Regan and Lesley Pinckney, Head of Marketing for Incubation and Disruptive Innovation at Intel, delve into why understanding your customer’s needs and wants is the first building block to future-ready your company and how simple acts like reading short stories can dramatically broaden your thinking, so you can take in new ideas more effectively. They explore the ways that leaders often misinterpret and misuse trends, and why it’s important to understand what's driving them to get meaningful insights when preparing for the future.  Key Takeaways How assumptions and inside-out (vs. outside-in) thinking limits future opportunities. Why the future is a place where anything can be different (even things that seem impossible to change today). The importance of bumping up against “the other” to widen your thinking patterns. Why customer pain points are a trend that never goes out of style. How future-readiness is an orientation that can be practiced across your whole life. Resources Connect with Lesley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lpinckney/ Learn about Lesley’s company, Intel: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/homepage.html About Our Guest  Lesley Pinckney is an accomplished marketing and digital transformation expert with a track record of building successful brands and businesses. With a focus on youth and diverse audiences, she has been a driver of marketing innovation for Fortune 500 brands across multiple categories. She’s held leadership positions in both public companies and start-ups.    Joining Intel in spring of 2021, Lesley serves as Head of Marketing for Incubation & Disruptive Innovation. In this role, she oversees marketing and communication for the IDI business group and all ventures within IDI. IDI combines vision technology and AI to develop vertically integrated solutions across categories like robotics, finance, healthcare and retail. Lesley has also built a successful speaking career, making appearances at conferences including SXSW, EventTech, ANA, BlogHer and Mediapost Summit. She has also served on several non-profit boards focused on improving outcomes for youth and currently sits on the Board of Directors for Near North Montessori School in Chicago. About Future Fit™ with Regan Robinson  Future Fit™ unravels the secrets of how the world’s most innovative leaders stay future-ready in a fast-paced world. Hosted by futurist and strategist Regan Robinson, each episode explores how trailblazing executives turn uncertainty into their strategic advantage. Gain powerful insights and practical approaches as these visionary minds share the unconventional and imaginative ways they thrive today while leading their teams into tomorrow. If you love what you’re  getting out of our show please subscribe, rate and review. About Regan Robinson Regan Robinson is a holistic futurist and business strategist that empowers visionary companies to turn uncertainty into advantage and effortlessly innovate and strategize for their future. Over the course of 20+ years, she has helped some of the world’s most influential brands and companies strategize and grow. Regan has spearheaded revenue increases of 300%+, led as an executive at 3 start-ups and established business models, new capabilities, infrastructure and roadmaps for companies like VICE Media and Edelman Digital. Website: https://www.reganrobinson.com/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/reganrobinson Future Fit™ Newsletter: linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7054904910919667713 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@regan_robinson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamreganrobinson All contents of this show are rights of Regan Robinson and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.