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PODCAST

Beauty At Work

Brandon Vaidyanathan

Beauty at Work expands our understanding of beauty: what it is, how it works, and why it matters. Sociologist Brandon Vaidyanathan interviews scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, and leaders across diverse fields to reveal new insights into how beauty shapes our brains, behaviors, organizations, and societies--for good and for ill. Learn how to harness the power of beauty in your life and work, while avoiding its pitfalls.

society & culture philosophy

All Episodes

25:36

Spiritual Innovation with Casper Ter Kuile & Angie...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/11/11

In Episode 3 of this season, we explore the evolving landscape of spiritual innovation, what it means to design meaningful spiritual life in a rapidly changing world, with guests Casper Ter Kuile and Angie Thurston from Sacred Design Lab, a nonprofit dedicated to nurturing the future of spiritual life. Casper Ter Kuile shares insight and inspiration on the future of community, ritual, and spirituality. He is the author of The Power of Ritual and co-founder of Sacred Design Lab. He also co-cre...

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34:52

Spiritual Innovation with Casper Ter Kuile & Angie...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/11/04

In Episode 3 of this season, we explore the evolving landscape of spiritual innovation, what it means to design meaningful spiritual life in a rapidly changing world, with guests Casper Ter Kuile and Angie Thurston from Sacred Design Lab, a nonprofit dedicated to nurturing the future of spiritual life. Casper Ter Kuile shares insight and inspiration on the future of community, ritual, and spirituality. He is the author of The Power of Ritual and co-founder of Sacred Design Lab. He also co-cre...

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28:02

The Evolution of Beauty and the Beauty of Innovation...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/10/28

In Episode 2 of this season, we explore the evolution of beauty (especially in birds) and the beauty of innovation, with guest Matt Ridley. Matt Ridley's books have sold over a million copies, been translated into 31 languages and won several awards. His books include The Red Queen, Genome, The Rational Optimist, The Evolution of Everything, How Innovation Works, and Viral: the search for the origin of covid-19 (co-authored with Alina Chan). His latest book is Birds, Sex, and Beauty. He serve...

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30:49

The Evolution of Beauty and the Beauty of Innovation...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/10/21

In Episode 2 of this season, we explore the evolution of beauty (especially in birds) and the beauty of innovation, with guest Matt Ridley. Matt Ridley's books have sold over a million copies, been translated into 31 languages and won several awards. His books include The Red Queen, Genome, The Rational Optimist and The Evolution of Everything. His book on “How Innovation Works” was published in 2020, and "Viral: the search for the origin of covid-19", co-authored with Alina Chan, was publish...

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35:48

The Laws of Life with Michael Muthukrishna - S4 E1...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/10/14

What really drives human progress? What is innovation, and why is innovation not just a feature of modern society but a law of life? How do energy, cooperation, and culture shape the way we create new ideas? These are ideal questions with which to launch our new podcast season on the beauty and burdens of innovation, and I can’t think of anyone better suited to address them than my guest today. Dr. Michael Muthukrishna is joint Professor of Economic Psychology at the London School of Economic...

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34:11

The Laws of Life with Michael Muthukrishna - S4 E1...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/10/08

What really drives human progress? What is innovation, and why is innovation not just a feature of modern society but a law of life? How do energy, cooperation, and culture shape the way we create new ideas? These are ideal questions with which to launch our new podcast season on the beauty and burdens of innovation, and I can’t think of anyone better suited to address them than my guest today. Dr. Michael Muthukrishna is joint Professor of Economic Psychology at the London School of Economic...

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19:51

Beauty, Responsibility, and the Future of AI: A...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/09/02

In this clip from the episode of Beauty at Work, host Brandon Vaidyanathan sits down with Brian Mullins, CEO of Mind Foundry, a pioneering responsible AI company spun out of the University of Oxford. Brian shares how AI can be built differently—safely, ethically, and in partnership with human insight—for high-stakes, real-world applications. From malaria detection in mosquitoes to the myth of superintelligence, the conversation explores the promises and perils of AI, and how beauty—in s...

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20:51

The Sacred Power of Sound: Timothy Myers on Beauty,...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/08/26

Is classical music “entertainment”? Timothy Myers, conductor and music director of the Austin Opera, argues that it’s an antidote to entertainment. Here, he shares his story of how he became a conductor and discusses what he finds inspiring about orchestral performance. In this clip from the Beauty at Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan speaks with Timothy Myers, acclaimed conductor and Music Director of the Austin Opera. Myers shares deeply personal stories—from his early musical memorie...

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20:08

Art, Trauma, and the Power of Vulnerability – A...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/08/20

How can art heal us? Award-winning artist Wayne Brezinka discusses some of the most meaningful responses to his pieces that he’s received. He also talks about the workshops he leads that focus on using art as a tool to respond to trauma. In this episode of the Beauty at Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan speaks with Wayne about the role of vulnerability in his creative process, how his artwork opens space for healing conversations, and why untrained hands often produce the most powerful ...

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11:39

Digital Fashion, Aesthetics, and the Politics of...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/08/12

What is digital fashion and why pay attention to it? Philosopher Michael R. Spicher shares how his ongoing research on digital fashion shows that we are “aesthetic beings.” He also discusses the relationship between beauty and politics. In this clip from the Beauty at Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan speaks with Michael about his new co-edited academic book on digital fashion. They explore the origins of digital garments, the impact of virtual try-ons on sustainability, and the deep hu...

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18:13

From Beauty to Biophilia: Jennifer Walsh’s Journey...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/08/05

Why would someone in the finance industry start an independent makeup line then, years later, begin leading nature walks? Jennifer Walsh, biophilia expert and founder of Wellness Walks™, tells the story of the birth of Beauty Bar and why she founded Wellness Walks. In this clip from the Beauty At Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan welcomes Jennifer to explore her remarkable journey—from working at Merrill Lynch to becoming a beauty industry pioneer and nature wellness advocate. She share...

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17:16

How Fashion Changed My Life: Ean Williams on...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/07/29

In this clip from the Beauty At Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan talks with fashion designer and DC Fashion Week founder Ean Williams about his unexpected journey from shy, style-conscious teen to fashion model, Air Force intelligence specialist, and eventually a leading force in the fashion world. Ean shares candid reflections on how fashion shaped his identity, the challenges of modeling, his father's lessons on hard work, and how a problem-solving mindset led him to build a platform...

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12:38

Reweaving Community Through Beauty: Chris Everett on...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/07/22

How did a barn on a Minnesota farm turn into a space where people from diverse backgrounds could experience beauty? Musician, designer, and arts non-profit co-founder Chris Everett recounts how the artist retreat was born and shares the story of a particularly beautiful moment there. In this clip from the Beauty At Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan talks with Chris Everett about how he and his husband transformed an old farm into Everwood, an artist retreat rooted in nature, creativity,...

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16:15

Building a Beautiful Workplace Culture (Esther...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/07/15

What does it mean for a business to have a beautiful culture? Leadership coach and consultant Esther Blázquez Blanco offers some advice for leaders. In this clip from the Beauty At Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan is joined by Esther Blásquez Blanco for a profound conversation on what it truly means to create a "beautiful" culture within an organization. Esther challenges the idea of perfection, emphasizing that beauty in culture lies in commitment, honesty, and human connection. From ...

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21:22

From Fragility to Flourishing: Social Cohesion and...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/07/08

What makes a society fragile? Fragile states expert Dr. Seth Kaplan shares the story of why he started researching the relational underpinnings of societies and how they contribute to societies’ fragility and flourishing. He also discusses what a beautiful neighborhood looks like and why they’re so important. In this clip of Beauty At Work episode, hosted by Brandon Vaidyanathan, Dr. Kaplan reflects on his intellectual journey—from global exploration and entrepreneurship to the study of fragi...

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14:32

From Opera to Asanas: Sean Vigue on the Beauty of...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/07/01

In this inspiring episode of Beauty At Work, host Brandon Vaidyanathan sits down with Sean Vigue, a renowned online yoga and Pilates instructor, to explore his journey from musical theater and opera to becoming a global fitness educator. What motivates a musical theater professional to become a personal trainer and Pilates instructor? From dancing on stage to teaching at Disney and building a massive online following, Sean reveals what it means to find harmony between art, fitness, and ...

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16:46

Beauty, Imperfection, and Belonging (Pallavi Dean) -...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/06/24

Is there beauty in imperfection? Award-winning Dubai-based architect Pallavi Dean thinks that imperfection, along with homeyness, is a central aspect of beauty. Here, she shares the story of what first inspired her career in architecture and what aesthetic values continue to drive her work. In this episode of Beauty At Work, hosted by Brandon Vaidyanathan, Dean explores how empathy, sensory design, and collaborative problem-solving inform her creative process. For the full interview see: ht...

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16:12

From Birdsong to Big Bang: A Scientist’s Journey...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/06/17

Why is the mockingbird’s song so beautiful and yet so challenging to understand? Biologist and integrative scientist Dr. Dave Gammon discusses his research on the “career-killer” animal, sharing where he finds beauty in his research as well as his teaching. From the musical complexity of mockingbird songs to evolutionary insights about human monogamy to interdisciplinary teaching bridging disciplines, Dr. Gammon reveals how beauty shapes both his research and his classroom. For the ful...

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19:14

The Healing Power of Beauty: Aesthetics as a Tool for...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/06/10

In this compelling episode of Beauty at Work, host Brandon Vaidyanathan sits down with cultural scholar Sheri Parks to explore how aesthetics—often dismissed as trivial—carry profound power. How is aesthetics a tool for social justice? Public intellectual Dr. Sheri Parks shares how her projects harness the powerful beauty of dance, art therapy, indigo dye, and more to transform communities. From healing trauma through art and movement, to restoring economic and cultural dignity through the In...

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20:48

Beautiful Business: Romance, Resistance, and the...

Beauty At Work ·

2025/05/27

What does it mean to be a “romantic” in business? Tim Leberecht, entrepreneur and co-founder of the House of Beautiful Business, shares the story of how he came to recognize the Romantic ideals behind beautiful business. In this clip, he explains what Romantic business principles are and the impact they have on workplace experience. In conversation with Brandon Vaidyanathan, Tim reflects on his early influences, the cultural disillusionment he experienced in Silicon Valley, and the emergence ...

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124 results

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