Episode Summary
Jess Butcher MBE has built a career at the intersection of technology and consumer behaviour. She co-founded AR pioneer Blippar and has since turned her attention to a growing issue: how AI and social media are shaping our brains, behaviour, and wellbeing.In this episode, Jess shares what she’s learned as a founder, why female entrepreneurs still struggle to access funding, and why she believes brands must take responsibility for the attention economy they help create. We discuss how “More Soul, Less Scroll” is encouraging healthier digital habits, and the practical steps companies can take to drive positive change.Timestamps00:00 - Intro01:41 - Jess’ background as a female founder05:56 - How Jon used Jess’ QR code startup13:19 - Why Blippar ultimately failed17:34 - The lessons from Blippar’s failure21:30 - Why female founders struggle to get funding25:50 - The characteristics of successful founders31:15 - How AI is re-wiring our brains negatively34:05 - Why social media is ruining our lives40:09 - Why is this problem getting worse if we know about it?44:17 - What ScrollAware is trying to do about the problem48:38 - Which brands are taking responsibility for this problem best?54:46 - Less Scroll More Soul sleeping bags
