Rachel Wells sits down with Trisha Epp, Director of Innovation at Freelancer.com, to unpack one of the most heartwarming and unexpected stories from Artemis II: the Rise plushie floating in zero gravity.

Trisha explains how NASA turned to open innovation to crowdsource a zero-gravity indicator, why the winning design captured the world’s imagination, and how a second-grader’s idea became a historic symbol aboard the spacecraft.

Along the way, she reveals behind-the-scenes details about the NASA–Freelancer.com collaboration.

Beyond the Rise plushie, Trisha shares how Freelancer.com matches niche expertise to high-stakes problems—from spaceflight software updates to genome-editing research—and why prize competitions and crowdsourcing are changing how organizations solve impossible challenges.

Whether you’re curious about Artemis II, dreaming of turning a side hustle into a business, or looking for creative ways to monetize specialized skills, this episode offers practical advice, inspiring stories, and a new perspective on the future of work and innovation.

🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.

Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend.

Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe