Advertise on podcast: Thriving Minds with Alberto Zandi

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.

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 successHow emotion shapes memory more than accuracy or factsWhy telling people they are wrong rarely changes their behaviourHow to become more optimisticPractical 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.

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.

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.

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 longerThe early signs your health is declining long before disease appearsHow muscle, sleep, and insulin sensitivity predict long term outcomesWhat high performers do differently to protect energy and focusWhich supplements matter, and which are mostly noiseHow to approach biohacking safely and intelligentlyWhy 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.

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 regulationWhy omega three fats are essential for memory, focus, and moodHow sugar and alcohol hijack the brain’s reward systemThe connection between gut health and mental healthSimple 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.

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.

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 week, Alberto sat down with Victor Lugger, the entrepreneur behind two of Europe’s fastest growing companies, Big Mama and Sunday. He built a hospitality group now valued at over $310M, and then launched a FinTech company processing billions a year, all while raising a family and staying sane through the pressure. In this conversation, Victor opens up about the truth behind building a company from zero, why success is never linear, how ambition develops over time, and how much of entrepreneurship comes down to resilience, timing, and who you choose to build with. He shares the emotional and psychological journey behind scaling restaurants across countries, raising twenty five million in the US, navigating co founder relationships, and learning to balance family life with two high pressure roles. You will learn • How to build a company when you have no industry experience • How ambition grows with results and why early wins matter • How to choose a co-founder and build a team that scales with you • How to survive uncertainty, pressure, and mental fatigue as a leader • How to spot the idea that changes everything and when to double down Follow Victor: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/victorlugger Follow Sunday App: https://www.instagram.com/sundayapp_ https://www.linkedin.com/company/sundaytech https://twitter.com/sundayapp_ https://www.facebook.com/sundayappUS #ThrivingMinds #VictorLugger #BigMamma #SundayApp #Entrepreneurship #Hospitality #Startups #Neurodiversity #Leadership #WorkLifeBalance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Alberto sits with TJ Power, a world leading neuroscientist, best selling author, and the creator of the DOSE framework. His work investigates how dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins influence mental and physical health, particularly in the context of our digitally driven lifestyles. TJ’s framework is designed to unlock your best life, to live with purpose, intention, focus, and a positive mindset. This episode also unpacks why phones, alcohol, porn, and sugar, severely erode attention, mood, and drive, and how to reset your baseline with simple habits you can start today. You will learn: • How dopamine actually works • Why chasing dopamine peaks lowers motivation • How to run a 7 day reset • How things like sleep, morning light, protein, movement, nature, and real connections support healthy brain chemistry This conversation is a clear path back to focus, energy, and calm. You can purchase TJ’s book, The DOSE Effect, here: https://geni.us/doseeffect Follow TJ Power: https://www.instagram.com/tjpower https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tjpowerneuroscience #ThrivingMinds #TJPower #Neuroscience #MentalHealth #DigitalBalance #Dopamine #Attention #Wellbeing #Mindset #StressManagement Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Alberto sat down with Bianca Bustamante, the twenty year old driver who is now the future face of F1. Born in Manila and raised in a working class family, she fell in love with karting at three. At six she asked to be homeschooled to train more. Her father worked three jobs to keep her dream alive. She became the best in her country but the international costs were astronomical. So she moved to the US, and learned all she could about personal branding. Her hope was that her social media channels would help fund her driving career. Years later she has millions of followers, sponsors, and is now signed by McLaren for F1 Academy, and working to become the first woman of her generation to reach F1. She is rewriting the racing history by fighting all the odds in a sport where only 1.5 percent of drivers are women, and largely built for the rich and elite. Now the face of major outlets like Forbes and Vogue, her story is the blueprint for achieving your dreams when the door is closed. You will learn: • How talent grit and strategy can replace missing resources • How she used social platforms to fund a racing career • The real pathway from karting to F1 Academy • How to train recover and perform under pressure • The mindset required to become the best Follow Bianca: https://www.youtube.com/@racerbia https://www.instagram.com/racerbia/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/racerbia/ https://www.facebook.com/racerbia/ #ThrivingMinds #BiancaBustamante #F1Academy #McLaren #WomenInMotorsport #RacingJourney #Inspiration #Mindset #PhilippineAthletes #Resilience Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when the dream job nearly breaks you? This week on Thriving Minds, Alberto sat down with Celebrity Chef, Thomas Straker, the chef, founder, best selling author, and digital powerhouse behind the Straker’s restaurant group and global ‘All Things Butter’ brand. From burnout in fine dining to millions of views on Instagram, Thomas reveals the full story of how he rebuilt his relationship with food, found freedom through content, and became one of the most watched, and talked about, chefs on the internet. In this raw and revealing conversation, he opens up about self-worth, criticism, building a business, and staying grounded when the spotlight finds you. You’ll learn: 🟠 What the world of fine dining gets completely wrong 🟠 How Thomas built a viral food brand while running restaurants 🟠 Why content is every founder’s unfair advantage 🟠 The truth about burnout, ego, and starting over 🟠 How to stay true to your vision, even when others doubt you This isn’t just a story about restaurants. It’s a story about reinvention. Follow Thomas: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ThomasStraker⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thomas_straker/⁠ ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@UCDci5O1KG2SqFr79vWbuCJQ ⁠ ⁠https://uk.linkedin.com/in/thomas-straker-58034280 #ThrivingMinds #ThomasStraker #ChefLife #RestaurantBusiness #EntrepreneurJourney #FoodCreators #HospitalityMindset #CookingPassion #Resilience #SuccessMindset Visit the Thriving Minds website: https://thrivingmindsshow.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if your gut is running the show, not your brain? This week on Thriving Minds, Alberto sat down with Dr. Megan Rossi, one of the world’s leading gut health experts, bestselling author, and founder of The Gut Health Doctor. With 70-80% of your immune system based in the gut, and powerful links to mood, memory, energy, and inflammation, your gut health may be affecting you more than you think. In this expert-led, myth-busting episode, Megan breaks down how your microbiome works, the truth about probiotics, and the small daily changes that can transform your health from the inside out. You’ll learn: How gut health impacts your skin, sleep, anxiety, and immune systemThe biggest gut health myths most people still believeHow to know if your gut is in trouble, and how to repair itThe truth about probiotics, antibiotics, and the microbiomeSimple ways to eat and live for long-term gut health This is more than digestion, this is the foundation of your health. Follow Dr. Megan Rossi & The Gut Health Doctor https://theguthealthdoctor.com/ https://www.instagram.com/theguthealthdoctor/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-megan-rossi-4214408a https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@theguthealthdoctor⁩  https://www.tiktok.com/@theguthealthdoctor #ThrivingMinds #MeganRossi #BioAndMe #GutHealth #Microbiome #Nutrition #Wellbeing #Entrepreneurship #HealthyLiving #Mindset Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you outgrow the identity the world gave you? This week Alberto sat down with Caspar Lee, one of the first YouTubers to build global fame, make millions, and become an online legend. After achieving success most dream of by his early twenties, Caspar walked away from the internet spotlight and rebuilt himself, from burnout and identity loss to business, clarity, and purpose. Now a successful entrepreneur and co-founder of several companies, Caspar reveals the personal and professional lessons behind his pivot from content creator to entrepreneur. This episode dives into the rise, the crash, and the rebirth, and what it really means to evolve. You’ll learn: How Caspar built YouTube global success before 25, and what he’d do differently nowThe truth about fame, burnout, and mental health behind the scenesWhat it really takes to go from creator to successful entrepreneurHis biggest business mistakes, and how he turned them into winsHow to reinvent yourself when the world won’t let you change This isn’t just a story about going viral, it’s about going inward and forward in life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do we feel anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected, even when life looks fine on the outside? This week, Alberto sat down with Jamie Clements, world leading and pioneer breathwork expert, mental health advocate, and founder of The Breath Space. They explore why so many people today feel stuck in survival mode, and how reconnecting with the body through breath can transform not just your mind, but your entire life. Jamie shares how breathwork helps regulate anxiety, unlock emotion trapped in the body, and create space for clarity, healing, and self-trust. Whether you're facing burnout or simply want to reconnect with yourself, this episode offers a practical path forward. You’ll learn: How to use breathwork to regulate stress and calm the nervous systemThe truth about trauma stored in the body (and how to release it)Why most people breathe incorrectly, and how to fix itThe link between your breathing, your emotions, and your energyWhat a daily breathwork practice looks like (and how to start simply) #ThrivingMinds #JamieClements #Breathwork #Mindfulness #MentalHealth #CalmMind #StressRelief #Wellbeing #SelfGrowth #ConsciousLiving Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.