Cultural Intersections: A Third Culture Perspective on Strategy

Finding patterns at the crossroads of technology, culture, and behavior

I have a surprising number of triangles tattooed on my body (47). This might be a strange opening line for announcing a significant, professional milestone but bear with me.

The reason why I mentioned triangles is because I need to confess – more to myself than you – that I have an obsession with the number three. I mentioned those triangles, I also started a company called Third Wave. I've been very deep into researching Third Places for my new podcast with Johannes Kleske (we are just getting started and who can say that after so many years?), and there's another term that, over the last few years, has become increasingly important to me: Third Culture.

Now, Third Culture is a somewhat obscure term. Some will be like: yes, of course! Most will probably have never heard of it before. Here's a summary of what it means:

The term "Third Culture" refers to individuals who grow up in a culture different from their parents' or native culture, often due to global mobility, such as expatriate children, military brats, or children of diplomats. These individuals blend aspects of their parents' culture and the culture they are raised in, creating a unique "third" culture. They often experience a sense of belonging to multiple cultures but may also feel like outsiders in each. The concept is closely associated with "Third Culture Kids" (TCKs), who are known for their adaptability, open-mindedness, and sometimes a lack of a strong sense of home.

It's not easy to define a person who went to eight schools in three countries or didn't have any citizenship for well over a decade, but this is as good as it gets. This is me. And since I'm in the privileged position of readjusting what I want to do with the next ten years after having worked, more or less nonstop for the better part of the last 20 years, I decided that embracing who I am and what I want to do with that is an essential component of the process.

So what does that mean? Well, I am good at things that intersect, and since so many things intersect in a highly connected world, it's not a bad thing to be good at. If I had to summarize what I have been doing in my professional life, I would say it's this: Finding things that are new, understanding them, and making them accessible to others.

Most of this intersects somewhere between emerging technologies, cultures, and customer behavior. Ogilvy recently had a position open for a Cultural Hunter. The term is a bit much, but it basically covered what I want to focus on. You will find me at the intersection of trend research & strategy.

All of this is the result of many conversations with many, many smart people. I look forward to having many more over the coming months. Please reach out.

In the meantime, subscribe to and like Johannes & my new podcast. You know the drill.