Latest Interviews
Showing 16–30 of 34 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Diary Of A CEO1h 47m
Victimhood & Self-sabotage Is Destroying The World In 2026: Africa Brooke | E160
Africa Brooke, Stephen Bartlett
Zimbabwean-born founder of Cherry Revolution Afrika Brooke explores the destructive cycle of adopting victimhood as an identity, detailing how her history of alcohol abuse and compulsive lying served as defenses against racial insecurities and familial trauma. She challenges the modern self-help and political narratives that promote binary thinking, arguing instead that true progress requires accepting personal agency while holding multiple truths about one's flaws and past. To combat societal polarization, Brooke is planning a global festival dedicated to hosting uncomfortable conversations and is currently working to overcome her own fear of success as she redefines intimacy and happiness through vulnerability.
- The Diary Of A CEO1h 50m
Brewdog Founder: The Untold Story Of One Britain’s Fastest Growing Companies: James Watt | E157
BrewDog founder James Watt discusses the company's 87% annual growth and £100 million community equity model while addressing internal cultural reforms driven by an independent review and his own admission of toxic leadership behaviors. The narrative details significant strategic shifts, including a new profit-sharing scheme for staff, a transition to carbon-negative operations, and Watt's personal exploration of autism and trauma to foster a more empathetic organizational environment. Through this candid exchange, Watt outlines a future defined by sustainability pillars and transparency, rejecting sale offers to maintain the brewery's independence and long-term trajectory.
- The Diary Of A CEO2h 12m
The Happiness Expert: Retrain Your Brain For Maximum Happiness! Mo Gawdat
A speaker challenges conventional views on happiness by arguing that the brain's primary survival function is to facilitate joy, a goal currently undermined by ego and negative self-narratives. He outlines a holistic life philosophy centered on balancing "monk-like" stillness with "warrior-like" action, while reframing money, relationships, and gender as fluid economic and energetic dynamics rather than fixed societal structures. Ultimately, the discourse emphasizes neuroplasticity as a tool for rewiring the mind and asserts that true wealth is measured by the time invested in experiences and a global mission inspired by his late son.
- The Diary Of A CEO1h 37m
Matthew Hussey: The Secret To Building A Perfect Relationship | E142
Matthew Hussey, Stephen Bartlett
Matthew Hussey discusses the philosophy that individuals actively become "the one" through committed effort rather than finding a pre-existing perfect match, while reframing "settling" as a deliberate choice to make specific people or places extraordinary. Drawing from his personal history of financial insecurity and severe chronic pain, he shares how these challenges fostered his empathy and led to practical mental models like the "best chef" analogy and a six-criteria framework for measuring daily success. The conversation also addresses the dangers of inauthenticity in dating, the trap of turning passions into obligations via extrinsic rewards, and Hussey's decision to "settle on" Los Angeles with his fiancée Audrey to build a shared future.
- The Diary Of A CEO1h 41m
How To Find Ultimate Fulfilment At Work: Marcus Buckingham | E140
Marcus Buckingham, Stephen Bartlett
In this episode, researcher Marcus Buckingham synthesizes decades of data with his personal history of overcoming a severe stammer to argue that true organizational engagement and personal resilience depend on identifying and utilizing unique individual strengths rather than fixing weaknesses. He presents evidence that managers who facilitate daily "red thread" activities and provide specific, non-judgmental feedback can significantly boost retention, while also extending these principles to romantic partnerships where mutual positive framing fosters safety. Ultimately, the discussion reframes the modern workplace challenge as a critical need to align professional roles with individual neural pathways to prevent burnout and achieve what Buckingham terms "love and work."
- The Diary Of A CEO1h 49m
Jessie J: I Quit Music, Deleted An Album, Then Changed My Mind | E139
Singer Jessie J addresses the convergence of profound personal losses in 2024, including the deaths of her security guard and mentor Jamal Edwards, as well as a recent miscarriage, which prompted her to leave a fifteen-year management team that failed to align with her artistic vision. Drawing on these experiences, she is developing an autobiographical one-woman show that blends comedy and storytelling to explore themes of grief, health struggles, and the toxicity of modern fame. The artist emphasizes a decisive shift toward emotional authenticity, actively dismantling her pop persona to build a new internal team and create music that reflects her genuine self rather than external commercial expectations.
- The Diary Of A CEO1h 34m
The Top 6 Habits Destroying Your Relationships! - Lewis Howes
Entrepreneur and host Lewis Howes details his journey of healing from childhood sexual abuse and parental neglect to overcome lifelong feelings of unworthiness. He outlines a strict relationship framework prioritizing individual health and mission before partnership, utilizing weekly therapy sessions to resolve conflicts while maintaining authentic personal values. Howes further explains his strategy for conquering deep-seated fears, such as public speaking and judgment, by reframing risk as necessary for growth and committing to a weekly mission of serving 100 million lives.
- The Diary Of A CEO1h 35m
Jonny Wilkinson: Winning The World Cup Led To My Darkest Days | E131
Jonny Wilkinson, Stephen Bartlett
Former rugby world champion Johnny Wilkinson explores the psychological aftermath of his 2003 victory, detailing his transition from a fear-driven "martyr" archetype to a state of boundless potential he terms "all I can be." Drawing on this personal journey, Wilkinson now hosts the "I Am" podcast and is establishing a mental health foundation to address the crisis of men under 45, while advocating for a lifestyle that prioritizes holistic health, gut microbiome connection, and the freedom to let go of rigid identities. His current mission challenges societal norms by urging individuals to replace reactive survival strategies with present-moment inspiration to unlock true creativity and purpose.
- The Diary Of A CEO1h 41m
The Real Trick To Long Term Motivation: Daniel Pink | E130
Daniel Pink synthesizes research on human motivation, regret, and sales to argue that effective leadership requires replacing strict control with autonomy, mastery, and purpose while shifting focus from abstract "Capital P" goals to daily "small p" contributions. He outlines a systematic framework for processing regret through self-compassion and self-distancing, while simultaneously advising professionals to abandon "if-then" rewards for complex tasks in favor of attunement, buoyancy, and problem-finding strategies. By aligning work schedules with biological chronotypes and utilizing interrogative self-talk, Pink contends that individuals can maximize creativity and performance to turn past failures into actionable future strategies.
- The Diary Of A CEO1h 36m
World Leading Psychologist: How To Detach From Overthinking & Anxiety: Dr Julie Smith | E122
Dr Julie Smith, Stephen Bartlett
Clinical psychologist Dr. Julie Smith leverages her three-million-follower platform to disseminate evidence-based mental health education while navigating the psychological toll of public visibility. She distinguishes her public content from clinical therapy, offering practical tools such as breathwork and values-aligned decision-making to help audiences manage anxiety and build resilience. Ultimately, Smith prioritizes family and authentic connection over fame, framing mortality and interpersonal relationships as the core drivers of a meaningful, sustainable life.
- The Diary Of A CEO1h 43m
Matt Hancock: Opens Up About His Affair, Mistakes & The Pandemic | E121
Matt Hancock, Stephen Bartlett
Former UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock reflects on the strategic pivots of the pandemic response, admitting that an earlier lockdown could have saved 21,000 lives while outlining the scientific rejection of herd immunity that forced a shift to suppression strategies. His tenure concluded after he resigned to accept responsibility for breaching social distancing rules with colleague Gina Coladangelo, a decision compounded by a public outcry triggered by leaked CCTV footage. Beyond the crisis management and political fallout, Hancock outlines his future advocacy for early dyslexia screening in schools and his enduring belief in empathy as the cornerstone of effective political leadership.
- The Diary Of A CEO1h 32m
James Smith: How To Create The Life You’ve Always Wanted | E120
Adoptee and former corporate sales worker James Smith rebranded from a disillusioned university dropout into a personal trainer who prioritizes income satiation over exponential scaling. His business model relies on polarizing content to cultivate a loyal niche of high-ticket clients while teaching the underlying principles of fitness to ensure long-term client self-sufficiency. Looking ahead, Smith is preparing to publish a third book on confidence and plans to open a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu dojo as he seeks to overcome his avoidant relationship style and become a more present father.
- The Diary Of A CEO1h 34m
Calm App Founder: From $0 To $2 Billion By Making The World Meditate: Michael Acton Smith | E117
Michael Acton Smith, Stephen Bartlett
Michael Acton Smith, founder of the billion-dollar mindfulness app Calm, chronicles his journey from the commercial failures of Perplex City and Moshi Monsters to building a global solution for the mental health crisis. Driven by personal burnout and a realization that meditation could rewire the brain from fear-based reaction to strategic response, Smith transformed Calm into a revenue powerhouse through features like Sleep Stories and a pivot to annual subscription pricing. His narrative underscores a broader cultural shift toward valuing sleep, nutrition, and mental practice as foundational business skills, positioning the treatment of mental health as a prerequisite for solving larger global issues like climate change.
- The Diary Of A CEO1h 34m
The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck: Mark Manson | E111
Bestselling author Mark Manson details his evolution from a financially successful but emotionally hollow pickup artist to a philosopher of vulnerability and responsible living. He contrasts the fleeting nature of status-driven "highs" with sustainable happiness derived from honesty, generosity, and community, while advising audiences to distinguish between external fault and internal responsibility. Drawing on his own crises following *The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck*, Manson urges individuals to reject the comfort trap of modern affluence in favor of evolving purpose and the ethical imperative of treating others as ends in themselves.
- The Diary Of A CEO1h 45m
Russell Howard: How To Laugh Through Fear, Anxiety & Imposter Syndrome | E109
Russell Howard, Stephen Bartlett
On December 14th, comedian Russell Howard releases his new Netflix stand-up special *Lubricant* and the accompanying documentary *Until the Wheels Come Off*, utilizing a slower, more reflective style to address global crises and personal trauma. Drawing on his family's chaotic history and his own struggles with anxiety, Howard frames humor as an essential mechanism for bridging social divides and navigating the "fake outrage" of modern culture. The project aims to help audiences find common ground through deeply human storytelling while validating the psychological complexities inherent in the comedian's profession.