Justin Ahrens
@justinahrens.bsky.social
Brand & Marketing Strategist @Rule29: Author, Cyclist, Speaker, Do Gooder, Host @designofpodcast, cohost @CreativeShitShw
“Do I actually matter?” I joined Nikki Lewallen Gregory on the Gut + Science podcast to talk about why this question sits at the center leadership.
We covered Being HumanKind, O’Neil Printing’s ON Purpose work, and growing as a leader.
🎥 youtu.be/VWuLkaNXlrU
🎧 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3...
We covered Being HumanKind, O’Neil Printing’s ON Purpose work, and growing as a leader.
🎥 youtu.be/VWuLkaNXlrU
🎧 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3...
On Purpose: Turning Values Into Action at Work | Justin Ahrens
YouTube video by PeopleForward Network
youtu.be
January 9, 2026 at 4:32 AM
“Do I actually matter?” I joined Nikki Lewallen Gregory on the Gut + Science podcast to talk about why this question sits at the center leadership.
We covered Being HumanKind, O’Neil Printing’s ON Purpose work, and growing as a leader.
🎥 youtu.be/VWuLkaNXlrU
🎧 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3...
We covered Being HumanKind, O’Neil Printing’s ON Purpose work, and growing as a leader.
🎥 youtu.be/VWuLkaNXlrU
🎧 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3...
Chef José Andrés on leadership that lasts:
Listen first.
Decide to act.
Learn by doing.
Stay teachable.
Build trust.
Give people autonomy.
That is how real impact scales.
Listen first.
Decide to act.
Learn by doing.
Stay teachable.
Build trust.
Give people autonomy.
That is how real impact scales.
January 6, 2026 at 4:12 AM
Chef José Andrés on leadership that lasts:
Listen first.
Decide to act.
Learn by doing.
Stay teachable.
Build trust.
Give people autonomy.
That is how real impact scales.
Listen first.
Decide to act.
Learn by doing.
Stay teachable.
Build trust.
Give people autonomy.
That is how real impact scales.
It didn’t end how we hoped, but it was the right way to start the year. Friends + Community. AND the North Central football is 85–4 over the last six seasons. Three national titles. Five straight Stagg Bowls. The only losses came on the biggest stage.
That’s not failure. That’s excellence.
That’s not failure. That’s excellence.
January 5, 2026 at 8:00 PM
It didn’t end how we hoped, but it was the right way to start the year. Friends + Community. AND the North Central football is 85–4 over the last six seasons. Three national titles. Five straight Stagg Bowls. The only losses came on the biggest stage.
That’s not failure. That’s excellence.
That’s not failure. That’s excellence.
New year. Same question, deeper meaning: How do we want to show up?
At Being HumanKind, we believe kindness is a competitive advantage-in leadership, business, and life.
📘 Pre-order and help build a more human way forward → behumankind.today
Let’s go be HumanKind. 💛
At Being HumanKind, we believe kindness is a competitive advantage-in leadership, business, and life.
📘 Pre-order and help build a more human way forward → behumankind.today
Let’s go be HumanKind. 💛
January 3, 2026 at 6:33 PM
New year. Same question, deeper meaning: How do we want to show up?
At Being HumanKind, we believe kindness is a competitive advantage-in leadership, business, and life.
📘 Pre-order and help build a more human way forward → behumankind.today
Let’s go be HumanKind. 💛
At Being HumanKind, we believe kindness is a competitive advantage-in leadership, business, and life.
📘 Pre-order and help build a more human way forward → behumankind.today
Let’s go be HumanKind. 💛
We’re really grateful.
Running Ahrens is in the top 10% of podcasts worldwide in 2025, and that still feels a little wild to type. Thank you for listening, sharing, and sticking with us through honest conversations, inside jokes, and moments that probably could’ve stayed in the family group chat.
Running Ahrens is in the top 10% of podcasts worldwide in 2025, and that still feels a little wild to type. Thank you for listening, sharing, and sticking with us through honest conversations, inside jokes, and moments that probably could’ve stayed in the family group chat.
January 3, 2026 at 6:29 PM
We’re really grateful.
Running Ahrens is in the top 10% of podcasts worldwide in 2025, and that still feels a little wild to type. Thank you for listening, sharing, and sticking with us through honest conversations, inside jokes, and moments that probably could’ve stayed in the family group chat.
Running Ahrens is in the top 10% of podcasts worldwide in 2025, and that still feels a little wild to type. Thank you for listening, sharing, and sticking with us through honest conversations, inside jokes, and moments that probably could’ve stayed in the family group chat.
This is a wonderful perspective “Deep listening is the kind of listening that helps relieve the suffering of another person.” - Thich Nhat Hanh
December 28, 2025 at 9:51 PM
This is a wonderful perspective “Deep listening is the kind of listening that helps relieve the suffering of another person.” - Thich Nhat Hanh
The binge starts now! #StrangerThingsSeason5
December 26, 2025 at 2:55 AM
The binge starts now! #StrangerThingsSeason5
I remember when the kids were little. We’d hear them upstairs on Christmas morning, running and giggling, waiting to come down. “You can’t come down until we’re up.”
This morning they burst in at 6:30am: “It’s time for Christmas. Get up!!”
Time flies!
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
This morning they burst in at 6:30am: “It’s time for Christmas. Get up!!”
Time flies!
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
December 25, 2025 at 5:03 PM
I remember when the kids were little. We’d hear them upstairs on Christmas morning, running and giggling, waiting to come down. “You can’t come down until we’re up.”
This morning they burst in at 6:30am: “It’s time for Christmas. Get up!!”
Time flies!
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
This morning they burst in at 6:30am: “It’s time for Christmas. Get up!!”
Time flies!
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Design isn’t just about what looks good. It’s about what helps people.
Grateful to see social impact design getting the recognition it deserves. Thanks for having me, @printmag and @debaldrich.
For the design community: www.printawards.co
#PurposeDrivenDesign #MakeCreativeMatter
Grateful to see social impact design getting the recognition it deserves. Thanks for having me, @printmag and @debaldrich.
For the design community: www.printawards.co
#PurposeDrivenDesign #MakeCreativeMatter
PRINT Awards 2025
Enter today! We spotlight the best domestic and international work through 28 categories targeting every aspect of design, from identities to type and more.
www.printawards.co
December 24, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Design isn’t just about what looks good. It’s about what helps people.
Grateful to see social impact design getting the recognition it deserves. Thanks for having me, @printmag and @debaldrich.
For the design community: www.printawards.co
#PurposeDrivenDesign #MakeCreativeMatter
Grateful to see social impact design getting the recognition it deserves. Thanks for having me, @printmag and @debaldrich.
For the design community: www.printawards.co
#PurposeDrivenDesign #MakeCreativeMatter
I think what makes Miracle on 34th Street endure is that Santa isn’t asking us to believe in him.
He’s inviting us to believe in wonder. To hold faith without proof. And to remember that love, kindness, and trust still matter.
Especially at Christmas.
He’s inviting us to believe in wonder. To hold faith without proof. And to remember that love, kindness, and trust still matter.
Especially at Christmas.
December 24, 2025 at 12:00 AM
I think what makes Miracle on 34th Street endure is that Santa isn’t asking us to believe in him.
He’s inviting us to believe in wonder. To hold faith without proof. And to remember that love, kindness, and trust still matter.
Especially at Christmas.
He’s inviting us to believe in wonder. To hold faith without proof. And to remember that love, kindness, and trust still matter.
Especially at Christmas.
“Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.”
— E. F. Schumacher
— E. F. Schumacher
December 21, 2025 at 8:58 PM
“Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.”
— E. F. Schumacher
— E. F. Schumacher
"Sometimes the greatest gifts aren’t wrapped, they’re the moments that hold us still."
www.linkedin.com/pulse/someti...
@LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/pulse/someti...
Sometimes the greatest gifts aren’t wrapped, they’re the moments that hold us still.
Do you have a habit of reflection, or do you wish you did? A moment in your week when you slow down long enough to notice what’s right in front of you? I’ve been trying to build that kind of rhythm in...
www.linkedin.com
December 15, 2025 at 2:03 AM
"Sometimes the greatest gifts aren’t wrapped, they’re the moments that hold us still."
www.linkedin.com/pulse/someti...
@LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/pulse/someti...
Most of us are trying to outrun our own calendars.
A new AI report just puts data behind it. People want time back. Clarity. Less overload.
AI can help. But we also need to do less. Set better boundaries. Choose what matters.
Both things are true.
And this is a challenge for me too.
A new AI report just puts data behind it. People want time back. Clarity. Less overload.
AI can help. But we also need to do less. Set better boundaries. Choose what matters.
Both things are true.
And this is a challenge for me too.
December 12, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Most of us are trying to outrun our own calendars.
A new AI report just puts data behind it. People want time back. Clarity. Less overload.
AI can help. But we also need to do less. Set better boundaries. Choose what matters.
Both things are true.
And this is a challenge for me too.
A new AI report just puts data behind it. People want time back. Clarity. Less overload.
AI can help. But we also need to do less. Set better boundaries. Choose what matters.
Both things are true.
And this is a challenge for me too.
Most conference swag is forgettable. We wanted something people would feel.
At Chipp Con, attendees tapped a simple NFC chip on a phone stand and unlocked an AI interaction built to spark real conversation. No apps. No friction. Just connection.
The future isn’t louder. It’s smarter.
#AIPowered
At Chipp Con, attendees tapped a simple NFC chip on a phone stand and unlocked an AI interaction built to spark real conversation. No apps. No friction. Just connection.
The future isn’t louder. It’s smarter.
#AIPowered
December 9, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Most conference swag is forgettable. We wanted something people would feel.
At Chipp Con, attendees tapped a simple NFC chip on a phone stand and unlocked an AI interaction built to spark real conversation. No apps. No friction. Just connection.
The future isn’t louder. It’s smarter.
#AIPowered
At Chipp Con, attendees tapped a simple NFC chip on a phone stand and unlocked an AI interaction built to spark real conversation. No apps. No friction. Just connection.
The future isn’t louder. It’s smarter.
#AIPowered
Dana and I had connected before, but he showed up when I needed it most. No coincidence. Time with him this week was grounding and good for the soul.
If you feel led to reach out to someone, do it. You never know what it might mean.
Grateful for this connection.
#gratitude #beinghumankind
If you feel led to reach out to someone, do it. You never know what it might mean.
Grateful for this connection.
#gratitude #beinghumankind
December 7, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Dana and I had connected before, but he showed up when I needed it most. No coincidence. Time with him this week was grounding and good for the soul.
If you feel led to reach out to someone, do it. You never know what it might mean.
Grateful for this connection.
#gratitude #beinghumankind
If you feel led to reach out to someone, do it. You never know what it might mean.
Grateful for this connection.
#gratitude #beinghumankind
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New info on book, frameworks, resourcing, and more
New info on book, frameworks, resourcing, and more
Being HumanKind | LinkedIn
Choosing Courage, Compassion, and Clarity in a Distracted World
www.linkedin.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Please sign up for my Being HumanKind newsletter 👉 www.linkedin.com/newsletters/...
New info on book, frameworks, resourcing, and more
New info on book, frameworks, resourcing, and more
Sign up today! www3.nasa.gov/send-your-na...
December 1, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Sign up today! www3.nasa.gov/send-your-na...
“Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. … Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.” — Maya Angelou
November 28, 2025 at 9:07 PM
“Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. … Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.” — Maya Angelou
Thankful!
Grateful. Always.
For our partners, team, community, and families who make the work matter.
Happy Thanksgiving from Rule29 and the O’Neil Companies. #gratitude
For our partners, team, community, and families who make the work matter.
Happy Thanksgiving from Rule29 and the O’Neil Companies. #gratitude
November 27, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Thankful!
“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” - Meister Eckhart
November 27, 2025 at 12:00 AM
“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” - Meister Eckhart
4 Stranger Things Episodes To Watch Before Season 5 Revealed By Creators
screenrant.com/stranger-thi...
@Stranger_Things
screenrant.com/stranger-thi...
@Stranger_Things
https://screenrant.com/stranger-thing…
November 26, 2025 at 4:08 PM
4 Stranger Things Episodes To Watch Before Season 5 Revealed By Creators
screenrant.com/stranger-thi...
@Stranger_Things
screenrant.com/stranger-thi...
@Stranger_Things
Enter today!!!
🖐️🦃 One week left!
Grab crayons, paper, or pixels, and make your hand turkey.
Create. Laugh. Be thankful.
Join By a Show of Hands from @Rule29 + @ONeilPrinting.
Submit yours → byashowofhands.com
#ByAShowOfHands #Creativity #Gratitude
Grab crayons, paper, or pixels, and make your hand turkey.
Create. Laugh. Be thankful.
Join By a Show of Hands from @Rule29 + @ONeilPrinting.
Submit yours → byashowofhands.com
#ByAShowOfHands #Creativity #Gratitude
November 22, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Enter today!!!
Today in a meeting, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry came up again. It reminded me of a simple line by John Mark Comer:
“If there is a secret to happiness, it’s simple. Presence in the moment.”
Slow down.
Pay attention.
Be where your feet are.
Still the reminder I needed today.
#BeingHumanKind
“If there is a secret to happiness, it’s simple. Presence in the moment.”
Slow down.
Pay attention.
Be where your feet are.
Still the reminder I needed today.
#BeingHumanKind
November 20, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Today in a meeting, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry came up again. It reminded me of a simple line by John Mark Comer:
“If there is a secret to happiness, it’s simple. Presence in the moment.”
Slow down.
Pay attention.
Be where your feet are.
Still the reminder I needed today.
#BeingHumanKind
“If there is a secret to happiness, it’s simple. Presence in the moment.”
Slow down.
Pay attention.
Be where your feet are.
Still the reminder I needed today.
#BeingHumanKind
My wish for you is that you continue. Continue to be who you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness. —Maya Angelou
#ONPurpose #BeingHumanKind
#ONPurpose #BeingHumanKind
November 10, 2025 at 11:52 PM
My wish for you is that you continue. Continue to be who you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness. —Maya Angelou
#ONPurpose #BeingHumanKind
#ONPurpose #BeingHumanKind
Love this color leaving the house #HomeSweetHome #Fall 🍂🍁
November 9, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Love this color leaving the house #HomeSweetHome #Fall 🍂🍁