The Novel Edge

Coming into 2023 I had a burning desire to engage in more nuanced, potentially complex, longer form conversations with pioneers who- in my opinion- are doing God’s work at the novel edge of life. Eight powerful thought leaders spanning medicine, agriculture, mysticism and neuroscience sat with me individually to share how they are shifting the paradigm from extractive to regenerative. The conversations were rich as each one of these renegades slow walked us through their inspired vision AND equally important, how they keep themselves resourced and grounded while breathing the rarified air that only lives at the edge of emergence. But if the school of regeneration has taught me anything (thank you Laura Storm), it's that life thrives when we cross-pollinate. So then the idea hit me… the way to truly wrap up our inaugural season of The Novel Edge is by hosting a Regenerative Roundtable where my esteemed guests could collectively come together to put some these big ideas in a conscious blender to see if we can make something tastier… and dare I say, we did.
 
In this episode you will get to listen in on two different conversations where we covered topics like…
 
What happens when land starts to speak to you? And since that might freak you out… how can you learn to establish safety in your nervous system so you can more deeply trust the messages coming through?
 
How to use economics to better incentivize innovation to solve the world’s problems more quickly.
 
Why completing, not the biggest but the smallest tasks in your pursuit of the dream could be your ultimate unlock to the patience necessary to get there.
 
To my guests this season, thank you for your courageous and life-affirming pursuits.
To all who listened, thank you for taking the time to try on new concepts, plant some new seeds and hopefully open your hearts to the future that is trying to be born through you too.
To all the hands that helped to get this pod up and running, I am so grateful.
 
I hope you enjoy this mathematical and mystical mash-up on the season finale of The Novel Edge
 

WELCOME TO THE NOVEL EDGE
You should probably sit down before you hear what I am about to say… You ready?
My guest, Quantgene CEO Jo Bhakdi, just said “We have defeated cancer.” Just sit with that. AND he has the science to back it up. BUT what if the science that “defeats cancer” can’t be validated by the conventional FDA model? Now there is a problem.
Do you have to redesign the way we scientifically validate altogether? Jo Bhakdi says “YES” and he is up to the challenge.
On today’s deeply pragmatic yet mystically quantum episode we explore the triangulation of signals that makes Jo believe cancer doesn’t have to claim another life, how the “Tesla model“ can be used to innovate healthcare, and how to engineer your mind to become frictionless.
I hope you enjoy Jo’s view from The Novel Edge.
 
About The Guest:
Jo Bhakdi is an entrepreneur, economist, innovator, and the founder and CEO of Quantgene. He combines precision genomics, cloud, AI, and a new perspective on preventive medicine in order to protect and extend human life. Alongside Quantgene's team of scientists and engineers, he is turning medicine into a predictive data science to enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of healthcare for everyone. Jo has been a featured speaker at events such as Life Science Intelligence, StartUp Health Festival, and BioData West, and has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, Healthline, NBC, and John Hopkins Biotech Podcast.

WELCOME TO THE NOVEL EDGE
Have you had an irreversible moment of awakening? If so, what was the equation that led to your soul’s retrieval? For Dom Farnan it was a blend of hyper-acclerated success in business MINUS a compromised marriage PLUS substance abuse MINUS access to joy that EQUALLED Dom setting herself on a quest to find her true north. Although many can relate to Dom’s journey there are some exceptional things about her path.
Dom is the founder and CEO of recruiting and conscious connection agency DotConnect. In DotConnect’s first year of business, Dom scaled the company to $3M. From there, Dom’s growth mentality has never once subsided. In 2022, DotConnect was honored by being included on the Inc5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country. And if Dom is anything - its resilient, as reflected in DotConnect’s 222% growth during the pandemic.
FYI, Dom just released a book titled “Now Here: Journey from toxic boss to conscious connector” for you to check out if you are looking for guidance on how to do the same.
In this episode Dom and I discuss the disorientation of JOY, and the tendency to use work to stay above the pain, and how to decipher when “Spirit” is talking to you.
I hope you enjoy Dom’s view from The Novel EdgeAbout The Guest:
For over twenty years, Dom Farnan has been a fearless leader in high-growth settings, blending entrepreneurship and advocacy in each of her roles. Whether she’s recruiting talent for titans like Snapchat and Instacart or injecting joy into virtual team meetings through sound and dance, the first thing people notice about Dom is the profound intentionality behind her actions. Always one to see the unlimited potential in another human being, Dom brings radical change to the talent industry through the application of mindfulness, generosity of spirit, and a sense of compassion that values relationship building. Currently, she channels her expertise into DotConnect, the thriving conscious connection agency she founded in 2011.
As a conscious leader, Dom refuses to think in the limiting terms that have been so pervasive in the corporate world. She pulls from her journey of a merely surviving workaholic culture to thriving — shattering the belief that high performance has to cost inner peace. Where others see talent as an end to the means of filling vacancies for clients, Dom sees a holistic picture — bringing talented individuals and dynamic companies together to create inspired, empowering matches.
Just as Dom finds harmony for her clients and their hires, she cultivates it within her own team. She leads with an awakened heart and matches it with unparalleled business savvy. In DotConnect’s first year of business, Dom scaled the company to $3M. From there, Dom’s growth mentality has never once subsided. In 2022, DotConnect was honored by being included on the Inc5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country. For Dom, the honor is a testament to the resilience and acumen of her team: as the global pandemic ravaged so many industries and slowed hiring, DotConnect grew by 222% during that time.
The secret to Dom’s success is hidden in DotConnect’s very name. Dom named the company after her grandmother. While her grandmother didn’t have the tools and resources to create something for herself, what she did have was an uplifting spirit. She saw the light in others and was a steadfast cheerleader to those around her. Through Dom’s professional — and personal — experiences, she carries on her grandmother’s legacy on a global scale.
Dom is equally proud of how DotConnect’s successes are born from an environment completely cleansed of corporate toxicity — something she and her executive teamwork to elevate and evolve daily. At home in Laguna Beach, California, Dom cherishes creating memories with those she loves and is eager to offer a resounding “yes” to new experiences and opportunities. When she’s not spending time with her family, Dom can be found collecting stories, writing, and cultivating her soul-affirming spiritual practice. Dom’s first book about inner work and blossoming after burnout will be released in Fall of 2022.

WELCOME TO THE NOVEL EDGE
Have you ever had a health crisis? I have. Actually, I have had a few. Try growing up allergic to gluten during the fat-free phase of the 90’s. It’s lonely, and that's putting it lightly. Our conventional healthcare system does not help because it was not designed to see holistically. Healthcare entrepreneur James Maskell a man on a mission to cure, at the very least, the loneliness that lands people in the current system. At the very best James hopes to cure the dysfunctions of the healthcare system itself.
In today’s episode James and I discuss what healing in a group setting looks like in the future of medicine, why organizations should adopt a functional medicine model and if one should work with the current system OR burn it to the ground and start anew.
I hope you enjoy James’s view from The Novel Edge!
About The Guest:
James has spent the last decade innovating at the cross section of functional medicine and community. He grew up in an intentional community, and has lived in South Africa, UK and America. Originally trained in health economics, James is on a mission to flatten the curve of healthcare costs building companies and creating content along the way. A lively speaker and in demand impresario, James has spoken to audiences on six continents. He lives in Northern California with his wife and two daughters. He loves  playing cricket, riding horses and plotting our survival on this planet and emergence into our potential.

WELCOME TO THE NOVEL EDGE
In this episode, Laura and I discuss topics including, the importance of pace when rewiring your nervous system, the imbalances created when the feminine tries to operate like the masculine, and if you are considering doing any plant medicine in the near future… make sure to listen to Laura’s best practices for “deep diving” if you know what I mean ;-)
This podcast, The Novel Edge is attempting to assemble the various puzzle pieces that will help to deliver us into a vital future, and regeneration is the name of the game. There is no regeneration for humanity if we can’t learn how to invite more peace into our bodies and minds. We have all been through a lot. Our collective nervous system is shot. The good news is, there are change-makers like Laura Larios helping us bridge back into embodied states of neutrality and groundedness one nervous system at a time. 
I hope you enjoy Laura’s view from The Novel Edge.
 
About The Guest:
Laura Larios is the founder and CEO of a highly sought after neuroscience consulting and coaching brand that specializes in delivering cutting-edge burnout prevention solutions for leaders and their teams.
Her nervous system executive coaching empowers her clients with their own neuroscience based tool-kit filled with effective, evidence-based techniques for future proofing their business, and driving real sustainable growth and profits.
Laura’s training is in Neuroscience, HRV training, Biofeedback, Peak Performance Coaching and Polyvagal Theory.

WELCOME TO THE NOVEL EDGE
If I said to you… "Okay, go transform the global food system and the executives running these billion dollar industries", most people’s heads would pop clear off their shoulders.
Not Lisa and Scott May… This is what makes them come alive. And thank God… Because we need people with a clue, and to be fair - they don’t just have a clue, they have the holistic HOW.
How they've ascertained their answers can be boiled down to one word… DEVOTION. To self, to each other, and to this planet.
It's bigger than just a commitment, intelligence, credentials, or access… There's a spiritual dimension that they are calling upon and creating from that gives them their edge. And if you haven’t guessed… Yes, they're married.
Curious to learn more? Great! I hope you enjoy listening to this weeks episode.
 
About The Guests:
Lisa May is a leader, innovator, and coach. Her leadership development company, Fülle, has served to unlock human potential one person, one team, and one organization at a time through proven neuroscience and advanced coaching techniques. In 2020, the algorithmic Gods connected Lisa with us at SORCE and now together we offer enterprise clients best in class coaching, development and technology to solve the human energy crisis.
Scott May is a cross functional leader of innovation and strategy in the food and beverage industry. Currently, the VP of innovation and founder of MISTA, who’s mission is to help startups and corporate partners optimize ideas, products, people and investments by connecting them to a world-class food and beverage development facility, capabilities and ecosystem located in the heart of San Francisco. Scott is a consummate futurist and a seeker of what is possible.
In this episode we explore what it means to be in a regenerative relationship, how efficiency (as the status quo defines it) is no longer efficient, how to sniff out ego shenanigans in business conversations, and how to build a house that sustains itself with what nature gives you.
I hope you enjoy Lisa and Scott’s view from The Novel Edge.

WELCOME TO THE NOVEL EDGE
In this episode Bristol invites us into her process of creating a regeneration station. We touch on topics including grief, career enough-ness, embodied connection and even orgasm. It’s juicy, and no we are not stoned… ;-) 
My hope is that you all catch a vision listening to the pictures this story teller, world builder, game-maker details out. There is even singing, AND at the very end I tacked on a lovely grounding meditation that Bristol walked us through before we dropped into our conversation for your benefit and pleasure.
All this and more, on this week’s episode of The Novel Edge.
 
About the Guest:
Bristol Baughan is a TED Fellow, Emmy-winning and Oscar-Nominated film producer, and founder of Inner Astronauts a company helping facilitate the shift from extractive to regenerative forms of leadership. 
She has a Master’s Degree in Spiritual Psychology, and teaches at Esalen, TED, and 1440 Multiversity. 
Bristol is now in the Azores, Portugal co-weaving regenerative community and culture.

WELCOME TO THE NOVEL EDGE
In this episode, we delve into the key insights from Anita Stubenrauch on her intense and textured journey as we explore topics which include respect for the creative impulse, the difference between being an owner of an idea verses a steward of an idea, how to wrangle our minds so we don’t breath our own exhaust, and how channeling is incredibly efficient.
All this and more, on this week’s episode of The Novel Edge.
 
About the Guest:
Anita Stubenrauch is an ex-Apple creative veteran who worked her way from retail store employee to executive speechwriter over a 13-year career, designing presentations given to Steve Jobs, authoring Apple’s Credo, and speechwriting for Angela Ahrendts along the way.
In 2018, Anita left Apple to reconnect with meaning and purpose and joy, and found herself called to help others do the same. 
Today she’s running Cause:Effect Creative, a branding agency that expresses visionary ideas with poetic power. She’s also building The Land of Make and Believe, a fourteen-acre event and retreat space bringing magical realism to a nonfiction world. And she's hosting the Hyperactive Imagination podcast, a high-voltage channel for creativity.
Currently an advisor to Community.com, The Believe Initiative, Mind Cure Health Inc., and others, Anita resides on 14 acres in the Sierra foothills of Murphys, California, with three Babydoll Southdown sheep, two Angora goats, two Suri alpacas, two Potbelly pigs, two dogs, and one cat.

In the inaugural episode your host and SORCE CEO, Jessica Corbin, walks you through the vision for The Novel Edge podcast and how her experience of burnout served as a right of passage into a new way of living and working. Later in the episode Jessica is joined by SORCE Co-Founder and COO, Kristi Britto where you get to learn how they relate to their personal energy as they endeavor to build a regenerative business. Their conversation flows between many topics close to their hearts and at the center of what their company does. They talked about the personal development journey, leaning into their internal compasses, how to support ourselves in the unknown, ego, and so much more.