Over the last few months, I’ve told people I recorded a podcast conversation with Jodi Lomask, founder of Creative Journey, in which we discussed the intersection of psilocybin, creativity and success in business.
What surprised me is how often this topic resonates with people. Instead of strange glances, I got a lot of knowing nods.
Even at events related to the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference in January, every time I told others about my discussion with Lomask, I was then given anecdotes about psilocybin or people referenced articles they recently read or they rattled off all the C-suite execs who have practiced this. It’s safe to say psychedelics are having a moment. And it’s not happening in the counterculture, but in the corporate boardroom.
A growing number of leaders are exploring psychedelics as tools for creativity, clarity and self-discovery. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is among those reportedly interested in their potential effects on leadership and problem-solving. Meanwhile, the New York Times suggests that psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, alters perception and may enhance creative thinking.
A new kind of executive retreat
Lomask has spent decades immersed in the creative arts, choreographing, directing and designing performances that blend movement, sculpture and science. That’s who she was when we first met at a party in San Francisco around 2010. And then there she was in 2012, on stage at a TEDx event in Berkeley, introducing an on-stage performance she choreographed.
But during the pandemic, Lomask’s career took a turn. With performances on hold, she reevaluated her purpose. A vision quest of her own led her to pivot and create Creative Journey, a program combining her decades of creative expertise with guided nature-immersive psychedelic retreats.
“I started experimenting with psychedelics as a tool for my creative process back in 1995 when I was in Amsterdam,” Lomask shared during our podcast conversation. “When the pandemic paused live performances, I asked myself, ‘What if I offered this to people outside my usual creative circle?’”
Unlike the microdosing trend that’s become popular in Silicon Valley, Lomask’s approach involves guided macrodose experiences in natural settings. The goal is to help high achievers, such as startup founders, VCs and policy leaders, among others, to break mental patterns and unlock fresh perspectives.
A tool for visionaries
The appeal of psychedelics for entrepreneurs and investors isn’t just about hallucinations or breakthroughs in consciousness, it’s about vision in the most strategic sense. As Lomask puts it, the leaders she works with “are people who are somehow working on authoring the future or designing tomorrow. Their success is dependent on having their vision.”
Research backs this up. A study from the Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics is investigating how psilocybin shifts perception and cognitive flexibility.
Meanwhile, a RAND Corporation report suggests that an estimated 8 million Americans have used psilocybin, reflecting its growing mainstream adoption.
Lomask’s process isn’t a quick-fix solution. Her program spans at least five weeks and includes preparation, guided psychedelic sessions and post-journey integration. “The real work happens in the weeks after,” she said. “That’s when you harvest from the depths, when you take the insights from the journey and figure out how they apply to your life and work.”
Why now? Why this?
Venture capitalists and startup founders are under constant pressure to predict the future of the markets and the next big thing in technology and human behavior. The best ones at their jobs aren’t just number crunchers. They’re visionaries who make risky bets on what’s next.
Increasingly, some are turning to psychedelics to enhance that vision. Lomask argues that psychedelics aren’t a magic bullet, but they’re a powerful tool when used intentionally.
“When you melt a construct and reassemble it differently, your whole world changes because you’re seeing it with new eyes,” she said. “That’s the magic of the deep work that psychedelics offer.”
So, are the venture and startup communities ready to embrace this in a more open way? Based on the reactions I’ve received in recent months, the answer might be yes.
🎧 Click here to listen to my full conversation with Jodi Lomask on The Venture Variety Show.
And let me know what you think. Are psychedelics the next frontier for business leaders? Drop a comment or reply to this post. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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