Thriving Minds with Alberto Zandi Archiv
94 Episoden
1 Stunde 42 Minuten
This week Alberto sat down with Thom Elliot, co-founder of Pizza Pilgrims, one of the UK’s most recognisable and successful pizza brands.
Thom shares the real story behind building Pizza Pilgrims from a single van into a national business with over 800 employees, and what it actually costs to scale in hospitality. From long hours and financial pressure to the emotional toll of leadership, this conversation goes far beyond the highlight reel.
They explore the early days of the business, the realities of growth, why hospitality is often romanticised from the outside, and how pressure, responsibility, and risk change as a company scales. Thom opens up about burnout, identity, and the challenge of staying grounded while building something that demands everything.
You will learn
• What it really takes to build and scale a restaurant business
• The personal cost of entrepreneurship in hospitality
• How leadership pressure changes as a business grows
• Why success does not remove stress or uncertainty
• How to build something meaningful without losing perspective
Follow Thom & Pizza Pilgrims
https://www.instagram.com/pizzapilgrims/
https://www.youtube.com/@UC_LiCe5657Ynu5G7lIzHGjg
https://www.tiktok.com/@pizzapilgrims
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thom-elliot-9115ab2b/
#podcast #entrepreneurship #pizzapilgrims #startupstory #hospitality #founderstories #businessjourney #streetfood #smallbusiness #motivation #thrivingminds
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thom shares the real story behind building Pizza Pilgrims from a single van into a national business with over 800 employees, and what it actually costs to scale in hospitality. From long hours and financial pressure to the emotional toll of leadership, this conversation goes far beyond the highlight reel.
They explore the early days of the business, the realities of growth, why hospitality is often romanticised from the outside, and how pressure, responsibility, and risk change as a company scales. Thom opens up about burnout, identity, and the challenge of staying grounded while building something that demands everything.
You will learn
• What it really takes to build and scale a restaurant business
• The personal cost of entrepreneurship in hospitality
• How leadership pressure changes as a business grows
• Why success does not remove stress or uncertainty
• How to build something meaningful without losing perspective
Follow Thom & Pizza Pilgrims
https://www.instagram.com/pizzapilgrims/
https://www.youtube.com/@UC_LiCe5657Ynu5G7lIzHGjg
https://www.tiktok.com/@pizzapilgrims
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thom-elliot-9115ab2b/
#podcast #entrepreneurship #pizzapilgrims #startupstory #hospitality #founderstories #businessjourney #streetfood #smallbusiness #motivation #thrivingminds
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Stunde 25 Minuten
This week Alberto sat down with Martin Brooks, a world leading body language and communication expert who helps people use non-verbal communication to transform their professional and personal lives.
Martin’s work sits at the intersection of psychology, communication, and human behaviour. He explains how body language shapes first impressions, why the body often reveals what the mouth is trying to hide, and how small changes in posture, voice, gestures, and eye contact can completely change the way others respond to you.
You will learn
• How to make a stronger first impression through posture, eye contact, and a genuine smile
• How to look more confident by changing your internal state, not just your posture
• The hand gestures that make you seem more credible, persuasive, and assertive
• How to spot signs of deception, including truth slips and duping delight
• How to read interest, disengagement, and power dynamics in real time, in person and on Zoom
Follow Martin:
https://www.instagram.com/martinbrooks1968
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/martin-brooks-94566312
https://twitter.com/impacttologist
https://successthroughimpact.com
#bodylanguage #communicationskills #confidence #socialskills #psychology #selfimprovement #charisma #publicspeaking #personaldevelopment #leadership
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Martin’s work sits at the intersection of psychology, communication, and human behaviour. He explains how body language shapes first impressions, why the body often reveals what the mouth is trying to hide, and how small changes in posture, voice, gestures, and eye contact can completely change the way others respond to you.
You will learn
• How to make a stronger first impression through posture, eye contact, and a genuine smile
• How to look more confident by changing your internal state, not just your posture
• The hand gestures that make you seem more credible, persuasive, and assertive
• How to spot signs of deception, including truth slips and duping delight
• How to read interest, disengagement, and power dynamics in real time, in person and on Zoom
Follow Martin:
https://www.instagram.com/martinbrooks1968
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/martin-brooks-94566312
https://twitter.com/impacttologist
https://successthroughimpact.com
#bodylanguage #communicationskills #confidence #socialskills #psychology #selfimprovement #charisma #publicspeaking #personaldevelopment #leadership
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Stunde 23 Minuten
This week Alberto sat down with Dr Andy Cope, also known as The Happiness Doctor, a world leading positive psychology researcher, speaker, and best selling author, best known for his work on human flourishing, and for the idea that happiness is the goal behind all your other goals.
In this conversation, Andy breaks down what happiness actually is, why we confuse short term pleasure with long term contentment, and why chasing happiness as a destination usually makes us feel worse.
They explore destination addiction, the modern obsession with being busy, and how consumer culture trains people to believe that the next promotion, the next purchase, or the next milestone will finally make them feel fulfilled.
This episode is simple, practical, and immediately usable, it is a toolkit for feeling better on ordinary days, not just special ones.
You will learn
• What happiness really is, and why you do not need to be happy all the time
• Why happiness is often a starting point, not the reward at the end
• The four minute rule, and how the first four minutes of any interaction can change everything
• The simple habits that make you more present, gratitude, better questions, and fewer distractions
• The relationship ratios that predict thriving teams and thriving families, and how to apply them
Follow Andy& Art of Brilliance
https://www.instagram.com/thehappybloke/
https://www.facebook.com/Art-of-Brilliance-185597948129457/
https://x.com/beingbrilliant
https://www.instagram.com/artofbrilliance/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/art-of-brilliance/
Get Andy's Books:
https://amzn.to/4bkTT2U
#Happiness #PositivePsychology #DrAndyCope #Mindfulness #MentalHealth #PersonalDevelopment #ThrivingMinds #Wellbeing #SuccessMindset #SelfImprovement
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this conversation, Andy breaks down what happiness actually is, why we confuse short term pleasure with long term contentment, and why chasing happiness as a destination usually makes us feel worse.
They explore destination addiction, the modern obsession with being busy, and how consumer culture trains people to believe that the next promotion, the next purchase, or the next milestone will finally make them feel fulfilled.
This episode is simple, practical, and immediately usable, it is a toolkit for feeling better on ordinary days, not just special ones.
You will learn
• What happiness really is, and why you do not need to be happy all the time
• Why happiness is often a starting point, not the reward at the end
• The four minute rule, and how the first four minutes of any interaction can change everything
• The simple habits that make you more present, gratitude, better questions, and fewer distractions
• The relationship ratios that predict thriving teams and thriving families, and how to apply them
Follow Andy& Art of Brilliance
https://www.instagram.com/thehappybloke/
https://www.facebook.com/Art-of-Brilliance-185597948129457/
https://x.com/beingbrilliant
https://www.instagram.com/artofbrilliance/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/art-of-brilliance/
Get Andy's Books:
https://amzn.to/4bkTT2U
#Happiness #PositivePsychology #DrAndyCope #Mindfulness #MentalHealth #PersonalDevelopment #ThrivingMinds #Wellbeing #SuccessMindset #SelfImprovement
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
54 Minuten
This week Alberto sat down with Maria Hatzistefanis, founder and CEO of the Rodial Group, bestselling author, and a Dragon on Dragons Den Greece.
Maria grew up on a small island in Greece, dreaming of a bigger world. She moved into magazines, studied business at Columbia, entered investment banking, then got fired at 25, a moment that forced her to choose what she actually wanted.
With 20,000 in savings and no beauty industry experience, she started Rodial from home, faced investor rejection, and built the brand through focus, persistence, and product storytelling. She took a suitcase to Cosmoprof, met suppliers stand by stand, found the lab she still works with today, and launched with a tight initial range, because focus beats noise in the early days.
You will learn
How Maria built Rodial from home, with limited capital, no funding, and no industry background
Why launching with focus beats launching too many products, and how to pick a niche that travels
How to win attention without huge budgets, naming, storytelling, press strategy, and consistent brand positioning
How to think about influencers realistically, what works now, what changed after Covid, and why long term partnerships matter
How to handle failure, cash flow pressure, and decision making, including the lesson from a mistake that nearly ended everything
Follow Maria:
https://www.instagram.com/mrsrodial
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/maria-hatzistefanis-64b7985
https://www.tiktok.com/@mrsrodial
https://twitter.com/MrsRodial
Get Maria's books:
How to Make Your First Million: Build wealth with style and audacity
https://amzn.to/4crK3P1
How to Make it Happen: Turning Failure into Success
https://amzn.to/46B3DEN
How to Be an Overnight Success
https://amzn.to/4b1ACmV
How to Live Your Best Life: Transform your mindset and manifest
https://amzn.to/4blUL8F
#entrepreneurship #founderstory #startupjourney #mariahatzistefanis #mrsrodial #rodial #beautybrand #businesspodcast #startupadvice #femalefounder #thrivingminds #marketingstrategy #brandbuilding #entrepreneurlife #dragonsdengr
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Maria grew up on a small island in Greece, dreaming of a bigger world. She moved into magazines, studied business at Columbia, entered investment banking, then got fired at 25, a moment that forced her to choose what she actually wanted.
With 20,000 in savings and no beauty industry experience, she started Rodial from home, faced investor rejection, and built the brand through focus, persistence, and product storytelling. She took a suitcase to Cosmoprof, met suppliers stand by stand, found the lab she still works with today, and launched with a tight initial range, because focus beats noise in the early days.
You will learn
How Maria built Rodial from home, with limited capital, no funding, and no industry background
Why launching with focus beats launching too many products, and how to pick a niche that travels
How to win attention without huge budgets, naming, storytelling, press strategy, and consistent brand positioning
How to think about influencers realistically, what works now, what changed after Covid, and why long term partnerships matter
How to handle failure, cash flow pressure, and decision making, including the lesson from a mistake that nearly ended everything
Follow Maria:
https://www.instagram.com/mrsrodial
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/maria-hatzistefanis-64b7985
https://www.tiktok.com/@mrsrodial
https://twitter.com/MrsRodial
Get Maria's books:
How to Make Your First Million: Build wealth with style and audacity
https://amzn.to/4crK3P1
How to Make it Happen: Turning Failure into Success
https://amzn.to/46B3DEN
How to Be an Overnight Success
https://amzn.to/4b1ACmV
How to Live Your Best Life: Transform your mindset and manifest
https://amzn.to/4blUL8F
#entrepreneurship #founderstory #startupjourney #mariahatzistefanis #mrsrodial #rodial #beautybrand #businesspodcast #startupadvice #femalefounder #thrivingminds #marketingstrategy #brandbuilding #entrepreneurlife #dragonsdengr
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
58 Minuten
This week Alberto sat down with Dr Erin Hope, a leading clinical psychologist, bereavement specialist, and founder of The Loss Foundation, a national charity supporting people after cancer loss.
Grief is something every human will experience, yet almost none of us are taught how to understand it, process it, or support others through it. In this conversation, Dr Erin explains why grief is not a disorder, not a weakness, and not something to get over, but a deeply human response to love and loss.
This episode also offers practical guidance, for those grieving right now, and for those trying to support someone they love. From what to say at a funeral, to how to check in months later, to how workplaces and parents can better support grief, this is a compassionate and deeply grounding conversation.
This is not about fixing grief. It is about learning how to live fully while carrying it.
You will learn
• If the the way you grieve is healthy and normal
• How grief shows up mentally physically and emotionally
• Why avoidance helps short term but harms long term
• How to support someone grieving without trying to fix them
• How to build a meaningful life while carrying loss
• How long does grief really last
#grief #bereavement #personalgrowth #mentalhealth #loss #coping #podcast #healing #griefsupport
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Grief is something every human will experience, yet almost none of us are taught how to understand it, process it, or support others through it. In this conversation, Dr Erin explains why grief is not a disorder, not a weakness, and not something to get over, but a deeply human response to love and loss.
This episode also offers practical guidance, for those grieving right now, and for those trying to support someone they love. From what to say at a funeral, to how to check in months later, to how workplaces and parents can better support grief, this is a compassionate and deeply grounding conversation.
This is not about fixing grief. It is about learning how to live fully while carrying it.
You will learn
• If the the way you grieve is healthy and normal
• How grief shows up mentally physically and emotionally
• Why avoidance helps short term but harms long term
• How to support someone grieving without trying to fix them
• How to build a meaningful life while carrying loss
• How long does grief really last
#grief #bereavement #personalgrowth #mentalhealth #loss #coping #podcast #healing #griefsupport
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Stunde 21 Minuten
This week Alberto sat down with Lee Warren, a world leading persuasion and communication expert, keynote speaker, and advisor to senior leaders and global organisations.
Lee’s work challenges one of the most common myths in business and leadership, that people are persuaded by logic, data, and facts. In reality, most decisions are made emotionally first, and only justified rationally afterwards.
You will learn
How to influence people without being manipulative
How to build trust in the first moments of a conversation
What makes someone instantly more persuasive
How to tell when someone is trying to persuade you
The golden methods to network and communicate without feeling awkward or fake
Follow Lee:
https://www.instagram.com/leewarrenspeaker
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyzgGQAJw9tsTljLJYYr_zg
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leewarrenspeaker
https://twitter.com/leewarrenspeaks
https://www.facebook.com/leewarrenspeaker
#LeeWarren #AlbertoZandi #ThrivingMinds #Persuasion #Networking #PublicSpeaking #CommunicationSkills #Influence #Leadership #BusinessGrowth
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Lee’s work challenges one of the most common myths in business and leadership, that people are persuaded by logic, data, and facts. In reality, most decisions are made emotionally first, and only justified rationally afterwards.
You will learn
How to influence people without being manipulative
How to build trust in the first moments of a conversation
What makes someone instantly more persuasive
How to tell when someone is trying to persuade you
The golden methods to network and communicate without feeling awkward or fake
Follow Lee:
https://www.instagram.com/leewarrenspeaker
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyzgGQAJw9tsTljLJYYr_zg
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leewarrenspeaker
https://twitter.com/leewarrenspeaks
https://www.facebook.com/leewarrenspeaker
#LeeWarren #AlbertoZandi #ThrivingMinds #Persuasion #Networking #PublicSpeaking #CommunicationSkills #Influence #Leadership #BusinessGrowth
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Stunde 10 Minuten
This week Alberto sat down with Colin Corby, a leading digital detox expert with over three decades of experience in technology, health, and behavioural change.
In this conversation, they explore how constant stimulation, multitasking, and screen exposure quietly erode focus, sleep, energy, and emotional resilience. Colin explains why technology itself is not the enemy, but how it replaces movement, rest, presence, and human connection.
This episode is about reclaiming control, not rejecting technology, and learning how to live and work with it without sacrificing your health.
You will learn
• Why constant phone stimulation increases stress and burnout
• How technology kills attention span and focus
• How to break phone addiction without quitting technology
• How boredom silence and presence improve clarity and creativity
Follow Colin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/colincorby/
https://www.youtube.com/@thedigitaldetoxcoach
https://www.instagram.com/the_digital_detox_coach/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedigitaldetoxcoach
https://www.facebook.com/techologywellbeing.coach
https://x.com/ColinDCorby
https://linktr.ee/TheDigitalDetoxCoach
https://TheDigitalDetoxCoach.com
#DigitalDetox #TechAddiction #MentalHealthAwareness #ThrivingMinds #AttentionMatters #ScreenTime #ColinCorby #AlbertoZandi #Wellbeing #PodcastLife
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this conversation, they explore how constant stimulation, multitasking, and screen exposure quietly erode focus, sleep, energy, and emotional resilience. Colin explains why technology itself is not the enemy, but how it replaces movement, rest, presence, and human connection.
This episode is about reclaiming control, not rejecting technology, and learning how to live and work with it without sacrificing your health.
You will learn
• Why constant phone stimulation increases stress and burnout
• How technology kills attention span and focus
• How to break phone addiction without quitting technology
• How boredom silence and presence improve clarity and creativity
Follow Colin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/colincorby/
https://www.youtube.com/@thedigitaldetoxcoach
https://www.instagram.com/the_digital_detox_coach/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedigitaldetoxcoach
https://www.facebook.com/techologywellbeing.coach
https://x.com/ColinDCorby
https://linktr.ee/TheDigitalDetoxCoach
https://TheDigitalDetoxCoach.com
#DigitalDetox #TechAddiction #MentalHealthAwareness #ThrivingMinds #AttentionMatters #ScreenTime #ColinCorby #AlbertoZandi #Wellbeing #PodcastLife
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Stunde 33 Minuten
This week Alberto sat down with Gavin Stone, a former British intelligence officer with over two decades of experience working across government agencies and international intelligence operations.
Gavin shares what life inside the intelligence world actually looks like, how spies are recruited, trained, and deployed, and why the real work is nothing like the movies.
This episode you will learn:
• How intelligence officers detect lies and stress in real conversations
• Why body language should be read in clusters, not isolated gestures
• How persuasion and manipulation actually work
• Why people are easier to influence when emotions are activated
• How governments and organisations shape narratives
• How to think more critically and protect yourself from manipulation
This is a rare look inside the psychology of intelligence, trust, and influence, and how these skills apply to everyday life.
Follow Gavin:
https://www.instagram.com/gavin_stone1/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-stone-146ab1240
https://www.facebook.com/gavinstoneauthor/
Read Gavin's latest books:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B015HWIKGG
#GavinStone #AlbertoZandi #SpyPodcast #IntelligenceOfficer #BodyLanguage #Lying #MI6 #CIA #TruthOrLie #Polygraph #HumanPsychology #CovertOps
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Gavin shares what life inside the intelligence world actually looks like, how spies are recruited, trained, and deployed, and why the real work is nothing like the movies.
This episode you will learn:
• How intelligence officers detect lies and stress in real conversations
• Why body language should be read in clusters, not isolated gestures
• How persuasion and manipulation actually work
• Why people are easier to influence when emotions are activated
• How governments and organisations shape narratives
• How to think more critically and protect yourself from manipulation
This is a rare look inside the psychology of intelligence, trust, and influence, and how these skills apply to everyday life.
Follow Gavin:
https://www.instagram.com/gavin_stone1/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-stone-146ab1240
https://www.facebook.com/gavinstoneauthor/
Read Gavin's latest books:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B015HWIKGG
#GavinStone #AlbertoZandi #SpyPodcast #IntelligenceOfficer #BodyLanguage #Lying #MI6 #CIA #TruthOrLie #Polygraph #HumanPsychology #CovertOps
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Stunde 37 Minuten
This week Alberto sat down with Dr Tali Sharot, one of the world’s leading cognitive neuroscientists, Professor at MIT and UCL, and a global authority on optimism, decision making, memory, and influence.
Dr Sharot’s research challenges the idea that humans are rational decision makers. Instead, she explains how optimism bias, emotion, and anticipation shape the choices we make, the memories we form, and the way we respond to information.
This episode turns complex neuroscience into practical insight that applies to work, relationships, learning, and everyday life.
You will learn
Why optimism is hardwired into the brain and how it affects resilience and success
How emotion shapes memory more than accuracy or facts
Why telling people they are wrong rarely changes their behaviour
How to become more optimistic
Practical ways to make better decisions and communicate with greater impact
Get Tali's Book, Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always Therehttps://amzn.eu/d/ay0Q0I7
#OptimismBias #NeurosciencePodcast #ThrivingMinds #DrTaliSharot #MentalHealthScience
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dr Sharot’s research challenges the idea that humans are rational decision makers. Instead, she explains how optimism bias, emotion, and anticipation shape the choices we make, the memories we form, and the way we respond to information.
This episode turns complex neuroscience into practical insight that applies to work, relationships, learning, and everyday life.
You will learn
Why optimism is hardwired into the brain and how it affects resilience and success
How emotion shapes memory more than accuracy or facts
Why telling people they are wrong rarely changes their behaviour
How to become more optimistic
Practical ways to make better decisions and communicate with greater impact
Get Tali's Book, Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always Therehttps://amzn.eu/d/ay0Q0I7
#OptimismBias #NeurosciencePodcast #ThrivingMinds #DrTaliSharot #MentalHealthScience
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Stunde 13 Minuten
This week Alberto sat down with Graham Davies, one of the UK’s leading communication experts, who has advised prime ministers, presidents, CEOs, senior executives, and public figures on how to speak in public and under extreme pressure.
Graham’s work is focused on one core idea, communication is not about talking, it is about taking responsibility for what the audience hears, feels, and remembers.
In this conversation, Graham breaks down why most people lose attention within seconds, why poor preparation destroys credibility, and why speaking is one of the most unnatural human activities we are expected to perform well without training.
This episode applies to boardrooms, interviews, pitches, meetings, dates, and everyday conversations.
You will learn
• Why people stop listening even when the message is strong
• How to structure communication so it lands and is remembered
• How to use pace pauses and eye contact to hold attention
• Why preparation creates confidence and spontaneity
• How to manage nerves and perform under pressure
• How to recover from mistakes without losing credibility
This is a masterclass in communication as a human skill, not a performance trick.
#ThrivingMinds #PublicSpeaking #CommunicationSkills #PresentationSkills #ExecutivePresence #Leadership #Networking #Storytelling #MediaTraining #Confidence #CareerGrowth #AlbertoZandi #GrahamDavies #cambridge
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Graham’s work is focused on one core idea, communication is not about talking, it is about taking responsibility for what the audience hears, feels, and remembers.
In this conversation, Graham breaks down why most people lose attention within seconds, why poor preparation destroys credibility, and why speaking is one of the most unnatural human activities we are expected to perform well without training.
This episode applies to boardrooms, interviews, pitches, meetings, dates, and everyday conversations.
You will learn
• Why people stop listening even when the message is strong
• How to structure communication so it lands and is remembered
• How to use pace pauses and eye contact to hold attention
• Why preparation creates confidence and spontaneity
• How to manage nerves and perform under pressure
• How to recover from mistakes without losing credibility
This is a masterclass in communication as a human skill, not a performance trick.
#ThrivingMinds #PublicSpeaking #CommunicationSkills #PresentationSkills #ExecutivePresence #Leadership #Networking #Storytelling #MediaTraining #Confidence #CareerGrowth #AlbertoZandi #GrahamDavies #cambridge
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Stunde 56 Minuten
Ronan Dunne is one of the most influential business leaders of the past two decades.
From banking to telecoms, from CEO of O2 to leading Verizon through periods of enormous transformation, and now Chairman of Six Nations Rugby, Ronan’s career is a masterclass in leadership, adaptability, and long term thinking.
In this conversation, we go far beyond titles and success headlines.
We explore how curiosity shaped his career from childhood, why he believes uncertainty is not something to fear but something to allocate, and how great leaders are not defined by having the answers but by knowing how to navigate risk.
Ronan shares rare insight into:
• What it really takes to lead at scale inside global corporations
• Why experience matters more than credentials or degrees
• How to earn trust in environments that resist change
• The difference between authority and influence
• Why vulnerability and clarity are not weaknesses in leadership
• How to build teams that outperform by embracing difference, not sameness
This episode is not about chasing status or titles.
It is about understanding how meaningful leadership is built over time, how decisions compound across decades, and why success is measured by the impact you leave behind, not the role you occupy.
If you are navigating career transitions, leading teams, or questioning what growth should look like in the long term, this conversation will fundamentally reframe how you think about leadership.
#ThrivingMinds #Leadership #BusinessLeadership #EntrepreneurMindset #ExecutiveLife #CultureMatters #DecisionMaking #ModernLeadership #sixnationsrugby #sixnations #rugby #stevejobs #6nations
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From banking to telecoms, from CEO of O2 to leading Verizon through periods of enormous transformation, and now Chairman of Six Nations Rugby, Ronan’s career is a masterclass in leadership, adaptability, and long term thinking.
In this conversation, we go far beyond titles and success headlines.
We explore how curiosity shaped his career from childhood, why he believes uncertainty is not something to fear but something to allocate, and how great leaders are not defined by having the answers but by knowing how to navigate risk.
Ronan shares rare insight into:
• What it really takes to lead at scale inside global corporations
• Why experience matters more than credentials or degrees
• How to earn trust in environments that resist change
• The difference between authority and influence
• Why vulnerability and clarity are not weaknesses in leadership
• How to build teams that outperform by embracing difference, not sameness
This episode is not about chasing status or titles.
It is about understanding how meaningful leadership is built over time, how decisions compound across decades, and why success is measured by the impact you leave behind, not the role you occupy.
If you are navigating career transitions, leading teams, or questioning what growth should look like in the long term, this conversation will fundamentally reframe how you think about leadership.
#ThrivingMinds #Leadership #BusinessLeadership #EntrepreneurMindset #ExecutiveLife #CultureMatters #DecisionMaking #ModernLeadership #sixnationsrugby #sixnations #rugby #stevejobs #6nations
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Stunde 55 Minuten
This week Alberto sat down with Dr Mark Jinks, a leading longevity and performance medicine doctor working at the intersection of modern science and preventative health.
With a background spanning the NHS, sports medicine, and functional medicine, Mark explains why traditional healthcare focuses too late on disease, and how longevity is really about extending healthspan, not just lifespan. They explore how energy, cognition, hormones, nutrition, sleep, movement, and recovery all interact, and why small daily choices compound into radically different outcomes over time.
Mark breaks down complex concepts like inflammation, insulin resistance, muscle loss, NAD, and biohacking into practical ideas anyone can understand and apply, without needing extreme protocols or expensive interventions. This conversation reframes health as a long term strategy, not a reaction to problems, and shows how to build a body and mind that stay strong, capable, and resilient for decades.
You will learn
Why longevity is about quality of life, not just living longer
The early signs your health is declining long before disease appears
How muscle, sleep, and insulin sensitivity predict long term outcomes
What high performers do differently to protect energy and focus
Which supplements matter, and which are mostly noise
How to approach biohacking safely and intelligently
Why prevention always beats treatment
Follow Dr. Mark Jinks:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mark-jinks-28a97145
https://www.instagram.com/drmarkjinks
Visit Body Brilliant:
https://www.bodybrilliant.co.uk/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With a background spanning the NHS, sports medicine, and functional medicine, Mark explains why traditional healthcare focuses too late on disease, and how longevity is really about extending healthspan, not just lifespan. They explore how energy, cognition, hormones, nutrition, sleep, movement, and recovery all interact, and why small daily choices compound into radically different outcomes over time.
Mark breaks down complex concepts like inflammation, insulin resistance, muscle loss, NAD, and biohacking into practical ideas anyone can understand and apply, without needing extreme protocols or expensive interventions. This conversation reframes health as a long term strategy, not a reaction to problems, and shows how to build a body and mind that stay strong, capable, and resilient for decades.
You will learn
Why longevity is about quality of life, not just living longer
The early signs your health is declining long before disease appears
How muscle, sleep, and insulin sensitivity predict long term outcomes
What high performers do differently to protect energy and focus
Which supplements matter, and which are mostly noise
How to approach biohacking safely and intelligently
Why prevention always beats treatment
Follow Dr. Mark Jinks:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mark-jinks-28a97145
https://www.instagram.com/drmarkjinks
Visit Body Brilliant:
https://www.bodybrilliant.co.uk/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Stunde 43 Minuten
This week Alberto sat down with Dr Rachel Gow, leading nutritional neuroscientist, researcher, author, and founder of Nutritious Minds Trust.
Dr Rachel explains why we have been taught to think about food only in terms of weight, calories, or appearance, while completely ignoring its impact on the brain, mood, focus, and emotional regulation.
Drawing from decades of clinical research and personal experience as a mother, she reveals how what we eat directly shapes neurotransmitters, brain structure, inflammation, and long term mental health.
They explore how ultra processed foods, sugar, alcohol, and nutrient deficiencies quietly impair attention, motivation, emotional stability, and resilience, and why many mental health conversations ignore the biological foundations of the brain.
This conversation bridges neuroscience, nutrition, psychology, and real life application, offering simple but powerful ways to support brain health at any stage of life.
You will learn
How food directly affects dopamine, serotonin, and emotional regulation
Why omega three fats are essential for memory, focus, and mood
How sugar and alcohol hijack the brain’s reward system
The connection between gut health and mental health
Simple nutrition principles that support long term brain resilience
This episode is a practical guide to understanding your brain, feeding it properly, and protecting it for life.
Follow Dr. Gow:
https://www.instagram.com/nutritious_minds
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-v-gow-phd-09b68514
https://www.facebook.com/DrRachelVGow
Get Dr. Gow book, Smart Foods for ADHD and Brain Health: How Nutrition Influences Cognitive Function, Behaviour and Mood:
https://amzn.eu/d/41QW2GG
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dr Rachel explains why we have been taught to think about food only in terms of weight, calories, or appearance, while completely ignoring its impact on the brain, mood, focus, and emotional regulation.
Drawing from decades of clinical research and personal experience as a mother, she reveals how what we eat directly shapes neurotransmitters, brain structure, inflammation, and long term mental health.
They explore how ultra processed foods, sugar, alcohol, and nutrient deficiencies quietly impair attention, motivation, emotional stability, and resilience, and why many mental health conversations ignore the biological foundations of the brain.
This conversation bridges neuroscience, nutrition, psychology, and real life application, offering simple but powerful ways to support brain health at any stage of life.
You will learn
How food directly affects dopamine, serotonin, and emotional regulation
Why omega three fats are essential for memory, focus, and mood
How sugar and alcohol hijack the brain’s reward system
The connection between gut health and mental health
Simple nutrition principles that support long term brain resilience
This episode is a practical guide to understanding your brain, feeding it properly, and protecting it for life.
Follow Dr. Gow:
https://www.instagram.com/nutritious_minds
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-v-gow-phd-09b68514
https://www.facebook.com/DrRachelVGow
Get Dr. Gow book, Smart Foods for ADHD and Brain Health: How Nutrition Influences Cognitive Function, Behaviour and Mood:
https://amzn.eu/d/41QW2GG
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Stunde 32 Minuten
This week Alberto sat down with Vinny Raval, one of the UKs leading speech coaches whose work blends acting, speech and language therapy, and over fifteen years in the field with deep experience coaching CEOs, founders, actors, politicians, and senior executives.
Vinny transforms the way people communicate by teaching them what to say, how to say it, and how to say it with confidence, clarity, and impact.
In this conversation Vinny breaks down the real reasons so many people struggle to express themselves at home and at work, why we speak too fast, why we do not finish sentences, why we listen to respond instead of listening to understand, and why our tone and body language matter more than the actual words we use.
We explore the science behind intonation, pace, pauses, and clarity, how to use storytelling and vocal range to influence others, how to manage nerves before speaking, how to improve your voice at any age, and how small daily exercises can radically transform the way you are perceived.
For the first time Vinny also shares the emotional story of his childhood, his complicated relationship with his father, how he used pain and adversity to become the leading coach he is today, and why communication cannot be mastered unless you understand the emotions driving your voice.
You will learn:
• How to slow down, speak clearly, and hold attention
• How to use intonation to influence emotion and meaning
• How to control nerves and fear when speaking
• How to practise speech daily in less than three minutes
• How to build confidence in any room, with any audience
This episode will change the way you communicate and the way others listen.
Follow Vinny:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/thespeechcoach
https://www.thespeech.coach
https://www.youtube.com/@UCPS8i-9VIziaK7p6Q54qQmQ
https://www.instagram.com/thespeech.coach
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Vinny transforms the way people communicate by teaching them what to say, how to say it, and how to say it with confidence, clarity, and impact.
In this conversation Vinny breaks down the real reasons so many people struggle to express themselves at home and at work, why we speak too fast, why we do not finish sentences, why we listen to respond instead of listening to understand, and why our tone and body language matter more than the actual words we use.
We explore the science behind intonation, pace, pauses, and clarity, how to use storytelling and vocal range to influence others, how to manage nerves before speaking, how to improve your voice at any age, and how small daily exercises can radically transform the way you are perceived.
For the first time Vinny also shares the emotional story of his childhood, his complicated relationship with his father, how he used pain and adversity to become the leading coach he is today, and why communication cannot be mastered unless you understand the emotions driving your voice.
You will learn:
• How to slow down, speak clearly, and hold attention
• How to use intonation to influence emotion and meaning
• How to control nerves and fear when speaking
• How to practise speech daily in less than three minutes
• How to build confidence in any room, with any audience
This episode will change the way you communicate and the way others listen.
Follow Vinny:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/thespeechcoach
https://www.thespeech.coach
https://www.youtube.com/@UCPS8i-9VIziaK7p6Q54qQmQ
https://www.instagram.com/thespeech.coach
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Stunde 7 Minuten
This week, Alberto sat down with Caroline Dubois, world champion boxer, the younger sister of heavyweight world champion Daniel Dubois, and one of the most extraordinary young athletes of her generation.
This is the story of a GOAT in the making.
Caroline’s story is unlike anything you have heard before. She started boxing at nine years old in a gym that did not allow girls, so she entered under a fake name, pretending to be a boy, driven by a desire to be seen by her father and to claim her place in a male dominated sport.
On top of that, she grew up carrying the weight of the Dubois name. Instead of letting the expectations and comparisons break her, she learned to turn them into fuel. In this conversation, she opens up about how she navigated the pressure of being Daniel’s sister, how she refused to live in his shadow, and how she converted that pressure into motivation, focus, and an even higher standard for herself.
Since those early days she has become a world champion, and carried the weight of expectation in a discipline where a single punch can change your life or end a career. Caroline shares what she had to sacrifice, how she rebuilt herself after painful losses, and why she is willing to push her mind and body to the edge in pursuit of greatness.
We explore her relationship with fear, her complicated relationship with her father, what it means to train for ten weeks knowing you could lose everything in ten minutes, what it takes for women to rise in a sport where the financial and cultural barriers remain enormous, and how she uses pain and pressure as fuel rather than an anchor.
You will learn
• How to develop unshakeable tunnel vision
• How to recover from devastating failure
• How to stay disciplined when your goals feel out of reach
• How to build confidence when nobody believes in you or you are living in someone else’s shadow
• How elite fighters manage fear, intensity, and pressure
This is the real story of what it takes to chase a dream when the world tells you it is impossible.
#ThrivingMinds #CarolineDubois #Boxing #WomensBoxing #WorldChampion #Olympics #Mindset #Discipline #Resilience #AthleteLife
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This is the story of a GOAT in the making.
Caroline’s story is unlike anything you have heard before. She started boxing at nine years old in a gym that did not allow girls, so she entered under a fake name, pretending to be a boy, driven by a desire to be seen by her father and to claim her place in a male dominated sport.
On top of that, she grew up carrying the weight of the Dubois name. Instead of letting the expectations and comparisons break her, she learned to turn them into fuel. In this conversation, she opens up about how she navigated the pressure of being Daniel’s sister, how she refused to live in his shadow, and how she converted that pressure into motivation, focus, and an even higher standard for herself.
Since those early days she has become a world champion, and carried the weight of expectation in a discipline where a single punch can change your life or end a career. Caroline shares what she had to sacrifice, how she rebuilt herself after painful losses, and why she is willing to push her mind and body to the edge in pursuit of greatness.
We explore her relationship with fear, her complicated relationship with her father, what it means to train for ten weeks knowing you could lose everything in ten minutes, what it takes for women to rise in a sport where the financial and cultural barriers remain enormous, and how she uses pain and pressure as fuel rather than an anchor.
You will learn
• How to develop unshakeable tunnel vision
• How to recover from devastating failure
• How to stay disciplined when your goals feel out of reach
• How to build confidence when nobody believes in you or you are living in someone else’s shadow
• How elite fighters manage fear, intensity, and pressure
This is the real story of what it takes to chase a dream when the world tells you it is impossible.
#ThrivingMinds #CarolineDubois #Boxing #WomensBoxing #WorldChampion #Olympics #Mindset #Discipline #Resilience #AthleteLife
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
