Waris Hussain is a growth marketer and builder focused on alternative education. He works in growth at Praxis, a college alternative focused on practical skills and careers, and also has his agency, Catalyst Creatives. His path has moved through graphic design, UX, growth, startup operations, AI and product building, including early work with Career Hackers. He also shares what he learns generously through his public content, especially Instagram, and brings the same kind, open-hearted attention to other people.
In this conversation, Waris and Sam trace the path from his final years of school, when time alone and self-directed learning changed the way he saw education and work, through Network School and into the alternative-education ecosystem he is helping build today.
Waris talks about Praxis, his own public content, his AltEd Directory of 200+ non-traditional education programs, and the productivity systems he uses to make room for work, travel and life. Underneath it all is a simple thread: stay curious, explore widely, build what is useful and remain human as technology becomes more capable.
What you'll hear:
- How time alone in his final school years changed Waris’ view of education and possibility
- Moving from graphic design and UX into growth marketing, startup operations, AI and building products
- Network School and the environments that make learning, health and ambitious work feel easier
- Why Waris has focused his work on alternative education and Praxis
- Building AltEd Directory to make non-traditional education pathways easier to discover
- Productivity as a way to create more life, not simply more work
- Childlike curiosity, relationships, nature and the human qualities worth protecting in the age of AI
Guest links:
Conversation mentions:
Chapters:
00:12 Waris: travel, generosity and Vietnam
06:08 Time alone and choosing your own path
07:59 Network School and environments that make growth easier
13:15 From design to growth marketing, AI and building
17:12 Praxis, alternative education and AltEd Directory
19:54 Productivity, trust and making room for life
29:40 Childlike curiosity, AI and staying human
Explore further:
Discover Natural Genius: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Other platforms: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568387
Subscribe to hear future episodes.
Credits:
Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Kiama and Da Nang, Vietnam, 19 May 2026
Produced at the Kiama office, 19 May - 21 August 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au
