Author Archives: Nick Westergaard

daniel coyle on brand

We often treat our attention like a machine to be controlled, focusing only on the metrics that drive immediate results. But we have an attentional health problem. We are starving our organizations of the relational connection they need to truly … Read More


The Leadership Joy Gap

March 23, 2026

amy leneker on brand

We spend most of our lives working, yet so many of us have been taught that “ambition” has to come at the cost of our health and our weekends. On this episode of On Brand, I’m joined by Amy Leneker, … Read More


enclothed cognition

I did not think I would be writing to you about clothes, but here we are … Last month, our baby turned 13. And, as any teenager would react to being called that, I’m sure he’d issue a stern “Bruh.” … Read More


joanna badamo on brand

A creative vision is only as good as its execution. As the Vice President of Creative at Agency EA, Joanna Badamo leads the teams behind major experiential programs for brands like Samsung, Hilton, and Molson Coors. Joanna joins the show … Read More


neandre broussard on brand

We often hear that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but NéAndré Broussard knows that the cover is exactly where the story begins. After a career leading in the financial services industry, NéAndré founded Black Menswear and BMW … Read More


josh block on brand

Building a brand is about more than just what happens in the marketplace—it’s about what happens in the hallway. On this episode of On Brand, I’m joined by Josh Block, President of Block Imaging and author of People Matter @ … Read More


Being Yourself Is Bad Advice

February 23, 2026

We’ve all been told to just be yourself. But psychologist and author Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic—Chief Innovation Officer at ManpowerGroup and professor at UCL and Columbia—says that’s the worst advice you can take. In his new book, Don’t Be Yourself: Why Authenticity … Read More


Recently, my wife and I spent the weekend in Miami for Unrivaled (women’s 3×3) basketball. I was so excited to get on a plane in zero-degree Iowa and deplane in sunny Florida. Could I leave my puffer coat in the … Read More


lee hoddy on brand

Design is about more than just how something looks—it’s about how it works for the people using it. On this episode of On Brand, I’m joined by Lee Hoddy, Executive Creative Director at Conran Design Group, to discuss how experience-led … Read More


The Myth of Brand Control

February 9, 2026

nikki little on brand

The strongest brands don’t shout—they earn trust over time. That’s how Nikki Little approaches her work. She’s the CMO and co-owner at Franco, a women-owned, Detroit-based integrated communications agency with more than 60 years of history. After a full-circle career … Read More


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Nick has a knack for making complex topics simple.
Jacey Wilkins
National Institute of Metalworking Skills