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by SANDOW Design Group, digby, and SURROUND
Barriers to Entry is a design innovation podcast. On each episode, we obsess over the not-too-distant future of the architecture, design and creative industries and the ideas, tools, technologies and talent that will take us there. Hosted by SANDOW DESIGN GROUP Chief Growth Officer Bobby Bonett, and digby co-founder Andrew Lane.
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- Yesterday37 min
The Future Mundane with Nick Foster RDI
How do we prepare for the future without trying to predict it? Recorded at NeoCon, Andrew Lane speaks with futures designer Nick Foster, former head of design at Google X and author of Could, Should, Might, Don’t. Together, they explore how designers can think beyond trends and forecasts, challenge assumptions about emerging technologies like AI, and imagine futures that are not just possible, but practical and meaningful.This episode was recorded in the NeoCon Podcast Lounge Powered by SURROUND. Thank you to our Lounge sponsor, Unika Vaev, and partners: B+N, DARRAN, Framery, Momentum, and UpSpring.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- 1 weeks ago48 min
Stacy Thorwart, Founder, The Intelligent Designer
Beyond the PromptThis week Andrew welcomes Stacy Thorwart, AI educator, founder of The Intelligent Designer, and a fast-growing voice in the design technology space whose social platforms now reach tens of thousands of designers learning how to navigate AI.After years working with designers at Steelcase—and later helping lead global AI strategy—Stacy stepped into entrepreneurship to help the design industry move beyond curiosity and fear toward practical adoption. Her platform and community focus on a simple shift: AI literacy isn’t just about writing better prompts, it’s about understanding how designers collaborate with intelligent tools.Andrew and Stacy discuss why many firms struggle with AI adoption, how leadership and culture influence experimentation, and why early “AI wins” are often the key to momentum. They also explore how the designer’s role may evolve—from hands-on creator to manager of AI agents and digital collaborators—while keeping creativity, context, and human judgment firmly at the center of the process.Connect with our host, Andrew Lane, on LinkedInFollow Stacy Thorwart on LinkedInReferences and resourcesThe Intelligent DesignerGet in touch with us at bte@sandowdesign.comDiscover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.comThis episode of Barriers to Entry was produced by Rob Schulte.This season of Barriers to Entry is sponsored by Arktura.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- 3 weeks ago47 min
Michael Villegas, Design Director, IA Interior Architects
The Creative AssistantThis week Andrew welcomes Michael Villegas, Design Director at IA Interior Architects, for a conversation that begins in an unexpected place: a suburban mall in the 90s. From arcades and Hot Topic to skateboarding and early experiments in Microsoft Paint, Michael traces how those early creative influences shaped the way he thinks about technology and design today.Now working at the intersection of architecture, art, and emerging technology, Michael has become a leading voice inside IA’s exploration of generative AI. But his perspective is clear: AI isn’t an easy button—it’s a creative assistant.Andrew and Michael discuss how AI is helping design teams experiment faster, communicate ideas more clearly with clients, and even build custom tools to solve highly specific design challenges, while Producer Rob keeps everyone on their team with a few Limp Bizkit lyrics…Connect with our host, Andrew Lane, on LinkedInFollow Michael Villegas on LinkedInReferences and resourcesIA Interior ArchitectsGet in touch with us at bte@sandowdesign.comDiscover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.comThis episode of Barriers to Entry was produced by Rob Schulte.This season of Barriers to Entry is sponsored by Arktura.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- May 6, 202643 min
Harvey Schaefer, Senior Program Manager, Machine Learning & AI, MillerKnoll
Testing the FencesThis week Andrew welcomes Harvey Schaefer of MillerKnoll for a conversation that starts with a sore throat, a quick detour into Severance, and lands in a surprisingly human place: change management. As a leader in MillerKnoll’s growing internal machine learning and AI team, Harvey isn’t building flashy tools for the sake of it—he’s helping people across a complex organization understand where AI can genuinely reduce friction and where human judgment still matters most.Andrew and Harvey dig into AI literacy, internal roadshows, “easy agents,” and the quiet reality that many people are already using AI at work without telling anyone. Along the way they make sure to hit a significant pop culture reference quote and, ultimately, explore a bigger question facing every company right now: if AI can do almost anything, what are the things we still want to do ourselves?Connect with our host, Andrew Lane, on LinkedInFollow Harvey Schaefer on LinkedInReferences and resourcesMillerKnollMicrosoft CopilotGet in touch with us at bte@sandowdesign.comDiscover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.comThis episode of Barriers to Entry was produced by Rob Schulte.This season of Barriers to Entry is sponsored by Arktura.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- Apr 22, 202637 min
Kellan Shanahan, Lead Product Designer, Arktura
Good ScaffoldingThis week Andrew welcomes Kellan Shanahan, a public artist turned-Lead Product Designer at Arktura, for a conversation about how curiosity, experimentation, and iteration shape the development of products and systems.A key player on the product design team, Kellan shares how his work helps drive Arktura's reputation for blending design, engineering, and manufacturing into a tightly integrated process. Andrew and Kellan explore how interdisciplinary teams work together to create greater outcomes by building strong creative “scaffolding”, why proximity to fabrication changes the speed and quality of design decisions, and how a culture of experimentation helps new ideas move from concept to real-world product. They also discuss how emerging tools—including AI—are beginning to fit into these workflows, not as replacements for designers, but as ways to accelerate exploration while keeping human judgment and craft at the center.Connect with our host, Andrew Lane, on LinkedInFollow Kellan Shanahan on LinkedInReferences and resourcesArkturaGet in touch with us at bte@sandowdesign.comDiscover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.comThis episode of Barriers to Entry was produced by Rob Schulte.This season of Barriers to Entry is sponsored by Arktura.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- Apr 8, 202640 min
Caroline Murphy, Design Engagement Strategist, SANDOW
The Curse of YouthThis week Andrew welcomes Caroline Murphy, Design Engagement Strategist at SANDOW, for a conversation that starts with a familiar modern curse of youth: being the default tech support person in your family. From there, Andrew and Caroline dig into a bigger question—what happens when young designers are expected to master both design and AI at the same time?Caroline shares how her own early-career frustration in Nashville led her to build the Young Designers Collective, creating spaces where emerging designers could actually learn, connect, and feel supported. She and Andrew unpack why many younger designers are more cautious about AI than people assume, where firms are embracing it, and how the best use case may simply be removing friction so designers can spend more time actually thinking.They also explore why, in an age of algorithms and AI companions, real-world community, mentorship, and human connection may matter more than ever.Connect with our host, Andrew Lane, on LinkedInFollow Caroline Murphy on LinkedInReferences and resourcesYoung Designers CollectiveInterior Design 30/30Get in touch with us at bte@sandowdesign.comDiscover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.comThis episode of Barriers to Entry was produced by Rob Schulte.This season of Barriers to Entry is sponsored by Arktura.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- Mar 25, 202642 min
Matthias Hollwich, Founder, HWKN Architecture
Architecture as a StartupSeason 4 opens with a milestone moment: Andrew Lane’s first solo episode as host. With a little encouragement from Producer Rob, Andrew welcomes back friend of the show Matthias Hollwich, founder of HWKN Architecture, for a conversation about why the architecture industry may need to reinvent itself entirely.Matthias argues that today every architecture firm needs to think like a startup. With AI transforming design tools and workflows at breakneck speed, his studio has embraced rapid experimentation—running internal AI sprints, rewriting their design process every few months, and using generative tools to explore entirely new forms of architecture.Andrew and Matthias discuss how AI is reshaping everything from design research to client collaboration, how new technologies can unlock more emotional and human-centered architecture, and why this moment may allow architects to reclaim influence over the future of the built environment.Connect with our host, Andrew Lane, on LinkedInFollow Matthias Hollwich on LinkedInReferences and resourcesHWKN ArchitectureGet in touch with us at bte@sandowdesign.comDiscover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.comThis episode of Barriers to Entry was produced by Rob Schulte.This season of Barriers to Entry is sponsored by Arktura.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- Jun 9, 202542 min
Chris Barton: Founder of Shazam, 2025 NeoCon Keynote Speaker
User-firstIn a special NeoCon edition episode of BTE, Bobby and Andrew are joined by tech and design leader Chris Barton, founder of the renowned music app Shazam and Wednesday’s NeoCon keynote speaker. The trio dives into insights, stories, and observations from Chris’s impressive career in tech, which includes founding Shazam “in the 1900s” nearly a decade before the App Store existed, followed by roles at pre-IPO Google and Dropbox.Alongside a series of fascinating anecdotes and a few teasers (not spoilers!) for Chris’s Wednesday keynote, they also explore thoughts on the future of AI and education, the challenges of designing a user-first experience when no comparable product exists, and how that initial spark of an idea evolves over time.Connect with our hosts on LinkedIn: Bobby BonettAndrew LaneFollow Chris Barton on LinkedinReferences and resources:ShazamUnsupervised Learning [PODCAST]NeoCon KeynotesGet in touch with us with your questions on emerging technology, innovation and more at bte@sandowdesign.com or drop us a voicemail at the BTE Hotline at 1-917-934-2812.Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Barriers to Entry was produced by Rob Schulte.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
About Barriers to Entry
Barriers to Entry is a design innovation podcast. On each episode, we obsess over the not-too-distant future of the architecture, design and creative industries and the ideas, tools, technologies and talent that will take us there. Hosted by SANDOW DESIGN GROUP Chief Growth Officer Bobby Bonett, and digby co-founder Andrew Lane.
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