Leadership, Brand Strategy & Transformation - Minter Dialogue

In this conversation, Minter Dial welcomes Tim Lewko, CEO of Thinking Dimensions, whose decades of strategic advisory work have spanned four continents and hundreds of organisations. With real-world experience working side by side with CEOs on growth and transformation, Speaker A brings an unapologetically practical approach to the complexities of strategic decision-making.

In this wide-ranging exchange, Tim delves into the lessons he’s drawn from both history and the boardroom, weaving in powerful stories—such as his uncle’s harrowing experience as a World War II prisoner of war—to underscore why personal values, freedom, and purpose are the true drivers behind long-term success. The conversation moves from deeply personal perspectives on resilience to the pragmatic realities faced by today’s leaders, connecting the dots between personal narrative and corporate stewardship.

Minter and Tim explore the nuances of authentic leadership, with Tim outlining his MOVE framework—Making thinking Visible, Orienting around advantage, Visible bets, and Executing in rhythm—captured in his new book, "MOVE: AI-Powered Strategy for a Fast World." The discussion dives into why organisations falter when they chase after muddled strategies or become lost in the fog of too many priorities. Tim pulls no punches on the pitfalls of corporate jargon, instead showing what it takes to foster clarity, transparency, and true engagement in executive teams.

Listeners will hear why framing purpose and criteria is the linchpin of strategic success, how leveraging AI as a thinking partner is transforming the speed and quality of decision-making, and why the ability to boil down complexity to its essentials separates thriving organisations from those that stagnate. Whether you’re a CEO, a team leader, or simply curious about how to make strategic frameworks truly actionable, this episode offers a blueprint for building purposeful cultures and harnessing technology without sacrificing authenticity. Tune in as Minter and Tim challenge prevailing assumptions and provide an energising vision for strategy in a changing world.

In this episode, Sarah Lynn Thomas joins us from Portugal, reflecting on a whirlwind few weeks running retreats across Costa Rica, Mexico, and Europe, and offering rare insight into the world of Behold Retreats—a unique organisation specialising in plant medicine ceremonies. With a Western background in finance and crypto, Sarah Lynn Thomas brings both analytical rigour and deep personal experience to her work, championing ayahuasca, bufo, and psilocybin as powerful catalysts not just for healing trauma and mental health, but for unlocking personal expansion and self-awareness.

The conversation traverses the intricate legal and ethical landscape of plant medicine, delving into why Behold operates in countries like Costa Rica, Mexico, and Portugal, and how the nuances of legality and regulation influence both access and the preservation of traditional practice. Sarah articulates what truly sets Behold apart: a devotion to the integration process—holding participants through the intensity of ceremony, ensuring that transformative insights take root long after they leave the retreat centre.

Listeners are invited behind the curtain to explore the realities of facilitating healing in a global context—from fostering sustainable practices and community alliances to the rigorous screening necessary for safeguarding both individuals and groups. The episode moves beyond stereotypes, shining a light on the practicalities and paradoxes of consciousness work, from managing vulnerability as a leader to the evolving interplay between sovereignty, support, and collaboration.

Whether you’re curious about the intersection of ancient plant wisdom and modern wellbeing, re-evaluating your own relationship with personal growth, or simply seeking a candid dialogue about leadership, accountability, and transformation, this conversation with Sarah Lynn Thomas offers a thoughtful, grounded, and refreshingly human perspective.

In this conversation, Minter Dial is joined by Olivier Hinton, innovation strategist and psychologist, whose cross-Channel upbringing and multinational experience have profoundly shaped his perspective on change and creativity. Drawing from a career spanning France, the UK, Italy and beyond, Olivier Hinton sheds light on why embracing change is fundamental to innovation, and why companies must learn to “zoom out” from what they think they know in order to truly break new ground.

The pair explore the real-world challenges organisations face when shifting from operational excellence to genuine innovation, untangling why it’s so difficult to step away from established routines and the seductive comfort of “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” Olivier Hinton goes behind the scenes of Groupe Zebra’s approach to consulting on innovation and design, stressing the importance of integrating structure, function, and symbolism—not just in products, but in the processes and cultures that bring them to life.

The discussion features candid examples—from the pitfalls of design innovation in everyday products, to the tricky dance of involving legal and financial stakeholders without stifling creative risk. The conversation delves into the influence of company culture, and the necessity of aligning innovation with brand DNA, illustrated by lessons from the likes of Renault and Dyson. Olivier also shares insights into the evolving role of AI, both as an enhancer of human insight and as a tool whose promise is all too often overestimated.

Whether you’re wrestling with innovation briefs, rethinking your approach to leadership, or navigating the tensions between flexibility and backbone, this episode is brimming with fresh perspectives on building tomorrow’s business. Tune in as Minter Dial and Olivier Hinton challenge the buzzwords, uncover the thorny realities, and offer pathways to more human-centred, commercially viable innovation.

In this episode, Minter Dial welcomes renowned opera director and scenic visionary Julia Burbach for an illuminating exploration into the artistry, psychology, and leadership behind the world’s grandest stages. With an international upbringing and an academic background straddling history, law, and diplomacy, Julia has forged a distinct path in opera—blending creative storytelling with the demands of team-building, risk-taking, and finely-tuned human management.

Julia Burbach sheds light on the curious duality her role demands: balancing her personal, often private, creative instincts with the high-wire act of corralling diverse, multinational teams towards a coherent vision. The conversation gets under the skin of the creative process, revealing how self-confidence, intuition, and strategic risk all play vital roles in bringing complex productions to life. She opens up about her family’s artistic heritage, the incremental nature of building confidence as a woman in a traditionally male world, and the invisible strategies behind navigating egos on and off the stage.

The dialogue also delves into broader questions facing the operatic world: from the practicalities of working with singers (who are cast before directors even join projects), to the challenges of accessibility and relevance in an era of mounting political and financial pressures. Julia shares her belief in the healing power of beauty and the timeless draw of communal artistic experience, all while offering candid insights on diplomacy, team selection, and what it takes to sustain emotional realism in the heart of fiction.

Whether you are a business leader searching for lessons on human management, a creative wrestling with risk and intuition, or simply curious about how opera adapts for survival in turbulent times, this episode offers rare perspectives from behind the curtain. Join Minter Dial as he ventures into the messy, exhilarating, and deeply personal world of opera with Julia, whose career stands testament to the enduring value of collective endeavour and artistic courage.

In this conversation, Minter Dial sits down with Leilani Garrett, founder of Be More Human, former technology sales executive, and accomplished novelist. Drawing from over thirty years of experience navigating the corporate world and her journey as a writer, Leilani Garrett explores the transformative power of storytelling in fostering radical empathy, not just as a tool for innovation and growth, but as a blueprint for uplifting one another in life and work.

The exchange delves deeply into what it means to be human—and indeed, “more human”—both in the workplace and society at large. Leilani Garrett unpacks the tension between authenticity and the performative masks many adopt to succeed at work, reflecting on her own experiences balancing ambition, identity, and creativity within traditionally male-dominated corporate structures. Together, they question how we define “us” and “them”, address the importance of curiosity over judgement in divided times, and probe how leaders and teams can unlock greater cohesion, trust, and innovation by truly listening to the stories of others.

From the challenges of integrating side hustles and creative pursuits with high-powered careers, to the cultural impact of major tech mergers, and the courage it takes to reveal oneself through creative work, this episode is rich with nuanced insight and practical wisdom. For those seeking to lead with empathy, to navigate the complexities of identity in modern organisations, or to find their authentic voice amidst conformity, this episode offers inspiration and a fresh perspective on what it means to thrive as a human being—at work and beyond.