Season 7 is upon is! And as we do every season, this first episode of the season is a preview of what's to come this year, which promises to be our best one yet. We celebrate the start of a new year by reflecting on our journey of storytelling over nearly a decade. We share our New Year's resolutions for 2026, including some changes to our show format with the introduction of '9 Questions', as well as a promise to do more live events, and deeper dives into practical AI topics. We're so excited about this season - enjoy!

Drinks: Cigar City Brewing Florida Man Double IPA, Tree House Brewing Company Treat Imperial IPA

Links: whatbubblesup.com

What Bubbles Up fans! Another year, and another season in the books, which means it is time for our annual Year in Flights episode! This season, Phil and Barry celebrate the end of Season 6 with a recap of 6 of their favorite moments, each paired with a different beer (in increasing ABV %). We also take a moment to celebrate the growth of their podcast, up 21% in listernership from this time last year. As predicted, this season focused on the impact of AI on the industry, the evolution of Figma, and the importance of authenticity in creativity. But we also highlight the need to embrace uniqueness and differentiation, and the necessity of continuous learning and evolution. It's been another great season - thank you all for listening, and we will see you again in 2026!

This Season's Highlights:

1. Episode 2: A Quick One on DeepSeekAI

2. Episode 4: Robin Raskin from SXSW

3. Episode 8: Recap of Config

4. Episode 9: The Future of Agencies with Matt Weiss (our top episode of Season 6!)

5. Episode 11: Lessons in Acting with Julianne Cross

6. Episode 12: Being Curious with Jenessa Carder

Drinks:

Barry: Tuckerman Brewing Co. Headwall Altbier, Vermont Beer Makers Scarlet Red Ale, Jack's Abby Brewing Shipping Out of Boston Amber Lager, Berkshire Brewing Company Lost Sailor India Pale Ale, Devil's Purse Brewing Co. Powder Hole Porter, Mad Elf Holiday Ale

Phil: Founders Brewing Company Red Sweater IPA, Jackie O's Brewery Chomolungma Brown Ale, Great Lakes Brewing Co. Christmas Ale, Port City Tidings Belgian-Style Ale, Jack's Abby Brewing Tiramisu Pastry Porter, Boulevard Brewing Company Dark Truth Imperial Stout

Links:

http://whatbubblesup.com

In this episode, Barry and Phil welcome David Richard, Entrepreneur and AI enthusiast joins us for a drink and a discussion about the evolving roles of design, designers, and business leaders in the age of AI. David regales us with his long journey through design, teaching, starting his own agency, then joining a large organization, and all the differences and similarities between those business contexts. We then pivot to the topic at the tip of every designer's tongue: "What do I do now that design is no longer solely in my hands, and what value do I bring?" David also shares his learnings as the co-founder of Blossom, a professional networking platform that combines relationship management with gentle AI guidance to make networking feel less intimidating and more meaningful.

Drinks: Chatham Squire Premium Lager, Treehouse Galactic Storm Imperial IPA, Meanwhile Brewing Company Tender Robot Hazy IPA

Links: https://goblossom.ai/

In this episode of, Phil and Barry engage in a rich conversation with CX Transformation Strategist, Author, and Podcaster Jenessa Carder about her journey from Boston to Japan and the cultural insights she has gained along the way. We discuss the importance of empathy in design, the challenges of being a foreigner in Japan, and how personal stories can enhance design practices. Jenessa shares her experiences with inclusivity in design and the power of storytelling, as well as her recent projects, including her book "The Curious Nail Who Stuck Out", and the resultant podcast, "The Curious Nail". This conversation emphasizes the significance of understanding diverse perspectives and the role of design in creating inclusive experiences. Enjoy!

Drinks: Devil's Purse Brewing Co. Handline Kölsch, Glaabsbräu Pilsener, Tully's Barista Black Coffee

Links: https://expressanything.squarespace.com/curiousnail

In this episode, Barry and Phil have a beer and a chat with Julianne Cross, an actor, writer, and filmmaker who left her career in media buying to pursue her passion for storytelling. Julianne discusses what it's like to go through the turbulent up's and down's of auditions, and the invaluable process she takes to learn from each one, process rejection, and properly celebrate triumphs. We also discuss how she turns ideas into viable stories, and how she uses script readings the same way designers use prototypes to get feedback. Lastly, we end this episode with a tribute to dearly departed Season 2 guest and inspirational writer Kathy Hepinstall. Cheers!

Drinks: Founders Brewing Company All Day IPA, Treehouse Hurricane American Double IPA, Montauk Brewing Company Wave Chaser IPA

Links: https://www.juliannecross.com/

In this episode, Barry and Phil are joined by Matt Weiss, former President and Chief Growth Officer of Huge and founder of Soul Purpose Advisory, in a broad discussion about the future of Agencies, and Creative Professional Services in general. Matt shares his observations on which agencies will win the future, and why, and what others will need to do to remain relevant in the AI age. Also, fresh off his annual pilgrimage to Cannes, Matt shares his perspectives on why Cannes still matters, how to get the most out of it, and what the prevailing wisdom of the collective community brought to bear. If you are interested in getting answers to the hardest-hitting questions facing the agency space today, this is the episode for you. Enjoy!

Drinks: Mass Landing Brewing Co. Beer Named Duck New England Pale Ale, Seven Arrows Brewing That Dam IPA, Michelob Ultra

Links: https://www.soulpurposeadvisory.com/

In this 'Quick One' episode, Barry and Phil give their take on all the major announcements from Config, Figma's annual conference held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. This year's Config featured 4 major product releases: Figma Sites, Figma Make, Figma Draw, and Figma Buzz. They also announced Grids with Auto Layout, CMS for their Sites product, and Code Blocks. Barry and Phil discuss how all these new features, taken together, are both a boon to Design and to Designers, but also might be much ado about nothing in the age of Agentic Experiences. Enjoy!

Drinks: Devil's Purse Brewing Co. Handline Kolsch, The Drowned Lands Brewery Green Yield Hazy IPA

Links: https://config.figma.com/

We are still sharing great content from our live appearance at SXSW 2025 in Austin, Texas, and our attendance at the Meta Creators Event at Geraldine’s at the Hotel Van Zandt. This episode features our conversation with Melissa Kittson, the Director of Sponsorship and Advertising Strategic Development at the National Association of Broadcasters, or NAB. Though the night was wearing long by this point, we manage to get through a wonderful conversation about helping creators find their audience, their voice, and their value in the content marketplace. We discuss what Melissa and her team are doing to support creators as business leaders, and why the democratization of share of voice is so important in this day and age. Enjoy!

Drinks: Multiple

Links: https://www.nab.org/