In this episode of Out of the Clouds, Anne welcomes Joanna Bloor, a creative thinker and self-proclaimed “Potentialist” who has spent decades helping people and organisations unlock their untapped potential. With a varied background, from selling high-end swimwear to pioneering work in emerging technology during the dot-com era, Joanna brings a unique perspective on how we buy and sell human potential in today’s world.
The conversation begins with Joanna sharing her transformative journey moving from England to Texas at age 15 (going from “Hogwarts without boys or magic to Americana”) to her pivotal moment entering the tech world in 1995 when “nobody had a rule book.” She shares how these experiences taught her that “future you” is who people want to get to know and shaped her approach to helping others articulate their potential.
At the heart of their discussion is Joanna’s revolutionary framework for understanding potential. She explains for Anne her concept that humans are essentially “emerging technology” — complex, upgradeable and often misunderstood products that we buy and sell using outdated methods like resumes and job descriptions. Her famous principle that “every decision made about you and your opportunities is made in a room that you’re not in” becomes the launching point for a deep dive into how we can make ourselves “easy to buy.”
The conversation takes a delightful turn as Joanna deconstructs the Cinderella story, which is the concept of her book, “Tales of Potential”to reveal a strategic marketing genius who understood the importance of leaving the right “marketing materials” (the infamous glass slipper) behind. Anne and Joanna then have a rich discussion about authenticity, power dynamics in professional settings, and why women need to shift from playing zero sum games to positive-sum games — essentially, making more pie rather than fighting over the slices.
Joanna then shares practical advice for people wanting to unlock insights to better talk about their own potential, which includes her “three words exercise” for discovering how others perceive you. She also raises the relevance of the four power dynamics at play in any interaction: being liked, wanted, invited, or honored.
The episode concludes with Joanna telling Anne her vision for bringing more magic into the corporate world, including her dream of standing on stage unironically in a sequin ball gown and a wand to help people see the potential in themselves and others.
A warm, funny and deeply insightful conversation, which is sure to leave you thinking differently about your own potential. Happy listening!
Selected Links from Episode
Connect with Joanna:
- Joanna’s website
- Follow Joanna on LinkedIn
- Joanna’s Substack, The Potentialist, a dispatch from the edge of what’s emerging.
- Follow Joanna on social media: @JoannaBloor
- Joanna’s book, Tales of Potential: The Cinderella Story You Didn’t Hear
- Joanna’s TED talk “How 3D printing helped me lose weight”
Resources mentioned:
- The quantum pen article on Joanna’s Substack
- “Clever Lazy” by Joan Badger – the book that inspired 12-year-old Joanna
- PT Barnum
- Angus Harvey quote on monsters and superstition: “The old world is dying and while the new world struggles to be born, now is the time of monsters because we are unable to distinguish between what feels good and what is true.”
- The other quote Joanna was looking for: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Arthur C. Clarke
- “Playing Big” by Tara Mohr – recommended book for women
- Introduction makeover examples by Joanna with a host of wonderful people on YouTube (a must watch!)
Books Joanna recommends:
- “Humans” by Matt Haig
- “The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August” by Claire North
- “The Sudden Appearance of Hope” by Claire North
Other references:
