NAKED by The Future Farm: Recent Episodes
The Future Farm
Starting your own business is thrilling. The adventure, the purpose, the ambition, the money, the recognition. But what personal truths are exposed when you start to peel back the layers?
Join The Future Farm's Vladi and Nektarios, in a “naked” conversation with the people who have been through it all. We’ll talk to business founders, investors, life partners and other ecosystem players about the personal challenges that business builders face when pursuing their dreams and passions.
Don’t forget to subscribe and rate NAKED. For more information, visit thefuturefarm.co
In this episode of the NAKED podcast, our hosts Nektarios, Vladimira, and our guest, Emmalyn Shaw from Flourish Ventures, explore the importance of prioritising psychological safety in entrepreneurship and venture capital.
The discussion centres around how Flourish Ventures prioritises mental health and well-being within their organisation and how they support their portfolio companies,
Specific topics covered in the episode include:
- The recognition of mental health and well-being in the venture capital community.
- How Flourish Ventures supports their portfolio entrepreneurs’s wellbeing.
- The role that venture capital firms can play in providing mental health support to entrepreneurs.
- Different playbooks and interventions for investors to support entrepreneurs dealing with mental health challenges.
In this episode of the NAKED podcast, our hosts Nektarios, Vladimira, and our guest, Fatin, explore the anxiety Fatin faced whilst she was building her first business.
The discussion centres on the experience of being a female entrepreneur in an emerging market, the journey towards self-awareness regarding one’s mental health, and the tools necessary for navigating life after facing such unexpected obstacles.
Specific topics covered in the episode include:
- Fatin's personal account of dealing with anxiety and its impact on her ability to function in daily work life.
- Her exploration of multiple paths to recovery, including individual therapy, group therapy and building a support system.
- The episode also touches on how she navigated her co-founder relationships at this time, highlighting the need for empathy and uncomfortable conversations to maintain a healthy business environment.
- Strategies for distinguishing one’s self-worth from one’s business achievements.
- Reflections on the entrepreneurial experience in Pakistan as a woman, offering a perspective on the challenges and rewards of building a business in an emerging market.
Join Nektarios, Vladimira, and Fatin as they discuss the intersections of entrepreneurship, mental health, and personal growth, offering valuable lessons and strategies for navigating the complexities of startup life in an emerging market.
In this NAKED podcast episode, our hosts Nektarios, Vladimira, and our guest, Emma, explore the complex emotions and challenges that came up for her after exiting a startup.
They discuss the importance of addressing unresolved issues from the past, understanding one’s motivations for success, and the role of mental health and self-awareness in navigating post-exit life.
Specific topics covered in the episode include:
- The unexpected emotional impact and identity crisis following a startup exit.
- The journey of self-discovery and the importance of reconnecting with personal values, friends, and interests.
- Strategies and toolkits for rebuilding oneself and integrating self-care and wellness practices into daily life.
- The significance of acknowledging and addressing mental health struggles that may arise after significant life changes.
- Reflecting on the entrepreneurial experience and its lessons for personal growth and future endeavors.
Join Nektarios, Vladimira, and Emma as they discuss navigating the aftermath of a startup exit, the path to personal recovery, and the strategies for building a fulfilling life beyond entrepreneurship.
In this NAKED podcast episode, our hosts Nektarios, Vladimira, and our guest, Lottie, discuss her breakdown and how it took her by surprise.
They discuss learning to look out for signals, the importance of introspection and self-awareness and how to get better by integrating wellbeing into one’s life.
Specific topics covered in the episode include:
- What does the experience of a breakdown look like?
- Understanding one’s own needs and starting with small steps to meet those needs.
- Integrating routines into a busy life and making them non-negotiable.
- The importance of sleep and exercise
- Planning for when you sense it might be happening again
- The role of a sharing with people for support and accountability
Join Vladimira, Nektarios, and Lottie as they discuss breakdowns, strategies for getting better and integrating wellbeing into the demands of a founder’s life.
NAKEDPodcast #foundershealth #mentalhealth #empowerment #podcast #entrepreneurship
In this NAKED podcast episode, our hosts Nektarios, Vladimira, and our guest, Eia, discuss neurodiversity, coping with depression and trauma, and the importance of vulnerability and ongoing growth.
They also discuss tactics for communicating diagnoses of neurodiversity and navigating societal perceptions while operating in a team or co-founding relationship.
Through Eia's experiences and insights, they offer advice for individuals starting their mental health journeys while working in the entrepreneurial space.Specific topics covered in the episode include:
• Neurodiversity and its impact on individuals' lives
• Coping with depression, suicidal ideation, and trauma
• Seeking the right kind of support and being open to new experiences
• The importance of vulnerability and the ongoing process of learning and growth
• Communicating diagnoses of neurodiversity, such as ADHD and autism, with the outside world
• Navigating societal perceptions and self-acceptance of neurodiversity traits
• Strategies for operating in a team or co-founding relationship while being aware of one's mental health needs and neurodiversity traitsIn addition, they discuss the following questions:
-
How do individuals communicate their diagnoses of neurodiversity, such as ADHD and autism, with the outside world, especially in the context of leadership roles and team dynamics?
-
What are the challenges and strategies for operating in a team or co-founding relationship while being aware of one's mental health needs and neurodiversity traits?
-
What are the experiences of individuals who have been diagnosed with conditions like ADHD and autism, and how do they navigate societal perceptions and self-acceptance?
-
How can individuals use creativity as a tool for self-exploration and personal growth in the context of entrepreneurship?
Join Vladimira, Nektarios, and Eia as they discuss neurodiversity (including ADHD & Autism), coping with depression, trauma, and the challenges of leadership and team dynamics in entrepreneurial settings.#NAKEDPodcast #foundershealth #mentalhealth #empowerment #podcast #entrepreneurship
In this NAKED podcast episode, serial entrepreneur Hardi shares with us how he would start a company and struggled two years in, each stage spurred by difficulties due to a reluctance to face responsibilities.
The conversation unfolds to reveal Hardi's pivotal moment when burnout, both physically and mentally, led to both his body and his relationships collapsing.
His way to deal with this was to avoid addressing the underlying issues and to numb himself with substances. Vladimira and Nektarios enquire about the signs Hardi ignored, the impact of his behaviour on his team, and his exploration of psychedelic-assisted therapy to comprehend childhood traumas influencing his behaviour.
Specific topics covered in the episode include:
• Starting companies and then leaving them
• Patterns and avoidance of responsibilities
• Experience of burnout
• Coping mechanisms during burnout
• Impact on relationships and team dynamics
• Seeking help through mentorship and coaching
• Exploration of psychedelic-assisted therapy
In addition, they discuss the following questions:
-
What signs of burnout did Hardi recognize as an entrepreneur, and how did they affect him?
-
How did burnout impact his personal and professional relationships?
-
How would he define burnout, and how did it manifest for him?
-
Why did he follow a pattern of leaving businesses and avoiding responsibilities?
-
How was his journey seeking help through mentorship?
-
How did psychedelic-assisted therapy contribute to his personal growth?
-
In what ways did childhood traumas influence his adult behaviours as an entrepreneur and person?
Join Vladimira, Nektarios, and Hardi as they delve into the complexities of entrepreneurship,burnout, and self-discovery in this NAKED podcast episode.
NAKEDPodcast #foundershealth #mentalhealth #empowerment #podcast #entrepreneurship
Please be advised that this episode contains content related to suicide.Suicidal ideation among entrepreneurs: let’s talk about it.In this episode, Vladimira and Nektarios engage in a conversation with their guest, Juliette Devillard, delving into her personal experience with suicidal ideation. The discussion explores common challenges faced by entrepreneurs, such as impostor syndrome, fear of failure, and the constant rejection inherent in startup life.
Juliette shares the steps that helped her navigate these struggles, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and prioritizing mental health. Michael Freeman's insights on mental health being like a sport, requiring practice for improvement, add depth to the conversation. Juliette's wellbeing management strategies, including a checklist for signals and the Beyond Resilience initiative, contribute to her journey toward healing and resilience.Specific topics covered in the episode include:• Juliette's personal experience with suicidal ideation.• The gradual buildup of thoughts and patterns leading to dark moments.• Common challenges faced by entrepreneurs: impostor syndrome, fear of failure, and constant rejection.• Recognizing and prioritizing mental health in the entrepreneurial journey.• Insights from Michael Freeman on treating mental health like a sport.• Juliette's strategies for managing her wellbeing, including a checklist for signals.• Beyond Resilience initiative: Bringing learnings and techniques to the entrepreneurial world.In addition, they discuss the following questions:1. What were the contributing factors that led to Juliette's suicidal thoughts?2. How did she recognize the need to prioritize getting better?3. What small and big steps did Juliette take to navigate her struggles?4. How does Michael Freeman's perspective on mental health resonate with Juliette's journey?5. What strategies does Juliette employ to manage her wellbeing and look for signals?6. How has her experience led to the creation of the Beyond Resilience initiative?Join them in this conversation as they delve into the topic of mental health in entrepreneurship, featuring Juliette Devillard's journey from suicidal ideation to resilience, offering essential insights for prioritizing well-being in the startup landscape.#NAKEDPodcast #foundershealth #mentalhealth #empowerment #podcast #entrepreneurship
In this episode of the NAKED Podcast, Vladimira and Nektarios focus on co-founder dynamics through the lens of stress research and therapeutic practices. They explore a powerful conflict resolution tool known as "constellations" and emphasize the importance of communication among co-founders. The conversation extends to the impact of stress on entrepreneurs, drawing insights from Dr. Ute Stephan's mental health research specifically on entrepreneurs. The episode also sheds light on the paradox of finding fulfilment amidst entrepreneurial stress and addresses the challenges of social isolation, particularly for solo founders.Specific topics covered in this episode include:
• Co-founder dynamics and unity.
• The constellations exercise for conflict resolution.
• Communication within co-founder teams.
• The impact of stress on entrepreneurs.
• Dr. Ute Stephan's research on mental health.
• The relationship between fulfilment and stress in entrepreneurship.
• Loneliness and social isolation among founders.
• Supportive community building.
In addition, they discuss the following questions:• How can co-founders strengthen their unity?
• What is the constellations exercise, and how does it work?
• What are the implications of stress for entrepreneurs?
• How does Dr. Ute Stephan's research relate to personal entrepreneurship experiences?
• Can entrepreneurs be both fulfilled and stressed simultaneously?
• What challenges do solo founders face in terms of loneliness/isolation?
• How can founders build a supportive community for themselves?Join them in this conversation as they delve into conflict resolution, co-founder dynamics, and the impact of entrepreneurship on mental health.
NAKEDPodcast #foundershealth #mentalhealth #empowerment #podcast #entrepreneurship
In this episode of the NAKED Podcast, Vladimira and Nektarios are joined by Ute Stephan, Professor of Entrepreneurship at King's Business School, King's College London, and a renowned expert in the Psychology of Entrepreneurship. Together, they explore the intersection of entrepreneurship, well-being, and societal impact.Specific topics covered in this episode include:
• Setting realistic goals when working with social issues within the bounds of your enterprise
• Overcoming challenges when hitting rock bottom
• The need for support and resources for entrepreneurs in established and emerging economies
• The importance of motivation and inspiration
• How can entrepreneurs address mental health in their businesses and support their employees' well-being?
• What are some specific resources and support systems that can be put in place to help entrepreneurs in emerging vs. developed economies?Join them in this conversation as they explore entrepreneurship, well-being, and social impact.
NAKEDPodcast #foundershealth #mentalhealth #empowerment #podcast #entrepreneurship
In this candid NAKED episode, Vladimira and Nektarios are back to dive into the world of entrepreneurship. Explore the challenges of fear, uncertainty, and power dynamics with investors as they share personal experiences.
Over the past 3+ years, they've gained valuable insights into the entrepreneurial and investment landscape.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- Overcoming fear
- The intricacies of working with external partners
- The art of maintaining structure amidst chaos
- Navigating the rollercoaster of personal growth
- Understanding power dynamics with investors
- Delving into the underlying causes of trauma
In addition, they discuss the following questions:
- How do you conquer your fears as an entrepreneur?
- What strategies can you employ when working with external partners?
- How can you maintain order and structure amid entrepreneurial challenges?
- What insights can you share about personal growth on your entrepreneurial journey?
- What are the key aspects to consider in power dynamics with investors?
- How can understanding trauma and its causes benefit entrepreneurs in their pursuit of success?
Join them for this conversation as they uncover essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey and offer valuable strategies for your journey.
Vladi and Nektarios are back together for the first Naked episode of a new year. They discuss a topic that they have touched upon previously: the power of speaking up and feeling empowered to call out someone’s bad behaviour, something that is often difficult to do in a business situation. Vladi shares a recent story of when she felt empowered to speak up on behalf of her business and her colleagues. She also talks about managing the conflict in the aftermath and how they dealt with it as a team. They talked about how it impacted individuals and the bigger topics that arise from an experience like this: what do you go through as an entrepreneur, what is okay and not okay, and what is the role of investors?
As we come to the end of another year, Vladi and Nektarios pause and look back on the past 12 months. They talk about how things have changed, particularly in relation to how their respective fintech businesses now occupy most of their time, but that it’s important to remember to take time off and remember that your personal wellbeing matters. We hope you enjoy reflecting on a number of the topics that we’ve covered on the Naked podcast this year, including: imposter syndrome; co-founder conflict; investors and the role they play; neurodiversity; self-awareness; identity, and many more.
Show notes
Share your questions with Vladi and Nektarios at hello@thefuturefarm.co
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts).
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
“My escape was to try and be good at things, for no other reasons than for people to like me… I was seeking validation.” Our next podcast guest is Chris Howard, a reluctant founder and somebody who prefers the term ‘creator’. Chris joins us to talk about how he started building a business to fix things in his life and to seek validation from others. As his marriage fell apart, he started to behave in ways that he now finds troubling, and was ultimately asked to leave the company by his co-founder and board.
Chris talks about the signals he ignored; the difference between self-esteem and confidence; and where to look for help to start looking for the more deeply rooted causes that affect our self-esteem. He talks about how he has become academically obsessed with understanding trauma.
We discuss the following:
- What does it take for somebody to be kicked out of the business they created?
- How do you feel when you’re being described as a wrecking ball?
- Self-esteem and confidence;
- Signals are there for a reason and how can we recognise and acknowledge them?
Show notes
Connect with Chris: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | Web
Resources
- The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma | Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
- The Rattle
- Derren Brown
- Richard Wiseman
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Vladi and Nektarios are back with a new episode, covering a number of themes we’ve heard on Naked before. They catch up and talk about being triggered, the power of visualisation in times when you’re feeling overwhelmed and having a choice. They spend much of the episode discussing the chat with Nemo D’Qrill; the impact it had on them, and some of the topics in that conversation, including identity, compromise and choice - including choosing when to speak up and when to stay silent (if you haven’t listened to the episode already, you can catch up here).
“Entrepreneurship has definitely been the most challenging thing I’ve ever done, forget about the army.” Imagine you show up to a meeting and you can sense that people don’t know what to do with you. Imagine you go for a job interview and you hear “you’re not what we are looking for”.
These experiences open up a lot of questions and our podcast guest, Nemo D’Qrill, has started a business to address them from their own experience. The conversation revolves around the subject of authenticity and the compromises we have to make when one is different, where one doesn’t meet the expectations of their audience. For Nemo, it’s all about looking at their options and recommitting to the cause. Or not, if it no longer feels right.
We discuss the following questions:
- What does it mean when you are raising money and you have to make a choice on how you show up?
- How do you deal with that constant conflict between authenticity and the reality of the environment you operate in?
Vladi and Nektarios reconnect and share what’s been happening in their working and personal lives over the past few weeks. Nektarios talks about bumping into several former colleagues at an industry conference, hearing from people that appreciate what you do, and feeling overwhelmed by some of the corporate world. They then switch conversation to discuss some of the recent global news and the impact it has on them. Vladi shares more about where her space in the conversation is, how she shows up for herself, and using her voice. They talk about ‘otherness’, identity and belonging, as well as the support systems that people have in place where they can authentically talk about a shared experience.
In our first LinkedIn Live episode of NAKED, Vladi and Nektarios discuss the dynamic between entrepreneurs and investors, and the impact that relationship can have on an entrepreneur's mental health. Continuing the investor conversation they started a few weeks ago, they start by sharing their own personal experiences; as they are both currently in the middle of fundraising for their respective fintech ventures.
They talk about the beginning of the entrepreneurial journey. Impostor syndrome, loneliness, co-founder conflict and questions around identity all come into play during the fundraising process. How does this process really impact the individual? How difficult is it to find investors that care and understand about the entrepreneurial pains?
Over the last couple of years, we've seen investors starting to question and redefine their own weaknesses and recognise that healthier founders increase the chances of the success for the business they've invested in. Vladi and Nektarios discuss:
- What can investors do to support entrepreneurs?
- How much should investors care?
- How does this blur the lines between being supportive and interfering?
We started the NAKED podcast because we wanted to draw attention to the subject of mental wellbeing for entrepreneurs and to share authentic, real stories of founders who ‘have been there’. At the same time, we must acknowledge that the reasons why entrepreneurs experience mental health challenges are still largely unaddressed.
- Is it all about startup life just being harder than a normal job?
- Who is contributing to this?
- What are they doing about it? Are they even aware?
Continuing our conversations with investors, in this episode we are talking to Lisa Mikkelsen, Head of Global Human Capital at Flourish Ventures. Lisa shares how the Fund’s partners lead by example: honesty and vulnerability are key. They start early by trying to understand the leadership team of a business they invest in. Building a relationship of trust is paramount.
We discuss the following questions:
- How do you manage the delicate balance between investors and start?
- What is the power dynamic there?
- How do more junior team members of the Fund come into this with the right mindset?
- What support do the heads of people at VCs need?
This week’s episode is a special one as Vladi and Nektarios talk about the role of investors on entrepreneurial mental health and the fundraising experience. They talk about the personal - and sometimes painful - experiences that they’re currently going through in their own fundraising journeys; how it is having an impact on their teams; and whether investors should entrepreneurs like humans (listen to our previous conversations with Dr. Michael Freeman for more on this topic). They also share some of their stressors, the ambiguity of the whole experience, and how to deal with the elements that are out of their control. This all leads to the introduction of something we have been working on for some time, The Future Farm’s masterclass on ‘how to become a compassionate investor’, where we are inviting investors to discover actionable tools, resources, and best practices to support founders’ mental health across their investment practices.
For more information on the Masterclass and to sign-up to attend, visit: https://www.thefuturefarm.co/masterclass-compassionate-investor
This week Vladi and Nektarios discuss a topic we’ve talked about a few times on NAKED - co-founder conflict. They talk about the constant work that is required and their relationships with their co-founders. How do you manage yourself after a conflict - whether you’re directly involved or a mediator? How do you find the energy to continue with everyday business activities amid the conflict? And they discuss the importance of reflecting on the triggers - and what their own triggers are - that led to the conflict, in order to move on.
Vladi and Nektarios reflect on their past conversation with Dame Kelly Holmes after she came out as gay at the age of 52. Nektarios shares his views on how this news impacted him, as well as Pride month and sexuality. They discuss why it still matters when people with a public profile come out as gay - it should be a part of reality for everybody. The work is far from being done. This leads the conversation to focus on identity; and acknowledging that one of the reasons people like to talk about identity is the need to create more relatable stories.
This week’s guest is no stranger to The Future Farm, and you may have heard his name pop up from time to time in conversation with Nektarios. That’s because Drew Graham is Nektarios’ co-founder. He is also a serial business builder. He joins NAKED to talk about his entrepreneurial life, how he put that on hold and joined a bank, largely because his health was deteriorating.
Drew is incredibly vulnerable and open about the challenges he’s faced and how he continued to build businesses, all while ignoring the signals that were telling him his physical and mental health was in decline. It was only after his fourth startup in a row did he realise how broken he was. That’s when he walked away. We talk about the guilt and the shame one feels when you can no longer perform, when you have a responsibility towards your investors, your co-founders, your clients… that keeps you in the business. How you feel you have no choice but to go on, until the decision to stop is no longer yours.
Having two co-founders present, Vladi used this opportunity to talk more about Drew and Nektarios’ experiences in building a new business together and the impact it has had on their respective mental health. You’ll hear more about what they’re trying to do differently to ensure that each individual has their needs respected.
Specific topics covered in this episode:
- Guilt and shame when you feel you can no longer perform;
- Recognising the signals of deteriorating mental and physical health;
- The role of therapy in recognising behaviours and effecting change;
- Co-founder dynamics, permission, communication and doing things differently.
In addition, we discuss the following questions:
- How do you know when it’s the right time to walk away to protect your physical and mental health?
- How do you create a working environment that gives permission to take time out when things are bad without guilt or shame?
- What mechanisms or tools are helpful in recognising behaviours and making positive changes?
Vladi and Nektarios revisit the recent conversations they’ve had on the podcast about neurodiversity. They reflect on the episodes with Nick Cavuoto and Sam Handfield-Jones, as well as Nektarios’ recent dinner with Dr. Michael Freeman where they discussed neurodiversity and entrepreneurship. They also talk about an upcoming episode that continues to explore the topic; recognising people’s needs in a working environment, and how we can adjust. They bring this all back to self-reflection and self-awareness, and whether we really know ourselves enough. Do we place too much on diagnostic ‘labels’ and let those labels - the words - define us?
If you have a story to share on the topic, we’d love to hear from you.
Show notes
Share your questions with Vladi and Nektarios at hello@thefuturefarm.co
Resources:
- ADD is my superpower, with Nick Cavuoto
- On the impact of ADHD on an entrepreneur’s life, with Sam Handfield-Jones
- ADHD-Related Neurodiversity and the Entrepreneurial Mindset | ResearchGate
- It's time to put neurodiversity on the DEI agenda | Huckletree
- Neurodiversity: the impact of ADHD on entrepreneurship | Antler Global
- Neurodiversity And Entrepreneurship: Onyinye Udokporo Shows Us Where The Creative Flair Starts | Forbes
We continue our conversations with neurodivergent entrepreneurs by welcoming Sam Handfield-Jones to NAKED. Sam is an angel investor, builder of things, advocate, and passionate about sharing his experiences of living and working with ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. We talk to Sam about creating safe and inclusive work environments for individuals with ADHD, his own entrepreneurial journey, and the impact ADHD has on his life - positively and in the challenges he’s faced.
Sam is an incredibly positive person, and what is impressive is his openness to share how ADHD manifests in his daily life; how it affected him while building a business; and the vulnerable conversations he has had with his team. He’s not afraid to talk about the difficult moments - loneliness, fear, isolation - all in an effort to help people better understand what living with ADHD means.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and the impact of an entrepreneur’s life;
- Living with ADHD, the positives and the challenging;
- Fears including the fear of death and the pointlessness of life;
- The role of therapy in healing.
In addition, we discuss the following questions:
- How do you create an inclusive work environment for people with ADHD?
- How do you talk to people who might not understand?
- Who do you turn to for support and help?
- What is the interplay between neurodiversity and entrepreneurship?
Show notes
Connect with Sam: LinkedIn
Resources
- Tribes: We need you to lead us | Seth Godin
- Platform Revolution: How networked markets are transforming the economy | Geoffrey G. Parker, Marshall W. Van Alstyne, Sangeet Paul Choudary
- The Little Book of Buddhism | Dalai Lama
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
For the first episode in our series of conversations with neurodivergent entrepreneurs, Nick Cavuoto joins NAKED. Nick is a serial entrepreneur who discovered late in life that he has ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder. We talk to Nick about living with ADD and how it translates into his entrepreneurial life. What does he mean when he describes it as his ‘superpower’?
Nick has been on a rollercoaster over the last few years. He’s experienced incredible highs, and really low lows, including losing $1million overnight, and having clients walk away during the pandemic. Nick very candidly shares how he hit his lowest point when he was about to lose his wife and family, accepting that he was the problem and that he needed help. Nick talks about the help he received from therapy, where he started to understand his behaviours. Add to this his deep spirituality and faith, Nick was able to get himself to a better place.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- Attention Deficit Disorder and the impact of an entrepreneur’s life;
- Why ADD isn’t a negative but a superpower;
- The role of therapy in understanding behaviours, traits and your relationship with your environment;
- Spirituality and faith in healing.
In addition, we discuss the following questions:
- How do you deal with your business almost failing overnight?
- How do you recognise when the time has come to seek help?
- What is the interplay between neurodiversity and entrepreneurship?
Show notes
Connect with Nick: LinkedIn | Website | Twitter
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Vladi and Nektarios are back together after a few weeks away. They reflect on their last NAKED conversation about grief, their current energy levels and recognising behaviours that have an impact on their mental health. Much of the conversation is centred around introverts and extroverts' energy, and how it shows up in entrepreneurs, in anticipation of some upcoming episodes that explore the topic more. They also talk about how they identify themselves and where they might be on the introvert - extrovert spectrum. Stay tuned for more conversation, resources and reading materials on introvert and extrovert personalities in relation to entrepreneurship.
If you have a story to share on the topic, we’d love to hear from you.
Show notes
Share your questions with Vladi and Nektarios at hello@thefuturefarm.co
- Personality Divide: The Truth About Extroverts and Introverts | Greatist
- Do Introverts or Extroverts Make Better Entrepreneurs? | Entrepreneur
- Why Introverts Make Successful Entrepreneurs | Forbes
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts).
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Andra Sonea is an entrepreneur and currently a Research Fellow with the Oxford Future of Finance and Technology Initiative. She joins the NAKED podcast to talk about the obstacles she faced when she made the leap from a successful corporate career into the world of entrepreneurship. We also talk about imposter syndrome, the sense of belonging and the importance of identity. Andra talks about the immigration process, the challenges this posed, and how it has left an impact on her and her mental health. She talks about having a positive mindset and looks for ways to restore herself emotionally.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- Impact of immigration on mental health and how experiences can shape you;
- Imposter syndrome and a sense of belonging;
- Identity and giving yourself permission to explore who you are.
Show notes
Connect with Andra: Twitter | LinkedIn | Saïd Business School
Resources:
- On Being
- Design Matters with Debbie Millman
- 99% Invisible
- The Books of John O'Donoghue, David Whyte and Clarissa Pinkola Estes (which Andra says she listens to on repeat).
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Jamie Clements is the founder of the successful podcast Man Down which explores the subject of masculinity and vulnerability. As an entrepreneur and a man who has experienced his own mental health struggles, Jamie Clements discusses with our host Nektarios Liolios how men’s mental health is a complex subject and cannot be seen in isolation but within the wider context of a patriarchal system.
They discuss how, especially looking at business builders, there is an expectation on men having to be successful, resilient and financially savvy - an expectation that makes it difficult for men to acknowledge let alone open up to others about the difficulties of the entrepreneurial life and the mental health challenges that come with it.
This NAKED conversation will allow you to reflect on how society pressures men and how it affects their capabilities to express their feelings, build relationships and seek help.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- Patriarchy:
- Men’s Mental Health
- Learning how to open up, communicate struggles and mental health issues.
ManDown #TheBreathSpace
Show notes
Connect with Jamie: LinkedIn | Website | Instagram | The Breath Space | Twitter
Resources:
- Podcast: Man Down
- Nektarios at Man Down: The Future Farm and Mental Health for Founders
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Dr. Michael Freeman is the author of one of the only studies on the relationship between entrepreneurship and mental and emotional health. As a psychiatrist, psychologist, researcher and importantly, an entrepreneur himself, he brings authenticity and credibility to the conversation on entrepreneurial wellbeing. These are just some of the reasons why we invited him back to the NAKED podcast, this time to talk about the relationship between grief and entrepreneurs, how personal identity can be wrapped up in your business’ identity, and how they cope during difficult periods.
This conversation follows on from episode 51, where Vladi and Nektarios discussed the topic of grief and the experience of loss, whether that be a personal loss, a business loss or supporting a loved one through their grief.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- Grief and loss;
- Processing grief and managing emotions;
- Entrepreneurial learning process to deal with grief & positive coping strategies.
Show notes
Connect with Micahel: LinkedIn | Website
Resources:
- Founders First community
- ECONA
- Listen back to Michael’s first appearance on the NAKED podcast
- Ep 51. On grief and experiencing loss
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Bjorn Lee is a serial entrepreneur who successfully exited his previous business and founded MindFi, a mental wellbeing platform for modern workplaces. Bjorn joined the NAKED podcast as part of Audacity’s Permacolony week in Singapore, to share his entrepreneurial journey. He talks about how his friends had to stage an intervention to physically remove him from his toxic, unhealthy life, because he couldn’t see a way out, and learning to recognise compulsive behaviours. Bjorn also discusses the practices that he has found that work for, including journaling and therapy, and the importance of friends.
Towards the end of this episode, you’ll also hear insights and questions from the participants of the Audacity Permacolony week.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- Toxic, compulsive behaviours and an unhealthy lifestyle;
- Recognising signals;
- The role of friends as the ‘canaries in the coalmine’;
- Journaling and finding ways to reflect.
In addition, we discuss the following questions:
- At what point does fighting for your company’s life start feeling like fighting for your own?
- How do you recognise the signs and signals?
Show notes
Connect with Bjorn: LinkedIn
Connect with MindFi: Twitter | Instagram
Find out more about Audacity World: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
In this week’s episode Vladi and Nektarios talk about grief, health and conflicting emotions, amidst the current state of the world. They discuss how to deal with a situation and having a platform and a voice, as well as whether there is a line between business as usual, and an awareness of what is happening. Vladi shares more on radical acceptance, after listening to a podcast with Tara Brach (find the link in the resources), and allowing yourself to connect with deep emotions. They also talk about this in the context of entrepreneurship, and recognising the moments to pause and reflect. Compassion and being kind to yourself are the key things.
Show notes
Share your questions with Vladi and Nektarios at hello@thefuturefarm.co
Listening materials:
- Radical Acceptance - Gateway to Love, Wisdom and Peace | Tara Brach
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts).
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
*TRIGGER WARNING: Please be aware that this episode covers the topic of grief and loss, which some listeners may find triggering. For more information and support, there are a number of services available via Healthline.
This week Vladi and Nektarios dedicate the episode to the topic of grief and the experience of loss, whether that be a personal loss, a business loss or supporting a loved one through their grief. They talk about the grief and loss they are currently coping with, and reflect on how they are managing their emotions. They also talk about how entrepreneurs deal with grief, because of the loss of a business or transitioning to the next opportunity. Psychiatrist, entrepreneurship researcher and friend of the podcast, Dr. Michael Freeman has studied this topic and will be joining us to discuss his perspective on NAKED in the coming weeks.
Show notes
Share your questions with Vladi and Nektarios at hello@thefuturefarm.co
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts).
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Anu Shultes is the CEO and Founder of Ahead Financials, a digital banking and financial health platform. She is an entrepreneur and Forbes 50 over 50 honoree. She started her career as an engineer in India, before moving to the United States. While she felt welcomed at college in the U.S., upon entering the ‘real world’, she started to face discrimination. This is just the beginning of Anu’s story.
Anu’s career is the red thread of all the ups and downs that many people experience. Anu touches on, how as a woman and an immigrant, she felt that she had to earn her place at the table; juggling the responsibilities of a working mother; what it means to be a woman of colour in business; how her battle with cancer gave her new perspective; and how her story has impacted her mental health. Stay tuned for more from Anu.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- Resilience and acceptance;
- Sexism, ageism and racism;
- Faith and deep values-driven belief.
Connect with Anu: LinkedIn
Reading materials:
- 50 over 50: Investment | Forbes
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Shahira Hemeda is the founder of NŪR, a platform dedicated to mindfulness for the Arab world. It’s mission is to allow you to discover, understand and benefit from the healing process of meditation. But Shahira hasn’t always been an entrepreneur. She had a successful media and advertising career, before experiencing a massive shift in her own wellness and mental health. She was compelled to share her experience with friends and family, but was soon met with confusion and a lack of online support for mental health in the MENA region.
Shahira set out to navigate the lonely struggles of mental health and the toll it can take on the entire family. This motivated her to take on the mission to offer easily accessible tools and mental health support. She joins NAKED to talk about her personal mental health story, her journey to creating NŪR, and mindfulness in the Arab world.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- The lack of mental health support in the Arab world;
- Multi-generational experiences of mental health;
- The benefits of self-healing practices and meditation.
Show notes
Connect with Shahira: LinkedIn
For more about NŪR: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
Download NŪR on the App Store and Google Play
Reading materials:
- Meet Social Impact Entrepreneur Shahira Hemeda | Women of Egypt
- Rumi’s Book of Poems
- The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment | Eckhart Tolle
- Solve for Happy | Mo Gawdat
- 12 Rules For Life | Jordan Peterson
- The Prophet | Khalil Gibran
- Podcast On Purpose | Jay Shetty
- Diary of a CEO | Steven Bartlett
- Super Soul | Oprah
- Masters of Scale | Reid Hoffman
Vladi and Nektarios catch-up to discuss the episode with Lucy Cooper, how she expressed her emotions and experiences, and support systems available to those outside of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Nektarios shares more about his own corporate roles, his mental health and the lack of support systems available. Now that mental health is more openly discussed, is there more support in place?
They also talk about the fundraising journeys they’re currently going through, the challenges they’re facing and how to manage the emotions around the process - rejection on a business level is not the same as rejection on a personal level. They revisit a message from a previous Naked podcast conversation on investors seeing entrepreneurs as people. Entrepreneurs are human too.
Show notes
Who supports mental health in the corporate world?
- BetterSpace
- Cuéntame
- Ksebe
- MindFi
- Nilo Health
- NUR Meditation
- Sama
- Sanctus
- Unmind
Share your questions with Vladi and Nektarios at hello@thefuturefarm.co
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts).
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Lucy Cooper has been an entrepreneur, an investor, and is now an intrapreneur within a large corporation, in her role as Head of Innovation Europe at Accenture. Lucy represents a role that faces similar challenges to a ‘traditional founder’, particularly when it comes to mental health. Lucy’s mental health was triggered by a Covid-19 infection in December 2020, but in reality, her mental health struggles go back much further.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- Anxiety, depression and insomnia;
- How early life experiences should be recognised as trauma;
- The role of therapy and the importance of vocalising feelings.
In addition, we discuss the following questions:
- How do you deal with an overwhelming fear of losing the people you love?
- How do you recognise the signs that could lead to a breakdown?
- What strategies can you put in place to keep mentally healthy?
Show notes
Connect with Lucy: LinkedIn
Reading materials:
- We need to talk about the dark side of intrapreneurship | Tim Heard, Sifted
- Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One | Jenny Blake
- Mental Health at Work| James Routledge
- Waking Up | Sam Harris
- Unwinding Anxiety | Dr Judson Brewer
- Aura Health
- The 6 Minute Diary
- The Journal and Manifest | Roxie Nafousi
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Vladi and Nektarios are back to reflect on their conversation with Fatima Mazhar, and dig deeper on their own cultural upbringing and impact their families have had on their lives. They share some of the feedback and reactions to the episode they have received, and talk about how expectation and pressure can also come from peers and social media, something that they’re learning to navigate. They contemplate what their lives might have looked like, had they been able to fully choose their own paths, and the motivations for choosing a particular path. What are we trying to prove, and do we really have to?
Show notes
Share your questions with Vladi and Nektarios at hello@thefuturefarm.co
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts).
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Fatima Mazhar is an entrepreneur, and in her current role as COO at COLABS, is working to redefine the future of work in Pakistan. Her story is not one of a typical entrepreneur, where we talk about building grand dreams. Fatima’s story is about dealing with the conflict of wanting to do something exciting and impactful, while fighting against her cultural context.
Fatima grew up in a Pakistani family where nearly every decision was made for her, where there was very little room for pursuing her dreams. She started to rebel, to do things that were considered ‘unexpected’, unaccepted and often inappropriate. This eventually led to severe depression and self-neglect. It took Fatima time to acknowledge her mental health challenges, and start to make healthy changes.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- Depression, self-neglect, and withdrawal from society;
- How our upbringing has a profound impact on the decisions we make in life;
- The manageable steps Fatima has taken to support her mental health.
In addition, we discuss the following questions:
- How to deal with the internal conflict of wanting to achieve something when you’re held back;
- How do you recognise the right time to seek help?
- How can you equip yourself to manage healthy relationships while running a business?
Connect with Fatima: LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Reading materials:
- The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment | Eckhart Tolle
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Vladi and Nektarios are back with a special ExtraNAKED episode to kick-off the new year. They discuss the need to take a break and fully switch off; starting a new year in a good mental and emotional place; and spend some time exploring co-founder dynamics, including their own recent experiences. They also touch on boundaries and about learning how others need to be communicated with (through the Process Communication Model).
Show notes
Share your questions with Vladi and Nektarios at hello@thefuturefarm.co
For more about the Process Communication Model (PCM), visit: https://processcommodel.com/types-of-personality/ or get in touch.
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
As we come to the end of the year, in this week’s ExtraNAKED episode, Vladi and Nektarios reflect on 2021 and look ahead into the new year. They discuss resolutions and habits; self-exploration and reflection; and what they’ve learnt this year, including addressing the painful moments. They also celebrate their personal highlights and look ahead to 2022.
Show notes
Share your questions with Vladi and Nektarios at hello@thefuturefarm.co
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
In this week’s ExtraNAKED episode, Vladi and Nektarios reflect on their conversation with Owen Marcus about men’s emotional and mental health. They also discuss how they relate to masculinity and femininity, what these words represent, and how they deal with the constraints of this binary categorisation.
Extra material
- “In Conversation” with Jamie Clements - rewatch our conversation with Jamie Clements, advocate for men’s mental health and breathwork coach.
- Man Down Podcast by Jamie Clements - listen to the anti-man-up movement where vulnerability is rooted in strength rather than weakness.
- Dadditude App - A self-care coaching community for dads.
Show notes
Share your questions with Vladi and Nektarios at hello@thefuturefarm.co
Listen to the guest episode with Owen Marcus
Connect with Owen: LinkedIn | Twitter
Connect with Evryman: LinkedIn | Instagram
Reading materials:
- The Polyvagal Theory | Stephen Porges
- Grow Up: A Man’s Guide to Masculine Emotional Intelligence | Owen Marcus
- Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma | Peter Levine
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Owen Marcus is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Evryman, an organisation that helps men live successful and fulfilling lives, through greater emotional awareness. After going through a difficult period in his life, where he experienced burnout, triggered by the betrayal of a business partner, Owen turned to other men to see how they experienced similar struggles. He felt safer, but didn’t have a group to discuss openly with. So he created one. The first men’s group, which ultimately evolved into Evryman, dedicated to supporting men’s emotional and mental health was established 17 years ago.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- Burnout, identity and betrayal;
- How men supporting men is can be transformative & destigmatise men’s vulnerability;
- The support systems and tools that Owen relies on for his wellbeing;
In addition, we discuss the following questions:
- Is entrepreneurship a calling?
- How do we show up authentically, when as men we are not taught to be emotional?
- How do we create a space for vulnerability in business?
Show notes
Connect with Owen: LinkedIn | Twitter
Connect with Evryman: LinkedIn | Instagram
Reading materials:
- The Polyvagal Theory | Stephen Porges
- Grow Up: A Man’s Guide to Masculine Emotional Intelligence | Owen Marcus
- Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma | Peter Levine
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
In this week’s ExtraNAKED episode, Vladi and Nektarios reflect on what’s been going on in their lives (a lot can happen in a week!), and on their conversation with Joshua Haynes, where they talk about his vulnerability and openness. They dedicate the beginning of the discussion to eating disorders and body image, and explore their own childhood experiences related to this, including coping mechanisms and root causes. Both our hosts are incredibly raw in sharing how much their early experiences have had an impact on their lives.
Show notes
Share your questions with Vladi and Nektarios at hello@thefuturefarm.co
Listen to the guest episode with Joshua Haynes
Connect with Joshua: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
Connect with Masawa: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
Reading materials:
- In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts | Mator Gabé
- Let Your Life Speak | Parker Palmer
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Joshua Haynes is an investor and founding partner of the world’s first mental wellness impact fund, Masawa. After beginning his career in business, innovation and entrepreneurship, and following time working for the Obama administration, Joshua founded Masawa, based on his own mental health journey. We talk about how his childhood poverty led him to develop coping mechanisms that led to unhealthy behaviours as an adult, and how a combination of eating disorders, alcohol abuse, anxiety and depression resulted in his breakdown.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- The signals we get from our body when something is wrong;
- The tools we can use to understand and cope with the signals, including the role that therapy and antidepressants can play;
- How Joshua manages his own mental health while running a mental health business;
In addition, we discuss the following questions:
- What tools are available to help manage mental health?
- What is the importance of playfulness?
- What is new on the horizon in the area of mental health support?
Show notes
Connect with Joshua: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
Connect with Masawa: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
Reading materials:
- In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts | Mator Gabé
- Let Your Life Speak | Parker Palmer
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Vladi and Nektarios are back with a new ExtraNAKED episode. They reflect on their conversation with Laura Shook Guzman and the impacts of trauma, both physically and mentally. Our hosts talk about better understanding trauma, what it means, and how trauma has had an affect on their lives. What are the root causes, how does our body signal that something is happening, how do we begin to heal?
Show notes
Share your questions with Vladi and Nektarios at hello@thefuturefarm.co
Listen to the guest episode with Laura Shook Guzman
Connect with Laura:LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
Reading materials:
- What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing | Oprah Winfrey
- The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma | Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
- Healing Trauma: A Pioneering Program for Restoring the Wisdom of Your Body | Peter A. Levine Ph.D.
- GenerativeWork.space/
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Laura Shook Guzman is a psychotherapist specialising in trauma. She is also a business founder, and is perfectly equipped to talk about the interplay between trauma and entrepreneurship. We talk about the importance of signals, and how our brain is good at rationalising things even when our body disagrees. We discuss the impact trauma can have on how we respond to situations, especially in the world of entrepreneurship; and how Laura’s own traumatic moments have played a pivotal role in her life.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- The signs we see or feel on an entrepreneurial journey, and where we need to look for them;
- How trauma can be stored in our bodies and the impact it has on our lives;
- Laura’s reflection on how her own trauma is linked closely to moments in her career;
- The relationship between trauma and entrepreneurship.
In addition, we discuss the following questions:
- Where do we need to look for the signals?
- How do we learn to find compassion for the way the nervous system responds?
- How do you manage psychological problems when you ‘know the tricks’ and the importance of peer support and mentors?
Show notes
Connect with Laura: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
Reading materials:
- The Big Leap | Gay Hendricks
-
Tools4Founders Project
- Meditative Story Podcast
- Self-Compassion.org
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Vladi and Nektarios are back with a new ExtraNAKED episode. They reflect on their conversation with Yves Cornu and the high pressure environment that is the world of fashion. They talk about the parallels between the startup world and Yves’ world; identity and where validation comes from; and authentic relationships.
Show notes
Share your questions with Vladi and Nektarios at hello@thefuturefarm.co
Listen to the guest episode with Yves Cornu
Connect with Yves: LinkedIn
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Don’t forget to sign up for more!
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
TRIGGER WARNING: Please be aware that this episode covers sensitive topics including suicide. If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself, or are concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting themselves, contact a hotline:Global Suicide Hotline Resources
Yves Cornu started off following his passion studying Russian Literature, but ended up in the high stakes environment of Haute Couture. He opens a window into a world where everything is about appearance and perception. Where everything is a performance. We learn how Yves’ desire to belong and the pressure to fit in and keep up slowly sent him spiralling - hanging out with the biggest names in fashion was an easy escape from reality.
Specific topics covered in this episode include:
- The high-pressure stakes in the fashion world and the impact it has on your health;
- What led to Yves’ breaking point and ultimately his breakdown;
- Burnout, identity, purpose and suicidal thoughts;
- Yves’ reflection on his former life, what saved him and how he lives his life today.
In addition, we discuss the following questions:
- How do you recover from a breakdown and remove yourself from a toxic environment?
- How do you rebuild your life?
- How do you walk back into the business you left behind or get up and start something new?
Show notes
Connect with Yves: LinkedIn
Reading materials:
- The Master and Margarita | Mikhail Bulgakov
- Mémoires d'Outre Tombe | François-René Vicomte D Chateaubriand
- Siberian Shamanism: The Shanar Ritual of the Buryats
How can you support the podcast?
Tell your friends and share online.
Subscribe & review: Please make sure to review, share comments & subscribe to the show on the various platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Google Podcasts)
Spread the word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favourite episodes by posting it on social media.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than 60 seconds and it really makes a difference in helping to convince future guests to share their stories!
For show notes and past guests, visit https://www.thefuturefarm.co/naked-podcast
Sign up for The Future Farm’s monthly newsletter (Pit-Stop) at https://www.thefuturefarm.co/newsletter
Follow The Future Farm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
It’s time to pause and reflect on the stories we’ve shared in the last series of the podcast, before we introduce our upcoming series. In this special ‘Best of’ episode, Vladi and Nektarios introduce some of their series highlights, with a compilation of clips excerpted from a handful of our guests.
Guests featured in this episode (all hyperlinked to their respective episodes where you can also read the episode notes) are as follows:
- Dame Kelly Holmes
- Stefan Kollenberg
- Dr. Michael Freeman
- Noa Matz
- Leyla Hussein
- James Routledge
We’d love to hear your questions, thoughts and stories, to share on the podcast. Get in touch with us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co. Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED.
Stay tuned for series 3 coming soon!
On this week’s episode, Vladi and Nektarios discuss the current state of their own mental health, personal challenges they’ve faced this week, and reflect on their conversation with Dan Murray-Serter. They talk about the variety of symptoms of poor mental health that entrepreneurs recognise but ignore; ego and where validation comes from; and the importance of good nutrition.
Share your questions and thoughts with us and if you enjoyed the conversation, please leave us a review.
- Why do we as entrepreneurs tell ourselves stories to normalise the mental health challenges we are facing?
- How much of this is influenced by the image of entrepreneurship portrayed by the media, that we adopt unchallenged?
- How does ego and masculinity play into it?
“Your body is giving you an alarm signal that what you’re doing to yourself is not good and you need to make sure you’re looking after yourself.” As host of Europe’s top business podcast and founder of a brain care company, Dan Murray-Serter has long been an advocate for better mental health. He uses his platforms to share a candid account of his own mental health struggles, which have included burnout, chronic anxiety and insomnia.
Dan joins Vladi and Nektarios for the final episode of Series 2, where he talks about his mental health journey and how he overcame the challenges he faced. Dan shares that he ignored all the signs his body was sending. He put a lot of effort into pretending that everything was fine, all while struggling under the surface. He tried different avenues of support, before a friend recommended a nutritionist, who recognised that his problem, rather than psychological, was linked to his brain and his plant-based lifestyle. Dan says that making changes to his diet transformed his life: the right nutrition and regular movement are key to good mental health.
You can follow Dan Murray-Serter on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. For more about Dan and his business, Heights, visit https://www.yourheights.com/
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
On this week’s episode, Vladi and Nektarios continue the conversation on the practices that they have in their lives to manage their mental health, and reflect on their discussion with Dr. Michael Freeman. They go into depth on caring about entrepreneurs as people - if you care about entrepreneurs as people, then you care about a lot of the things that we talk about; the personality traits of an entrepreneur and their own backgrounds in relation to this.
Share your questions and thoughts with us and leave us a review.
- Entrepreneurs have unique characteristics; what are the traits that make somebody do something risky and unpredictable like starting a business?
- How much control do we have over the entrepreneurial urge?
- Can you learn to be an entrepreneur or is it something you’re born with?
“I have this unique experience of being an entrepreneur, understanding mental health and going on the same journey as everybody that I’m trying to understand.” Dr. Michael Freeman is the author of one of the only studies on the relationship between entrepreneurship and mental and emotional health. As a psychiatrist, psychologist, researcher and importantly, an entrepreneur himself, he brings authenticity and credibility to the conversation on entrepreneurial wellbeing.
Michael joins Vladi and Nektarios for a special episode that explores the unique traits that make an entrepreneur. He talks about the role of motivation, curiosity and extroversion; how entrepreneurs have superpowers; the mental health challenges business builders are likely to face, and how much control we actually have over this. Michael shares insights from his own experiences as well as from his research, highlighting the importance of self-awareness, self-care and developing practices to prepare for the entrepreneurial journey. When talking about how we can help change the stigma around mental health, he left us thinking about one question: do you care about entrepreneurs as people?
You can follow Dr. Michael Freeman on LinkedIn and his business Econa - Entrepreneur Mental Wellness, on LinkedIn and Twitter. For more about Michael and his research, visit his website.
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
On this week’s episode, Vladi and Nektarios expand on their last ExtraNAKED conversation about their personal self-care practices and small habits, and reflect on the most recent NAKED episode with Selma Ribica. They talk about depression and the stigmas around the topic in different cultures; being vulnerable and vocal about mental health; and the importance of talking and therapy.
Share your questions and thoughts with us and we’ll include a selection in the next episode of ExtraNAKED.
TRIGGER WARNING: Please be aware that this episode contains information and discussion on postpartum depression, which some listeners may find triggering. For more information and support, visit Postpartum Support International.
- How do you manage the struggle of early motherhood and building a business?
- How do you overcome the feelings of guilt and shame attached to postpartum depression and mental health?
- As a VC, why is it important to share your entrepreneurial journey with other entrepreneurs?
“I was being torn between these two pools, the business and the baby. Both were demanding a huge amount of energy.” Selma Ribica built her first business while pregnant with her first child. There was no awareness of mental health in her life and no space to talk about the ‘taboo’ topic. How do you manage when you are pulled in multiple directions? Selma’s answer was to be operational.
Now a two-time successful entrepreneur turned investor, Selma is at a point in her life where she feels ready to talk about her depression -- which, after some encouragement from her husband to seek help, was eventually diagnosed as postpartum depression. Selma shares with Vladi and Nektarios that feeling of being split between business and family, the feelings of failure, guilt and shame that came with her diagnosis, and why mental health carries a stigma that physical health doesn’t. She also talks about the importance of therapy in her recovery, and small daily rituals of self-care: sleep, yoga and meditation. Now a VC, Selma is helping to destigmatise the subject by sharing her story with entrepreneurs.
You can follow Selma Ribica on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
On this week’s ExtraNAKED episode, Vladi and Nektarios reflect on their conversation with Michael Lints, where Burnout remains a central theme of the series. They talk about how they have experienced struggles similar to those that Michael shared; how they have come to recognise the signals of mental health stress; and the self-care practices and tools that they have established for themselves. Often it's the small things that can make a difference.
Share your questions and thoughts with us and we’ll include a selection in the next episode of ExtraNAKED.
- What do you do when the world stops turning and your day-to-day responsibilities shift?
- How do you find new meaning? What do you see as real value to your life?
- As a VC, how do you build stronger relationships with the founders?
“I had to step back and think about what my value is, as a person, a colleague, a friend, a husband and that hit me hard.” Michael Lints is a Singapore-based VC, and until the Covid-19 pandemic, led a busy and intense life. What do you do with all your time when you are suddenly not running from meeting to meeting, or on a plane flying to the next place?
Challenges with our mental and emotional wellbeing can impact anyone, and Michael is an example of this. Having established a practice of introspection through journaling, as well as mediation and self-reflection through martial arts, Michael is highly self-aware. But once the intensity of the day-to-day was taken away, he felt empty and questioned his value, across all aspects of his life. Michael shares with Vladi and Nektarios how he had to dig deep to understand what was happening and be candid with himself. He also talks about recognising the external signals - drinking more to compensate or having no energy for sports - and making a conscious effort to change his habits. All of this happening in parallel with the Black Lives Matter movement bringing the scale of systemic racism to the world’s attention.
You can follow Michael Lints on Twitter and Instagram, connect with him on LinkedIn.
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
On this week’s ExtraNAKED episode, Vladi and Nektarios reflect on their conversation with Double Olympic Champion, Dame Kelly Holmes MBE (mil). Triggered by Dame Kelly’s recent openness about heading towards “Burnout” and needing time for self-reflection, this episode is incredibly personal for our hosts. Vladi and Nektarios discuss the signals that lead to Burnout; how they have come to know the signs and also how they have ignored them, just believing they’ll go away. They talk about the importance of self-care, Dame Kelly’s infectious energy and how her words encourage you to dig deeper.
“I wasn’t saving the world. I was just planning the week.” Burnout can impact anyone; nobody is exempt. We’re all human.
Share your questions and thoughts with us and we’ll include a selection in the next episode of ExtraNAKED.
- When you’ve achieved your goals and reached the peak of your career, where do you go next?
- How can high performers rebuild their lives or build the next stage of their lives?
- How do you define what balance looks like for you, rather than what you have been told balance looks like by others?
“Passion, purpose, planning, preparation and performance.” This is the mantra that Colonel Dame Kelly Holmes MBE (mil) lives by. Best known as Double Olympic Champion, Dame Kelly Holmes is also a motivational speaker, has set up her own charity, built multiple businesses, and is now venturing into the startup world.
Dame Kelly Holmes has not shied about from being open about the struggles she has faced with her mental wellbeing. At the height of her athletics career, she dealt with depression, anxiety, self harm and not wanting to wake up the next morning. Her life has been informed by not showing weakness: by fixing the physical, and ignoring the emotional. Dame Kelly brings so much energy to her conversation with Vladi and Nektarios, where they discuss how high performers - whether a corporate leader, an entrepreneur or an athlete - can rebuild their lives after reaching the peak of their professions. Dame Kelly talks about self-reflection and balance; finding the best ways to ensure that you are okay, be it through exercise, meditation or whatever else works for you.
You can follow Dame Kelly Holmes on Twitter @damekellyholmes and at Military in Motion. Stay up to date with the latest from her physical & mental wellbeing platform @elfatwork.
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
On this week’s ExtraNAKED episode, Vladi and Nektarios reflect on their conversation with activist, entrepreneur and psychotherapist, Dr Leyla Hussein OBE. They share their admiration for not only the work that she does, but also how she goes about her life. They discuss the importance that Leyla puts on her support system, which led our hosts to reflect on their own team. The discussion moves to how systemic change agents and entrepreneurs have similarities, and we should be following their examples in how to create effective change. Ultimately, the labels don’t really matter. It’s the intention, the journey and the people we go through it with that are what matters.
Share your questions and thoughts with us and we’ll include a selection in the next episode of ExtraNAKED.
TRIGGER WARNING: Please be aware that this episode contains a detailed account of what Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) involves, which some listeners may find distressing. For more information on FGM, visit Dahlia Project.
- What is an activist entrepreneur?
- How does a traumatic experience impact your life and how do you deal with it 20 years on?
- Why is it so important to surround yourself with people that are honest, rather than just say what you want to hear?
“We were these broken people trying to change the system.” Dr Leyla Hussein OBE wears many hats. She is best known as an activist around female genital mutilation; she is also an entrepreneur, a psychotherapist, and to use her own words, a ‘changemaker’.
Leyla’s conversation with Vladi and Nektarios explores how she has dealt with her emotional and psychological wellbeing at different points in her life. Leyla is incredibly honest and raw when she talks about the trauma she went through as a child (not knowing that what she had experienced was a form of abuse, until she was an adult), the stress and anxiety she has experienced and a lack of emotional support. We discuss the similarities between being an activist and a business builder and so much more. Leyla vocalises the importance of pleasure as a support mechanism, and affectionately talks about her ‘Support Bra’ - the network of people she surrounds herself with, who will always speak the truth.
You can find out more about Leyla’s work by following her on Instagram @leylahusseinuk and @leylatherector, on Twitter @LeylaHussein @dahliaproject1 @SafeSpaces4BW @MagoolEndFGM or via her website.
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
On this week’s ExtraNAKED episode, Vladi and Nektarios reflect on their conversation with VC and startup psychologist, Noa Matz. They discuss whether more psychologists are needed in the world of venture capital and how much support VCs provide to their entrepreneurs, specifically related to their mental health and emotional wellbeing. It’s such an important conversation and one of the driving forces and reasons why The Future Farm was established.
Share your questions and thoughts with us and we’ll include a selection in the next episode of ExtraNAKED.
- What is a VC’s role in founder mental health?
- Can there be a more compassionate VC?
- Founders feel increased stress once they receive VC money. Why and how can this be reduced?
“I can relate to our founders, I’ve been through this.” Noa Matz isn’t a business builder, but a VC and startup psychologist. Investors have a role to play in our ecosystem but have often struggled with the subject. Noa is an investor who has ‘seen the light’.
A VC startup psychologist and partner at F2 Venture Capital, one of Israel’s most important VC firms, Noa is dedicated to mentally supporting startup founders, understanding startup team dynamics, and coaching founders through changes for peak performance. She joins Vladi and Nektarios to talk about the playbook she has developed for VCs, and how it can be applied to working with founders who are struggling with their mental health and are reluctant to open up. We discuss the investor community but also shift our focus to founders and the importance of the relationship between investor and founder.
You can find out more about Noa’s work at F2 Venture Capital via the website or LinkedIn and connect with her on LinkedIn or Facebook.
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
On this week’s episode of ExtraNAKED, Vladi and Nektarios reflect on their conversation with Driekie Van Wyk and dig into the tension between being an entrepreneur and an artist. Frequently, creatives are not seen as entrepreneurs but need to build up that capability and mindset in order to grow, and often survive. That rollercoaster of ups and downs is very similar to the ones experienced by entrepreneurs.
Share your questions and thoughts with us and we’ll include a selection in the next episode of ExtraNAKED.
- What is the definition of a typical entrepreneur? Can you be an artist and an entrepreneur?
- How do you manage the emotions that arise when your ‘hobby’ turns into something serious? When the art and creative collide with commerciality?
- How do you deal with your inner critic when it is constantly telling you that you’re not good enough?
“Many nights you go to bed questioning all of your being.” Driekie Van Wyk is not your typical entrepreneur. But what makes her different from a typical tech entrepreneur? She is an artist.
Driekie is a Cape Town based artist that specialises in modern contemporary paintings. She joins Vladi and Nektarios to talk about how she started to paint in response to a traumatic life event, and how she has wrestled with the emotions that led her to put her art and herself out into the world. Driekie admits that she is her own worst critic - her inner critic monster - and shares how she constantly copes with the feeling of not being good enough. But that gratitude, living in the moment and just “showing up” are the tools that helped her get to navigate the challenges she has faced.
You can find out more about Driekie’s work via her website or connect with her on Instagram or Facebook.
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
On this week’s episode of ExtraNAKED, Vladi (currently in Pakistan) and Nektarios (in lockdown London) reconnect on the little things that have helped them through the challenges of the last week. They reflect on their conversation with Stefan Kollenberg, continuing to explore the relationship between addiction and entrepreneurship, and share why it was such an important episode for them on a personal level.
Share your questions and thoughts with us and we’ll include a selection in the next episode of ExtraNAKED.
-
This episode discusses addiction. The views and content expressed in this episode are based on one person’s experience. If you need treatment or support for drug and alcohol addiction or misuse, please contact a support line: https://checkpointorg.com/global/
-
What is the connection between addiction and entrepreneurship?
- What are the traits that a person obsessed with ‘getting the next hit’ share with those obsessed with building a business?
- How does guilt, shame and a sense of self-worth impact the relationship between addiction and entrepreneurship?
“I started using drugs because I didn’t feel like I belonged.” Stefan Kollenberg has come a long way since that day, but addiction has always been a part of his life. From his days as a sports obsessed teenager, to joining a startup where he worked so hard, he ultimately started showing the same addictive patterns.
Stefan is the co-founder of Crescendo, a diversity and inclusion platform. Coming off his mental health leave - something he has not shied away from sharing - he joins Vladi and Nektarios to talk about his experiences with addiction and the parallels with entrepreneurship. Stefan shares that it all stems from his need to belong, to be worth something. Until you can admit that there is a problem there, you can’t deal with it. Now focusing on finding joy in life, Stefan talks about the tools that have helped along the way, including the 12 step programme and therapy.
You can connect with Stefan on LinkedIn, Facebook or @stefankberg on Instagram and Twitter or his website to continue following his story.
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
Welcome to the first episode of ExtraNAKED, where our hosts Vladi and Nektarios will be exploring some of the themes discussed in our previous episode in greater depth, adding their own experiences and reflections, and sharing practical tools that might be helpful.
This week we focus on transitions and mental health, picking up from our conversation with James Routledge on his stepping down as CEO.
Share your questions and thoughts with us and we’ll include a selection in the next episode of ExtraNAKED.
- What happens when you derive your sense of worth from the business you have built and what does it mean when you walk away from it?
- How do you deal with the loss of identity and purpose? What’s next?
- Why is having a support system and using tools like journaling so important?
We begin Series 2 of NAKED by The Future Farm with a conversation that encompasses many of the themes that you’ve heard us discuss before: shame, self-worth, identity, guilt, loneliness and that feeling of being trapped.
James Routledge founded Sanctus, a mental health startup, after he struggled when his previous business failed. Vladi and Nektarios talk to James a short time after he announced, to everybody’s surprise, that he was stepping down as CEO of the company. He talks openly about his emotional and mental state leading up to the moment, as well as the tools that he uses, and the people he surrounds himself with, to help manage his health.
You can connect with James on LinkedIn to continue following his story and learn more about Sanctus.
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
Welcome back to NAKED by The Future Farm. Before we dive into series two of the podcast, our hosts Vladi and Nektarios, share a quick insight into what you can expect from the coming series.
It is clear that we still need to talk, even more so. The emotional and mental wellbeing of entrepreneurs and those around us is essential. We’ll be getting deeper with our reflections, exploring more resources, talking to experts and discussing themes such as addiction, relationships and intrapreneurship, with our guests.
Stay tuned for the first episode coming soon. Make sure to follow us on social media @thefuturefarm and catch up on our reflections and stories at www.thefuturefarm.co
Join Vladi and Nektarios as they reflect together on the vulnerable and open conversations you’ve heard in series one of the NAKED podcast. They look back on some of the things that have surprised them most - both about themselves and the honesty of their guests; the learnings they will take away from the experience; and share tips and tools that might help in building your own emotional resilience. Our hosts also give a sneak peek of what you can expect from series two when we return in 2021.
Please share your comments, feedback, who has inspired you and what you have learnt from the first series of the NAKED podcast.
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
Not all entrepreneurs fit the common definition of an entrepreneur. But are still builders and risk takers as any Silicon Valley tech founder. When a car accident took away Muniba Mazari’s mobility at 21 years old, it took her hopes and dreams with it. Over the last decade, she has turned her life around and been through a transformational experience, turning her worst fears into a true calling.
Muniba is a role model, albeit a reluctant one. She shares with NAKED the journey that she has been on since not wanting to live after her accident, to becoming the activist, model, TV anchor, famous artist and voice of change in Pakistan she is today. Muniba takes us through the moments where she had to be brutally honest with herself; accept her new reality; and most importantly, learn to love and accept herself.
Muniba’s story changed in the blink of an eye. How do you find the strength and the courage to not give up? And then dedicate your life’s purpose to making a difference to other people’s lives?
- How did Muniba find the courage to carry on?
- How did her accident impact her identity and sense of purpose?
- How did Muniba get to a point where she realised she could turn her fears into something bigger?
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
The Coronavirus pandemic has thrown the world into disorder. Millions of lives were turned upside down overnight, including Kate Shepherd’s. Over 15 years, Kate grew her business into a multimillion dollar company, but at the beginning of 2020, everything changed.
Kate joins the NAKED podcast to talk about her experience of grieving the loss of her business but also her own identity and people’s expectations on how she was supposed to feel. We talk a lot about grief, and Kate makes it clear that this is far from fully digested. Not unlike when we lose a person close to us, it is not a linear process.
How do you bounce back from that? How do you find the strength to be able to do that? Kate shares how she draws her strength from her family and her faith, and about the importance of surrounding yourself with mentors and entrepreneurs who understand your experience.
- How do you move from being in denial about the gravity of the situation to the decision to shut the business down?
- How does Kate cope, all while not allowing herself to grieve?
- How is Kate looking to the future and not allowing 2020 to be seen as a failure?
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
Today, he’s a calm and charming man that exudes confidence and knows how to navigate the challenges that life throws at you. You would never have thought that the same man was once booed by a stadium of football fans and was close to being public enemy number one in the Netherlands. Ruud Hendriks has experienced failure on a gigantic scale.
A successful DJ, reporter and media mogul (for more, visit www.hendriks.tv), Ruud joins NAKED to talk about how it felt to be hated by the Dutch public and how he knew he had hit rock bottom. There’s a thin line between the self-belief required to build a successful global business and believing your own hype to the point that it leads to the failure of the very business you’re trying to launch. How do you rebuild your confidence when you don’t even have the strength to leave the house and your marriage is falling apart?
How sustainable is success when you believe your own hype?
How did Ruud fight to build back his self-confidence?
How has ‘mind over matter’ and psychotherapy helped Ruud face his failures and challenges head-on?
- This episode covers the topic of illegal recreational drugs. The creators of NAKED do not condone taking illegal recreational drugs. Free, confidential support services and general information ranging from drug effects to support for a drug dependency, are available at https://www.talktofrank.com/
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
We hear the stories that glorify entrepreneurial success but rarely do we hear about the ones that failed. Nadira Yusoff is an impressive woman. She built a successful computer hardware business from scratch, in a world dominated by men in Malaysia. All whilst juggling her responsibilities as a single mother raising six children. But when the business went south overnight, she found herself left out in the cold.
Nadira joins NAKED to talk about the loneliness she experienced when she found herself at rock bottom. And for the first time in our series, we hear about ‘shame’. Something we all carry with us but are often not aware of. The shame we feel when the business fails, because it feels we failed our customers, our employees, our investors or our families. How do you put on a brave face everyday because you don’t want your family to worry? How do you come out of it?
- How did the shame overtake Nadira’s life and how did she control it?
- What was her turning point?
-
How has Nadira changed her mindset and addressed the challenges she continues to face?
-
This episode covers sensitive topics including suicide. If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself, or are concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting himself or herself, please contact a hotline: Global Suicide Hotline Resources
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
Off balance. Out of sync. Feelings, as entrepreneurs, we’ve all felt at some point in our lives. Entrepreneurs are always striving for that balance or feeling that everything is in our control. But how do we know when our body is giving us the signal to tell us we finally need to pause, stop and change the way we are living every day? How do we find meaningful ways to achieve the balance we crave?
Serial entrepreneur Emma Obanye, talks to Vladi and Nektarios about when she started to realise that her life was out of balance; how she worked to change her approach to life and her business; the experiences she went through to get there, and how she is now learning to not restrict or control herself.
- What led Emma to the point where she felt like she had to go down the path she took?
- How has her journey transformed her mindset?
- How has this impacted and changed the way she lives her life and runs her business?
* This episode discusses the subject of psychedelics. Please research the use of psychedelics and other psychoactive drugs and use responsibly.
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
When we talk about entrepreneurs we usually imagine the stereotypical 20 year olds in sneakers and t-shirts hacking away on their macbooks in the corner of a hipster cafe drinking soy lattes. Enrico Scopa is none of that! He represents the large number of business builders who come into this later in life. Going from a structured, high-pressured consulting career to one that is full of risk and uncertainty, and a lot of adventure is quite a change. What was his trigger to make the leap?
If his life expectancy was similar to his father's, how long did he have left? He started to count the months, not the years. For Enrico, suddenly time became the most precious currency. Not wanting to spend another day doing something he didn’t enjoy became vital.
Enrico joins Vladi and Nektarios to talk about pursuing his passions, the importance of mentors, and navigating the choppy waters of a partnership, all under the idea that “time is very important. Let’s not waste time.”
- Should values play a role when setting up your own business? Why?
- What is the importance of pursuing your dreams and passions?
- How does Enrico keep perspective and focused on the reasons why he started his own business?
Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
Celebrated chef Asma Khan was born in India, named number 1 on Business Insider’s 2019 list of "100 Coolest People in Food and Drink", and shot to fame after being the first British chef to appear on Netflix show Chef’s Table. Where others crumble, Asma has taken everything in her stride and doesn’t let fame define her.
Asma doesn’t proclaim to be an entrepreneur because she’s never allowed herself to be labeled by anyone. She finds it limiting. Asma’s path to becoming a successful chef and business owner wasn’t easy. She joins Vladi and Nektarios to share her very personal story: how she has built her business in the face of adversity, has felt loneliness but has pushed through largely with the support of a very close network of women.
- How does fame impact one’s identity?
- How do you cope with the pressures that come with fame and perceived ‘overnight’ success?
- Who or what can you turn to in times of struggle?
Don’t forget to Subscribe, Follow, Rate and Review NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, follow us on social media or visit thefuturefarm.co
Founders often reach a point when they need to look beyond family and friends to continue funding their growing business. This is the moment where they look for external investment, for venture capital. Beyond financing, what else is there to a VC and founder relationship? Do investors actually care about the emotional and mental state of the company founders they invest in?
For many, it is not a factor. For others, like Simon Cant, it is. Simon’s views are informed by his personal experiences. Experiences he shares with Vladi and Nektarios about how dealing with the roadblocks he encountered during his career, now helps shape how he works with company founders. He believes that investors should value an entrepreneur’s state, and provide them with the right tools so they can manage their own state.
- Is it an investors role to get involved in the emotional resilience of a founder?
- Why should investors care about the health of the entrepreneurs they work with?
- What is Simon doing differently and why does he believe in the importance of an entrepreneur’s emotional health?
Don’t forget to subscribe and rate NAKED. For resources and tools on this episode, visit the thefuturefarm.co and follow us on social media.
When following the career of somebody who is very successful, has made a name for themselves and is the face of the business, you might often forget that they are still a person. They face the same challenges as anyone running their own business does, and we assume that they have a network of support to fall on in times of trouble. But we shouldn’t assume that this is always the case. So if that network doesn’t exist, how do they get through the hard times?
Mindset is key. When renowned futurist and global financial services influencer, Brett King, joined Vladi and Nektarios on the NAKED podcast, this is exactly what he shared. That mindset is fundamental. Brett opened up about the personal struggles he faced due to the challenges the business bought up; how being a founder is often a very lonely existence, but that persistence, and the absolute belief that you can make it work, is critical.
- Brett dealt with the challenges he faced head on; how did he get through them?
- Who, or what, did Brett turn to to help him overcome the lonely moments?
- Why is the mindset of ‘keep going and believing in yourself’ so important?
Don’t forget to subscribe and rate NAKED. For resources and tools on this episode, visit the thefuturefarm.co and follow us on social media.
Founder and co-founder relationships are often compared to romantic relationships. They’re full of ups and downs. When it works, it's amazing, but when things don’t work out, it’s an entirely different story. What happens when the person you thought you could rely upon the most, is the one that makes you want to run away? When that person is the one you have to fight to save yourself and your business?
Monique Baars did everything by the book, just as people told her - and then realised that books are just books and the reality is very different. Monique shares her journey with Vladi and Nektarios; from the early days of co-founder dating through the honeymoon period, to when the cracks started to appear and the inevitable separation.
- How did Monique deal with the toxicity in the relationship?
- What impact did this have on her personal and professional life?
- How did she seek the help she needed to overcome the anxiety and protect herself?
Don’t forget to subscribe and rate NAKED. For resources and tools on this episode, visit the thefuturefarm.co and follow us on social media.
Imagine waking up one morning knowing that today is the day that you need to finish something. To end it. And that ‘something’ is the business that you’ve spent every waking hour focused on for the last five years. The business that took you on a white-knuckle ride that tipped your world upside down and left you filled with fear and panic. The business that blew everything else out of the window because you felt like it was your cosmic mission. The business that completely blurred with your personal identity.
Juan Guerra joins Vladi and Nektarios to talk about the emotional rollercoaster that was his entrepreneurial journey that took him from Mexico to Germany, to the UK and back to Mexico. Juan is a man who constantly lived in a state of fear; was so deeply passionate about the impact that he was having on other’s lives that he didn’t want to walk away, even when his own mental wellbeing was at risk; until in the end, he realised that the universe really didn’t care.
- How did Juan deal with the pressures of his ‘cosmic mission’?
- How did this have an impact on his identity and sense of purpose?
- How did he find a way out and get to the point where he could see light at the end of the tunnel?
Don’t forget to subscribe and rate NAKED. For resources and tools on this episode, visit the thefuturefarm.co and follow us on social media.
Recognition, glorification and joy are what we see of an entrepreneur’s journey from the outside.
But there are two sides to every coin. We hear very little about the real stories. What it really means to be a company founder, company builder.
Loneliness, doubts and fears, sleepless nights, co-founder conflicts, financial stresses. The list goes on. A lot of entrepreneurs are facing those challenges and asking similar questions but are rarely talking about them openly.
In this episode, The Future Farm founding team comes together to discuss why the Naked podcast is needed, who it is for and why. And to share their own stories of struggles and coping with emotional and mental turmoil.
Don’t forget to Subscribe, Follow and Rate NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, visit the thefuturefarm.co and follow us on social media.
Starting your own business is thrilling. The adventure, the purpose, the ambition, the money, the recognition. But what personal truths are exposed when you start to peel back the layers?
Join The Future Farm's Vladi and Nektarios, in a “naked” conversation with the people who have been through it all. We’ll talk to business founders, investors, life partners and other ecosystem players about the personal challenges that business builders face when pursuing their dreams and passions.
- How have they coped and overcome the toughest adversities?
- How have they built emotional resilience?
- How have they rekindled their love for building a business, without losing themselves along the way?
Don’t forget to Subscribe, Follow and Rate NAKED. To learn more about The Future Farm, visit the thefuturefarm.co and follow us on social media.