Today, Final Final is talking to Kara DeFrias, an expert in human-centered design, effective leadership, and former theatre kid extraordinaire. No matter where she goes, Kara gets it done, from the White House to the Oscars to pro sports, big tech and beyond. She's covering how to uncover the human at the heart of every brand story, the recipe for great leadership, and why we should replace the word "equal" with "equitable." As a former White House staffer, Kara is sharing how the State of the Union comes together and why audacious goals like Cancer Moonshot are a part of her DNA.

Kara's talking about the role failure can play in good work, the courage to say "yes", and how to get epic things done (while being kind). She also reveals how to provide helpful feedback, the role of reinvention, and how volunteering can open doors you may have never expected. If there's one thing she knows, human-centered design is the way to open doors, tell stories, and make the impact of a lifetime.

Learn more about Kara DeFrias at KaraDeFrias.com

Final Final is talking to creative operations pro Jill Lyons about the one question every creative leader should be asking themselves: "what's the next right move?" Today, Jill and host Heather McG are covering how to say the things that need to be said, feeling the fear (but acting with bravery), and why a good creative idea can take many different forms. They're also discussing why the best creative leaders strengthen and deepen creative work, the art of knowing when to quit, and why some of Jill's most powerful leadership lessons were learned at camp. Other topics include understanding gendered racism in the workplace, why every decision is an act of love and fear, and the one thing every ex-Oprah producer knows by heart.

MENTIONED IN THIS SHOW

The Artist's Way

Gavin DeBecker

GUEST BIO

Jill Lyons is a strategic creative operations leader and award-winning executive producer and writer. Jill currently leads creative operations at Maximum Effort, Ryan Reynolds’ creative engine. Prior, she was EVP of Delivery at Hawkeye Agency, a Publicis company, where she led project management, operations and the activation practices of media, integrated production, enterprise technology, change communications and experiential. Prior to joining Hawkeye, Jill was Head of Creative Agency Operations for Allstate, where she brought order, structure and strategy to the creative process across production, creative and UX teams. Before Allstate, Jill led as VP, Business Operations & Production at Epsilon Agency, where she merged data-driven insights with compelling creative for all clients across all mediums, managed a global team of producers, editors, animators and designers, and led new business operations. For a decade, Jill was part of the legendary team at Harpo Studios, where she wrote and produced dynamic on and off-air promos, integrated marketing and branded entertainment content for OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, The Dr. Oz Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Learn more at JillLyons.com

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