EPISODE · Jun 5, 2025 · 56 MIN
“Don’t Be a Wanker”: Dave Buonaguidi’s No-BS Leadership Rule
from The Courageous Leaders Podcast · host Joanna Howes
Naughty, and unfiltered – Dave Buonaguidi, ex-adman turned full-time artist, shares how he blew up a 35-year career, lost everything, and finally found joy. From co-founding iconic agencies like St. Luke’s and Karmarama to walking away from the industry (and his marriage) at 50, Dave tells it like it is – with plenty of swearing, sharp wit, and hard-won wisdom.If you’ve ever wanted to throw out the rulebook and build life on your own damn terms, this episode is for you.We Cover: 01:40 – “I just rebooted my life at 55” – The moment Dave walked away from it all07:20 – Wearing a mask at work for 35 years08:40 – Why he doesn’t see his past ventures as “success”10:05 – The brutal reality of founding a business12:00 – Ripping up the rulebook: doing things differently in advertising15:00 – Starting over after losing his agency – and his marriage18:20 – Going all-in with no plan B: the real reason he made it work20:00 – “If you’re doing it for the money, f*ck off”32:00 – Letting go: what Dave struggled with most41:00 – “I jumped out the burning building” – on walking away from everything42:20 – Why 2020 was the best year of his life43:00 – Advice for anyone ready to change their life46:40 – How a screen-printing class changed everythingDon’t miss out on this powerful episode. 👍 Stay inspired by joining our YouTube community! Click the link, hit the subscribe button, leave a comment, and never miss an episode. Your support helps us empower courageous leaders like you!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2kZ-x8fDHKEVb222qpQ_NQ🚀 Elevate Your Leadership:Book a call for transformative leadership and team coaching:Website: https://thechangecreators.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannahowes/ → Join our newsletter for courageous leadership insights and advice. 👉 Subscribe here: https://the-change-creators.kit.com/1a5f3c9e54
What this episode covers
Naughty, and unfiltered – Dave Buonaguidi, ex-adman turned full-time artist, shares how he blew up a 35-year career, lost everything, and finally found joy. From co-founding iconic agencies like St. Luke’s and Karmarama to walking away from the industry (and his marriage) at 50, Dave tells it like it is – with plenty of swearing, sharp wit, and hard-won wisdom. If you’ve ever wanted to throw out the rulebook and build life on your own damn terms, this episode is for you. We Cover: 01:40 – “...
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“Don’t Be a Wanker”: Dave Buonaguidi’s No-BS Leadership Rule
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