Today I’m joined by Al Samuels from the Stanford MBA Class of 1995 and Joel Johnson from the Class of 2025.
Al is an award-winning stage, TV, and film actor, writer, and producer. He co-founded Spark Creative during our time at the GSB, bringing improvisation into business education long before it was a buzzword. His career spans Second City, Edinburgh Fringe, and dozens of corporate stages, all with a comedic twist and deep insight into team dynamics, creativity, and human connection.
Joel is currently completing a dual degree at Stanford: an MBA and a Master of Science in Computer Science. He also earned his undergraduate degree at Stanford with a Bachelor of Science in Symbolic Systems. During this time, he served as Vice President of the Undergraduate Veterans. A former U.S. Marine Arabic linguist, Joel brings a rare mix of technical skill, leadership, and storytelling—now channeling it into a startup that makes it easier for families to capture and preserve oral histories.
Together, we explore the creative tension between comedy and code, business and meaning, AI and ethics. This is a conversation about joy, agency, and improvisation—and why laughter might just be our best leadership skill in the face of a rapidly shifting world.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Reconnecting and Current Endeavors
03:04 The Importance of Oral History
06:12 Improv and Business School
08:52 Psychology Experiments and Authority
11:46 Military Experience and Personal Growth
18:02 Navigating Career Choices and Life Changes
23:59 Creativity in Business and AI Concerns
30:19 Navigating Choices and Joy in Career Paths
35:10 The Agony of Decision-Making
41:34 Understanding Agency and Decision-Making
48:22 The Impact of AI on Creativity and Employment
01:02:28 Reflections on the Future of AI and Humanity
CHAPTERS
Join the Podcast Series
Stanford MBA: From Baby Boomer to Gen Z | Class of ‘95 Meets Class of ‘25
Each of these episodes will feature a different pair of Stanford MBA people -- one from the class of 1995, and one from the class of 2025.
Remember to rate, review, and subscribe to stay connected with future episodes!
📺 Also available on YouTube:
Entire series playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSaVisoF0D_GKxVmHmakNxdpAJCb5_VTP
More info: https://www.katharinemclennan.com/
Contact: kath@katharinemclennan.com
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com