Strands of Genius: Part of the Problem, Thats a Robin Morrison Shot, Keeping it Simple

Guest curated by Andrew Reinholds, Head of Operations & Strategy @ krunch.

May 06, 2025

:: A BIT MORE ABOUT GUEST CURATOR, ANDREW REINHOLDS ::

LOCATION: Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand

Hey,

I'm Andrew - I live in Grey Lynn. A leafy central city suburb in Auckland, New Zealand. I met Rosie & Faris back in 2016. I had managed to convince them to make the long hike down under to deliver a keynote at a conference for the agency I was then working for (yep, I'm in advertising). We seemed to get on pretty well & next thing you know, we're cycling around the deep playa at Burning Man.

I consider myself very lucky to be able to call Rosie & Faris friends. I always smile when I think of them. I just wish they lived a little closer......

Genius Steals: Oh Andrew, we still talk about that wild trip — from the stage to the playa, what a ride! You’ve got the best mix of charm and mischief (must be something in that Grey Lynn air). We’re so lucky to have you in our corner — just wish Auckland wasn’t quite so far. One day soon, let’s make it happen again. ❤️

:: WE ASKED ANDREW FOR HIS HOT TAKES ON GETTING LUCKY ::

In marketing and in life, we love to credit “luck” for big wins—a campaign goes viral, a brand breaks through, or a chance encounter leads to the perfect partnership. But here’s the secret: luck rarely happens by accident. It’s not just fate; it’s the result of action, awareness, and a willingness to embrace the unexpected.

The luckiest brands aren’t sitting around waiting for lightning to strike. They create opportunities, stay open to unexpected pivots, and recognize moments of serendipity when they appear. Luck finds those who are prepared to take risks, experiment boldly, and put themselves in the right place at the right time.

Take Oreo’s "Dunk in the Dark" tweet during the 2013 Super Bowl blackout. That wasn’t just luck—it was a brand that had the right team in place, ready to react in real time, turning an unpredictable moment into marketing gold. Or look at TikTok’s role in reviving Ocean Spray—when a viral video of a man skateboarding and drinking cranberry juice took off, the brand didn’t just watch it happen; they leaned into the momentum, embraced the trend, and turned it into a cultural moment.

This month, we’re diving into how to cultivate your own luck—because the best opportunities don’t just fall into your lap. They come when you’re ready to seize them. How can we position ourselves, our brands, and our ideas in ways that increase the chances of “lucky” breaks? How do we recognize and capitalize on serendipity when it appears? And how do we build teams, strategies, and mindsets that make luck feel less like magic—and more like something we can create?

Because at the end of the day, luck isn’t just about being in the right place at the right time. It’s about being ready when you get there.

If you could give one piece of advice to a brand looking to “engineer” more lucky breaks, what would it be?
Do things. Follow your instinct not the research.
How do you position yourself for “lucky” career moments, like landing a dream role, getting a game-changing client, or being in the right room at the right time?
Embracing challenges.

Not taking no for an answer.

Always coming back for more.

:: THE LINKS ::

PART OF THE PROBLEM

I'm a big fan of Dutch historian Rutger Bregman (how can you not like anyone who winds up Tucker Carlson). He's written a couple of books - 'Utopia for Realists' and 'Human Kind' - which are both highly recommended. His appearance at Davos on an inequality panel discussion back in 2019 is also worth tracking down.

I love how he cuts through all the bullsh*t & calls out the hypocrisy that feels so much a part of our world these days.

The link is quite long (sorry). Definitely best if you've got a morning or evening commute ahead of you....it's the most recent podcast he's appeared on (that I can find anyway) & it gives you a really good steer on where he's coming from. (YouTube; What Now with Trevor Noah)

THATS A ROBIN MORRISON SHOT

I love the art of photography. The idea of a moment lost but captured forever seems so surreal to me. Robin Morrison is one of New Zealand's most celebrated documentary photographers. He passed away way too young, but his iconic images of New Zealand and New Zealanders from the 1970s and 1980s are remarkable. I think his work is incredible. (Nzgeo)

KEEPING IT SIMPLE

I try to keep my life as simple as I can. I read a book called 'Civilised to Death' by Christopher Ryan that challenges how we think about ourselves as a species.
All media - not only social platforms - is in the business of sensationalising absolutely everything which means most of the important stuff is getting drowned out in all the nosue.

It's also really unhealthy. It's a personal decision as to when it's time to rein things in. (theuselessweb)

:: AND NOW… SOME FAST FAVORITES ::

Game :: The dice game Pig. I'm not very good, but I really enjoyed playing it with Rosie & Faris last time they were in Auckland (I got my arse kicked).
City :: Manchester. The original dirty old town. I love the energy - maybe it's the ley lines?
Book :: The last book I absolutely loved. Street Level Superstar: A Year with Lawrence by Will Hodgkinson • Review by Mathew Clayton
Podcast :: 60 Songs That Explain the ‘90s … my recommendation would be to start with the Pulp / Common People episode.
Song :: MJ Lenderman was in town last night & he put on such an epic show. 'She's leaving You' is definitely on high rotate at the moment. To be fair, so is '3 Sisters' by Waxahatchee (MJ Lenderman contributed to her latest album which is just a beautiful record). A song called 'Hourglass' by local band Jim Nothing was my feel good hit of the Summer, it's just so pure. My favourite band is The Fall (of course), I'm completely obsessed: 'Blindness' is an absolute steam roller of a track. Magnificent-ah! If anyone's still reading, I put together a quick playlist for you!

:: Tempus Fugit ::

This photo was taken when Faris & Rosie were in Auckland! We spent the weekend with Johnny & Sophie at their parents incredible beach house in Tawharanui!

:: ‘TIL NEXT TIME ::

This edition was guest curated by Andrew Reinholds, who you can connect with via LinkedIn. Your regularly scheduled hosts, Rosie & Faris Yakob, will be back next week!

Strands of Genius is currently read by more than 15,000 subscribers. Support us by sponsoring an issue, encouraging friends or colleagues to subscribe.

It's called Genius Steals because we believe ideas are new combinations and that nothing can come from nothing. But copying is lazy. We believe the best way to innovate is to look at the best of that which came before and combine those elements into new solutions.

Co-Founders Faris & Rosie are award-winning strategists and creative directors, writers, consultants and public speakers who have been living on the road/runway since March 2013, working with companies all over the world. We have a distributed team ourselves, an accounting team is based in Tennessee where our company is registered, our admin extraordinaire is based in Playa del Carmen, and our collaborators are all over the world. Being nomadic allows us to go wherever clients need us to be, and to be inspired by the world in between.

Hit reply and let’s talk about how we might be able to work together :)

Strands of Genius