Feature Friday: Ben Azzam

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This month we celebrated National Podcast Day! Our team is full of podcast listeners and so we wanted to dive a little deeper to understand what podcasts mean to them and how they have impacted their life. Each week we will be featuring a team member and interviewing them on their favorite podcast!

Hey Ben, Thanks for chatting with me today.

Can we kick this off with you telling me about your role at RKS?

 No problem. I am the Executive Vice President at RKS.

 

We definitely appreciate that, so when you’re not at work- what do you like to do?

 When I am not at work, I like to do activities that allow me to focus solely on that activity, which helps to alleviate the stresses of the day or week. Most nights I am doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Muay Thai at my gym. On the weekends, I am typically at the archery range shooting, or playing in the ocean Surfing, Spearfishing, or Scuba-Diving.

 

Why do you listen to podcasts?

I typically listen to podcasts as a way to learn and gain new information and hear people that I am interested in sharing their views.

 

How did you get into listening to podcasts?

 Well, I guess I listen to podcasts because I get tired of listening to the same music over again. I wanted something else to listen to on my way to work or when I am bored. Also, If I am traveling and do not know if I will have access to a screen or internet connectivity, I will download and listen to podcasts. 

 

What drew you to Joe ‘s Rogan’s Podcast? How does it keep you interested?

Joe Rogan is someone who I have known for a while since I do Jiu-Jitsu and following MMA. Besides seeing Joe Rogan on Fear Factor, he is also a commentator for the UFC.  

I find his podcast relatable and exciting to listen to because he has similar interests that I do. I also love the diversity of the guests he brings to the podcast. He brings MMA fighters, comedians, scientists, business people, and doctors on his podcast that keeps it exciting and intriguing. My favorite podcasts are when he talks to athletes because you get a deep insight into their mindset.

Joe also brings on people who have opposing views and creates a dialogue with them. He sees their side and what they have to say, which is something that we lack in today’s online world. People aren’t able to converse without losing their tempers and listen to other points of view.

 

That’s so interesting, Do you think others should listen to it? What do you think they can gain from it?

Hmmmm…that is a tough question and probably would depend on who I am talking to. I would recommend this podcast because of the diversity of guests that he brings in each week. His guests are from all different fields and segments, which makes it engaging and would recommend it to anyone. The thing that I would have to warn people about is that he might come off as offensive to people because he is also a stand-up comedian. He talks about events or things that people might be offended by depending on his guest.

 

Between Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, archery, and scuba diving, when do you find time to listen to podcasts?

 I typically listen to podcasts when I commute, when my work does not involve critical thinking, or I am doing things around the house.

 

How has this Joe Rogan impacted your life?

 I think he has impacted my life by providing me with knowledge on different topics that I would not have sought out on my own. Also, he is a very motivational person and has changed my perspective on certain things.

 

What are your thoughts on podcasts as a new medium of gathering information?

 Well, with the way that technology has advanced, people are looking for more content and want always to be entertained. Podcasts enable people to get content on-demand, and they are a free way to gain knowledge. Podcasts have changed the way we spend time and have given Podcasters more freedom in the topics that they share, which was previously controlled by television and radio.

 

Thank you so much, Ben! 

 

Stay tuned because next week we are featuring Meghan; our Lead Design Research and Strategist!

Want to learn more about RKS and our team? Reach out! Let’s Chat- ben@rksdesign.com

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About RKS

RKS is a design and innovation firm that creates solutions for clients that are relevant to the market, build the brand and create emotional connection. RKS services the full range of companies from funded startups to multinational corporations. Founder Ravi K. Sawhney cultivated a people-centric approach modeled from his work at Xerox PARC in the 1970’s, where innovative methods using psychology as an essential factor in design resulted in the first-generation touch screen graphic interface as well as many other breakthroughs. RKS came to national attention shortly after its founding by developing the production design of the animated Teddy Ruxpin, one of the greatest disruptive success stories in the history of the toy industry. Success followed success, with RKS being in on the ground floor of tablets with Alan Kay, Pocket Arcades with Sega and the game-changing dental whitening system for Discus Dental. Another milestone was the turnaround of MiniMed, developing a discreet personal insulin pump that allowed millions of diabetics to shed the stigma of being seen as “sick.” This inspired design took MiniMed from a declining $40M in revenue to $270M in three years, leading to its acquisition by Medtronic for $3.6B. The 1990’s brought a confluence of deep introspection and humanity, along with insights into how the work of Joseph Campbell and Abraham Maslow could inform design. This direction led to RKS Design’s highly acclaimed Psycho-Aesthetics methodology.
Ben Azzam on his favorite podcasts

About RKS

RKS is a design and innovation firm that creates solutions for clients that are relevant to the market, build the brand and create emotional connection.

RKS services the full range of companies from funded startups to multinational corporations. Founder Ravi K. Sawhney cultivated a people-centric approach modeled from his work at Xerox PARC in the 1970’s, where innovative methods using psychology as an essential factor in design resulted in the first-generation touch screen graphic interface as well as many other breakthroughs.
RKS came to national attention shortly after its founding by developing the production design of the animated Teddy Ruxpin, one of the greatest disruptive success stories in the history of the toy industry. Success followed success, with RKS being in on the ground floor of tablets with Alan Kay, Pocket Arcades with Sega and the game-changing dental whitening system for Discus Dental. Another milestone was the turnaround of MiniMed, developing a discreet personal insulin pump that allowed millions of diabetics to shed the stigma of being seen as “sick.” This inspired design took MiniMed from a declining $40M in revenue to $270M in three years, leading to its acquisition by Medtronic for $3.6B.

The 1990’s brought a confluence of deep introspection and humanity, along with insights into how the work of Joseph Campbell and Abraham Maslow could inform design. This direction led to RKS Design’s highly acclaimed Psycho-Aesthetics methodology.

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