Episode four
Ditching profit for prosperity: how to build a long-term institution with Future Normal CEO and Griffith University Professor, Nick Barter—episode four
This week’s podcast features Nick Barter, Professor at Griffith University and CEO at Future Normal, whose biggest career pivot involved transitioning from the corporate world to academia to help businesses better realize their potential.
In this episode, Nick speaks with Founder, Dave Allen, about the importance of crafting a narrative and purpose that goes beyond profit, the role of emotion in decision-making, and how demographic trends shape our future.
“You can craft a new vision, a mission, purpose, whatever it may be, but too often they end up as words on a wall. Actually, organizations are nothing but the people that turn up every day with a story in their heads about what matters.”
Nick Barter
Griffith University Professor and Future Normal CEO
This episode covers:
- Professor Nick Barter's career journey from business to academia, driven by his desire for long-term value creation
- The importance of an organisation's narrative and purpose beyond pure profit
- Incorporating emotional and purpose-driven decision-making in business, and where it often competes with more technical solutions
- Generational changes in decision-making based on our growing need for long-term sustainability
To tune in, head here:
“The numbers can be whatever we want them to be. If we don't get the people aligned, they're never going to be right.”
Nick Barter
Griffith University Professor and Future Normal CEO
Coming up on the podcast

Matthew Wenger
CEO
Relevate Power