Pitching Passion

What does it actually take to make a brand impossible to ignore — and why are so many of the world's biggest names still getting it completely wrong?Edward East is the founder of Billion Dollar Boy Group, a global leader in creator-led brand building that he has grown from a two-part startup in 2014 to one of the most awarded and fastest-growing social agencies in the world. With over £50 million in revenue, 200+ people, and campaigns running across multiple global markets, BDB has become the agency of choice for brands including Heineken, Nike, Unilever, PepsiCo, and L'Oréal.BDB Group brings together three distinct businesses: Billion Dollar Boy, the global social agency with Creator Instinct® at its core; FiveTwoNine, the world's largest platform and community for creator entrepreneurs; and Companion, BDB's proprietary AI-powered influencer marketing platform. Named Social and Creator Agency of the Year by both Adweek and The Drum in 2025, and recognised in the Financial Times 1000 fastest-growing companies in Europe for the fifth consecutive year, Ed's group is defining what modern brand marketing looks like.We cover:📱 Why brands have shifted from TV-led to social-first — and what it actually means to build a social-led brand with creators at the heart of it 📊 The insight from 5,000 creator-led assets: why leading with your product kills reach by 40%+, and what to do instead 🎯 How to brief creators effectively — freedom within a framework, and why your job is only 50% of the final output 🏆 Campaign case studies: taking Lipton from the 21st to the 4th most talked-about brand globally, the Arg Haus mockumentary for Argos, and the Ikea x Chupa Chups April Fool's collaboration 🤖 How AI is accelerating the creator economy and giving more power to individuals 🌍 The global-to-local challenge — how BDB solved it for Lipton across multiple markets simultaneously 🛠️ Companion, FiveTwoNine, and how BDB is building infrastructure for the creator economy 💡 Entrepreneurship lessons: sensible risk, why the path to success is always squiggly, and why focusing on what's going right beats obsessing over what isn't🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & -❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassionThis episode is proudly sponsored by Audrey's Chocolates — use code thekollective10 for a discount on your order.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review — it means everything to independent podcasts like ours. 🙏❤️‍🔥 Support Pitching Passion on Patreon Get early access to episodes, exclusive content, and help us keep the show going: patreon.com/TheKollective828☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: Edward East, Billion Dollar Boy (BDB), Billion Dollar Boy Group, FiveTwoNine, Companion, Heineken, Nike, Unilever, PepsiCo, L'Oréal, Garnier, Lipton, Argos, Arg Haus, Ikea, Chupa Chups, Quaker Oats, Thomas Straker, All Things Butter, Hugo Philip, Cool Pancake, Trip (drinks brand), Kendall Jenner, Douglas Booth, Red Bull, Amazon, Tesco, Cannes Lions, Campaign Awards, The Drum, Webby Awards, Shorty Awards, Adweek, IPA Effectiveness Accreditation, Financial Times 1000, Global Influencer Marketing Awards, South by Southwest, Cannes, Meta, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Vine

What if everything we currently know about computing, intelligence, and the nature of the universe is just the tip of the iceberg — and we're about to go much, much deeper?Daniel Doll-Steinberg is a tech entrepreneur, investor, and one of the most prescient minds working at the intersection of quantum computing, AI, and the future of humanity. He has spent nearly three decades riding — and calling — the biggest waves in technology: from the early internet to blockchain, from AI to quantum. He created one of the first global standards for digital rights management, transforming the software and gaming industries. He was the first co-founder of the Atari Token Project — a groundbreaking metaverse project built with Atari, an Ethereum founder, and gaming legends. Between 2007 and 2012, he served as the British government's representative to the European Commission alongside the Chairman of Rolls-Royce.He is now co-founder of Eden Base and Q Base, an ecosystem and fund investing in quantum technology, and the author of Unsupervised — ranked one of the best books of 2023 by Bloomberg. His latest investment: Quantinuum, one of the most significant players in the quantum computing space.We cover:⚛️ What quantum computing actually is — and why it's not a faster computer but an entirely different kind of machine 🌊 The tech investment cycle — how Daniel timed the internet, blockchain, AI, and now quantum, and why 2026–2032 is the window 🤖 Why AI is not intelligent — it's a tractor, not a horse, and what that really means for the jobs it will replace 💼 The coming collapse of the professional job market — lawyers, doctors, accountants, consultants — and why nobody in power is preparing for it 🎓 Why the education system is dangerously unfit for the world being built right now 🔬 What quantum unlocks for humanity — personalised medicine, materials science, drug discovery, and weather modelling 🌌 The deepest question: what quantum plus AI might tell us about consciousness, sentience, energy, and the true nature of the universe 💰 How Eden Base invests — the six-year fund, bottleneck strategy, and why the National Wealth Fund of the UK uses their thesis map🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & -❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassionThis episode is proudly sponsored by Audrey's Chocolates — use code thekollective10 for a discount on your order.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review — it means everything to independent podcasts like ours. 🙏❤️‍🔥 Support Pitching Passion on Patreon Get early access to episodes, exclusive content, and help us keep the show going: patreon.com/TheKollective828☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: Daniel Doll-Steinberg, Eden Base, Q Base, Quantinuum, Cambridge Quantum, Atari Token Project, Atari, Ethereum, Unsupervised (book, Bloomberg 2023), Richard Feynman, IBM, OpenAI, ChatGPT, Level 39, Tech Nation, Rolls-Royce, European Commission, National Wealth Fund (UK), Volkswagen, Microsoft, Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Demis Hassabis, DeepMind, Eric (Edenbase partner), Ptolemy, Newton, Einstein, Vermeer / FrontPage, My Chemical Romance, Oasis, Palo Alto, Silicon Valley, Google, Facebook, Meta, Anthropic, Venture Capital, Tech, Investing

What does it actually feel like to become the most searched name in a country of 1.4 billion people? 🔍✨We sit down with Anveshi Jain — actress, entrepreneur, and one of the most recognisable names in Indian entertainment — for a conversation about fame, self-belief, and what happens after the world starts watching. In 2019, Anveshi became the most Googled woman in India after her breakout role in Alt Balaji's hit web series Gandii Baat (Season 2) sent her into overnight, nationwide stardom. But it took 720 failed auditions to get there, and she's spent every year since figuring out what to build on top of that recognition.📚 Anveshi trained as an engineer and holds an MBA before pivoting fully into acting, music, and content. She's delivered close to five TED Talks, including one on sex education for young people and a widely resonant talk on touch starvation in men titled "We Don't Really Know The Men We Love." Beyond acting, she's a recording artist, is currently writing a book, developing a new TV series, and created the mobile-shot narrative series Main To Museebat Hu — nine episodes, 70 million views, no crew, no tripod. She talks candidly about what fame actually gave her (and what it didn't), the cultural pressure to "underplay" her success to stay marriageable, and how she rebuilt her own sense of self-trust from the ground up.We cover:🎬 720 rejections before Gandii Baat changed everything overnight🔍 What it's really like to become the most searched woman in India — and why it didn't fix what she expected it to🗣️ Her TED Talk on touch starvation in men, and what she learned making it✍️ Why she's writing a book mid-heartbreak, against everyone's advice🌍 Meeting Drake (Champagne Papi) and what he told her about self-worth🧘 Her three go-to meditation practices — six-phase meditation, EFT tapping, and heart-focused stillness💍 The cultural pressure to "underplay" success so she stays marriageable🎭 Building a character from childhood memory, using acting techniques inspired by Money Heist🩺 Living with a health condition that requires check-ups every six months — and what she's learned about resilience because of it🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & -❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassion🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: Anveshi Jain · Alt Balaji · Gandii Baat · Oprah Winfrey · Drake (Champagne Papi) · Jay Shetty · Money Heist · NSD Pune (National School of Drama) · Main To Museebat Hu · Jeremy Clarkson · Pranjal (brother) · Martin · Commitment · Ramar on Duty · Dragon · Tera Chalava · Who's Your Daddy · Judaa · Gudiya Ki Chaali · Boss · Mumbai · Birmingham · France

What does it take to turn a dying craft into a global art movement? 🔨✨We're in New Delhi, inside the studio of one of the most extraordinary creative minds working today — a man who walked away from the world of finance to revive ancient Indian metalwork techniques, and ended up showing his pieces in the garden of Karl Lagerfeld's former home in Paris, on the cover of Vanity Fair, and at the world's most prestigious design fairs. We sit down with Vikram Goyal — Princeton-educated engineer, former Morgan Stanley banker, co-founder of Kama Ayurveda, Yiva and now India's most celebrated collectible design artist. 🏛️🌿This isn't a conversation about design. It's a conversation about following what was always there — and what happens when you apply the rigour of Wall Street to the world's oldest craft traditions.🔩 Vikram Goyal studied engineering and development economics at Princeton University before building a career in finance at Morgan Stanley across the US and Hong Kong. His return to India in 2000 marked everything changing — he co-founded Kama Ayurveda, one of India's most celebrated luxury wellness brands, later sold to a Spanish conglomerate, before pivoting fully into his true calling: design. Today, Vikram Goyal Studio is internationally recognised for its mastery of ancient metalwork techniques — particularly repoussé and pietra dura — creating large-scale handcrafted brass objects that blur the line between furniture, sculpture and fine art. He is represented by the prestigious Nilufar Gallery in Milan, collaborates with De Gournay, and has exhibited at Design Miami, PAD Londonand the India Art Fair. He is a recipient of the Elle Decor India Designer of the Year award and features in Architectural Digest India's list of the 100 most influential designers. Design critic Glenn Adamson described his work as offering "a truly global vision, in which diverse traditions of craft and belief are combined into a single harmonious whole."We cover:🔨 How a Princeton engineer and Morgan Stanley banker followed what was always inside him — and built one of India's most celebrated design studios without a single day of formal art training🏛️ Ancient techniques meeting global galleries — from chiselling repoussé brass in a New Delhi workshop to showing life-sized Panchatantra animals in Karl Lagerfeld's Paris garden and a Ramayana-inspired salon at Frieze London🌍 What inspires Vikram's work — flea markets, unexpected art deco palaces in Tokyo, conversations over dinner, India's visual heritage, and a lifelong belief that water always finds its level🧘 The philosophy of creating without needing validation — why the most confident work comes when you stop making for others, and what it means to be the storyteller of a civilisation's craft rather than just a designer🍫 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk ❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 🙏 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 🙏☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: Vikram Goyal · Rameshji · Glenn Adamson · Karl Lagerfeld · Lucio Fontana · · Princeton University · Morgan Stanley · Kama Ayurveda · Nilufar Gallery · De Gournay · · Viya · Elephant Family · Design Miami · PAD London · India Art Fair ·· Rome · London · Milan · Tokyo · Noida · Panchatantra · Ramayana · Financial Times · Architectural Digest · Wallpaper · Vogue · Harper's Bazaar · Elle Decor · Robb Report · Vanity Fair · WWD · Designboom · Mint Lounge · The Economic Times · Conde Nast Traveller · The Hindu · ICON · Cabana · Yatzer · First Post · Commercial Interior Design · Good Homes · Outlook Luxe · Platform · a+ Magazine · Stir Pad · Lifestyle Asia · The Voice of Fashion · New Indian Express ·

What if your dentist could add years to your life? 🦷✨We're in Tribeca, New York, inside one of the most extraordinary clinics in the world — a place where dentistry meets longevity science, and where a visit isn't only about drilling and filling, it's about uncovering the root cause of everything from brain fog and fatigue to snoring and cardiovascular disease. We sit down with Cody Levine, co-founder of Smile House Tribeca — the dental longevity centre rewriting what it means to take care of your mouth, and your life. 🧬🌿This isn't a conversation about teeth. It's a conversation about health span, longevity, confidence, and what happens when a family decides to put the mouth back in the body.🦷 Cody Levine grew up watching his father, the legendary Dr. Jonathan Levine — one of the first doctors in America to perform porcelain veneers in the early '80s — build a career at the intersection of aesthetics, function, and whole-body health. Together they founded Smile House Tribeca, a next-generation dental longevity centre where biomarker testing, airway and sleep diagnostics, saliva analysis and world-class aesthetic dentistry all live under one roof. Cody also co-founded Twice — a premium oral care brand now sold in Walmart, reaching 95% of America, with millions of tubes sold and hundreds of thousands of homes impacted. And through the Glo Good Foundation, the Levine family delivers millions of dollars of free dentistry every year to communities around the world.We cover:🧬 Why the mouth is the gateway to your whole body — and why your dentist should care about your heart, brain, and sleep😴 Sleep-disordered breathing: why you can sleep 8 hours and still feel like you slept 2💰 What a full mouth reconstruction actually costs — and why the best cases run six figures🇮🇹 Handmade Italian ceramics, 30-year veneers, and the art of matching a smile to a face🪥 Why 100 million Americans don't brush twice a day — and what that costs them long-term🏒 Fixing Jack Hughes' teeth after the gold medal game🦷 The terrifying link between oral bacteria and dementia, heart disease, and diabetes💊 Why Western medicine treats symptoms while functional dentistry finds causes🌍 The Glo Good Foundation: giving smiles back to thousands of people who had lost them🕺 Fred Again, dancing, and why movement might be the most underrated tool for self-worth📖 Hungry, humble, and what Dr. Jonathan Levine taught his son about how to live🎧🔥❤️‍🔥 FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE ❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassion🍫 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🍫❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 🙏 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 🙏☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: Cody Levine · Dr. Jonathan Levine · Jack Hughes · Fred Again · Robin Sharma · Will Guidara · Picasso · Smile House Tribeca · Twice · Glo Good Foundation · Walmart · Erewhon · Henry Schein · SprintRay · Crest · Colgate · Sensodyne · Tribeca · New York · Unreasonable Hospitality · The 5 AM Club · How We Breathe Is Killing Us

What happens when you take Hollywood-level talent management — the contracts, the standards, the deal-making — and drop it into the fastest-growing, most chaotic corner of the entertainment industry?Thomas Drachkovich has lived both worlds. After seven years at Amazon Studios across LA, Mumbai, and London — helping launch The Family Man, Four More Shots Please, and developing UK series including Ten Percent and Wilderness — and training as an agent at United Talent Agency, he walked away from one of the most prestigious seats in global entertainment to build something entirely new.Dream Bay Group, which he founded in 2023, represents creators including Sabrina Bassoon (#TubeGirl), operates as an official TikTok Shop agency partner, and delivered over 300 brand deals across 200 brand partners in a single year — crossing seven figures in revenue. Thomas also runs a media advisory and IP deal-making practice, with recent work including a five-book studio deal for Jeffrey Archer's estate and a partnership with SuperBooks, backed by all five Dragons from BBC Dragon's Den. He sits on the committee for the ITVX Creator Awards and the Digital Broadcast Awards. And he is, by his own admission, living his dream job.We cover:🎬 Why the creator economy is the Wild West — and the film & TV standards Thomas is bringing in to fix it📱 What the creator economy actually is — and how Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon are now chasing creators to build their audiences💰 The creator business model explained — brand deals, direct monetisation, licensing, and what brands are really paying for🌍 From Amazon Studios in Mumbai to TikTok Shop in London — how Thomas's global career shaped the way Dream Bay operates🤝 Why anyone can start a talent agency tomorrow — and why that's both the beauty and the danger of the industry⭐ What it takes to hit seven figures in brand deals in a single year — and what separates the best creator managers from the rest🎯 Bringing Hollywood-level deal-making, contracting, and professional standards to a world that has almost none📺 The collision of traditional entertainment and the creator economy — and why it's only just beginningThose little moments that lift your day — a smile, the sun coming out, or a piece of chocolate? Audrey's Chocolates have been handcrafting chocolate for over 70 years. Chocolate to die for, in beautiful boxes that make the perfect gift. Discover your moment of joy at audreysChocolates.co.uk and treat yourself to 10% off using the code thekollective10If this episode moved you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. Leave us a review — it genuinely helps more people find the show. And subscribe so you never miss a conversation.Support the ShowJoin our community on Patreon for exclusive content, early access and behind-the-scenes access 🙏 patreon.com/TheKollective828☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionThomas Drachkovich, Sabrina Bassoon (#TubeGirl), Jeffrey Archer, The Sidemen, Molly-Mae Hague, Dan Shrigley, Tom (co-founder, Shoulder to Shoulder), Mia McGrath, Idris Elba, Ollie Marlowe-Thomas, Sienna Santer, MrBeast, Karishma Vijay, Lord Sugar, IShowSpeed, Kaner (Urban Decay), Reverend T.D. Jakes, Dream Bay Group (dreambaygroup.com), Amazon Studios, United Talent Agency, TikTok Shop, Netflix, Spotify, Amazon, Applause Entertainment, SuperBooks, BBC Dragon's Den, ITVX Creator Awards, Digital Broadcast Awards, L'Oréal, Nivea, MAC, The Ordinary, Shoulder to Shoulder, Creator Fest, Audi, Revolut, YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, Kick, Urban Decay, Duolingo, LinkedIn, Instagram, The Family Man, Four More Shots Please, Ten Percent, Wilderness, The Wire, The Mailroom,

What does it actually take to throw a legendary party? 🎉✨We sit down with William Bartholomew — one of Britain's most celebrated party organisers, with nearly five decades of experience and a client list that reads like a who's who of royalty, rock stars, and the world's most powerful institutions. He's the man you call when a marquee, a Michelin-starred caterer, and Elton John. And he's the man who will very calmly tell you that none of it matters if the people in the room aren't right. 🎶👑This isn't a conversation about canapés. It's a conversation about what makes people truly connect — and why the best parties in the world are never really about the budget.🎪 William Bartholomew started as a DJ at the legendary Annabel's nightclub in 1977, went on to spend 15 years with Juliana's Sound Services, and founded William Bartholomew Party Organising (WBPO) in the 1980s. In the decades since, he has orchestrated extraordinary events for the Royal Family, embassies, private clients, hotel groups, and global corporations across the world — from Scottish lochs to the south of France to Venice. His parties are, as they say, legendary.We cover:🎶 Why a party is made by its people — not its budget, its flowers, or its celebrity band🎤 The rider contract nightmare: what happens when you book a rock star (and why William quietly passes the buck)💸 The real cost of a great party — from £5 chairs to £1,000,000 bands and £10,000 fireworks per minute🪄 The secret icebreakers that actually work: roving bands, table mixing, and the art of the welcome drink👑 Organising for the Royal Family, Forbes, Microsoft, Sotheby's, and JP Morgan — what changes and what doesn't🎆 A firework display on a Scottish loch, a custard pie fight in a warehouse, and the parties you couldn't make up🚽 The surprisingly serious world of luxury portaloos — and why William is always first in when something goes wrong💐 How weddings went from coronation chicken and frilly marquees to full productions with mood boards and cocktail bars⚠️ Why dietary requirements have quietly become one of the most complex parts of catering for 200 people🎧🔥❤️‍🔥 FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE ❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassion🍫 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🍫🔥 Fireside Chat 🔥🌟 A few quirky things that give you joy: [FILL IN]🧠 A mantra you want to embrace now: [FILL IN]🎬 A favourite artist that isn't obvious: [FILL IN]💡 Something you wish you knew when you were younger: [FILL IN]✅ Two things IN for you right now: [FILL IN]❌ Two things OUT: [FILL IN]❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 🙏 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 🙏☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassion: William Bartholomew, Madonna, Guy Ritchie, Princess Margaret, King Charles, Phil Collins, Shirley Bassey, Lionel Richie, Elton John, Belinda Carlisle, Boy George, Bonnie Tyler, Gloria Gaynor, Robbie Williams, Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, Avicii, Taylor Swift, Neil Diamond, Queen, ABBA, Annabel's, Skibo Castle, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Hertford Street, Venice, St. Moritz, Scotland, South of France, Beirut, Washington, Regent's Park, Rutland, Jersey, Dubai, WBPO, Juliana's Sound Services, Royal Family, Dubai Royal Family, Saudi Royal Family, Microsoft, Sotheby's, Forbes, JP Morgan, Tesco, Modifax, James Bond, Jaws, Oddjob, New Orleans Band, Bedouin Tent, Coronation Chicken, Béarnaise Sauce, Belvedere Vodka, Mojito, Paloma, Babycham, COVID

What does it really take to build a restaurant people choose as their favourite — not just the best they've ever been to? And what happens to a chef's world when the place he's poured 11 years into catches fire at 2am?Jun Tanaka is the Michelin-starred chef and owner of The Ninth on Charlotte Street in Fitzrovia, London — one of the city's most beloved neighbourhood restaurants and a 2026 Sunday Times Best Places to Work recipient. His story begins at 19 years old, when — with no kitchen experience and freshly asked to leave his hotel management course — he wrote to the three best restaurants in London on a whim. Le Gavroche wrote back.What followed was a career forged in some of the most demanding kitchens in the country: an apprenticeship under the Roux brothers at Le Gavroche, stints with Nico Ladenis at Chez Nico and Phil Howard at The Square, and time working under Marco Pierre White — a man Jun describes as running the SAS of the culinary world. In 2015, Jun opened The Ninth, earning a Michelin star in its opening year and keeping it ever since. Then, at 2am one morning, the fire brigade called.We cover:🔥 Why Jun would choose to have had the fire in hindsight — and what 8 months of closure did for his team ⭐ Earning a Michelin star in the year of opening,🍽️ The difference between the best restaurant you've ever been to and your favourite — 👨‍🍳 Training under Marco Pierre White and why the hardest kitchen of his life was also the most important 🧠 Why culture doesn't just happen — and the intentional work behind The Ninth's 🤝 Hiring for personality over CV🌿 Seasonal cooking, classic flavour combinations, and what it means to create food people crave on a regular basis 🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & -❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassionThis episode is proudly sponsored by Audrey's Chocolates — use code thekollective10 for a discount on your order.🔥 Fireside Chat with Jun TanakaFive cheeses to eat before you die? Brie de Meaux, Coulommiers, Époisses, Saint-Marcellin, and Comté. Three London restaurants people should hit up right now? Camille in Borough Market — Parilla — Plonk — Three ingredients to bring to a desert island? Soy sauce. Lemon and anchovies. How do you cook at home when friends are coming over? I keep it extremely simple. I always do a barbecue —whole fish mostly One tip: leave the whole fish uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours before grilling to dry out the skin completely. It won't stick and you'll get properly crispy skin. Do you find cooking therapeutic? Honestly, no. I've been doing it for 35 years — it doesn't stress me, but it doesn't quite switch me off either. What do you notice walking into a restaurant that others might miss? The greeting - Seasoning and the bathroom. Always the bathroom.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review — it means everything to independent podcasts like ours. 🙏❤️‍🔥 Support Pitching Passion on Patreon Get early access to episodes, exclusive content, and help us keep the show going: patreon.com/TheKollective828☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: @juntanaka, The Ninth (Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, London), Le Gavroche, The Roux Brothers, Chez Nico, Nico Ladenis, Phil Howard, The Square, Marco Pierre White, Cooking It (Channel 4, 2006), Saturday Kitchen, MasterChef: The Professionals, Simple to Sensational (cookbook), Filippo (Business Partner & Executive Chef, The Ninth), Erica (Head Chef, The Ninth), Jada (GM, The Ninth), Dale / Rosendale Design (interior designer), Andy (first head chef, The Ninth), Kevin Burke The Ninth), Ewan Golcher (former sous chef, The Ninth), Library Street (Dublin), Camille (Borough Market), Elliot (chef-owner, Camille), Parilla, Ben (chef, Parilla), Plonk, Seb (chef-owner, Plonk), Noma, Gambara (San Sebastian), Flying Fish (Cornwall), Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026, Irish Sunday Times

What does it really take to build a business from scratch, sell it for over $100 million, and then look the future of your entire industry in the eye? Oli Marlow-Thomas founded Ad-Lib.io in 2017 as a sole founder, grew it into a leading Google-certified creative optimisation platform, and exited to Smartly in January 2022 — in just over five years. He's now Chief Innovation Officer at Smartly, one of the world's most advanced AI-powered advertising platforms, working with brands like Spotify, Samsung, Uber, and Warner Brothers.In this episode, Oli opens up about the unglamorous reality of founding a business — the unattractive character traits you have to dial up, the team decisions that keep you up at night, and why getting shit done is the most underrated skill in business. He also shares one of the most compelling visions of where advertising and AI are heading that we've had on the show — and it will change how you think about the internet entirely.We cover:🔥 Why great founders have to become slightly difficult people🔥 The time management rule that kept Adlib growing (9-5 = revenue only, everything else is out of hours)🔥 How to hire people better than you — and actually let them take over🔥 What makes an ad memorable, attention-grabbing, and worth clicking🔥 Why advertising is shifting from targeting humans to targeting AI agents🔥 Why Oli believes the website will be dead sooner than you think🔥 What a $100M exit actually gives you — and the hunger that never goes away🔥 The AI governance crisis and why governments aren't ready🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO - ❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassionThis episode is proudly supported by Audrey's Chocolates — use code thekollective10 for a discount on your order.🙏 If this episode added value, consider supporting the show on Patreon — you'll get early access, bonus content, and the chance to be part of what we're building: patreon.com/TheKollective828☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions:Ad-Lib.io, Smartly, Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, Claude, Gemini, Facebook, Meta, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, Amazon Prime, App Store, Adobe, Foot Locker, Spotify, Samsung, Warner Brothers, Disney, Uber, Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Rightmove, Coca-Cola, Guinness, Tango, Café Nero, Big Boat Week, iTaxishare, Barack Obama, The Second Mountain, Silicon Valley

What if everything you believed about death, consciousness, and the meaning of life was wrong — and a brain surgeon could prove it?Dr Eben Alexander is one of the world's most credentialled neurosurgeons who spent over two decades training and practising at some of the world's top academic medical centres, including Harvard Medical School. In 2008, he fell into a seven-day coma caused by bacterial meningitis — a condition so severe his doctors gave him little chance of survival. What happened during those seven days didn't just change his life. It dismantled everything he thought he knew about the brain, the mind, and what comes after death.His book Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife has sold over 2 million copies. After his recovery, Dr Alexander dedicated himself to bridging science and spirituality — exploring near-death experiences, consciousness, meditation, quantum physics, and the nature of the soul. He has since co-authored Map of Heaven and Living in a Mindful Universe with his wife Karen Newell, and runs workshops through Sacred Acoustics helping thousands access deeper states of awareness through binaural beats.In this episode we cover:🧠 What Dr Alexander experienced during his seven-day coma — the three phases of his near-death experience and what he encountered beyond the brain ☀️ Why materialism is dead — and how the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics (quantum entanglement) proves consciousness cannot be reduced to brain activity 🌌 Millions of people have had near-death experiences — what the science really says about the afterlife and reincarnation 🧘 How meditation and binaural beats can connect you to the universe — and why your ego is the biggest obstacle to your own soul 💡 The hypnagogic state used by Einstein, Edison, Salvador Dali and Robert Louis Stevenson to access their greatest breakthroughs 🍄 Psychedelics, psilocybin and what happens to the brain under magic mushrooms — and why meditation is still the better path 🤖 AI, consciousness and why no digital computer can ever be truly self-aware ❤️ The purpose of life, the life review, and why love is written into the very fabric of the universe🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & -❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassionThose little moments that lift your day — a smile, the sun coming out, or a piece of chocolate? Audrey's Chocolates have been handcrafting chocolate for over 70 years. Chocolate to die for, in beautiful boxes that make the perfect gift. Discover your moment of joy at audreysChocolates.co.uk and treat yourself to 10% off using the code thekollective10If this episode moved you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. Leave us a review — it genuinely helps more people find the show. And subscribe so you never miss a conversation.Join our community on Patreon for exclusive content, early access and behind-the-scenes access 🙏 patreon.com/TheKollective828☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionSupport the ShowMentions: Dr Eben Alexander, Karen Newell, Oprah Winfrey, Guy Lyon Playfair, Robin Carhart-Harris, Dr Roland Griffiths, Dr Anna Yusim, Dr Wilder Penfield, William James, Gerald Oster, Thomas Keating, Thomas Merton, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Robert Louis Stevenson, Salvador Dali, John Clauser, Alain Aspect, Anton Zeilinger, University of Virginia Division of Perceptual Studies, Bigelow Institute, Sacred Acoustics, Imperial College London, Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University, General Electric, Scientific American, Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases, Proof of Heaven, Map of Heaven, Living in a Mindful Universe, Twin Telepathy, The Mystery of the Mind

We sit down with Pandora Morris — former lawyer turned mental health expert, and founder of the Hurt to Healing podcast, which she launched in 2022 after realising there was nowhere she could turn to hear people talk honestly about what was going on in their heads. Since then she's built a community around exactly that, interviewing everyone from Ruby Wax and Joanna Lumley to neuroscientists and mental health advocates — and turning her own struggle with OCD into one of the most direct, unguarded conversations you'll hear on the subject. Reaching Millions! Pandora has spent years living with and studying OCD, and in this conversation she pulls apart what it actually is versus the checking-the-lock-five-times caricature most people carry around. But the real argument she's building is bigger than one diagnosis: she thinks the exploding number of labels we now put on ourselves — ADHD, neurodivergence, an ever-expanding DSM — might be diluting support for the people who need it most. We also get into her theory of control (holding the handlebars too tight vs. letting go), why the people you admire most are probably hiding their own version of your worst thoughts, and what it's taught her to interview guests going through the exact struggles she's lived.We cover:🧠 What OCD actually is — and why it "metastasises" around whatever you care about most🏷️ Her real argument: why more diagnostic labels might mean less help for the people who need it🚲 The handlebars theory — why holding on too tight drains the colour out of life🔥 Turning private pain into purpose, and why the most admired people are often the most self-critical🎭 The masks we all wear, and why real connection means dropping them🎙️ Lessons from her own guests — James Haskell, Alex George, Gabor Maté and more💔 Dating, self-comparison, and learning to stop measuring your life against everyone else's🔦 Reframing the brain's negativity bias to actually notice what's going right🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & -❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassion📢 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🍫❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 🙏 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: Pandora Morris · Hurt to Healing · Ruby Wax · Professor Ian Hickie · Spencer Matthews · Joanna Lumley · James Haskell · Jessamy Hibbard · Ellie Middleton · Dr. Alex George · Kimberly Nixon · Bryony Gordon · Gabor Maté · Emma Louise Boynton · Oscar Wilde · Chris Williamson · Steven Bartlett · Mel Robbins · Brené Brown · Professor David Nutt · Dr. Mark Horowitz · DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual)

What does it actually cost to plan a wedding for people who already own five homes — and why is the best wedding she's ever been to a paper-tablecloth ceilidh at a cricket club? 💍✨We sit down with Sarah Haywood — Britain's premier wedding planner, author of The Wedding Bible, and the woman CNN turned to as their bridal expert for the royal wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales. This year marks 20 years since she incorporated her business, Sarah Haywood Exceptional Celebrations — and its transition into the UK's first employee-owned wedding and events company. In this episode she pulls back the curtain on planning multi-million-pound productions for ultra-high-net-worth families including stories of consulting on HBO's Succession, £40k cakes, thoughtful gifts and the things that truly make a wedding great. 🥂 Sarah started her business alone on a landing in Oxfordshire — pre-social media, pre-broadband — after a first career as an ITN journalist. Six or seven years in, she planned her first millionaire wedding; a decade later, her business went exclusive to ultra-high-net-worth families. Vogue named her business the UK's top luxury wedding planner, she's been featured in Elle, Harper's Bazaar and Tatler, and she was a wedding consultant for HBO's Succession. Twenty years and one pandemic later, she's handed the business to her team as its first employee-owned wedding company.We cover:📱 Why phones have can quietly disrupt weddings — and the low-budget cricket-club wedding she still calls the most joyful she's ever attended🏰 What it actually takes to plan for families who already live a "stratospheric" life — private jets, five homes, and all🎂 The £40,000 cake and the cake-on-a-private-jet disaster that ended with the loo blocked off for the flight🌸 Flower budgets running past a million pounds, and why hand-painted tables are replacing tablecloths this year🎤 Negotiating riders with headline DJs and A-list acts booked for a 20-minute set💰 Her "big five" — the five things every couple needs to agree on before spending a penny on a wedding🎬 Consulting on HBO's Succession and commentating for CNN at the royal wedding🏛️ The economics of weddings — 267,000 a year in the UK, injecting £6.6 billion into the economy before the couple spends a cent💬 Her advice to her younger self: stop getting bogged down in the weeds — your own life matters more than someone else's special day🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & -❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassion🍫 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🍫️🔥 Fireside Chat 🔥🎯 The message I'd give my younger self: Don't get so bogged down in the weeds and worry of it all — your own life and your own family are more important.🌙 One thing I want young listeners to take from this: Try to live in the moment a bit more. That's what I'd like to have learned earlier.🙏 What I'm most grateful for in this career: It's given me a window into a world I'd never otherwise have known, let me be creative, build a business, and meet a whole community of people doing what I do. It's opened my eyes to how the world really works.❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 🎁 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks: www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 🎁☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏: https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: Sarah Haywood · The Wedding Bible · Vogue · Elle · Harper's Bazaar · Tatler · The Times · CNN · Prince and Princess of Wales · HBO · Succession · Eastnor Castle · Matthew Macfadyen · ITN · Castiglion Del Bosco · Rosewood · Peggy Porschen · Cartusia · Adele · Elton John · Jeff Bezos · Taylor Swift · Donald Trump · Office for National Statistics · Tesco · Pizza Express · Starbucks · BMW · Jaguar · Rolls-Royce · Ford · Oxfordshire · Sicily · Nice · Scotland · New York ·

What would it mean to finally understand your hair — and know exactly what it can do? 💇✨We sit down with Greg Hill — master stylist at the renowned Josh Wood Colour salon in London, and the man trusted with the hair of some of the most photographed women in the world. Greg has spent decades helping people discover what their hair is truly capable of, and in this episode he opens up about the craft, the psychology, and the surprisingly profound relationship between how your hair looks and how you feel about yourself.This isn't a conversation about trends. It's a conversation about understanding your hair type, working with what you have, and why a little know-how can go further than you'd ever expect.✂️ Greg trained at the legendary Nicky Clarke salon, later styling hair for the likes of entrepreneur and icon Trinny Woodall for over a decade — helping to define one of the most admired hair looks in British media. An influencer of what Good Housekeeping has called the ghost wave, Greg built a loyal following through a social media channel that started as self-promotion and became something far more useful: a genuine education in hair. He visits clients at home, works from Josh Wood Colour, and has a reputation built entirely on results.We cover:💇 Why understanding your hair type is the single most important thing you can do 🌊 The ghost wave — how Greg and Trinny accidentally created one of the most imitated looks around 🧠 Why hairdressers are amateur psychologists and what the chair reveals about people 🎤 From opera singer to master stylist — and why hairdressing was always the thing 🪞 The difference between a haircut that frames you and one that drags you down 📱 Why Greg's social media became an education channel — and what he's teaching people to do themselves 💡 Practical tips on volume, blow-drying technique, product, and protecting your hair from heat ❤️ What it means to truly see someone — and why a great stylist does far more than cut hair🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & -❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassion🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️🔥 Fireside Chat 🔥[TO BE ADDED]❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: Greg Hill · Josh Wood Colour · Trinny Woodall · Nicky Clarke · Sam McKnight · Good Housekeeping · Diana · Christy Turlington · Naomi Campbell · Claudia Schiffer · Cindy Crawford · Iris Murdoch · Judi Dench · Instagram · YouTube

What does it truly take to keep a story alive — from the first spark of an idea all the way to an audience's memory?Sammy Pressman is a producer and the head of Pressman Film — one of independent cinema's most storied production companies. Founded in 1969 by his father, the legendary Edward R. Pressman, the company has produced over 100 films, including American Psycho, Wall Street, Badlands and The Crow, accumulating over two billion dollars in global box office revenue. Sammy now leads the company, continuing its tradition of bold, director-driven storytelling.Pressman Film was founded in 1969 by Edward R. Pressman — widely regarded as one of the great independent producers of his generation — after he made his first short film in London to a Beatles track and walked away with a three-picture deal. Sammy grew up in and around that world, went on to shoot behind-the-scenes footage on Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant and The Man Who Knew Infinity, and now runs the company his father built. Their latest film, Dead Man's Wire, directed by Gus Van Sant, premiered at Venice and Toronto Film Festivals and is coming to Netflix. Learn more at pressman.comWe cover:🎬 How film serves as a collective dream machine — and why it matters more than ever 🔥 Growing up with Edward Pressman and what he meant when he said "films always matter" 💸 The reality of producing — raising money, burning it, and building something out of light 🌍 Why every movie is a miracle — and why you never really know what will connect 📱 Attention spans, the iPhone, and what independent film is up against 🤝 The future of fandom — blockchain, fan credits, and building real community around film 🎥 Behind the scenes of Dead Man's Wire with Gus Van Sant ❤️ The messages Sammy wants film to carry into the world right now🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & -❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 __ https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassion __🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk🔥 Fireside Chat with Sammy Pressman 🔥🎬 Favourite scene in any film: Singin' in the Rain. Gene Kelly's dance. Just so joyful.🎭 A character from a film you'd want to meet: Alex DeLarge from A Clockwork Orange. To box him.🌟 One thing you'd add to your bucket list: Having a child. Or winning something marvellous. Torn between the selfless and the purely egoic.✅ One thing IN right now: Being a married man — and everything that holds.🚫 One thing OUT: Unkindness. Very little patience for people who can't bring themselves to understand someone else.🙏 Something to bring more gratitude to yourself for: How hard I work. The work that isn't complete is always louder than the work that is. I need to allow myself to not always be productive.❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: Sammy Pressman · Edward R. Pressman · Pressman Film · Gus Van Sant · Werner Herzog · Colman Domingo · Bill Skarsgård · Dacre Montgomery · Saar Klein · John Robinson · Oliver Stone · Terrence Malick · Wim Wenders · Dziga Vertov · Gene Kelly · Ben Affleck · River Phoenix · Matt Damon · Paul Williams · Neil Young · Roger Ebert · Edward Abbey · G.H. Hardy · Ramanujan · American Psycho · Wall Street · Badlands · The Crow · Bad Lieutenant · Dead Man's Wire · The Man Who Knew Infinity · Good Will Hunting · Elephant · Milk · True Romance · Wings of Desire · Tree of Life · The Sweet Smell of Success · A Clockwork Orange · Singin' in the Rain · The Man with a Movie Camera · The Monkey Wrench Gang · A24 · London School of Economics · Venice Film Festival · Toronto Film Festival · Netflix · Hollywood Forever

What happens when a single psychedelic experience changes the entire course of your life? 🍄✨🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & -❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassionWe sit down with Milana Abensperg und Traun — founder of Funga, a platform and product brand on a mission to reconnect people with the healing power of nature. A young Austrian woman who took a hero dose of magic mushrooms on a remote Indonesian island, moved to Mexico City to immerse herself in plant medicine culture, and came back to Europe to build something that didn't yet exist. She's the first person in the UK to bring Kanna — an ancient South African succulent — into functional chocolate form. And she did it with months of obsessive attention to detail, sourcing from some of the best medicinal mushroom growers in the world. 🌿🍫https://fungachocos.comThis isn't a conversation about getting high. It's a conversation about consciousness, healing, the forgotten wisdom of indigenous plant traditions — and what it actually feels like to build a passion project from nothing, on purpose.🌿 Milana studied functional mushrooms and plant medicine for two years in Mexico, building fungaonline.com — an educational platform designed to make these topics accessible and beautiful. Her debut product, Funga Chocos for Grooving, combines cordyceps mushroom and Kanna in chocolate form — the closest thing to a microdose without the psychedelic. Her next product, Funga Chocos for Dreaming, is already in development.We cover:🍄 A hero dose of magic mushrooms in Indonesia — and the clear before-and-after it created 🌍 Two years in Mexico City learning from healers, facilitators and a French mycologist who sings to his mushrooms 🍫 Why she built a functional chocolate instead of a supplement — and the months of obsession that went into every detail 🌱 Kanna — the ancient South African empathogen that binds to serotonin receptors, regulates your amygdala, and is nature's answer to the morning SSRI ⚡ Cordyceps — the energy and stamina mushroom used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years, and why most of what's on the market isn't the real thing 🧠 The mycelium network, human connection, and why a high dose of psychedelics is the fastest route to understanding we are all one 🌙 Why she's building a chocolate for dreaming next — and the Blue Lotus plant from the Amazon she's obsessed with 🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & -❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassion🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️🔥 Fireside Chat 🔥💫 Three things that give you joy: Morning routine. Kanna — the gift that keeps on giving. And dancing.🧘 A mantra you want to embrace now: Trust the process.🎬 A favourite book, film or artist that isn't obvious: True Romance — and it ties back perfectly, because Kanna is a heart opener and this product was originally going to be called Fungo Chacos for Loving.🧒 Something you wish you knew when you were younger: Not to spend too much time worrying about how things will come about. There's some sort of divine guidance, and even the bad things will lead somewhere good.🐋 One thing on your bucket list: Swimming with whales.🌍 One thing IN right now: Being more intentional about how she consumes alcohol.🚫 One thing OUT: Social media.❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: Milana Abensperg und Traun · Funga · · Kanna · Cordyceps · Lion's Mane · Reishi · Blue Lotus · Magic Mushrooms · Psychedelics · DMT · Microdosing · Mycelium · Serotonin · Amygdala · ChatGPT · Carl Jung · Sigmund Freud · Transcendental Meditation · Mexico City · Indonesia · South Africa · Chinese Medicine · Magnesium · Melatonin

What does it take to survive on both sides of the law? 🌎🔥We're back with Keith Bulfin — the former investment banker from Melbourne who was persuaded to work undercover for the DEA, spent three years in a maximum security prison to build cover, and then found himself running a covert bank for the world's most dangerous drug cartels in Mexico City. In this second conversation, we go deeper. Prison violence. Cartel surveillance. A warehouse meeting where Keith didn't know if he'd walk out alive. And why following the money may be the only way to dismantle organised crime.🕵️ Keith Bulfin spent over two decades operating at the intersection of intelligence, covert finance, and organised crime — working with the DEA, intelligence agencies, and government bodies across multiple continents. He now uses that network to help corporations and institutions recover stolen funds and dismantle financial crime — one piece of the jigsaw at a time.We cover:🔒 What 23.5 hours a day locked in a cell does to your mind — and how Keith coped with claustrophobia🏴‍☠️ Being stabbed, beaten, and why standing your ground in prison is non-negotiable🇲🇽 Walking into a Mexico City cartel meeting not knowing if you'll be executed💰 Running a covert bank — and why the cartels know everything about you before you arrive🇩🇪 A Berlin spy operation involving a diplomatic bag, Iranian money, and a shocking twist🧩 The Jigsaw Method — why intelligence agencies only need 25% of the picture, and Keith only needs one piece💸 $4.4 trillion washed through the global banking system — and why digital currency is making it worse🔍 How Keith uses criminal networks to recover stolen funds that law enforcement can't touch🌐 Why attacking the balance sheet is the only real way to bring down a cartel🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & ❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassion🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️🔥 Fireside Chat 🔥💫 Something that gives you joy: Swimming every day.🧘 A mantra you live by: Be strong.🎬 Favourite book/film: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.🧒 Words to your younger self: Be strong.🌟 Something you want more of: Enjoy life.❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, fearless conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks: www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: Keith Bulfin · DEA · Drug Enforcement Administration · Mexican cartels · Colombia · Bahrain · Berlin · German intelligence · Iran · Dubai · Bitcoin · Money laundering · United Nations · US Department of Justice · FBI · JP Morgan Chase · Bank of America · The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

What does it really mean to make something that matters? 🏺✨We sit down with Emma Bridgewater — one of Britain's most beloved ceramicists, entrepreneur, and now Dame — the woman who walked into a derelict Victorian pottery factory in Stoke-on-Trent and decided to bring it back to life. That was 1984. Today, over 360 people work there, and her hand-decorated pottery sits on breakfast tables across the country. 🫖This is a conversation about creativity, community, and what gets lost when we stop making things with our hands. Emma talks about the moment she knew she had to start the business, why she still wakes up at night worried about dying crafts skills, and what she believes shopping — yes, shopping — is the most political act we can do. 🏭🌿We go deep on the joy of making, the grounding power of creativity, why social media is driving us apart, and what it means to run a business with genuine soul for over four decades. Emma is warm, funny, fiercely principled — and completely compelling. 💛In this episode we cover:The gift for her mum that started it all 🎁Why she chose Stoke — and why she'll never leave30 pairs of hands touching every piece 🙌Why creativity is the antidote to anxietyObjects, memory and why things carry emotional freightWhat she's learned about keeping integrity over 40 yearsThe simple pleasures that ground her every day 🌿What she'd say to anyone thinking of starting a business❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe — and if this conversation gave you something, come join us on Patreon.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: Emma Bridgewater · Stoke-on-Trent · Laura Ashley · William Morris · Guy Hayward · British Pilgrimage Trust · Victoria and Albert Museum · Wedgwood · Minton · Spode

What does it actually take to build a relationship that lasts? 💑✨We sit down with Julie Menanno — couples therapist, bestselling author of Secure Love, and one of the most followed relationship experts in the world with over 1 million followers. 💫 She's the woman couples turn to when they've tried everything and still can't stop having the same fight — and she has a remarkable gift for making the most complicated emotional dynamics feel suddenly, completely clear.This isn't a conversation about relationship tips. It's a deep dive into why relationships can really struggle, what emotional safety actually means, and why the enemy in your relationship is never your partner — it's the negative cycle you're both trapped in.💑 Julie Menanno is a licensed couples therapist and the author of Secure Love — described as a must-read for couples. She built her following on Instagram during COVID by translating the most complex relationship science into content that millions of people felt seen by. She works with real couples in private practice in Bozeman, Montana, is married with six children, and is currently writing her second book. She doesn't just explain what can be going wrong — she gives you the exact tools make relationships great. We cover:💬 Why couples can keep having the same argument — and what's really underneath it 🧠 Attachment needs: what they are, why they matter, and what happens when they go unmet 😢 The three things blocking you from using the skills you already have — fear, shame and unresolved grief 🪞 How to have a better relationship with yourself before you can have one with someone else ⚡ The "thousand paper cuts" — why small moments destroy relationships as much as big events ❤️‍🔥 What the best partners actually do in the moments that matter most 🙏 Gratitude as a tool for connection — and why it works neurologically 💔 What to do when a relationship feels hopeless — and why that moment can become the turning point 🗣️ The exact words to use when you need to be vulnerable but don't know how🎧🔥❤️‍🔥 LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & ❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 __https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassion __🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🍫🔥 Fireside Chat 🔥📚 Favourite book: A Tale of Two Cities — Charles Dickens. Also loves Oliver Burkeman's Four Thousand Weeks.🎬 Favourite film: The Royal Tenenbaums.🎵 Artist right now: Mumford & Sons — she just got tickets to see them in Bozeman and has been listening to the new album on repeat.💬 Words to your younger self: "You deserved more than that. You deserved better than that."🪣 One thing to add to the bucket list today: To appear on the Drew Barrymore Show.🌍 One thing you'd love to learn more about: Italian — she's been learning for years and wants to keep going deeper.❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe — and if this conversation gave you something, come join us on Patreon. Become a member, get exclusive content, and put your questions to future guests. Link below.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎☕ Want to make a one off donation to support the show 🙏 : https://buymeacoffee.com/pitchingpassionMentions: Julie Menanno · Secure Love · Charles Dickens · Oliver Burkeman · Four Thousand Weeks · The Royal Tenenbaums · Mumford & Sons · Marcus Mumford · Drew Barrymore · Bozeman Montana · Instagram · Attachment Theory · Emotionally Focused Therapy

What if the way you're breathing right now is holding you back? 🌬️✨We sit down with Jamie Clements — breathwork specialist and founder of The Breath Workspace — to explore one of the most overlooked tools for human performance: the breath 💨. From managing anxiety and panic attacks as a young rugby player 🏉, to working with the likes of Channel 4, Meta, the Four Seasons, and Heineken — and forging a friendship with England rugby legend Johnny Wilkinson — Jamie has built a practice that meets people exactly where they are, and takes them somewhere entirely new 🚀.This isn't a conversation about breathing exercises 🙅. It's a conversation about agency 💪, nervous system mastery 🧠, and what becomes possible when you learn to work with what's been with you your entire life.🧘 Jamie Clements is the founder of The Breath Workspace 🌬️, a breathwork specialist whose work spans corporate wellness 🏢, elite performance 🏆, and transformational retreats 🌿. His clients include teams at Channel 4, Meta, Four Seasons, and Heineken. He runs workshops, one-to-one coaching, and retreats across the UK 🇬🇧 — and is the creator of 21 Days of Breathwork 📅, a structured three-pillar programme designed to take anyone from the fundamentals to deeper states of healing and self-exploration ✨.We cover:🌬️ The three pillars of breathwork — functional breathing, nervous system regulation, and transformational conscious connected breathing 😤 Why most people are breathing wrong without knowing it — and the vicious cycle it creates 🔄 🧠 How breathwork can rival psychedelics for accessing expanded states of consciousness — without leaving the room 🌀 🏉 Working with Johnny Wilkinson: the balance between discipline and surrender, and why elite performers lose the love of the game 💔 😰 From panic attacks to peace: Jamie's own journey from passenger to driver of his inner life 🚗 💤 Mouth taping, deviated septums, and why what happens while you sleep matters more than you think 😴 🌀 The blueprint Jamie prescribes to anyone who wants to start — from micro-moments to monthly deep dives 📋 🔁 Why breathing better isn't just about breathing — it's about how you're living 🌍🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN VIA LINK IN BIO & -❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 https://linktr.ee/pitchingpassion🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️🔥 Fireside Chat 🔥💫 Four words your course graduates use: Peaceful. Connected. Loving. Whole.📖 A book that isn't obvious: You Are the Happiness You Seek by Rupert Spira.🧒 Words for your younger self: It's not that serious — don't forget to laugh 😂.❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: Jamie Clements · The Breath Workspace · Johnny Wilkinson · Channel 4 · Meta · Four Seasons · Heineken · 21 Days of Breathwork · Rupert Spira · Cornwall · Winterborne · Conscious Connected Breathing · Box Breathing · Transcendental Meditation

What if you were forced to bank billions for the Mexican drug cartels while secretly working with the DEA? 🇲🇽💰In this explosive two-part episode, Keith Bulfin shares how he went from running a boutique investment bank to becoming the financial architect for some of the world’s most dangerous cartels – all while secretly working with US authorities. 🕵️‍♂️We dive into:How “creative banking” turned Keith into the cartels’ master money moverThe morning federal agents showed up at his door – DEA, FBI, Mexican police and more 🚨Being thrown into maximum-security prison to earn the cartels’ trustSetting up a covert bank in San Diego and moving millions across bordersWalking into meetings where a single mistake meant execution on the spotWhy cartels now run like global corporations, using AI, shell companies and real businesses 🧠The mental strategies, preparation and emotional discipline that kept him aliveKey takeaways for high-performers:Preparation beats panic: Keith planned every exit route and scenario mentally—up at 4am scouting meetings. Apply this to deals, negotiations, or crises.Trust no one fully: Cartels and agencies both had moles; triple-check alliances in business or partnerships.Inner calm under fire: Face fear head-on with self-talk and perspective ("Others have it worse") to stay rational when stakes are life-or-death.Read people ruthlessly: Use face recognition and gut instinct to scan rooms and navigate ruthless players—key for pitching, investing, or scaling.This is not a movie. It’s a real story of money laundering at scale, human trafficking, covert ops – and what it actually takes to survive when you can’t fully trust either the cartels or the agencies controlling the game. 🎯If you’re obsessed with high-stakes decision-making, psychology under pressure and the dark underbelly of global finance, this conversation will stay with you for a long time.Hit play, and step inside a world you were never meant to see. 🎧🔥BIO: Keith Bulfin is a former investment banker turned undercover operative for the DEA, FBI, and CIA, infiltrating Mexican drug cartels to expose money laundering networks.Imprisoned in Australia on trumped-up fraud charges to build cartel trust, he ran a covert San Diego bank, laundering millions while feeding intel to US agencies for over two decades.Today, he fights human trafficking, consults on financial crime, and shares survival tactics from high-stakes ops—planning, gut instinct, and mental resilience.Keen to learn more: Keith’s book tells the full story:🎧🔥❤️‍🔥FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️Mentions: Keith Bulfin, Arthur Lonsdale, Carlos Cabal, two South American/Mexican bankers, valuer, Colombian agent, female CIA/FBI agent, cancer survivor girl, young prisoner, triathlete girl, human trafficking informant, DEA, FBI, Mexican federal police, US federal police, US state police, US Department of Justice, CIA, SAS, 60 Minutes, Supreme Court, Australian prison system, Bank of America, JP Morgan ChaseWANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎

What does it take to be confident? 🪞✨We sit down with Sheridan France inside her stunning London clinic 🏛️🌸 — one of the most respected facial aesthetics practitioners in the UK, with over 20 years of experience and a client list she can't talk about (but you can Google her mentor). She's the woman people fly across London to see when they finally want it done right, and the woman who will very politely tell you that the treatment you came in for is not what you actually need. 💋This isn't a conversation about fillers. It's a conversation about confidence, beauty as energy, the psychological weight of how we see ourselves — and why the most attractive people in any room are rarely the most symmetrical ones.🩺 Sheridan France trained directly under Dr. Frederick Brandt — the celebrated New York dermatologist known as the Baron of Botox, who treated some of the biggest names in music and entertainment. ✨ Rated number one for lip filler in London, and a pioneer of the liquid facelift, Sheridan built her reputation on a single principle: you bring out what's already there — you never change the person. Her background spans nursing, midwifery, and a near-qualification in clinical psychology, which shows. She doesn't just see a face. She reads a room.We cover:💋 Why confidence can't be injected — and what it actually comes from 🌍 What Italy and France understand about older women that Britain still doesn't 📱 Social media, the Kardashian era, and the quiet shift back towards natural 🎨 What it feels like to see a face the way an artist sees a canvas ⚠️ The unregulated filler market: what's being bought online, and why she won't touch another practitioner's work 🌟 Training with Dr. Frederick Brandt — the Rolling Stones, Damien Hirst's skull party, and the conversations she can't repeat 💉 The four pillars of anti-aging — and the one question no patient ever thinks to ask 🪞 Why overfilling is the industry's biggest problem, and what the patient-centred alternative actually looks like 🧘 Why your twenties are the most anxious decade, and why getting older is, genuinely, fabulous🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️🔥 Fireside Chat 🔥💫 A few quirky things that give you joy: Walking. And watching her golden doodle's absolute refusal to acknowledge the new baby — despite golden doodles supposedly adoring children.🧘 A mantra you want to embrace now: Accept yourself. Love yourself. Value what you've got now.🎬 A favourite artist that isn't obvious: Maria Callas.🧒 Something you wish you knew when you were younger: That everything changes. And everything will be all right.🌍 Two things IN for you right now: The South of France. London — still fabulous, however much it changes.🚫 Two things OUT: Trainers on women. She's wearing them today, but she wants her heels back — and she will be wearing them this summer.❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT? 👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: Sheridan France · Dr. Frederick Brandt · The Rolling Stones · Damien Hirst · Fitzrovia · Restylane · Botox · Hyaluronic acid · Instagram · The Kardashians · Molton Brown

Walking It Out: Pilgrimage, Singing and the Cure for Modern Disconnection with Dr Guy Hayward 🚶‍♂️🎤💫🌿 Dr Guy Hayward reveals how ancient practices like pilgrimage and communal singing combat today's epidemic of isolation and disconnection.🛤️ From walking sacred routes to embracing ritual in nature, he shares actionable ways to reconnect body, soul, and community.🧠 Explore the science-backed power of gratitude, prayer, and embodied rituals for mental health.​😔 Depression as disconnection: Combat isolation by linking to nature, others, and something greater—stories and pilgrimage anchor us in belonging.​🚶 Pilgrimage mindset: Drop expectations, set intentions, engage holy wells and trees—turn walks into soul-charging art without rigid beliefs.​🎶 Singing unites: From folk chants to evensong, group song bypasses talk to forge instant bonds; it's the football stadium of spiritual practice.​✨ Daily rituals win: Gratitude shifts perspective instantly; walk to work, pray creatively, fast or sport—science shows they extend life and joy.​Dr Guy Hayward co-founded the British Pilgrimage Trust (2014) 🗺️, mapping UK routes to sacred sites. Cambridge PhD on singing's community power 🎓; Founded Choral Evensong Trust. Maverick blending tradition, vulnerability, and modern mental health through walking, song, and analog connection 🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️SHARE LIKE SUBSCRIBE🎧 Listen, reflect, and let this episode open a new doorway for you. 🔥 Fireside chat🔥: Dr Guy Hayward 🎙️Three things that give you joy that we wouldn’t know about?🥣 Porridge (recreating tongue sensations), 🌊 lying in a river with water washing over you.​A mantra you want to embrace?👂 "Listen to the intimate connection with myself".​A favorite book, film or artist that isn’t obvious?📖 Tolkien (deeper dive into his magical world, languages, perspectives).​The world dealt tough cards—something not landed your way. How do you jump out?🔍 Look at wheWalking It Out: Pilgrimage, Singing and the Cure for Modern Disconnection with Dr Guy Hayward 🚶‍♂️🎤💫🌿 Dr Guy Hayward reveals how ancient practices like pilgrimage and communal singing combat today's epidemic of isolation and disconnection.🛤️ From walking sacred routes to embracing ritual in nature, he shares actionable ways to reconnect body, soul, and community.🧠 Explore the science-backed power of gratitude, prayer, and embodied rituals for mental health.​😔 Depression as disconnection: Combat isolation by linking to nature, others, and something greater—stories and pilgrimage anchor us in belonging.​🚶 Pilgrimage mindset: Drop expectations, set intentions, engage holy wells and trees—turn walks into soul-charging art without rigid beliefs.​🎶 Singing unites: From folk chants to evensong, group song bypasses talk to forge instant bonds; it's the football stadium of spiritual practice.​✨ Daily rituals win: Gratitude shifts perspective instantly; walk to work, pray creatively, fast or sport—science shows they extend life and joy.​Dr Guy Hayward co-founded the British Pilgrimage Trust (2014) 🗺️, mapping UK routes to sacred sites. Cambridge PhD on singing's community power 🎓; Founded Choral Evensong Trust. Maverick blending tradition, vulnerability, and modern mental health through walking, song, and analog connection WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: British Pilgrimage Trust, Choral Evensong Trust, Cambridge University, Glastonbury, Avebury, Stonehenge, Wells Cathedral Chapter House, St. Bartholomew the Great, Hampstead Heath, Westminster Abbey, Spain hostels, Airbnb, Star Child shop, Rupert Sheldrake, Jill Purce, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Liz Gilbert, Elon Musk, J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings, Chalice Well Red Spring, White Spring, Britain's Pilgrim Places.

What does it really mean to welcome someone to your restaurant — and to do it every day for over four decades? 🍽️🤝We sit down with Sally Clarke inside her iconic Notting Hill restaurant, Clarke's (London) 🏡✨ — a place now serving the grandchildren of its original customers 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦. Sally takes us behind the scenes of a life built around seasonal menus that change every single service 📝🍂, British-sourced ingredients 🇬🇧🥬, and a philosophy of hospitality she first discovered while getting to know Alice Waters and Chez Panisse in California in the early 80's 🌞🍷.From sitting for Lucian Freud's last head and shoulder portrait 🎨🖌️, to the story of a proposal that had the whole dining room on its feet 💍👏, to why her 97-year-old mother's rosemary still appears on the menu 🌿💚 — this is a conversation about the hidden details, the joy and the pain of running a deeply personal restaurant, and what it means to truly break bread together 🍞🫶.🍽️ Sally Clarke opened Clarke's in Notting Hill in 1984 — chef by day, maître d' by night 🌙 — and 41 years later she's still there, writing a new menu for every service 📋✍️. 🇫🇷🌞 Trained at the Cordon Bleu in Paris and shaped while getting to know Alice Waters at Chez Panisse in California, she built a restaurant rooted in seasonality 🌸🍁, simplicity and a deeply personal style of hospitality 💛. ✨ Clarke's is now an institution, complete with a shop across the road 🛍️, a team whose key members have been by her side for decades 🤝, and a loyal following that spans generations 👵👶.🎧🔥❤️‍🔥FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️https://www.sallyclarke.com/restaurant/🔥 Fireside chat🔥: 💫 3 things that bring you joy: Music — particularly the human voice, good food, and hugs.🧘 A mantra you want to embrace now: Stop looking at the news.🍳 Someone says they eat eggs every day — How do you make them unboring? . Cackle Bean eggs!  (Sold in Sally’s shop) are delicious. Sally hosted Alice Waters for 10 unexpected days who loves them! 😢 Someone is sad — what do you make them? A bowl of something warm and nourishing — soup, a stew — served with a smile. Because it costs nothing to smile.🌸 One thing that's IN for you right now: Hellebores on the table. Everything at Clarke's needs to be in season — including the flowers.🚫 One thing that's OUT: Raspberries on a dessert in February. Spotted in someone else's restaurant recently and couldn't believe it.🍝 You can only serve one pasta dish forever — what is it? Cornish crab and chilli with hand-rolled tagliatini, a tiny bit of wild garlic leaf, and lots of egg yolks.❤️ A most moving memory with food: Cooking with my son during COVID — doors open, sunny weather, a different menu for every lunch and every dinner.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: Sally Clarke, Paul (restaurant manager), Alice Waters, Lucian Freud, Sheila (Sally's mother), Michele, Head Chef, Gab, Simon Rendall, Natalie Elliot, Bill Granger, Guy Kawasaki, Clarke's restaurant (Notting Hill, London), Chez Panisse (California), Paris, Cordon Bleu school, Cornwall, Scotland, California, Australia, the Middle East, Suffolk, the West Country, Florence, Italy, Corsica, the Venetian lagoon, France, Spain, Britain, The Felix Project, Edible Schoolyard Foundation, Bee Chocolates, Sea Sisters, Corsini (olive oil), Cackle Bean (eggs), Amy Poon's soy, Michele, Mouton Rothschild

What really happens when someone leaves prison—and why a fixed address can be the difference between stability and sliding back into survival mode. 🚪🏠​Kingsley Bempah (CEO, ARK Resettlement Services) explains the “housing first” reality: without a home, people can struggle to access benefits, healthcare (GP), and safe supervision in the community. 🧾🩺​In this episode, we explore how ARK supports prison leavers with:​Safe accommodation and stability 🛏️🏠​Access to benefits and healthcare (why the address is the unlock) 🧾🩺🔓​Rebuilding confidence and trust (in self + systems) 🧠💬​Reconnecting with community and family (where possible) 🤝👨‍👩‍👧‍👦​Progressing toward education, training, and employment 📚🛠️💼​Kingsley brings it to life with frontline stories: release with “no fixed address,” the shock of returning to a world that’s moved on, and the emotion of holding keys to a home for the first time. 🌍⏳🔑​#SocialImpact #CriminalJustice #Inspiring #Interview #PodcastGuest bio:Kingsley Bempah is the CEO of ARK Resettlement Services, leading work that supports people with criminal convictions to resettle into the community. 🧭​He’s worked across probation and the voluntary sector for 15+ years, including Integrated Offender Management (IOM) and MAPPA, and he’s also a guest lecturer in London on social entrepreneurship and management. 🎧🔥❤️‍🔥FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️SHARE LIKE SUBSCRIBE🎧 Listen, reflect, and let this episode open a new doorway for you. 🔥 Fireside chat🔥: Three things that bring you joy?People 👥 | Family 👨‍👩‍👧 | Connecting with individuals & organisations who share the passion 🤝🔥 ​A mantra you want to embrace now would be?Keep it simple 🧘‍♂️✅​One unusual thing that gives you pleasure?Visiting “no-go” places / new places others avoid 🗺️🚶‍♂️😅​One thing that is in for you right now, and one thing that is out?In: Reconnecting with 90s music via his daughter 🎶👧🕺WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: ARK Resettlement Services, John Amitage Charitable Trust, The Community Fund, City Brick Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Trust for London, Probation Service, Police, Integrated Offender Management (IOM), MAPPA, IPP, London universities,  Bury University 

How Nature Heals People, Rainforests & Conservation — with Merlin Hanbury-TenisonIn this episode, we sit down with conservationist Merlin Hanbury-Tenison to explore how nature helps the nervous system reset, and why reconnecting isn’t a luxury… it’s a return to what we are. 🌍✨Merlin shares his own experience of complex PTSD, and how modern urban/corporate life can intensify stress and disconnection — before explaining how nature-based environments can gently guide people back toward safety, regulation, and real restoration. 🌲🤍We also journey into Britain’s rare Atlantic temperate rainforest — where soil ecosystems and fungal networks (the “wood wide web”) quietly hold entire worlds together. 🍄🌧️And we zoom out: because restoring nature isn’t just personal, it’s systemic. Merlin breaks down what real change takes — science that feeds policy, research infrastructure, and new models for land, food systems, and even cities that integrate nature instead of pushing it out. 🌱🏙️We cover:🌿 Why the “humans vs nature” mindset causes harm (and how to shift it)🧘 PTSD, burnout, stress — and how nature supports healing🍄 Old-growth rainforests, resilience, and the “wood wide web”📍 Restoration at scale: science → policy, land, farming, and cities🔥 Practical ways to reconnect — starting nowCabilla Cornwall Retreats Our Oaken Bones Thousand Year Trust Research StationMerlin Hanbury-Tenison is a conservationist, author, and founder of the Thousand Year Trust, dedicated to restoring Britain’s rare Atlantic temperate rainforest. 🌳🌧️ After experiencing complex PTSD, he became a passionate advocate for nature as a powerful tool for mental health and nervous system healing. 🧠🌿 Through Cabilla Cornwall, he leads nature-based retreats supporting veterans, NHS staff, and others in reconnecting and recovering. 🤍🔥 His work bridges science, storytelling, and policy — inspiring people to see that we are part of nature, not separate from it. 🌍✨Three things you get joy from:“My daughters 👧👧 … The rainforest at cabilla 🌳🌧️ … And writing ✍️.” A mantra you want to embrace now:“Never doubt that a small number of committed and thoughtful citizens cannot create change in the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has… We all make an impact on the planet every day when we wake up. We choose whether that is a positive impact or a negative impact.” 🌍✨ One unusual thing that gives you pleasure:“My beavers 🦫 … there is nothing that gives me more pleasure than going down and sitting on the riverbank in the evening and watching the beavers busily building dams.” 🌊🌅 A favorite book, film, or artist that isn’t obvious:“Arnold Schwarzenegger 💪 … a brilliant guide for life.” 📖🎧🔥❤️‍🔥FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: Margaret Mead, Jane Goodall, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dr. Susan Simard, Henry Dimbleby, Gabe Brown, Boris Johnson, The Thousand Year Trust, Cabilla Cornwall, University of Exeter, University of Plymouth, Eden Project, University of Zurich, Loughborough University, Falmouth University, Woodland Trust, Ministry of Defence (MOD), Forestry Commission, National Trust, National Lottery Heritage Fund, People’s Postcode Lottery, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Royal Geographical Society, University of British Columbia

What does it actually mean to care for your mental health — not in theory, but in real life? 🌿🧠In this honest and thoughtful conversation, bestselling author & mental health campaigner Rachel Kelly shares lived experience, clear perspective, and practical insight into staying grounded when life feels demanding, uncertain, or overwhelming 🌊🧘‍♀️From grief and anxiety 💔😔 to self-compassion 🤍, connection 🤝, and the pressure to constantly achieve 📈, this episode explores mental health as an ongoing practice — not something to “fix,” but something to tend to with care 🌱💛🎧🔥❤️‍🔥 FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE ❤️‍🔥🔥🎧🔗 https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideasIn this episode, we explore:🧠 Why mental health is a lifelong process, not a one-time solution 🔁🌱 How everyday habits like sleep 😴, food 🍽️, movement 🚶‍♀️, and breathing 🌬️ affect how we think and cope⚖️ The hidden cost of achievement-driven thinking 🏆 — and how to redefine success more sustainably🤍 Practical ways to stay steady ⚓, present ⏳, and kind to yourself 💬 through life’s inevitable ups and downs 🎢Rachel Kelly is a bestselling writer ✍️, public speaker 🎤, and mental health advocate 🧠, as well as an ambassador for leading charities including SANE and Rethink Mental Illness 🤝.Her books include the memoir Black Rainbow 🌈, which chronicles her experience of severe depression, alongside practical and hopeful guides such as Walking on Sunshine ☀️, The Happy Kitchen 🥗, and Singing in the Rain 🎶, offering tools to stay calm and well.Her latest books, You’ll Never Walk Alone: Poems for Life’s Ups and Downs 📖 (Hodder, 2022) and The Gift of Teenagers 💬, continue her work supporting mental health with insight and lived experience — learn more at ⁠https://rachel-kelly.net/about-rachel⁠🌐🔥 Fireside chat🔥☕ Three things that give you joy?My first cup of coffee in the morning ☕, sunshine ☀️, and getting a lovely text from my husband 💬♻️ One unusual thing that gives you pleasure?Clearing things out — being orderly, recycling, and giving things to charity shops. I love clearing stuff out. 🧺📚 A favourite book, film, or artist that isn’t obvious?The novel I go back to most is Middlemarch by George Eliot — for its reflections on society and the value of ordinary, unacknowledged lives. 📖🧳 One thing you could add to your bucket list today?More conversations, more connection — I love having these chats. 🤝🕊️ What would you say to your 18-year-old self?You are lovable. You’re lovable and you’re loved. 💛🔄 What’s ‘in’ for you right now?Eating breakfast 🍳, exercising every morning to music 🎶, going deeper, reflecting, reading more, and creating conversations and spaces rather than feeling pressure to produce. 🌱🚫 What’s ‘out’ for you right now?Being results-driven, feeling competitive with others, and believing there isn’t enough space. What I want instead is spaciousness, time, and room for reflection. 🌬️🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: The Times, SANE, Rethink Mental Illness, King’s College London, René Descartes,Oscar Wilde,Irish writer, Richard Branson, Alcoholics Anonymous, Monocle, Lake District, Buddhism, Bible, Middlemarch, George Eliot

Step into the world of ✨ Tomasz Starzewski — renowned 👗 fashion and 🛋️ interior designer behind some of British style’s most iconic moments. In this honest and thoughtful conversation, he shares stories from dressing Princess Diana 👑 to redesigning homes 🏡 and supporting women’s craftwork in Morocco 🌍🧵.Tomasz Starzewski is a British 🇬🇧 fashion and interior designer, known for his refined, architectural style 🏛️. Born to Polish 🇵🇱 parents granted political asylum in the UK in 1947, he rose to prominence when his designs were worn by the late Princess of Wales 👸, Baroness Thatcher 🗣️, Queen Camilla 👑, the Duchess of Edinburgh 💐, and the Duchess of York 🎩. Trained at St. Martin’s School of Art 🎓, Tomasz built an international fashion career 🌍 before expanding into interiors 🛋️ and philanthropic work in Morocco 🤝.🎨 The deeper meaning of fashion as identity, empowerment, and cultural reflection.👗 Stories from a legendary design career, including dressing Princess Diana and other iconic women.🏡 How interior design and fashion intersect in shaping personal and emotional spaces.🌍 Reinvention and purpose, from couture to charity work supporting women in Morocco.🧠 Reflections on creativity, legacy, and empathy in a changing world.🔗 Check out Tomasz’s website: starzewski.com 💻👀🎧🔥❤️‍🔥FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️🎧 Listen, reflect, and let this episode open a new doorway for you. 🔥 Fireside chat🔥: 🎉 Three things that give you joy?🎭 Opera, 🎨 Art, 🍝 Food🧘‍♂️ A mantra you'd embrace now?🌍 Life is a continued adventure📚 A favorite book, film, or artist that's not obvious?📖 I, Claudius by Robert Graves🎶 Something you want to learn more about?🎵 Music, 💃 Dance, 🎤 Singing🪣 One thing you'd add to your bucket list today?✈️ Visit Japan🧠 Something you wish you knew when younger?💡 Forgiveness💓 How can people tap into compassion more?👂 Empathy can’t be taught—it must be feltWANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: Princess Diana, Baroness Margaret Thatcher, Queen Camilla, The Duchess of Edinburgh, The Duchess of York, Charles Spencer, Victoria Lockwood, Nan Kempner, Yves Saint Laurent, Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld, Grace Kelly, Claudia Cardinale, Annie Hall, St. Martin’s School of Art, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, The Met Gala, Chanel, Vogue, Opera House, Royal family, V&A, 66 Chiltern Street, Instagram

📸 In this episode, we sit down with legendary photographer Hugo Burnand for an honest conversation behind the lens. 👑 From royal moments to raw, personal stories, Hugo reflects on what photography has really meant in his life.📰 Hugo Burnand has had a long-standing relationship with Condé Nast, particularly contributing to Tatler and House & Garden magazines. His impressive list of subjects includes Queen Elizabeth II 👑, Bill Clinton 🇺🇸, Mikhail Gorbachev 🌍, Baroness Margaret Thatcher 🏛️, Lucian Freud 🎨, Nigella Lawson 🍽️, Victoria Beckham 💃, and Michael Jackson 🎤.🏅 In 2010, he was granted a Royal Warrant by Prince Charles, recognizing his exceptional contributions to royal photography. 💍 He photographed the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles in 2005, and later, the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.We cover:• 🤝 What makes a truly great portrait • 👀 How photographers can spot what others miss — and when to step back• 📷 The emotional power of photography — and how it can help with depression• 📰 The responsibility of truth in photojournalism, especially in the age of AI• 🐎 Unexpected moments: from royal portraits to stampedes in the wild• 🧠 Why beauty is deeper than appearance — and how to help people feel seen🎧🔥❤️‍🔥FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️🎧 Listen, reflect, and let this episode open a new doorway for you. 🔥 Fireside chat 🔥💫 3 things you get joy from:Food, family, dogs and horses.🔮 One unusual thing that gives you pleasure:Dancing in the kitchen.🎬 A favourite film / book / artist — that isn't obvious (and why):The biography of photographer Sally Mann🧠 Best advice ever received:From his daughter: “Put a roll of film in your twin-lens camera and photograph how you feel.”🌧️ How you get over a tough meeting, moment or period of time:By taking photographs that reflect my emotional state — a form of creative healing.🪂 You can add 1 thing on your bucket list today, what is it?A round-the-world trip🌍 The world works in a certain way today. What do you want to change about that?Introduce a national 10-month program for school leavers:National serviceA fine art foundationCommunity service — to help create more balanced, empathetic citizens.📢 You can send 1 message to people before you pass away. What would it be?“Respect your family photographs — they’re not just images, they’re emotional heirlooms.”WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: Hugo Burnand, King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Victoria Beckham, Nigella Lawson, Margaret Thatcher, Aretha Franklin, Gabriel García Márquez, Lee Miller, Man Ray, Don McCullin, Winston Churchill, Cecil Beaton, Tatler, Vogue, Sally Mann, Kate Winslet, Hitler, Madge, Dame Edna, Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Fergus Burnand, Lily Burnand, Una Burnand, Maya Burnand, The Mall, Buckingham Palace, Abbey, Australia, Sydney, Melbourne, Mara River, Panama, Dublin, Newmarket, Lambourn.

🎙️ Step inside the creative world of Lindsay Jill Roth — TV producer, author, and champion of meaningful stories.💡 From producing with Oprah to reshaping modern romance, Lindsay reveals how storytelling shapes everything.❤️ Learn how asking the right questions can build intimacy, confidence, and connection — on screen and in life.🔑 Key Takeaways🎬 The Producer’s Lens: How Lindsay crafts powerful narratives across TV, books, and real life.🧠 Curiosity is a Superpower: Why asking bold questions opens doors — in love, work, and creativity.📖 Tools for Deeper Love: A peek into her book Romance and Practicalities — 250 questions that actually matter.🔥 No More Waiting: Why there’s never been a better time to start creating — and why your story is already enough.📺 Lindsay Jill Roth is an award-winning producer behind original programming for NBC, BET, ESPN, Food Network, Billboard, The Masters, The Grammys, The TONYS & the US Open.🎬 She produced Larry King Now and created Haylie Duff’s Real Girl’s Kitchen, and is also the author of What Pretty Girls Are Made Of.📚 Her latest book, Romance and Practicalities, offers 250 intentional questions to cultivate deeper love and understanding.🎧🔥❤️‍🔥FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🔥 Fireside chat🔥: 🛍️Three things she gets joy from:🧒 Hearing her children laugh💇 Getting her hair blown dry☀️ Hot, warm weatherA mantra to embrace now:✨ "I choose happiness."One unusual thing that gives you pleasure:📺 Watching Love IslandA favorite book, film, or artist that isn't obvious:🎭 Oscar Wilde (her favorite playwright)Best advice ever received:💬 "You do you."What you would do with a $50M budget to push a message/story:💖 Teach people how to have happy, healthy love — starting with themselves — in a beautiful place, with nourishing food, sunshine, family, friends, and of course, copies of her book.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: Lindsay Jill Roth, NBC, ESPN, The Grammys, Larry King, Ferrari, F1, Brad Pitt, Oprah, Charlie XCX, Pink Floyd, Damien Ard, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Chateau Miraval, Mival Studios, The Masters, The TONYS, The US Open, BET, Food Network, Billboard, Haylie Duff, Real Girl’s Kitchen, Tower Bridge, Substack, TikTok, Instagram, Susan Quilliam, Love Island, Oscar Wilde

🎧 In this episode, we sit down with veteran sports broadcaster Rupert Bell for a fascinating journey through four decades of covering everything from Wimbledon 🎾 to the Cheltenham Festival 🏇. Rupert shares how a childhood love of sport ❤️ turned into a lifelong career, the thrill of being behind the mic 🎙️ at world-class events, and what it’s really like reporting on royalty 👑 and interviewing those at the top of their game 🏆.With stories that blend humor 😄, humility 🤝, and insight 💡, Rupert opens up about the changing media landscape 📺, the mindset of elite athletes 🧠, and why enjoying what you do matters more than ever ✨.🎙️ Do What You LoveTurning passion into profession changes everything.🏇 Stay AdaptableMedia evolves—those who last, evolve with it.👑 Keep PerspectivePreparation and humility matter, no matter the stage.🧠 Elite Athletes Win in the MindTop performers are defined by mental strength, not just talent.🎙️ Rupert Bell is a veteran sports broadcaster with over 40 years of experience behind the mic. He’s covered iconic events like Wimbledon 🎾, the Cheltenham Festival 🏇, the Ryder Cup ⛳, and the FA Cup ⚽, bringing energy and insight to every moment. Known for his warm delivery and sharp storytelling, Rupert is also a respected royal correspondent 👑, with a growing following on YouTube. His career reflects a rare blend of passion, adaptability, and purpose.🎧🔥❤️‍🔥FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️🔥 Most underrated role in media?Behind-the-scenes roles—technicians, producers, and support staff. 🔥 Three things that give you joy?His children’s achievementsAston Villa doing wellWaking up ready to enjoy life🔥 One unusual thing that gives you pleasure?Growing cucumbers🔥 Favourite film, book, or artist that isn’t obvious?Black-and-white classics with Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, and Humphrey Bogart; music by Supertramp🔥 One event you haven’t covered but would love to?The Olympics—being on site for the full two weeks🔥 One athlete you’d love to have dinner with (dead or alive)?Rod Laver, Bobby Jones, or Gordon RichardsWANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentioned: Rupert Bell, Ollie Bell, Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Tommy Fleetwood, David Beckham, Carrie Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, Rod Laver, Bobby Jones, Harry Vardon, Gordon Richards, Michel Roux, Princess Anne, Prince William, Kate Middleton, TalkSport, ITV Racing, Wimbledon, Cheltenham Festival, The Open, Ryder Cup, The Masters, FA Cup Final, Rugby World Cup, Grand National, O2 Arena, BBC, TNT Sports, YouTube, National Youth Theatre, British Equestrian Media Association, International Olympic Committee, Drive to Survive

Inside London’s Leading Food Redistribution Charity — The Felix Project with Marcus Roberts✨ In this episode, we go inside The Felix Project – London’s leading food redistribution charity 🍎🚛 – with Relationship Manager Marcus Roberts, whose passion for community and service shines through every story.💚 We explore:1️⃣ How The Felix Project rescues surplus food and delivers it to schools, mosques, churches & community groups across London 🥦🍞2️⃣ The power of partnerships – from restaurants donating meals to volunteers powering daily operations 🤝🏽👩🏽‍🍳3️⃣ The real impact on families, children & communities – with fresh food and hope 🌍💫🍽️ 7.5 million people – or 11% of the UK population – are living in households experiencing food poverty, including 18% of children 👶🏽🥺The Felix Project believes in a vision of a London where good food is never wasted and no-one goes hungry.💚 Just £20 given to Felix can deliver 54 meals to those in need 🙌🍲👉 DONATE HERE: https://thefelixproject.org/donate-how 💸✨The Felix Project believes in a vision of a London where good food is never wasted and no-one goes hungry.Marcus also shares what makes the charity’s mission so special, why volunteers are at the heart of it all, and how The Felix Project is scaling up to meet growing demand.🎙️ Tune in to hear how one organisation is transforming lives, one meal at a time.🎧🔥❤️‍🔥FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️✨ 3 Things That Bring You Joy:Giving back and helping others 🤲🏽Being with my family 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Supporting and being there for each other 💛🧠 A Mantra You Live By:“Just keep trying, never give up.” 💪🏽Something might not work out now—but eventually, something will, and it’ll be amazing.🎁 One Unusual Thing That Gives You Pleasure:Volunteering! 🙋🏽‍♂️It brings perspective, joy, and a deep sense of connection to community.📚 A Favorite Book, Film or Artist (that’s not obvious):He enjoys horror fiction by authors like Dean Koontz, Stephen King, and James Patterson 📖👻WANT MORE from the podcast?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: The Felix Project, Los Mochis, Ocado, Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Costco, Fortnum & Mason, Hilton, Hilton Foundation, Spring Restaurant, Eden Project, Daylesford Organic, Lady Bamford, Bamford, Quintessentially, Acton Depot, Deptford Depot, Felix’s Kitchen, Fair Share, Labour Party Conference, Number 10, He Hall and Sons Farm, Farm Fresh, Canary Wharf, Marcus Roberts, Marcus Feath, Melissa Hemsley, Justin Byam Shaw, , Ben Elliot, Father Neil, Toto, Charity 🔥 Fireside Chat with Marcus Roberts

What’s the real role of comedy in a world full of chaos? 🤔In this episode, rising star Alfie Dundas dives into why laughter is more than just punchlines — it’s connection, resilience, and a way to make sense of it all. 🎭We explore the highs and lows of stand-up, the ethics of edgy humor, and how comedy builds unexpected bridges between people.🎧🔥❤️‍🔥FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas😂 Comedy as a coping tool — how laughter helps us handle grief, tension, and uncertainty.🧠 Relatability matters — why the best jokes come from shared, everyday experiences.🚫 Can you say that? — navigating offense, cancel culture, and what makes a joke work.🎤 Life on stage — behind the scenes of building a comedy career with heart and hustle.Alfie Dundas is a fast-rising UK stand-up comedian 🎤 known for sharp wit, social satire, and viral sketches.He’s opened for big names like Max Fosh and Stephen Bailey, and won the 2023 Backyard Comedy Knockout 🏆.Blending smart storytelling with bold stage presence, Alfie’s redefining modern British comedy. 🇬🇧✨Mentioned: Backyard Comedy Knockout, King Gong, Royal Theater, NPR, Inside, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Venture Capital, SNL, Netflix, The Apollo, Live at the Apollo, Printworks, The Inbetweeners, The Hangover, Reddit, The Guardian, Alfie Dundas, Stephen Bailey, Max Fosh, Reen Solo, Bo Burnham, Charlotte de Witte, Ricky Gervais, Jimmy Carr, Jack Whitehall, Michael McIntyre, John Mulaney, Chris Rock, Cat Williams, Robbie Hoffman, Jim Jefferies, Danny Dyer, Elon Musk, Prince Andrew, Charlie Kirk, James Milam, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal🎁 Listeners get 10% off Audrey’s delicious chocolate  using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk  🛍️🔥 Fireside Chat 🔥💫 3 things you get joy from:Standup comedy, my relationship with my partner, and Arsenal Football Club.🧘 A mantra you want to embrace now would be:“Go where you’re loved.”🔮 One unusual thing that gives you pleasure:Reddit — maybe not that unusual, so I’ll be more specific: r/fontspotting where people upload photos of signs and fonts that they don’t know, and then people identify them in the comments.🎬 A favourite film / book / artist — that isn't obvious (and why):There’s an old animated film called Hoodwinked that for some reason I watched as a child and I think was the funniest film I ever saw, and I now literally cannot find it on any streaming platform. I think there might be a conspiracy.🪂 You can add 1 thing on your bucket list today, what is it?Go to all continents before I die.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎

In this episode, we step into the deliciously detailed world of Audrey’s Chocolate with owners Alice and Will Crone. From rebranding a heritage chocolate company 🍬 to managing a growing team 👥 and crafting every piece by hand ✋, they share the real stories behind building a luxury brand rooted in nostalgia, creativity, and joy ✨.🍓 Takeaways include:– The power of storytelling 📖 and tradition in brand building– How to manage growth without losing your creative soul 🎨– Lessons on working as a couple 💑 and staying in your lane 🚦– Why premiumization is reshaping the UK chocolate market 🇬🇧– The role of sustainability 🌱, quality ✔️, and customer feedback 💬 in product developmentPerfect for anyone curious about artisan business, thoughtful entrepreneurship, or the simple magic of a well-made chocolate box 🍫🎁.👫Alice and Will Crone are the visionary couple behind Audrey’s Chocolate 🍫, one of the UK’s oldest independent chocolatiers, which they acquired and revitalized in 2023 ✨. Alice, with a background in food 🍽️ and a passion for design and storytelling 🎨📖, leads the brand’s creative direction—bringing warmth, beauty, and a touch of magic to every product. Will, drawing on his experience in finance 📊 and operations from roles at Morgan Stanley and Soho House 🏢, guides the strategic growth and keeps the business running smoothly.Together—both in marriage 💍 and entrepreneurship 🚀—they’ve reimagined Audrey’s as a modern, sustainable luxury chocolate brand 🍬, blending heritage with heartfelt innovation 🌱.🍫 Audrey’s ChocolateAudrey’s is the oldest chocolate maker in Sussex, UK 🇬🇧, handcrafting delicious chocolates since 1948. Known for their artisanal cream chocolates 🍬, they now use Valrhona — one of the world’s finest chocolates — which is 🌍 100% traceable from cocoa bean to bar. Audrey’s is proudly palm oil–free ❌🌴 and uses fully recyclable packaging ♻️ across all products.🎁 Listeners get 10% off using the code thekollective10 at audreyschocolates.co.uk 🛍️WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: Duzi Studio, Audrey’s Chocolate, The Kollective Institute of Ideas, Valrhona, Fortnum & Mason, Dozy Studio, Morgan Stanley, Soho House, Number One Lounge, Cadbury, Hotel Chocolat, Thorntons, Neuhaus, Penguin🔥 Fireside chat🔥: 💫 3 things you get joy from:Spending time with family and children, playing sport, getting home to excited children and a fun bath time, my 20-minute walk to work🧘 A mantra you want to embrace now would be:"Embrace the chaos"🔮 One unusual thing that gives you pleasure:Fulfilling orders and watching the chocolates come together during busy periods🧠 Best advice ever received:"Don’t overcomplicate it" – talk to your team about what matters to them, not just the business📚 Something you want to learn more about:(Will) How to systemize admin processes better; (Alice) Slowing down decision-making in a fast-paced business

Go behind the scenes with ITV Racing presenter Oli Bell as he shares what it takes to stay authentic under pressure at iconic events like the Grand National and Royal Ascot 🐎🎙️. From powerful stories of unsung heroes in racing to surprising life lessons learned at the poker table ♠️, Oli opens up about the emotional heart of the sport and why accessibility and diversity matter now more than ever 🌍❤️🐴✨🐎 Staying real under pressure — how Oli brings authenticity to live TV 🎙️🐎 Poker vs. Presenting — surprising lessons from the card table ♠️🃏🐎 The future of horse racing — accessibility, diversity & why it matters 🌍📣🐎 Unseen heroes — powerful stories from stable staff to jockeys 💪👢🐎 The magic of horses — emotional bonds that change lives forever ❤️🐴🎙️ Oli Bell is a leading ITV Racing presenter known for his authentic style, sharp insight, and deep passion for horse racing 🐎. He has fronted major events like the Grand National, Royal Ascot, and Cheltenham Festival, while also presenting in sports such as darts and football. Oli is the co-creator of the acclaimed documentary Riding a Dream, now being adapted into a feature film 🎬, and is a competitive poker player ♠️. Through his work, he champions accessibility, diversity, and storytelling in sport 📣.🎧🔥❤️‍🔥FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas🔥 Fireside chat 🔥:💫 3 things you get joy from:Poker ♠️, backgammon 🎲, and sport in all its forms 🏉⚽🔮 One unusual thing that gives you pleasure:Watching backgammon videos on YouTube 📺🎲🎬 A favourite film / book / artist — that isn't obvious (and why):Artist: Matthew Small — known for his striking portraits 🎨Musician: Zan Williams — chilled music he enjoys 🎧Film: Anything directed by Leonora Lonsdale or starring Esme Lonsdale 🎬🌟🧠 Best advice ever received:“You were in their shoes once — they might be in yours one day.”📚 Something you want to learn more about:No explicit answer, but likely more about storytelling in sport and connecting with audiences 🎙️📖🪂 You can add 1 thing on your bucket list today, what is it?Attend the Palio di Siena horse race in Italy 🇮🇹🐎📢 You can send 1 message to people before you pass away. What would it be?“Be kind, stay humble, and always be yourself.”WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode? ✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.Mentions: Oli Bell, Ruby Walsh, Luke Harvey, Mick Fitzgerald, AP McCoy, Jamie Oliver, Bob Champion, Charlie McCarthy, Nikki Henderson, Leonora Lonsdale, Esme Lonsdale, Jack Whitehall, ITV, ITV Racing, The Opening Show, Royal Ascot, The Grand National, Cheltenham Festival, Seven Barrows, Riding a Dream (documentary), Bob Champion Cancer Trust, DraftKings, Columbia Road (Nelly Duff Gallery), Racing for the Disabled, Champions for Gallop, 15 (Jamie Oliver's show), Netflix, Drive to Survive, Racing Post

Step into the high-stakes world of hostage negotiation with Scott Walker—one of the most seasoned crisis responders on the planet. In this gripping episode, we uncover the mindset, methods, and emotional mastery it takes to influence dangerous individuals and navigate the toughest conversations of your life.What you’ll learn:🧠 How world-class negotiators stay calm and in control—even under extreme pressure🎯 Scott’s 6-step influence framework—built for life-or-death stakes, but powerful in everyday leadership💬 Why deep listening disarms conflict and builds trust faster than logic ever will🔥 How real resilience is forged—through adversity, mindset, and radical ownershipScott Walker is one of the world’s most experienced kidnap-for-ransom negotiators, having helped resolve over 300 cases as well as crises such as piracy and cyber extortion attacks.🔐. When hostages are taken or cybercriminals strike, he’s the one called to solve the unsolvable 🚨 He’s also the author of the Sunday Times bestseller Order Out of Chaos: A Kidnap Negotiator's Guide to Influence and Persuasion 📘.🔥 Fireside Questions🔥:🧘 A mantra you want to embrace now:“Everything happens for a reason — and your job is to find out what that reason is.”🌄 One unusual thing that gives you pleasure:Doing unexpected experiences with his kids, like a zip wire over a lake or down a canyon.🎬 A favourite film, book, or artist that isn’t obvious:Film: Heat with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.✨ Best advice ever received:“It’ll always turn out right in the end.”🧍 If you could change one thing about how the world works:“People need to take more personal responsibility for their situation in life.”WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎

In this episode, relationship psychologist Susan Quillian returns to unpack the subtle signs of a healthy connection—and the warning signals we often overlook. From emotional generosity to self-awareness and patience, we explore what truly makes love last. Whether you're dating, committed, or navigating single life, these insights are for you.Susan QuilliamPsychologist, coach & prolific author🧠 Over 30 years helping individuals and couples navigate love, intimacy, and emotional connection💌 Agony aunt for two decades, including a long-running advice column in Cosmopolitan📚 Author of 20+ books, including How to Choose a Partner and the modernized 2008 edition of The Joy of Sex🎧🔥❤️‍🔥FULL EPISODE LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas💚 Green Flags Matter: Look for signs of emotional availability, curiosity about your life, and mutual give-and-take.🚩 Red Flags to Watch: Beware of partners stuck in the past, dismissive of your needs, or emotionally unavailable during crisis.🧘‍♀️ Balance Is Key: Healthy relationships involve both partners being grounded in themselves and interested in each other.💬 Kindness Counts: How someone treats others—like servers or strangers—often reflects how they’ll treat you.🪞 Self-Love Builds Better Love: Knowing and loving yourself creates the strongest foundation for any relationship.🎯 Patience + Presence = Growth: Supporting each other through challenges fosters deep personal and relational development.🤯 Inner Conflict Is Normal: Being “torn” is part of being human—acknowledging it helps you move forward with clarity.🔦 Being Single Isn’t a Flaw: It’s a valuable season for reflection, healing, and reconnecting with who you are.🛟 Support Can Be Transformative: Whether through therapy, friendship, or coaching—seeking help is strength, not weakness.👉 Like 👍 | Share 🔁 | Subscribe 🔔 🔥 Fireside chat🔥: Favourite Quote: Just do it ❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode?✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.💫 3 things you get joy from:People food & dance🧘 A mantra you want to embrace now would be: There is always an answer to everything. 🎬 A favourite film / book / artist — that isn't obvious (and why): Caravaggio WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: The Torn Project🔍 Key Learnings from the Episode:

Susan Quilliam Psychologist, coach & prolific author🧠 Over 30 years helping individuals and couples navigate love, intimacy, and emotional connection💌 Agony aunt for two decades, including a long-running advice column in Cosmopolitan📚 Author of 20+ books, including How to Choose a Partner and the modernized 2008 edition of The Joy of SexIn this episode we cover: 💑 The difference between choosing a partner and creating a partnership – why chemistry isn't enough and how the "mix" matters.🔍 The four key signs of a healthy relationship – day-to-day connection, handling conflict, facing crises, and celebrating joy.🧠 Why so many relationships fail—and how to avoid common emotional traps like fear, avoidance, and miscommunication.💬 The power of curiosity and attention – how small habits like asking the right questions can transform long-term love.☕ Dating in today’s world – what we’re getting wrong (and right) about modern love, from quick dates to emotional availability.🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideasWANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions: Cosmopolitan Magazine 

Robin Dreeke is a former FBI Special Agent who led the Bureau’s Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program & is also the author of The Code Of Trust. In this episode Robin shares the psychological tools he used to recruit spies, defuse conflict, and build trust at the highest levels.But the most powerful insights? They’re about becoming a better parent, friend, and human.Some areas we cover:🧠 The psychology of trust-building — how to earn trust in any relationship🫶 Active empathy — why understanding others means letting go of ego📈 Life arcs — how early life experiences shape adult behavior👀 Reading behavior without judgment — how to observe people with clarity🧯 De-escalation — FBI tools for calming tension in real-time🧩 Navigating difficult people — how to lead without being reactive🕵️‍♂️ Spy recruitment psychology — what human vulnerability reveals🛡️ Psychological safety — how to help people feel secure enough to connect🧃🥤 - How an empty drinks can almost messed up a spy operation 🕵️‍♂️✨ You’ll learn how to:💬 Build real trust in your conversations🧭 Spot when your ego is sabotaging empathy🔍 Predict behavior through “life arcs”🧘‍♂️ Create safety in relationships (and within yourself)🎧🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥🎧 Listen now —>  https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas #KioiStudio #Podcast #RobinDreeke #EmotionalIntelligence #Empathy #Leadership #Storytelling #TrustBuilding🎧 Listen, reflect, and let this episode open a new doorway for you. 🔥 Fireside chat🔥: 💫 3 things you get joy from:My kids, walking and reading🧘 A mantra you want to embrace now would be: It's not how you feel. It's not how you make people feel about you. That's matters. It's how you make them feel about themselves.🔮 One unusual thing that gives you pleasure:Backpacking🎬 A favourite film / book / artist — that isn't obvious (and why):Andy Wier, The Martian🧠 Best advice ever received:Sstart solving other people's problems and stop solving your own🌧️ How you get over a tough meeting, moment or period of time: Realize it's not all about me🧒 Something you wish you knew when you were younger: That if I focus more on how it's gonna be a resource for other people's challenges, priorities, and pain points in life, rather, my own life would've taken a lot easier. ❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode?✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks: www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Mentions:: FBI, U.S. Marine Corps, United States Naval Academy, MI6, CIA, NATO allies, Quantico, Russian GRU, Middle Eastern governments, UK, Canada, Australia, Matthew Dunn, Robert Hanssen, Andy Weir, Ryan Holiday, Robert Greene, Noah Harari, Mel Robbins, 

NEW EPISODE: 🎙️ We sit down with Saasha Celestial-One, co-founder of Olio — the app behind a 125-million-meal movement that helps people share food they won’t eat and things they don’t need.But this isn’t just a story about tech and impact — it’s a story about reinvention, values, and finding purpose late in the game.💼 Before Olio, Saasha was deep in the corporate world — think McKinsey, Morgan Stanley, and American Express. Safe & successful. At age 39, she took a leap into the unknown, co-founding a startup with no guarantee it would work — and discovered the deep satisfaction of building something mission-led.In this episode, we explore:🥦 Why most food waste starts at home — not in stores🍋 The emotional power of sharing, even if it’s just a lemon🌱 How to build community without chasing growth at all costs💸 What real conviction looks like when raising capital for change🌀 And why your career arc doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s👉 This one’s for anyone craving meaning, impact — and a reminder that small acts can ripple far.🔥❤️‍🔥LISTEN HERE❤️‍🔥🔥https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas🔥 Three things that give you joy?🃏 Playing cards, 🧘 Yoga, and 🌞 Sunshine — the perfect trio!🧘‍♀️ A mantra you like to live by:“Comparison is the thief of joy.” ✨ (Truth bomb 💥)💪 Something you wanna learn more about:Strength training! 🏋️‍♀️ Time to get strong and sweaty 💥🕰️ Something you wish you knew when you were younger?That getting older is actually so much fun! 🎉👵💃WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎

Andy Kalli had it all — a thriving business, a family, success. But behind the scenes, he was silently unraveling. What started as one line of cocaine turned into 24 years of addiction, crime, and heartbreak. 💥In this gripping episode, Andy opens up about:His rise as a successful entrepreneur 🏢Falling into addiction and the criminal underworld 💊The devastating loss that finally broke him 💔And how he found true peace through service 🙏Today, Andy runs a rehab centre, saves lives, and lives with more joy and clarity than ever before.This episode isn’t just about addiction — it’s about anyone who’s ever felt lost, stuck, or unsure of who they are. Andy teaches us how to:Stop running from your pain 🪞Find purpose in helping others 🤝And build a life rooted in contentment, not chaos 🌱🎙️ A brutally honest, deeply human story that will stay with you long after it ends.See where Andy works here, where he helps save lives and people overcome addiction: https://www.rehabtoday.com/LISTEN HEREhttps://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode?✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎KEY TAKEAWAYS:​​💡 Life Lessons from Andy Kalli's Story🛑 You are not your past – Redemption is always possible.🪞 Face yourself – Healing begins with honesty.🧭 Purpose heals – Helping others gives life meaning.🤝 Don’t isolate – Connection and community save lives.🧘‍♂️ Seek contentment, not perfection – Peace comes from within.✨ Believe in something – Faith or hope can keep you going.❤️ Say “I love you” – Don’t wait to show people you care.SHARE LIKE SUBSCRIBE🎧 Listen, reflect, and let this episode open a new doorway for you.  Fireside chat🔥🔥: 3 things you get joy from:  Seeing someone when I get a text  a year  saying I've, I'm a year sober or clean or two years sober or cleanSeeing my little granddaughter on a Sunday morning just playing with her and spend some quality time Seeing my Tottenham, my football team win, which is very rarely lately. A mantra you want to embrace:If you can't live it, you can, you can't be it. If you can live it, you can be it.God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. A favourite film / book / artist - that isn't obviousA Way of Being - Carl Rogers1 Item on your Bucket List?Getting my book out, my story.  

Title: The Human Side of Espionage with Ex-MI6 Officer Matthew Dunn What does it really feel like to live life in the shadows? 🌒Ex-MI6 officer Matthew Dunn takes us inside the human side of espionage—fear, trust, identity, and courage under pressure. 🕵️‍♂️🔥From protecting agents to transforming field lessons into bestselling thrillers.Matthew Dunn is an ex-MI6 officer 🎯 who spent over five years in the British Secret Intelligence Service, operating at the highest level of international espionage 🌍🕵️‍♂️. After leaving MI6, he became a bestselling novelist ✍️📚, publishing 14 acclaimed spy thrillers including the Spycatcher and Ben Sign series.We cover: 🌍🕵️‍♂️ The Human Journey of a Spy⚔️😰 The Challenges of Life Undercover🤝💡 How to Influence People Risking Their Lives🔮🧭 The Power of the Gut in Espionage🫀🔥 Managing Fear in High-Stakes Moments🎨🧠 Creativity and Its Link to Intelligence Work📚✨ Life as a Bestselling Author Beyond MI6Takeaways include: Agent safety > mission success. A case officer’s first duty is protecting agents—even if it means “pulling the plug” on a critical task. 🛑🧭 “Wobble moments” are normal. Fear can ambush even the bravest; the job is to tell if it’s a bad day or a breaking point—and lend your strength. 🫶⚖️ Trust beats bravado. Real reassurance comes from honesty (“my heartbeat’s up too”), not hollow hype; shared truth builds courage. 🤝💓 Read for purpose, not perfection. Officers don’t need a full “open book”—they zero in on whether someone can do an extreme, risky job. 🎯🧠 Motivation is the master key. Understanding what truly drives a person determines recruitment, resilience, and results. 🔑🔥 Ten-eye = trained gut. Rapid, near-intuitive deductions guide high-stakes calls—intuition sharpened by experience. 🧭⚡️ The bond is unique. Case officer–agent relationships can feel “closer than family,” forged in secrecy and reliance. 🫂🕯️ Identity as a tool. Running up to 14 aliases, each with deep backstories, enables agility under pressure—and reshapes how fear is processed. 🎭🧩 Solo work, constant work. MI6 officers often operate alone; there’s rarely an off-switch in the field, which shapes mental habits. 🧍‍♂️🌒 Spot the charming outlier. Some people (psychopathic/sociopathic traits) can seduce and mislead; watch micro-indicators and manage accordingly. 🕵️‍♂️🔎 Leadership starts within. MI6 looks for “generals of themselves”—calm self-command without arrogance. 🧱👑 Creativity fuels tradecraft—and writing. The same “art of the possible” that aids espionage powers Dunn’s storytelling life after MI6. ✍️🚀-✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.🚀 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE: https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas🚀 🔥💎 Become a patron and get exclusive accesswww.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎🔥🔥🔥 Fireside chat🔥🔥Three things you get joy fromcooking hill walking.Good conversation. A mantra you want to embrace now would be. Live every day as if it's your last A favorite book, film or artist, that isn't obvious.the God Machine Album:  scenes from the second story, which is, I think a work of genius,  Something you want to learn more about. people. A constant odyssey journey to to learn about who we are as a human race, what we're doing where we're leading, how, what is our position on this planet. We are passengers here and we won't be around forever. So it's the exploration of that. Also related as well, exploration of the brain. How do you get over a tough meeting moment or period of time? I'll put it in a box and move on without a care in the world. A place you want to go to. I was there last night, one beloved London. 

🥦 What should we really be eating? In this episode, Dr. Federica Amati breaks down the science of food, fibre 🌾, alcohol 🍷, and how your daily habits shape your long-term health 🧠. Plus, a sneak peek into the game-changing new ZOE app 📲—no blood tests required!Dr. Federica Amati 🥗 is Head Nutritionist at ZOE, Nutrition Lead at Imperial College London 🏛️, and Head of Nutrition Science at Wellfounded Health 🧬. She’s the author of Recipes for a Better Menopause 📘 and Every Body Should Know This 📚—a Sunday Times bestseller 🏆.WHAT YOU WILL HEAR🧠 Real Talk on Everyday Nutrition – Learn how small daily choices around food can transform your long-term health.🌾 Fibre: The Missing Link – Why almost everyone is lacking it and how to easily get more (no powders needed).🍷 Alcohol: What Science Really Says – The facts behind booze and your body—and why less is always more.📲 ZOE App Insights – A look at game-changing tech that predicts how you react to food without pricking your finger.🍽️ Simple Tips You Can Start Today – From how to build your plate to smart swaps that support gut health and energy.🔥 Why Food > Fads – Evidence-based advice that skips the hype and gives you tools that actually work.KEY TAKEAWAYS🥗 Nutrition is the #1 long-term driver of health.🌾 96% of UK adults don’t get enough fibre—load up on nuts, seeds, pulses, and whole grains.🧪 Dr. Federica Amati’s fibre supplement (via @ZOE) is a great option.🚫 Alcohol offers zero health benefits.⚠️ Cutting back—even from a few bottles a week—has a non-linear, drastic impact on your liver & brain 🧠.🔄 The body starts recovering quickly once alcohol intake is reduced.📚 Drink? by Professor David Nutt is a must-read on the science of alcohol.🎧 Podcast pick: This is Powerful with Paul Sculfor—real talk on addiction & recovery.🍲 When cooking, aim for 75%+ meals from scratch using whole ingredients.🔮 New ZOE app will offer personalized nutrition guidance—no test kits or blood needed.📊 ZOE has powered 70+ research papers and helped hundreds of thousands already.📸 Instant food feedback: snap a pic or scan a barcode and get a health score in 3 seconds.🥓 Avoid processed meats and added sugars—they cause long-term harm.☕ Coffee lovers rejoice: it’s linked to better health outcomes.🥑 A varied diet is key—diverse foods work synergistically for your health.💊 Creatine = GOOD NEWS🧑‍🏫 It’s shocking how little nutrition & cooking education is taught worldwide.🔥🔥Fireside chat🔥🔥Favourite Quote: Just do it Unusual things that give pleasure: Cold showers & being useful to peopleFavourite Book: The Body Keeps a ScoreFavorite Movie:  Searching for Sugar Man - mentions included: Life Is Beautiful & Cinema Paradisco,Favourite Artist: Maria CallasItalian Expresso: Mangiamo: let’s eat  Mentions:  Franco Fubini, Notoora, Henry Dimbleby, Zoe, Imperial College, Bryan Johnson, This is Powerful with Paul Sculfor World Cancer Research, Patrick Holden, Sustainable Food Trust, Henry dimbeby, Well Founded Health❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode?✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎

🌟 Sally’s Story – Curiosity-led journey into lighting design💡 Innovation – Pioneering smarter, smaller lighting products🛠️ Tips – Simple ways to improve your home lighting🏛️ Impact – How light transforms spaces and mood🔬 Insights – Industry trends + the science behind good lightingSally Storey is an icon in architectural lighting design and a true pioneer in the field. She’s the Founding Director of Lighting Design International and Creative Director at John Cullen Lighting.Her book Inspired by Light: A Design Guide to Transforming the Home shares her timeless approach to lighting.Sally has lit homes across the globe — including for David Bowie — and designed standout spaces at The Berkeley, Claridge’s, Harrods, and more.Sally’s Lighting Course🚨LISTEN HERE🚨https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode?✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.WANT MORE OR TO SUPPORT?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎Lighting is emotional — it directly affects how we feel in a space, not just how it looks.Color temperature matters — most “warm” LEDs sold are still too cold; aim for 2200–2400K for a cozy feel.Quality over quantity — high CRI (Color Rendering Index) lighting above 95% makes people and interiors look more alive.Layered lighting is essential — combine different light sources (ambient, task, accent) for depth and flexibility.You don’t need a big budget — simple changes like better bulbs, floor uplights, and removing overhead pendants can dramatically improve your space.Lighting legend meets life’s big and little questions.🌞 3 Things That Bring Joy→ Natural light→ Food & taste→ Texture💭 A Mantra to Live By→ “Live for the moment.”📚 Underrated Inspiration→ Alvar Aalto – Finnish architect who sparked her journey🎓 Something She Wants to Learn More About→ “Everything.”💪 How She Handles Disappointment→ “Just solve it. If no one died, it’s not the end of the world.”🧳 Bucket List Add-On→ More holidays. Everywhere.🧠 Advice to Her Younger Self→ “Don’t worry so much.”🌍 One Thing She’d Change in the World→ Better communication — people need to really listen.🎵 Iconic Moment→ David Bowie invited her to sit on his couch and review his new album after lighting his NYC apartment.Mentions: 🔦 Useful Takeaways from the Episode🔥 QUICK-FIRE WITH SALLY STOREYSally Storey, Arthur, John Cullen, David Bowie, Brian Johnson,Lighting Design International, John Cullen Lighting, RIBA, BBC, ERCO Lighting, Concord Lighting, Brigade, IKEA,The Berkeley, The Connaught , Harrods, Four Seasons George V, Hotel Hermitage, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, The Savoy, Lords Cricket Ground, Kings Road, Smith Street, ,New York City, Bristol University, London, Kazakhstan,Alvar Aalto

🔥 From stressed solicitor to sought-after Health & Nutrition Coach, Grace Williams brings real‑world grit and wisdom to reclaiming energy, balance, and confidence. This episode unpacks lessons on purpose, burnout, and the daily mindset shifts that spark transformation—plus loads of practical tools for managing stress, boosting energy, and building self-trust. Tap in if you’re ready for a reset and want grounded insights from someone who’s walked the journey—and come out the other side brighter. ✨Grace is a Health & Nutrition Coach who helps ambitious women reconnect with ease, energy, and clarity by illuminating what’s missing across your daily life—from nutrition and routines to mindset and energy flow. Formerly a solicitor at a U.S. law firm in the City, she understands pressure firsthand and turned her own burnout, MS diagnosis, and caregiving experience into a powerful coaching approach that leads to sustainable results.WHAT YOU WILL HEAR🧭 Finding Purpose After BurnoutA real-life story of leaving the “perfect” career to pursue meaningful, aligned work.💥 Navigating Grief, Stress & Major Life ShiftsInsights on caregiving, personal loss, and emotional recovery.🧬 Tools for Daily Energy & BalancePractical strategies for managing stress, fueling your body, and regulating your nervous system.🧠 Building Confidence & Self-WorthWhy honoring small commitments to yourself creates deep, lasting transformation.KEY TAKEAWAYS🎯 Purpose Often Follows PainLife challenges can uncover deeper direction—don’t fear redirection.🛠️ Resilience Is Grown Through AdversityHard seasons build strength. Struggle isn’t a setback—it’s training.⚡ Energy Requires ClarityClear goals—big or small—fuel motivation and drive.🔥 Chronic Stress Shrinks Your WorldA stressed mind can’t think expansively. Regulation unlocks potential.🧠 Small Habits, Big ImpactMorning light ☀️, hydration 💧, real breaks 🧘‍♂️ boost energy & focus.🔐 Self-Trust Builds ConfidenceKeeping promises to yourself strengthens self-worth.🤝 Joy is Fuel—Not FluffTime with people who lift you up is essential, not optional.🔍 Tune In to Your Body’s SignalsAwareness of your stress, sleep, and hunger is the first step to lasting change.LISTEN HEREhttps://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode?✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.🌈 Like our interview?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎🔥🔥Fireside chat🔥🔥Mantra you want to embrace: Let goUnusual things that give pleasure:  Keeping up with Kardashians Favourite Book:Finding Your own North Star by Martha BeckAdd to Bucket List: Martha's VineyardBest Advice Received:  God will only throw the challenges that he knows you can face

Dr. Clotaire Rapaille, a cultural anthropologist and marketing strategist, has advised global giants like Nestlé, Chrysler, Procter & Gamble, and L’Oréal. Famous for uncovering the subconscious “cultural codes” behind consumer choices, he even influenced the redesign of the Chrysler PT Cruiser. An intriguing fact: he began his career as a child psychologist studying autism before applying his insights to global marketing.Ever wonder why you actually do what you do? 👀It’s not logic. It’s not even emotion. According to Dr. Clotaire Rapaille — global psychology & marketing expert — it’s all about your reptilian brain 🧠🐍 In this mind-shifting episode, we explore:🇫🇷 Why Americans eat “dead” cheese and the French eat it alive🐕 How a dog became his best therapist🍼 What childhood imprints secretly shape your choices🚘 Why billion-dollar brands hire him to decode your subconscious💡 Why pleasure, ritual, and instinct can matter more than dataThis one will make you rethink — from how you shop to how you feel.A must-listen for creatives, leaders, marketers, and deep thinkers 🧬✨❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode?✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.🌈 Want to go deeper with us?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎

🔮 The Lawyer Who Reads Tarot: Suhad Yazbak on Clarity, Courage & Inner Power 💫From practicing corporate law to becoming a sought-after tarot reader and teacher in London—Suhad Yazbak’s story is one of courage, reinvention, and deep spiritual alignment. In this episode, she shares her journey of discovering tarot, embracing her intuitive gifts, and ultimately becoming a guide for others seeking clarity and truth.🌟 What you’ll hear in this episode:1️⃣ How Suhad went from curious tarot student to confident teacher2️⃣ The role tarot plays in self-reflection and personal power3️⃣ Why self-belief and agency are key to transforming your life4️⃣ Honest stories of healing, bravery, and embracing change✨ Key Takeaways:💭 Fulfillment begins when you follow your inner voice—even when it scares you.🔍 Tarot isn’t fortune-telling—it’s about uncovering what’s already within.🧭 The right question can lead you to life-changing insight.🦋 You are more powerful, brave, and capable than you think.🎧 Listen, reflect, and let this episode open a new doorway for you.❤️‍🔥 Loved this episode?✨ Like, Share, and Subscribe to support bold, heart-led conversations.🌈 Want to go deeper with us?👉 Become a patron and get exclusive access & behind-the-scenes perks:www.patreon.com/TheKollective828 💎🔮 Ready to experience tarot yourself?Book a reading at 👉 www.kollective.community#Kioi #SuhadYazbak #Tarot #Empowerment #Podcast #InnerJourney #Spiritual #Growth #Courage #Clarity #PatreonCommunity #thekollectiveinstituteofideas #tarotreading***CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT THE END OF THIS PODCAST FOR A VISUAL INSIGHT INTO TAROT READING

We sit down with Backgammon legend Chris Bray for a dynamic duel that turns into a full-on tutorial. 🎓🔥 Whether you're a curious beginner or a strategy buff, this one's packed with laughs, lessons, and lightbulb moments. 💡🧠 Learn how this ancient game of war on the board teaches us about risk, intuition, and how to lose with grace. From aggressive playstyles to counterintuitive strategies, Chris breaks down every move with wisdom and wit.👣 Key Takeaways:🎯 The power of aggression in Backgammon — and life.🤯 How to spot (and avoid) common blunders.📈 Why learning from loss might be your biggest win.🧩 Strategy secrets only the pros know.A rare chance to get coached by one of the best — while witnessing a match full of suspense and surprise rolls! 🎥✨#Backgammon #ChrisBray #KioiStudio #BoardGames #Strategy #Inspiration #LearningByPlaying #PodcastClip #GameOn #LevelUp ♟️🎙️

We interviewed Chris Bray was the backgammon correspondent for The Independent for 23 years before moving to The Times in 2019, where his column helped fuel a new wave of interest in the game.Chris has authored multiple books, including Backgammon to Win and Backgammon for Dummies, and has worked closely with developers of the top backgammon AI programs like JellyFish, Snowie, and Extreme Gammon.In this episode, we dive into:🎲 The psychology and strategy behind backgammon — why it’s much more than just luck💡 The impact of AI and neural networks on how the game is played and taught today🔥 Wild stories from the high-stakes world of backgammon, including million-dollar games and legendary bluffs🧠 What it takes to stay calm and make the best decisions under extreme pressure (both on and off the board)⚖️ Lessons from backgammon that can be applied to business, personal growth, and life itselfKey takeaways:Why emotional control is more important than talent aloneHow pattern recognition and mental arithmetic shape expert decision-makingThe critical importance of understanding risk and knowing when to push forward or hold backWhy embracing failure (and learning quickly from it) is essential to improvement — in games and in lifeIf you're fascinated by strategy, psychology, or stories from the hidden world of high-stakes games, this episode will inspire you and challenge how you think about skill, chance, and resilience.🎲💥 Listen now and discover why Chris calls backgammon "the best game in the world" — and how its lessons can help you play your best game in life.*Mentions Nack Ballard, Victor Lownes, James Goldsmith, Paul Magriel, Aryna Sabalenka, Masayuki "Mochy" Mochizuki, DeepMind, AlphaZero, Extreme Gammon, Travis Kalanick, Magnus Carlsen, Chess.com, Clive Woodward, Stan Wawrinka, Formula 1, Jimi Hendrix, Lord of the Rings, Paul David Magriel

We sit down with Javier Bernad, founder of Speak & Span and one of Europe's foremost experts in public speaking. With a career spanning over two decades, Javier has trained thousands of managers, executives, and politicians — helping them break their barriers and transform into confident, dynamic communicators.Javier shares his journey from leading major advertising agencies to launching his own public speaking training center, and how his mission has remained clear: empowering people to shine, both on stage and in life.We dive deep into the art and science of communication, exploring:Why communication is the single most important skill for leaders — and how it can be the difference between inspiring a team or losing them.The surprising ways nonverbal expression shapes how we're perceived (and why you should stop watching YouTube speeches to imitate others!).How to turn fear into energy and confidence on stage.Practical tips on handling difficult audiences and mastering Q&A sessions.Why vulnerability can be powerful — and when it might backfire.The cultural nuances of communication and how to adapt to different audiences.Javier also opens up about his own passions beyond speaking — including scuba diving, mountain biking, and photography — revealing how these pursuits shape his approach to teaching and leadership.Key takeaways:✅ Communication is a skill anyone can master with the right mindset and practice.✅ Knowing what makes you unique as a speaker is more powerful than trying to copy others.✅ True charisma combines passion, power, proximity, and positivity — and can be cultivated.✅ Great speakers are great listeners first.Whether you're a manager, entrepreneur, or simply someone who wants to express yourself more confidently, this conversation is packed with insights that will inspire you to take the stage — in work and in life — with renewed courage and clarity.

Hear about Guy Kawasaki’s journey—from his time as Chief Evangelist at Apple, working closely with Steve Jobs, to his current role at as Chief Evangelist at Canva. Guy is also a bestselling author and host of the Remarkable People podcast. Our conversation is filled with insight, humility, and bold truths.Takeaways include: "I now think AI might be the only thing that saves us."Guy shares his surprising optimism about AI’s role in humanity’s future.Deepak Chopra on AI stunned him — on Guy’s podcast.When Guy interviewed Deepak on Remarkable People, he expected skepticism. Instead, Deepak said: “AI might be the ultimate guru.”(Fun fact: Deepak even has his own language model — you can interact with it!)"Scratch your interests. Collect data. Then double down."Don’t wait for a perfect passion—explore what grabs your attention and build from there."There’s a karmic scoreboard in the sky."Help everyone without expecting anything in return. It’ll come back around."You can only connect the dots looking backwards." — Steve JobsYour journey will make more sense in hindsight—trust the process.Want to succeed? Make yourself indispensable.Show up early, stay late, do the sh*t work, and make your boss look good.Default to yes.Saying yes and getting out there can open doors in unexpected ways.Guy’s deck advice:10 slides, dark background, big fonts, and very few words. Let your voice tell the story.When an interest sparks, scratch at it.Give it time and effort—if it fits, run with it.Remarkable people all share this:A growth mindset, grit, and a desire to give back.Master AI now.Those who embrace it will thrive. It’s as essential today as learning computers once was.Forget work-life balance early on.Phase 1: Underpaid & overworkedPhase 2: Overpaid & underworkedPhase 3: Time to give back"If you want to be a writer, write. If you want to be an entrepreneur, sell something."You don’t need permission—just start.🎧 Top Takeaways from Guy Kawasaki on Kioi StudioAnd finally... surf.It might just be your path to happiness.