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From Door-to-Door to Rockets - NextFutureToday Ep. 36: Dan Keldsen and Guest, JJ Dacanay

Written by Dan Keldsen, Chief Innovation Officer | May 07, 2026

Hey Innovators - Welcome to Next Future Today!

In our latest episode, Dan Keldsen sits down with JJ Dacanay, a strategic IT leader and former Blue Origin powerhouse, to talk about automation, robots, AI, and the future of work.

✅ From selling vacuums in Compton to launching rockets with Jeff Bezos, what can JJ's wild career teach you about everyday problem-solving?

✅ Dive deep into stories of resilience, lessons in navigating extremes, and practical insights for taming big problems, plus inside tales from tech’s front lines.

✅ Your opportunities might be bigger (and more conquerable) than you think.

Get inspired: listen to Next Future Today with Dan Keldsen and JJ Dacanay!

 

10 Lessons from the Interview

Embrace Unlikely Career Paths
Unexpected roles (like selling vacuums) can teach resilience and skills that benefit high-level careers later 07:38.

Attitude Is Everything
Controlling your attitude in tough times can set you apart, regardless of circumstances 08:46.

Persistence Beats Rejection
Success often comes from persisting through frequent rejection and setback, not giving up after failures 09:11.

Move from Sales to Tech
Leverage your skills and interests to pivot into new industries and unlock more opportunities 10:29.

Data-Driven Decisions Win
Automated, objective measurements are vital, reporting success or failure manually leads to skewed results 18:40.

Set Clear Innovation Goals
Frame innovation efforts around specific, strategic targets rather than vague ambitions for more substantial impact 17:13.

Automate Before AI
Optimize existing processes and automation before jumping into sophisticated AI projects 13:14.

Establish AI Guardrails Early
Develop policies and communicate guidelines before broadly rolling out AI to avoid accidental data exposure 13:57.

Team Bonding Boosts Productivity
Shared activities (like gaming or group outings) foster camaraderie and enhance problem-solving among teams 30:00.

Robots and AI Are Inevitable
Physical and digital automation will expand to more roles; prepare for adaptation and upskilling 38:10.