In this episode of the Psychedelics Design Podcast, host ⁠⁠⁠⁠Alexandra Plesner⁠⁠⁠⁠—founder of ⁠⁠Psychedelics Design⁠⁠—is joined by Brandon Deroche, founder of Propeller—a platform that empowers artists and fans to take real action on the causes they care about. From touring as a musician to launching high-impact campaigns with some of the world’s biggest artists, Brandon has spent the last decade turning influence into change.

We dive into his latest project, PORTAL—a cultural initiative working to destigmatize psychedelics through storytelling, events, and nonprofit partnerships. Brandon shares insights on designing for attention, using culture as a bridge, and how authenticity drives real engagement.

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In this episode of the Psychedelics Design Podcast, host ⁠⁠Alexandra Plesner⁠⁠—founder of Psychedelics Design—sits down with ⁠⁠Jonathan Brown⁠⁠, also known as Quest: a designer, tech leader, musician, and co-founder of the Three Rivers Psychedelic Society. Together, they explore Quest's multifaceted journey from tech and music into the world of sacred medicine and community building.

Through deeply personal stories—including loss and his solo beginnings with psychedelics—Quest shares how creativity, yoga, and sound have shaped his purpose. They dive into the challenges of navigating cultural perceptions, the power of authentic expression, and his latest venture: Heal Homie, a wellness-meets-streetwear lifestyle brand grounded in healing, hip-hop, and bold self-expression.

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This week, host Alexandra Plesner⁠ sat down with David Good, the creative director at DoubleBlind Magazine and a professor of graduate design at Pratt Institute in New York.

David is not only a brand strategist, illustrator, and graphic designer with an impressive portfolio—including projects for the Museum of Sex and the Center for Optimal Living—but also a passionate educator and thought leader in the intersection of design, psychedelics, and culture.

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In this episode of the Psychedelics Design Podcast, host⁠ ⁠Alexandra Plesner⁠⁠ speaks with Floris Wolswijk, psychedelic consultant, facilitator, founder of Blossom and co-founder of FLO Coaching. He also works as Senior Project Manager & EU Lead for the strategic consultancy Delphi.

Floris talks about his journey into the field of psychedelics and his motivations for starting Blossom. He explains how his background in psychology and personal experiences with psychedelics inspired him to create a platform that consolidates psychedelic research for public accessibility.

Floris also shares insights into his coaching practice in the Netherlands, where he and his wife help individuals explore life direction and personal growth using psilocybin-assisted sessions. The conversation emphasizes the importance of preparation, intention-setting, and integration in psychedelic experiences, distinguishing coaching from therapy and highlighting the evolving role of psychedelics in both personal development and medical contexts.

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In this episode of the Psychedelics Design Podcast, host ⁠Alexandra Plesner⁠ interviews ⁠Dr. Bruce Damer⁠ and ⁠Matt Gillespie⁠ from ⁠MINDS⁠.

The discussion explores the intersection of psychedelics, design, and scientific breakthroughs. Dr. Bruce Damer, an astrobiologist, shares his experiences using mindfulness and psychedelics to achieve key insights in his scientific work, including his hot spring hypothesis for the origin of life. He discusses the concept of "endotrips" (internally generated insights) and "exotrips" (psychedelic-assisted insights) and how combining the two can lead to innovative solutions.

Matt Gillespie discusses his background in industrial design and his belief that psychedelics can shift our fundamental understanding of the world, leading to a more sustainable and innovative future.

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In this episode of the Psychedelics Design Podcast, host ⁠Alexandra Plesner⁠ the founder of Psychedelics Design, is speaking to Chris Koehn – a true Renaissance man whose talents span architecture, art, and music.

Chris studied architecture in Madrid and moving to Mexico, he founded the GoKo design firm in 2011 where he has developed residential, corporate and commercial spaces, as well as the Chapel Music Studio in Mexico City. Chris also started painting minimal pieces as a healing process when his brother passed away and as a musician, he collaborated with different artists.

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In this episode, my guest is Devon Phillips⁠, Community & Partnerships Officer at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). He is also the founder of the innovative harm-reduction fashion company, More Life.

Devon has a background in neuroscience and human-centred design. With his work, he develops strategies and partnerships to answer the question: “How do we responsibly mainstream psychedelics?” He is a creative through and through and a lover of innovation, art, design, music, and fashion – we had the absolute pleasure of having him speak at our event this summer and are super happy to have the chance to extend that conversation today.

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In this episode, my guest is Tiffany Hurd⁠. She is a microdosing consultant, speaker, and business leadership advisor who has supported over 250 individuals and their teams through microdosing experiences. With 15+ years in the corporate medical industry, she blends her expertise in psychedelics, business strategy, and leadership, and helps companies optimize business growth by improving employee mental health, satisfaction, business strategy, and leadership through customized microdosing protocols. Tiffany teaches business leaders and employees to achieve fulfilment using microdosing and emotional intelligence.

She talks about the prospective impact of leadership coaching on culture at large and the potential of microdosing for mental health as well as creativity. We also explore the delicate balance of mindful coaching, preparation and the potential integration of microdosing where it is legal to do so with psychedelics. Our discussion extends to design, industry representation, communication, and how to reach your audience.

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In this episode, my guest is Larry Norris, PhD, co-founder and executive director of Entheogenic Research, Integration, and Education (ERIE) and co-founder and board member of Decriminalize Nature. Larry advocates for the unalienable right to develop one's own relationship with Nature and aims to support efforts to decriminalize entheogenic plants and fungi.

This podcast episode is an unscripted and authentic conversation where we explore the integration of psychedelic experiences into creative processes. Larry discusses creativity in the context of psychedelics as a multifaceted concept. Psychedelic experiences often unlock significant creative potential, offering new perspectives and insights that can fuel artistic and innovative endeavours.

He highlights the role of psychedelics in enhancing problem-solving abilities and helping individuals think outside traditional paradigms, leading to novel approaches to both personal and professional challenges. Psychedelic experiences can foster a greater receptivity to new concepts and ways of thinking, broadening one's creative horizons.

We talk about creativity and psychedelics as a way to transform not just individual thinking but also broader societal structures and environments. Creative expressions can influence others and spark change, potentially leading to innovative solutions for societal issues. Throughout the conversation, Larry draws on his extensive experience in the field of psychedelic research and integration, as well as his academic expertise in transpersonal psychology and ayahuasca experiences. And yes, we also share personal art practise and some experiences.

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In this episode, my guest is Stephanie Wang, Founder and CEO of KA! Empathogenics, plant-based empathogenic supplements featuring Kanna - a heart-opening succulent plant from South Africa that is clinically proven to reduce tension, lift mood and improve focus, helping people feel more alive, capable and connected as they navigate everyday stress.

The discussion revolves around the intersection of psychedelics, design, and human consciousness. Wang shares her journey from a successful finance career to exploring healing modalities and eventually founding her company, which focuses on creating plant-based products with a mission of enhancing human consciousness, by bringing more heart-centeredness to the world via greater awareness of our interconnection with each other and nature.

Stephanie also gives many insights into building a brand mindful and within social, environmental and cultural contexts. You will also learn how her brand communication and visualisation are based on solid grounds.

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In this episode, my guest is ⁠Gina Vensel, co-founder of Plant Media Project, a women-owned boutique agency specialising in plant medicine education and advocacy and owner of the events company Easy Street Promotions. Most recently co-founded the Three Rivers Psychedelic Society (TRiPS). She is on the national board of directors for the Students for Sensible Drug Policy and serves on the Global Psychedelic Society team.

Dedicated to maintaining lasting relationships with a focus on building community, Gina is a hard-working entrepreneur and we talked about community building, innovation, building a successful company, cultural awareness, and how to keep sane as an entrepreneur in the psychedelic space.

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In this episode, my guest is ⁠Carly Dutch-Greene⁠, the founder and creative director of Studiodelic a branding, design, and consulting studio for businesses dedicated to psychedelic medicine.

We talked about her starting her own design agency, the importance of early integration of branding into the process of building a successful company, cultural awareness in design, and psychedelic space design specifics.

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In this episode, my guest is ⁠⁠⁠Tracy DeLuca, founder of How Might We Design, a healthcare innovation consultancy.

We talk about the meaning of design strategy and explore design beyond mere aesthetics. We discuss how processes, systems, relationships, and business models can embody psychedelic principles.

Additionally, we highlight the benefits of implementing thoughtful design from the early stages of a project, the importance of designing with nature in mind, and the concept of conscious design. We also examine how design teams operate within agencies, emphasizing the significance of industry knowledge while maintaining a disruptive mindset.

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In this episode, my guest is ⁠Raad Seraj Angel Investor in Therapeutic Psychedelics, Host of the Minority Trip Report Podcast and Founder of the Mission Club. To Read, entrepreneurship is about creating value amid complexity, ambiguity, and uncertainty i.e. amplifying if it exists, building if it doesn’t.

In this podcast episode, we explore psychedelics beyond the substance, touching on if processes, relationships, and business models could embody psychedelic principles. We touch on social impact, sustainability and designing in synergy with nature, posing profound questions about agency, programming, and the nature of human civilization. We discuss the amplifying effects of psychedelics on good and bad, their lack of a moral compass, and their potential to expand our imagination and cosmic connection.

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In this episode, my guest is Laura Dawn who teaches business and thought-leaders, entrepreneurs, and creative professionals how to mindfully explore psychedelics and sacred plant medicines as powerful visionary tools for inner transformation, fostering emotional resiliency and unlocking new depths of our creative potential.

We discuss the fascinating intersection of design, psychology, and psychedelics. Laura shares her unique journey of being 'raised by psychedelics' and its profound impact on her relationship with nature. She also gives insights into navigating the balance between tradition and innovation in the creative process.

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In this episode, my guests are Ece Doğrucu and Toby Fox, two pioneers in this field, and the founders of Unfold. Both have backgrounds in tech and design.

In a world where the exploration of consciousness is increasingly embraced, many individuals turn to psychedelics as a means of self-discovery, healing, and personal growth. Yet, as these substances remain largely illegal in many parts of the world, users often navigate their journeys without adequate guidance or support.

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In this episode, my guest is ⁠Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley⁠. She is a Neuroscientist with 10 years of experience researching psychedelics. Grace completed her PhD in Neuroscience at King's College London and currently serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at NWPharma Tech. She is the Research Director at Heroic Hearts Project, a charity that supports combat veterans with mental health challenges resulting from trauma and is also the founder of Hystelica, a community focused on understanding women's biology for safe and effective psychedelic use.

This episode will help you better understand the overlap and divergence between scientific and design research, their respective purposes, methodologies, and outcomes. It discusses the challenges of "designing scientific studies," including the distinctions between studies and clinical trials, and strategies for ensuring methodological rigor.

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In this episode, my guest is Jess Papp, head of marketing of SERO. She is a diverse marketer from Toronto with over 9 years of experience. Her knowledge and experience stem from a diverse advertising background where she’s worked with a number of clients ranging from smaller start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Jess played a pivotal role in developing and building the brand identity of what Sero is today.

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In this first episode, my guest is Hector Pottie. He is the Creative Director and Head of Creative Europe at the design agency Moving Brands. Hector has worked in the design and branding industry for over 25 years. He works at the forefront of defining and making brands through the holistic experiences they create. Hector cares deeply about what we create and believes designers have the ability and responsibility to help change the world for good.

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