Do you know what comes next?

After this season is over, after the next deadline is met, after that audacious goal you’ve set is accomplished, what does the future hold for you and your organization, church, or ministry?

Over the years, it’s a question we’ve asked Christian leaders such as yourself as we’ve worked with them to build, test, and launch new and innovative ideas into the world. And, what we’ve noticed is that, for many leaders, thinking about the future sometimes leaves them feeling exhausted, discouraged, or fearful. Maybe you can relate, and that’s why you are here.

You may feel overwhelmed because you don’t have time to think about what comes next. It feels impractical. You have bills to pay, deadlines to keep, and an organization to run. And, even if you did have extra minutes in your day, you aren’t sure where you’d start. You can barely keep up with the latest breaking news story, software up- date, or global trend that’s threatening to disrupt everything you’re working to do.

Thinking about the future can be discouraging. Maybe your current reality isn’t what your former self once envisioned, so it seems pointless to imagine alternatives. The years have taught you that your plans rarely unfold as you anticipated.

If that’s you, you aren’t alone.

The fear of uncertainty strikes us all at some point, especially when things don’t go as we thought they would or should. But there’s a better way to respond in this uncertain world. Rather than feel overwhelmed, discouraged, or fearful, we can approach the future as explorers.

Explorers, by definition, are people who journey through the unfamiliar to learn about it. It’s the explorers who sailed uncharted waters, discovered new lands, circumnavigated the globe, set foot on the moon, and ventured deep into space. Exploration requires being brave, overcoming your fears, and permitting yourself to take the first step.

As a leader, how can you do this?

This site is all about looking boldly into the future, figuring out what is possible, and defining the way forward. It’s a guide to help leaders like you respond well to uncertainty and shape the future in an ever-changing world.

Fellow leader, you are an explorer, and this is your invitation to go on an adventure with us. We’ll be there with you every step, equipping you with a new way to prepare for the future and giving you practical examples from our past experiences to encourage you. All you have to do is take the first step. We promise that you’ll never want to look back.

This is our future. We’re all invited. See you there.

— Nick and Ali

More About Us

Our goal is to help equip you to navigate uncertainty and usher in a better future.

Nick and Ali draw on their experience and insight from working with leaders at some of the most innovative companies and ministries in the world to teach you practical approaches to navigate the world and unlock your true potential.  Ali’s background in education, cross-cultural communication, and futures thinking provides the clarity and articulation necessary to help organizations and communities take their mission to the next level. Nick’s deep technical and leadership experience has helped him lead high performing teams and pioneer new ways of doing business in both government and industry for over two decades. Together, they offer a fresh perspective as you navigate the future, address significant social and community issues, and advance the Gospel.

Nicholas Skytland

Co-Author

NICHOLAS SKYTLAND is an author, consultant, technologist, innovator and triathlete. He is cofounder of Quite Uncommon, a strategy and consulting firm that helps ministry leaders navigate the future. He also works at NASA in the Exploration Technology Office helping usher in the future of human space exploration. His technical and leadership experience has helped him build high performing teams and pioneer new ways of doing business in both government and industry for over two decades. He has trained astronauts, designed next-generation spacesuits, developed open source technology, led missional movements, and created some of the largest purpose-driven collaborations in history. He lives in Houston with his wife and three kids, and serves as an elder at Clear Creek Community Church.

Alicia Llewellyn

Co-Author

ALICIA LLEWELLYN is co-founder of Quite Uncommon, a technology firm that helps organizations build, test, and launch new and innovative ideas. She is also a strategist and collaboration leader at NASA, currently directing the 1958 Coworking Space at the Johnson Space Center. She has more than two decades of cross-sector experience in growing effective teams and building engaged communities with resiliency and foresight - including for some of the largest hackathons in the world. Ali has served as a teacher, a team trainer, a youth pastor, and the Director of Ministries at Antioch Community Church in Houston, TX. This background in education, communication, and theology provides the clarity and articulation necessary to help organizations and communities take their mission to the next level.

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