 |
Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social ImpactAuthor: Eric Ressler
Designing Tomorrow explores a new playbook for modern social impact leaders and brands to reach their true impact potential. Why do some social impact brands thrive, while so many others fail to get traction, build support for their cause, and make meaningful progress? Imagine your impact with truly sustainable revenue and resources. With deeper community engagement and relationships. With more influence in your social impact category. Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, each episode dives into the strategies, mindsets, and behaviors top social impact brands use to play and win in the attention economy. Go beyond high-level concepts to specific tools and tactics you can use today. Watch on YouTube or listen to new episodes each Tuesday. Lets design a better tomorrow, together.Designing Tomorrow is a Cosmic Production. Learn more at https://designbycosmic.com/ Language: en-us Genres: Business, Marketing, Non-Profit Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
Listen Now...
The Cost of "Someday"
Episode 74
Tuesday, 27 January, 2026
Every organization has a “someday” list.The rebrand that never quite gets prioritized. The content strategy that’s been “in the works” for three years. The bold idea that came up in a board meeting, got tabled for further discussion — and was never discussed again.But what if the right time already came and went?In this episode, Eric and Jonathan go behind the scenes on a project that almost didn’t happen: building Seymour Studios, a turnkey media space designed to make storytelling fast, simple, and accessible for the social impact community in Santa Cruz. Eric pitched this same concept to another local organization months earlier. They stalled. Jonathan saw the potential, moved on it, and now the opportunities are already flowing in.They cover:➔ Why rigid strategic plans often kill the opportunities they’re meant to create.➔ The hidden friction that stops good ideas from ever getting off the ground.➔ How to screen opportunities without defaulting to “someday.”➔ What it looks like to pursue the end goal relentlessly — while staying flexible on the journey.➔ The early returns from building momentum instead of waiting for perfect conditions.If you’ve ever felt stuck between vision and execution — or wondered why some organizations seem to move while others stay frozen — this conversation will challenge how you think about timing, risk, and the real cost of deferral.Stop waiting. Start building.Episode Highlights[00:00] Introduction: The cost of “someday” and why opportunities rarely wait[01:40] The pattern Eric has seen over 16 years of working with nonprofits[03:05] How the studio idea came to be, and why another org passed[04:38] Jonathan’s lightbulb moment: connecting the studio to a longstanding problem[06:18] The hidden friction of media production (and why it kills creativity)[08:00] Other flavors of “someday” — board approval, distractions, unclear ROI[10:04] Leadership, culture, and organizations in motion[14:05] Balancing opportunism with focus: how to avoid shiny object syndrome[14:30] Relentless pursuit of the end goal vs. rigid journey planning[17:30] Screening opportunities: the donor/supporter “look them in the face” test[19:49] Early feedback from the community — and why people see themselves in it[22:02] The future of content: accessible, human, less polished, more interesting[23:27] The quantity play: why more stories > fewer perfect ones[25:00] Challenge to listeners: shed the someday mentality in 2026P.S. — Feeling stuck between where you are and where you know you could be? Cosmic helps social impact orgs build trust through story-rich brands, compelling campaigns, and values-aligned strategy. Let’s talk about how to get moving: https://designbycosmic.com/Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link.*** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.
