping this week. Stay tuned for On Becoming. If you have a story worth telling — about what you're becoming, or what your business is becoming — reach out.

8. 

   20 Apr 2026

   On Becoming Manuela Hjelseth

   Leadership is about understanding that you don’t have to know it all — but you do have to be willing to learn and grow. In this episode of On Becoming film (https://www.linkedin.com/company/on-becoming-film/), I sit down with Manuela Hjelseth (https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuela-hjelseth-ab808121/) to explore her journey from Italy to Sweden and then Norway. We discuss how curiosity and courage have shaped her leadership style and personal growth. Manuela shares insights on embracing unfamiliar cultures and how authentic communication builds trust in any environment. Her perspective on leadership is about showing up curious, humble, and eager to understand, not just to be understood. She also delves into the unique challenges and opportunities of leadership within the hospitality industry, highlighting the importance of fast-paced, authentic communication. Chapters 00:00 Journey from Italy to Norway 05:48 Curiosity and Leadership 13:10 Breaking Down Cultural Barriers 19:55 Leadership Development and Self-Reflection 26:50 Influence and Change 57:08 Leadership and Decision-Making 01:03:28 Building Confidence and Learning from Mistakes 01:09:23 Importance of Training and Communication Skills 01:14:47 Training and Problem-Solving

9. 

   9 Apr 2026

   On Becoming Tauriq Adams

   This conversation goes beneath the pitch — the trust, the silence, the unwritten rules — and into the real texture of building a life in Norway as an outsider. We explore what immigration reveals about identity, what Norwegian society asks of you before it lets you in, and why the gap between the promise and the reality is where the most honest stories live. Plus: what entrepreneurship looks like when the culture runs on consensus, and why the capacity to connect might be the most underrated skill you bring with you. Chapters 00:00 A Normal Wednesday 05:20 Transition to Norway 14:02 Moving to Norway 19:32 Challenges of Moving to Norway 25:22 Norwegian Society and Values 34:30 Trust and Corruption 59:55 Entrepreneurship and Society 01:15:15 Adapting to a New Environment 01:21:22 Identity and Assimilation 01:26:40 Embracing Change and Opportunity 01:32:30 Assimilation and Cultural Values 01:38:00 Cultural Diversity and Representation 01:43:02 Cultural Influence and Innovation 01:48:23 Resonance and Connection 01:59:59 Universal Framework for Connection

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.