The Business Of Thinking

Episódios

• Why Your Hardest Moments Are Your Greatest Gifts ft. Mark DeBellis 09.06.2026 40min

  Adversity is something most of us try to avoid — yet it may be the most powerful force shaping who we become. In this thoughtful episode, Richard is joined by Mark DeBellis, founder of the Gifts of Adversity Project, who spent years collecting stories of people who have turned their hardest moments into their greatest strengths. Drawing on his own experience of homelessness and family breakdown in his early teens, Mark reflects on what adversity really gives us — and why we rarely recognise i...
• You Have To Be Selfish To Be Selfless ft. Espree Devora 02.06.2026 46min

  What if the biggest thing standing between you and your potential is your own belief system and you've never been taught how to change it? In this rich and wide-ranging episode, Richard is joined by Espree Devora, founder of the Women in Tech and We Are LA Tech podcasts, entrepreneur, and fierce champion of human potential. Espree shares the daily practices that have transformed how she operates, from breathwork and nervous system regulation to the two-minute task method and the radical power...
•  Why Being Busy Is Killing Your Business Growth ft. Christopher Adams 26.05.2026 35min

  Are you busy all day but not actually moving forward? In this episode, Richard is joined by Chris Adams, strategic growth advisor and founder of CJA Consulting, who works with professional services firms and business owners across the world to cut through overwhelm and build clear, focused growth strategies. Chris breaks down why the biggest block to business growth isn't technical skill — it's the mindset shift that nobody prepares you for when you make partner, go out on your own, or scale ...
•  Why 70% Of Disabled Talent Is Being Left Out ft. Joyce Bender 19.05.2026 34min

  What if the thing that nearly killed you became the catalyst for changing thousands of lives? In this powerful episode, Richard is joined by Joyce Bender, founder of Bender Consulting Services and the Bender Leadership Academy, whose personal experience of epilepsy and a near-fatal seizure led her to transform how corporate America employs people with disabilities. Joyce pulls no punches: hiring people with disabilities is not charity — it is a smart business investment, and the data backs it...
• Shot, Captured And Sentenced To Death: A Story Of Survival ft. Aubrey Brooks 12.05.2026 1h 13min

  What happens when an ordinary man finds himself on death row? In this gripping episode, Richard is joined by Aubrey Brooks, author of Death Row in Paradise, whose extraordinary life story spans mercenary combat, a failed coup d'état in the Seychelles, 18 months on death row, and nine months in solitary confinement — all underpinned by an unshakeable belief in himself and in something greater. Aubrey traces the mindset that carried him through the unthinkable, from a childhood shaped by a moth...
• Less Is Your Competitive Advantage - Simplicity, Burnout, and Why Doing Less Gets More Done 05.05.2026 48min

  What if the secret to doing more was actually doing less? In this episode, Richard Reid sits down with author, coach, and keynote speaker Chris Lovett to explore why busyness has become one of the biggest threats to performance and how simplification might be the sharpest competitive advantage most leaders are ignoring. It all started with a CD case, a Fawlty Towers moment, and a one-way ticket to Copenhagen. Chris shares how stepping on a Mark Morrison CD in 2016 triggered a complete unravel...
• Why Getting Everything You Want Still Feels Empty — with Jamie Smart 28.04.2026 40min

  What if the clarity, confidence, and peace of mind you've been searching for were already inside you? In this episode, Richard Reid sits down with bestselling author, coach, and keynote speaker Jamie Smart to explore why so many high-performers feel stuck - and the surprisingly simple shift that changes everything. As Jamie puts it, clarity is your mind's natural state. The problem isn't that you don't have it. You've simply been taught a misunderstanding of how your mind works. Jamie shares...
• From Navy SEALs to Reality TV: The Science of Peak Performance with Dr. Steven Stein 21.04.2026 44min

  What does it really take to perform at your best under pressure? In this episode, Richard Reid sits down with Dr. Steven Stein - clinical psychologist, author, and globally recognised expert in emotional intelligence - to explore how EQ shapes leadership, decision-making, and resilience. Steven shares insights drawn from 40+ years of research and work with elite groups including Navy SEALs, the FBI, and professional athletes. From managing anger constructively to trusting your gut in hi...
• The Psychology Of Breaking Barriers In Law With Caroline Flanagan 14.04.2026 41min

  What does it mean to go from feeling like the only one to becoming the first? Richard is joined by Caroline Flanagan - The Coach for Black Lawyers - for a powerful conversation about identity, imposter syndrome, resilience, and the mindset shift that changes everything. From studying on a makeshift desk of car tyres while facing eviction, to holding a Cambridge offer, Caroline's story is one of radical reframing. You have never been the only one. You are the first. Key Takeaways Imposter sy...
• Nearly Dying Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me - Sherilyn Shackell 07.04.2026 38min

  What happens when external success starts fracturing your soul? Sherilyn Shackell, founder of the Marketing Academy, didn't walk away from a lucrative headhunting career — she was forced out of it by burnout and a serious illness that made her rethink everything. What came next was one of the most extraordinary not-for-profit leadership organisations in the world, built entirely on generosity, reciprocity, and the belief that exceptional talent deserves exceptional development. In this conver...
• When Cults Go Corporate: Coercive Control Explained (Chris Shelton, ex-Scientologist) 31.03.2026 53min

  In this compelling episode, Richard is joined by Chris Shelton, former Scientology member of 25 years, cult recovery consultant, and expert in coercive control. Chris shares his extraordinary personal journey from being raised inside Scientology to working for the Church for decades, enduring physical and psychological abuse, and ultimately escaping in 2012. Chris breaks down the mechanics of manipulation, how coercive control shows up in business, relationships, and politics, and why no one ...
• Why Rigid Organizations Fail and Neuro-Inclusive Ones Win with Robert Annis 24.03.2026 36min

  In this episode of The Business Of Thinking, host Richard Reid sits down with Robert Annis, a business psychologist and founder of Neuro. They explore the transformative power of neurodiversity in the workplace, moving beyond "problem-solving" to embracing diversity of thought as a competitive advantage. Robert shares his personal journey of being diagnosed with autism and ADHD later in life and how that shift in perspective fueled his mission to help organizations build inclusive cultures wh...
• Shot Two Weeks Before His First Race - A Story of Resilience 17.03.2026 1h 2min

  What happens when life keeps knocking you flat? Aaron Burros went from nearly 400 lbs to losing 178 lbs through running - then was shot two weeks before his debut ultra, followed by seven years of PTSD and a corporate cover-up. His message: treat the source, not just the symptoms. Key Takeaways Running is therapeutic, not therapy. You are the CEO of your health. Small steps compound. Serving others lifts you when depression hits. Episode Highlights A doctor's warning at 40 s...
• Intentional Leadership: How To Unlock Your Team 10.03.2026 47min

  What does it really take to build a leadership brand that people trust - even when you're not in the room? In this episode, Richard Reid sits down with Skot Waldron, keynote speaker, executive coach, and author of "Unlocked: A 52-Week Guide for the Intentional Leader". Skot shares how his journey from graphic design and global branding led him to uncover a powerful truth: your leadership brand is built not in boardrooms, but in the millions of micro-moments that make up everyday life. Skot ch...
• The Future of Cognitive Performance in Business with Dr. Jon Finn 03.03.2026 45min

  In this episode of The Business of Thinking, Richard Reid sits down with Dr. Jon Finn, founder of Tougher Minds and author of "The Habit Mechanic," to explore the neurobiology of high performance in an era of rapid technological change. Dr. Finn reveals the startling truth that we operate at only 2% consciousness, with 98% of our thoughts and actions driven by subconscious habits. "If you want to help people to do better, you've got to help them to understand how their brain is working...
• Neuroscience Secrets for Modern Leadership and Productivity with Dean Burnett 24.02.2026 47min

  In this episode of The Business of Thinking, Richard Reid sits down with neuroscientist and best-selling author Dr. Dean Burnett to pull back the curtain on the “Idiot Brain.” They dive into common misconceptions that plague the corporate world, from the debunked 10% brain usage myth to how our brains handle maturity, stress, and performance. As Dean notes, “The brain is an incredibly resource-hungry organ,” and understanding its limitations is the first step toward genuine high performance. ...
• Dopamine, Serotonin, and the Psychology of Performance with Loretta Breuning 17.02.2026 41min

  In this episode of The Business of Thinking, Richard Reid sits down with Loretta Breuning, founder of the Inner Mammal Institute, to explore the primal neurochemistry driving human behavior. Loretta reveals how "happy chemicals" like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin were designed for animal survival and how these ancient pathways still dictate our professional lives and personal success today. Key Takeaways Our brains are wired by early childhood experiences, creating neural "highways" that ...
• The Life Switch: How to Master Your Mindset with Joel Steele 11.02.2026 36min

  In this episode of The Business of Thinking, Richard Reid sits down with entrepreneur and author Joel Steele to discuss the psychology of resilience. Joel shares his raw journey from facing borderline bankruptcy and life-threatening situations to building a thriving financial services business. He introduces the concept of the "Life Switch" - the internal choice to stop coasting and start living with intentionality. Key Takeaways Awareness is the first step toward high performance. Jo...
• The Psychology of Medical Trauma and Recovery with Vanessa Abraham 03.02.2026 34min

  In this episode of The Business Of Thinking, host Richard Reid is joined by Vanessa Abraham, a dedicated speech-language pathologist whose career and life took a dramatic turn in 2019. Vanessa shares her harrowing journey from being a medical provider to becoming a patient paralyzed by a sudden neurological disorder that left her unable to speak or eat. She provides a raw look into the psychological toll of medical trauma, describing the "profound depression" and "invisible disabilities" that...
• The Psychology of AI: Religion, Hallucinations, and Critical Thinking with Beth Singler 27.01.2026 22min

  In this episode of The Business of Thinking, Richard Reid is joined by Beth Singler, anthropologist and leading expert on digital religion and artificial intelligence. Together, they explore how AI is reshaping belief systems, decision-making, and critical thinking — not just in religious contexts, but across business, education, and society at large. From AI being treated as god-like by some users, to the dangers of outsourcing our thinking and blindly trusting machine-generated “truths,” Be...