Making high risk decisions at top speed, solving problems you haven’t seen coming yet and winning awards is all in a day’s work for Andy Smith, Founder and CEO of StrategiQ, a strategy-first agency based in London.

Kyle Fraser spent some time with Andy at SXSW in London, tapping into his insights on leadership, innovation and culture.

This episode of Never Think Alone features our first of many guests, in our mission to share frameworks, beliefs and behaviours that build creative innovation.

What to expect from this episode:

The realities of building a successful strategy business: challenges and personal shifts that led to the birth and growth of award-winning agency, StrategiQ.

New Future Value: how has StrategiQ communicated the value that strategy can offer to businesses?

Navigating a world of new platforms: unpacking the 70:20:10 methodology

The role of education in getting clients to invest: how transparency and open communication has impacted Andy’s relationship with clients.

The importance of culture in creating a successful business: how your culture is tied to the strength of the weakest person on your team.

How much should Artificial Intelligence influence our work as strategists?

Share your thoughts on the discussion in the comments and subscribe for more from Never Think Alone.

Is your brand starting to sound like everyone else? In the age of Generative AI, we are facing a "Homogenisation Effect" where content becomes polished but loses its soul. In this episode, Kyle Fraser argues that while AI can solve complicated tasks, it cannot solve complex human connection.

We dive into the psychology of why we crave imperfection and how to use the Cynefin Framework to decide when to use AI and when to rely on human intuition.

In this episode, you will learn:

• The Delegation Trap: Why MIT research suggests outsourcing thinking to AI reduces brain engagement.

• Authenticity Hunger: Jonathan Haidt’s insights on why imperfection drives connection.

• Complicated vs. Complex: How to classify problems to avoid the "Illusion of Thinking."

• Affective Architecture: A 6-step guide to building brands that feel real, including "Purposeful Friction" and "Cultural Artefacts."

Topics covered:The Delegation Trap & MIT ResearchThe Cynefin Framework ExplainedApple’s "Illusion of Thinking"6 Ways to Design for Affect

Resources Mentioned:

• Jonathan Haidt’s Moral Foundations

• The Cynefin Framework

  
  

  
  

Brand Strategy, Generative AI, Authenticity, Cynefin Framework, Marketing Psychology, Kyle Fraser, Creative Strategy, Emotional Connection, Future of Work.

Does your team suffer from "nice" meetings where everyone agrees but nothing truly innovative happens?

In this episode, Kyle Fraser argues that the harmony you're protecting might actually be holding you back. He introduces "The Consensus Illusion"—the false sense of productivity that comes from avoiding disagreement.

Discover why we instinctively avoid conflict and learn a practical framework to embrace healthy debate. It's time to challenge ideas, expose blind spots, and empower your team to build something better, together.