Speaking Business podcast

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In this episode of the Speaking Business podcast, I’m joined by Marlo Clarke — a former international rugby player turned global speaker. Marlo’s journey from Barbados to the stage isn’t just inspiring, it’s instructive.

Instead of jumping straight into speaking, he spent a year travelling through 13 countries, asking people from all walks of life a simple but powerful question: What does a fulfilling life and career mean to you?

That curiosity became the foundation of his talks — and his business.

We talk about how Marlo builds tailored keynotes from scratch, why listening always comes before speaking, and how being easy to work with gets him booked again and again. You’ll also hear his take on purpose, failure, storytelling, and what it really takes to build a sustainable speaking career without shortcuts or hype.

If you’re looking for clarity, relevance, and a reminder that speakers succeed by solving real problems — this episode is for you.

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This week I’m joined by the dynamic duo behind Oratore Speakers, Steven Piessens and Magali De Reu. Steven, a speaker strategist based in sunny Malaga, and Magali, a branding and AI expert from Antwerp, share how they’ve built a thriving speaker ecosystem in under a year—spanning over 5,500 speakers across Europe, the US, and the UK.

We talk about what really builds a speaker business (hint: it’s not more time tweaking slides), how AI is quietly reshaping how speakers work, and the biggest blind spots holding speakers back from being booked. We also dive into their six-month Rising Speakers programme, what makes a brand story land, and why clarity beats charisma every time.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between wanting impact and chasing stages, this one’s for you.

And this is the link promised in our chat for the Speaker Strategy Wheel: https://www.oratore-speakers.com/speaker-strategy-wheel

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When Sha Nacino answered a question at a speaker convention in Singapore, she had no idea her 30-second response would change everything. That moment led to global speaking invitations, virtual summits with tens of thousands of attendees, and a spot on Global Gurus’ Top 30 Motivational Speakers list, alongside Tony Robbins and Simon Sinek.

In this conversation, Sha shares how she built a truly international speaking business from the Philippines, why leading with service (not sales) opens more doors, and how one idea from a webinar turned into a $20,000 leadership programme. We talk about visibility, trust, systems, and Sha’s unique way of making the complex simple, whether it’s for HR professionals or C-suite leaders.

It’s a joyful, practical episode full of insights for speakers who want to be booked, trusted, and remembered.

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This week I’m joined by Kay Korsh, former celebrity stylist turned speaker style strategist. After 20 years dressing A-listers and working with luxury brands, Kay now helps professional speakers align their wardrobe with their message. We talk about what speakers get wrong with their style, why being fashionable isn’t the goal, and how your wardrobe can either build or break audience trust. Kay explains why digitising your wardrobe is a game-changer, how mindful consumption applies to speakers, and what you should consider before buying one more jacket. If you want to feel confident on stage and look like the fee you’re charging, this one’s for you.

Kay has shared some useful links:

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kay-korsh/ Colour Quiz for Professional Speakers: https://kkorsh.outgrow.us/speakers-colourtest Ultimate step-by-step guide to looking great on stage:

https://outfit.mindoverfashion.com/look-great-on-stage-as-a-professional-speaker

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This week I’m joined by leadership communication expert and bestselling author Mark Leruste. Known for helping thousands of leaders at Google, Nike, and the Premier League tell better stories, Mark shares why most speakers are focusing on the wrong thing. It's not your bio that gets you booked—it’s how you connect. We talk about building a “vending machine” of stories, how to introduce yourself so people lean in (not glaze over), and why being a little imperfect in public can make you more powerful. If you’re ready to tell a better story, this one’s for you.

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In this episode of the Speaking Business Podcast, I’m joined by the unstoppable Brad Burton, award-winning entrepreneur, bestselling author, and top motivational business speaker. Brad built a multimillion-pound national company from scratch and has no time for excuses. We talk about his extraordinary journey from a council estate to the stage, how he created the UK's largest joined-up business network, and the power of showing up as your full, unfiltered self. Brad shares the lessons he's learned from thousands of speaking engagements, the importance of resilience, and why being memorable is more valuable than being liked. If you’re serious about building a speaking business, no excuses, this episode is for you.

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In this episode, Maria Franzoni welcomes Niall Ratcliffe, co-founder of the story-driven marketing agency Noticed, to share proven strategies for speakers to get noticed on LinkedIn. Niall explains why LinkedIn is essential for reaching key decision-makers and reveals how consistent storytelling can set speakers apart. They cover practical tips for crafting content that keeps you top of mind, using lead magnets to convert followers into clients, and building genuine authority through your unique experiences. If you’re looking to attract more bookings and grow your speaking business, this episode is packed with actionable advice on mastering LinkedIn.

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In this episode of the Speaking Business Podcast, host Maria Franzoni sits down with award-winning speaker and Professional Speakers Association founder, Rikki Arundel. Rikki shares their inspiring journey, from early beginnings to receiving the Speaker Awards' Lifetime Achievement Award, revealing valuable lessons for speakers at all stages. They discuss the power of finding your niche, the importance of resilience through career shifts, and what it takes to craft a message that truly resonates. Tune in for Rikki's insights on building a brand, making an unforgettable impact, and navigating the challenges of a speaking career that speaks volumes.

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In this episode of the Speaking Business podcast, I sit down with world-renowned futurist and keynote speaker Nikki Greenberg. With a background in real estate and technology, Nikki transitioned from designing skyscrapers to designing impactful keynote speeches on the future of cities and innovation.

Nikki shares how she built her speaking career from scratch, including the challenges she faced, the strategies she used to stay ahead in a competitive market, and the importance of being both relevant and memorable. Whether you're a seasoned speaker or just starting out, Nikki’s insights into breaking into new industries, using technology to amplify your message, and mastering the art of storytelling are not to be missed.

Join us as we explore how to take your speaking career to new heights—literally and figuratively!

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In this episode of the Speaking Business Podcast, Maria Franzoni reconnects with her very first boss, Steve Sumner, a trailblazer in high street sports retail and a pioneer of online business strategies. With over 40 years of experience, Steve has helped build multi-billion-pound businesses and launched five successful startups. In the episode, he's sharing his insights on how speakers can unlock growth in their own businesses.

From navigating the challenges of legacy mindsets to leveraging digital tools like LinkedIn, Steve provides actionable advice for speakers looking to stay ahead in a rapidly changing market. Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your speaking career to the next level, this episode is packed with valuable lessons on innovation, strategy, and staying true to yourself. Tune in to learn how you can apply the principles of business growth to your speaking career and keep your audience coming back for more.

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Join us in this exciting episode of the Speaking Business podcast as we dive deep into the world of leadership, resilience, and high-performance teamwork with multi-award-winning speaker Mark Denton. Mark shares his incredible journey from leading a team to victory in the world's most challenging yacht race to becoming a sought-after keynote speaker.

Discover how Mark turned a standing ovation at a corporate conference into a thriving speaking career, captivating audiences across diverse sectors. Learn about the techniques he uses to make his speeches unforgettable, including the use of multimedia, gripping storytelling, and powerful music scores.

Mark also opens up about the challenges he has faced in the speaking industry and how he stays adaptable in a constantly evolving market. He shares valuable strategies for securing consistent bookings and the importance of treating speaking as a business.

Whether you're an aspiring speaker or an established professional looking to grow your business, Mark's insights and advice will inspire and equip you to navigate your own path to success. Don't miss this episode packed with practical tips, real-life examples, and the wisdom of an experienced speaker who has mastered the art of engaging and moving audiences.

Tune in now and embark on a journey of learning and inspiration with Mark Denton

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In the latest episode of my Speaking Business podcast, I interview AI expert Ben Gold, delving into his extensive experience in technology and AI. Ben shares insights from his 20-year career in tech sales, particularly focusing on the transformative impact of generative AI. He discusses practical applications of AI, emphasizing how speakers and businesses can harness these tools to enhance productivity and engagement. Our conversation touches on the ethical considerations of AI, the future of AI in professional speaking, and the innovative ways Ben uses AI to streamline his own speaking business. This episode provides valuable perspectives for anyone looking to integrate AI into their professional toolkit.

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My guest today is the Founder and Director of Behind The Mic, a speaker management and consulting agency in London. With over 15 years experience in the speaking industry, she has worked in both the US and UK markets. She has made a career out of helping inspirational, thought-leaders share their expertise on stages across the globe."

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As CEO of Human First Ltd, Jaz Ampaw-Farr helps leaders who want to influence, inspire and motivate their teams with greater engagement in order to grow their businesses and leave a lifelong legacy. Jaz combines lessons learned from a challenging and often brutal childhood with those from her rise TV presenter, TEDx Speaker, stand-up comedian and Z-list reality TV star. Her authentic honesty and humour consistently empower people to think differently about leading themselves and others.

Jaz has managed to go from a market where she is highly established and a bit of a rockstar into a brand new market, and that transition, is not easy. We'll find out exactly how she did that and how she has now become very successful in her new market. Jaz will also share how she runs her business and what her products and services are.

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Intentional Storytelling

Steve Ashton is an expert in Executive Presence and Storytelling. He became an expert in both of these disciplines through personal experience of being the sales and marketing director of a business that grew from £7m turnover to £68m in 3 years, through thousands of hours of live tv, radio, theatre acting, stand-up comedy and podcasting as well as more than 30 years working in Learning and Development.

He recently left a role as Chief Leaming officer for an international Division of American Express and has set up his own practice focussing his efforts on helping people increase their presence and ability to engage, connect and inspire people with storytelling.

Steve shares why storytelling is such a popular subject these days, why it's important to be a good storyteller and some top tips and tools to use for storytelling.

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How every speaker could benefit from having a manager.

Who better to be looking after your speaking career, than a manager used to dealing with bookers, promoters, and agents in one of the toughest of all businesses – the music business?

QJ is very familiar with the notorious rogues, the dodgy dealings and the pitfalls that we come across in the speaking business – to this day.

When he started out in the business, he was an artist, songwriter and producer signed to a couple of major record labels himself, but eventually ran his own record label, signing other artists, and dealing with the likes of record pluggers, radio DJs, in order to get publicity, exposure, and radio play for those he signed.

He says, ‘You really have to be pretty ruthless in the music business to get anywhere. So having honed my skills in that industry, I find that the challenges of making progress in speaking are not dissimilar, but a lot easier.’

QJ shares his passion for ‘other people’s talent’ and why he believes that a good manager can take your speaking career to the next level.

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Finding your 'True Funny'

Paul Dornan has worked in the TV and film and comedy world for over two decades as a writer, producer, director, teacher and mentor. Specialising in character comedy and comedy-drama, he’s written and helped create sketch shows, sit-coms, series and films that have won awards, stormed the box office and sold around the world. Along the way he’s worked with a galaxy of stars – from Dame Edna to Mrs Merton aka Caroline Aherne from Boy George to Downton’s Hugh Bonneville, from Lenny Henry to the Spice Girls. A natural collaborator and team player, he’s acted as writing mentor for rising comedy talents and once co-wrote the massive Sunday Times No 1 bestseller ‘The A-Z OF Behaving Badly with Simon Nye – one of the biggest comedy books ever.

Away from page and screen, he has used his narrative skills in the business world too, helping a range of international brands with creative brainstorming and story.

He’s now the founder of a new venture – True Funny – a service offering creative consultancy and coaching to help professional speakers bring more humour, warmth and likeable storytelling to their work.

Paul shares how his work as a writer and director can help speakers make great main-stage speeches, what true funny is and why this is so important for professional speakers and whether making people laugh is a god given gift, a magic trick, or is this something anyone can learn.

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Owning your own story.

With a background in Public Relations, Lesley Woods has 20 years’ experience of curating and creating compelling stories.  Her career has taken her around the world, working with international partners to shine a light on the work of her military colleagues, from celebrating Christmas in Kandahar to delivering humanitarian aid to the Central African Republic. 

As a current serving senior Royal Air Force Reserve Media Officer, she shares unique perspectives gained from her operational experience. Her mission is to get you out of the (communication) trenches and into new territory, to get you thinking differently about how you can emotionally engage your audiences. 

In her civilian ‘day job’ role she leads campaigns in the UK Ministry of Defence Communications Directorate, a team that aims to ‘give a voice to the men and women who serve so that their stories can be heard’.

To help the UK Armed Forces reach new audiences she has led collaborations with films, TV series and documentaries, from influencer events with Disney to a PR partnership with the producers of James Bond. She once lost half an eyebrow evacuating a TV documentary crew from a burning toilet tent in Afghanistan....whilst wearing ballistic pants.

Lesley shares the importance of using your OWN story along with tips on the concept of bullet-proof storytelling. For those speakers that are interviewed, Lesley has lots of advice from her media training background. And if you ever fancied climbing a tree for Tom Cruise, well Lesley can tell you how.

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How Santa, chocolate, questions and acronyms help you be a better speaker

George Nagle might be best described as a breakthrough thinker.

He is a former executive director for multi-billion-dollar organisations and launched 19 products in 14 months at one point.

George is also a bit of a nerd with a MS and MBA but also multiple certifications in different innovations.

Currently he is a leading creative innovator as a consultant but also as a speaker.

We are going to get a peek into how his creative approaches.

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Ditch perfection and create connection with Lisa Braithwaite

Do you seek a more human connection with your in-person and remote audiences?

Do you feel like you're holding yourself back from fully expressing yourself onstage?

Do you hope to make a powerful impact and move your participants into action?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, Lisa Braithwaite is here for you!

Lisa Braithwaite is a speaking coach, trainer and author who started her speaking career more than 40 years ago at high school speech tournaments, presenting her controversial topic of “Brown Bag Lunches.”

More recent achievements include publishing her first course on LinkedIn Learning and discovering that her speaker superpower is instantly and magically recovering from presentation mishaps.

When she’s not working with her coaching and training clients, she can be found cooking, eating, reading about cooking and eating, or managing her cats’ Instagram account. (See show notes!)

Lisa shares her tips for ditching perfection and creating connection.

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How to license your content to grow your speaking business.

David Lim is best known for leading the 1st Singapore Everest Expedition in 1998.

He delivers unforgettable presentations on leadership and bouncing back from setbacks. As a leadership coach, he delivers solutions in negotiation and creative teambuilding for groups of up to 12,000 at a time.

For over a decade, he was on the adjunct faculty for INSEAD business school’s programmes, engaging leaders on self and team leadership. He excels in helping people believe they can be more than just ordinary.

Often speakers are stuck when they're trying to scale their speaking business. If they cannot be in two places at once, how do they grow their business? David shares his tips about how to bring in revenue to your speaking business without you actually being there.

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How to beat stress and avoid burnout.

Carole Spiers is a leading international Business Stress Consultant who shows senior executives how to thrive under pressure. She has published books such as "Managing Stress in the Workplace" and "Show Stress Who's Boss!" Carole is also frequently invited to comment on stress-related issues on TV and radio

She has a background in psychology, and over 25 years of experience as an industry expert. She serves as CEO of the Carole Spiers Group, an international stress management and wellbeing consultancy.

As an international Motivational Speaker, she has provided keynote addresses at international conferences in the UK, Europe, and Middle East.

Carole is Chair of the International Stress Management AssociationUK. On their behalf, she founded Stress Awareness Day in 1998 and to recognise its anniversary in 2018, established International Stress Awareness Week.

Carole is a Fellow and past President of the Professional Speaking Association.

Learn the difference between stress and pressure, the causes of stress, the signs and symptoms of stress and how to live and work in stressful environments.

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How to grow your (speaking) business

Donnie Boivin is an entrepreneur and serves as CEO and Founder of Success Champions and Success Champion Networking. He is considered one of the leading global minds on sales, business development and business growth.

He is described as the first person to make sales and business development relatable and human. A community builder at heart — he builds champions. Today he helps small business owners leverage sales and business development to grow then scale their businesses.

In addition to running multiple businesses, he runs a full working farm with goats, chickens ,ducks, turkeys and geese.

His podcast ‘Growth Mode’ ranks among the top podcasts globally. He is a five-time Best Selling Author and a highly sought-after public speaker.

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How to transition from low paid entertainer to highly paid keynote

Tim David dropped out of university to become a professional magician. When 300 dates a year became too much, he turned his sights to the speaking world so he could work less, earn more, and help people in the process.

His success in the speaking and publishing industries speaks for itself, which is why thousands of speakers from around the globe seek him out for advice on how to get speaking gigs and grow their following.

He's the founder of GetSpeakingGigs.com and the host of the Next Stage Speaking Summit - at which I was a guest presenter this year.

If you're looking to transition into the speaking world or just starting out with your speaking business, Tim has some great advice.

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What is going on in the Speaking Industry in Canada, US and Europe?

Tami Adams is a dedicated and passionate Speaker Agent, Manager, Coach & Events Professional who thrives in bringing people together for engaging and life-changing experiences.

She believes that when people come together, that is where the magic truly happens! She loves using her voice to help raise others.

For those speakers wishing to expand their business internationally or for those already in the international market, this is an information packed podcast that will enrich your speaking business.

Find out what is happening in the Speaking Industry across Canada, US and Europe, the trends, virtual vs in-person, what it takes for a speaker to succeed in today's speaking world, what clients should be looking for in a speaker, why the industry needs to change when booking female speakers and what the future of speaking looks like.

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What's happening on the international speaker circuit?

Philipp Kristian has made some big changes to his speaking business and there are some lessons for us to learn from him and his transformation.

His topic is pioneering human transformation for good and he's applying it to his own business. He's a global TEDx speaker, voice of Gens Y to Z and author of RESET and The Trust Economy.

He has been driving innovation and digital transformation for Fortune 500s in APAC and working with CEOs of Singapore’s most successful start-ups on reimagining entire industries.

He is deeply passionate about putting the human in transformation.

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How to move your audience to action.

Sarah Archer is on a mission to show coaches, experts, leaders business owners and aspiring change makers how to create talks with passion, personality and purpose that also get results. She teaches you how to combine storytelling, humour, performance and marketing principles so that you don’t just engage, entertain and inspire your audience but also move them to action, whether that’s buying your book, product or service, or booking you for another gig.

Sarah is a speaking and marketing coach, playwright, performer, ex-HR Director, and host of The Speaking Club Podcast, (which is in the top 1% of podcasts and in over 180 countries).

This mix means she is uniquely qualified to share how to create content that makes your audience stop, engage and fall in love with your message.

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How to get started as a paid speaker

A self-made, flourishing entrepreneur, Liza Pavlakos is a fast-rising motivational speaker and a powerful voice on successful entrepreneurship.

At prestigious international events in Australia, Africa, Asia, and elsewhere she has energised thousands towards discovering their hidden potential and attaining their goals in the face of the toughest challenges.

Her life-changing talks focus on the development of a winner's mindset and empowering entrepreneurs, business owners, and others to discover innovative strategies for transforming their hopes and ideas into phenomenal success stories.

She has been featured on CNN as an influential thought leader from Australia, motivating and empowering aspiring women entrepreneurs. Winner of the prestigious Golden Gavel Honouree, please welcome my guest Liza Pavlakos.

Liza shares how she transitioned into speaking from her tailoring business, the lessons she learnt starting out as a speaker, how she's learnt to deliver content when her story is so raw and how she debriefs and calms herself after delivery.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Orvel Ray Wilson.

Orvel is a veteran of the profession. He is co-author of 6 books in the legendary Guerrilla Marketing series, which has been translated into 63 languages and more than 25 million books in print. He’s spoken in more than 1,000 cities, in 47 countries, on 6 continents.

He received his CSP in 1997, and in 2001 was honoured as “Speaker of the Year” by Meeting Professionals International. In an international Internet poll, he’s has been voted one of the world’s “Top 5 Sales Speakers” a record five years straight.

After 30 years on the international circuit, he now coaches other speakers on writing their books, and growing their business.

Orvel shares with us the importance of writing a book to enhance your speaking business, the difference between writing a book and writing a book that sells you, what meeting planners look for when booking a speaker, how to set speaking fees and position yourself as an expert and some marketing and sales tips for speakers who need more bookings.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Paul Spiers.

Paul Spiers is Founder of The New P&L® Brand Purpose Institute and host of the internationally respected global business podcast series, ‘The New P&L® – Principles & Leadership in Business’. He is focussed on helping leaders to solve one of today’s big business challenges: how to rediscover and re-engage Purpose in their business, then use it to underpin and drive its commercial, strategic and operational arteries - the critical cornerstones of any successful business.

A respected thought leader and advocate for a ‘New P&L’ for Business – one based on Principles & Leadership not just Profit and Loss, Paul is on a global mission to rid businesses of their ‘vinyl values’ – empty slogans, propositions and statements that are as thin as the office walls they so often reside on, and replace them with an intentional commitment to authentic and principled leadership and purpose-led business; to inspire leaders, engage employees and ignite innovation and growth.

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This podcast was created using Alitu. Powerfully simple recording and editing tools for podcasters. Record your show, edit it in minutes, and publish directly to your host. Find out more and join here.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Dave Daniel. After 25 years at CSA - Celebrity Speakers, Dave Daniel became part of ‘the great resignation’ during Covid and went freelance.

He is the corporate agent for rock star turned businessman, Bruce Dickinson, lead singer of Iron Maiden amongst others. He has worked with speakers from Pele to Neil Armstrong, Bob Geldof to Lars Ulrich and says he’s probably forgotten more about the world of speaking than he would care to admit. He’s also recently started working with Speakers Associates.

Dave explains why being exclusive isn't right for all speakers, why the speaking industry needs a shake up as well as some insights into managing Bruce Dickinson and working with other music icons. There is so much advice in this podcast about working with speaker bureaus, all your questions will be answered.

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This podcast was created using Alitu. Powerfully simple recording and edit

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Shelley Walters.

Shelley Walters believes in the ability of the individual. In people being able to surprise themselves and those around them. And this is what she aims to unlock with everything that she does. Raised in a difficult environment, she quickly realised her background needn’t dictate where she went in life. That lesson, and many others along the way, helped her to see that we all have the potential to achieve more if we simply put the right steps in place to get there.

As the founder and CEO of The Sales Counsel, she established a first-of-its-kind on the African continent: a remote sales education platform that empowers sales teams to deliver better results. As the host of The Shift Show podcast, she shares her experience and lively personality with an ever-growing audience. And as she continues to take on ever more interesting projects, she always remains true to her guiding principles and the belief that we can shed our self-doubt to achieve and surpass our potential.

Shelley gives us a whistle stop tour of Sales, the highs and lows, the risk of technology on sales, tools to use in your sales process, sales cycles, how to build a sale and so much more.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Hugh Montgomery.

Hugh Montgomery is Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at UCL, London. As a researcher, he has published over 500 papers, and is perhaps best known for discovering the first gene for human fitness. He is also a runner, diver, mountaineer and award-winning author of children's books and, most recently, a thriller.

During the 2020-21 Covid pandemic, he sat on the council of the UK Intensive Care Society, engaged in an £800k fundraise to support ICU workers’ mental health, co-authored national clinical guidelines, coinvented two new machines for respiratory support and gave extensive media interviews as well as working round the clock on the Intensive Care units at UCL.

Much of his work is now focussed on the immediate and grave threat posed by climate change.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Adam Levitt.

Adam Levitt is the Founder of Covered Speakers Bureau. Covered Speakers Bureau are experts in matching corporate organisations and professional associations with the very best keynote speakers, hosts, presenters, moderators and entertainment for your virtual and in person events and conferences.

He offers his clients (corporate companies and associations) a truly personalised consultation and booking service.

Drawing on years of experience working in the events sector and carefully listening to briefs, he matches his clientele with the right keynote speakers based on their individual briefs and he ensures that the client's event is truly memorable for your audience.

We take a look inside Covered Speakers Bureau, what Adam looks for in a Speaker, what his bureau offers clients and speakers and so much more.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Melanie Goodman.

Melanie Goodman specialises in providing LinkedIn network growth & business generation strategies and LinkedIn training services to business owners and companies.

Melanie had an original career path practicing law before emigrating to Switzerland in 2005 where, for the subsequent 8 years she worked in business development and social media marketing for both a large international law firm and a financial services company which gave her the impetus to start her own LinkedIn marketing and training company, Trevisan.

If you’d like to know how to position your LinkedIn profile so you rank above your competitors, what content resonates on LinkedIn currently, what you should be posting to elicit positive responses and so much more, this podcast is just for you.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Phil M Jones.

Phil M Jones is the best-selling author of Exactly What To Say, Exactly How To Sell, and Exactly Where To Start.

He had his first business at just 14 years of age and is the youngest recipient of the “British Excellence in Sales and Marketing” award. To date, over two million people, across 57 different countries have benefitted from his lessons. And as a result, they now know exactly what to say, when to say it AND... EXACTLY how to make more of their conversations count.

Phil talks candidly about his speaking business, how it started, what it consists of today, the strategy behind it, working with speaker bureaus, the trends he is seeing in the speaking industry, staying relevant and so much more.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Pegine Echevvaria.

Pegine Echevvaria is a Leadership speaker, best-selling author, award-winning businesswoman, an advisor to US Presidents and their task forces as well as Fortune 500 executives to be effective at engaging their people and stakeholders. Pegine educates leaders and businesswomen on influencing, impacting, and inspiring others to increase profits productivity, and positivity. She coaches women CEOs, Admirals and Generals, College Presidents, and entrepreneurs on influence, impact, and presentation skills. She is the founder of Power Women Worldwide. Her newest book is “Called to Lead: Success Strategies for Women”.

Pegine shares advice about working with big audiences and big stages. How to keep the energy up, how to keep everyone engaged and how to use the stage. Everything you need to know about delighting a large audience.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Gail Davis of GDA Speakers.

Gail Davis' decades of experience in corporate marketing and event management served as the launch pad for GDA Speakers. Before establishing the company in 1999, she spent 20 years managing the events of the Dallas-based global technology conglomerate - Electronic Data Systems (EDS) - founded by Ross Perot.

While at EDS she discovered Nando Parrado, a heroic survivor of the 1972 Andes plane crash. Parrado presented an unforgettable speech at EDS’ marquee event. Shortly after his successful keynote, Parrado signed an exclusive agreement with our guest as it was her efforts that convinced him to share his story after so many years. It was this partnership with Parrado which eventually anchored the creation of GDA Speakers. She continues to discover new talent and under her passionate leadership, GDA Speakers has vetted and curated many highly qualified speakers who they deliver to clients with confidence.

Gail shares insights into the US speaker market, what she looks for in an international speaker and any tips she can share for a non-US speaker to get listed with a US bureau. If you’d like to take your speaking business international then this podcast is a must listen.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Elin Hauge. Elin has built bridges between data-driven technologies and business value for more than 20 years, with AI as one of her key capabilities. She helps leaders to build relevant competence on artificial intelligence, understand responsible human-machine interaction, and outline sustainable practices around digital technologies. She has also mentored hundreds of tech start-ups across Europe on business and go-to-market strategy and pitching skills.

Elin has taken her speaking business International after being in demand in her native Norway. She has launched the international side of her speaking business and she's been hugely successful in doing so. Elin shares how she went from a Norwegian celebrity to an international star.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Graham Allcott.

Graham Allcott is the founder of Think Productive, one of the world’s leading providers in personal productivity training and consultancy as well as the author of the global best-seller, "How to be a Productivity Ninja". His podcast "Beyond Busy" explores the issues of productivity, work/life balance and how people define happiness in their lives.

Graham shares tips on how we can make 2022 our most productive year ever for our speaking businesses and how to get a better work/life balance as well as insights into his speaking business.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Simone Vincenzi.

100 million new businesses start every year and 90% of them fail within 3 years. How do we create sustainable businesses? Simone Vincenzi is a multi-award-winning serial entrepreneur and author who has helped people to launch more than 500 profitable businesses before he reached the age of 30. He writes for Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine and regularly features on tv and radio.

Simone also has a very successful speaking business and in this podcast he shares some tips on how to monetise your expertise.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast, I talk to Caitriona Ellis. As speakers there is potential to make a lot of money and the more you have, the more you spend. But we also should be thinking about the future when maybe we don’t want to work quite as hard as we are now and how we should be using our speaking fees to their best.

Caitriona Ellis is a fully qualified Financial Advisor with an honours Commerce degree. She empowers people to master their money affairs for peace of mind now & in the future.

She shares why financial wellness is crucial for speakers along with some tips and tools on how speakers can increase their financial wellness.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast I talk to Jasmine Birtles.

Jasmine Birtles is a TV and radio presenter, a financial expert and founder of the popular consumer website MoneyMagpie.com, an entertainer and the author of 38 books.

She broadcasts, writes and speaks about all aspects of personal finance including investments, pensions, mortgages, credit cards, banking and apps, savings, debt, utilities, Fin Tech and cryptocurrencies.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast I talk to Raleigh Addington.

Raleigh Addington is MD of Chartwell Speakers Bureau and has been in the speaking industry for 10 years. As well as working in the UK/Europe market, he also opened the Chartwell Asia office in 2014 giving him both experience in the Asia market but also "co-broking" with US-Based Agencies. Back in London now, his role mainly consists of handling "exclusive speakers" and managing the corporate speaking engagements for a range of high-profile economists, politicians, technology entrepreneurs & academics.

Raleigh shares with us his thoughts on the speaking market for 2022, the do’s and dont's when working with a bureau and more specifically Chartwell, insights into some of the big names he’s booked and the topics he’s being asked for in the market currently.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast I talk to Gavin Ingham. What differentiates high performers from good performers? What helps one person to achieve in 3 months what others do in 12? These are the questions that have inspired Gavin Ingham for the last 20 years and have led to his #IAM10 methodology for high performance.

The world is changing faster than ever. There is more competition than ever before. The global economy, AI, automation all mean that you and your people need to work with conviction, embrace change, maximise productivity and add more value to every situation. Good enough is not good enough anymore. You need to be the best. You need to be a 10.

Gavin shares what he thinks makes a bookable speaker, how this has changed over the past few years, why only a small percentage of speakers succeed and what speakers can do to make the difference. He’ll also share the three things he’d recommend to a speaker wanting more business.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast I talk to Olga Geidane.

Olga Geidane is a thought-provoking speaker and award-winning mindset coach working globally with high achievers and C-suite executives.

She is an international best-selling author, who has co-authored books with Sharon Lechter, Denis Waitley, Erik Swanson, Steve Sims, Jim Cathcart to name a few.

She is the youngest foreign female to be a Regional President of the PSA (Professional Speaking Association) in the UK.

If you want to take your speaking business to the next level but are facing mindset blocks and barriers, Olga shares how to remove these and continue your speaking journey.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusiness Podcast I talk to Jessica Killingley.

Jessica Killingley is a Literary Agent, Publishing Consultant & Life Coach. She is an accidental serial entrepreneur, she runs a business that supports founders, consultants and coaches who want to write & self-publish books that grow their business and their profile. Her podcast, The AUTHORity Show, gives aspiring non-fiction authors the inside track into what it really takes to get a book out there that turns readers into clients.

Jessica explains why writing a book is definitely worth the effort, how it can support your speaking business, the best ways to get a book published and how you can make the book work for you once published to grow your speaking business.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast I talk to Alex Staniforth. Too many people settle for base camp when the summit is out of view. But Alex is no stranger to overcoming adversity.

At just 26, he's a record-breaking adventurer, athlete, author and charity founder who has already survived the two biggest disasters in Mount Everest history as a teenager.

However, his biggest challenges have been much closer to home, suffering with epilepsy, stammering, bullying and mental ill health.

He confronts these through extreme outdoor challenges, to inspire others to achieve their own peak.

Now he regularly shares his adventures and ultra-endurance strategies with businesses and conferences internationally, helping them build their 'resilience rucksack' to beat burnout, re-define success and take advantage of the challenges ahead.

He is also the founder of Mind Over Mountains, a charity helping people to restore their mental health through the outdoors.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast I talk to Chris and Jude Wharton of Ready Steady Websites.

Jude and Chris Wharton are the co-founders of Ready Steady Websites® an off the shelf website and membership site template service. They launched Ready Steady Websites® in 2019 and they have been running a successful digital design company, 2nd Floor Designs Ltd since 2010. They are a husband and wife team.

Before starting 2nd Floor, Chris had worked in the web industry for 10 years as a designer and front end developer and managing a studio. He’s successfully managed, consulted and worked on projects for bigname brands including RBS, Renault, Coutts Bank, IKEA, Mazda, Kia, WorldPay and Masterclass as well as some lesser-known but equally as amazing international and local brands and businesses.

Before entering the world of web, Jude had a 10-year career in youth work, training and professional development. She has delivered workshops in Westminster and she has a degree in Education and Training and a Chartered Management Institute qualification in Management and Leadership. She brings all of her experience in these areas to the courses, challenges and tutorials that Ready Steady Websites® offers.

In this podcast they share with us why speakers really do need a website, what the most common mistakes people make with their websites are and the key things a speaker should have on their website. For those looking to update or create a website, this is a podcast not to be missed.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast I talk to Mary Tillson.

Mary is Head of Speaker Coaching and Momentum at Speaking Business Academy. She helps speakers to develop their content and messaging, and to maximise their personal impact and delivery style.

She co-facilitates many of the company's workshops with Maria and is lead tutor on content specific workshops.

She is a highly experienced Management and Leadership Development Consultant who has spent over 20 years designing, developing, and securing projects for global Blue-Chip companies so she is well placed to help speakers.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast I talk to Will Kintish. Will was a Chartered Accountant for over 30 years. For the last 20 years, he has been showing us how to be more effective and confident networkers when attending physical events.

Since Covid he has been teaching us how to do the same online.

He is the author of the best-selling book “Business Networking -The Survival Guide”.

Will shares how networking has changed since the Pandemic, but how it is still possible to successfully network online as well as face to face. He also shares the key skills needed to network and what mistakes people tend to make when networking.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast I'm in the hot seat, yes me, Maria Franzoni. This podcast is created from a recording from a Speaking Business TV episode.

As a speaker, at some point you will consider working with Speaker Bureaus to help you grow your fees and your business. Speaker Bureaus can not only get you higher fees, but they can also get you booked by the right clients and take the admin off your shoulders. When the relationship works your business will really fly.

If you are looking to join a Speaker Bureau and be listed with them or you are looking to get bookings from a Bureau that you are already listed with, do check out our Speaker Bureau Seminar.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Elliot Kay.

For the last decade, Elliot has worked with Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, MD’s & Investors in order to help them stand out when they are delivering talks and speeches, pitching or looking to win business through delivering speaking.

His unique and effective structures, impactful delivery training, and teaching “language that lands” has helped to hone their messaging, perfect their stories, and thus enable them to win more business.

He has spoken globally at conferences, events, in front of teams, leaders, and managers on how to pitch and win new business. As well as speaking he has worked with some of the leading companies and corporations and entrepreneurs on customer service, how to get into the media and how to successfully pitch on top-rated television programs such as “Dragons Den” and “MasterChef the Professionals”.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Gordon Glenister.

Gordon is a membership and influencer marketing expert.

Having led an industry body for 11 years in the promotional product sector, he launched his own consultancy to help trade associations and professional bodies with their strategy.

Little did he know he would stumble on the influencer marketing sector.

Since the launch of the Branded Content Marketing Association Influence division, Gordon has written a 300-page book on influencer marketing strategy, started his global influence podcast, interviewed some amazing brands and thought leaders and keynoted at conferences.

He is also the founder of the top 100 most influential people index and Membership World a community of CE0s within the membership sector.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Ethan Beute.

Ethan is Chief Evangelist at BombBomb, a platform to build better business relationships with video messaging.

He is also host of The Customer Experience Podcast, and co-author of Rehumanize Your Business and of Human-Centered Communication.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Philipp Kristian.

Philipp is pioneering human transformation for good. He’s a global TEDx speaker, voice of Gens Y to Z and author of RESET and The Trust Economy.

He has been driving innovation and digital transformation for Fortune 500s in APAC and working with CEOs of Singapore’s most successful start-ups on reimagining entire industries.

He was a founding member of MetLife’s first global R&D hub, naming it lumenlab and setting a precedent for the industry.

He is deeply passionate about putting the human in transformation.

Beyond work, he’s a yogi, matcha aficionado and meditation advocate.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Jen Liddy.

Jen Liddy left her teaching career to avoid a life doomed by grading 9th grade essays. In 2013, she made a terrifying leap into entrepreneurship & learned everything the hard way!

Now, as a Content Creation Specialist, she helps people create realistic, sustainable systems to get their content out there - helping them know exactly what to say, how to say it - in a way that’s personalised in their voice! She helps personal brands get out of content marketing hell by teaching strategies that ease-ify, simplify, and actually make content FUN! As one client said, “she takes the ‘ugh’ out of content creation!”

Jen shares how important content really is for growing your business, the myths and misconceptions around content marketing, how to simplify content creation and what to consider every single time you create content.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Roger Fisk.

Roger is a global communications expert widely credited with key behind the scenes roles in Barack Obama's two presidential campaigns. He served in both Administrations leading trade and diplomatic missions all over the world, and more recently has been putting those experiences to work for Fortune 100 companies, causes, brands and NGOs through his firm New Day Strategy. Roger provides analysis and commentary to Fox News, the BBC, Times of India, China Daily, SKY News, Bloomberg and others.

Roger shares tips and tools on the importance of culture in communicating your message, how to continue to build and sustain your speaking business, how to translate your message across various media and an update on the US events and conferences market.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to David Newman

David is a Certified Speaking Professional and serves as Chair of the NSA Million Dollar Speakers Group. He is the author of the business bestsellers Do It! Marketing and Do It! Speaking: 77 Instant-action Ideas to Market, Monetize and Maximize Your Expertise. He is also the creator of the Do It! MBA mentoring program where he helps solo consultants market their smarts and make a bigger dent in the universe.

David shares his insights into what marketing means to him, the hardest part of building a successful speaking business, how to grow your speaking business and the importance of Thought Leadership in the industry.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Alison Edgar MBE.

Alison is known as ‘The Entrepreneur’s Godmother’ to Dragon’s Den and Apprentice Winners. She’s written two best-selling books Secrets of Successful Sales and SMASH IT! The Art of Getting What YOU Want, which discuss why everything we do is a sale. She’s worked with some of the biggest names in business such as SkyBet, Discovery Channel and EasyJet teaching them her intrapreneurship methodology, helping them to encourage entrepreneurial thinking within their organisations and now she’s here to discuss the importance of sales.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Art Sobzcak.

Over the past 30+ years Art Sobzcak has helped salespeople and speakers say the right things to get through, get in, and sell, primarily using the phone. He’s a speaker, trainer, author, podcaster and lifelong salesperson. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals. He has written five books, and his flagship, “Smart Calling- How to Eliminate the Fear, Failure, and Rejection from Cold Calling” is now in its new Third Edition and is the standard for individuals and companies worldwide to prospect effectively without “cold” calling.

Art shares some of the biggest mistakes speakers make when prospecting, how to prospect without "cold calling", overcoming the fear of rejection and how to respond when clients ask you to lower your fee.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Andrew Davis.

Andrew is a bestselling author and keynote speaker. Before building and selling a thriving digital marketing agency, he produced for NBC and worked for The Muppets. He's appeared in the New York Times and on the Today Show. He's crafted documentary films and award-winning content for tiny start-ups and Fortune 500 brands. Today, he teaches business leaders how to grow their businesses, transform their cities, and leave their legacy.

He’s here to share some insights from the book he co-authored with Michael Port – The Referable Speaker.

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The Referable Speaker: Your Guide to Building a Sustainable Speaking Career—No Fame Required

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Taylorr Payne.

Taylorr is the CEO and Co-Founder of SpeakerFlow, a software and coaching company that helps experts master the business aspects of thought leadership. An award-winning marketer and sales professional, his goal is to share how business owners can use data to streamline their revenue channels and, in doing so, sell more, serve better, and save time.

Taylorr shares the function of a CRM in a speaker's business, why we are underutilising our CRM's, how speakers can get their biggest ROI from using a CRM and the 3 step process for scaling your speaking business.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Jamil Qureshi.

Jamil is a practitioner of performance psychology, an expert in high performing teams and cultural change and has a seven-figure speaking business.

He is going to share how he got started as a speaker, where his bookings come from and how he has continued to grow his speaking business even in a pandemic.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Neil Mullarkey.

Neil is a unique communication expert. With Mike Myers he co-founded the Comedy Store Players, and still performs every Sunday with them in London. Neil was in a couple of Austin Powers movies. Nowadays he travels the world teaching improv and more to leaders and groups, as well as presentation skills. His book, 'Seven Steps to Improve your People Skills' was published in 2017. And, yes, Mullarkey is his real name.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Steve Lowell.

Steve Lowell has been on the live stage since the age of 6; that's over 53 years ago. For 30 years he has been training and mentoring professional speakers around the world to craft and deliver their unique message in a way that positions them as the unmistakable authority in their field. He's the president of the Global Speakers Federation, past national president of the Canadian Association of Professional speakers and a two-time, number one, international best-selling author.

If you’re a thought leader with a unique or complex solution and you can’t get your market to understand why they need you; Steve is the guy who helps you craft the message, teaches you how to present it and close the sale.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Frank Furness.

Frank is an international specialist in sales, technology, social media and goal setting and how they work in tandem to produce great results for organisations. He is Past President of the Professional Speakers Association of Europe and past Chair of the International PEG for the National Speakers Association of USA. Many of the world's most successful speakers started out by attending his 'Speakers Bootcamp' which he runs on 5 continents.

Frank shares marketing tips for speakers, how he established himself as an international speaker, what his speaking business consists of and the services and products he offers.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to James Taylor. It's not often that a successful speaker commanding big fees lets you see how they got there, sharing the journey from selecting the topic, setting their fee, all the way through to how they have found high paying speaking gigs but this week's guest does just that.

James Taylor has grown his speaking business from zero to high six figures in a mere three years and through a pandemic.

James speaks on creativity, innovation and artificial intelligence.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Sophie Bennett. Sophie knows the value that books bring to Speakers. Her first book brought her in her first invitation to speak, seven years ago. That book transformed her writing business into a speaking business. Her second book was written specifically to take her speaking business to a corporate audience and it worked!

It's turned her into an authority in the field of motivation, it's helped her land major corporate clients and was the reason she was invited to become a visiting Lecturer at Cranford School of Management. She has coached and ghost written for many other speakers too. She ghost wrote a book on the future of technology for a previously unknown Dutch Futurist. That book helped him to more than quadruple his speaking fees!

In this fascinating episode, Sophie shares her tips and tools for becoming an author, getting published and how this will enhance your speaking business and quite possibly enable you to increase your speaking fees.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Amy Rowlinson. Amy helps people launch (and relaunch) profitable and purposeful podcasts.

Amy is a leader in purpose and fulfilment with a fascination for understanding WHY people do what they do in life. She is on a mission to help entrepreneurs become values-based, purpose-driven and people-centred. Her second global podcast, Focus on WHY, is in the Top 1% of podcasts, over 200 episodes have been released and the show is currently being downloaded in 93 countries.

Amy shares why podcasting really is worth all the effort, how to take your podcast to the next level and also how to be a great podcast guest.

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In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Michelle Raymond. Michelle is a LinkedIn Pages specialist who is passionate about helping businesses build brand awareness to attract business opportunities using LinkedIn. She is known in LinkedIn circles for her advocacy for LinkedIn Company Pages.

With 20+ years Sales and Key Account Management experience, she has generated over $3M in revenue for the companies she represented.

In this fascinating episode, Michelle shares her tips and tools for using LinkedIn and in particular creating and using LinkedIn Company pages.

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My guest this week is me, Maria Franzoni, I’m talking to myself. Well, I hope I’m not talking to myself. Why am I here talking to you? Well, I wanted to talk to you about what has been going on, there have been a lot of changes in the last year and a half and I wanted to share where I’ve come from and where we are going to next. You may have heard the rumours; I’ve closed my speaker bureau and I am moving on to new things. In fact, I’m going to be sharing a lot of knowledge that I have from my speaker bureau in forthcoming podcasts.

Bio

Maria Franzoni is Founder and Chief Enthusiast of Speaking Business Academy.

As one of the most experienced speaker bookers in Europe and recognised as a speaking industry expert, Maria supports speakers (established and new) to enter into new markets, develop content, make strategic decisions about their speaking business, develop longer relationships with clients and maximise their income.

Maria has held senior positions with 2 leading speaker bureaus: CSA Celebrity Speakers and London Speaker Bureau. In 2007 she founded her own multi-million pound bureau, Maria Franzoni Ltd. She is founding member and former co-chair of the European Association of Speaker Bureaus, Director of Operations at We Do Things Differently cultural change consultancy and host of the Speaking Business Podcast.

Prior to working with speakers Maria worked in retail management, management consultancy, educational travel and as an entrepreneur. Her experience in other industries has given her an excellent foundation and hands-on understanding of how to run and grow profitable businesses.

Recorded on: 5th July 2021

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My guest this week is a specialist on the world’s largest and most secret asset segment – public asset. The hidden goldmine owned by you and me and seen all around us but yet kept in the dark by outdated public systems.

He led the first effort by a European government to systematically address the ownership and management of government enterprises and real estate. He is the author of ‘The Public Wealth of Nations’ – The Economist and Financial Time’s best book of the year, as well as ‘The Public Wealth of Cities’.

Please welcome my guest, Dag Detter.

Bio

Dag Detter offers us a unique idea which will revolutionise they way we think of public finance, be it for a national government or a city. He has unrivalled hands-on experience, backed up by academic data and research, to demonstrate that this is an invaluable tool to boost the economy and fight corruption. The idea of the public wealth of nations identifies a problem that few people had realised exists. It shatters the tired categories of left and right. And it suggests a relatively pain-free way of boosting economic growth.

As President of Stattum, the Swedish government holding company, and a Director at the Ministry of Industry, Dag Detter led the restructuring of the Swedish government’s portfolio of state owned enterprises, representing some 25 per cent of the domestic economy. The first attempt by a government to systematically address the ownership and management of government enterprises, quickly yielded high returns and the portfolio ultimately outperformed the local stock market.

Detter has worked extensively as an investment banker and an advisor in Asia and Europe and served as Non-Executive Director on a range of boards of private and public companies.

He now specialises in advising on the restructuring of public sector balance sheets and the management of under-performing public assets. He assists governments and public institutions in designing and implementing strategies for restoring balance sheet strength.

Dag Detter is the co-author of The Public Wealth of Nations, selected as; The Economist’s Book of the Year 2015 and The FT’s best book of the year 2015, as well as the forthcoming book The Public Wealth of Cities.

Recorded on: 15th June 2021

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My guest this week is an Innovation Expert, he is the creator of the Innovators Tool, the first engaging innovation app that guides users to spot ideas worth pursuing and transforms them into successful innovations.

He is the Founder of the leading consultancy firm, Innovators League, based in Geneva, Doha & Lebanon.

Amongst his own many inventions are the Fertility Loan and Stem Cells Loan. He shares his expertise through his patented Become an INNOVATOR® Methodology.

On top of all of this he is also a talented musician. He’s an opera singer, a tenor, plays the piano, the flute and the drums, there is no end to this man’s talent. My guest is Maher Mezher.

Bio

Maher Mezher is the Founder of the Innovators League®, a regional consulting and training firm that has been built on his theory that innovation is a science and can therefore be taught.

He is an innovation expert and internationally recognised speaker who has delivered speeches in more than 25 countries.

As a professional consultant and trainer with more than 20 years of experience, he has served more than 130 clients from a variety of industries including Telecom, Banking, Education, Oil and Gas, Retail and Pharmaceuticals, among many others.

As a well-known public figure, he has been interviewed by more that 150 international media outlets including CNN, BBC, Russia Today, Kyodo, and Reuters regarding his cutting edge innovations.

He is the creator of many inventions including the Innovators Tool®, the first innovation App built on Music, Sound effects, 3D animated images, Dynamic quotes and Startigec tailored questions that guides innovators to transform their ideas into profitable innovations, the Innovators Process®, Innovators Habits© and The Become an INNOVATOR® Methodology, as well as the Fertility Loan and Stem Cell Loan.

His ideas are so notably ground breaking that they were mentioned as a case study in Professor Philip Kotler’s university textbook, Principles of Marketing.

In addition to his professional work, he has 15 years of university teaching experience where he strives to spread the culture of everyday simplified innovation.

On a personal level, Maher is an accomplished musical artist who plays the piano flute and drums, in addition to performing as a classical Tenor Opera singer.

Recorded on: 10th June 2021

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My guest this week is an internationally known commentator on the world economy, technology and financial markets.He has served as a director for economic policy at The White House and advised such investment firms as the Soros Fund, Goldman Sachs, and Tiger Management, where he served as a managing director of the 15-billion-dollar investment fund.

He is the author of the acclaimed New Ideas from Dead Economists. His latest book The Price of Prosperty: Why Rich Nations Fail and How to Renew Them, was called a “must-read by The Wall Street Journal.

He is a co-producer of the Broadway hit musical Jersey Boys.

The Associated Press has said that “he lights up economics with a wickedly sparkling wit." Let’s see if he can do that for us today … Joining me all the way from sunny California, please welcome Todd Buchholz.

Bio

Todd Buchholz is an international economist, hedge fund manager, winner of Harvard’s annual teaching prize and frequent TV and radio commentator. He has written several bestselling books on the economy, including New Ideas from Dead Economists, New Ideas from Dead CEOs and Market Shock.

He is a widely sought after keynote speaker addressing a variety of topics, from the U.S. financial markets to geopolitical debates to economic policies that impact business strategies around the globe. With an incisive wit and entertaining style, Buchholz’s keynote presentations reveal the economic challenges and opportunities faced by our changing society and propose important strategies for success.

Todd Buchholz is routinely called upon to provide perspective on the headlines and trends that affect the financial markets. He has appeared as commentator on a wide variety of television and radio programs, including ABC News, PBS, NPR, and CBS. He hosted his on CNBC special, “Open Exchange with Todd Buchholz.” In 2012, he sat in the hot seat on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.” He has jousted with James Carville and Ben Stein, and he has sat in debate with economists Lester Thurow and Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Laureate in Economics.

In his keynote speeches, Todd Buchholz draws on years of research into financial topics ranging from housing finance to fast-food lawsuits to the influence of competition on our lives as working members of society (Rush: Why You Need and Love the Rat Race). His work in historical economics (New Ideas from Dead Economists, New Ideas from Dead CEOs) brings to light past influences and trends that affect today’s economic landscapes. From Here to Economy is a trusted guide to economic literacy, simply and clearly explained. In Lasting Lessons from the Corner Office, through “compelling and fast-reading narratives” (Booklist), Buchholz examines the great ideas, and some of the failures, of several CEOs and entrepreneurs whose businesses grew to become household names.

Recorded on: 1st June 2021

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Our guest this week is an internationally renowned Symphony and Opera Conductor.

He has held posts as Principal Conductor of the BBC Welsh National Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, and the Royal Ballet Covent Garden in the UK.

He has also held Music Director positions developing no less than seven orchestras in his native Canada and guest conducted principal orchestras throughout the world including concerts at the Vatican for two popes John Paul II and Pope Francis.

He uses his experience as a builder of orchestras to create useful analogies for corporations. His main topics are creativity, teamwork and leadership.

Please welcome my guest, Boris Brott.

Bio

Boris Brott is one of the most internationally recognised Canadian conductors. He holds major posts as music director in both Canada and the United States. Boris enjoys an international career as guest conductor, educator, motivational speaker and cultural ambassador.

Currently, Boris is Conductor and Music Director of the New West Symphony in California, the McGill Chamber Orchestra in Montreal, Canada, the National Academy Orchestra of Canada and Principal Youth and Family Conductor of the National Arts Center of Canada.

In addition to his conducting career, Boris is a motivational speaker, presenting more than 35 talks annually around the world for Fortune 500 companies. Besides numerous film and radio commitments, he has conducted, produced, and hosted over 100 television programs on both sides of the Atlantic. He has recorded for CBC, Septre-Mace, Mercury, Pro-Arte Records and Sony Classical where CDs with the late Glenn Gould have been released.

In 1988, Boris was awarded the Officer of the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civic honour. That same year, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law at McMaster University. Two years later, he was made a Knight of Malta. In 1992, he was selected International Man of the Year by the International Biographical Center in Cambridge, England. Later in 1996, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts of Great Britain. Then in 2006, he was appointed to the Order of Ontario.

Recorded on: 25th May 2021

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My guest this week works as an adviser to senior leadership teams on strategy, risk and performance. As a former Red Arrows pilot, management consultant and senior manager in a global corporate, he is not a speaker who pontificates from the side lines, but has spent significant time on the pitch, in some of the most demanding of high-performance environments. He has masters’ degrees from Cambridge and London Business School, and is the author of The Business of Excellence. Currently he helping to launch a green technology company.

Please welcome my guest, Justin Hughes.

Bio

As a former fighter pilot and Executive Officer of the Red Arrows, Justin Hughes know exactly how you plan, execute and adapt in situations characterised by ambiguity, imperfect information, speed of change and pressure to deliver.

Justin Hughes has worked as a consultant on organisational performance to clients including Microsoft, the United Nations and Mercedes F1. And he has walked his own talk during the Covid-19 crisis, in a corporate role as L3Harris’ Director Integrated Airline Services. In one of the hardest hit sectors, Justin managed a major change programme in a fast-moving environment, while also sitting on the global business continuity team.

Prior to his current roles, Justin Hughes was an RAF fighter pilot. He graduated as top cadet of his officer training and went on to fly the Tornado F3 air defence fighter. He subsequently served for 3 years on the Red Arrows performing over 250 displays worldwide including 3 international tours. Justin has an MBA with Distinction from London Business School and is currently studying International Relations at the University of Cambridge.

Justin Hughes is the author of The Business of Excellence (Bloomsbury, 2016), has been profiled in the London Standard, Director and the Daily Telegraph), and interviewed for BBC World ‘Talking Business’ and BBC Breakfast.

During 2020, he has conducted a range of virtual deliveries: from a ‘traditional’ style keynote to a more interactive format to a fully participatory workshop and am very comfortable across different platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams).

Recorded on: 18th May 2021

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My guest is a former England international rugby player, who has played at the highest level and against elite players such as Jonah Lomu, (and survived!). He won 11 trophies whilst playing with the English and European Champions, Leicester Tigers. Since retiring from playing the sport, he has gained a first-class honours degree in Leadership and Management, followed by an MBA receiving a Distinction. He has gone on to work with other elite organisations that include the SAS and the Premier League.

His years of playing elite rugby and working with elite organisations, have given him remarkable insights into the entire life cycle of high performing teams. He has a deep understanding of how high performing teams are made, how they, or individual players can be crushed, and then rebuilt, and how they can go on to develop a sustainable winning mindset and culture. He is passionate about the importance of attitude and culture when it comes to achieving high performance. You cannot buy a culture. Together you have to create collective behaviours that have momentum.

Please welcome Leon Lloyd.

Bio

Leon Lloyd is a former England international rugby player, who has played at the highest level and against elite players such as Jonah Lomu, (and survived!). He won 11 trophies whilst playing with the English and European Champions, Leicester Tigers. Since retiring from playing the sport, he has gained a first-class honours degree in Leadership and Management, followed by an MBA receiving a Distinction. He has gone on to work with other elite organisations that include the SAS and the Premier League.

He shares with his client’s innumerable insights, stories, practical tools, tips and techniques and his 5- point steps to building a winning team provides a practical framework for success. He also shares how you can go from the highest of the highs to the lowest of the lows, and then come back stronger.

Leon grew up in Coventry and still maintains a dream to score the winning goal in an FA Cup Final for Coventry City. As the eldest of four children Leon left school at 16 to pursue a professional sports career and has benefitted from lots of support and guidance along his journey. As result of this, giving back to others less fortunate is high on his personal agenda and has been an Ambassador and Business Mentor for the Princes Trust since 2004 as well as being a Patron for Action Deafness. He is a co-founder of the Switch the Play Foundation, the first and only UK charity that assists professional sports people transition away from their sport. Having been the CEO that successfully led that organisation he stepped down in 2021 to pursue some of his other passions but remains an active Ambassador.

Recorded on: 11th May 2021

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My guest this week is a world-leading expert on innovation, purpose-driven leadership, and cultivating serendipity. He teaches at New York University, where he directs the CGA Global Economy Program, as well as at the London School of Economics. Previously, he co-directed the LSE's Innovation and Co-Creation Lab.

He is co-founder of Sandbox Network, a global community of young innovators; and co-founder of Leaders on Purpose, an organisation convening leading CEOs and empowering them to integrate profit and purpose.

His latest book, The Serendipity Mindset, has been highlighted as a "wise, exciting, and life-changing book" and a "bracing and hopeful antidote to a world addicted to efficiency and control".

Please welcome my guest, Dr Christian Busch

Bio

Dr. Christian Busch is a world-leading expert on innovation, purpose-driven leadership, and cultivating serendipity. He teaches at New York University (NYU), where he directs the CGA Global Economy Program, as well as at the London School of Economics (LSE).

Previously, he co-directed the LSE’s Innovation and Co-Creation Lab. Christian is co-founder of Sandbox Network, a global community of young innovators; and co-founder of Leaders on Purpose, an organisation convening leading CEOs and empowering them to integrate profit and purpose.

He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Expert Forum, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and among Diplomatic Courier’s “Top 99 Influencers”, JCI London’s “Ten Outstanding Persons of the World”, and the Thinkers50 Radar list of 30 management thinkers “most likely to shape the future of how organizations are managed and led.”

Christian’s new book, The Serendipity Mindset (Penguin Random House), has been highlighted as a “wise, exciting, and life-changing book” (Arianna Huffington, Founder, Huffington Post); a “bracing and hopeful antidote to a world addicted to efficiency and control” (Daniel Pink, Bestselling author of Drive); “highly recommended” (Reid Hoffman, Co-Founder, LinkedIn); and offering “excellent practical guidance for all” (Paul Polman, former CEO, Unilever).

His work has been published in world-leading journals such as the Strategic Management Journal and was featured in outlets such as Harvard Business Review, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Forbes, BBC, among others. He regularly speaks at conferences such as TEDx, World Economic Forum, and Financial Times Sustainability Summit. Christian received his PhD from the London School of Economics (LSE).

Recorded on: 4th May 2021

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The Serendipity Mindset: The Art and Science of Creating Good Luck

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My guest this week is a business Psychologist and Humourologist who packs a punchline.

In the world of elite speakers, how many people have a background as a performer, comedian, TV psychologist, pop star and business guru? Not many!

Having had considerable success in all those areas, my guest is now the host of the award-winning Humourology Podcast where he interviews a glittering line-up of guests from the worlds of business, sport, politics and entertainment.

His mission is to show leaders how to drive the success of their business through the scientific application of humour.

Paul Boross - welcome to the show.

Bio

Paul Boross is an inspirational business psychologist and humourologist who packs a punchline.

Paul has refined the art of making corporate audiences laugh while they learn, communicating the most vital messages at an emotional level that stays with people, long after the event comes to a close.

Drawing on a career that has taken him from primetime TV, music and stand-up comedy to business, consultancy and motivational psychology, he trains celebrities and executives in the art and craft of communication.

Paul’s frontline experience of performance at London’s legendary Comedy Store and strong commercial instincts enable him to deliver focused and effective training to clients from across the industry spectrum, from the BBC to Barclays via Google, Nestlé, WPP, Virgin and MTV.

Paul is a much in demand international keynote speaker and his four bestselling books continue to sit high in the Amazon charts. Later this year, his fifth book Humourology – The Serious Business of Comedy at Work, will be released with contributions by some of the world’s most renowned business leaders and comedians.

Recorded on: 27th April 2021

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My guest this week is a multinational CEO having led The Body Shop, Pandora and Conival PLC. He is also the former Managing Director for L’Oréal UK and Marketing Director for Coca-Cola and Sainsbury’s supermarkets. With experience covering diverse cultures, channels and products he has a unique perspective and insight on leadership.

He gives business leaders concrete tools to make the extraordinary happen with new ways to lead individuals and teams and create consumer first companies that make more money and most importantly Save Tomorrow’s Planet.

Please welcome my guest, Jeremy Schwartz.

Bio

Jeremy Schwartz is a multinational CEO having led The Body Shop, Pandora and Conival PLC, been Managing Director for L’Oréal UK and Marketing Director for Coca-Cola and Sainsbury’s supermarkets.

His experience covers a diversity of cultures, channels and products which gives him a unique perspective and insight on leadership for C Suite, country leadership teams and investors worldwide.

Specifically, Jeremy has overseen operations in North and South America, throughout China and Asia, Greater Europe and the Middle East. He has driven e-commerce and omnichannel global expansion and overseen, owned and franchised direct-to-consumer retailing across 3500 stores in 90 countries. Jeremy has overseen a number of multi-million dollar product and business transformations and is a senior advisor to McKinsey in this field.

Jeremy is an expert speaker and consultant on the “New Rules of Leadership for a Post Pandemic World.” These give business leaders concrete tools to make the extraordinary happen and to create and operationalise: An inspiring purpose, a transformation in e-commerce & sustainability, new ways to lead individuals and teams and be a consumer first company. All to make more money every day and at the same time Save Tomorrows Planet.

Recorded on: 13th April 2021

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My guest is a globally recognised author, speaker, podcaster, and business consultant. He is a prolific writer and speaker whose work sits at the intersection of marketing, technology, and humanity. He has advanced degrees in marketing and organisational development … holds seven patents … and is a faculty member of the graduate studies program at Rutgers University.

He is the best-selling author of nine popular books … including the very first book on influence marketing.

His blog, GROW, and podcast “The Marketing Companion” are ranked among the top rated publications in the marketing field.

All the way from Tennessee… where his very own bees make honey that wins blue ribbons at the State Fair… Please welcome… Mark Schaefer!

Bio

Mark Schaefer is a globally-recognised keynote speaker, educator, business consultant, and author. His blog {grow} is hailed as one of the top marketing blogs in the world.

Mark has worked in global sales, PR, and marketing positions for more than 30 years and provides consulting services as Executive Director of Schaefer Marketing Solutions.

He has advanced degrees in marketing and organisational development; holds seven patents; and is a faculty member of the graduate studies program at Rutgers University. For three years, Mark studied under the late Peter Drucker (a world-renowned consultant and author, hailed as the founder of modern management).

Customised for every audience, Mark’s programs specialise in marketing strategies for content marketing, digital marketing, social media, and personal branding. His clients range from successful start-ups to global brands such as Adidas, Johnson & Johnson, Dell, Pfizer, The U.S. Air Force, and the UK Government.

Mark is the author of six best-selling marketing books: KNOWN, Social Media Explained, Return on Influence, Born to Blog, The Content Code, and The Tao of Twitter – named the best-selling book on Twitter in the world. Return on Influence was named to the elite list of top academic titles of the year by the American Library Association, which declared it an “essential” and “pathfinding” book. The Content Code was named one of the top five marketing books of 2015 by INC. Magazine. Mark’s books are used as textbooks at more than 50 universities, have been translated into 12 languages, and can be found in more than 750 libraries worldwide.

He is the co-host of The Marketing Companion, one of the top 10 marketing podcasts on iTunes.

Mark is also a popular and entertaining commentator and has appeared on many national television shows and periodicals including the Wall Street Journal, Wired, The New York Times, CNN, National Public Radio, CNBC, the BBC and the CBS NEWS. He is a regular contributing columnist to The Harvard Business Review.

Recorded on: 23rd March 2021

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My guest is the first female film Director/Producer in the United Arab Emirates. She has written and directed both for film and television.

As a working professional, her accolades include being ranked among the Top 50 most powerful personalities in Arab Cinema, and 100 most powerful Arabs under 40 by Arabian Business Magazine. She’s been awarded the Visionary of the Year Award at the Arabian Business Awards and has been Brand Ambassador for Canon Middle East since 2011. She was recently received the Black Swan Award for Women Empowerment - Asia One 2019, and Businesswoman of the Year Award – in the Gulf Business Awards 2020.

Please welcome, film producer Nayla Al Khaja.

Bio

Nayla Al Khaja is the first female film Director/Producer in the United Arab Emirates and is CEO of Nayla Al Khaja Films (previously D-Seven Motion Pictures). In 2007 Nayla also founded The Scene Club, Dubai’s first film club, which now counts over 22,000 registered members. She has written and directed several films, all presented and awarded in international film festivals. She is currently developing her first feature film, Animal.

In 2006, she was awarded the title of Best Emirati Filmmaker during the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF). She then shot three short films: Once (2009), Malal (2010) and The Neighbor (2013). Malal received the Muhr Emirati Award at DIFF 2010 and The Neighbor was awarded Best Emirati Film at the 2014 Abu Dhabi Film Festival. In 2016, she shot the pilot of her first feature film, Animal, nominated for the Muhr Emirati Awards at DIFF 2016. The short film received the Jury’s Special Prize for Best Short Fiction at the Italian Movie Award in Pompeii, Italy, in September 2017.

Al Khaja’s accolades include being ranked among the Top 50 most powerful personalities in Arab Cinema, and 100 most powerful Arabs under 40 by Arabian Business Magazine. She’s also been awarded the Visionary of the Year Award at the Arabian Business Awards, and she is Brand Ambassador for Canon Middle East since 2011. She was recently declared Entrepreneur of the Year during the Gulf Business Awards 2017.

Her topics range from Women Empowerment in the Middle East to Women Entrepreneurs. She can also discuss how to combat fear and chase one’s dreams, based on her extraordinary true-life story being the first female filmmaker in the UAE. She has also tackled taboo topics, such as breaking down the Arab Woman stereotype and how to stand out in a male dominated industry.

Over the years, Al Khaja’s dedication to develop the UAE’s film industry and her advocacy for Women in Cinema, helped her reputation of trustworthy professional grow. Today, she keeps supporting and mentoring local talents, and is considered a reference in the Middle East.

Recorded on: 16th March 2021

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My guests today co-host a podcast called The Advanced Selling Podcast. 

They started this podcast 14 years ago and have over 800 episodes up — and boast a LinkedIn following of 12,000 group members.

They each have their own sales coaching practice and team up every week to deliver tips strategies and attitudes for today’s professional salesperson.

Please welcome Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale.

Bio

Bill Caskey

Bill Caskey is a sales development leader and experimenter who has been improving B2B sales teams and executives since 1990. His philosophies and strategies have fuelled explosive growth in sales and profits for his clients. Bill is passionate about sharing his ideas about selling, business life, money and meaning.

But his work expands beyond business-to-business and individual training and coaching. He is the author of Same Game New Rules, Rewire The Sales Mind, The Sales Playbook and Email It!

He also co-hosts with Bryan Neale, The Advanced Selling Podcast (iTunes), a weekly podcast counselling sales forces and leaders all over the globe, who seek to improve their business. The program is the top sales podcasts with downloads of over 150,000/ month with 7,500,000 downloads in 13 years. He also blogs extensively at www.billcaskey.com.

Bryan Neale Bio

Bryan Neale grew up in a small town on the border of Indiana and Kentucky (He speaks fluent hillbilly). He went to Indiana University (he co-founded the IU Dance Marathon in 1991- now one of the largest student-led fund raisers in the country).

He sold, managed people, trained people at one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies headquartered in Cincinnati, OH that sounds like “Shocked Her and Ramble” (but shall remain nameless). He won a refrigerator on The Price is Right in 1995.

He’s a self-taught pianist, drummer and guitarist and writes movies for fun. He owned a Harley when he was 25. He hosts The Advanced Selling Podcast with my friend Bill Caskey.

Bryan trains, coaches and advises salespeople, sales managers and CEOs on anything to do with the sales function in their company. He has a passion for keynote speaking.

Recorded on: 1st March 2021

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My guest is a leading macroeconomist and recognised as a top-100 financial-services influencer. He is a member of several international think tanks, with a wealth of policy experience working in the private sector and academia and advising market participants, fortune 100 corporations, policy makers and institutions. He worked at the Bank of England, in the Bank’s Markets and Financial Stability divisions and its Centre for Central Banking Studies. He co-founded the independent macro-financial and geo-political advisory firm, Rosa and Roubini Associates with the renowned economist Nouriel Roubini.

Please welcome my guest, Brunello Rosa.

BIO

Brunello Rosa is a leading macroeconomist, included in the list of the top-100 financial-services influencers in the world by Onalytica, with a wealth of policy experience working in the private sector and academia and advising market participants, fortune 100 corporations, policy makers and institutions. He is a member of the Chief Economists Advisory Board of the European Investment Bank and of the Advisory Board of the Ambassador of Italy to the UK. He travels extensively for business-related, academic and policy reasons in Europe, North America, and Asia.

He co-founded, together with the renowned economist Nouriel Roubini, Rosa & Roubini Associates, an independent macro-financial and geo-political advisory firm. He is also an active member of several leading think tanks, such as the Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs), the UK’s Institute of Directors, the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) and the Bretton Woods Committee. Brunello Rosa joined Nouriel Roubini coming from the Bank of England, where he had mainly worked in Markets, in the division that implements monetary policy and provides liquidity insurance. He also briefly served in the Bank’s Financial Stability area and its Centre for Central Banking Studies.

Brunello Rosa holds a number of academic positions. He is a Visiting Professor at the Department of Social and Political Sciences of Bocconi University (Italy), a Visiting Lecturer at the Department of International Politics and a Research fellow of the City Political Economy Research Centre at City, University of London. He is a Research Associate of the Systemic Risk Centre of the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he is a practitioner lecturer in finance for MSc students and in macroeconomics for professionals undertaking executive education. He is a Guest Speaker at the MSc in Central Banking and Financial Regulation co-organised by the Warwick University Business School and the Bank of England, within the module on Behavioural Finance.

He is author of several publications in leading periodicals and is regularly and widely quoted in the most relevant media outlets. He is often invited as a guest in tv and radio programs to comment the current geopolitical and macro-financial events.

Recorded on: 4th February 2021

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My guest this week is a pioneer in humour-based training. He has spoken at over 2500 main stage events from Texas to Tasmania. He is also the author of 4 books and markets his own line of stress buster products worldwide. He is a tears-in-your-eyes, laugh out loud speaker. He teaches people to be more resilient and resourceful and coaches businesses on how to enhance productivity and employee enthusiasm through the use of humour.

Please welcome to our virtual stage, from his intergalactic headquarters in Portland Oregon, Tim Gard.

Bio

Tim Gard, CSP, CPAE is a tears-in-your-eyes-laugh-out-loud speaker who teaches people to be more resilient and resourceful and coaches businesses on how to enhance productivity and employee enthusiasm.

Talented, innovative and memorable, Tim provides amazing take-home value delivered with his one-of-a-kind presentation style Tim "walks his talk" as a successful business owner himself for more than 20 years.

Before starting his business, he worked in the Sales Industry, as well as State and Federal Government in Human Services, as a fraud investigator and is a navy veteran. Recognised as a pioneer in humour-based training.

Tim is a certified speaking professional (CSP) & a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame, an elite honour held by fewer than 150 speakers worldwide.

The author or co-author of Just Plane Funny, My Policy Manual, Motivational Leaders, and Humour Me, Tim humorously delivers messages as universal as his audiences are diverse.

Recorded on: 14th December 2020

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My guest today is a fashion industry and retail expert having designed for Alexander McQueen, Mulberry, M&S and Topshop. Her high flying, high pressure career, of global travel, enormous responsibility, crazy deadlines, mixing with high profile people, appeared glamorous and successful on the outside. However, underneath she was crumbling. She maxed out and she burnt out.

Today she’s going to share her story of burnout and recovery and how she’s now helping businesses and people to excel without burnout.

Please welcome my guest, Marie Oakes.

Bio

Marie Oakes is a fashion industry and retail expert having designed for Alexander McQueen, Mulberry, and M&S. Her high flying, high pressure career, of global travel, enormous responsibility, crazy deadlines, mixing with high profile people, appeared glamorous and successful on the outside. However, underneath she was crumbling. She maxed out and burned out.

She went on a journey of self-recovery and learnt how to rewire her brain, regain control of her life and was able to reconnect with her true self. As part of that process, she undertook extensive research into resilience and positive psychology and developed her wellbeing, self-care and resilience toolkit which she now uses to help leaders and teams excel without burning out, and live and work in a more sustainable way.

Her resilience toolkit is brilliant in that it helps people to stop burn out from starting in the first place, and fully recover from it if the damage has already been done.

As an acclaimed wellbeing specialist, resiliency coach, and leadership burn out expert, Marie’s highly motivational, interactive talks and masterclasses deliver like no other. Human Sustainability is her speciality and drawing upon extensive research and personal experience, Marie arms you with life-changing tools empowering you to achieve and sustain the results you need to adopt change and flourish in all that you do.

Marie’s talks and masterclasses have been enjoyed and valued by senior leaders through to teams across different industries from fashion to government, to healthcare and retail. These companies and organisations have trusted Marie to inspire their people to achieve more: Hyve Group plc, NHS, and Hackney Council.

Recorded on: 25th February 2021

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My guest this week is a British household name, he took over his family’s jewellery business in 1984. By 1990 he had grown it from 130 stores to 2500. But everything changed overnight in 1991 when, during a speech for the Institute of Directors, he described a Ratner’s sherry decanter as ‘total crap’.

In December 2020, he published his latest book called Reinvent Yourself co-authored with Rob Moore. It shows you how to embrace change, take the unpopular path and become a business chameleon.

Voted as one of the top 10 best public speakers, Gerald Ratner will share his story and the rollercoaster ride that he experienced when he had nothing else to lose.

Bio

Gerald Ratner is best known as the former millionaire chief executive of the major British jewellery chain Ratners Jewellery, when he achieved notoriety after making a speech which caused the company’s bankruptcy.

Gerald Ratner based his philosophy of business on his experiences as a boy in Petticoat Lane Market. He observed that “the people who shouted the loudest and appeared to give the best offers sold the most”. On this basis he built up an extremely successful chain of jewellers during the 1980s, Ratners Jewellery, of which he was chief executive. The shops shocked the formerly staid jewellery industry by displaying fluorescent orange posters advertising cut price bargains, and by offering low price ranges.

Gerald Ratner took over the family jewellery chain in the mid 80s, becoming one of Britain’s best known businessmen. He transformed it from 130 stores with sales of £13m to a public company with 2,500 stores and sales of over £1.2bn. By 1990, Ratner’s was the world’s largest jewellery retailer with profits in excess of £120m.

Following a widely reported gaffe in which he compared his products to M&S prawn sandwiches, Gerald was forced to sell the business. Reduced to virtually nothing and shunned by banks and prospective employers, he eventually picked himself up and clawed his way back. The internet jewellery business is now the largest in the sector, perhaps presaging a return to the high street. Subsequently Ratner has set up new, much smaller businesses including a health club and an on-line jewellery store collaboration called Gerald Online.

After turning around his fortunes, Gerald talks with typical candour and a great deal of humour about the rollercoaster journey. He even raises a smile when he produces The Sun’s list of the ’50 biggest mistakes of all time’ – in which his is ranked top!

He now runs, the UK’s largest online jewellery business Gerald Online.

Recorded on: 28th January 2021

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Our sponsor, London Speaker Bureau, has been running a series of webinars over the past few months. These episodes are focussed on sharing advice, support and insights to businesses on how to navigate these troubling and uncertain times. We are lucky enough to have one of those episodes to share with you.

Dame Carolyn Fairbairn recently stepped down as the first female Director General of the CBI - the Confederation of British Industry. She was invited to share her point of view on the future role and opportunities women have in the business world today. This insightful discussion also covers topics such as inclusion in the workplace, digital transformation and international trade. The discussion is hosted by Producer, Presenter and Interviewer Roy Sheppard.

Carolyn Fairbairn Bio

As the first female Director-General of the CBI (2015 – 2020), Carolyn Fairbairn has incredible appreciation for the role of women in global business. With her outstanding academic achievements including a BA in Economics from Cambridge University, an MA in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA with distinction from INSEAD, she shares with us a wealth of knowledge and her own personal experiences from the boardroom. As a partner in McKinsey’s media practice and Director of Strategy at the BBC, she speaks to us about the role of leadership and how we can develop that to adapt to our current climate, whether that be gender, diversity or inclusion. International Women’s Day is something she cares about deeply and helps us to see how we can pave the way for women today, as she has done.

Roy Sheppard Bio

Roy Sheppard is a specialist conference moderator, relationships speaker and the author of six books. He has vast experience chairing complex, highly confidential and unscripted conference discussions and has moderated large-scale international conferences in almost every business sector. In 2011, Roy was called in to moderate the World Summit on bidding for future Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Previously, he had also moderated the global Olympics conferences in Lausanne, Rio de Janeiro and Beijing. Roy’s natural interview style brings energy and further insights as he engages with both his audience and speakers.

Recorded on: 19th January 2021

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After 10 years working as a nightclub promoter in New York City, my guest made a decision to change everything about his life. He left America to volunteer on a hospital ship off the coast of Liberia, West Africa, and returned two years later to start charity: water, a non-profit organisation whose mission is to solve the global water crisis. In the 14 years since, charity: water has raised nearly $500 million and brought clean & safe drinking water to 11 million people in 29 countries around the world.

Please welcome my guest, Scott Harrison.

Bio

Scott Harrison spent almost 10 years as a nightclub promoter in New York City before leaving to volunteer on a hospital ship off the coast of Liberia, West Africa as a volunteer photojournalist.

Returning home to New York City two years later, he founded the non-profit organisation charity: water in 2006. Turning his full attention to the global water crisis and the world’s 785 million people without clean water to drink, he created public installations and innovative online fundraising platforms to spread international awareness of the issue.

In 13 years, with the help of more than 1 million donors worldwide, charity: water has raised $450 million and funded 51,400 water projects in 28 countries. When completed, those projects will provide over 11 million people with clean, safe drinking water.

Scott has been recognised on Fortune magazine’s list of 40 Under 40, Forbes’ Impact 30, and Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business, where he earned the #10 spot. He is currently a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and author of the New York Times Bestselling book Thirst.

Recorded on: 12th January 2021

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My guest this week has been recognised world-over for five decades as one of the world's most influential lifestyle experts, predicting and creating societal, business and consumer trends; initiating and promoting major events such as London Fashion Week and Green Consumer Week as well as advising major corporations including McDonalds, Tesco, HSBC and Next on women's engagement.

She is the creator of B.Hive, the world's first women's business club in partnership with Regus; was Chair of Viva women's radio and put on the UK's first women's festival, What Women Want and founded SEED, the women's leadership platform based on her global best-seller, The SEED Handbook, the feminine way to do business. As well as having written several women’s leadership books she also ran her successful US-based new marketing agency, Globalfusion, in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

In 2018, she received an OBE for her contribution to business, fashion and women’s empowerment.

Please welcome my guest, social scientist Lynne Franks.

Bio

Throughout Lynne’s long and successful career, she has influenced awareness of many societal shifts and trends both in the UK and internationally.

She positioned the UK as a world fashion leader by initiating London Fashion Week and the British Fashion Awards.

Her wide breadth of influence in the business world includes developing McDonald’s UK women’s leadership network; working with Tesco on engaging their women customers through media partnerships; launching high fashion home shopping with NEXT and motivating the public towards responsible consumerism when advocating John Elkington’s trailblazing Green Consumer Week.

Lynne also initiated a wide diversity of awareness campaigns for social causes including the creation of Fashion Cares, taken over by Mac Cosmetics to become the world’s biggest fundraiser for HIV/Aids, working with Amnesty International on global awareness of human rights through music and collaborating with Bob Geldof and Harvey Goldsmith on the production of Fashion Aid at the Albert Hall.

She was a major UK advocate on the global situation regarding sexual violence to women and girls, working with her friend Eve Ensler to bring attention to women being used as weapons of war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Lynne Franks chaired Viva, the UK’s first women’s radio station after selling her eponymous PR agency in the early 90’s and put-on What Women Want, the major festival at the South Bank in ’95, stimulating dialogue on the situation of women in the UK and beyond. Lynne then attended the UN’s 4th largest women’s conference, held in summer ’95 in Beijing, where she worked as a radio journalist sending home the voices and issues of women worldwide.

While living in California, she founded and ran the new marketing agency GlobalFusion, representing many consumer brands and retailers across the US from her offices in LA and San Francisco.

Her books and workshops, including The SEED Handbook, published worldwide in 2000, pioneered a more feminine approach to business, combined with personal empowerment, inspiring thousands of women to join a movement of sustainable economic independence. Since establishing the SEED (Sustainable Enterprise and Empowerment Dynamics) women’s empowerment platform and body of learning materials, she has championed women’s leadership from post-war Bosnia, to rural South African villages and for women in prisons to women in the corporate boardroom.

Lynne continues her journey, consulting, writing and speaking on societal shifts, women’s empowerment and a more sustainable, peaceful world for all.

She has relocated to Somerset, where she has created the SEED Hub and SEED Eco-Store, developed her Power of Seven women’s leadership workshops and launched her on-line women’s leadership community, The SEED Hub Club.

Lynne Franks was awarded an OBE for her services to business, fashion and women’s empowerment from the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in 2018.

Recorded on: 7th January 2021

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My guest is the world’s leading educator and motivator for uplifting customer service and Uplifting Service cultures. He helps leaders, teams, and organisations learn how to serve better, care more, and generate new value in the world.

He is author of the book, Uplifting Service, and fourteen other books on service, business and inspiration. For three years in a row, GlobalGurus has rated him the #1 Customer Service Guru in the World.

He is a man on a mission – to uplift the spirit and quality of service and care everywhere in the world – including with us here today, please welcome Ron Kaufman.

Bio

Ron Kaufman is the world’s leading educator and motivational speaker for uplifting customer service and uplifting service cultures.

He is author of the book, Uplifting Service, and fourteen other books on service, business and inspiration. Ron is rated one of the world’s top twenty-five “Hot Speakers” by Speaker Magazine for his high energy and high content presentations. Ron is a man on a mission – to uplift the quality and spirit of service everywhere in the world.

For over two decades UP! Your Service Founder and Chairman Ron Kaufman has helped companies on every continent build a culture of uplifting service that delivers real business results year after year. Making transformation his mission, Ron is one of the world’s most sought-after educators, consultants, thought-leaders and customer service speakers on the topic of achieving superior service.

Any business can say the customer is king, and many spend a lot of time and money on incremental service improvement. But Ron understands the only reliable way for a company to achieve and maintain a competitive edge is to build a culture that empowers every employee to surprise and delight customers and colleagues every day with truly uplifting service.

Ron works with a successful clientele of government agencies and multinational corporations including Singapore Airlines, Xerox, Nokia Siemens Networks, Marina Bay Sands and Wipro. He delivers powerful insights and global best practices enabling organisations to gain a sustainable advantage through service.

Ron’s methodology includes a set of proven service principles, leadership rules, culture-building blocks and implementation roadmaps that apply effectively across all industries and cultures. This methodology is easily customised to suit the unique needs of each organisation, including all departments and team members from leadership to frontline. His unique approaches to learning and leadership have been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.

Ron is a regular columnist at Bloomberg Businessweek. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Uplifting Service and 14 other books on service, business and inspiration.

Recorded on: 17th December 2020

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My guest this week has a global reputation for his leading edge thinking about how companies can out-perform in today's highly dynamic and complex business system. He has been a Visiting Distinguished Professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan where he formed a powerful partnership with the late, great, CK Prahalad. He is widely acknowledged as one of the world's leading authorities on "competitive disruption" and "game changing strategy".

Please welcome my guest this week, Gordon Hewitt.

Bio

Dr Gordon Hewitt is one of the world’s top business school professors, with a truly global reputation for his leading edge thinking about how companies can out-perform in today’s highly dynamic and complex business system. He has been a Visiting Distinguished Professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan where he formed a powerful partnership with the late CK Prahalad. Gordon is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s leading authorities on “competitive disruption” and “game changing strategy”. In his native city of Glasgow, he was appointed Honorary Professor of Strategy at the Adam Smith Business School in the University of Glasgow.

As a consultant, he has extensive experience for over 25 years of working at CEO and Board level with many major corporations. He has been involved in business strategy advice and top leadership development programmes for corporations such as Pfizer, Time Warner, PwC, Zurich Financial, IBM, Sony, Honeywell, Shell, Verizon, Adobe, Diageo, Bosch, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Post/DHL, and Humana.

Gordon is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s leading authorities on competitive disruption, and the challenge facing business leaders of competing and creating value in dynamic, complex markets. Recently he chaired meetings of European and American CEOs and Board Directors to discuss the future of corporate strategy and corporate governance. In the last year he has been a keynote speaker on these topics at major business conferences in the USA, Europe, Singapore, Indonesia, and Brazil.

Born and educated in Glasgow, Gordon now works extensively throughout the USA, Asia and Europe. His principal home in still in Scotland, and he has been a member of the International Advisory Board of Scottish Enterprise. He also served as Chairman of Court, the Governing Board, at the University of Abertay Dundee from 2003 to 2010, and was a Global Business Adviser to Scotland’s First Minister.

Gordon was given the 2007 International Distinguished Faculty Award for Best Global Educator by the Institute of Management Studies whose members comprise leading academics and consultants worldwide. His many academic awards include the title of Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Glasgow, where he started his career. Gordon also holds the title of Distinguished Professor of Corporate Strategy at Duke Corporate Education.

Gordon Hewitt was awarded the title of CBE (Commander of the British Empire) for services to international business in the Queen’s 2007 New Year’s Honours List. He has also been elected to Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland’s national academy of science and letters. Gordon is a former Scottish international amateur golfer and supports charities for the theatre and journalism professions.

Recorded on: 15th December 2020

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My guest this week is a branded lifestyle portrait, virtual/live event photographer who collaborates with speakers, trainers, consultants and other expert-based business owners to create an emotional connection with their audiences through persuasive visual storytelling.

He is a photographer who thinks like a marketeer. He sets clients up for success beyond the photo sessions by educating them on how to best leverage their image content for every touchpoint across their online presence. A former television producer, he has over 20 years of production experience, and has been featured as a portrait photographer expert on several NBC Universal daytime shows. 

Please welcome my guest this week, John DeMato.

Bio

John DeMato is a branded lifestyle portrait, virtual/live event photographer who collaborates with speakers, trainers, consultants and other expert-based business owners to create an emotional connection with their audiences through persuasive visual storytelling.

John isn’t simply a photographer - he thinks like a marketer. He sets clients up for success beyond the photo sessions by educating them on how to best leverage their image content for every touchpoint across their online presence.

A former television producer, John has over 20 years of production experience, and has been featured as a portrait photographer expert on several NBC Universal daytime shows.

Recorded on: 26th January 2021

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My guest today is one of the few experts in inter-generational diversity. This is the emerging science and management skill of maximising the engagement, collaboration and productivity within and across the five distinctive generations in today’s workplace. She shares ways to adapt leadership and management styles to get the best out of people.

She provides usable insights and tools to increase collaboration and performance, whilst reducing attrition. And she busts some myths about the youngest talent in the workplace whilst providing practical ways to motivate and engage them.

Please welcome my guest, Henry Rose Lee.

Henry Rose Lee is one of very few inter-generational diversity experts helping organisations to improve the contribution and profitable performance of the youngest talent in the workplace today.

Author of three books on maximising today’s young talent, (Generation Z and Millennials), Henry busts myths and gives practical hacks for attracting, recruiting, engaging, and retaining your youngest employees.

Henry’s expertise comes from 15 years working in business development and sales, where performance and results were essential. This was followed by 17 years as a Human Resource qualified consultant and Master Coach, researching and developing diagnostic tools on human motivation, and generational attitudes and behaviours at work. This included a two-year stint at Pinewood Studios developing her talents as a voice over artist, and as a communications & learning specialist for business TV and online learning.

Henry’s global clients, from technology to housing, from pharma to finance and from manufacturing to retail, describe her entertaining yet pragmatic style as the perfect balance of information and inspiration. Her outcomes are immediately usable tools and techniques for getting the best out of the most diverse talent we have ever seen.

Any company today may have up to five generations: from The Silent Generation to Baby Boomers and from Generation X to Millennials and Gen Z.

Henry delivers keynotes, diagnostics, consulting, masterclasses, workshops and coaching to ensure diversity and inclusion across all employee age-groups. Her work enhances communications, increases collaboration and inspires employees of all ages to give of their best, whether working from home or remotely, or working in a bricks & mortar, or hybrid setting.

Whilst working at Pinewood Studios Henry once got told off by “Dracula” (Christopher Lee). She’s face-blind (prosopagnosia) but can tell if someone is lying just by listening to their voice or watching their body language.

Recorded on: 10th December 2020

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My guest this week is the founder of the Secret Salesforce programme. He believes that customer experience is the biggest differentiator over which you have total control and that the human touch can have massive positive impact. He works with leaders and teams primarily in technology and professional services companies to unleash and utilise their hidden resources.

He has worked with various organisations including IBM, Capita, and KPMG helping them to create great customer experience, turn difficult customers into loyal customers and to improve overall communications.

Today we’re going to focus on the customer experience and how you too can harness your resources into a Secret Salesforce. Please welcome Steve Catchick.

Bio

Steve Catchick is the founder of The Secret Salesforce Programme and equips businesses to develop a Secret Salesforce of Brand Ambassadors in order to drive engagement, reduce churn and win more business.

He has been at the front line of customer service for over 25 years, mostly with technology companies. His award- winning customer service programme at IBM, contributed to a substantial increase in sales, customer satisfaction scores and a record high employee morale.

Member of the Professional Speaking Association, Steve shows managers and leaders how to convert and sustain their teams as Brand Ambassadors, whether that service is delivered to customers virtually or face to face.

Every interaction is a moment of truth which creates a positive or negative emotional customer experience. The quality and greatest impact of that experience is largely determined by the people delivering it, the human interaction.

As consumers we all know that often it only takes one bad experience to cause us to switch brands. Selling is not just the preserve of the Sales Team. Everyone in an organisation is in some way, in sales, in service and in leadership. The Secret Salesforce help develop loyalty, retention and attract new customers

Steve is a military veteran, having served 11 years in HM Forces. Fun, friendly and engaging, when he’s not working, he can be found listening or dancing to Rock’n’Roll and Swing bands. In 2004 he took a gap year to backpack alone through SE Asia, and his catchphrase is “Gap years are far too good for kids.”

Recorded on: 26th November 2020

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Businesses are rising and falling faster than ever before, and crisis is the new normal. For over 25 years, my guest today has equipped many thousands of people and many leading brands to tap their full creative and psychological powers in response to challenges, crises and threats. Personally, she has turned a six month ’terminal’ cancer prognosis into the most creative six years of her life (so far) by finding solutions she was told did not exist and becoming a Sunday Times bestselling author of three crisis-resolving books.

Please welcome author and activist Sophie Sabbage.

Bio

Businesses are rising and falling faster than ever before, and crisis is the new normal. Sophie Sabbage is a Sunday Times bestselling author who has worked in the fields of human psychology and corporate change for nearly thirty years. She has equipped hundreds of thousands of individuals as well as leading brands to unlock opportunities for growth that they didn’t think possible.

Personally, she has turned a six month ‘terminal’ cancer prognosis into the most creative six years of her life (so far) by finding solutions she was told did not exist. This put her on a global stage as an authority on how to tap inner powers and life-saving creativity in response to challenges, crises and threats. She is now focused on helping leaders and change agents explode their difference-making powers by learning one thing that radically improves the quality of many things when we know how to activate it.

Sunday Times bestselling author of The Cancer Whisperer (which has revolutionised the cancer community), Lifeshocks and Awakenings in the Time of Coronavirus. The Cancer Whisperer, which placed Sophie on a global stage as a virtuoso on how to thrive in adversity. She has since made numerous media appearances, become an internationally recognised author, created a new narrative about cancer and built a speaking business. She has also been to the north and south poles of her humanity in order to stay alive.

Winner of the Gold Award for Business Culture Change in 2008. Winner of the 2019 and 2020 Global Lung Cancer Alliance awards for Excellence in Journalism. Winner of the Nautilus Gold Award for Personal Growth Books in 2018. Winner of the International Speaker Slam 2020.

B.C. (before cancer) Sophie ran a leadership and culture change business consultancy, which delivered practical psychological tools back when this was still at the cutting edge of business practices and considered quite weird. Her mentor and business partner, Dr. K Bradford Brown, was a direct student of the Auschwitz survivor, Viktor Frankl, the founder of humanistic psychology, Carl Rogers, and the British philosopher, Alan Watts. She stands on the shoulders of giants in this field.

Sophie Sabbage has also been delivering life-changing courses for a global educational charity since 1994. She is a multi-award-winning talent – among them Best Culture Change Programme, Excellence in Journalism and the prestigious Gold Nautilus Book award. Her academic background is in English literature, psychology and organisational change. She brings all this experience to her speaking clients. Her audiences leave wiser and braver than when they arrived.

Eloquent, discerning and boldly truthful, Sophie touches hearts, challenges minds and delivers deep shifts in remarkably short periods of time. She is gifted at reading people, cultures and the roots of issues. Soulful, feisty and highly creative, she also has a reputation for expressing what other people experience but are unable or too afraid to say.

Recorded on: 5th November 2020

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My guest this week is as adept at captivating an audience of thousands as he is at quietly amazing and amusing an intimate gathering of close friends. His impressive skill and charming good humour make him an extremely memorable, engaging, diverse and popular performer. He has entertained internationally and appeared on numerous prestigious television programmes including Penn and Teller: Fool Us, and he did fool them.

Please welcome my guest, a Man You Can’t Keep Out of Your Mind - Graham Jolley.

Bio

Graham Jolley is one of the UK’s most talented and versatile magical performers, entertaining audiences with his unique style and amazing mind reading capabilities. Having performed at a huge number of corporate events, private dinners, conferences and on national television, his most recent being The One Show, Graham’s act adapts perfectly to any environment.

A psychological entertainer, Graham is able to perform any number of astonishing feats, baffling and thrilling his audience in equal measure. His work has seen him perform for a large number of international organisations, as well as appearing on the high-profile ITV series ‘Penn and Teller Fool Us’, among many others, and successfully baffling both the audience and the judges.

Graham’s versatility has seen him perform in a wide array of settings, with both small and, in the case of his television work, national audiences. At corporate performances, the audience is frequently dazzled by the shows he produces and for him the art of illusion and psychological performance have been a life-long obsession.

With a career spanning more than thirty years, Graham’s dedication to the art of performance is truly impressive. His unique style has been continually honed and he has worked with both famous faces and high-profile business executives. His particular brand of wit completes his act and his audiences find themselves enthralled, amused and thoroughly bewildered.

Recorded on: 12th November 2020

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My guest this week is a former NHS Mental Health Lead and one of the country’s leading psychotherapists, with over 25 years’ experience in physical and mental health sectors. He is the author of The Sunday Times Best-selling book ‘Ten to Zen’. His second book ‘Ten Times Happier’ which was published in May 2020.

In his latest book he shares his unparalleled insight into what brings happiness and calm into people’s lives. His experiences have provided him with the necessary skills to analyse any mental, emotional or stress related issue with the utmost efficiency.

I am delighted to have with me today psychotherapist and best-selling author Owen O’Kane

Bio

Owen O’Kane is a psychotherapist and author of the globally acclaimed book, ‘Ten To Zen’, along with the follow up ‘Ten Times Happier’.

Owen grew up in Northern Ireland during ‘The Troubles,’ which was the perfect training ground for understanding the anxious mind due to the conflict and fear that existed in the region.

As a former palliative care nurse, Owen heard first-hand the biggest regrets people have on their death beds and as a result, learnt about the stresses and worries we shouldn’t hold onto. He has over 25 years’ experience in the mental health sector, is a former NHS Mental Health Clinical lead and now runs a successful private practice in London.

Owen’s experiences have provided him with the necessary skills to analyse any mental, emotional or stress related issue with the utmost efficiency. He believes that a great mind warrants unprecedented improvements for every aspect of daily working life. Listening to him speak will undoubtedly provide you with the tools to a happier, healthier mind and will support employees through times of crisis.

Owen is a regular contributor to press, news and tv, working with Good Morning Britain, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC News, Sky News, ITV News, Guardian, Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Sun, MailOnline, BBC Radio London, GQ, Big Issue and Evening Standard, to name just a few.

Recorded on: 15th October 2020

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With me today I have a comedian, business leader, writer and entrepreneur. She has held senior management positions at some of the biggest media companies in the world, including 10-years as Senior Vice President at the US studio giant Viacom, where she oversaw a multi-million-dollar budget for brands including Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount.

While working for Comedy Central, on the road with the late, great Joan Rivers, she was nudged into the sphere of performance.

On top of all this she holds a Masters in Neuro Linguistic Programming and has worked for many years, alongside her not inconsiderable day jobs, as a sought-after Executive Coach to the great and the good in industry, public life and politics.

Please welcome comedian, writer and businesswoman Cally Beaton.

Bio

Cally Beaton is a comedian, writer, speaker and business mentor. Of the rising stars on the circuit today, few can boast the journey into comedy that Cally Beaton can.

Cally is a natural storyteller full of intelligent, distinctive and punchline-rich material and her star is fast on the rise. She has held senior management positions at some of the biggest media companies in the world including MTV, UKTV and Viacom. Early in her career she headed an independent television production company that was bought by ITV’s Carlton Television (where a certain David Cameron was on the board). She left to set up a successful creative consultancy company and went on to do a 10-year stint as Senior Vice President at the US studio giant Viacom. There, Cally oversaw a multi-million-dollar budget for channels including Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount; if you want someone to blame for bringing South Park and SpongeBob SquarePants to the world, you need look no further. She has a Masters in Neuro Linguistic Programming and has worked for many years, alongside her not inconsiderable day jobs, as a sought-after Executive Coach to the great and the good in industry, public life and politics.

It was while working for Comedy Central, on the road with the late, great Joan Rivers, that Cally was nudged into the sphere of performance. Acting as an unofficial business event warm-up for Ms. Rivers, it was she who told Cally she had what it took to be a stand-up and so, as a 45-year-old single parent, Cally first took to the stage. She quickly cemented her position as one of the most exciting and distinctive new stand-ups in the country, with her unflinching, acerbic and intelligent brand of comedy. She has appeared on BBC2’s QI multiple times and as a guest on Radio 4’s Museum of Curiosity, as well as BBC Radio 6 Music and as a regular contributor on BBC London. In 2019 Cally has appeared as an expert on BBC2’s The Apprentice You’re Fired, as well as a panelist on Radio 4’s The Unbelievable Truth with David Mitchell and BBC’s The Blame Game. Cally also writes for The Guardian.

Her first foray to The Edinburgh Fringe in 2016 was a big success. Her show ‘Cat Call’, a double header with Catherine Bohart, received a Malcolm Hardee Award. She then followed up with her debut solo hour in 2017, ‘Super Cally Fragile Lipstick’. The show was a sell-out hit, receiving multiple 4**** reviews, national press coverage and picked as Best of Edinburgh Fringe by The Arts Desk. Cally built on this success with her hit Edinburgh 2019 show – ‘Invisible’ at The Assembly Rooms, which enjoyed numerous accolades and sell-out rooms. After multiple Finalist credits in competitions in the UK and the US, Cally went on to win the prestigious 2018 Piccadilly Comedy Club New Act of the Year competition, after being tipped as one of the comedians to watch for 2017 by Chortle.

Drawing on her vast experience, eclectic life and unique wit, she is able to strike the perfect balance of smart, insightful, and entertaining. She is a gifted host and MC, with a natural ability to work a room, and gives sharp, inspirational and thought-provoking keynote and after-dinner speeches. Cally has a hard-won skill set few comedians can boast and has worked with – to name a few – Deutsche Bank, Sony Pictures, IMG, Endemol, Channel 4, Hat Trick, ScreenSkills, Women in Film & Television, UCL. PWC, Aviva, Sky Television, L’Oreal, Lloyds, Wella, Capgemini and Disneyland.

Recorded on: 29th October 2020

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My guest today has a staggering 11 World and European Championship medals, she’s a 2 times Olympian, an MBE, an Executive Coach and an Entrepreneur. She is a woman who persevered and succeeded despite the odds, who achieved when others said she couldn’t. When she talks to us today about overcoming adversity, leadership and high performance, she’s doing it from personal experience.

She draws on the lessons she has learnt along her journey as an Olympian, world champion and expert in the field of resilience and leadership and is on a mission to infuse the business world with the secrets of sporting success.

Please welcome my guest this week – Marathon Kayaker Anna Hemmings MBE

Bio

Anna Hemmings is Britain’s most successful female marathon kayaker with a staggering eleven World and European Championship medals, 9 of them gold. By the age of 24 she had been World Champion 3 times and competed at the Olympic Games. In 2010 she was awarded an MBE for her services to sport.

Anna achieved this success against all the odds. She was told by the British head coach that she was not big enough or strong enough to be a great kayaker. She proved him wrong. At the peak of her career, Anna was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and was told by medical experts she might never race again. She battled her way to full recovery and went on to win a further 3 world titles and compete at her second Olympic Games in Beijing 2008. Anna has become an expert in the field of resilience and high performance. She is now an Executive coach and founded Beyond the Barriers high performance training consultancy and works globally with leaders and teams giving them practical tools and strategies to enable them to thrive under pressure, build resilience, be mentally tough in challenging environments and deliver world class performance.

Anna’s unique combination of experience in elite sport combined with 12 years leading a successful business and working alongside senior leaders, gives her a broad understanding of the challenges that leaders and teams face and how to overcome them to deliver outstanding results. Whether its building confidence, engaging teams or developing resilient leaders, she is passionate about helping others succeed at the highest level. Her most popular speeches are: ‘Staying Ahead of the Game – the Resilient Leader’s toolkit’, ‘Winning against all odds’ and ‘Getting the Competitive Edge’.

Anna’s speeches and masterclasses have been enjoyed and valued by senior leaders through to middle managers across different industries from banking and telecoms, to healthcare and retail. These global brands have trusted Anna to inspire their people to achieve more: IBM, Unilever, Vodafone, Balfour Beatty, UCB Pharmaceuticals, British Airways, Deloitte LLP, RBS and many more.

Key insights from Anna’s engaging and thought-provoking speeches are brought to life through entertaining anecdotes from her journey in sport and business. She has a proven track record as an accomplished, inspiring and humble speaker. She makes sure that she has a clear understanding of the audience, the company and their industry; ensuring that each presentation is relevant and designed specifically for the client.

Anna’s sporting achievements were recognised at the Sunday Times Sports Woman of the Year Awards, where she won the 2005 Champions Award and then again in 2007 when she was voted BBC London Sports Personality of the Year.

Anna Hemmings will support you on your journey to high performance with speeches, masterclasses and 1:1 coaching.

Recorded on: 22nd October 2020

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My guest has spent over 30 years developing the ADAPTAGILITY high Performance methodology, a synthesis of Agility, Adaptability, Resilience and Balance.

His ADAPTAGILITY High Performance Framework, and Digital Diagnostic tool, provides a proven approach, and deep insights, to activating, and optimising, sustainable higher performance.

This helps organisations to achieve eXponential impact, amazing growth, and outstanding results, in the mega-waves of change, challenge, uncertainty and opportunity.

I’m going to ask him to share some of methodologies he is applying to create thriving revolutionary workplaces. Please welcome Tony Dovale.

Bio

Tony Dovale is founder and CEO of Life Masters. He’s the Business Soul Surgeon, and the #BulletProof Growth-Optimised Mindset Guy. Tony enables meaningful success with his #Mind-Grow-Tainment, and SWIFT Action with FIERCE Focus approach.

Tony helps people, teams, leaders, and companies, to win through wellness, and achieve exponential impacts and high-performance results in a human positive manner that supports People, Planet AND Profits.

Tony’s extensive human potential background equips him perfectly to help you build a consciously constructive workplace where well-being, happiness and high performance thrive.

He has inspired, audiences across the globe as he fuses real-life experiences, neuroscience, 45+ years of experience, and powerful stories together, to take you to the next-level of potential and possibility, in your life and business.

Tony is an expert in resilience, courageous growth-optimised, Mindsets, psychological capital development, and high-performance systems that puts #PeopleFirst in a digital, artificial intelligent, world, 4th industrial Revolution driven world.

He is a globally certified facilitator of the Science of Happiness@work(tm), the author of SOULSHIFT, SWIFT SUCCESS Mindset, & Riding the Razor.

Recorded on: 24th September 2020

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Our guest today is an import – he is an American living here in England!

Before coming here, he founded and scaled three software companies where he lived in California.

He has authored a number of best-selling leadership books, writes for entrepreneur.com, and advises companies like Microsoft, Salesforce, Stanford University, and PwC on leadership.

I’m really happy to welcome one of the tallest people I’ve ever met, Mr. R. Michael Anderson

Bio

Michael Anderson’s business successes include starting, growing, and selling three enterprise software companies, some of which landed on the Inc. 500|5000 list of Fastest Growing Companies and won Best Places to Work in San Diego, California.

Despite these achievements, for a time Michael felt unfulfilled; hard drugs, divorce, depression, and lawsuits brought him to a low point. A quest for change led him to earn his master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica.

Now he is devoted to teaching others the tools that transformed his own life, so that they too can achieve new levels of personal and business success.

He’s written two best-selling books, is a featured contributor in entrepreneur.com, has hosted a radio show, and been named Social Entrepreneur of the Year.

He has pioneered Elevated Leadership, a unique style of leadership focused on bringing out one’s natural, inner leader through personal growth while empowering others, all through living in service.

A powerful yet vulnerable and authentic speaker, attendees find him thought-provoking, inspirational, and unique. On stage he reveals all about his struggles, lessons, and victories though personal stories and reflections, all while lightening the mood with humour and energy.

Every time he steps on stage, his intention is to touch each attendee’s life in a positive way.

Michael Anderson has worked with a broad range of clients, including Uber, Microsoft, PWC, Salesforce.com, SAP, Stanford University, Vistage / TEC, Young Presidents Organisation (YPO), and Entrepreneurs Organisation (EO).

Recorded on: 17th September 2020

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Be sure to learn more about Michael’s new book:

Leading in the Next Normal: A Handbook for Managing Remote Teams, Mental Health, and Constant Change in a Chaotic World http://www.leadinginthenextnormal.com/

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As consumers we are becoming increasingly cynical about who we buy from, we want authenticity, meaningful connections and a great experience.

My guest this week is a business psychologist of global renown, currently a lecturer at University College London – he was the first person to establish the field of consumer psychology in the UK.

He uses psychology to work out what consumers want and to help companies build solutions that are long lasting and more absorbing.

Today I’m hoping he will help us to understand how people connect with brands and services and crucially why.

Please welcome consumer and business psychologist Dr. Dimitrios Tsivrikos

Bio

Dr Dimitrios Tsivrikos is a Consumer and Business Psychologist at University College London (UCL). His research, teaching and consultancy work specialises in Business, Consumer/Branding and Occupational Psychology with a specialist interest in the contribution of social identity and group membership to a range of organisational processes, such as leadership, communication, organisational change, advertising, and Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A).

Throughout his academic career he has held a number of international research fellowships, and has published widely on psychology and business oriented subjects, and articles in various periodicals and general interest journals. He is a leading commentator on consumer behaviour/psychology and a frequent guest on the BBC, as well as, acted as a scientific consultant in various periodicals such as Property Week, Esquire and The Guardian.

Recorded on: 27th August 2020

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My guest was a professional footballer for nearly 20 years playing for clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, Burnley and Norwich City, whilst gaining 40 Caps internationally for Northern Ireland. He made over 300 appearances and was a key member of 2 Championship winning teams and rose to the pinnacle of English football.

He is also a published Author and recently finished his studies which means he is the first person in history to play in the Premier League and qualify with a Masters in Sport Psychology.

My guest this week will share what you can learn from the most ruthless and competitive industry on the planet! Please welcome, Paul McVeigh.

Bio

Paul McVeigh is a Premier League football player and an expert in elite performance. Paul’s credibility comes from the unique combination of reaching the pinnacle of elite sport as well as being the first Premier League footballer to qualify with a Master’s degree in Psychology.

Paul McVeigh specialises in implementing the psychology required to elevate the performance of leaders and teams from the financial services’ industry. He has recently worked with PWC, Grant Thornton, Aviva, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Nat West, Cisco, Microsoft, and many more.

These lessons are even more applicable today in our remote and virtual workplaces in order to empower individuals to understand that our thinking unlocks the required behaviours that are necessary for elite performance.

Paul McVeigh shares his psychological framework from growing up in war-torn Belfast, Ireland alongside the strategies he implemented performing under the intense scrutiny of 75,000 fans across the world. He is also an established broadcaster on TV and radio with BBC, Sky Sports, BT Sport, and a published author.

The insights Paul shared as a Sports Psychologist for Premier League clubs have helped many players compete in, what is considered, the most prestigious and ruthless sports league in the world.

Recorded on: 4th September 2020

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My guest this week says that “If all the world’s a stage” the greatest role you ever get to play is yourself. She applies the principles of ‘Great Performance’ from her 25 years’ experience in the world of theatre to ‘Great Performance’ on the business stage. She connects leaders with the energy of inspiration that great performances give us - to feel more alive, more courageous, more optimistic and more galvanised. Using key principles from her book about performing greatly as yourself she ignites leaders to pull back the safety curtain of corporate conformity and step into the spotlight of their fullest authentic presence and unique voice. Her global clients describe her as a transformational energy conductor who offers an irresistible invitation to shine in every role they play.

I’m very much looking forward to chatting to International presence coach, speaker and bestselling author of Performing As YOU, Diana Theodores

Bio

Dr Diana Theodores is a Presence and Performance Specialist, high energy speaker and bestselling author who inspires leaders to step into their biggest selves. At the heart of her book, Performing As YOU and in her uniquely dynamic work with leaders worldwide, her message is that “If all the world’s a stage, the greatest role you ever get to play is yourself. Yet your fullest, boldest, authentic self is often left outside the door of your organisation.”

Applying her 25 years of experience from the theatre stage to the business stage, Diana connects leaders with the energy of inspiration that great performances ignite – to feel more alive, aligned and purposeful – and invites them into their own personal rehearsal room to step into the spotlight of their fullest leadership presence and visibility. Diana’s global clients, from Finance to Formula 1, Energy to Entertainment, Technology to Retail describe her as a transformational energy conductor who offers an irresistible invitation to shine in all the roles they play. The result is greater influence, engagement and fulfilment.

Diana serves on the faculties of the Cranfield School of Management, The Banff Centre and Mobius Executive Leadership. She’s published widely in New Business, Forbes, Business Life, We Are the City, The Smart Manager and many others and can be heard interviewed on radio, television and leadership podcasts.

A native New Yorker, residing in London, Diana is Director of Theatre 4 Business Ltd. and offers immersive live and online expertise for her clients, including speaking, performance coaching, and masterclasses.

Recorded on: 30th July 2020

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My guest this week began his career as a professional actor, before training as a director at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

He’s worked with some of the UK’s most well-known actors, appearing on the London stage, BBC period dramas and most famously played Virgil Tracy in the Hollywood film adaptation of Thunderbirds.

He now empowers businesses, sales teams and leaders to increase the impact of their communication and perform at their best under pressure. Drawing on his extensive experience on stage and screen, he shares the tools and techniques used by the world’s best actors to help his audience unlock their own star performances.

Please give a warm welcome to communication and leadership specialist Dominic Colenso.

Bio

By the time he was 26 Dominic Colenso had flown a spaceship, lost one million dollars and been fired by Simon Cowell. A former Hollywood actor, theatre director and teacher at the Royal Academy Of Dramatic Art, he now empowers businesses, sales teams and leaders to increase the impact of their communication and perform at their best under pressure. Drawing on his extensive experience on stage and screen, Dominic shares the secret tools and techniques used by the world’s best actors to help your audience unlock their own star performance.

An expert storyteller, he is especially known for his work with clients in the tech, finance and professional services sectors, helping detail focused, subject matter experts, find their voice and deliver compelling leadership and sales narratives.

Beginning his career as a professional actor, Dominic worked extensively on stage and screen before training as a director at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Performing in many of the UK’s leading theatres including The National Theatre and The Royal Court, he has appeared on film in everything from BBC period dramas to big budget action movies. He is best known for playing Virgil Tracy in the Hollywood adaptation of Thunderbirds with Bill Paxton and Sir Ben Kingsley.

For over 10 years Dominic has been using this experience to help businesses unlock the performance of their people. His work with leaders, managers and sales teams has transformed the way they show up both in person and in front of the camera. Drawing on the methodology in his bestselling book “IMPACT: How to be more confident, increase your influence and know what to say under pressure”, Dominic shares an actionable toolkit to help people excel in the spotlight.

Experienced in working with individuals at all levels of an organisation, from graduate new-joiners to the C-Suite, Dominic has spoken, coached and trained at blue chip companies on six continents.

If you’re looking for a speaker who can create the perfect mix of business relevant, entertaining, engaging content and practical, actionable takeaways Dominic Colenso delivers.

Recorded on: 4th September 2020

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My guest this week specialises in helping clients to harness the power of the virtual platform to grow their credibility, visibility and reputation.

Using his years of experience in broadcasting his mission is to encourage leaders to improve their credibility by throwing away many of their traditional communication methods and embrace this opportunity with visual technology to raise engagement across their organisations.

He says ‘It’s totally not complicated to motivate teams to make the new world of Zoom, Skype and Teams really interesting and effective. All it takes is some simple skills, proven techniques, and insider tips, which has impact and influence on an audience even though they are not in the same room."

My special guest today is the professional broadcaster, Jon Hammond.

Bio

Reputations, both organisational and personal are precious commodities, especially in times of pressure and stress. Jon Hammond has been preserving, enhancing and protecting the reputations of major organisations and leaders for over 30 years.

As a speaker he is a recognised specialist in impactful communication, whether it is face to face or, more recently the demand has been to show companies how to be most effective virtually.

As an Executive Coach he advises organisations on communication strategy and supports leaders to deliver really impactful messages.

As a (Live or Virtual) Conference or Event Host, Jon puts his many years of experience and professionalism into creating and event for you to be justifiably proud of.

More importantly, Jon is fun to work with!

He will captivate your team with stories from a lifetime of influencing audiences, both at conferences and events (his maximum live audience at present is 50,000 people!) or on Radio and TV, ensuring that whilst enjoyable, the key relevant messages have an impact and an outcome for your people.

As a ‘shy person in a noisy body’ Jon has had a somewhat unusual career.

His childhood ambition was to be an auctioneer, so he trained as a surveyor, however a passion and energy for travel and discovering new things led him to become a DJ across Europe. It was then a natural progression to move into broadcasting, initially, pioneering in commercial music radio and then for sixteen years with BBC Radio and Television.

During this time, Jon hosted a variety of programmes from hard news to light entertainment and interviewed a vast range of guests from Prime Ministers to Corporate Heads and International Celebrities to Sporting Stars. This experience has made him an in-demand host for ensuring conferences (live or virtual) are on time, have momentum and interest, and more importantly have a resilient outcome.

Success though has its downside and whilst he and his family still live in Yorkshire, England, until recently Jon spent much of his time travelling. Most of the time now is spent in his professional studio, speaking, hosting, and coaching teams around the world.

With a firm belief in ‘putting back’ he is a Deputy Lieutenant for West Yorkshire – England, Freeman of the UK Guild of Entrepreneurs, Vice-President of Northern Ballet Theatre, a Governor of York St John University, and uses his compering and auctioneering skills to raise large amounts for several charities.

Recorded on: 6th August 2020

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My guest this week is an expert in the field of conflict resolution, a trained mediator and facilitator. She is the Chair of the Board of Management of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is a former director and board member of the Civil Mediation Council of England and Wales.

She helps organisations in times of change, challenge and crisis to stay ahead of the curve in transforming conflict into collaboration saving the cost and time of formal disputes or litigation and damaged relationships and reputation.

Author of 2 popular books “How To Beat Bedlam In The Boardroom And Boredom In The Bedroom” and “The Authority Guide To Conflict Resolution”, she has spoken at the United Nations, The White House and the European Commission.

Please give a warm welcome to my guest this week, Corporate Peacemaker Jane Gunn.

Bio

Jane Gunn is an expert in the field of conflict resolution, a trained mediator and facilitator, known to her clients as “The Barefoot Mediator”. She is the Chair of the Board of Management of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and is a former director and board member of the Civil Mediation Council of England and Wales (CMC).

Author of 2 popular books “How To Beat Bedlam In The Boardroom And Boredom In The Bedroom” and “The Authority Guide To Conflict Resolution”, she has spoken at the United Nations, The White House and the European Commission.

As the world in which we live becomes increasingly focused on the global unrest created by the rise of a pandemic virus, racial inequality, terrorism, climate change, financial instability and more, people everywhere are dealing with both the external and internal sense of conflict, constant fear and uncertainty this is creating, Jane is asking:

What can we, as individuals, do to understand and transform this conflict?
Are we being woken up to a deeper meaning and message?
How do we find harmony and balance in a crazy world?

Jane Gunn helps people in all walks of life to become ReSolutionaries. Teaching them the basic skills of mediation, she enables people to deal with difference and diversity in ways that are non-adversarial, and solution focused.

Her mission is to create a tribe of barefoot mediators equipped to lead and inspire others in times of change, challenge and crisis. She has a powerful message supported by practical tools and techniques that applies to organizations of all sizes across all sectors.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for businesses right now. Critical decisions must be made each day as to how businesses are going to survive and thrive in the weeks and months ahead. And yet the ability for many leaders and managers to think and decide clearly may be challenged by;

Disagreements with colleagues
Tensions with family members
Internal conflict created by the times we are living in

Jane has worked with organisations large and small including Cable & Wireless, The NHS, BAA, Bacardi- Martini, McLaren Racing, The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, ACCA and many more

Jane’s skill is in getting people

Talking about what matters most – both to them and to their organisation
Motivated, energised and committed to what needs to happen next

Her approach is both interactive and fun.

Recorded on: 22nd July 2020

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My guest this week is also known as The Pitch Whisperer, and shares the lessons learned from his award-winning sales career at Conde Nast. Through his “Better Selling Through Storytelling,” sessions he shows companies’ sales teams how to become irresistible so they are magnetic to their ideal clients. He has a best-selling book by the same name and is also the host of “The Successful Pitch” podcast, which is heard in over 60 countries.

He has been interviewed by Larry King and appeared on TV as an expert on “How to Ask for What You Want And Get A Yes.”

Please welcome my guest this week all the way from Austin, USA with hopefully with his King Charles spaniel Pepe, my guest is, John Livesay.

Bio

John Livesay is a sales expert and keynote speaker on sales, marketing, negotiation and persuasion who helps salespeople become magnetic storytellers with the ability to make irresistible offers to their ideal clients.

John has captivated audiences in settings including Fortune 500 companies like Honeywell, Coca Cola and Anthem Insurance. He is also the author of Better Selling Through Storytelling: The Essential Roadmap to Becoming a Revenue Rockstar and is the host of “The Successful Pitch” podcast, which is heard in over 60 countries.

John Livesay has appeared on TV including being interviewed by Larry King as the expert on “How To Ask For What You Want And Get A Yes.” Audiences love him because they know he’s been in their shoes. During a 20-year career in media sales with Conde Nast, John worked across all 22 brands in their corporate division and was the recipient of salesperson of the year honours.

John currently lives in Los Angeles with his King Charles Spaniel who welcomes him home after he returns from his keynote talks, reminding him of the importance of belly rubs.

Recorded on: 30th July 2020

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My guest this week has been called a world authority on remote teams. She is an expert in Virtual and Hybrid Leadership and is the author of the best-selling book ‘Virtual Leadership: Practical Strategies for Getting the Best Out of Virtual Work and Virtual Teams’.

Her experience of virtual and hybrid teams began when 9/11 forced her to run a major programme virtually. More recently she set up her consultancy, Making Projects Work supporting leaders grappling with the challenges of our virtual and hybrid world, to enhance collaboration across dispersed teams.

My guest this week literally wrote the book on virtual, please welcome Doctor Penny Pullan.

Bio

Dr Penny Pullanis a thought leader in the field of virtual leadership, specialising in complex change projects involving virtual teams. She is a director of Making Projects Work.

She works with people in multinational organisations who are grappling with tricky projects: uncertain, with ambiguous requirements, stakeholders who need to be engaged and virtual teams dispersed around the world. When they work with Penny, clients notice that communication, collaboration, clarity, commitment, connection and confidence grow, and change doesn't seem quite as tricky as before!

Her clients include: Rolls Royce, UK Government, Skandia, PWC, Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca, Abbott Laboratories, Cummins, Capital One, National Grid, Open University, CAFOD, Save the Children and Christian Aid.

Penny is the author of several books including 'Virtual Leadership: Practical Strategies for Getting the Best out of Virtual Work and Virtual Teams' (Kogan Page, 2016).

She's bemused that her formerly niche topic of virtual leadership is suddenly something which makes sense to everyone, when people used to scratch their heads and wonder what on earth it was that she did!

Recorded on: 21st July 2020

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Even before this global disruption wreaked havoc on all our lives, my guest this week had been studying, writing and speaking on the topic of resiliency … a topic area that has fascinated her for decades.

Since 1980, she has helped organisations and individuals transform the life of their business and the business of their life through conversations that matter and connections that count. She believes that resiliency is a critical life skill and one that requires the energy of connections.

She has been selected to be part of the Thought Leaders Network, in the company of Sheryl Sandberg, Brene Brown and Marshall Goldsmith.

Please welcome Chief Energy Officer and founder of the consulting firm, McDargh Communications and The Resiliency Group. Eileen McDargh.

Bio

Eileen McDargh is energy without hype. A Connector who joins head and heart to create action. Instead of giving lectures Eileen teaches and tells stories. She speaks with humility and humour in place of pride and pretence.

Eileen McDargh is founder and CEO of the consulting firm, The Resiliency Group (a division of McDargh Communications). Organizations like Cisco, Novartis, Oracle, and Procter & Gamble hire her firm to teach them ways of building resilient leadership teams and workplaces.

Leadership Excellence magazine, which ranks top thought leaders in management and leadership, continually names Eileen to its top 50 Leadership list. Following a survey of 22,000 business professionals, the research firm, Global Gurus, named her to its list of the World’s Top 30 Leadership Professionals. Along with her work as an organisational resiliency consultant, Eileen speaks and writes about resiliency in business, in life, and in relationships.

As a platform speaker, she has given thousands of keynotes for organizations and associations in dozens of fields, including aerospace, education, finance, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, public agencies, real estate, retail, technology, utilities, and women’s leadership.

She is a member of the National Speakers Association (and has served on its Board of Directors), was awarded by Speakers Platform a Top 5 Speaker designation in Teamwork / Leadership two years in a row, was elected into the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame, and was given by her peers the Legend of the Platform Award.

As an author, Eileen has written seven books, includingThe Resilient Spirit: Heart Talk for Surviving in An Upside Down World and Work for a Living and Still be Free to Live! In 2008, the Independent Book Publishers Association awarded her book, Gifts from the Mountain: Simple Truth’s for Life’s Complexities, a Benjamin Franklin Gold Award. Her other books include My Get Up and Go… Got Up and Went, 40 Tips For Speaking Up, Speaking Out, And Being Heard and Talk Ain't Cheap... It's Priceless. Her latest is Burnout to Breakthrough: Building Resilience to Refuel, Recharge, and Reclaim What Matters. Her articles are found in thousands of publications both on-line and off-line.

Eileen is also a member of the University of Pennsylvania’s Sloan Work and Family Researcher Network, an organisation of interdisciplinary researchers and scholars studying work-life issues.

Before starting her own consultancy, Eileen was the Director of Communications for a national healthcare company, served as senior manager on a U.S. Navy installation project, and taught school in Nassau County, Florida, where she was elected “Educator of the Year.”

Recorded on: 21st July 2020

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My guest this week is a management thinker and a leader of the new world order. He is an award-winning entrepreneur, venture capitalist, best-selling author and a 2-time Emmy nominated media visionary. He has helped raise hundreds of millions in capital for start-up companies as well as taking a company to a 6 Billion market cap IPO.

Currently, he is the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Creative Labs, a joint venture with CAA (Creative Artists Agency in LA), the largest sports and entertainment agency in the world, often called “Hollywood’s Secret Society”. He oversees the building of new ventures for some of the most well-known celebrities and political leaders in the world.

Please welcome my guest, Leonard Brody.

Bio

Leonard Brody was called “a controversial leader of the new world order”. He is an award winning entrepreneur, venture capitalist, best-selling author and a 2-time Emmy nominated media visionary. He has helped in raising millions of dollars for start-up companies, been through one of the largest internet IPOs in history and has been involved in the building, financing and/or sale of five companies to date.

After selling his company in 2009, Leonard became the President of the Innovation and Digital Group for the Anschutz Company, one of the largest live sport and entertainment businesses in the world owning assets such as stadiums like the O2 Arena in London and Staples Center in LA; sports teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Galaxy and the Los Angeles Kings, and today, one of the premiere concert promotion businesses in the world seating hundreds of millions of people a year. He is also one of the proud owners of Coventry City Football Club in England.

Leonard also acts as principal in several venture capital funds throughout the world and is behind the financing and creation of 20-30 start-up companies a year.

A highly sought-after public speaker, Leonard has lectured at institutions such as Stanford, the G8 and the United Nations. His insight has been requested by companies such as The Financial Times, Warner Music, Dell, Visa and Pepsi, as well as, the governments of countries such as India, Israel, Ireland, Russia and South Africa. His work has been featured in such publications as Fortune, the Wall Street Journal, the BBC and the New York Times.

He is co-author of the best selling books, “Innovation Nation: Canadian Leadership from Jurassic Park to Java” and “Everything I Needed to Know About Business…I Learned from a
Canadian” both published by John Wiley and Sons. Currently, he is authoring a new book in partnership with Forbes Magazine, entitled, “The Great Re:Write” coming out in the next year.

Leonard holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from Queens University, a law degree from Osgoode Hall and is a graduate of the Private Equity Program at the Harvard Business
School.

Recorded on: 16th July 2020

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My guest this week is a broadcaster, honeybee farmer, award-winning author and Behaviour Expert.

He is known for his energy, humour and passion.

Growing up in the countryside, he discovered his love for nature and the environment early in life. In 2017, he moved to a small decommissioned farm, turning it into the world’s first certified Carbon Neutral honey farm, home to the native British honeybee.

He is a regular on television and radio, including his own show for ITV1. He works with businesses worldwide as a Behaviour Insight Advisor and has carved a reputation for delivering keynote presentations and workshops at conferences for some of the world’s most recognisable brands.

Please welcome Jez Rose.

Bio

Jez Rose is a broadcaster, honeybee farmer, award-winning writer and keynote speaker, known for his energy, humour and passion.

Growing up in the countryside, Jez Rose discovered his passion for nature and the environment early in life.

In 2017, he moved to a small decommissioned farm on the Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire border, turning it into a multi-award-winning, organic farm – and the world’s first certified Carbon Neutral honey farm, home to the native British honeybee.

It might be the moustache that you recognise but Jez is a regular on television and radio, including his own show for ITV1; guest presenting on QVC and when not in the studio with ITV’s James Martin’s Saturday Morning, can be seen traveling the country with BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen. He has been the public ambassador for national campaigns for the likes of LateRooms.com; Honest Organic and The Happy Egg Company.

Jez spent ten years working with businesses worldwide as a Behaviour Insight Advisor, carving a formidable reputation delivering keynote presentations and workshops at conferences for some of the world’s most recognisable brands. He has been invited to speak at the world-renowned TEDx conferences in both the UK and USA, which can be viewed online.

An award-winning writer, his books include Flip the Switch and two books written for children: Zooster McFlooster & the Very Big Sneeze and The Sock Thief. His articles and features have appeared in titles as diverse as The Daily Telegraph, CNN, Liz Earle Wellbeing and BBC Countryfile magazines.

A unique presenter and keynote speaker with the rare ability to genuinely inspire audiences, he’s been invited to speak in more than 14 countries and at TEDx events in both the UK and USA.

His message is a simple yet powerful one: ever since humans stepped foot onto soil, nature had important lessons for us, but for centuries we’ve ignored them. It’s resulted in disengaged leaders and workforces; cultures without passion – and an environment ignored. The overwhelmingly positive, scientifically evidenced impact of nature on human health, wellbeing and behaviour will surprise you; how simply it changes human behaviour will astonish.

Gavin has given over 2,000 paid talks to over 250,000 delegates, spoken all over the world and has appeared on US TV networks ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox on the Brian Tracy TV Show. He have judged the British Excellence in Sales and Marketing Awards (BESMA), keynoted three times at the prestigious National Sales Conference, is a TEDx speaker and a Fellow of the ISM.

Recorded on: 9th July 2020

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My guest this week has been obsessed with high performance for over twenty years. He’s been looking for answers to questions such as: What differentiates high performers from good performers? What helps one person to achieve great results when another is merely average? What skyrockets one team to be more motivated, more productive and make more sales when another wallows in mediocrity?

The answers to these questions inspired him to create his #IAM10 methodology for high performance and today I’m going to be asking him to share those answers and some insights and strategies that we can all use to be more, do more and have more. My guest is IAM10 creator Gavin Ingham.

Bio

What differentiates high performers from good performers? For the last two decades, this is the question that has driven Gavin Ingham to develop the #IAM10 high performance methodology for helping leaders to build high performing teams that fulfil their potential, improve motivation and focus, increase productivity, embrace change and grow sales.

Why can one person have it all and achieve nothing and another can achieve extraordinary results despite the most severe of challenges?

The surprising truth of #IAM10 is that there is little correlation between high performance and education, background, intelligence or career. Instead, high performance is directly related to persistent habits. This means that anyone can be a high performer and it can be taught.

High performers have three core traits…

Conviction. They believe in themselves, the value that they add and their journey irrespective of external people, events and circumstances.
Clarity. They are clear about who they want to be, what they need to do to succeed and what not to do.
Consistency. They do what they need to do irrespective of challenges and setbacks. As it turns out, chronic inconsistency is the enemy of high performance.

Gavin has worked with CEOs, leadership teams and high performers in companies like Jaguar, UBS, Microsoft and Spotify delivering talks, masterclasses and programmes. All of his sessions are highly interactive, engaging, humorous and full of proven strategies for high performance that can be used to achieve more right away.

Whilst inspirational and motivational, Gavin is a business speaker and tailors his messages to you, your audience and your business so that you get maximum engagement, measurable change and positive results.

Recorded on: 2nd July 2020

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My guest this week is a futurist and scenario thinker who featured the pandemic in 4 out of his 5 books. He is probably best known as a maker of highly provocative maps and data visualisations intended to stimulate deep debate. The Financial Times called these maps “Brave”, while Business Insider said they might “Blow your mind”.

He has worked with the Tech Foresight Practice at Imperial College London and is currently their Futurist-in-Residence at the Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication.

His next book, You are Not Busy, will examine our preoccupation with work and what might happen to our minds if we deleted some easy conveniences or occupied ourselves with a few things that were desirably difficult.

Please welcome best-selling author, futurist and scenario thinker Richard Watson

Bio

Richard Watson is a futurist speaker, author and scenario thinker who helps organisations to think further ahead, especially about emerging growth opportunities and risks. However, he is probably best known as a maker of highly provocative maps and data visualisations intended to stimulate deep debate. The Financial Times called these maps “Brave”, while Business Insider said they might “Blow your mind”.

He has worked with the Tech Foresight Practice at Imperial College London and is currently Futurist-in-Residence at the Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication at Imperial.

Richard is the author of five best-selling books, including Digital Vs. Human. His sixth book, You are Not Busy, will examine our preoccupation with work and what might happen to our minds if we deleted some easy conveniences or occupied ourselves with a few things that were desirably difficult.

Recorded on: 4th June 2020

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My guest today is an International Talent Development expert, Speaker and Author, who specialises in Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace.

Her programmes have won the ATD Gold Award for Excellence in Training, and, she has a Leadership programme listed as one of the top 5 Leadership Programmes in the world by HR.com. Currently she is a sought-after expert in leading and working in this new COVID reality.

But she has a shocking past, which I am going to ask her to share with us today. It’s a story that could be the plot to a Tarantino movie, one that she has only just recently begun sharing with the world.

Please welcome author and entrepreneur Susan Armstrong.

Bio

Inspiring, entertaining and educating, Susan Armstrong has been changing people’s lives for nearly 30 years, starting with her own. In the last 20+ years Susan has spoken in over 40 countries, developed and trained over 500 workshops and helped over 150,000 people around the world transform their personal and professional lives. Her clients include some of the largest companies in the world. She has designed global programs for such clients as Johnson & Johnson, Philip Morris International, GlaxoSmithKline, Philips, SABIC, and many other public and private sector clients. And, she has a secret…

Homelessness, addiction, and abuse at the hands of a notorious motorcycle gang are not what you would expect to find behind a successful Talent Development Expert, but they are the circumstances that taught Susan that we are responsible for creating our own reality. While your story might be different, the way you feel and the way you behave – all in the name of what you believe to be the truth – are the same.

In recovering from her self-destructive lifestyle, Susan quickly realised that what she had was a “thinking” problem. Everything she believed to be true about herself and how to get along in the world was wrong and she needed to re-wire her thought processes. She embarked on a mission to learn everything she could about how to effectively interact with the world around her. What she didn’t know is that she was developing her emotional intelligence – the secret weapon for success.

It is emotional intelligence that took Susan from the streets to the boardroom, and it is the “red-thread” running through all of Susan’s speaking and training: how to become an effective leader; how to increase your success in sales; how to navigate through change; how to develop resilience, or how to deliver a powerful presentation. Susan is teaching the basics of emotional intelligence. It is what has made her such an in-demand speaker and trainer. Not only are attendees learning the business skills they need, they are also learning some extremely important life skills at the same time.

Susan Armstrong inspires people to look past their own self-limiting beliefs and take action to achieve a level of professional success previously unattainable. Whether you are a leader, individual contributor, or entrepreneur, Susan is a powerful example of what is truly possible if we just set ourselves free of our own faulty thinking and beliefs.

Recorded on: 18th June 2020

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My guest this week is the former MD of Google’s $5Bn UK business. He spent the dot.com crash in Silicon Valley, the financial crisis leading Google UK, and the past 6 years building some of Europe's top fintech start-ups. He has learnt a lot about how to drive success and even more about how to fail.

While he was MD at Google, he came across pretotyping a novel approach to validating ideas for new products or services quickly, objectively and accurately, often by failing efficiently. And now he brings this thinking to all the start-ups he works with. And today he is going to share it with us.

Please give a warm Speaking Business welcome to digital innovator Dan Cobley.

Bio

Dan Cobley is an entrepreneur and investor in innovative tech startup businesses, focusing on financial services. He leads the FinTech portfolio for Blenheim Chalcot, a long-established London venture builder. Through this role he has co-founded a number of fast-growth fintech companies including; Salary Finance, Koodoo Mortgages, OpenWrks and ClearScore, and he is on the boards of Liberis, Modulr and Tully.

Beyond fintech he is an investor / advisor to a number of companies including Brompton Bicycle, Personal Boardroom, Onfido, Qubit, Fospha and Hive Learning.

Until late 2014, Dan Cobley spent over 8 years at Google. For the last three years he was Managing Director, UK & Ireland – the biggest market for Google outside the US and the most advanced major country in terms of e-commerce and online advertising spending. Dan was promoted to the UK MD role after five years in Google marketing, first as Marketing Director, UK, Ireland and Benelux and then as VP Marketing, EMEA.

Previously, Dan was VP of Brand and Marketing for Capital One Europe, Marketing Director for Ask Jeeves, and Marketing Director at Pepsi/Walkers.

Dan Cobley is a regular keynote speaker at conferences; speaking on the disruptive power of FinTech, technology, innovation, and Google’s unique approach to business. He is also an accomplished moderator, interviewer and after-dinner speaker. Dan has shared his thoughts on Physics and Marketing at the TED conference and with over 1.4 million people online. He was named as number 3 in Wired UK top 100 list 2012 and among the Maserati 100 Innovators of the Year in 2018. He appeared on BBC’s Tomorrow’s World as a technology commentator and helped Alan Sugar choose his 2014 Apprentice.

He has a first degree in physics from Oxford and a master’s in management from Cambridge. He is a trustee of the charity Technology Trust.

Recorded on: 27th May 2020

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My guest this week is an award-winning author and regarded as one an exciting new business thinker challenging leaders to own the future rather than be disrupted by it. His thinking has featured in The Economist, Forbes, Reuters, The Huffington Post, CNN, and Wired Magazine. He has been described as ‘an influential and outspoken expert on the future of leadership’ by Thinkers50, the global ranking company of the world’s top 50 management thinkers. His new book The 3D Leader is out in the summer of 2020.

Let’s give a big Speaking Business Podcast welcome to my guest this week - Terence Mauri.

Bio

Terence Mauri is a future trends and disruption expert who challenges leaders to innovate, adapt and thrive in the age of disruption.

He is an Inc. Magazine Writer, Entrepreneur Mentor in Residence (London Business School), Inc. Top 30 Future Trends expert and author of the global bestseller, the Leader’s Mindset: How to Win in the Age of Disruption described as a ‘game changer’ by MIT. Terence has been ranked by Thinkers50 as one of the top 30 management thinkers in the world. His thinking has been featured in Forbes, The Economist, Reuters, Thinkers50 and Wired.

Terence has first-hand experience of leading disruption as a former director at Saatchi & Saatchi and McKinsey where he led global transformation projects. Then one day a car lost control, mounted the curb and hit Terence. This terrible accident changed his life forever and has enabled him to build new strategies for one of the greatest challenge facing leaders today: transforming your business in the face of massive and yet hard to predict disruption.

Terence speaks around the world from Fortune 500 companies to fast growing start-ups and has been recognised as an Inc. Magazine Top 100 Leadership Speaker. 21st century innovation is a creative collision of different industries and disciplines, like talent and technology. His keynote talks are a survival guide for the future and will help you thrive in the age of disruption.

In 2019, Terence Mauri was nominated for a Thinkers50 Leadership Award in partnership with the National Centre for Leadership & Management.

Recorded on: 10th March 2020

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My guest this week is currently CEO of The Marketing Society, a global network of progressive leaders and former CEO of The Caffeine Partnership, a unique business consultancy which helps leaders to work with purpose and pace. She is an experienced business leader, entrepreneur and brand specialist. She is constantly curious about how to speed up success, she hates wasting time and believes impatience is usually a virtue.

She a passionate advocate of flexible working as the future of effective companies and regularly discusses innovative approaches to balance business and family life.

She is the author of the number one best seller in Change Management books Superfast: Lead at Speed.

Please welcome this week’s guest self-confessed acceleration addict Sophie Devonshire.

Bio

Sophie Devonshire is an experienced business leader, entrepreneur, brand specialist and author who has worked in and with multinational companies, successful start-ups and agencies.

Her highly creative and commercial approach comes from a career which began with classic management training at Procter & Gamble and then Coca-Cola. She later moved agency-side with Leo Burnett in the Middle East and Interbrand in London. She has personal experience of being a successful entrepreneur, setting up her own award-winning e-commerce business in the middle of the recession which she sold before running a luxury gifts business.

Sophie is currently CEO of The Marketing Society, a global network of progressive leaders. and is the former CEO of The Caffeine Partnership, a unique business consultancy which helps leaders to work with purpose and pace.

She is an experienced business leader, entrepreneur and brand specialist. An ‘acceleration addict’ she is constantly curious about how to speed up success. She hates wasting time and believes impatience is usually a virtue. She is an experienced keynote speaker, talking to organisations and at events regularly.

Sophie has worked and lived in London, Tallinn and Dubai as well as consulted for brands across the globe. She is also a commentator on the future of brands and in addition has won awards for innovative business set-ups which support a futuristic way of working. Sophie writes and speaks on the role brands play in successful business. She’s also a passionate advocate of flexible working as the future of effective companies (having won awards for her own business ‘sexi-flexi’ approach), and regularly discusses innovative approaches to balance business and family life.

Sophie is the author of Superfast: Lead at Speed published by John Murray Press, the #1 bestseller in Change Management books on Amazon which was shortlisted for Business Book of the Year.

Recorded on: 13th March 2020

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My guest this week is a Future-Ready Innovator. She has led transformation for Adobe, Autodesk, LiveNation as well as founding two Silicon Valley companies. Today she is building the Executive Growth Alliance, a global community of open curious and brave leaders collaborating to drive change in environment, transportation, health and consumer services.

She is here to share her journey to future-readiness and what it takes for leaders to succeed in today’s fast paced world of change. Please give a warm speaking business welcome to Jennifer Vessels.

Bio

As a Silicon Valley entrepreneur; leader of transformation for Adobe, Cisco, LiveNation; and Chief Innovator for Next Step, Jennifer Vessels is an acknowledged expert in understanding what really works to drive change, leverage digitalisation, avoid disruption and gain tangible returns on innovation. Her real – world examples and practical leadership, business growth and transformation techniques are proven to deliver increased productivity, speed up change, increase customer engagement and revenue growth.

Future-readiness, i.e. adaptability, openness to global perspectives, willingness to explore and collaboration are natural to Jennifer. Through her career in Technology Sales and Leadership with UB Networks and Tandberg, Jennifer built and led global teams consistently exceeding targets – across 3 continents in 6 years.

After launching Tandberg USA, Jennifer founded Next Step in Silicon Valley to maximise results for companies committed to growth. Her vision and practical approach were instrumental in Next Step’s leadership of global expansion of Google, Netflix, Palo Alto Networks and business transformation for Adobe, AutoDesk, Avinor, Goodwill, LiveNation.

As a natural connector, Jennifer knows the importance of human collaboration to address challenges, explore new ideas and drive success. In 2017, she established the Executive Growth Alliance (EGA), a worldwide community of Open, Curious Brave leaders who collaborate locally and globally to become future-ready. Using proven power of peers methodology, EGA members collaborate to co-create new solutions and share learning as they address common innovation challenges. The result is growth for the members and their organizations, while impacting global challenges in agriculture, environment, health, industry and mobility.

Jennifer is well-recognised as a high-impact speaker, conference moderator and workshop facilitator for Leadership Conferences, Corporate Events, Sales Meetings, Industry Association Meetings, Gartner Group Conferences, Vistage Events +. Her contributions to leadership and futurist blogs, publications, podcasts and LinkedIn demonstrate her commitment to global future-readiness, new leadership approaches, business transformation and team diversity.

If you want real results, learning and action, Jennifer is guaranteed to deliver.

Recorded on: 26th February 2020

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A rare opportunity to hear from the man behind the speaker bureau that the International New York Times called the only global Speaker Bureau.

Tom Kenyon-Slaney co-founded London Speaker Bureau 25 years ago and has grown it from one office in London to 25 offices around the world. Now with a turnover of almost US$40 million it is by far the largest speaker bureau outside of North America and by far the most globally networked.

Today he joins me to talk about what he is hearing from his offices around the world as we work though the pandemic and what he thinks about the future for speakers and speaker bureaus and how they can support businesses and leaders.

Please welcome London Speaker Bureau founder and chairman Tom Kenyon Slaney

Bio

Tom Kenyon-Slaney founded London Speaker Bureau in 1994, an international agency providing keynote speakers and boardroom advisors for corporations and governments around the world.

He was chairman of Save the Rhino from 2009 to 2013.

Tom is closely involved with several education and disaster relief organisations. He is the great grandson of William Kenyon-Slaney who scored the first international goal in association football on 8 March 1873 for England against Scotland.

In 1992, he walked solo across Spain, from La Coruna to Gibraltar, for Macmillan Cancer Support. In 1994, he walked from Mombasa, in Kenya to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, partly dressed as a rhinoceros for Save the Rhino.

Recorded on: 14th July 2020

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My speaker this week has been helping people for the last 16 years to believe in themselves and their potential. She has been through multiple transformations herself and knows what it takes to make deep rooted changes that stick, and to get through tough times and emerge stronger and wiser. She helps people to leave behind self-doubt, disempowering patterns and overwhelm in favour of new ways of thinking, feeling and acting that create confidence, wellbeing and success. Exactly what many of us will be needing right now.

Please welcome my guest this week Harriet Waley-Cohen

Please be aware that there are some swear words used in this recording.

Bio

Harriet Waley-Cohen has empowered thousands of people over the last 15 years to believe in themselves and their potential.

She has been through multiple transformations herself and knows what it takes to make deep rooted changes that stick, and to get through tough times and come out the other side stronger and wiser than ever. Harriet is 16 years in recovery from addictions, left an unhappy marriage and went on to thrive, shifted from a 10-year banking career into motherhood and entrepreneurship, lives with a permanent pain condition after being driven into on the motorway in 2016, and is a recent breast cancer survivor.

Harriet Waley-Cohen’s mission is to make sure people know their true value. She empowers her clients and audiences to leave behind self-doubt, disempowering patterns and overwhelm in favour of new ways of thinking, feeling and acting that create confidence, wellbeing and success. She is described by Vanessa Vallely OBE, MD of WeAreThe City as ‘a real superwoman who empowers others wherever she goes.’

Harriet’s style is authentic, engaging and interactive, leaving her audiences with practical tools and processes they can use right away for maximum impact and transformation. Her topics sit especially well under the diversity and inclusion framework: mental health & emotional wellbeing, empowering women, and confidence building.

Recorded on: 5th May 2020

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My guest this week is the Co-Founder of the public speaking training company - Speaker Express. He knows what it takes to build great stage presence and how to use speaking as a transformative business growth tool. He has used speaking to help build 3 successful businesses himself. He is passionate about stretching speakers to their full potential, enabling aspiring speakers and business owners to quickly get the results they are looking for in an authentic and empowering way. He is the author of 3 books including the best-selling Power to Succeed.

Please welcome, speaker coach, entrepreneur and best-selling author Elliot Kay.

NB: Since recording the title of Elliot's latest book has changed to 'Speaking Influence Sell' and will be released on 20th August 2020.

Bio

As Co-Founder of Speaker Express, Elliot not only knows what it takes to build great stage presence but is also a master at teaching business owners how to transform their messages into a powerful growth tool. Using his love of speaking to help build 3 successful businesses, Elliot has spent more than 6000 hours on stage, speaking to audiences across Europe, Africa, the US, and the Middle East.

With a passion for stretching speakers to their full potential, Elliot’s down-to-earth and charismatic approach enables aspiring speakers and business owners to quickly get the results they are looking for in an authentic and empowering way. Acting as a mentor and teacher, his success in helping hundreds of entrepreneurs use the stage to build heir business led to the creation of The Speakers’ Method, a proven formula to getting more growth and exposure exclusive to Speaker Express.

Elliot is also the author of 3 books including the best-selling Power to Succeed and is the founder of the Thriving Entrepreneur Conference. When he’s not on stage, mentoring speakers, or building his business empire, you can find Elliot spending time with his beautiful wife and daughter or training for his next half marathon.

Elliot provides great content that will educate and keep your audience entertained.

He has a passion for the entrepreneurial journey and has a way of weaving valuable business lessons and insights into stories to keep the audience engaged throughout the entire presentation.

Elliot makes time in his timetable to speak at Schools & Universities. Elliot’s inspiring keynotes come from his own hardships, dyslexic, being misunderstood, alcoholic father and living with my brother at the age of 17. Elliot gives advice on what tools and elements you need to succeed. How to truly be yourself as you grow through the years and get out in the real world. Elliot offer a number of different talks which I present to schools, colleges and universities. Elliot takes girls and boys on a story through his early school life from being a complete rebel and heading towards crime to achieving global award-winning success. Elliot hopes to inspire generations to build self-esteem, self-confidence and understand that strengths and flaws lie in us all. No one is prefect. Elliot wants to inspire the leaders of tomorrow today.

Recorded on: 17th February 2020

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My guest this week is a cognitive neuroscientist, specialising in the unconscious processing of emotion and behavioural change. She is also an experienced entrepreneur having owned 3 businesses.  

She works with senior leaders and their teams helping them to better understand the science of change and development and harness this power through heightened awareness of how their brain works.

She is founder of the Neuroscience Professional Development Programme designed to help professional people use applied neuroscience in their work.

Like her, her work is always informative, fun and extremely practical.

Please welcome my guest this week Dr. Lynda Shaw

Bio

Dr Lynda Shaw is a cognitive neuroscientist who holds a doctorate in cognitive neuroscience, specialising in unconscious processing of emotion and behavioural change.

She is a registered chartered psychologist, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, a Fellow of the Professional Speakers Association, holder of the prestigious Professional Speaker Association award for Excellence, a Forbes contributor as well as an entrepreneur and author of adult and children’s books.

She is founder of the Neuroscience Professional Development Programme designed to help professional people use applied neuroscience in their work.

Lynda works with senior leaders and their teams who want to better understand the science of change and development and harness this power through heightened awareness of how their brain works, limiting beliefs and how to take charge of one’s behaviour for the better in this fast changing world. Lynda’s work is always informative, fun and extremely practical.

Recorded on: 18th May 2020

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My guest this week works with Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs to help them to recognise the unique value they bring to the workplace and to lead with confidence and purpose.

Tapping into her experience as a Theatre Sister in Open Heart Surgery where team engagement and collaboration were paramount to life changing outcomes, she is quick to spot dysfunctions in leaders and teams and to address the issues that are blocking their collaboration, engagement and productivity.

She brings her 30+ years of experience working with hundreds of business leaders, entrepreneurs and teams, transforming, motivating and inspiring everyone she works with to greater productivity, engagement and ongoing success.

Today she is going to talk about why becoming more significant as a leader and indeed as a business is more important than ever.

Please welcome author, consultant and Executive coach Sylvia Baldock.

Bio

Sylvia Baldock enables Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs to recognise the unique value they bring to the workplace and to lead with confidence and purpose.

Tapping into her experience as a Theatre Sister in Open Heart Surgery where team engagement and collaboration were paramount to life changing outcomes, Sylvia is quick to spot dysfunctions in leaders and teams and to address the issues that are blocking their collaboration, engagement and productivity.

Sylvia brings her 30+ years of experience working with hundreds of business leaders, entrepreneurs and teams, transforming, motivating and inspiring everyone she works with to greater productivity, engagement and ongoing success.

Sylvia specialises in identifying your inherent strengths and challenges and working with you to ensure you are playing to those strengths 70-80% of your working time.

When you are utilising your natural skill set, you consistently deliver at a very high standard, you become increasingly creative in your specialist area and you solve problems like never before. You are recognised as a trusted ‘expert’ and the ‘go to’ person and in your field.

Sylvia also utilises impactful profiling to identify how to harness the real value each team member has to offer. This generates frank and open discussion and results in a collaborative culture where your people value their differences, tap into each other’s strengths and become more collaborative, motivated, productive and profitable.

Sylvia has extensive experience working with Business leaders, CEO groups, Senior Managers, Senior Women, Entrepreneurs, Charities and Social Enterprises, SMEs, CIMA, AAT and NHS supply teams.

Sylvia regularly MCs events as well as speaking and running workshops on various topics

She is high energy, very authentic and engaging and never fails to delight her audiences.

Recorded on: 12th May 2020

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In an increasingly chaotic and disruptive world of technology our guest today is one of 2019’s 100 Global Leaders and a Top 10 Global Internet of Things innovator. She doesn’t just predict the future she engineers it. She has positively impacted the lives of over 1/3 of the world’s population. 34 million citizens globally collaborate in her cutting-edge research. She is also appointed to the G20 as an expert advisor and has created a new plan for the Global Digital Economy please welcome web scientist and “cyberpreneur” Dr Jacqui Taylor.

Bio

Dr Jacqui Taylor one of 100 Global Leaders for 2019, as a top 10 Global Internet of Things innovator she doesn’t just predict the future she engineers it using cutting edge web science research. She will clarify and demystify the future for you and spotlight the mega trends inspiring you to align your organisation to profit from the Internet of Things.

As one of the original 250 Founders of the UK’s Tech City it became clear to her In December 2016 that the combination of the Internet of Things, which is changing our society globally and the decision of the UK to exit from the European Union required a new approach for businesses to survive the impact. She pivoted her company FlyingBinary to meet this challenge with spectacular results.

Jacqui is an international Web Scientist whose early career in aerospace engineering was abruptly halted on graduation when she was transferred to the Computer Services department to lay the foundation for the Software Engineering industry. She was headhunted at 24 to create the first distributed technology solution in the energy industry. She set up her first company at 26 and has been unemployable ever since. She is the only technologist to deploy technology across the whole of the UK’s health service and has architected transformational change at the Bank of England and across the European banking industry, twice.

Jacqui is known globally as the world’s first Smart City Tzar, smart cities are the future hubs of business in an IoT world. She is a Strategic Advisor to the UK Government on Smart Cities, Cities lead on Digital Built Britain and a Principal UK Expert lead for the British Standards Institute (BSI) international team for Smart Cities and Artificial Intelligence. She is one of 16 International Smart City experts advising the Chinese Government on their Smart City Programme and one of 4 experts advising the European Commission on improving outcomes for citizens in an IoT world.

As a Cyberpreneur she travels the world explaining how the technology she builds to defend Europe against terrorism can be used to make organisations, nations and continents CyberSmart. She explains how to build a community response to one of the largest threats we face globally today. At Davos she announced how the UK is partnering with nations to deploy this technology to defeat global corruption, overseen by the OECD.

As a UK Science Diplomat her work has underpinned a new future for 90 nations and has positively impacted over one third of the world’s population. This work is now a foundation for future trade UK relationships in a post Brexit world. As a co-founder of the data journalism industry she shares her recent web science research which connects 34 million citizens globally to unlock the secrets of building a future IoT workforce.

Recorded on: 23rd April 2020

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Drawing upon 20 years’ experience consulting on innovation pathways for billion-dollar blue chips, my guest this week provides road-tested insights on the technological and human innovations that will change the shape of business over the next five years.

As founder and CEO, she is the chief storyteller at GDR Creative Intelligence, a business futurist and strategy consultancy working with an impressive roster of brands - including Microsoft, P&G, The BBC, Tesco, Waitrose and Danone.

She fuses big picture context with carefully curated case studies from the world's leading technologists, designers, marketeers, architects and thought leaders to illustrate how new technologies and consumer behaviours will impact physical and digital commerce.

She says that “Innovation almost always starts with cross fertilisation.” “Looking outside of your sector and geography at non-competitors is far more likely to lead to greater disruptive breakthroughs than can be achieved by chasing your competitors.”

Please welcome my guest today, Business Futurist Kate Ancketill.

Bio:

Kate Ancketill is the driving force behind GDR Creative Intelligence, a globally recognised consultancy focused on innovation and emerging trends in retail, leisure and hospitality around the world. She has worked with an impressive roster of major global brands, including: Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Under Armour, LVMH, Lego, Tesco and P&G.

In eye-opening, informative and inspirational multi-media presentations, Kate shares insights on the technological, human and spatial innovations that will change the face of retail and hospitality over the next two to five years. She uses carefully selected case studies to illustrate how new technologies and consumer behaviours will impact physical and digital commerce globally; case studies discovered by GDR’s expert research team, or drawn from her global network – honed over 22 years – of leading engineers, programmers, designers, architects, marketers, scientists, academics and other specialist practitioners.

“Meaningful innovation often starts with inspiration from unexpected places,” says Kate Ancketill. “I love to show how taking a concept from one sector, tweaking it and applying it to another can lead to world-beating bottom line success.”

Kate works closely with clients when planning her presentation and each is bespoke. Kate’s presentations combine the inspirational with the practical. Her audiences take away concrete action points for future-proofing their business, a broad perspective on priorities for investment and a mind fizzing with cutting-edge, stimulating and challenging concepts and possibilities.

Recorded on: 14th May 2020

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At this time, it strikes me that we have an opportunity to look at our lives and our businesses in a new way and maybe get creative about what the future can bring. So, I thought it would be good to talk about creativity and get some techniques and advice from my guest this week, BAFTA award-winning comedy writer and creativity expert, Tim Reid.

Bio

Tim Reid is a multiple award-winning comedy writer, best known for co-creating and co-writing the BAFTA winning sitcom, CAR SHARE.

As well as winning the BAFTA for Best Scripted Comedy, CAR SHARE also won Best Original Programme at the Broadcast Awards, 2016; Most Popular Comedy Series at the National Television Awards, 2016; and Best TV Entertainment Programme at the Television and Radio Industries Club Awards.

In addition to being a successful comedy writer, Tim is a world class innovation expert, and he’s passionate about combining these two skills to help businesses become as creative as comedians. Tim has worked for some of the worlds most creative organisations, including global ad agencies, innovation consultancies and the BBC. He’s helped clients from beer brands to broadcasters, confectioners to condom makers reimagine the future and re-invent their businesses.

Tim is quite possibly unique in the world of advertising having worked in every discipline available in an ad agency. He started his career as an adman at J Walter Thompson as a Media Planner, before moving to McCann Erickson as an Account Director, then Strategic Planner, and finally as an award-winning Copywriter. Tim’s unwillingness to be boxed in by a job title or discipline reflects his approach to creativity, and his ethos in inspiring creative thinking in others.

From his unique position as both a successful innovation consultant and comedy writer, Tim has drawn together a practical guide to applying the trade secrets used by top creative professionals, comedians and writers.

During the process of writing, developing, and filming a major sitcom for BBC One, Tim learned first-hand how many of the same tools and techniques of creativity and idea generation are used by writers, comedians and commercial innovators alike.

As well as sharing these ‘trade secrets’ through his keynote speeches, Tim continues to coach companies in innovation and is currently working on new sitcom formats and screenplay scripts.

Tim is a master at keeping audiences actively engaged and positively energised. Whether it’s getting people on their feet and playfully interacting or switching on different parts of their brains through quick mental exercises, Tim can make sure your audience is alive, alert and full of energy throughout your event.

Recorded on: 1st May 2020

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At the time of recording we have just heard in the UK that British Airways will be making 12,000 people redundant. Oasis, Warehouse and Carluccio’s amongst other household names have gone into liquidation. Our country is in its second month of lockdown and many businesses find themselves unable to trade and are doing their best to just keep themselves afloat.

My guest this week is an expert in leading businesses through crisis so that they not only survive but grow. During his career he has founded start-ups, driven turnarounds and led major brands. He has built over 3 billion pounds of shareholder value. He’s led transformational growth at 14 companies and now acts as Chairman to a number of growing businesses. Let’s get some timely advice from this week’s business expert, Kevin Gaskell.

Bio

Kevin Gaskell is an extraordinary leader who led iconic brands Porsche, BMW and Lamborghini to unprecedented levels of success before creating global businesses from scratch. A corporate trailblazer, serial entrepreneur and world class team builder recognised as one of the most outstanding leaders of his generation.

As a CEO, chairman, founder and investor Kevin has enjoyed success in sectors including automotive, data, technology, manufacturing, brand marketing and professional services. He has repeatedly led teams to achieve extraordinary performance in companies ranging from 7 to 7,000 employees. He believes that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary results – and he has the experiences to prove it. Passionate about the development of leadership skills he is frequently sought to reinvigorate teams and companies. His firmly delivered belief it’s that success begins and ends with the people and the engagement and inspiration of every member of the organisation.

Over a number of years Kevin has set the business world alight with success after success. His fin tech business Traderoot Technology was nominated as e-commerce business of the year; Achilles won the Sunday Times award for the best private equity investment of the year; ITS Technology reached the final of the World Communication Awards; Market Research platform Delvv.io won the EMEA Innovation Award; he integrated 31 companies to create EurotaxGlass’s, the world’s largest automotive data company, and his landscape gardening business has just been recognised as APL Supreme Champion. He is a man who demonstrates that the principles of outstanding leadership are transferable across business sectors.

It was leading the turnaround of Porsche from close to bankruptcy to market leader that saw Kevin Gaskell, at the age of 32, recognised as one of the most capable leaders of his generation. He consolidated that recognition with 4 years as Managing Director of BMW (GB) during which he led the business to record growth and a 500% improvement in profitability.

Since his roles in the automotive sector he has led businesses to massive success in the digital, technology, data, brand marketing, market research, construction, retail, professional services and manufacturing sectors. Such flexibility and adaptability has confirmed his position as an extraordinary and inspirational leader.

A highly motivational and engaging speaker, he believes that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary results – and he has the experiences to prove it. He has led global corporations, start-ups, private equity portfolio companies and organisations large and small to create shareholder value in excess of $5billion. He has also found the time to walk to both the north and south poles and climb the world’s highest mountains to fund the construction of a cancer treatment unit. In January 2020, along with 4 team-mates, he set a new world record for the fastest ever Atlantic crossing by a 5 man rowing boat!

Using an energetic and inclusive style he shares the tools and techniques which have enabled his teams to deliver results which even they considered impossible – until they achieved them. His approach of ‘Inspired Leadership’ at every level in the organisation has been demonstrated to achieve extraordinary success again and again. As a leader who has led established businesses and founded technology startups which have grown to global scale he is able to demonstrate the competitive opportunities from both sides of the divide.

He shows that leadership is an adaptable and transferable skill and is a key enabler of successful teamwork in any situation. Drawing upon his experience and his ongoing leadership roles in growing companies Kevin shares practical lessons of how individuals in businesses from 7 to 7,000 employees can be inspired to create teamwork which transforms organisations and achieves world class performance.

Kevin Gaskell is a leader who has been there and done it, and then done it again, and again. His speeches provide the inspiration, and share the tools, which enable each member of the audience to return to their role energised and informed and ready to achieve something extraordinary.

And if the audience need an energiser they could always ask Kevin to play his guitar – in his spare time he plays in a rock band!

Recorded on: 29th April 2020

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My guest this week is coming back for a second visit, he is going to help us while we deal with the Coronavirus. He was Professor of Psychology at University College London for 26 years and is now Principal Psychologist at Stamford Associates, an asset management company

Like Noel Coward, he believes that work is more fun than fun and considers himself to be a well-adjusted workaholic. So today we are going to be talking about working from home, motivation, isolation, money worries and loneliness.

Bio

Adrian Furnham was Professor of Psychology at University College London from 1992 – 2018. He has lectured widely abroad and held scholarships and visiting professorships at, amongst others, the University of New South Wales, the University of the West Indies, the University of Hong Kong and the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He has also been a Visiting Professor of Management at Henley Management College, Adjunct Professor of Management at the Norwegian School of Management (2009) and Honorary Professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (2014). He was also previously a lecturer in Psychology at Pembroke College, Oxford.

Adrian Furnham was educated at the London School of Economics where he obtained a distinction in an MSc Econ., and at Oxford University where he completed a doctorate (D.Phil) in 1981. He has subsequently earned a D.Sc (1991) and D.Litt (1995) degree.

He consults to many organisations in various different sectors (particularly airlines, banks, civil service) and in many different countries (particularly continental Europe and Asia).

He has written over 1300 scientific papers and 85 books. He is on the editorial board of a number of international journals, as well as the past elected President of the International Society for the Study of Individual Differences. He is also a founder director of Applied Behavioural Research Associates (ABRA), a psychological consultancy established over 30 years ago.

Like Noel Coward, he believes work is more fun than fun and considers himself to be a well-adjusted workaholic. He rides a bicycle to work (as he has always done) very early in the morning and does not have a mobile phone. Adrian enjoys writing popular articles, travelling to exotic countries, consulting on real-life problems, arguing at dinner parties and going to the theatre.

Adrian is a serious academic who can explain important current ideas and concepts in a clear and understandable way. He is able to communicate his messages to audiences all over the world in an educational and very entertaining manner. Adrian is at ease speaking as a conference keynote or delivering a witty after-dinner business speech.

Recorded on: 16th April 2020

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My guest this week has been with us before but I’ve brought him back as at the time of recording this episode, we are going through a lockdown situation. We are trapped at home with our families and our loved ones and this man has experienced this for himself for a long period of time.

He is an entrepreneur and adventurer, he believes in challenging conventional thinking on how leaders and teams become truly effective and create extraordinary results.

His toughest challenge by far was building his family team to sail around the world: with his wife and three children aged 9, 7 and 2. Today he is going to share with us what he learned in those 2 years that can help us in our time of lock down.

My guest is Caspar Craven.

Bio

From entrepreneur, to corporate team management, to yachtsman, Caspar Craven has over 30 years’ experience in building teams to make things happen. After University, he spent 8 years in the corporate world – first as a Chartered Accountant and then as an Investment Banker at KPMG.

In 2000, Caspar left the corporate world for a brand new team and he signed up for the BT Global Challenge (called the World’s Toughest Yacht Race). He joined “Yacht Quadstone” as the youngest crew member onboard. After winning trophies around the world and building a team as Watch Captain, he returned to KPMG to run a Technology and Telecoms team. In 2001 he returned to entrepreneurial life as an e-commerce entrepreneur.

His toughest team challenge by far was in 2009 when he built his family team to sail around the world: with his wife and three children aged 9, 7 and 2.

Throughout his career as both family man and entrepreneur, he’s built multiple successful businesses from scratch and sold one for a 7 figure sum…whilst sailing the Pacific Ocean.

In his Keynotes and Workshops Caspar takes the audience through the key steps he’s developed to create and build winning, high-performance teams in business, sport and family environments. He weaves in stories from his experiences leading a team on the world’s toughest yacht race, building a successful business, and building teams within global corporates.

Caspar Craven delivers a truly memorable message with energy, with humility and humour so that you come away inspired with fresh ideas and energy to have the biggest impact on those that you work and spend time with. Each session is tailored to meet the exact needs of your organisation.

Recorded on: 21st April 2020

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My guest this week has appeared with us before sharing her expertise to compete against the odds. Today she is back to talk about Mental Toughness. She is going to share with us how and why developing confidence, resilience, commitment and focus is critical in today’s challenging business and personal environment.

Motorsport and TV fans know her as the first and only woman to drive a World Rally Car. Let’s welcome back this week’s guest and good friend Penny Mallory.

Bio

Motorsport and TV fans know her as the first and only woman to drive a World Rally Car. Penny knows how to compete and beat the odds, but she also knows top performance requires even more than sacrifice and maximum commitment. It also takes heart, insight and the courage to keep going and the refusal to quit. She gets it, because she’s lived it.

As a leading authority in Mental Toughness, Penny has perfected the art of Psychologically-Powered Performance. Her interactive, challenging and transformational insight into how and why developing confidence, resilience, commitment and focus is critical in today’s business environment.

No secret sauce or overused buzzwords, her engagingly authentic but wildly entertaining keynotes and masterclasses are enjoyed by international audiences. From senior leadership to middle management, her experience working inside and alongside world class teams, including Formula

One, enables her to inspire and influence meaningful change within organisations.

Penny’s expert understanding of how our thinking affects our behaviour is brought together in her Keynote ‘World Class Thinking, World Class Behaviour’.

These aren’t hollow marketing words, her life attests to their human truth. As a child she saw alcoholism and mental illness destroy her family. Fleeing home at 14, homeless and fending for herself on the London streets, her life couldn’t have been more dangerous or bleak, yet an inner strength and self-belief enabled her to take control of her future. She made impossible possible and has since dedicated her life to helping others do the same.

It is these experiences that have made her keynotes acclaimed international favourites for many of the world’s most powerful and storied brands, including Coca-Cola, Grand Vision, Waitrose, Tesco, Telefonica, Klesch, Sony, Volkswagen, HPI, Jaguar, Proctor & Gamble, Airbus and many more.

Her life is a continuing series of doing what conventional thinking says she simply can’t – from competing in three marathons on three consecutive days to hell runners and triathlons; finding the courage to enter the boxing ring twice and the physical resolve to conquer two of the world’s highest mountains. Little wonder that her interactive keynotes inspire taking action, and to believe you can because you can. With Penny in your corner, you can and will.

The author of ‘World Class Thinking, World Class Behaviour’ and ‘Take Control of Your Life’, Penny is a descendent of George Mallory, widely believed to be the first man to conquer Mt. Everest. If you’re ready to change, determined to move forward, committed to unleashing your best and realising all that you dream,

Penny Mallory will partner in your success with coaching, keynotes and workshops igniting psychologically powered performance.

Recorded on: 14th April 2020

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My guest this week is a performance coach who specialises in supporting leaders to build personal resilience.

For the last fifteen years he has worked at the interface of leadership and wellbeing with some of the biggest brands in the world.

His passion is to support leaders to play the ‘inner game’ of life better, so it enables them to lead themselves, their teams and their families. At this time of crisis, I think we might all learn a few things so let’s give a warm Speaking Business welcome to Charlie Cannon.

Bio

Charlie Cannon – Helping leaders, teams and organisations build resilience so that they can embrace change and sustain performance in a disruptive and uncertain world.

Charlie is a much sought after performance enhancement coach who has helped leaders, teams and global organisations build resilience thus enabling them not only to embrace change in an uncertain disruptive world, but able to sustain high levels of performance and thrive no matter what the world throws at them.

For the last fifteen years he has worked as a leadership development consultant and coach with some of the most well known brands in the world, including, HSBC, PepsiCo, Tesco, BP, Roche, Ebay, Airbus, The Metropolitan Police, Deloitte, Allen & Overy, Mars, Unilever, Uber, Manchester City Football club, The Soho House Group, Santander, Marks & Spencer and Amazon.

In Charlie’s live events and trainings he draws upon his rich life experience and combines this with cutting edge research from science and psychology to give them tools and techniques that they can act upon immediately that will catalyse their performance and well-being.

Prior to working in business Charlie was a successful health and fitness coach, where at one point he was training an Oscar winning actor and actress. What he observed, was that most of his clients were busy, time poor, stressed and burnt out executives who wanted to increase their energy and manage stress better. This concerned him.

His passion for helping people build resilience stems from not just working with all these stressed out executives, but also his own story in not becoming the professional sportsman he had dreamed of being, due to struggling to be at his best when it counted.And, perhaps more tellingly, he knows first-hand what it takes to recover from a near death experience that left him hospitalised and his sister moments away from dying.

At 21 he was involved in a traumatic car accident with his sister who almost died. This incident eventually inspired his research into resilience and overcoming adversity.

Charlie played rugby for England, West of England hockey and county cricket as a school-boy, but he struggled to perform under pressure, which has showed him the importance of developing a growth mindset and building mental toughness.

Recorded on: 7th April 2020

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This week I’ve delved into the archives again. This particular speaker is a bit of a clever chap. He has actually done 3 main stage TED talks and has got a brain the size of a planet. When he speaks, he says “I want the audience to go away knowing less after I’ve spoken than they did before I spoke”. At first, I thought this was crazy, but he’s a very clever man and what he is saying is that people need to be asking better questions, so when they come away from hearing him, they will be asking better questions because better questions lead to better answers and in this time of this uncertainty, that is so important.

My guest is neuroscientist, Beau Lotto.

Beau Lotto’s aim is to use the principles of perception to enable individuals and organisations to adapt to an increasingly uncertain world.

Dr. Beau Lotto is a Professor of Neuroscience, author and entrepreneur. He is a three-time main stage TED speaker (with over 7,000,000 views). He is author of two books: Why We See What We Do’, and ‘Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently’.

He has spoken at the G8, Google’s Zeitgest, Wired and contributed to many television and radio documentaries by the BBC, National Geographic, Netflix and PBS.

He is CEO and Founder of the sound-based AR company Acoustigram, and Director of The Lab of Misfits LLC, a neuroperception studio. He and his group have worked with organizations as diverse as Cirque du Soleil, L’Oreal, Charles Koch Foundation, BCW Public Relations and The London Science Museum.

The world is in a moment of massive change, and we must adapt individually and organisationally if we are to thrive. Change is essential. The biggest barrier to change is perceptual change. As a leading international neuroscientist who studies perception, Beau seeks to employ the principles by which the brain makes meaning to enable individuals and organizations to literally see differently and thus become more adaptable in a changing world.

What differentiates Beau’s scientific research and presentations is that everything he does was discovered by his lab of misfits and is applicable to the real world. Thus, being grounded in his lab’s own research, his proprietary method unlocks meaningful insights that drive adaptability, creativity and innovation. By breaking down the walls of the traditional laboratory and studying humans in their natural habitats, his ‘Lab of Misfits’ creates measurable, interactive insights that informs and transforms from the scientific to the personal.

Beau is not a coach. Coaches tend to distil and present other people’s research. Everything that is presented was created and discovered by his Lab of Misfits Studio, which is a truly unique combination of science, art, design, technology and theatre. It is both casual and approachable, challenging, stylish and contrarian. His style of presentation is highly interactive and immersive.

“Beau’s incredible session created a transformational state in the audience of leaders. In three hours, he provided the group dozens of new ways to think differently about their problems, how to successfully innovate and build effective teams. Beau wonderfully integrates neuroscience, psychology and perennial wisdom into an inspiring and practical set of powerful takeaways. He is one of best speakers we’ve ever seen.” Jean Gomes (CEO of The Energy Project) after a Masterclass for the Senior Executives of Warner Music

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My guest this week has done so much that it would take the entire podcast episode just to read his CV, so I’ve picked a few highlights

He is Emeritus Professor of World Competitiveness, at IMD business school and the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

He is the Founder, of the World Competitiveness Center, and publisher of the Annual World Competitiveness Yearbooks ranking the competitiveness of nations.

Author of two bestselling books published in several languages:

Top Class Competitors - How Nations, Firms, and Individuals Succeed in the New World of Competitiveness
Are you a Tiger, a Cat or a Dinosaur?

He is the Former Managing Director of the World Economic Forum and the Davos Annual meetings.

My guest is Professor Stéphane Garelli.

BIO

Stéphane Garelli – a world authority on competitiveness – has pioneered research and the theory in this field. Professor Emeritus at IMD (Institute of Management Development) Lausanne, where he has founded the World Competitiveness Center, he is also Professor Emeritus of World Competitiveness at the University of Lausanne.

Professor Garelli is closely connected to the world of business. He was, among others, Chairman of the Board of Directors and shareholder of “Le Temps”, the leading French language Swiss newspaper, Chairman of the Board of the Sandoz Financial and Banking Holding, and Member of the board of the Banque Edouard Constant.

Stéphane Garelli was the Managing Director of the World Economic Forum and of the Davos Annual meetings for many years. He was also permanent senior adviser to the European management of Hewlett-Packard.

He is a member of a number of institutes, such as: China Enterprise Management Association, Board of the ‘Fondation Jean Monet pour l’Europe’, The Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences, the Mexican Council for Competitiveness, etc. and an advisory committee member of the Thai Management Association.

He is also a member of the International Olympic Committee commission on Sustainability and Legacy.

Stéphane Garelli is the author of numerous publications on competitiveness and global business He published his best-selling book “Top Class Competitors – How Nations, Firms and Individuals Succeed in the New World of Competitiveness” with Wiley. His latest book ” Are You a Tiger, a Cat or a Dinosaur?” is published in several languages.

Stéphane Garelli was a member of the Constitutional Assembly of his local state – Vaud, Switzerland from 1999 to 2002.

Stéphane is widely considered to be one of the top lecturers on economic and business matters. He has a unique ability to analyse and describe the world economic environment as it evolves, and to draw conclusions about what changes in the world economy actually mean for companies and individuals alike. He is reputed for his trademark graphics combining an attractive visual style with a simple illustration of ideas, and a limited use of numbers. His presentations are dynamic, fast moving, to the point, business like, forward and “so what” oriented.

Recorded on: 5th March 2020

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My guest this week is Psychotherapist, Hypnotherapist, award-winning comedian and author. She survived the hedonistic sixties with the inevitable round of clubbing, fashion and drugs; then she made the most of the seventies, travelling to over sixty countries whilst running a travel business. But it was the eighties that tested her to her limits. Battling depression, bankruptcy, addiction and suicide attempts, She found the strength to confront her need to change gender and achieve harmony with herself. Today she is on a mission to create transformational change for leaders by developing a Fearless Mindset.

My guest is Shelley Bridgman.

Bio

There are speakers who have led a conventional life then there are those with a hinterland and Shelley Bridgman is certainly is among the latter. Shelley is a Transformational Change & Thought Diversity expert, Psychotherapist, Hypnotherapist, Trainer, & Author.

She has become a media commentator specialising in psychotherapy & psychology, with appearances on BBC Television, Sky and Channels 4 and 5 as well Radio 4’s “Woman’ Hour” “Midweek” and the “Jeremy Vine Show”. She has also featured in “Psychologies,” and “Therapy Today” magazines.

As a Speaker, Shelley’s topics are Developing a fearless mindset, Transformational Change, Diversity & Thought Leadership. Although speaking has taken over from performing comedy on the Stand-up comedy circuit where she performed five one-woman shows at the Edinburgh Festival and completed a seven-night run Off-Broadway in New York, she still MC’s nights in comedy clubs as it makes for being a better speaker.

Recorded on: 16th January 2020

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My guest is a futurist, philosopher, and a leading expert in futurism and emerging technologies. He is a populariser, commentator, and influencer of all things futuristic. He is the host of the techno-philosophy YouTube series FUTURISTIC NOW and is listed in the top twenty must-watch futurism shows on YouTube. He has spoken at NASA’s Johnson Space Centre, Boston University, The London Business School, and 2016 International Judicial Symposium in Korea held by the Supreme Court of Korea.

He has appeared on CBS This Morning, Discovery Channel, History Channel, Yahoo news, and many other TV shows and news outlets around the world in his quest to popularise futurism.

My guest is Gray Scott.

Bio

Gray Scott is a futurist, techno-philosopher and one of the world’s leading experts in the field of emerging technology.

Gray has appeared on Discovery Channel Canada, History Channel, CBS This Morning, FOX News, Cheddar News, Yahoo News, as well as in several documentaries including The Future of Work and Death.

Gray’s future insights have been frequently quoted in Forbes, Vanity Fair, Yahoo News, VICE MOTHERBOARD, Fast Company, The Washington Post, Psychology Today, Business News Daily, Verizon News, New York Post, The Star, San Francisco Magazine and SingularityHub.

Gray has advised advertising agencies, think tanks and corporations in the area of foresight, including AT&T’s recent 25th anniversary YOU WIL campaign.

He has spoken at conferences around the world, including NASA Johnson Space Center, Boston University, London Business School and the International Judicial Symposium of the Supreme Court of Korea.

Recorded on: 24th January 2020

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Sir Chris Hoy MBE, multiple world and Olympic champion track cyclist, is one of Great Britain’s most successful Olympic athletes, with six gold medals and one silver.

Chris retired from competitive cycling in 2013 and his achievements throughout his career make him Scotland’s most successful Olympian, the first Briton since 1908 to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games, and one of the most successful Olympic male cyclists of all time.

In June 2016 Chris added to his record list of achievements when he finished the world’s most demanding motorsport endurance race, the Le Mans 24 Hours, on his debut.

Following his retirement Chris successfully launched a range of kid’s bikes, HOY bikes, as well as publishing a series of children’s books – Flying Fergus.

Chris is now a main stay amongst sporting commentary and punditry in the UK having been an integral part of the BBC’s team covering the 2016 Rio Olympics, the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the 2018 European Championships and the Tour de France.

Bio

Sir Chris Hoy MBE is one of Great Britain’s most successful Olympic athletes of all time, with six gold medals and one silver.

Chris won his first Olympic gold medal in Athens 2004 in the Kilo – an event that was dropped from the programme for Beijing 2008. Chris took this in his stride and switched his focus to three other track sprint events – the Keirin, Sprint and Team Sprint. He went on to win a gold medal in all three at the Beijing Olympics, cementing his name in the history books.

Following his historic hat-trick of gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, Chris was voted 2008 BBC Sports Personality of the Year. He was also awarded a Knighthood in the 2009 New Year Honours list, capping an extraordinary year for the track cyclist from Edinburgh.

In 2012 at his home Olympic Games in London, Chris won his fifth and sixth gold medals – in the Keirin and Team Sprint – becoming Great Britain’s most successful Olympic athlete of all time with six gold medals and one silver.

Following his retirement, Chris remains passionate about bikes and has successfully made the transition into the business world following the launch of his HOY bike range. He has also published a series of best-selling Flying Fergus children’s books.

In June 2016, Chris added to his record list of achievements when he finished the world’s most demanding motorsport endurance race, the Le Mans 24 Hours, on his debut.

Chris Hoy is an accomplished public speaker and is at home speaking at small intimate gatherings as well as the largest international conferences. Chris’ experiences and achievements make him an incredibly interesting speaker, and the challenges presented to him and subsequently overcome during his stellar career have fascinating parallels in many other walks of life.

Recorded on: 22nd January 2020

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Claire Young was made famous by her role as the highly driven runner up of series four of ‘The Apprentice’ where was dubbed a ‘Rottweiler’ by Lord Sugar for her tenacious approach in the boardroom and drive not to quit. She beat 40,000 candidates to reach the final and this experience inspired Claire to set up ‘School Speakers an award-winning business. It is the UK’s No 1 speaking agency working alongside schools, colleges and universities across the world to provide talks to students and staff. She also works within the media as a journalist & radio presenter in addition to advising the government on a range of projects supporting young people and women.

She studied Equine Science at the University of Bristol and remains a keen rider with her Irish Sports horse. She has won several business awards and combines her busy career with being a mum to her young daughter Eva. In January 2018 she become a Leadership Fellow of St George’s House, Windsor Castle.

Bio

Claire Young was made famous by her role as the highly driven runner-up of series four of ‘The Apprentice’ where was dubbed a ‘Rottweiler’ by Lord Sugar for her tenacious approach in the boardroom and drive not to quit. She beat 40,000 candidates to reach the final and this experience inspired Claire to set up ‘School Speakers an award-winning business. It is the UK’s No 1 speaking agency working alongside schools, colleges and universities across the world to provide talks to students and staff. She also works within the media as a journalist & radio presenter in addition to advising the government on a range of projects supporting young people and women.

Claire started out her business career in roles at Colgate Palmolive (sales and finance), L’Oréal UK (brand and marketing) and AS Watson (retail buying for Superdrug). She shares her experiences, and insights, from, climbing the corporate ladder to then starting her own business.

Claire Young supports the National Apprenticeship Service by heading up their Young Ambassador Network and works in partnership with the Peter Jones Foundation supporting Tenner Tycoon and Global Entrepreneurship Week. Claire is a proud government adviser working on many successful initiatives, including enterprise education, SME growth, employability skills and the women in business agenda.

Claire works within the media as a journalist and radio presenter and is currently writing for a number of publications, regularly commentating on radio and making guest contributions to a number of TV shows.

Now a successful businesswoman Claire Young hopes that her story will motivate others – with hard work, drive and determination anything is possible.

Recorded on: 20th November 2019

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I’ve delved back into the archives this week to bring you a very special lady. She is in fact the first and only woman to drive a world rally car. She’s got an amazing mindset and in today’s competitive world when only the best will do, she has perfected the art of Psychologically-Powered performance to bring out the very best in us. I’m bringing you again the wonderful Penny Mallory.

Penny tells us how from an early age she wanted to become a rally driver, how this led her into presenting and why speaking is such a passion. She talks about her love for boxing and how techniques used by Muhammad Ali inspired her to get into the boxing ring at the age of 42. Penny also admits to how many points she has on her driving licence!!

Bio

Motorsport and TV fans know Penny Mallory as the first and only woman to drive a World Rally Car. Penny knows how to compete and beat the odds, but she also knows top performance requires even more than sacrifice and maximum commitment. It also takes heart, insight and the courage to keep going and the refusal to quit. She gets it, because she’s lived it.

In today’s ever more competitive environment where only the best will do, Penny Mallory has perfected the art of Psychologically-Powered Performance to bring out the very best in us.

No secret sauce or overused buzzwords, for championship teams to top organisations, from individuals and workshops to audiences throughout the UK, her engagingly authentic but wildly entertaining vision of optimised performance and positive change sets her apart.

Penny’s expert understanding of how our thinking affects our behaviour is brought together in her Keynote ‘World Class Thinking World Class Behaviour’. Penny makes it real, accessible, and inspires life-changing and sustainable results.

Her life is a continuing series of doing what conventional thinking says she simply can’t – from competing in three marathons on three consecutive days to hell runs and triathlons; finding the courage to enter the boxing ring twice, and the physical resolve to conquer two of the world’s highest mountain. Little wonder that her interactive keynotes inspire taking action, and to believe you can because you can. With Penny in your corner, you can and will.

The author of World Class Thinking, World Class Behaviour and Take Control of Your Life, Penny is a descendent of George Mallory, widely believed to be the first man to conquer Mt. Everest. If you’re ready to change, determined to move forward, committed to unleashing your best and realising all that you dream, Penny Mallory will partner in your success with coaching, keynotes and workshops igniting psychologically powered performance.

Recorded on: 12th January 2018

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My guest this week describes himself as a very ordinary person - in fact, even more ordinary than everyone else.

For his first job, he was a geography high-school teacher, but he was so low in confidence, his kids misbehaved very badly.

He then chose to try and learn how to live a better life. He left the classroom, flew to Siberia with his bicycle, and spent three years cycling home to London, via Papua New Guinea, Australia and Afghanistan. After that, he went on other adventures, including cycling across America on a tandem with his wife and walking the length of China.

National Geographic has made two television series about his journeys, and he’s the author of two books. He now lives in Hong Kong - he speaks all over the world, but especially at events in the Asia Pacific Region.

Through his experiences, he has discovered a new outlook on life - but he says he is still very ordinary.

Please welcome adventurer and author Rob Lilwall.

Recorded on: 21st November 2019

Bio

Rob Lilwall is an adventurer, author, and keynote speaker with expeditions by bicycle and on foot across 80,000km of the world, including through Siberia in winter, Afghanistan, Tibet, Papua New Guinea and Mongolia.

Rob Lilwall’s speeches tell the tale of how, as a very ordinary person, he learnt to camp at minus forty degrees in Siberia, to cross swollen rivers in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, and to survive the lonely passes of Afghanistan whilst riding the world’s slowest getaway vehicle. Using stunning photographs and videos, Rob relates such ordeals in the extreme corners of the world to the ever-growing challenges of the 21st century workplace. He brings to life the mindsets that are needed to succeed in today’s uncertain, high-pressure and high-opportunity business environment, with powerful takeaways to empower the audience to thrive amid change, embrace challenges, and achieve great goals. Rob has given speeches in over 50 cities around the world, to organisations including Microsoft, Symantec, Gemalto, IBM, CBRE, Nike, Adidas, P&G, Mars-Wrigley, Hyatt and Marriott.

Rob’s story has also been told in a critically acclaimed book published by Hodder and Stoughton (UK) and two television series’ by National Geographic.

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My guest this week came to the world's attention in January 1991, when he was captured by the Iraqis and his bruised and battered face became a potent symbol of Saddam Hussein's ruthless aggression. His war was not at all as he expected – it became a seven-week ordeal of torture and interrogation testing him to the absolute limit and bringing him close to death.

During his RAF career he flew Tornado GR1 on various squadrons and then, within the MoD, led programmes on leadership, safety and human error in aviation.

He has written two best-selling books and a documentary; ‘Tornado Down’, which was Independent Documentary of the Year and a BAFTA Award Nominee.

He retired from the RAF as a Squadron Leader and now focuses on helping senior teams and Boards by providing business critical development, consulting and coaching – through a leadership lens.

Let’s give a huge Speaking Business welcome to this week’s guest John Peters

Recorded on: 18th December 2019

Bio

Fighter pilot, businessman and business adviser. John Peters is a speaker with an international reputation and is seamlessly able to relate the high-performance fighter pilot mindset to organisational excellence to improve your business. As a business consultant, he has worked internationally and brings a global perspective at the sharp edge of performance; both from when things go badly, (Black Box), to when it is required to push performance to the max to (Blue Skies).

To operate in a global economy, business leaders need grit: resilience and adaptability. John covers the dark and the light of performing under pressure when the stakes are high. In air combat, maximum performance is right on the edge of failure.

John Peters came to the world’s attention in January 1991, when his bruised and battered face flashed onto television screens around the world. It was his disfigured image that became a potent symbol of Saddam Hussein’s ruthless aggression. His dramatic and sometimes harrowing experiences reach deep into our innermost minds, showing us how we can overcome even our worst fears and nightmares. His war was not all as he expected – it became a seven-week ordeal of torture and interrogation testing John Peters to the absolute limit and bringing him close to death.

John is an experienced speaker of international repute to corporates, public sector and charities. He has spoken in front of Her Majesty, The Queen and Prince Philip, followed Mr Nelson Mandela on stage in South Africa and Heads of State. He has written two best-selling books and the documentary, ‘Tornado Down’ was Independent Documentary of the Year and a BAFTA Award Nominee. He has extensive international TV, radio, PR and media experience.

“At the extreme you discover your own humanity. There is a tranquillity and honesty in this reflection. Calmly you accept where you are, accept your weaknesses, and it is in that moment you truly understand yourself. Then you begin to win. No should have, could haves…you start to learn and adapt to whatever challenge. You will always make mistakes, you are human, but you realise that your power rests in the speed at which you learn…”

He helps leaders build the resilience they need to perform under pressure in a global world: how to deal with unexpected surprise in a tsunami of change. How do you develop the Survivor Personality where you not only survive but thrive? Are you evolving to deal with these uncertainties, or are you just repeating your old success formula? Far from a doom and gloom merchant, his innate humour and timing are infectious, with an approach that is personal, emotive and challenging. John will challenge you to reflect upon how you lead, how to deal with uncertainty and chaos, turning the F-word into opportunity and renewal. Using his Gulf War, POW experience, international media exposure, award-winning Human Factors development programme in high-performance aviation and 18 years consultancy business, John will explore the mind-set on how to deal with uncertainty and how to “Lead on the Edge”.

In a reflective, provocative and inclusive speech, John explores how he overcame his Prisoner of War ordeal and faced death. Far from a story of doom and gloom, he uses humour and candour, which is both personal, emotive and challenging. Using his experiences, he provides a personal view on resilience, and how to turn impossible…to possible. A business adviser since 2000, he relates his experiences to challenge audiences to reflect on how they change out-dated success habits that are no longer relevant in a changing world.

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My guest this dedicates his life to connecting people with their own ideas. He does this via his award-winning ideas company 7billionideas, which he founded in 2012 and which operates in both the education and the corporate sector. He made the leap from the corporate world to become an entrepreneur after spending the best part of a decade working for the technology giant IBM. He truly believes that every single person on this planet has an amazing imagination and can change the world. Please welcome my guest this week, entrepreneur, author and speaker, David Harkin.

Recorded on: 12th December 2019

Bio

David J Harkin inspires organisations in adopting a mindset of relentless innovation and intrapreneurship through a people centric bottoms-up approach for radical in-house innovation and growth.

David has had the privilege of speaking globally to audiences for the last 5 years. He is an entrepreneur, proud Tedx speaker and author who dedicates his life to connecting people with their own ideas. He does this through his talks and via his ideas company 7billionideas, which was founded in 2012 and operates in both the education and the corporate sector. 7billionideas has become an award-winning company in both industries and David was a finalist at the UK Business Awards 2018 in the category of ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’.

David J Harkin made the leap from the corporate world to become an entrepreneur after spending the best part of a decade working for the technology giant IBM. At the age of 24, he was responsible for a multi-million dollar business. At 26, he decided to leave and live and breathe his passion of connecting people with their own ideas. David truly believes that every single person on this planet is an idea generator and endeavours to do all he can to help these ideas be heard. The education arm has worked with over 75,000 students and their corporate arm works with organisations all over of the world.

In his spare time, he works for the charity ‘Action for Children’ as an independent visitor, supporting children and young people with their parents or families. David enjoys running having completed the London Marathon and often races in half-marathons. He is also an active member of a premier league cricket club where he is club captain, junior coach and committee member. He is also a playing member for the MCC and still hopes one day to play for England.

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This week I’ve gone back to the archives again because there are some jewels in there. Here is one of the early episodes, my guest was Caspar Craven, who is an entrepreneur and adventurer. Caspar has had oodles of experience, building teams and organisations, creating high growth strategies for business. He’s also an award-winning yachter.

He combined his business skills (leadership and teambuilding) and yachting skills when he took his family on his toughest challenge by far making them into a team to sail around the world, he, his wife and three children, then aged 9, 7, and 2. There were so many amazing lessons for business, for teams, for families, for relationships, about leadership, growth, work/life balance and working out what your true colours are.

Caspar tells us about his first business at the age of 14 selling crabs by the sea, his amazing adventure sailing around the world with his family. What he discovered about home schooling his children and sharing the lessons he learnt on his adventure that apply to the business world. All this and more…

NB – no books were thrown into the sea so please don’t write in to complain.

Bio

His toughest team challenge by far was in 2009 when he built his family team to sail around the world: with his wife and three children aged 9, 7 and 2.

Throughout his career as both family man and entrepreneur, he’s built multiple successful businesses from scratch and sold one for a 7 figure sum…whilst sailing the Pacific Ocean.

Recorded on: 25th January 2018

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My guest this week is unusual; he is a businessperson working in energy transition who also writes books for general audiences. His next book will be published in January 2020 and will provide a short guide to each sector of the economy and what needs to be done to completely decarbonise.

He was, until recently, chair of a rapidly growing electric vehicle charging company which was then sold to the French energy multinational Engie. He has a variety of angel investments in electricity generation and energy efficiency.

He speaks frequently to business and general audiences across Europe on all things relating to climate change and energy transition. And he practices what he preaches, he takes the train.

It is my pleasure to welcome this week’s guest, Chris Goodall

Bio

Chris Goodall is the author of several successful books and writer for Guardian Environment Network and other energy websites, such as Abundance and The Ecologist. His latest book, The Switch, covers the unstoppable rise of solar power.

Additionally, he runs Carbon Commentary and its weekly newsletter, covering topics across the energy technology and finance around the world and Solar Forecast, giving a uniquely accurate forecast of UK solar power output over the next five days.

Chris Goodall’s expertise lies in the global approaches to low carbon energy generation, low carbon heat, electric cars and battery storage as well as carbon capture and geoengineering.

Chris is a strong believer in research and supports that the world can now become a world of low fossil fuel use but reasonable prosperity for all. He is an optimist about the energy future.

Recorded on: 31st October 2019

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My guest this week is one of the leading Food, Drink and Hospitality brand and marketing minds in business. He has over 20 years Brand, Marketing, Digital and Social Media experience holding senior positions at lastminute.com, Barclaycard, YO! Sushi and Pret A Manger.

He co-founded Brand and Marketing agency, WE ARE Spectacular in 2012 and now runs Premium Brand and Marketing Strategy consultancy Supersonic Inc. based in London and Brighton where he helps C-Suite level Marketers and Executives amplify their business across multiple sectors.

In 2018, Mark began podcasting and his Mark McC Supersonic Food Marketing Podcast has reached number 20 in the iTunes business charts and is a regular top 100 podcast.

My guest this week is Mark McCulloch.

Bio

Mark McCulloch is a Senior Brand, Marketing, Digital and Social Media Executive with a career spanning 20 years working for and with brands such as Pret a Manger, lastminute.com, Barclaycard, Costa Coffee, Accor Hotels, The Independent, Viz, NME, Loaded Magazine, YO! Sushi and Peter Gabriel’s trailblazing music streaming site WE7 (now Blinkbox music).

Mark is an industry expert and as such is known as ‘THE FOOD AND DRINK MARKETER’. He focuses his time mainly in the hospitality industry that he loves so much working with them to think differently creating stand out brands, engaging their employees in innovative ways and how to leapfrog the competition when it comes to using more cutting edge forms of brand, marketing, digital and social.

In 2018, Mark created The Spectacular Marketing Podcast which is now a regular Top 100 iTunes Business Charts Podcast (https://we-are-spectacular.lnk.to/h2iT5TW).

In 2018, Mark also created a Brighton based Strategy, Speaking, Workshopping and Broadcasting consultancy @FoodDrinkMark and was a Founding Partner of London based Food & Drink Creative Agency WE ARE Spectacular. In 2019, Mark launched his new Premium Brand and Marketing Consultancy - SUPERSONIC INC.

Recorded on: 29th October 2019

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My guest this week was Professor of Psychology at University College London for 26 years. He is now Principal Psychologist at Stamford Associates, an asset management company.

He has lectured widely abroad and held scholarships and visiting professorships around the world. Currently he is Adjunct Professor of Management at the Norwegian School of Management. He is also prolific writer and has written over 1300 scientific papers and 92 books.

Like Noel Coward, he believes that work is more fun than fun and considers himself to be a well-adjusted workaholic. He rides a bicycle to work (as he has always done) very early in the morning. He enjoys writing popular articles, travelling to exotic countries, consulting on real-life problems, going to the theatre and arguing at dinner parties. I have been a guest at a few of those dinner parties and I’ve lost everytime.

So today I have the chance to talk about one of my favourite subjects with one of the world’s leading experts so let’s give a warm Speaking Business welcome to Adrian Furnham.

Recorded on: 24th October 2019

Bio

He consults to many organisations in various different sectors (particularly airlines, banks, civil service) and in many different countries (particularly continental Europe and Asia).

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This week my guest has earned global acclaim as one of the world’s leading experts on the financial escapades of the underworld. There is no one with more first-hand knowledge about how international banks and businesses cater to those who own the nearly 2 trillion dollars in criminal proceeds laundered annually.

For years, in the eyes of organised crime leaders he was a highly successful mob connected money launderer that helped them to manage their illicit fortunes. His clients, some of the most famous and deadly drug cartel bosses, offered a $1/2 million price tag for his head when he was revealed to be a highly trained U.S. federal undercover agent.

He is the New York Times bestselling author of The Infiltrator, a memoir about his undercover life, much of which was spent acting as a conduit between ruthless drug barons and corrupt legitimate appearing senior executives that cleaned billions in blood stained money through otherwise respectable international banks and businesses.

It is my honour to welcome this week’s guest Robert Mazur

Recorded on: 16th October 2019

Bio

For years, in the eyes of organised crime leaders he was a highly successful mob connected money launderer that helped manage their illicit fortunes. His clients, some of the most famous and deadly drug cartel bosses, offered a $1/2 million price tag for his head when arrests were made around the world and he was revealed to be a highly-trained U.S. federal undercover agent. Robert’s 30 years of unparalleled experience as an undercover US federal agent with the Colombian crime cartels enables him to deliver a “one of a kind” inspiring message that can strengthen institutional policies and procedures, motivate key compliance employees, reduce potential corporate and senior management liability, and arms personnel with rare knowledge to improve their ability to identify and manage risk.

Robert Mazur is the only person in the world that, as a long-term undercover agent, got inside this circle to such an extent that it led to his recording hundreds of conversations that formed the foundation for the conviction and imprisonment of more than 50 money launderers, including many senior bank officials. Those officials included board members, and even the President of a bank that had a presence in 72 countries. After their conviction and imprisonment, he also led a team that debriefed some of these senior executives for months at a time. With seized records taken from the bank’s branches around the world pursuant to search warrants, he confirmed the truthfulness of the facts told to him by the jailed bankers. Everything was verified.

After completing a highly decorated 27-year career as a federal agent in 3 U.S. agencies, Robert is now the President of KYC Solutions, Inc., a firm that provides speaking, expert witness and consulting services to companies worldwide.

Robert Mazur is certified in both U.S. and Canadian courts as an expert in money laundering. His articles have been published by many journals and media outlets, including the NY Times. He is a contributor to money laundering related programming that has aired on PBS, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Univision, BBC, and other major networks. He has been a guest on more than 1,500 radio and television shows during the past several years.

He is the author of “The Infiltrator”, a memoir about his undercover life, much of which was spent acting as a conduit between ruthless drug barons and corrupt legitimate appearing senior executives that cleaned billions in blood stained money through otherwise respectable international banks and businesses.

‘The Infiltrator’, a major motion picture based on Robert Mazur’s undercover life as a money launderer, starring Bryan Cranston, was internationally released during 2016.

Robert Mazur has transformed his underworld experience and current day involvement in the money laundering field into a remarkable lesson for today’s business sector. He shares unique insights about how to build a team to identify and manage the type of risk that could otherwise inflict costly reputation loss for institutions, like those that have in recent years entered into Deferred Prosecution Agreements or otherwise been prosecuted for criminal offences in connection with their movement of tainted funds. His presentations take his audiences to ground zero, the heart of money laundering risk. He shares the secrets he learned from the world’s most notoriously corrupt members of the financial markets.

Robert Mazur delivers several different types of compelling presentations. In his standard keynote, he explains his amazing life in the underworld as a money launderer for Colombian cartels, as well as the techniques used by the most sophisticated money launderers in the world then, and today.

For audiences looking for more in-depth details about specific methods of laundering and detecting money laundering threat, Robert provides varying lengths of masterclasses that dissect documents and chart the path of dirty money through methods only generally referenced by most money laundering experts.

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This week I’ve gone back to the archives again and I’ve pulled out one of the early episodes again. This time it’s Philip Hesketh he is our go to guy on anything related to persuasion, influence and selling.

Why now? In January 2020, in fact on the 20th January 2020, Phil and I will be running a full day training, we are calling it the Ultimate Sales Day for Professional Speakers and it is exactly that. It is for any speaker that wants to get booked more and paid more. So, come along, listen to how Phil has created a great full-time professional speaking business and made several million. Listen to me from a bureau’s point of view as to how we get bookings for our speakers. So, we hope to see you there, but in the meantime if you’d like a little sample of what Phil is all about, have a listen to his podcast.

Bio

Having built an acclaimed £48m business in 17 consecutive years of growth, Philip Hesketh now shares the psychology of influence and persuasion as a full-time professional speaker. Audiences worldwide have been entertained and inspired to thrive, not just survive. Setting Philip apart are his trademark 50 Killer Questions and authentic, battle-tested takeaways transforming lives – his proven techniques empowering us to persuade, influence and achieve real world success seen in greater sales, stronger relationships and life satisfaction – not broken promises.

His UK based agency, Advertising Principles, employed over 150 people and enjoyed consistent growth with clients such as the BBC, Nestle, Walt Disney, General Accident and HSBC.

Philip gets it because he’s lived it and when he exited, he did so on his terms, and with three extraordinary things in mind. Remarkably, he’s accomplished them all. Mostly. Number three could fairly be called a work in progress but one he never tires of.

First, he set out to become the best speaker on the planet. Results that are measured by well over 1,000 paid speaking engagements in 17 years in over 20 countries across the world. In an industry where many speakers aspire but only a select few thrive, he has achieved remarkable worldwide success.

Second, determined to write a best-selling book, he finished up writing two. ‘How to Persuade and Influence People’ and ‘Persuade’ are both Amazon number one best sellers. Worldwide sensations and labours of love, he shares proven techniques and the lessons learned over his life and extraordinary business career.

And third, to change the weather in February. And he has! Sadly, not for all of us, but as he says with a smile “I’ve changed it for me!” By buying a plane ticket, spending February and March in the antipodes for the past 17 years and entertaining audiences in sunny Australia and New Zealand.

Positive audience and client response to Philip Hesketh’s engagements can’t be overstated. Many calling it the most truly entertaining and invaluable presentation in their memory, while countless reviews describe it as wildly funny, thought-provoking, authentic and simply inspirational.

Participants emphasise the clear benefits they received after listening to Philip – citing a new ability to sell more, successfully establish value, hold a higher price, and to strengthen and deepen customer and personal relationships with a greater confidence and success.

Most inspiring, however, are the tangible real-world takeaways such as the introduction of proven techniques to persuade and influence, and exposure to Philip’s 50 Killer Questions arming us with the capability to more successfully control our conversations on and off the job.

With two Amazon number one best sellers and more in the pipeline he’s committed to sharing his rare insights. Using multimedia platforms, inspiring readers and audiences with real world takeaways that increase sales, hold high prices, persuade, influence, control conversations and strengthen relationships.

An extraordinary body of work has earned Philip Hesketh rare recognition. Today he is the current holder of Vistage UK’s ‘Outstanding Performer’, ‘Most Requested Speaker’ and TEC Australia’s ‘Overseas Speaker of The Year’ awards and is a Visiting Fellow of Newcastle University.

Philip Hesketh is a world-renowned speaker on all aspects of the psychology of influence. He has delivered over 1,000 talks in over 20 countries and has spoken to actuaries, accountants, salespeople, nurses, teachers, lawyers and bankers.

All of Philip’s keynote talks are tailored to a client’s individual needs but the common aim is to inspire people to improve their relationships, develop client and customer loyalty and, typically, to increase sales. He offers well researched, tried and tested techniques and is renowned for his ‘Killer Questions’ that get to the heart of what people really, really want.

He is inspirational, insightful, motivational and thought provoking. And hilarious. But, above all, helps increase a team’s effectiveness.

Although every keynote presentation is highly tailored, each one has at its base the psychology of influence and persuasion and how to gain new clients, develop greater client and customer loyalty and charge higher prices. In addition to his keynotes, Philip runs bespoke Masterclasses for clients.

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My guest this week is a leader in the world of base jumping and wingsuit flying and since 1999 he has been part of the Red Bull team. 

In addition to being an action sports athlete, he is a graduate of Applied Sports & High-Performance Psychology and a multi-linguist. For years he has been providing his fellow professional athletes with a mental advantage and skillset required to reach their goals and unleash their full potential. My guest is Cedric Dumont.

Bio

Cedric Dumont is a leader in the world of base jumping and wingsuit flying and since 1999 has been part of the Red Bull team.

Cedric Dumont was born in Brussels, Belgium and from a very young age participated in action and adventure sports.

In addition to his standing as an action sports athlete, Cedric is a graduate of Applied Sports & High-Performance Psychology, and a multi-linguist who began by providing his fellow professional athletes with a mental advantage and skillset required to reach their goals and unleash their full potential.

Cedric presents an elite vision and inspirational perspective to High-Performance Psychology. In extreme conditions where you are expected to deliver and assess risks, hyper-awareness has been the basis of his reliable performance and survival, it’s flow or die!

“It’s all about living a comprehensive lifestyle and being in the present moment. This includes energy management and feeding the mind with healthy insights and generating positive thoughts.”

Cedric divides his days with expeditions, wingsuit flying, speaking engagements, writing and consulting with elite athletes and major companies across the globe.

His key focus is highlighting that performance and productivity can only be achieved with a purpose-driven mindset, passion and presence.

Recorded: 10th October 2019

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We’re doing something a bit different on this week’s podcast. You know I like to shake things up, just to make sure you’re paying attention. So, in addition to finding out more about my guest and getting a bit of an insight into his speeches we dissect his speaking business. We find out how he got started as a speaker, how he started charging, where his paid gigs come from plus lots more. We go deep stopping just short of asking him for his bank balance. So, let’s roll the podcast ….

My guest this week is a young adventurer, author and fundraiser from Chester. At just 24 he’s already delivered over 170 talks to businesses, schools and events around the UK and Europe, and he’s also done a TEDx.

He’s made two attempts to climb Mount Everest, both ended in disaster. He shares his unique experiences of redefining failure, embracing change and staying resilient through adversity.

He has just released his second book Another Peak and has set up a social enterprise supporting mental health through outdoors called Mind over Mountains:  www.mindovermountains.org.uk.

All this and he is still only 24 years old. Please welcome Alex Staniforth.

Bio

Alex Staniforth is a record-breaking adventurer, keynote speaker, published author, brand ambassador and charity fundraiser from Cheshire. At the age of 24 he has already attempted Mount Everest twice and is dedicated to inspiring others to achieve their own ‘Everest’ in life.

Alex is not your typical Everest speaker. After single-handedly raising over £35,000 in corporate sponsorship whilst still at school, his first attempt to climb to the summit of Mount Everest in 2014 was abandoned following a tragic avalanche that took sixteen lives. Aged just 19, he returned to Everest a year later and survived an avalanche in the Khumbu Icefall, triggered by the Nepal earthquake, which trapped his team on the mountain for two days.

He is no stranger to adversity: overcoming epilepsy, bullying – and a stammer in early life. These experiences have re-defined his view of success and failure to develop a humbling realisation that success lies not just in reaching the top but our journey to get there. Alex understands first-hand how our circle of control is sometimes no bigger than two metres below our feet and that so-called ‘failure’ is just another opportunity to win.

In 2016 he returned to the Himalayas and reached 7,125 metres on Cho Oyu, the sixth highest peak in the world. In 2017 he became the fastest person ever to climb all 100 UK county tops by bicycle, foot and kayak, covering over 5,000 miles in 72 days to encourage conversations around mental well-being. In 2018 he ran two sub three-hour marathons and has completed numerous other endurance challenges, developing resilience and mental strategies, presented in a way that we can apply to our own daily stresses.

Outdoor adventure and endurance challenges have not only been a tool to overcome adversity but a vehicle for doing good and leading others. Alex has raised over £85,000 for charity, carried the London 2012 Olympic Torch through Chester, won a Pride of Britain Regional Fundraiser of the Year award and is an ambassador for the YHA (Youth Hostel Association) England & Wales.

With an unassuming and approachable style, Alex has already presented to over 16,000 people internationally and is one of the youngest ever Gold Award Presenters for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Buckingham Palace. He published his first book Icefall in 2016, endorsed by Bear Grylls, and his second title Another Peak was published in July 2019, endorsed by Mark Beaumont. Alex speaks openly about his struggles with depression, anxiety and eating disorders, to spread the message that mental illness is not a weakness or barrier to achievement. He is also a founding director of Mind Over Mountains C.I.C, a social enterprise providing outdoor experiences to improve and maintain positive mental wellbeing.

Recorded: 9th October 2019

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This week we are talking about language, but first let me give you a little bit of context. Most organisations don't connect with their customers and staff half as well as they could and as a result, they're losing customers and employees at a shocking rate.  

My guest is the Language Strategist, he's helped companies like Vodafone, Allianz and Google to be more human and make that connection.

He's going to reveal how language is the key that'll unlock the door to a more authentic brand and happier customers. My guest is Ben Afia.

Bio

Ben Afia is a consultant, writer and speaker, specialising in brand strategy and language. His claim to fame is helping Ronseal work out what to say on the tin.

He’s helped companies manage their brand and tone of voice longer than most, starting in 2001 at Boots, when managing language was only just becoming a thing. He created a new tone and went on to help people across the business to get better results from agencies and freelancers.

In 2005, with a first baby on the way and a week from exchanging contracts on a new house, Boots made Ben redundant. Which seemed like the perfect moment to set up Afia.

Afia is turning the world of “corporate speak” on its head by helping companies to be more human. He is always looking for the easiest way to get something done. It’s the same thinking he’s brought to successfully changing the culture of companies like Aviva, E.ON, Legal & General and Boots. ‘If we make this easy for anyone to grasp, they’re far more likely to adopt it.’ Hence the straightforward, memorable tone of voice structure.

Afia’s tone of voice structure uses a language format the same as people do when they’re talking to each other face to face. Of course the tone will vary depending on who you’re talking to and what you want to say, but Afia has found it helps organisations to build stronger relationships with their customers and for the people who work there to get on better with each other.

Through his work at Afia he has helped companies like Allianz Insurance win more customers, BP to develop their employer brand and Google to help people understand digital marketing better. In the travel sector he’s helped BCD get in touch with what their customers need, and companies like Haven Holidays create a wonderful customer experience that starts the minute they open a brochure. He’s also helped Twinings to harmonise their packaging around the world, Vodafone build better relationships with their customers, and AirBP to get in touch with their heartbeat. That work was so effective they were still using Ben Afia’s words 5 years later.

Recorded: 8th October 2019

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This week I’ve delved into the archives and I’ve pulled out an episode from the very early days in case you missed it, in case you’ve only just started listening recently and if you’ve heard it before it’s actually worth listening to again.

My guest is one of today's foremost practitioners of performance enhancing psychology and is an expert in high performing teams. He’s ranked amongst the most influential figures in British sport as well as a powerful figure in the business community where he has worked with business leaders and companies helping them to fulfil their full potential by delivering change and performance programmes. In sport, he’s worked with 5 Ryder Cup captains, Premier League footballers, Formula 1 racing drivers and the Ashes winning England Cricket team. My guest is Jamil Qureshi.

Bio

Jamil Qureshi is one of today’s foremost practitioners of performance enhancing psychology and is an expert in high performing teams. As the co-founder of change agencies, We Do Things Differently, Loudhouse and JQED, Jamil has enjoyed working with a rich diversity of the most talented business and sports people and teams globally.

He’s ranked among the most influential figures in British sport and has worked successfully with three English Premiership football clubs and the Ashes winning England Cricket team. He is a legendary figure in golf becoming the first-ever official psychologist with the European Ryder Cup team as well as working with 22 golfers inside the World’s Top 50. Jamil was voted in the top 100 most powerful men in golf 2008 by his international peers. Jamil has written a book with The Secret Footballer about the psychology of football released in December 2016.

In business and industry Jamil has worked from CEO and board level to middle management in a variety of sectors. He has worked with business leaders and companies in over 24 different countries last year alone helping teams to fulfil their potential by orchestrating change and performance programmes.

He has developed and delivered management and leadership programmes at board level for Coca Cola, Hewlett Packard, Emirates Airlines, Serco, Orange, and Royal Bank of Scotland. He has worked across Lloyds Banking Group on the ‘Journey to World Class’. He has led teams responsible for change management in several high-profile areas; Lloyds Banking Group as part of their substantial integration strategy, and Post Office to create The Post Office Way as they separate from Royal Mail.

Jamil also lectures on the prestigious WorldProgram, in the US, UK and China through Ashridge and Fordham Business Schools and Qing Dao University.

Interestingly, he is one of only a few external psychologists ever to be allowed to study astronauts on the NASA Space Programme. Jamil’s versatility is illustrated by the fact he has talked at NASDAQ in Times Square where he shared a stage with General Peter Pace, Head of Joint Chief of Staff, the highest ranking military officer in the US armed forces, and next day did stand up in front of a celebrity audience at the Groucho Club!

Having spent many years working with the world’s elite, he is in a genuinely unique position to define ‘what makes the difference’. An expert in the psychology of leadership, leadership communication, improving people performance, Jamil Qureshi specialises in purposeful and meaningful change techniques.

Jamil’s sessions are carried out using a flip chart rather than a powerpoint and he does love to doodle!! There is always laughter from the stories he shares to get his messages across. Whether its engagement, collaboration, performance or any of the other topics he covers, he is always lively, interactive and engaging and the audience always leave full of renewed enthusiasm and the will to change.

Recorded: 18th January 2018

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My guest this week is a millennial trust futurist, innovation strategist and speaker. His book, The Trust Economy, champions a new lens on trust and innovation in the digital age.

Please welcome Philipp Kristian

Bio

Philipp Kristian Diekhoener demystifies change by looking at trust as the engine of human advancement. Without it innovation is impossible, and the future remains imagination. With great energy, hard-hitting insight and a healthy dose of pragmatism, he unveils why designing and managing for trust is the new imperative for success in the digital age.

Kristian’s keynotes explore the future of work, breakthrough technologies, smart cities, corporate innovation in the digital age, start-up ecosystems and the role of digital ethics and sustainability in shaping this progress. Distilling the complexity of our digital world into simple bold takeaways, he demonstrates that the future is a product of who, what and how we trust. This makes him go-to speaker on trust and digital innovation economy.

Philipp Kristian’s work was instrumental to two Fortune 500 innovation labs and one of Asia’s fastest-growing technology scale-ups. He served as strategic advisor to iconic founders, including the CEO of Singapore’s most funded insurance technology start-up. He currently shares his extensive expertise as a lecturer with Singapore Management University’s SMU Academy Executive Education Programme, where he teaches the Advanced Certificate Course in Transformation through Corporate Innovation.

His book, The Trust Economy, champions a new lens on trust and innovation in the digital age.

Recorded: 1st October 2019

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This week’s guest founded Shazam Entertainment, the world’s first mobile phone-based music recognition service which was acquired by Apple in 2018 for a reported $400 million. In 2015 the Financial Times named him one of Europe’s Top 50 technology entrepreneurs.

Previously he was Head of Banking Innovation at Virgin Money, responsible for developing new digital services for students in the UK. He has also worked in media, entertainment, technology and in charity at Save the Children. Now he is an angel investor in “Tech for Good” start-ups and a regular speaker on innovation, entrepreneurship and emerging technology. My guest is Dhiraj Mukherjee.

Bio

Dhiraj Mukherjee is co-founder of Shazam and an experienced digital business executive and entrepreneur, with a proven track record in both corporate and start-up environments.

Recognised by the Financial Times as one of Europe’s Top 50 technology entrepreneurs in 2015, Dhiraj Mukherjee was previously Head of Banking Innovation at Virgin Money, where he was responsible for developing and implementing disruptive new digital banking products, propositions and partnerships. Recent projects include leading the team responsible for creating Virgin Money Digital Bank’s next-generation product, aimed at serving 2.2 million students in the UK.

Over the course of his career, Dhiraj has held directorial roles across a range of sectors including media & entertainment, consulting and the charity sector. In 2000, Dhiraj co-founded Shazam Entertainment, the world’s first mobile phone-based music recognition service. He was a Director of Shazam from 2000-2003, and raised £600,000 in seed funding and over £10m in venture capital investment over three rounds. Dhiraj has been a Board observer for Shazam since 2004, and is actively engaged in shaping overall product and corporate strategy. Shazam was acquired by Apple in 2017 for a reported $400 million.

He is now an active angel investor focused on emerging technologies and “Tech for Good,” including several start-ups leveraging AI to help create a better society.

Dhiraj has a degree in Mathematical Economics from Dartmouth College, USA and an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.

He speaks regularly at conferences on innovation, entrepreneurship and emerging technology.

Recorded: 19th September 2019

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Niall Breslin known as Bressie, is an Irish musician and former Westmeath Gaelic footballer and Leinster Rugby player. Breslin found success as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter with pop band The Blizzards, as a co-writer and producer with XIX Entertainment and as a solo artist. He was the winning coach on the first and third seasons of The Voice of Ireland.

Bio

One of Ireland’s most prominent mental health advocates and sought-after public speakers, Niall Breslin’s ability to communicate with inspiring candidness, expert knowledge and authenticity has helped to pioneer a sea change in the public perception and narrative on mental health and emotional well-being in Ireland. A dynamic, charismatic and compelling communicator, he has produced and written several documentaries about mental health and performance psychology, and has consulted with the Irish government and the EU parliament to further influence the discussion and development of future policy in the area of mental health including chairing the reference groups for the youth mental health task force.

With degrees in Economics and Sociology both from University College Dublin, a Higher Certificate in Performance Psychology from IADT and a Master’s degree in Mindfulness Based Interventions from the School of Psychology in UCD, Niall Breslin is well placed to extend his work further internationally in this space. An Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and IADT his work has been highly recognised from his peers and colleagues.

His number one bestselling and multi award winning book ‘Me and my mate Jeffrey’ and his kids mindfulness book series “The magic moment” along with his role as founder and Creative Director of mental health charity A Lust for Life, have further contributed significantly to his standing as a key figure in the evolving conversation around mental health in Ireland. His work in setting up this organisation and driving its mission has led to numerous social entrepreneur awards including the prestigious Social Entrepreneur Ireland Impact award, The Social Innovation Fund and the Google Impact award.

Niall Breslin is also an Irish musician, an Ironman triathlete and former Westmeath Gaelic footballer and Leinster professional Rugby player, captaining the Ireland U-21s rugby team on a number of occasions. Breslin is the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter with pop rock band The Blizzards, and signed to Spirit/B-unique, home of Ed Sheeran as a song writer and producer. He was the winning coach on the first, third and fifth seasons of the hugely successful TV show ‘The Voice of Ireland’. As a solo artist he produced two Number one albums and is the owner and director of Ireland’s premier recording studio Camden Recording studios.

Breslin consults with multiple international corporate organisations and leaders, from all sectors, in the creative management of stress and the development and implementation of well-being strategies.

Niall Breslin also has just signed to international podcast platform Acast and is releasing his brand new podcast series ‘Where is my Mind” in July 2019.

Recorded: 12th September 2019

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My guest this week is rare beast – a stand-up comedian who for 20 years performed at some of the most famous comedy clubs and a trained conductor who now enjoys a career conducting world-class orchestras from St Petersburg to Australia.

For corporate audiences he uses these incomparable skills to discuss that most vexed of questions, ‘what does a conductor actually do?’. And, having clarified us on that, he goes on to explain what the symphony orchestra can tell us about other complex organizations. It’s an analogy that is amazingly rich and, as he tells it, an awful lot of fun.

With his virtuoso musicians he also runs musical team building for groups from 6 to 600 people. It’s an experience so amazing, it has led some participants to going off to form their own choir….

Please welcome conductor and comedian Rainer Hersch.

Bio

Rainer started his working life in concert agencies, managing some of the greatest artists of the world. At the same time he developed a hobby – performing stand-up comedy on the London circuit. Short, unpaid slots led to longer, paid appearances and gradually developed into a parallel career. In time, Rainer realised that this was his true vocation and gave up his last straight musical job, Touring Manager of the London Festival Orchestra, to enter the world of professional comedy.

Twenty-four years later, this unique training has kept him in constant demand – combining laughter with music. In addition, he has built up a considerable reputation as a broadcaster and presenter for the BBC and Classic FM. He has also been consistently delighting corporate audiences with entertainments that are witty, interactive and fun. These range from classical themed sets with his mini orchestra, corrupting well known works with hilarious effect, to pop singalongs based on classic rock hits.

Rainer Hersch will entertain and engage your audience with presentations that are sophisticated, novel, appeal across nationalities, are clean and above all funny. As a keynote speaker Rainer Hersch uses his experience conducting some of the great orchestras of the world to provide fascinating insights into leadership, teamwork and motivation.

Recorded: 5th September 2019

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My guest this week, is Australia’s most successful author, writing 18 Top 10 bestsellers including 11 number ones. His books are translated into 55 languages and have sold over 32 million copies.

He researches and studies the psychology of selling, relationships and human communication. He teaches simple, field-tested skills and techniques that get results.

His research has been on the cover of magazines ranging from Marketing & Readers Digest to Playboy, Cosmopolitan and Oprah. His monthly relationship column has had over 20 million readers. His work with his wife Barbara has been the subject of 11 television series, 4 stage plays, a number one box office movie and TV series, which attracted a combined audience of over 100 million. My guest is Mr. Body Language himself, Allan Pease.

Bio

Allan Pease researches and studies the psychology of selling, relationships and human communication. He teaches simple, field-tested skills and techniques that get results. And he delivers his message in a humorous way, which motivates people to want to use these ideas immediately.

Allan takes you through powerful communication techniques and teaches you how to decode other people’s behaviour – and what to do about it. He also reveals how to decode a wide range of subtle clues that appear in meetings, phone calls, negotiations and face-to-face encounters.

Known worldwide as “Mr Body Language”, Allan’s own record in the field of selling, motivating and training is equalled by few others. He is a born achiever, starting his career at age 10 selling rubber sponges door to door. At 17, he was the No.1 national salesman for a company selling bed linen, pots & pans. At 21, he was the youngest person ever to sell over $1,000,000 of life insurance in his first sales year and qualify for the Million Dollar Round Table.

He has addressed audiences in 70 countries, and his programs are used by businesses and governments to teach powerful relationship skills. His messages are relevant to any area of life that involves winning people over and getting them to like you, co-operate, follow you or to say ‘yes’.

Allan – with co-author Barbara Pease – is one of the world’s most successful non-fiction authors, writing 18 bestsellers including 10 number 1 bestsellers such as The Definitive Book of Body Language and Why Men Don’t Listen and Women Can’t Read Maps. His books have been translated into 54 languages and have sold over 27,000,000 legal copies. His television series and #1 Box Office Movie were watched by over 100 million viewers.

Allan is a Professor at Moscow state Technical University & ULIM International University, a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (UK), a Fellow of the Institute of Management, Fellow of the Lifewriters Association, a Paul Harris Fellow (UK), JCI Senator and has been inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall Of Fame.

Recorded: 3rd September 2019

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The Answer: How to take charge of your life & become the person you want to be

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Shivvy Jervis is a four-time award winning Futurologist, headline speaker and broadcaster focusing on sustainable innovation. She reaches hundreds of thousands each month through her video editorial and global talks; and was recently voted one of Britain’s Influencers of the year for 2019. A documentary she just released for discovery channel “piloting the digital future” uncovers the future of our cities and how we will live in the future.

Bio

Voted one of Britain's 2019 Role Models of the Year and Europe’s most trailblazing women in digital, Shivvy Jervis is a four-time award-winning Innovation Futurist and Discovery channel Broadcaster.

TED Global commend Jervis as having "a remarkable ability to analyse the socio-economic impact of new technologies", the World Economic Forum cite her as "a thought leader beyond compare" and Britain’s former Digital Minister finds Jervis to be "a true expert".

Jervis' global talks and broadcasts on how to navigate the digital economy and the Fourth Industrial Revolution have earned an astonishing 24 pieces of industry recognition. This includes being named one of Britain's 10 most influential South Asian women and receiving a national Outstanding Achiever award at the House of Lords.

More recently Jervis was nominated by public vote for both 'Influencer of the Year' and 'Woman of the Year' at two national awards for her thought leadership on future developments in AI, data, security and immersive reality, and how it will redefine our everyday lives and how we'll do business.

A seasoned broadcaster, Shivvy has fronted a two-part documentary series for Discovery on the future of our cities in addition to a future of jobs short-form documentary. She hosts dialogue with tech pioneers on the NextTech Insider series, chairs live, debate broadcasts Ringside Sessions and is well-known as the former creator of video series' Digital Futures and The Trailblazers which drew a 13 million+ viewership. Both were backed by the world's third largest telco, for whom Shivvy was also Head of Digital for many years.

Jervis contributes as an independent expert to IBM's Global C-Suite Study Advisory Board and is called on extensively by organisations to make sense of the dizzying pace of innovation and identify which advances are best suited to their needs.

Shivvy Jervis is equally at home headlining an event, presenting a high-profile broadcast or chairing a demanding agenda. Her speaking style has been called ‘deeply persuasive’, ‘instantly relatable’ and above all, ‘uncompromisingly passionate’. Jervis is currently authoring 'Future, Now', an ambitious book for which she is scouring the globe for the most powerful advances and people meaningfully shaping the next decade.

Recorded: 29th August 2019

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My guest this week is a Trendspotting Futurologist and author of books with titles like Minifesto, Everything we know is wrong and Attack of the unexpected. He is Swedish, an economist by training, a failed novelist and rock star, former cat litter salesman and advertising executive. He has been speaking about trends and the future around the world for 20 years.

A recent client said 'He is the best Swedish export since ABBA and meatballs.’

My guest is Magnus Lindkvist

BIO

Magnus Lindkvist is a trendspotting futurologist and author who weaves together important current trends to forecast what life, society and business might look like in the future.

As a writer, Magnus Lindkvist is driven by a relentless curiosity about our mental space where the outside world collides with the human brain. His recent book Minifesto (2016) tells us why small ideas matter in the world of grand narratives. By sharing a vision of the future we can strive to surround ourselves with as many strange, conflicting ideas that we can in order to immerse ourselves in future possibilities and possible futures.

It is the fantastic timing, storytelling and politically incorrect humour that keep the audience – a global audience – laughing and talking well after his talk ends. He has given in excess of a thousand keynote speeches over the past decade to everyone from Fortune 500 CEOs and civil servants in the Middle East to anyone looking to be inspired and enlightened by trendspotting and future-thinking.

With a Master of Science in Business and Economics from Stockholm School of Economics and a degree in film production from UCLA, Lindkvist weaves together the worlds of quantitative insights with the imaginative storytelling of Hollywood. His talks are often described as ‘shows’ or ‘performances’; he calls it ‘intellectual acupuncture’ with the expressed intention of changing our minds with needles of insight, examples and observations.

Recorded: 22nd August 2019

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Many people talk about success, but my guest this week has actually been there and done it. Nine years in the army physical training corps prepared him for an athletic career, which led to major Olympic and world class achievements. his greatest individual triumph was becoming the European champion while breaking David Hemery’s 22-year-old British 400m hurdle record; a record that still stands to this day.

However, he will probably always be remembered for being part of our iconic 4 x 400m relay team that beat the mighty Americans and clinched the gold at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo.

As well as working in the media, he has over the last 25 years developed his passion for public speaking. He is one of the biggest personalities you’ll ever meet. Ladies and gentlemen pls welcome the one and only Kriss Akabusi

Bio

Kriss Akabusi rose to fame on the athletics track, where his greatest individual triumph was winning the gold medal in the 1990 European Championships. This was the day he beat David Hemery’s British record for the 400m hurdles- a record that he still holds to this day! He will also always be remembered for helping Britain clinch the gold from the mighty Americans at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo. Having amassed three Olympic medals, as well as World, European and Commonwealth titles, Kriss was bestowed with an even greater honour in 1992: an MBE awarded by her Majesty the Queen in recognition of his services to the country through athletics.

Kriss’ first foray into television and entertainment came when he presented Channel 4’s hit breakfast show, The Big Breakfast. This was followed with a full-time position as co-presenter of the BBC’s legendary Record Breakers, as well as presenting various other children’s TV programmes. Today, Kriss is regularly consulted on a variety of radio and television programmes, discussing topics ranging from sport to business. He is also a regular contributor to Sky News’ Paper Review Programme.

For over 25 years, Kriss has provided high-energy, inspirational speeches, workshops, peer mentoring and coaching for businesses and executives across the UK. Kriss Akabusi MBE and Executive Director of The Akabusi Company is a seasoned executive coach and trusted advisor. He is an accredited coach from the Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara in addition to being a Clarity 4D and Motivational Maps Practitioner.

Kriss was born in 1958 to Nigerian parents. His story- coming up through the social care system, growing up in the children’s home, joining the army & realising his potential- is nothing short of awe-inspiring!

He is the founding Director and Chairman of TACT (The Akabusi Charitable Trust) and a NGO (Non-governmental organisation) in Nigeria, designed to prevent water born diseases, and develop social cohesion. This is done by providing potable water by drilling bore holes and providing workshops and training around health issues and social responsibility.

Filled with humour, passion, and authenticity, Kriss Akabusi’s motivational presentations are an inspirational and unforgettable addition to any conference. He leaves listeners on a high, and ready to deliver success in the arena. Each presentation tailored to the individual clients’ requirements.

In addition to Keynote presentations, Kriss also leads motivational workshops that focus on getting your team onboard, onside and working together in an engaging and impactful way. Working closely with you, Kriss will get under the skin of your organisation to understand it more and to identify the core aims of the workshop, and will draw from his 25 years of experience in order to design a format that is bespoke to you and your team.

Recorded: 16th August 2019

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My guest this week helps individuals transform the way they work with others. He specialises in communication, collaboration and conflict resolution, enabling people to work together more effectively.

He is the author of the bestselling book “You can choose your friends…” and is known as “The Family Man” - for his unique comparison methods. Put simply, he is a Collaboration and Practical Communications Specialist who helps turn relationships into results. My guest is Nick Saunders.

Bio

Nick Saunders has a 25-year track record as a keynote speaker, trainer and bestselling author.

4 out of 10 of us report being involved in some kind of interpersonal conflict at work, with managers spending at least 20% of their time dealing with conflict issues (CIPD Survey Report). The CBI estimates that conflict in the workplace costs UK businesses £33 billion per year. Nick Saunders has helped over 150,000 individuals transform the way they work with others. He specialises in communication, collaboration and conflict resolution – by getting people to work together more effectively, function more professionally, collaborate more successfully, all of which leads to improved performance. He turns relationships into results. Nick does this by demonstrating that organisations/businesses are like families (he’s known as “The Family Man”). You can choose your friends, but families and work colleagues you are stuck with. However, you can still work with them more effectively, and he demonstrates how by following 6 easy steps that you can start to use immediately.

Success in any organisation is down to people communicating, cooperating and collaborating with colleagues, clients and customers.

Nick’s clients include: Bank of Tokyo, Barclays, BP, BUPA, Care UK, The Economist, Marie Curie, NSPCC, Pfizer, Sainsbury’s, Schroders.

Recorded: 18th July 2019

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My guest this week is an expert in cyber security and the human side of security. She is a winner of the Top 100 Women In Tech Award. Previously she has worked for a Police Cyber Crime Unit and has also spent time working in Counter Terrorism Intelligence. She speaks around the world and regularly appears on BBC radio shows discussing topical cyber security issues. Today she is going to give us some insights into her world.

Ladies and gentlemen please welcome Lisa Forte.

Bio

Lisa Forte began her career working in anti-piracy intelligence off the coast of Somalia, before moving into counter-terrorism intelligence for a UK Government agency.

Lisa researched the process of online radicalisation by terrorist groups and the risky social engineering process undertaken by terrorist recruiters.

She then moved into one of the UK Police Cyber-Crime Units where she got to know the attackers’ mind sets and methodologies well. The unit dealt with serious cyber-crime cases working closely with agencies such as the FBI. Victim companies ranged from small to multi-national organisations and almost all the cases involved social engineering.

Lisa Forte left in 2017 to start her own company, Red Goat Cyber Security LLP, with the goal of reflecting the techniques and methodologies actually being employed by hackers. They provide the only GCHQ certified social engineering training in the UK for staff as well as social engineering security testing and wargaming cyber-attack exercises to help organisations prepare for an attack.

Recorded: 18th July 2019

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My guest this week was a young police officer when he became a member of the Armed Response Vehicles team and whilst attending some sieges, he saw negotiators in action.

He was impressed by how they managed to resolve conflict by keeping cool and finding ways of connecting with people in crisis.

His career thereafter focused on both specialisms of armed policing and negotiation.

In 2014, he became Head of Hostage Negotiation and Armed Policing, bringing together two specialisms which previously were separate entities.

Hostage Negotiators have a 99.9% success rate in saving lives and ultimately connecting with people and being able to influence them. So, in December 2017, after 30 years police service it made sense for my guest to bring the skills of hostage negotiation into the world of business.

Ladies and gentlemen please welcome Kirk Kinnell.

Bio

A recently retired and highly experienced police negotiator, Kirk Kinnell has been deployed as the lead negotiator on a number of occasions where UK nationals have been kidnapped abroad.

He has instructed on Hostage and Crisis Negotiation since 2001, within the UK and abroad. As the recent Head of Hostage Negotiation and Armed Policing in Scotland, he has a unique insight into both disciplines, which compliment each other in the resolution of conflict.

Kirk Kinnell has spoken at various National Conferences including Columbus Ohio, Sweden, Dubai, Japan and has instructed internationally at the Hostage Crisis Negotiator Course of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in Quantico, Virginia, USA.

He has represented the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on the U.K. Government Counter Terrorist Bilateral Assistance Programme by training the Philippine National Police. He was also recently the lead advisor to U.S. Law Enforcement and produced models for Conflict Resolution, Decision Making and De-escalation of Force.

Kirk Kinnell currently shares his experience and delivers training to the private sector on business negotiation, listening and influencing skills throughout the U.K. and beyond to places like New Zealand, Brazil, Singapore, China, Dubai, Republic of Ireland, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and Serbia.

He is an associate of both Mullenders Ltd and Schranner Negotiation Institute and has a BA Degree in Policing Studies from Strathclyde University and a Certificate in Terrorism Studies from St Andrews University.

Recorded: 11th July 2019

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If you want to make your events and conferences more engaging and interactive, you’ll be interested to hear from my guest today Roy Sheppard. A delegate once wrote on their feedback form “Roy Sheppard breaks more ice than the Russian fishing fleet!”

Roy has a background as a BBC news presenter and reporter – but for the past 25 years he has worked as a specialist conference facilitator and MC.

Listen out for Oscar the rescue dog making his podcast debut.

Bio

Roy Sheppard is a specialist conference and international congress MC, facilitator and workshop speaker/trainer, in particular, corporate and association medical and technology events. He facilitates high-stakes advisory boards and ‘C’ level strategy meetings. Roy is particularly event-tech savvy and highly-experienced at delivering online, hybrid and multi-hub meetings.

As a speaker, he is the acknowledged European expert on building profitable business relationships through networking and presentation skills coaching. He has spoken at conferences all over the world.

Roy works on high-profile conferences for some of the world’s largest and most respected organisations. He has been asked back time and again to moderate ‘private’ conferences for the Olympic movement held in Lausanne, Beijing and Rio de Janeiro. He has moderated conferences for the world’s largest trade association – the ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) in Rome, Dubai, Cape Town, Istanbul, New York and their flagship event RECON in Las Vegas (attended by 53,000 delegates).

For many years, Roy Sheppard was a radio and television broadcaster, mainly with the BBC but also on LBC Radio in London and presented the Sony Award-winning “In the News” on BBC Radio 4.

He is the author of eight business and personal relationship books and a former visiting lecturer at Cranfield, Henley and Bath Universities.

Recorded: 4th July 2019

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Each week I invite one of my speakers to talk about their life, work, passions and leisure so that you can get to know the person who is the speaker behind the mic.

My guest this week is a pioneer in the fields of change and performance shift and the author of the bestseller “Taming Tigers”.

He always tests his ideas on bold fast change on himself first. He adapted from an overweight non-rider to televised jockey in 12 months and from non-free diver to the first Briton past 101m in 8 months - both whilst doing the day job.

He embraces the lessons of neuroscience in delivering adaptation and change - ideas he first experimented with in his deep diving. He confesses that when he was at school all he ever wanted was a job, he was terrible at sport and is a huge fan of Luke Bisson.

Bio

Jim Lawless is one of the world’s leading motivational speakers and a pioneer in the fields of change and performance shift. He has inspired and empowered over half a million people on five continents.

Jim’s message is that change involves risk and uncertainty. The human’s evolutionary Fear Algorithm is designed to keep us away from risk and uncertainty.

The Fear Algorithm:

has an operating speed 20x faster than that of our conscious goal-planning brain
has a hotline connected to our bodies’ hormone system
is populated with data to help us survive in the old, industrial workplace

It is essential to understand and manage our innate Fear Algorithm and challenge the old data. Otherwise, we will “resist“ and “fear” making the changes that we wish to create.

Author of the bestselling ‘Taming Tigers’ (Random House), Jim has taught the skill of change in Global and Fortune 500 companies, Olympic and Paralympic teams, business schools and government for two decades.

A strong believer in walking his talk, Jim Lawless tested his approach to bold, fast change by becoming a televised jockey in just 12 months. At the outset he was 36, unfit, overweight, couldn’t take time off work and couldn’t even ride.

To test his ideas on managing the neuroscience and physiology of fear (and fundraise), he took the British free-diving record in just 8 months. He is now the first Briton to dive deeper than 100m on a single breath of air.

Jim started his career as a City solicitor. After a decade of lawyering with the name “Lawless” he had perfected the trademark wit and humour he brings to the stage.

Over the past two decades, Jim Lawless has evolved to be one of the most in-demand motivational speakers in the world delivering over 100 major conference keynotes each year. What differentiates him, besides having proven his highly effective methodology personally, is his immense personal 1-1 connectivity with people in audiences of all sizes. He brings passion, energy, interactivity and amusing elements to the stage creating an engagement that transforms mindsets with ease.

Recorded: 27th June 2019

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This week’s guest isn’t a speaker but instead she is one of our favourite MC’s. She says that her role is to help event organisers to transform events into memorable experiences. Witty, energetic and funny she’s had the honour of introducing political figure heads, CEO’s and household names on to the stage. Welcome the event organisers’ secret weapon, Lovelda Vincenzi.

Bio

International event MC and Moderator, Lovelda Vincenzi has been speaking and performing on stages since the age of 13. With a background in event creation herself, Lovelda now specialises in MC’ing and moderating business conferences & summits for organisers who have want to create memorable events. She is a professional, dynamic & versatile MC who is an asset to any event management team.

Throughout her career Lovelda has introduced senior executives from companies such as Time Inc., Telefonica, Vodafone, Twitter & Google to the stage as well as household names such as Rachael Elnaugh (former Dragon on Dragon’s Den) and Monica Lewinsky.

As a former radio host of her own radio show, Lovelda has interviewed over 200 entrepreneurs including James Eder (Co-founder of Student Beans) and Marjean Holden (Hollywood Actress).

Having travelled since age 3 and lived in Papua New Guinea and the UK, Lovelda Vincenzi is passionate about travel, diversity and business. This unique background allows Lovelda to easily adapt to different situations and ask questions, which challenge the status quo.

She has been featured in Psychologies magazine and appeared as a regular commentator on live global news for Arise TV.

Recorded: 21st June 2019

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My guest this week is the author of 8 books, a coach, consultant and of course a speaker. His focus on authentic leadership and high performance is under-pinned by his inspirational 'purpose' approach which has been utilised by world-class companies. In our discussion he shares how to find your purpose and how once you have, how to lead with purpose. Please welcome Ben Renshaw.

Bio

Ben Renshaw is a global leadership expert specialising in purpose-led cultures. Ben’s focus on authentic leadership and high-performance is linked by his inspirational ‘purpose’ approach utilised by world-class companies. He is an engaging and inspiring keynote speaker, who transports his audience’s thinking beyond what they first thought was possible.

Ben has written 8 popular books inspiring people to be the best version of themselves including “Purpose: Why leading with purpose drives your success”, “Lead: Be inspired, inspire others” and “SuperCoaching: The missing ingredient for high performance”. In Purpose, Ben provides insights on how people can reach new levels of meaning, performance and how to accelerate growth whilst, in Lead he explains how in 50 concise steps you can accelerate leadership development in meaningful ways.

As a keynote speaker, Ben has designed and delivered presentations to major corporate brands including BT – “Agile Business & Balanced Life”, IHG – “Fit for Purpose”, M&S – “The Successful Leader”, Shell International – “Winning Teams” and Zurich – “SuperCoaching”

Ben runs senior leadership development programmes with global organisations designed to build leadership capability to deliver the company strategy. He has provided executive coaching programmes for top leaders worldwide focusing on areas including career success, promotions, transitions, leadership development, stakeholder management and high performing teams. Great companies succeed in today’s complex and competitive environment by developing great teams. Team Coaching creates an environment conducive to focusing on vision, priorities and agreeing on ways of working. It enables people to understand the real drivers behind why people do what they do, to align with future opportunities and to deepen relationships to help the team enjoy sustainable success.

He has been a spokesperson for many national campaigns on happiness, relationships and wellbeing including Boots, Kodak, P&G, Unilever and Vodafone. He was the relationship expert for C4 award-winning programme Perfect Match. Other television appearances have included Newsnight, BBC News, Richard & Judy, GMTV and the Open University.

Recorded: 20th June 2019

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My guest this week is Moonshot Futurist, Chief eXploration Officer and co-founder of the business consultancy TomorrowToday Global. He is also cancer slayer and a lover of all things cycling.

He’s a TEDx speaker, author and internationally renowned for his insights on business impact, innovation and future trends. He is a guest lecturer at bothOxford and Henley business schools where he talks about disruptive forces and the power of innovation as a force for good. He works with clients to deliver 10 times the impact and is on a quest to create a better working world. My guest is Dean van Leeuwen.

Bio

Dean van Leeuwen believes in challenging people to use the power of business to innovate and do remarkable things. He believes that the most amazing innovations of the 21st century are yet to be invented. But a remarkable century will not just happen, we have to create it. So, Dean is on a quest to challenge audiences to unlearn and relearn, mobilising them to forge innovative solutions for the new Age of Discovery.

Dean is a cancer slayer, TEDx speaker, futurist and moonshot provocateur working with leading businesses such as John Lewis Partnership, GSK, M&S and Deloitte. He is also an associate fellow at the Säid Oxford, Henley Business Schools and the Centre for European Executive Leadership Development at Fontainebleau Paris. He is the author of the book Quest: Competitive Advantage and the Art of Leadership in the 21st Century.

Dean is co-founder and chief exploration officer of TomorrowToday International, explores how the world is changing and how leaders can innovate and adapt.

Dean van Leeuwen is a regular guest lecturer at Säid Oxford Business School, Henley Business School and the prestigious Centre for European Leadership Development located on the INSEAD campus near Paris.

In his book Quest: Competitive Advantage and the Art of Leadership in the 21st Century, Dean van Leeuwen asks; how do organisations achieve more productivity, more innovation, more growth and more competitive advantage? These are good questions, aren’t they? Quest answers these important questions by placing organisations and leaders who have achieved. Dean is releasing two new books in 2018 – Achieve Remarkable Things & Megaquests of the 21st Century.

His deeply researched insights, engaging style and powerful combination of storytelling, multimedia and gentle parody, move audiences to look at a disrupted world differently, embrace change, innovate and do mighty things.

Recorded: 14th June 2019

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My guest this week first stepped on to the stage over 40 years ago as a founder member and drummer with the band Scritti Politti. Following a power cut at a gig in Berlin he found that keeping the beat going, even in the dark, meant the show could most definitely go on. 20 years later he set up Instant Teamwork, a global team building company, giving out 200 drums to his corporate audiences so they could not only hear that beat but they too could CREATE it. Breaking down barriers, working in harmony, and getting corporate teams ‘into the groove’ leads to agile mindsets in the companies he now works with. He is most definitely an interactive speaker. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mister Tom Morley.

Bio

Tom Morley was the original drummer and a founder member of Scritti Politti, the 70s / 80s band who were pioneers of DIY music before appearing on the dance scene. Unlike other bands Scritti used to make half their songs up on stage.

How is this significant to you? Simply because Tom creates INSTANT teams, delivering INSTANT team work. Within just 10 minutes Tom has a room working as one team in perfect harmony using drums. He generates the most extraordinary energy and good will, and has teams performing where there are no silos, no barriers and no hierarchical limitations. Delegates are given permission to take risks and become more creative, breaking through their self-limiting beliefs en masse while changing their individual mindsets.

Whether he is working with a group of 10 or 200, the end result is always the same. One high performing team achieving an amazing sound and creating a lasting legacy of what it feels like to be part of a truly performing team.

Tom Morley then explores with the group how they can take these feelings and achievements back into their place of work, thus making tangible that all important sustainable difference. He is truly original and inspiring around the topic of team building and his approach is refreshingly different and memorable! Tom’s background of life on many stages enables him to read a room and see exactly what the audience needs. He then delivers it with humour, style, and panache.

Having run hundreds of team-building events around the world Tom feels comfortable with any crowd, even the most hardened sceptics! He’s also happy to share the stage and collaborate with whoever else is on the schedule. If there’s a way of deepening the conference message with a custom-written anthem that the whole group can drum or sing along to just mention it when you speak to us.

Recorded: 6th June 2019

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I am thrilled to be joined by trend caster, economist and a New York Times best-selling author Dr. Shawn DuBravac. Shawn spent over a decade as the Chief Economist for the Consumer Technology Association and is now President of Avrio Institute. His research focuses on how technologies are rewriting the nature of work, how the next era of ‘datafication’ will influence consumers, and how companies should prepare for the forces that will define their organisations in the coming decades.

Bio

Dr. Shawn DuBravac is author of the New York Times Best Seller Digital Destiny: How the New Age of Data Will Transform the Way We Work, Live, and Communicate, which explores how the world’s mass adoption of digital technologies portends the beginning of a new era for humanity in the realms of business, healthcare, finance, transportation and culture.

Shawn DuBravac is a well-regarded futurist and trendcaster who writes frequently on disruptive technological shifts. He advises companies and C-level executives on market opportunities and industry strategy. He is president and founder of Astra Insights which provides consulting, research and advisory services to CxOs on a myriad of topics including digital transformation strategies, business model disruptions, the pace of technological change and overcoming myopic thinking. For over a dozen years DuBravac served as chief economist for the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the U.S. trade association representing more than 2,000 consumer tech companies and owner and producer of CES.

Shawn has been widely published on the topics of technology, finance and economics. His keen insights regarding the economic drivers of the global tech industry and future trends have made him a highly sought-after keynote speaker and commentator. He travels both internationally and domestically to meet with tech industry leaders and present on technology trends and the economy. In addition, his analysis has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Financial Times, Washington Post, Wired, Los Angeles Times, Barron’s and on-air with CNBC, Bloomberg, CBS and other media outlets.

He was the primary driver of smartphone and cyber-security equity indexes, developed in partnership with NASDAQ, and the CTA consumer confidence index. In 2012, DuBravac was named to Dealerscope’s “40 under 40” list of people to watch in the consumer technology industry. He is a member of the National Association of Business Economists and currently serves as the president of the Conference of Business Economists.

Shawn DuBravac has taught in George Washington University’s MBA program, George Mason University’s MBA program, at the University of Mary Washington and currently teaches at Marymount University. He holds economic degrees from Brigham Young University and George Mason University. DuBravac resides in Virginia with his three sons. When not helping executive teams unlock innovative thinking, he can be found climbing 14ers, running marathons and coaching youth sports.

Recorded: 30th May 2019

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Each week I invite one of my speakers to talk about their life, work, passions and leisure so that you can get to know the person who is the speaker behind the mic.

My guest this week started his career managing high profile rock stars – and yes of course I get him to name names. He is now an internationally recognised leader in business creativity and innovation. For over 20 years, he has been advising CEO’s, entrepreneurs, educators, governments, leaders, writers and rock stars on how to build innovative organizations, unlock creative potential, and increase productivity. His forthcoming book is called “Augmented Creativity: Becoming SuperCreative in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”. My guest is James Taylor.

Bio

James Taylor M.B.A. F.R.S.A. – who started his career managing high profile rock stars – is now an in-demand keynote speaker and internationally recognised leader in business creativity and innovation. For over 20 years, he has been advising CEO’s, entrepreneurs, educators, governments and leaders from Silicon Valley to Singapore on how to build innovative organizations, unlock creative potential, and increase productivity.

As the founder of C.SCHOOL™ and the host of multiple global summits he has personally interviewed over 500 of the world’s leading creative minds including Silicon Valley tech CEO’s, New York Times bestselling authors, and artificial intelligence pioneers. Hundreds of thousands of people in over 120 countries have learned about creativity and innovation through his online courses, videos, media interviews and keynote speeches.

His clients have included Fortune Global 500 companies, government policy makers, industry associations, and he was recently the subject of a 30 minute BBC documentary about his life and work. He was awarded the S.D. Southern Prize from Canadian energy services company ATCO and named ‘ONTRApreneur of the Year’ from U.S. business and marketing automation leaders ONTRAPORT.

James is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (F.R.S.A.) whose Fellows have included global innovators and leaders including President Benjamin Franklin, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Bob Dylan, Adam Smith, Nelson Mandela and Professor Stephen Hawking.

Business is changing at the speed of light. Exponential technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics are creating new disruptive business models almost overnight. In this age of disruption there is ONE distinctively human competitive advantage that you and your team must leverage…. your Creativity.

Recorded: 23rd May 2019

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My guest is serial entrepreneur and author Simone Vincenzi. Simone has helped launch more than 500 profitable businesses all before the age of 30. He is the go-to expert in selling from stage and in this episode, we talk about the differences and indeed the many similarities of speaking to sell and being paid to speak. Two Italians chatting about speaking, this is an episode not to be missed. Simone also shares his “Selling from stage check list” and “15 ways to get speaking gigs” which you can pick up in the show notes.

NB: This was originally recorded as a video and it was an interview in my Speaking Business group on Facebook so there are some references about how we both look. If you want to check out Simone’s amazing hair you can follow the link in the show notes.

Bio

One hundred million new businesses start every year, and 90% of them fail within three years. How do we create sustainable companies? This is the question Simone Vincenzi answers every day.

Simone is a multi-award-winning serial entrepreneur and author who had helped people to launch more than 500 profitable businesses before he reached the age of 30.

He writes for Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, The Huffington Post and regularly features on tv and radio talking about entrepreneurship and the current small business landscape.

Simone Vincenzi speaks at more than 200 events every year, impacting thousands of entrepreneurs, start-ups, small businesses as well as large corporations. He has spoken at conferences featuring Les Brown, Tony Robbins, Gary Vee, Simon Sinek, John. C. Maxwell, Dr John Demartini and many more brilliant minds in the entrepreneurial field.

In 2016 he was nominated in the Houses of Parliament as one of the most influential migrant entrepreneurs in the UK by the Institute of Directors and won the award of Best Speaker in the UK by the ACPTC. In 2018 he featured in magazines alongside the royal family and won the Maximise Man Of The Year Award.

Simone Vincenzi works with startup entrepreneurs and experts who want to grow their existing business as well as multi-millionaires who want to launch new ventures, bringing ideas to fruition at lightning speed. He also supports numerous charities in the entrepreneurial space as well as working with young people to help them launch successful social projects.

Simone is an incredibly entertaining, practical and unpredictable speaker, bringing music, magic and basketball together during his talks and seminars to teach while making sure everyone has a blast.

Recorded: 15th April 2019

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In this episode I struggle to contain my laughter, you might hear me squeaking in the background, and I also have to warn you that my guest drops a couple of naughty words. But it’s all done in the best possible taste.

My guest this week is a leading authority on sales, leadership, customers and change and has been voted Business Communicator of the Year by the Speechwriters’ Guild. He is a regular contributor and presenter on TV and Radio and was the star of BBC television’s hit business show ‘All over the Shop’. He is regularly seen as a business correspondent and presenter for BBC television’s Inside Out programme. He is the author of many highly successful business books and he has taken a break from guruing around the world he is business guru, Geoff Burch.

Bio
Geoff Burch is an international business expert, best-selling author, master storyteller and TV presenter. Geoff is the leading authority on sales, customers, leadership and change. His credentials are impressive, working extensively with the world’s major blue chip and FTSE 100 companies to motivate and inspire their people – his humorous and entertaining presentations enabling him to deliver powerful business principles, key messages and new ideas which are of use to everyone and can benefit all organisations of any size.

Recently voted ‘Business Communicator of the Year’ by the UK Speechwriters’ Guild, Geoff is considered to be one of Europe’s most exciting and motivational experts.

As a regular contributor and presenter on television and radio, Geoff is also the star of the hit business show on BBC Television, All Over the Shop, which focuses on small businesses helping them to survive and thrive. His humorous style and easily explained advice works well and has created a strong following amongst the business community.

A prolific writer, Geoff Burch currently has many hugely popular business books published worldwide including, Resistance is Useless – the Art of Business Persuasion: Go It Alone – the Streetwise Secrets of Self-Employment: Writing on the Wall: The Way of the Dog: and his latest offering, Irresistible Persuasion.

Geoff also has a particular passion for small enterprise. A third-generation entrepreneur – his grandmother and mother ran a number of successful enterprises – Geoff loves to inspire small businesses using the skills he’s acquired from working with big business. These experiences were distilled into two of his best-selling books ‘Go It Alone’ and ‘Self-Made Me’ which are aimed at all those planning to succeed in their own businesses. Funny and mischievous, the books, like their author, pull no punches.

A master storyteller whose observations are highly entertaining but also carefully crafted to deliver important business messages, Geoff has worked extensively with a wide range of international companies to inspire, motivate and inform their people. A true maverick, he shares powerful business principles and key ideas relevant to organisations of all sizes and in every sector.

Geoff Burch will challenge the way you do business and offer real-world solutions that can be immediately implemented. He will inform, create ideas and tangible tools that will improve your team’s and your organisation’s performance with unforgettable stories that make you remember what really works.

Recorded: 16th May 2019

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My guest this week worked both Obama campaigns, starting in January 2007 as Director of Special Events, a position that would take him through 30 states with Barack Obama. Along the way he helped revolutionise how data is gathered and used, how old tools like TV and radio are harmonised for maximum effect with social media, and went on to serve in both Inaugurations, both Administrations, and the President’s re-election.

He says “The Obama campaigns are like 10 years of a corporation distilled into 18 months. In those few months the campaign is born, learns how to walk then gallop, then blossoms into a billion-dollar corporation that must reach out to 130 million people all in less than 2 years. It is marketing, social media, communications and branding all happening at once and all happening at light speed.”

He is the Principal at New Day Strategy, bringing these skills to clients in the business world.

Please welcome Roger Fisk.

Bio

Roger Fisk is the political campaign, marketing and media strategist widely credited with playing a key behind-the-scenes role in the back-to-back electoral victories of US President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. He was heavily involved in these game-changing campaigns which are regarded as the best run presidential campaigns in the history of US politics.

Roger has a deep understanding of 21st-century presidential politics, political campaigning and the unprecedented power of information, relationships and marketing. He successfully engaged millions of people in long, sustained marketing and promotional strategies, using the internet and social media networks to great effect.

Roger Fisk was hired by the Obama Team as the National Director of Special Events in what would become a history-making Finance Department. Here he managed a nationwide grass-roots fundraising team that revolutionised modern political fundraising, totalling US$100 million in 11 months while building the largest donor base in American history. During the campaign, Roger served as principal liaison with US Secret Service and local law enforcement and was directly responsible for coordinating and managing the media’s coverage of over 150 events across the country. He was in charge of some key Obama media appearances including 60 Minutes, The Daily Show, Good Morning America, Saturday Night Live, and the historic Race Speech in Philadelphia in March 2008. Roger supervised teams in 27 states with direct managerial responsibility for event and advertising budgets, site selection, appropriation of staff resources, cultivation of targeted free media, coordination of web outreach, and collaboration with local, state and national elected officials.

Following President Obama’s first campaign he served as Cabinet Liaison for the 2009 Inauguration, then became a political appointee in the Obama Administration. In the Spring of 2012 Fisk joined President Obama’s re-election team, leading teams as a White House Lead Advance in critical states like Virginia, Iowa and Ohio, all of which the President won.

Roger Fisk lectures on these revolutionary campaigning techniques while also offering high-impact seminars designed to enhance Executive Communications and Leadership Skills.

Prior to his work for President Obama, Roger worked for Deval Patrick’s successful campaign for Governor of Massachusetts. All of this experience came from his work for Senator John Kerry, where he served as his Senior Aide in the US Senate for Communication and Policy. He advised Senator Kerry on a wide range of politically sensitive issues, including Medicare, AIDS, community health, and child nutrition. He worked for the Kerry Presidential campaign from its very first day to its last.

His Presidential appointment in the Commerce Department requires him to coordinate diplomatic and trade missions for the Cabinet and President. He has served as Lead USG Coordinator on trade missions to India and China and co-ordinated the Cabinet’s role in both the 2009 COP-15 Global Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. He served as President Obama’s point person at the 2011 G8 Summit in Deauville, France.

These experiences provide Roger with a deep understanding of 21st-century Presidential politics, how America’s political system impacts the rest of the world and the rapidly shifting cultural landscape they play out on.

Recorded: 2nd May 2019

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My guest this week is an industry acclaimed A.I. Scientist, Tech Pioneer and Venture Partner at Deep Science Ventures, a venture-focused science institute where audacious entrepreneurial scientists explore solutions to the world’s challenges. She is an advisor to both the UK Parliament and the EU Technology Commission in matters of digitalisation and Big Data. Fortune and TIME have described her as one of Europe’s top talents in social engagement through technology, and FastCompany labelled her a “firestarter”. Please welcome Inma Martinez.

Bio
Inma Martinez is an engaged figure in the entrepreneurial, innovation and digitalisation sectors. An industry recognised Artificial Intelligence and digital visionary that pioneered 1:1 personalisation in the early days of the mobile Internet, Inma has been credited to be part of the original development teams behind Wireless Access Protocol (WAP), mobile music and video streaming, wearable technologies, “widgets” – the precursors to mobile apps, and the “connected car” and smart cities development. She is an inspirational keynote speaker on the effects of A.I. and Automation, Man-Machine Collaborations and the accelerated digitalisation of life, work and play.

Both governments and private corporations seek her advisory on how to address the digital challenges – she is currently an advisor to the board at the All Parliamentary Party Group on A.I. at the House of Lords, and has provided evidence at the EU Commission on A.I. and the misuse of citizen data in light of new GDPR policies. In parallel, Inma continues to commit her time to education at Imperial College London where she is is a guest lecturer at the MSc Management program, the MSc in Economics and the MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy, and to the mentorship of innovative technologies at Deep Science Ventures, a venture-focused science institute where audacious entrepreneurial scientists explore solutions to world’s challenges.

Fortune and TIME have described Inma as one of Europe’s top talents in social engagement through technology, and FastCompany labelled her a “firestarter”. She has appeared in the international media as a tech commentator and written articles for a variety of media outlets. In 2018 she was listed at #1 amongst “The Top 10 Women Changing The Landscape Of Data In 2018” by Enterprise Management 360 and one of the top “50 A.I. Influencers To Follow On Twitter” by Cognilytica, an A.I. and Cognitive Sciences Research agency.

Inma Martinez’s most requested keynotes focus on the digital acceleration affecting Life, Work and Play, and how businesses should reorganise within to leverage from this transformational forces and be more innovative. In addition, she often presents new approaches to emerging sectors such as IoT, Smart Cities and Artificial Intelligence deployed to create products and services.

Recorded: 25th April 2019

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My guest today is a global brand and business builder, recognised strategy expert, author and speaker. He has more than 20 years of hands-on experience in successfully creating or re-staging brands that have grown to generate over a billion dollars in combined incremental sales annually around the world.

In our chat we learn what the Uber brands are doing and that it isn’t always wise to follow every whim, need and trend of the consumer. Please welcome JP Kuehlwein.

Bio

JP Kuehlwein is a global brand builder, accomplished business leader and recognised strategy expert. He has a 20+ year track record of creating or repositioning brands that then win in the market. JP’s diverse experience ranges from introducing the concept of disposable diapers and Pampers brands to India and South-East Asia to reviving an iconic New York Hair Care and Prestige salon services business.

Before co-founding the brand consultancy ‘Ueber-Brands’ in 2016, JP was Executive Vice President of Frédéric Fekkai and Managing Director of Global Strategy; Innovation, Premium Products at P& G.

Based out of New York City, JP Kuehlwein is on the industry advisory board of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT, NY), the CMO Council (San Francisco) and L2 Inc. (NYC) as well as an External Director of Smith & Norbu, a Hong Kong-based maker of luxury optical frames and accessories.

JP Kuehlwein has co-authored the best-selling “Rethinking Prestige Branding – Secrets of the Ueber-Brands”, which is becoming a marketer’s reference book. It reveals the success drivers behind some one hundred premium brands across industries. With his co-author Wolf Schaefer, JP advocates to put ‘myth back into marketing’ to ‘seduce rather than sell’ for a brand to be esteemed beyond size, price or performance. Their blog-cast ‘Ueber-Brands’ and related events are sought-after by marketing leaders around the world.

JP is regularly engaged in consulting, public speaking and teaching in English, French and German. His talks are lively with many practical examples and particularly popular with the big mass marketing groups.

He has been named ‘Inspiring Marketer of the Year 2015’ by the Association of National Advertisers / The Internationalist.

Recorded: 11th April 2019

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My guest today is a motivation expert and a student of the art of mastery. She has helped champions to win medals, business leaders to transform performance, sales people to win multi-million-pound deals and individuals to perform beyond their own wildest expectations.

She is a grand prix dressage rider, a former national equestrian champion, a ski instructor, a bestselling author, and was Head of Content for the global computer giant, Dell. As part of the research for her latest book “Find Your Flame - Why Motivation Matters More Than Talent”, she interviewed 50 world class performers from business, science, the arts and sport. She identified five new intrinsic motivation types that reveal how ordinary people tap into the motivation and achieve extraordinary things.

Bio
Sophie Bennett is a best-selling author and champion dressage rider with a strong business background. She has been researching what drives successful people for the last 20 years and is the author of several books. Her new book about what really motivates people was released in September 2018.

Find Your Flame – Why Motivation Matters More Than Talent, explores five motivational triggers that her research has uncovered. Those triggers, The Five Flames of Motivation, are already being taught at Cranfield University as part of one of their leadership programs. Sophie has created a fresh and simple approach to motivating people and firing-up teams. The findings come from interviews with over 35 world-class performers from business, sport, science and the arts, a unique survey of more than 100 driven people and a review of the latest science.

Sophie Bennett spent over 10 years in the technology sector. She founded, built and sold a telecoms company in the early days of deregulation, became a professional writer for IT companies, has authored and program managed many multi-million-dollar winning proposals and she led a global content team at Dell. She has a keen interest in technology, blockchain and artificial intelligence. She has also recently fulfilled a lifelong dream and qualified as a ski instructor. Her eclectic background as an equestrian, sportswoman, peak-performance expert, author, and businesswoman guarantees audiences an interesting journey.

Sophie is a regular guest on the Thomson Reuters Global Markets Forum, has been featured in Psychologies Magazine, Metro, BBC radio, Female First, Gulf News, Moneywise, and is a popular podcast guest. Her books include a best-seller about how we think and behave around money, Money Bondage – Discover the Power of Mind Over Money, that was a No.1 on Amazon for several months. She also recently structured, contributed and edited the futurism book Humanification – Go Digital – Stay Human, that was shortlisted for Business Book of the Year 2018.

Sophie Bennett is an ideal speaker for audiences needing a motivational boost during periods of rapid change. Her mental horsepower also makes her a strong choice for participation on Q&A panels and she is especially well-suited to expert panels discussing leadership, the impact of technology, employee engagement, women in leadership, people management and the changing nature of work.

Recorded: 4th April 2019

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My guest this week is a futurist, with an artist’s eye and an inventor’s mind. She prototypes future world designs for the entertainment industry, technology companies and cities. A large part of her time is devoted to research and strategy in the immersive media technology space. Her work consists in connecting bleeding edge technological innovation with some of the world’s most original creative visions. She is co-founder of ALLFUTUREEVERYTHING, an agency & a platform for prototyping futures. In her talks, she leads audiences on a journey through what could be. She takes the most cutting-edge digital concepts and places them squarely in our material world, opening our eyes to a future where we live with, in, and around technology much more deeply than we do today. My guest is Monika Bielskyte

Bio

A futurist with an artist’s eye and an inventor’s mind, Monika Bielskyte prototypes culturally diverse, socially and environmentally engaged future world designs for the entertainment industry, technology companies, and cities. A large part of her time is devoted to research and strategy in the immersive media technology space (Augmented, Mixed and Virtual Reality). Monika’s work consists in connecting bleeding edge technological innovation with some of the world’s most original creative visions.

Monika Bielskyte’s clients include technology leaders (Google, Reliance JIO, CERN, Intel, Telefonica), iconic media brands (Universal, Lionsgate, BBC), major Hollywood & entertainment figures (Ridley Scott Associates, Alex McDowell, Sam Esmail, Guy Laliberte), design companies (Rick Owens, Aston Martin) and governments (UAE, Mexico City).

She is also a co-founder of ALLFUTUREEVERYTHING, an agency & a platform for prototyping futures.

In mind-bending talks, Monika leads audiences on a journey through what could be. She takes the most cutting-edge digital concepts and places them squarely in our material world, opening our eyes to a future where we live with, in, and around technology much more deeply than we do today.

Recorded: 2nd April 2019

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My guest this week has 25 years as a technology entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Nowadays he also advises large corporations, the European Commissions and various non-profits. He’s a founder, a funder and a futurist. For me he’s an interpreter of trends and we find out all sorts of amazing things that are going to be happening in our future and that are happening already plus we get to meet Ripley! Please enjoy, Nicklas Bergman.

Bio
Nicklas Bergman has spent the last 25 years working as an entrepreneur and technology investor, mostly focusing on investments and business development in emerging markets, IT, instrumentation, nanotechnology, computing, new materials and new media art, currently through more than 10 direct and indirect investments.

Nicklas is the strategic advisor to European Commissioner Carlos Moedas and the European Innovation Council, working on a new innovation strategy for Europe. He is also Scandinavian representative of the TechCast Technology Think Tank in Washington and member of both the World Future Society and the Long Now Foundation.

Nicklas is a futurist and is optimistic about the promises emerging from new technologies but is equally concerned that society isn’t ready for the upcoming techstorm. We’re entering an era in which technology will redefine who we are, and it’s no longer a question of what it can do for us, but what we should allow technology to do. Technology in itself is pointless, it’s the applications and ability to improve people’s lives that’s important. Digitisation is highly relevant but only the warm-up. True disruption will come from a combination of new digital technologies such as AI, blockchain and the Internet of Things in combination with a deeper understanding of nanotechnology, neuro technology as well as biotechnology and genetics. In a couple of decades, this will create a world that’s totally different from the one we’re living in today…

In 2016 Bergman published a book on how to deal with new technologies from a business perspective: Surviving the Tech Storm – Strategy in Times of Technological Uncertainty. With the conviction that technology is probably the strongest driver of change today, it’s obvious that anyone in a management position, or aspirations to eventually be in that position, must understand how technology is changing business from the ground up.

Nicklas Bergman is also part of Nordic Ways, the 2016 project at the SAIS Center for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins University in Washington D.C., USA. The final result is a compilation of essays on how Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden are facing economic and social challenges through what has been known as the “Nordic Model”. Authored by people from the Nordic countries with backgrounds in politics, academia, design, arts, business, technology, and civil society, the book was released in the US in October 2016.

Nicklas is co-founder and investor in several companies including the Volvo trucks and buses distribution network in Romania, that grew into a E300 million business and was acquired by Volvo in 2006, and an electron microscopy company with a unique patented technology for movement and interaction on the atomic scale. With close to 150 high-profile customers in more than 30 countries worldwide, the technology was acquired by FEI in 2013.

Nicklas Bergman’s keynotes are technology and innovation focussed, sometimes with a specific industry perspective and based on his 25 years as an entrepreneur and start up investor. As a futurist, Nicklas is not telling you what will happen, he is observing, providing tools, drawing conclusions and changing mindsets.

Recorded: 28th March 2019

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Each week I invite one of my speakers to talk about their life, work, passions and leisure so that you can get to know the person who is the speaker behind the mic.

This week is a really special edition of the Speaking Business podcast. This is special because it is not very often that you get a guru of this stature to be a guest. This is why we are going out today on a Monday when normally we wouldn’t because he has been available only this morning. My guest says of himself ‘I am a succeedor in a long line of succeedors, Julius Casear, Abraham Lincoln, Tim Henman and Phil Collins all undoubtedly used my methods. L. Vaughan Spencer or L.Vo as he is known to the hip, is a self-help guru and gangster motivator. No longer will you be a success-a-phobe. 2004 business speaker of the year for Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire L.Vo always came top in the northern hemisphere motivator of the year under 40 middle weight section. Although not long ago he had just 19p to his same. As he says ‘somehow only when you are in the gutter, you can only see where the pavement ends’. He turned his life around, so can you. In his book ‘Don’t be needy, be succeedy’, the president of the Republic of Success, explains the alphabet diet, how to rethink your buzness card, how business can become buzness and how to embrace the new virility whether you are identifying as a man or a woman. Ladies and gentleman, you will be astounded by the brains and wisdom of this incredible person, please enjoy this podcast

Bio

L.Vaughan Spencer has recently returned to his native Britain after a lengthy sojourn in Canada where he has built a huge following and massive reputation as a personal growth guru.

L. Vaughan Spencer was named the 2004 Business Speaker of the Year for Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire and came 12th in the Northern Hemisphere Motivator of the Year (Under-40 Middleweight Section). He is Business Ambassador for the South East England Tree Fellowship, editor-at-large of Success & Succeediness and is the Kall-Kwik Visiting Professor of Succeedership at the University of the Isle of Wight. He is a member of the Board of Governors of Skybrook Primary School in Stevenage.

He is the chief executive of the L. Vaughan Spencer Foundation, a not-for-much-profit organisation dedicated to its betterment and of Succeeder Solutions who provide "bespoke solutions to tricky problems". He is Chair of the Succeeder Institute, a think-tank on important things which is trying to advise the government. He is considered one of the world’s leading trendologists. Having looked at Generation X, then Generation Y, he is firmly focused on the prospects for Generation Z. What comes after that remains unclear.

He is a global force and helped organise the famous Motiv-8 Event in July 2005, held near Wembley, and at locations across the world and Hertfordshire. Leading lights in the personal growth industry attended and so did someone from the European Union. In 2006, he was appointed a Senior Fellow at the Advanced Seminar on Succeederology (ASS). It is now offering a new course, The Two-Minute MBA.

As one of the UK’s leading thinkers (he has been acknowledged as one of the top ten thousand influential people on management issues in the Home Counties), he does a lot of thinking, often about Leadership, and is in demand internationally as an inspiring speaker, renowned for his passion and dress sense. His insightful and skilful story-telling mean he can make the Big Picture seem even bigger. He sits on the European Cheese Council, and plays tennis. L. Vaughan Spencer was recently awarded the Gold Star Lifetime Achievement Award by the Personal Development Association of Newfoundland for his services to humanity and sales of his videos. He has been married and lives not from far from London Luton Airport.

L. Vaughan Spencer's mantra is that if you don't aim the arrow right, it will never land where you want it. And you must pull the bow back.

Recorded: 1st April 2019

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This week we are talking to Thomas Anglero. He is Director of Innovation for IBM in Norway, a two-time entrepreneur, a veteran basketball coach, and an extremely popular motivational speaker. Thomas was born in New York but has lived in Norway for more than 20 years. He has been an executive for large private and public global companies that gives him a unique perspective on people, technology and culture. Thomas’ favourite presentations are all-out Q&A’s with the audiences, no slides, no rehearsal, in real-time living in the moment with the audience making life happen! In this episode you may be surprised to hear ‘All You Need is Love’, the Beatles were right!

Bio

Thomas F Anglero is one of the most exciting and sought-after public speakers in the Nordic countries. He is an expert in “the new culture challenges that comes with the AI revolution”, innovation, teaching disruption to executives, and artificial intelligence’s effect on people, society and businesses. In 2017, Thomas key-noted at over 100 conferences to over 35,000+ people and consulted to executive leader groups and government officials throughout the Nordics and Europe.

He is a 20+ year entrepreneur and the Director of Innovation for IBM Norway responsible for IBM Watson and innovation with clients. Thomas is the creator of the IBM Watson Innovation Lab at the Oslo Cancer Cluster which is the Nordic HQ of IBM Watson for all the Nordic countries.

Prior to IBM, Thomas was the Director of Innovation for the Norwegian Tax Authorities (Skatteetaten). His pioneering work identified the disruptive nature of cryptocurrencies, virtual currencies, and other digital financial systems/technologies that immediately affect existing national financial markets. Thomas Anglero has over 25 years of global IT and telecom executive experience including founding several start-ups in the US, Norway and Serbia.

Thomas is a serial entrepreneur, 2017 TED talk speaker, 2013 Undomiciled Project (UP) Unsung Hero Award Recipient, winner of the 2009 Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award (IESI Business School), 2006 Top 10 Most Influential Foreigner in Norway, and a 10x champion Level-2 FIBA basketball coach with over 10+ years of winning experience.

Recorded: 21st March 2019

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Angela Oguntala is a futurist and a director at Greyspace – a design and futures consultancy that partners with organisations to think, plan and design for the future. She has worked in education, healthcare, finance, fashion, sustainability and in a range of other spaces across culture and technology. Selected clients of hers include IKEA, Hermès, Microsoft, Philips, and various media groups. She has also been an advisor for policy organisations and large-scale city planning projects in Northern Europe.

Angela is a Salzburg Global Fellow and has been named a Future Innovator by The United Nations ICT / Ars Electronica for her thinking and work. In 2017, she was also named a leading creative entrepreneur by Kinfolk and featured as part of their best-selling book series The Kinfolk Entrepreneur.

She previously served as the head of the Innovation Lab at EH Design, a group focused on designing and experimenting around emerging technologies.

Angela Oguntala is a frequent speaker at conferences and events on future-facing topics, including themes that explore the possible impacts of near-future technologies on culture and society. She is an American, currently based in Copenhagen.

Recorded: 28th February 2019

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This week we are doing something a little different. As well as finding out about the speaker who is the person behind the mic we also find out a bit more about the actual presentation/keynote and we deconstruct the speaker's keynote and tell you bit by bit how he presents his content to the audience.

My guest this week is the creator and author of Celebrity Service & OMG Marketing. He’s challenged and inspired audiences across six continents to create award-winning ideas to outperform the competition. Recently featured in Forbes…. they said Celebrity Service was ‘A Game Changer’. His clients include, Emirates, Specsavers, IHG and McDonalds.

Bio

Geoff Ramm is the creator of Celebrity Service and OMG Marketing. He knows the only way you can attract more customers is to create jaw-dropping marketing and that great customer service leads to lucrative, repeat business. A multi-award winning customer service and marketing speaker, Geoff has challenged and inspired audiences across five continents. As well as being genuinely passionate about his subject, Geoff is humorous with original content and will challenge you to achieve greater results.

Implementing Geoff Ramm’s ideas really will make a difference to your business. A business to business Valentine Card achieved a record 70% response rate by the Bauer Media Group after implementing OMG Marketing. Indian giants TATA won two Direct Marketing Association awards following a two-day OMG masterclass. Tiger Brands, South Africa introduced a dozen new ideas after Geoff’s keynote and masterclass. Just one of these ideas increased sales by over 53%.

So how do you create highly successful marketing ideas? And how can you design a customer experience that has you talked about for decades? In Geoff’s interactive keynotes, you will not only discover out-of-this-world ideas, you will come up with them and be excited to implement them too. Companies across six continents have outperformed their competitors by using Geoff’s unique insights on customer service and marketing. Laugh out loud at the greatest cabin crew member of all time. Get a lump in your throat at the sight of a sesame seed bun. Discover simple and cost-effective ideas that will have the world talking about your business. At the end of Geoff’s session, you will want to make massive changes tomorrow and become the brand of choice in the eyes of your customers.

Recorded: 14th February 2019

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This week my guest is the Fons! Dr Fons Trompenaars! Fons is a world leader in understanding cultural difference. His seminal book Riding the Waves of Culture, Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business put culture in business on the map.

He has been ranked as one of the world’s most influential management thinkers in the world by the Thinkers50. Fons has spent over 30 years helping leaders manage and solve their business and cultural dilemmas to increase global effectiveness and performance.

He turns corporate leaders into top performers through developing their ability to identify and reconcile dilemmas. We also find out that he’s probably Neil Young’s biggest fan, so I hope Neil is listening in.

Bio

Dr Fons Trompenaars is recognised around the world for his work as a consultant, trainer, motivational speaker and author of various books on all subjects of culture and business. He is a world leader in understanding cultural difference, his seminal book Riding the Waves of Culture, Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business put culture in business on the map.

He has spent over 30 years helping Fortune500 leaders manage and solve their business and cultural dilemmas to increase global effectiveness and performance, particularly in the areas of globalisation, mergers and acquisition, HR, Managing Change, leadership development and digitalisation.

Fons Trompenaars has been ranked as one of the most influential management thinkers worldwide in the Thinkers50 three times in 2011, 2013 and 2015. The fact that business is getting more and more global makes it imperative to address the issue of managing cultural differences. Fons’ vision and expertise in this area, therefore, made him a logical contender for this list. He was inducted Thinkers50 Hall of Fame in November 2017 which salutes distinguished Management Thinkers and their contributions whose names and legacies are added to the ranks of those who have arrived before them.

Fons’ passion is in translating values into performance. He turns corporate leaders into top performers through developing their ability to identify and reconcile dilemmas. Outstanding leaders sense the dilemmas facing their industries and their organisations before their competitors and tend to find solutions quickly. The more formidable the dilemma, the greater the gain from resolving it first.

Recorded: 7th February 2019

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This week I’ve gone a bit off-piste, I haven’t got one of my speakers as a guest, instead I have Chris Wharton who is Creative Director of 2ndfloor, a web and design Studio.

Chris is my go-to guy for all things website and branding and I thought I’d quiz him a bit to help speakers or anyone else looking for assistance in this field.

Chris has been working on a computer since he found MS Paint and created bank cards for his sister to play shop with. He has successfully managed, consulted and worked on projects for RBS, Renault, Coutts Bank, IKEA, WorldPay, Schroders, amongst others.

Chris has a wide range of skills including digital consultancy, UI design, UX and web build, sketch and illustration and project management. He knows a lot basically! Chris has created the branding for two of my businesses, Maria Franzoni Ltd, speaker bureau and for Speaking Business Academy. He also designed, built and maintains the Speaking Business Academy website as well as creating our company brochure.

Recorded: 5th February 2019

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Each week I invite one of my speakers to talk about their life, work, passions and leisure so that you can get to know the person who is the speaker behind the mic.

In this episode we are going to talk about economics and history with Dr Linda Yueh.

Dr Linda Yueh is a leading economist, writer and broadcaster. Her latest book, The Great Economists: How Their Ideas Can Help Us Today answers the biggest economic questions of our time by drawing on the ideas of the thinkers who have changed our world. It was selected as The Times’s Best Business Books of 2018 and also by Newsweek magazine in the U.S. as the Best Fiction and Non-Fiction of 2018.

Bio

Dr Linda Yueh is Fellow in Economics at St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford, Adjunct Professor of Economics at London Business School, and Visiting Professor at LSE IDEAS. She is a broadcaster, including for BBC Radio 4 and the World Service, and was the BBC’s Chief Business Correspondent and host of “Talking Business with Linda Yueh”, as well as Economics Editor at Bloomberg TV.

Linda Yueh has served as a special advisor for the World Bank, the European Commission, Asian Development Bank, and World Economic Forum in Davos. She was Co-Chair of the Global Cities Business Alliance (GCBA) and sits on the supervisory Policy Committee of the Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) at the London School of Economics and Political Science, as well as serving on the Advisory Board of The Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF). Linda has been a Non-Executive Director of several FTSE companies, an advisor to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), and Board member of London & Partners, the official promotional agency for London. Linda gave testimony before the Treasury Select Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons, UK Parliament, on the impact of China on the world and UK economy.

Linda Yueh is widely published and is the Editor of the Economic Growth and Development book series at Routledge. Her latest book is The Great Economists: How Their Ideas Can Help Us Today (What Would the Great Economists Do?)

Linda’s expertise is in economic and business issues, particularly the global economic environment, including the Chinese economy and Brexit.

Recorded: 22nd January 2019

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Each week I invite one of my speakers to talk about their life, work, passions and leisure so that you can get to know the person who is the speaker behind the mic.

In this episode we are sharing the secrets behind some of the world's elite business, sports and military organisations. My guest is high performance culture expert and best-selling author James Kerr.

James authored the global best-selling book Legacy: What the All Blacks can teach us about the business of life.

His work explores what drives the best teams to extraordinary results, including

a relentless focus on excellence
a collective commitment to an 'uncommon cause'
and emphasis on individual accountability

James has advised US and UK Special Forces, Formula 1 teams and Olympic Performance Directors - as well as corporations from Google to PayPal, Red Bull to Unilever, and Shell to Boeing.

Bio

James Kerr is a bestselling author, speaker and business consultant specialising in defining, designing and delivering change for leaders of world-class teams and organisations. His book, Legacy, reveals 15 leadership lessons from the All Blacks, the world’s most successful sporting team, and his corporate clients include HSBC, Boeing, Raffles, UBS and Shell. In the sporting arena he has also worked with UEFA, Team Origin, the RFU, Adidas and the Australian Kangaroos. His key message is that “higher purpose leads to higher performance” and that successful change begins with a values-based, vision-led, purpose driven mindset – and ends without it.

The secrets of Legacy are now available to leaders in all fields through a series of keynote speeches, workshops, engagement programmes and leadership coaching modules. James works with leaders to define, design and deliver life-changing coaching and change programmes, and inspiring workshops and keynote speeches. His brand storytelling agency, Chalk Projects, specialises in bringing strategy to life for some of the world’s most respected businesses, teams and leaders.

James has addressed some of the world’s leading organisations – including HSBC, Post Office, Adidas, Redstone, Lawyers Worldwide, Warners, and Boeing – in conferences and private events on a variety of subjects. His speeches are noted for their ability to address real-world commercial issues via the principles of some of the world’s most successful sports, military, aviation and business teams. Informative, engaging and inspiring.

About Legacy
In Legacy, James Kerr goes deep into the heart of the world’s most successful sporting team, the legendary All Blacks of New Zealand, to reveal 15 powerful and practical lessons for leadership and business. Legacy is a unique, inspiring handbook for leaders in all fields, and asks: What are the secrets of success – sustained success? How do you achieve world-class standards, day after day, week after week, year after year? How do you handle the pressure? How do you train to win at the highest level? What do you leave behind you after you’re gone? What will be your legacy?

Recorded: 17th January 2019

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Each week I invite one of my speakers to talk about their life, work, passions and leisure so that you can get to know the person who is the speaker behind the mic.

This week we talk about how the Americans and the British do business very differently. We discover the mistakes businesses make when entering the US market and what leaders should be doing to build their personal brands.

My guest this week is advisor, author, broadcaster and entrepreneur - Allyson Stewart-Allen.

Allyson has advised over 200 businesses in 26 countries on how to successfully avoid the minefields of international expansion. She has authored the best-selling book Working with Americans, and is a regular media commentator for the BBC, CNN and the FT.

Bio

Allyson Stewart-Allen is a renowned marketer, whose expertise in brand internationalisation is sought by leading businesses globally through her consultancy, publications, appearances, mentoring and corporate education.

A Californian based in Europe for over 25 years, Allyson applies her extensive international consulting experience, MBA education with Dr. Peter Drucker and languages (French, German) to the company she founded, International Marketing Partners.

Having recognised the need for international brands to better align their global and local marketing practices, Allyson Stewart-Allen created the BrandBarometer™ powered by Seattle-based GMI (Global Market Insite), which surveyed a worldwide panel of over 17,000 consumers across 17 countries on their perceptions and direct experiences of the world's most recognised brands. Using the BrandTravel™ methodology, Allyson helps companies and their leaders to successfully and profitably span international and functional boundaries by giving them the tools to be more effective in a global arena. The benefits clients enjoy as a result include better localisation, increased corporate diplomacy capability and more effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Allyson is engaged for her award-winning corporate education experience by both Fortune 500 companies and the world’s leading business schools including Oxford University, London Business School, HEC Paris, Duke Corporate Education amongst others.

Following her early career with blue-chip consulting firms PwC, PA Consulting Group and Hay Management Consultants, Allyson now advises executives and Boards of Directors in the professional services (legal, property, financial and retail), food & drink, travel, consumer goods and industrial sectors to name a few. Her work with clients enables them to lead and manage across cultures, achieve their marketing and business development strategies through successful strategic alliances/joint ventures, organic growth and/or acquisitions.

Allyson Stewart-Allen is co-author of the best-selling book Working with Americans, the first business manual exclusively about the US business culture, which helps professionals improve their relationships with, and profits from, American business partners, bosses and colleagues.

Allyson is recognised in The Female FTSE Report 2014:100 Women to Watch list produced by Cranfield’s International Centre for Women Business Leaders as well as being listed in Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who Among Women. Allyson is a frequent keynote speaker at conferences including The Conference Board, Wilton Park, Economist Conferences, Institute of Directors Conferences, British American Chamber of Commerce, Marketing Society and the American Marketing Association on a variety of global marketing trends and developments.

An experienced and frequent commentator, she lends her insights to broadcast, print and digital media across the globe. Besides her 4-year slot for Sky News as The Muse of Marketing, she has appeared on several television shows including CNBC’s The Business Class and the past three seasons of BBC’s The Apprentice. Other outlets applying her insights include BBC News, ITV News, CNN, The Financial Times, Bloomberg, USA Today, Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek and Fortune magazines. In addition to her role as a Board member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, she is a judge for numerous international business awards on both sides of the Atlantic.

Recorded: 15th January 2019

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Each week I invite one of my speakers to talk about their life, work, passions and leisure so that you can get to know the person who is the speaker behind the mic.

Today we are going to find out about the commercial advantages of B2B sponsorship and the importance of being relentless in your quest for success. My guest is author and entrepreneur, Jackie Fast.

Jackie sold her sponsorship agency for millions just 6 years after starting it in her bedroom with £2k, she now covets clients including Sir Richard Branson and the Rolling Stones along with FTSE 100 brands. More recently she’s launched a global ice wine brand to create a new drinks category for the masses. And if you are a fan of The Apprentice, we are going to ask the questions that you are dying to ask.

Bio

Jackie Fast, former Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Media Disrupter of the Year recipient is no stranger in utilising change to amplify growth. She directs leaders on how to succeed through the power of sponsorship in the current era of disruptive media fragmentation.

Arriving from Canada in 2007 with the intent to backpack Europe, Jackie ended up staying in London and launching her career. Her first business – Slingshot Sponsorship – was started in her bedroom in 2010 with just a laptop and £2,000. A relentless 6 years later with offices worldwide, Jackie sold Slingshot for millions, having worked with notable international clients including Sir Richard Branson, the Rolling Stones, Shell, Red Bull and many more.

Jackie Fast has now launched her latest disrupter business REBEL Pi, an ice wine brand. Relatively unknown, ice wine production is the rarest and riskiest in the world. Taking an exceptional product from her hometown in Canada, Jackie is determined to turn REBEL Pi into a global drinks brand that will create a new drinking moment for audiences with a bold and discerning palate.

Jackie continues to travel the world presenting on the future of business and entrepreneurship with her best-selling business book PINPOINT. The book shows you the pitfalls to avoid to ensure how virtually anyone can succeed.

Jackie is also a Non-Executive Board Director of the European Sponsorship Association, one of the youngest Board Directors in the association’s history.

Jackie Fast is a regular keynote speaker within Europe and has spoken at global marketing conventions in Australasia, the Middle East, and throughout North America. From sharing exciting stories on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island to marathons in India, Jackie has the ability to utilise real-world case studies to truly capture an audience through her enthusiasm and vision. Interactive, energetic and exciting makes every speaking engagement a memorable experience and one that gets talked about. Due to her diverse experience, Jackie has the capability to speak on a broad range of topics – from women in business to how to sell sponsorship more effectively. Not one to shy away from controversy, she also regularly sits and chairs panels.

Recorded: 3rd December 2018

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Pinpoint: How Challenging the Norm Is the Only Route to Success in Selling Sponsorship

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Each week I invite one of my speakers to talk about their life, work, passions and leisure so that you can get to know the person who is the speaker behind the mic.

This week we talk about letting go of the old command and control style of running organisations in order to transform them. We talk about how leaders' egos can get in their way. And my guest who is ranked 4th most influential living management thinker in the world by The French National Foundation for the Management and Business Education) reveals that he will coach CEOs for free provided they have paid him to speak and bought him lunch.

My guest this week is Isaac Getz. Isaac is a Professor at the top-ranked ESCP Europe Business School and is former Visiting Professor at Cornell and Stanford.

Dr. Getz’s work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Strategy+Business, Financial Times, Le Monde, CNBC, Fox and other leading media on four continents. He is a columnist in Le Monde and won the best Op-Ed 2017 award.

Bio

A 2016 study by FNEGE (The French National Foundation for the Management and Business Education) on the world 50 most influential living management thinkers ranked Isaac at N°4.

Dr. Getz studied over 300 companies in 30 countries and published research on diverse topics related to innovation, leadership, corporate transformation, employee engagement, and freedom and responsibility culture.

He is a co-author of the award-winning and best-selling business book Freedom, Inc., translated to a dozen of languages. Isaac’s latest book Leadership with Ego, was released in December 2018.

Isaac Getz’s work and action have been instrumental in the rise of the corporate liberation movement in Europe. It includes Michelin, Airbus, Decathlon, several Belgian ministries, French Social Security, municipalities, and hundreds of other companies and institutions which have transformed their command-and-control organisations into freedom- and responsibility-based ones.

He is currently carrying the research on the companies which put the interests of their clients, suppliers and local society first; and believe that by doing that they will also be economically successful.

Isaac Getz is an active speaker on the topics of corporate transformation/liberation, post-managerial organisation, and radical leadership and he has spoken to hundreds of companies and institutes. His presentations are lively, illustrated by case studies he has observed in world-class companies, and always delivered with humour.

Recorded: 25th October 2018

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Leadership without Ego: How to stop managing and start leading

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Each week I invite one of my speakers to talk about their life, work, passions and leisure so that you can get to know the person who is the speaker behind the mic.

My guest this week is Maneesh Juneja, Digital Health Futurist, or as we call him MJ.

In this episode we talk all things technology but with some talk of gadgets too, which I absolutely love. Maneesh also tells us why all business and organisation are going to be in the business of health.

Bio

Maneesh Juneja is a Digital Health Futurist who explores the convergence of emerging technologies to see how they can make the world a healthier and happier place. He looks at these technologies in the context of socio-cultural, political and economic trends, helping organisations to think differently about the future. In 2016, he was ranked 7th most influential in Digital Health, and at the beginning of 2015, Maneesh Juneja was ranked 10th most influential in Wearable Technology. In 2012, he left the security of his career at GlaxoSmithKline, to immerse himself in the new world of Digital Health.

In 2012, Maneesh also founded the Health 2.0 London Chapter, which has become the UK’s largest grassroots health tech community. In a career spanning 20 years, Maneesh has worked with data to improve decision-making across a number of industries. From supporting the Whitehall study at University College London, managing the Tesco database at DunnHumby, and most recently, working with the world’s largest U.S. & European patient databases at GlaxoSmithKline R&D.

Recorded:13th December 2018

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This week we are doing something a little bit different, going a bit off piste, because my guest this week isn't one of my speakers, he's actually a voice coach.

You would think that people who use their voice as an instrument for their work would actually have voice coaches but many speakers don't look after their voices and end up struggling, straining and not using their voices to their full potential. So my guest is jazz singer and voice coach, Jimmy Cannon.

Bio

Jazz singer and vocal coach Jimmy Cannon teaches techniques to sustain and protect the most important instrument in speaking; your voice. Jimmy has toured and recorded with Sir Tom Jones, The Commitments, Rodriguez, Roger Taylor, and has appeared on ‘The One Show’ and ‘This Morning’.

Recorded: 13th December 2018

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Thank you to everyone who has kept us company this year and listened in to our podcast. We hope you have enjoyed hearing from our amazing speakers as much as I've really enjoyed talking to them. We are so privileged to work with such extraordinary people day in day out and we love sharing them with you.

You have a chance while we are away to catch up with the podcasts you missed and to check out anyone you are considering for a conference, masterclass, internal meeting etc. Yes they are all available for hire. If you want to book any of our great talent send me an email maria@mariafranzoni.com

All that's left is to wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year. See you on the other side!

Maria

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My guest this week is world record breaking mountaineer and adventurer, Jake Meyer

In this episode we talk about being too cool for school, the dangers of getting out of the wrong side of the bed, embracing stress and the importance of choosing the right team mates when your life is in their hands.

Bio

Jake Meyer is an experienced public speaker whose incredible story of climbing Mt Everest aged only 21 is an inspirational tale of determination, tenacity and an unerring will to succeed.

Jake was only 14 when he set his sights on wanting to climb the ‘7 Summits’ – the highest mountain on each continent. At 6.30am on the 4th June 2005, aged only 21 and 135 days old, he reached the summit of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world and his 7th continental highpoint. At the time, he was the youngest Briton to climb Mt Everest, and the youngest man in the world to complete the 7 Summits.

Not content with just the 7 Summits, he also holds the record for the fastest ascent of the highest mountain in each of the 48 states in the contiguous USA. This culminated in 48 mountains, 350 miles of trekking, 100,000ft of climbing and 15,000 miles of driving in 23 days, 19 hours and 31 minutes. He has also made first ascents of mountains and routes in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, holds the record for the fastest ascent of the highest point in every county in England, and numerous expeditions to Africa and South America. In 2009 he spent 2 months in Pakistan on K2, the second highest mountain in the world and arguably the most difficult and dangerous (with a 1 in 4 death rate). He reached 7700m without oxygen before bad snow conditions forced a retreat to safety. Jake returned to K2 in 2016 as part of the first British Team to attempt the mountain in over a decade – which was described as ‘probably the strongest team on the mountain’. Again unfortunately, the summit wasn’t to be – during the summit attempt, a huge avalanche destroyed Camp 3 (7300m), calling a halt to all climbing for that season. Jake will be returning to K2 in summer 2018.

In 2010 Jake Meyer joined the Inspirational Development Group as a consultant. IDG offers first-class training designed to transform the behaviour of individuals and teams, and lead to sustainable change within an organisation. They offer a range of bespoke Leadership Development programmes focussing on the interlocking areas of Leadership, Followership and Partnership, to produce accomplished leaders who are also effective followers and highly skilled team players.

He was an ambassador to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards Scheme, and regularly presented the Gold awards at St James’s Palace, and has worked closely with a number of charities including Walking With The Wounded, Help for Heroes, The Prince’s Trust, the Prince’s Teaching Institute, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the CAIRN Trust.

Jake is also a commissioned officer in the Army Reserve, and in 2012 spent 6.5 months in Afghanistan as a Battlegroup Influence and Consequence Management Officer.

Jake Meyer is available as a thought-provoking, inspirational and motivational speaker for events around the world. His presentation can be tailored specifically to the audience and to fulfil the aims and objectives of the client. He is comfortable providing focused and intimate discussion with small teams of Senior Executives or presenting to large audiences of 1800+.

Recorded: 22nd November 2018

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My guest this week is bestselling author, broadcaster and leader of the global Slow Movement, Carl Honoré.

In this episode we talk about slowing down. How it makes you more productive, improves your relationships and your health. So, if you would like to learn how to unleash your inner tortoise this podcast is for you.

Bio

Carl Honoré is a bestselling author, broadcaster and leader of the global Slow Movement. His TED talk on the benefits of slowing down has been viewed 2.6 million times.

Described by the Wall Street Journal as “an in-demand spokesman on slowness,” Carl travels the world to deliver powerful keynotes that put time and tempo in a whole new light. His message is simple but counterintuitive: To achieve peak performance in a fast world, you have to slow down. Carl’s talks are dynamic, inspiring, informative and full of humour and his audiences range from business leaders, entrepreneurs and sales professionals to teachers, academics and medical practitioners.

Carl’s first book, In Praise of Slow, chronicles the global trend toward putting on the brakes in everything from work to food to parenting. Under Pressure explores how to raise children in a fast world and was hailed by Time as a “gospel of the Slow Parenting movement.” Carl’s latest book, The Slow Fix, shows how to tackle complex problems in every walk of life without falling for short-term quick fixes. Translated into more than 35 languages, his books have landed on bestseller lists in many countries.

Carl featured in a series for BBC Radio 4 called The Slow Coach in which he helped frazzled, over-scheduled people slow down. He also presented a television show called Frantic Family Rescue on Australia’s ABC 1.

Carl is an advisor to Jack Media, which makes messaging apps, and sits on the Board of Trustees of Hewitt School in New York City.

Recorded: 22nd November 2018

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My guest this week is business analyst, consultant and former Trustee and Communications Director for the Cutty Sark, Stephen Archer.

Stephen talks about leadership in the context of the changes in European and global economics and the shifts in the political impetus behind globalisation. He is both excited and vexed by what is going on. His work is focused on supporting leaders to navigate through the chaos of what may seem impossibly unpredictable times.

In this week’s show, we talk about making sense of the chaos of what is going on in world and we hear about the 5 traits that make a great leader.

Bio

Stephen Archer’s expertise and experience uniquely places him to speak on the changes in worldwide economics and structural changes and their impact on your organisation. The ‘new order’ of globalisation is now being rocked, free trade is no longer a given and even democracy cannot be taken for granted. In short, we have entered a period of instability.

All of these fundamental 21st century changes are happening so fast that the need for a special kind of leadership is now essential. For everyone it is increasingly hard to see through the fog of news and decipher the implications. Employees and customers alike feel the same and look for informed leadership to help them to understand the place of the organisation and the individual in today’s world. Issues such as runaway global debt, trade wars, populism, nationalism, low economic growth rates, artificial intelligence and volatile sovereign leadership are all taking their toll on confidence and despite ‘progress’ there is also a widespread retrenchment in investment. This is understandable with such uncertainty, but an understanding of more certainty is possible.

Stephen will take you through the state of the planet today and how all of these pieces fit together. He will lay out a clear picture of what is happening and how to lead yourself and your organisation through the coming years. It’s a serious topic but Stephen is an entertaining man – you will have fun on the journey. As he says: “I refuse to get depressed by world events. There is so much craziness going on and feral behaviour amongst politicians. You can turn off the news in horror, but I prefer to understand it and see the absurdities and the funny side. If you see the funny side it helps to make sense of it all and give a clearer perspective.”

Stephen Archer has been a consultant to multi-national companies in the USA and Europe at C-suite level. His main areas of expertise are commercial performance and leadership improvement in high-performance organisations. Stephen talks both in the capacity of an advisor to businesses and from the perspective of a business owner and someone who has set up and sold businesses. A decade ago he became a regular commentator on the challenges of the world’s politico-economic flux. In this time of unprecedented uncertainty he brings clarity to issues surrounding Brexit, global leadership and the economic outlook. He was a Trustee and then chairman of Cutty Sark when it went through the disastrous fire and rebuild but was there for the Queen to re-open it in 2012.

Recorded: 8th November 2018

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My guest this week is one of the most fortunate people you’re likely to meet. He should be dead many times over and his exploits have been covered in a Discovery documentary with the very cheerful title ‘I Shouldn’t Be Alive.’

My guest is Chris Moon. Chris knows exactly what it takes to overcome adversity and supposed limitations. He was blown up in Africa whilst clearing landmines for charity, losing his lower arm and leg. Less than a year after leaving hospital he completed the London Marathon and now runs the world’s toughest ultra-marathons. He’s also one of the few Westerners to have survived being taken prisoner by Khmer Rouge.

In this week’s show, we find out why Chris was kidnapped by the Khmer Rouge and how he negotiated his release. How he defied all expectations to run the London Marathon after losing his lower right leg and arm in an explosion clearing land mines and why the biggest limits in life are those, we impose on ourselves often without even realising it.

Bio

Chris Moon is one of the most fortunate people to be alive you’re likely to meet. He should be dead many times over and his exploits have been covered in a Discovery documentary with the cheerful title I Shouldn’t Be Alive.

Chris is a former British Army Officer with three years operational experience who left to work for a charity clearing landmines. He survived being taken prisoner in Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge (one of the most brutal terror groups in history) and negotiated his release and that of two colleagues from threatened execution.

In 1995 he was blown up in a supposedly safe area of a minefield in remote East Africa losing an arm and a leg. He survived initially because he treated himself. About fourteen hours after injury he arrived in South Africa where doctors said they’d never seen anyone live with such a small amount of blood. He recovered three or four times faster than was expected, was out of hospital in less than two months and within a year of leaving hospital ran the London Marathon, raised significant sums to help disabled people in the developing world and successfully completed a full time Masters Degree.

Chris Moon taught himself to run and is the world’s first amputee ultra distance runner. In 1997 he completed the gruelling Marathon De Sables. Since then he’s run the world’s toughest ultra-marathons, including the Badwater Death Valley 135 mile ultra and the West Highland Way 95 mile Race which he recently completed, while trialling a new running leg. He’s run numerous ultra-distance events and several one thousand mile events. When it comes to challenging the concept of limitation, adapting to change and overcoming adversity he literally walks the talk.

Chris helps people do what they do better. He draws on his unique experiences to illustrate principles people can use in their daily lives. As well as a practical understanding of human performance in the most extreme situations and overcoming adversity, Chris also holds a Master’s Degree in human behaviour and management theory. As a speaker Chris delivers humour, passion and inspiration. Topics include change, motivation, risk and safety, communication, improving sales and personal and strategic leadership. He runs short workshops to improve individual and team performance & coaches and mentors a wide variety of executives.

Recorded: 23rd October 2018

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Today my guest is Michael Solomon. Michael “wrote the book” on understanding consumers. Literally. Hundreds of thousands of business students have learned about Marketing from his books, including Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having, and Being -- the most widely used book on the subject in the world.

Michael often is asked to provide briefings to global executive teams who want significant increases in their bottom line and who understand that’s accomplished by a deeper connection with their customers.

Michael’s mantra is: We don’t buy products because of what they do. We buy them because of what they mean. He advises global clients in leading industries such as apparel and footwear, financial services and e-commerce, retailing, sports and transportation on marketing strategies to make them more consumer-centric. He is frequently quoted in major media outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today, Adweek and Time.

In this week’s show, Michael and I fight to get heard over an electric drill, I ask why companies continue to focus on new customer acquisition rather than on growing relationships with their existing customers and I find out how to best connect with a post-modern consumer.

Bio

Michael’s mantra: We don’t buy products because of what they do. We buy them because of what they mean. He advises global clients in leading industries such as apparel and footwear (Calvin Klein, Levi Strauss, Under Armour, Timberland), financial services and e-commerce (eBay, Progressive), CPG (Procter Gamble, Campbell’s), retailing (H&M), sports (Philadelphia Eagles), manufacturing (DuPont, PP&G) and transportation (BMW, United Airlines) on marketing strategies to make them more consumer-centric. He regularly appears on television shows including The Today Show, Good Morning America and CNN to comment on consumer issues, and he is frequently quoted in major media outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today, Adweek and Time.

As a Professor of Marketing (in the Haub School of Business at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia) and an industry consultant, Michael Solomon combines cutting-edge academic theory with actionable real-world strategies. He helps managers get inside the heads of their customers so they can anticipate and satisfy their deepest and most pressing needs – today and tomorrow. An executive at Subaru said it best: “The man is a scholar who is current and street-wise.”

Michael is passionate about the extraordinary world of the ordinary consumer. He brings humour and arresting visuals to his keynotes to show how everyday behaviours are much more meaningful than you thought – and an essential pathway to grabbing the attention and loyalty of your customers.

Recorded: 24th September 2018

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Marketer’s Tear Down These Walls

Consumer Behavior

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Today Maria’s is Mark Gallagher. Mark has held leadership roles in F1 for over 30 years with Jordan Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing and Cosworth Formula one engine company. Today he runs his own consulting business and is a F1 analyst for media organisations.

In this week’s show, we find why out what is it about Lewis Hamilton that makes him the champion driver he is. We discover what people really thought about Eddie Jordan when he first entered Formula 1. We find out who Michael Schumacher considered his only real rival and we get amazing insights into how to lead high performance teams.

Bio

Mark Gallagher has worked in the high performance environment of Formula One motor racing for over 30 years. Today he is a Formula One analyst for the BBC, makes regular appearances on global media outlets and is founder of his own consulting business, Performance Insights Ltd.

Mark Gallagher’s management career in Formula One included more than a decade on the management board of the highly successful Jordan Grand Prix team, running the world famous Cosworth engine business and establishing the commercial arm of Red Bull Racing which went on to become 4-times World Champions. During his career he has worked with many of the sport’s leading drivers, including former World Champions Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button. He still works closely with a number of the sport’s major stars including David Coulthard, Mika Hakkinen and Jacques Villeneuve.

Mark’s career in Formula One started in 1983, spending seven years working in the media and as a consultant to Philip Morris International before joining Eddie Jordan’s fledgling Grand Prix team in 1990. He was a member of the team’s management board, having full responsibility for the team’s day-to-day marketing and commercial activities. He became part of the newly created Red Bull Racing management team in 2004, and was invited to lead Cosworth’s return to Formula One as an engine and technology supplier in 2010, overseeing its supply of one-third of the teams on the starting grid.

Along the way Mark Gallagher founded Status Grand Prix, which won the 2009 Motorsport World Cup of Motorsport and became a race-winning team in junior formulae as well as competing in the Le Mans 24 Hours sport car race. He helped developed the new hybrid petrol-electric engine regulations introduced into Formula One in 2014, became a Formula One industry analyst for the BBC in 2015 and recently published his second book – ’The Business of Winning – Strategic Success from the Formula One track to the Boardroom’. Between 2005 and 2009 Mark was motor sport consultant to Disney Pixar on CARS and CARS II.

Recorded: 18th October 2018

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Today Maria’s guest is award-winning author, innovator, entrepreneur, leadership futurist and transformational catalyst, Nick Jankel.

In this week’s show, we talk about one man’s journey from McDonald’s burger maker to student of philosophy, we talk about how everybody is born to transform and we find out why innovators and business leaders have never had so much political responsibility.

Bio

Thought leader Nick Jankel switches on people all over the planet with the limitless opportunities of the Networked Age...and how to leave behind redundant Industrial-Age thinking, mindsets, and processes that block us from fulfilling our potential as leaders and as organisations. A former elite scientist, Nick has spent close to 30 years developing a rigorous brain-based methodology and complete toolset for personal and organisational transformation - the hardest tasks in the world - that ensure his clients such as Unilever, HSBC, Kelloggs, Zalando, and Nike are match fit for the future.

Having initially made his name as an innovation guru behind the global launch of Xbox and the development of the most successful TV show of all time (Dancing with Stars / Strictly Come Dancing), Nick realised that the ability of people to think and act differently are always the keys to long-term success. A purpose-driven entrepreneur since the age of 24, he has dedicated his life to mastering the skills and qualities needed to drive change and thrive in a VUCA world. He believes that transformational leadership - the ability to change what you do and how you do it to stay on top - is your only source of continuous competitive advantage and the only factor in your complete control.

Nick Jankel is a renowned thinker on AI and blockchain, generational changes, the Future of Work and global risks who see threats to business-as-usual as invitations up our game as leaders. His original ideas and tools inspire audiences to unlock the power of transformation in their products, processes, and people so that they can avoid shrinking margins, brand irrelevance, and difficulty recruiting the best talent - and can instead turn rapid changes in their external environment into business value, whether through digital transformation or disruptive innovation.

Nick is a sought-after and highly-accomplished international keynote speaker who has spoken all over the world to audiences at: LEGO, SAP, Google, Smucker’s, Fujitsu, Roche, Novartis, Diageo, and The Economist Summit amongst many others. A seasoned broadcaster, Nick hosted his own BBC TV Show, has been featured in the FT and The Sunday Times, and has taught at LBS, Oxford, SciencesPo and Yale. He obtained a Triple 1st Class degree – summa cum laude – in Medicine & Philosophy from Cambridge University and is the author of a number of books on creativity, transformation, and leadership. As a cultural commentator, he has been invited to speak at the prestigious Aspen Ideas Festival, TEDx, PBWC SF, and SciFoo at Google Mountain View.

Nick does not just illuminate what the future holds – from AI, blockchain and biotech to climate change, co-living, and political instability – but how audience members must change how they think to forge the future they want. Nick provides audiences with take-away tools and experiential exercises to drive agility, adaptability and digital transformation. He customises every talk with relevant examples, stories from the frontlines, and nuggets of science and wisdom to help audiences develop adaptive strategies, business model innovations, purpose-driven organisations and systemic change.

Recorded: 11th October 2018

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Today Maria’s guest is international brand specialist, Kubi Springer. Kubi has 20 years’ experience in consumer brand marketing with some of the world’s top brands as her clients. Quite simply Kubi builds brands. She describes herself as a little girl with a big mouth and I’ll tell you what every word that comes out of that mouth is pure wisdom.

Recorded: 2nd October 2018

In this week’s show, we do some serious celebrity name dropping. If you are a music fan like me you are going to love some of these names. We share a bit of tough love and we get some really top advice on how to truly connect with your customers for sustainable commercial growth. Let’s dive in….

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Bio

Since 1996 brand specialist Kubi Springer has been working with companies and high profile individuals to create, build and grow their brands for commercial success.

With an impressive portfolio of global powerhouses, Kubi Springer’s name has become synonymous with three words - She Builds Brands. Renowned for her in-depth knowledge and understanding of industry trends, Kubi has created a reputation of being able to launch and grow brands to international markets, with a focus on the brands’ commercial development and sustainability.

Celebrating over twenty years in consumer brand marketing, today Kubi Springer splits her time between delivering projects as an International Brand Specialist and travelling the world as a Brand Trainer & Speaker. When she is not doing that, she can be found hosting shows as a Business Media Personality & Contributor, as well as being an Author of her first book What Is Fabulous, a memoir for women overcoming fear and launching brands.

Notable Brand Projects & Clients: Rolls Royce Motor Cars – LFW Campaign Nike – Midnight Madness L’Oreal – Colour Bar Campaign MTV – Lick Party Blackberry – See Me Campaign Diddy – Sean John Clothing Line Rio Ferdinand – Rio’s Worldcup Windups, on ITV MOBO Awards – 10th Anniversary, on the BBC Mercedes Benz – Fashion Week London Fashion Week.

Launching her media career in 2007, Kubi been awarded the ‘Media Personality of the Year Award’ for the BEFFTA Awards. She has been a brand contributor on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Women’s Hour’, a presenter on the Sisterhood TV Show, broadcast on BEN TV, The Kubi Springer Show, broadcast on Sky Channel 199 and Business Editor for Totally UK Magazine (distributed on Virgin and BA Flights). Currently Kubi presents the weekly live radio show entitled The SheBuildsBrands Show on Channel Radio.

Dynamic, informative, inspirational and blunt; these are the words that have been used to describe Kubi Springer’s speaking and brand training. Passionate about her subject matter, Kubi teaches on a range of brand related subjects from Personal Branding & Leadership Development, to Global Brand Strategies and her infamous talk Don’t Sell Me Pink. Leaving audiences inspired and motivated to take action to move their brands forward.

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Today Maria’s guest is Mary Tillson. Mary is the Head of Momentum and Executive Learning at MFL.

Mary has worked internationally as a management and leadership development Principal Consultant. She has held leadership roles, both within the training industry, for OnTrack International, GBS Corporate Training, and for American Express where she jointly ran the UK 24-hour Authorisation Centre.

As Head of Momentum and Executive Learning at MFL, Mary provides 90-minute Injections of Inspiration workshops as well as custom designed learning programmes and masterclasses.

Most recently she has taken on the role of head of Learning at Speaking Business Academy, an organisation providing support, training and coaching to speakers at all stages of their speaking business.

Recorded: 2nd October 2018

In this week’s episode, we are going to be talking about the cost of forgetting, how to set yourself up for a success when you book a speaker, how you get a better return on investment and we are also going to delve into Mary’s previous life when she was a 6ft 1” private investigator. So, let’s dive in….

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Today Maria’s guest is Neil Armstrong. Neil has been making films and TV programmes for over 33 years. He started his career as a Film Assistant at the BBC and worked his way up to become a highly respected and sought-after Series Producer and Director.

Neil’s credits include ‘Alter Ego’ with Jon Culshaw, ‘Renford Rejects’, ‘The Miners “Location, Location, Location”, “House Doctor” for C5), and the “Teletubbies”.

Neil has filmed all over the world writing, producing and directing for a great range of brands from Astra Zeneca, Barclays and UBS right through to L’Oreal, John Lewis, Microsoft and Tate&Lyle.

He has also made Speaker Showreels for Roger Black, Sahar Hashemi, Sally Gunnell, Jamil Qureshi, Linda Yueh and Viv Creegor amongst others.

Recorded: June 2018

In this week’s episode, we learn the difference between how to shoot a show reel vs shooting a normal event, we learn about what else you could add to your reel other than video and why owning a spanner doesn’t actually make you a mechanic. So, let’s dive in….

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Today Maria’s guest is James Kettle, a professional script and speechwriter. He has written for the likes of Rory Bremner, Ed Balls, David Gower and Miles Jupp.

Recorded: March 2018

In this week’s episode, we find out that a speech writer has a lot in common with the effervescent vitamin tablet Berocca, making speakers “them”, but them on a really good day. And we hear about liquid lunches with former English cricketer David Gower. So, let’s dive right in.

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Today Maria’s guest is James Pearce. For two decades, James has been one of the most regular faces on the BBC's television news bulletins. An award-winning correspondent, James freely admits to having one of the best jobs in the world. You name it, he's reported from it.

Recorded on: 12th July 2018

James tells us how Gloria Hunniford gave him his first broadcasting break at the tender age of nine, he teaches me how to elegantly deflect awkward questions, and James shares with us an embarrassing broadcasting moment. All this and more…

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Today Maria’s guest is Chris Roebuck. Chris has vast experience as a leader. He was Global Head of Leadership at UBS during the implementation of one of the most successful corporate transformations. This period now forms a Harvard Business School case study on transforming organisational performance. Chris has also worked in government and public sector on major change and leadership projects, from UK National Health Service and local government to London Underground PFI partnership. Chris is currently visiting professor of transformational leadership at Cass Business School in London. In addition, he has served as a military officer and now works as an executive coach and mentor across a range of different sectors, helping senior executives to be more successful.

Recorded on: 5th July 2018

In this week’s show, Chris Roebuck shares how you can start your career managing catering services, including the bars for about 8000 undergraduates to being in the Army, to then becoming Global Head of Leadership at UBS. Can everyone be a Leader? Chris believes they can and shares just what it takes to be a great leader in today’s fast changing world. All this and more…

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Significant quotes:

“70% of the leaders out there have not been taught how to delegate effectively day to day, when that's exactly what they're supposed to do for their job.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be Sports Presenter and Communications Trainer, James Pearce.

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This week, Maria’s guest is Tony Fish. Tony is an author investor, serial entrepreneur, and maverick. He's a visiting fellow at Henley Business School for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and an EC expert for big data. He is entrepreneur in residence at Bradford School of Management and Law, lecturer in innovation and entrepreneurship at the London Business School, and lecturer in AI and future of disruptive technology at the London School of Economics.

Recorded on: 28th June 2018

In this week’s show, Tony Fish shares how he defeated the University system and got a place with no prior qualifications, why he is a maverick and how he has never been employed. Tony explains how to differentiate a high growth business from a non-high growth business and how diversity of thinking is the key to an exceptional team. All this and more…

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Significant quotes:

“Diversity in the ability to think differently is how you bring together the teams who actually make things happen.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be Business Leader and expert on Transformational & Entrepreneurial Leadership for Success, Chris Roebuck.

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This week, Maria’s guest is Graham Allcott. Graham is the author of the global bestseller How to Be A Productivity Ninja. He is the founder of Think Productive, a leading provider of personal productivity training and consultancy. His podcast, Beyond Busy, explores the issues of productivity, work life balance, and how people define happiness in their lives. Previous roles include chief executive of Student Volunteering England, head of volunteering at the University of Birmingham and advisor to the UK Government on youth volunteering policy.

Recorded on: 21st June 2018

In this week’s show Graham Allcott shares how we too can become Productivity Ninjas with a zero inbox whilst working only a four-day week. Graham also explains how he got into volunteering and all the wonderful charities he has worked with over the years as well as explaining what our second brain is and why we shouldn’t manage our time. All this and more…

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Significant quotes:

“It’s an incredibly freeing place to be, to be able to just capture a new idea, put it in your second brain and you don’t need to think about if for the rest of the day.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be Board Director, Investor and mentor with innovation and high growth experience, Tony Fish.

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This week, Maria’s guest is Dr. Beau Lotto. Beau is a world-renowned neuroscientist, bestselling author, and entrepreneur. Beau is also the founder and CEO of Lab of Misfits, the world's first neuro-design studio. His studies in human perception have taken him well beyond the scientific domain and into the fields of education, the arts, and business. He has been a two-time main stage TED speaker and spoken at the G8, Google's ZeitgeistMinds, Wired, and made contributions to BBC's Horizon, National Geographic Channel and PBS. Beau's aim is to use the principles of perception to enable people to think differently about both themselves and the world around them.

Recorded on: 14th June 2018

In this week’s show Beau Lotto explains why what we see isn’t really what we see and tells us in with what the Lab of Misfits work is all about including sharing some of the experiments they’ve created with Cirque du Soleil and L’Oreal. Ever wondered what Augmented Reality is? Beau gives us an insight into some of the AR apps he is developing to enable technology to get people to re-engage with the world including the digital handshake! All this and more…

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Significant quotes:

“Once you understand how perception works, you can't but help see yourself in the world in a different way and engage in it in a different way.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be productvity ninja Graham Allcott

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is David Price. David is an expert in organisational learning for a complex future. He is a senior associate at The Innovation Unit and co-founder of We Do Things Differently, a cultural change practise. His book, Open: How We'll Work, Live, and Learn in the Future, has been an Amazon bestseller since its publication. In 2009, he was awarded the OBE by Her Majesty the Queen. He writes, talks, trains, and advises leaders around the world on some of the biggest challenges facing business, education, and society, solving the problems of employees, student, and civic disengagement, maximising our potential to be creative, innovative, and fulfilled citizens, and understanding the global shift towards open organisations and systems of learning.

Recorded on: 7th June 2018

In this week’s show David Price talks about his fascination with how people learn informally, shares his thoughts on the education system, talks about engagement & learning and what we expect from his new book. David tells about some major health challenges he has dealt with and what he said to the queen when receiving his OBE.

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Significant quotes:

“We are finally recognising this thing that I call social learning, which is our capacity to learn from one another.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be neuroscientist Beau Lotto

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Dr. Pritpal S. Tamber. Pritpal is the CEO and co-founder of Bridging Health & Community, a Seattle based non-profit dedicated to transforming how healthcare works with communities. At the heart of its work is the insight that our current approach to health, deploying technical solutions to biomedical problems, is failing in a world of circumstance related chronic conditions. Bridging Health & Community has gleaned 12 overarching principles for how healthcare can work with communities. These principles also have the potential to foster the agency of communities, their ability to make purposeful choices, something increasingly recognised as core to health. He is the former physician editor of TEDMED and began his career as an editor at the British Medical Journal.

Recorded on: 31st May 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show Pritpal tells us how he became an editor at the British Medical Journal, what he learnt from working at Biomed, explains a bit about TED and TEDMED and talks about his work in Bridging Health & Community.

Pritpal shares his thoughts on why healthcare systems are failing and why he is flexible on being a cat or a dog person! All this and more…

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Significant quotes:

“You just have to start getting healthcare to look in the mirror and realise that it's not as effective as it could be, and realise why.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be Learning Futurist and Co-Founder of We Do Things Differently, David Price

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Jim Harris. Jim is one of North America's foremost thinkers on disruptive innovation. Jim is the bestselling author of The Learning Paradox, The 100 Best Companies to Work for in Canada, and Blindsided. Blindsided is published in 80 countries worldwide and is a number one international bestseller. The Miami Herald calls Blindsided "brilliant stuff". Jim is a catalyst for conversation and change. He excels at leading people to new ways of thinking, making productive, profitable change possible.

Recorded on: 24th May 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show Jim Harris talks to us about climate change, being a global social influencer, disruptive innovation and how driverless cars will disrupted us more than we realise. Jim also tells us how his great aunt influenced his passion for the environment and how by reading just one sentence from a book led him to being elected leader of the Green Party of Canada.

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Significant quotes:

“Scenario planning isn't about predicting the future, it's about being prepared for whatever does occur, engendering flexibility, resilience and fast response.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be CEO & Co-Founder of Bridging Health & Community, Pritpal Tamber

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Bruno Marion. Bruno nicknamed The Futurist Monk, is an expert in global trends and innovation. For the last 30 years, Bruno has been traveling around the world, meeting CEOs, monks, all kinds of gurus, people in jail, super rich people, super poor people, artists, scientists, high-level politicians, members of the special forces, activists, and successful entrepreneurs. In that time he's read thousands of books on the latest innovations in science, technology, philosophy, and spirituality. He has been experimenting with cutting edge technologies, investigating new types of governances, smart cities, and disruptive ways of living. Bruno himself is the author of several best-selling books on Asian cultures, and the aptly titled book, Chaos, A User's Guide. All about taking advantage of chaos and uncertainty

Recorded on: 17th May 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show Bruno tells us who he thinks are the most inspiring people and his heroes. We find out how he got his nick name ‘The Futurist Monk’ and a little bit about his resilient house with a windmill. Why he thinks that resilience important is this amazing time we are living in and explains to us about reset, integral philosophy, chaos and his daily ritual of visualizing your dreams. All this and much, much more…

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Significant quotes:

“You have the power to design your own life. Not only to be future fit, but to design your life.”

Update as promised

I promised to give you an update. Spookily, and Bruno will tell you it's not spooky at all, we moved into the new house on the day Bruno's podcast went out. Now the schedule is confirmed at the time of recording, i.e. 17th May. Most people don't complete on a Thursday, we did, date chosen by the other party. I'm in my dream home and deciding what to manifest next ... it works!

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be Disruptive Innovation Thought Leader, Jim Harris

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Josephine Fairley.

Having been the UK's youngest ever magazine editor in her twenties, Jo Fairley co-founded Green and Black's in 1991 with her husband Craig Sams, now a one hundred million pound a year brand under the umbrella of Mondalez. Passionate since her teenage years about clean, green living she continues to work as an ambassador for Green and Blacks while also acting as a consultant to brands that are seeking increasingly to become more ethical, sustainable and to embody stronger values. A serial entrepreneur, she has translated her lifelong interest in the senses into a series of successful ventures, Judges Bakery and the Wellington Centre in her hometown of Hastings, and the Perfume Society, the world's first networking organisation for those interested in the sense of smell. Author of twenty-five books, she has contributed to a wide range of publications including The Times, YOU Magazine, Mail on Sunday, Red, Psychologies, and more.

Recorded on: 18th May 2018

Show notes:

In this week’s show Jo Fairley talks about her early career as a magazine editor, her work life balance, the Perfume Society and why she spent her twenty thousand pound nest egg on buying two tons of chocolate. Jo also tells us about her determination to prove her careers mistress wrong who said she would never amount to anything! All this and much more…

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Significant quotes:

“The other aspect of going to listen to somebody else was that realisation that you are not a lone salmon, you are actually swimming upstream with a whole group of other people you often don't get the chance to meet.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when we are joined by Mark’s very good friend, a different kind of futurist, Bruno Marion – the futurist monk.

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Mark Stevenson. Mark is a futurist, broadcaster, and expert on global trends and innovation. He's a highly respected thinker on the interplay of technology and society, helping a diverse mix of clients to become future-literate and adapt their cultures and strategy to squarely face the questions the future is asking them. He's the author of two best-selling books, An Optimist's Tour of the Future, and the award-winning, We Do Things Differently: The Outsiders Rebooting Our World. Mark's many advisory roles include Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Earth Challenge and Atlas of the Future. Mark is also resident futurist at the National Theatre of Scotland. TED curator, Chris Anderson said, "Stevenson wears no blindfold. His tools are curiosity, open-mindedness, clarity, and reason."

Recorded on: 27th April 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show, Mark Stevenson talks to us about how he came to be a futurist via stand-up, about technology change over the next 20 years and why cultural change is so important. Mark tells us what he is doing with Richard Branson and the Virgin Earth Challenge and that he has an album coming out with plans to go out on the road! All this and much, much more.

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Significant quotes:

“The bad news is everything's broken. The good news is we can fix it. The ugly news is the next 20 years is going to be a bloodbath as the old world has to die.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be co-founder of organic chocolate company, Green and Blacks, Josephine Fairley

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Amy Brann. Amy is a visiting lecturer to Manchester Metropolitan University, teaching the neuroscience of leadership on the Master of Sports Directorship Programme. She is the founder of Synaptic Potential, working with organizations to strengthen their strategy, culture, and performance. Amy is also the author of three books, Make Your Brain Work, Neuroscience for Coaches, and Engaged: The Neuroscience Behind Creating Productive People in Successful Organizations.

Recorded on: 26th April 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show, Amy Brann talks to us about the brain. She tells us why she thinks children should be taught about how the brain works and how it would benefit in the workplace. How we can shape our brain, why we should not to rely on willpower and why sleep is so important for our memory.

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Significant quotes:

“Learning new things these days is so easy. We have it so good with all these apps and different resources. The world is ripe for learning.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be one of the world’s most respected futurist thinkers on technology and societal trends, Mark Stevenson.

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Philip Hesketh who is an expert in the psychology of persuasion and influence. He combines a powerful mix of well researched persuasive techniques in buying, selling, persuading and influencing. He is best known for his 'can-use-today' techniques to be more influential.

Philip is a psychology graduate from Newcastle University and a sales graduate from Proctor and Gamble. In 1986 he was creator, new business director, and managing partner of an advertising agency, Advertising Principles. He sold his interest in the business after 16 consecutive years of growth, with the agency billing 48 million pounds, and employing a 150 people.

Recorded on: 19th April 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show Philip Hesketh talks to us about how the sale of soap and shampoo inspired him to move into advertising, how he became a full time professional speaker and how he changed the weather in February. Philip explains the difference between negotiation and discounting and shares some of his persuasion techniques. All this and much more…

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Significant quotes:

“We need to influence people rather than persuade them. So you have to find out what their motivation is, not what your is.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be Neuroscientist and founder of Synaptic Potential, Amy Brann.

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Tony Hawks, who is a British author and comedian and best known for his appearances on shows like "QI", "Just a Minute", and "I'm Sorry, I Haven't a Clue". His bestselling books include "Round Ireland with a Fridge" which has sold nearly a million copies worldwide. He is not to be mixed up with Tony Hawk, the American skateboarder, who is not as funny as Tony.

Recorded on: 5th April 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show Tony Hawks tells us about his big hit with his band Morris Minor and the Majors and how through his music, his career in comedy began. He talks about the reason why he hitch-hiked round Ireland with a fridge and how that motivated him to write a bestselling book about it. Also, how he was able to open a care centre for kids with cerebral palsy in Moldova due to a silly bet and how he incorporates some of the lessons from his adventures into his corporate talks.

Links:

Morris Minor and The Majors – Stutter Rap video

Tony Hawks Centre Maldova

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Significant quotes:

“Ireland's the one place in the world where you could hitch with a fridge and get all the way around.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be one of the country’s leading experts on sales motivation, Phil Hesketh.

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Mark Pollock, an explorer, innovator, and collaborator. Even though he went blind in 1998, Mark has competed in ultra-endurance races and was the first blind person to race to the South Pole. He also won silver and bronze medals for rowing at the Commonwealth Games. In 2010, Mark was left paralyzed after falling from a second story window. He is now exploring the frontiers of spinal cord injury recovery and is walking daily using bionic robotic legs. Through the Mark Pollock Trust he's on a mission to find a cure for paralysis. Mark is the subject of the acclaimed documentary Unbreakable. He's a Davos, Wired, EG and TED speaker and is the co-founder of the global running series called Run in the Dark.

Recorded on: 4th April 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show Mark talks about his incredible mission to find a cure for paralysis and why his drive for adventure took him to the South Pole and across the Gobi Desert. Mark shares his work with robotics is probably the most exciting thing he’s done since going to the South Pole.

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Significant quotes:

“I had a great desire, not simply to accept the status quo and the best practice, and the reality that there is no cure but rather to accept that life was worth living in a wheelchair and get on with life.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest is TV and radio comedian and bestselling author, Tony Hawks.

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This is a special Bonus episode, a little extra treat especially for any speakers out there listening. It is taken from a video chat I had with Neil Armstrong about Speaker Showreels - my go to expert on the subject.

Neil Armstrong has been making films and TV programmes for over 33 years.

He started his career as a Film Assistant at the BBC and worked his way up to become a highly respected and sought-after Series Producer and Director.

Neil’s credits include ‘Alter Ego’ with Jon Culshaw, ‘Renford Rejects’, ‘The Miners “Location, Location, Location”, “House Doctor” for C5), and the “Teletubbies”.

Neil has filmed all over the world writing, producing and directing for a great range of brands from Astra Zeneca, Barclays and UBS right through to L’Oreal, John Lewis, Microsoft and Tate&Lyle.

He has also made Speaker Showreels for Roger Black, Sahar Hashemi, Sally Gunnell, Jamil Qureshi, Linda Yueh and Viv Creegor amongst others.

He says and I quote “He is accomplished, experienced and unflappable, as well as being great fun to work with.

Recorded 26th April 2018

Shownotes

Some of the things we talk about in this episode include: the biggest mistakes speakers make when creating their showreels, the biggest cost and what to do if you haven't got quite enough footage.

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Want Neil to create your killer speaker showreel?

Want our free guide on how to create a great speaker showreel - drop us an email to enquiries@speakingbusiness.co with Speaker Showreel guide in the subject line.

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Tim Reid. Tim spent over 20 years working with some of the world's most creative organizations including global ad agencies and innovation consultancies. Before having his first sitcom, Car Share, starring superstar comedian, Peter Kay, commissioned by the BBC. As an innovation expert, Tim has helped many clients from beer brands to broadcasters, confectioners to condom makers, reimagine the future and reinvent their businesses. As a coach, Tim has enabled hundreds of teams across the world to reignite their own creative potential to have bigger, better ideas. From his unique position as both the successful innovation consultant and comedy writer, Tim has drawn together a practical guide to applying the trade secrets used by top creative professionals, comedians and writers.

Recorded on: 4th April 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show Tim Reid talks about where the idea for the BAFTA award-winning TV sitcom Car Share came from. How his career path changed when he realised that he wasn’t destined to be a rock star. Why it’s important to make the time and space for creativity, and what your “weekend brain” is! All this and much more…

Links:

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Significant quotes:

“Loosen your tie, take it off, sit down, relax and be prepared to break some rules.”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be Adventure Athlete, Mark Pollock

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Neil Mullarkey. Neil studied economics, social and political science at Cambridge University, where he was also president of the famous dramatic club, The Footlights. In 1985, he co-founded the London Comedy Store Players with Canadian-American comedian Mike Myers.

Neil's credits include "Whose Line Is It Anyway", "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue", "Have I Got News for You", "QI", and two Austin Powers movies. Since 1999 he has been bringing theatre skills, in particular, improvisation, into the world of business. His work has taken him to 24 countries. Neil is currently a visiting lecturer at Cass Business School, City University. Neil's book, "Seven Steps to Improve Your People Skills," was published in October 2017.

Recorded on: 15th March 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show, Neil Mullarkey tells us why after studying economics he went into comedy where he met Mike Myres who introduced him to improvisation. Neil talks about the lessons that a business can take from the world of improv.

Significant quotes:

“Improv says we are all different, and that is creative. That diversity is powerful, not destructive.”

Links:

Connect with Maria on LinkedIn

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To book any of the speakers featured on the Speaking Business podcast, click here

Listen here:

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Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be comedy writer of the BAFTA Award-winning Car Share and innovation expert, Tim Reid

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Caspar Berry. After studying Economics at Cambridge, Caspar decided to put what he had learnt there into practice in a rather unique way. He moved to Las Vegas and became a professional poker player. He played poker for much of the next three years before finding himself as the poker adviser on the James Bond movie Casino Royale.

Recorded on: 1st March 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show, Caspar talks about some of the lessons that you can apply from poker to business. How embracing uncertainty can help decision making. He tells us about working with Ant and Dec, getting Robert Webb and David Mitchell together and breaking the rules with Daniel Craig in Casino Royale. And much much more …

Significant quotes:

“The essence of poker is the essence of decision-making theory, investment theory and risk-reward analysis.”

Links:

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Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be Comedian, Improviser, Creativity & Communication Coach and Founder of Comedy Store Players, Neil Mullarkey.

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Rohit Talwar a global futurist and award-winning speaker, who works with corporations and governments to help them explore, understand, and respond to the forces shaping our world.

He has a particular focus on how we can harness emerging science and technology to ensure that these advances are used to unleash individual potential, and enable a very human future.

Recorded on 23rd February 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show, we will find out what a futurist actually is, why Rohit would like to have coffee with the oddly named drug dealer “the Penguin” and what could happen if machines took over the world. All this and more ….

And yes Maria did say The Exterminator instead of The Terminator, don't write in!

NB This was recorded before Stephen Hawking sadly passed away in March this year.

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Significant quotes:

“A great futurist really helps people get insights into the emerging future”

Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be former professional poker player turned business advisor, Caspar Berry.

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Jack Milner. Jack works as a director, comedy writer, business facilitator, and speaker. He has over 20 years’ experience helping organisations and individuals articulate and memorably communicate their ideas. Jack says that skills learnt from the world of stand-up comedy and improvisation need fresh, natural and compelling communication, and can help audiences understand complex stories. As director for the West End, film and radio, Jack knows how to take often dry, technical information and render it clear and memorable, no matter who the audience.

Recorded on: 15th February 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show, Jack talks to us about the similarities between working with executives and soap stars. What you can learn from the comedy world that you can apply to speaking and how to deal with nerves. He tells us about his scary experience in Russia and why his wife bought him a book called ‘Dull Men of Great Britain’!

Significant quotes:

“The skills used in improvisation and stand-up are incredibly relevant to business”

Links:

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Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be Global Futurist Rohit Talwar

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Sir Clive Woodward, the World Cup winning head coach who led England's rugby players to World Cup glory in Australia in 2003. He himself is a former England international and British and Irish Lion. During Clive's tenure as head coach, England moved from number 6 in the world to be the number 1 ranked team, winning every trophy an England team could win.

Clive was GB’s Director of Sport for the British Olympic Association. He worked in close partnership with key stakeholders to support the national coaches and athletes at the Beijing and Vancouver Olympics. As well as to deliver team Britain's most successful Olympic Games at London 2012.

Recorded on: 8th February 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show Sir Clive Woodward talks to us about his career as England Rugby Coach, the Olympic Games, his international ski academy in France and about how he started his path of delivering speeches to businesses. He also talks about why he won’t be doing Strictly Come Dancing anytime soon! All this and more…

Significant quotes:

“I do believe that great teams are made of great individuals”

Links:

Connect with Maria on LinkedIn

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To book any of the speakers featured on the Speaking Business podcast, click here

Listen here:

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Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be comedy director, Jack Milner

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This week Maria's guest on the show is Major General Patrick Marriott, who was a regular soldier for 36 years. During this time he served in approximately 30 countries and deployed in operations to Northern Ireland, Egypt and Israel, Bosnia, Kosovo and Macedonia, Iraq and Afghanistan. Among other appointments, he commanded his regiment, the Queen's Royal Lancers, on operations in Bosnia and the 7th Armoured Brigade known as the Desert Rats in Iraq. He was Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst before retiring in 2012. Patrick now serves as a Reservist Major General, sharing the highest level of Service Complaints Board for the Army.

Recorded on: 7th February 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show, Major General Patrick Marriott talks to us about his career in the military and how he learned his leadership skills. Good leadership is still highly important to Patrick and this inspired him along with his love of the countryside to lead a trek for children coast to coast. He also talks about the book he is writing for his children and why on special occasions he likes to fire his cannon!! All this and more…

Significant quotes:

“You can develop courage in people and that's hugely important. It's the great virtue that enables businesses and everything else to succeed.”

Links:

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Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be World Cup-winning Head Coach who led England’s rugby players to World Cup glory in Australia in 2003, Sir Clive Woodward.

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Kevin Gaskell. Kevin has led the iconic brands, Porsche, Lamborghini, and BMW. After driving the turnaround at Porsche and leading five years of record growth at BMW, he was recognised as one of the UK's top 40 leaders. Kevin founded a dot com, Epyx Limited, which became the market leader in automotive e-commerce. As global CEO of the Eurotax Group, he led his team to integrate 30 companies and to create the world leader in automotive data. During his career of founding start-ups, driving turnarounds and leading major brands, he has built over £3 billion of shareholder value. He has led transformational growth at 14 companies and now acts as chairman of a number of growing businesses.

Recorded on: 2nd February 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show, Kevin tells us about why he turned down the opportunity to become a professional cricketer & how this decision helped him set out to help people become successful. He talks about the big corporates he has worked for, the businesses he has built and his discipline for working and fitness training.

Significant quotes:

“You only go this way once, so make the most of it. Get out and live your life. Do things, which are exciting and interesting”

Links:

Kevin's book on Amazon

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Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be Former Commandant of the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, Major General Patrick Marriott.

Inspired Leadership: How You Can Achieve Extraordinary Results in Business

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Caspar Craven, entrepreneur and adventurer. Caspar believes in challenging conventional thinking on how leaders and teams become truly effective to create extraordinary results. Caspar has 30 years of experience in building teams to make things happen. Starting as an entrepreneur at the age of 14, he has built and led teams in global corporations, start-ups, struggling and high growth businesses, and on a trophy-winning world racing yacht. But his toughest challenge by far was building his family team to sail around the world with his wife and three children, then aged 9, 7, and 2.

Recorded on: 25th January 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show, Casper tells us about his first business at the age of 14 selling crabs by the sea, his amazing adventure sailing around the world with his family. What he discovered about home schooling his children and sharing the lessons he learned on his adventure that apply to the business world. All this and more…

NB – no books were thrown into the sea so please don’t write in to complain

Significant quotes:

“What is it that you can do that really gets them engaged and passionate, and I'm going to give them the freedom to go and do that”

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Next Week:

Join me next week when Maria's guest will be Business Leader, Entrepreneur, Team Builder and Corporate Trailblazer, Kevin Gaskell

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Jamil Qureshi one of today's foremost practitioners of performance psychology and an expert in high performing teams and cultural change. Jamil has worked with a rich diversity of the most talented business and sports teams. In business, he has delivered management and leadership programmes at board level for Coca-Cola, Hewlett Packard, Emirates Airlines, SAP, and Cisco. In sport, he has helped six people get to number one in the world. In 2006, he was appointed as the first ever official psychologist to work with the European Ryder Cup team. They made history in winning by a record-equalling margin. He has also worked successfully with three English Premiership football clubs and the 2009 Ashes-winning cricketers. Jamil is one of the few external psychologists ever to have been allowed access to study astronauts in the 2008 NASA space programme.

Recorded on: 18th January 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show, Jamil explains how cricket got him into his passion, psychology. How he learned hypnosis and mind reading from Derren Brown. How he fell on hard times in the corporate world and decided that he should chase his passion which propelled him into running a very successful business.

Significant quotes:

“I think the smart leader doesn't work on people's actions but works on their thinking. It's the difference between compliance and commitment”

Links:

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To book any of the speakers featured on the Speaking Business podcast, click here

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Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be adventurer and entrepreneur, Caspar Craven.

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This week Maria’s guest on the show is Penny Mallory who is one of the most successful women rally drivers, and was the first woman in the world to compete in a world rally car, the Formula 1 of rallying. As a motoring expert, she has presented many high-profile TV shows, including the hugely successful Channel 4 show, Driven, World Rally Championship, the Used Car Roadshow, Accident Black Spots, Discovery's Classic Car Club and The Roadshow. Penny is a qualified performance coach and is the author of the book Take Control of Your Life, where she uses her driving successes as analogies of how you can transform your life. Penny is also the creator of the innovative Malory Band, helping wearers to lose weight and keep it off forever.

Recorded on: 12th January 2018

Show Notes:

In this week’s show Penny tells us how from an early age she wanted to become a rally driver, how this lead her into presenting and why speaking is such a passion. She talks about her love for boxing and how techniques used by Muhammad Ali inspired her to get into the boxing ring at the age of 42. Penny also admits to how many points she has on her driving license!!

Significant quotes:

“I'm not very good at having an idea and doing nothing about it”

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Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be Performance Psychologist, Jamil Qureshi.

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This week Maria's guest on the show is Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, the world's leading champion of Project Management and Strategy Implementation.

Antonio is the creator of concepts such as the Hierarchy of Purpose featured by Harvard Business Review, and the Project Revolution; which argues that Projects are the lingua franca of business and personal worlds from the C-suite to managing your career and relationships.

Antonio's research and global impact in modern management have been recognized by Thinkers50 with the prestigious award "Ideas into Practice". He is also part of MG100 - Marshall Goldsmith's 100 coaches.

Recorded on 20th December 2017

Show Notes:

In this week's show we will find out how a Spaniard has ended up living in Belgium. Why Antonio doesn't consider technology, AI or big data to be the biggest disruptions in business today and all about Antonio's recent award from Thinkers50. All this and more …

Significant quotes:

"The most successful leaders are the ones who are able to say we're going to do these three things next year."

Links:

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Connect with Maria on LinkedIn

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To book any of the speakers featured on the Speaking Business podcast, click here

Listen here:

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Next Week:

Join us next week when Maria's guest will be world car rally racing champion, Penny Mallory

Speaking Business podcast: Recent Episodes

Maria Franzoni