Extrology

Attention, CEOs and Leaders! Are you ready to revolutionise your approach to leadership while prioritising your well-being? 

Tune in to this enriching podcast episode filled with actionable insights and wisdom that will transform the way you lead.

Join Extrology Host, Lee Cooper and his latest guest, Ryan Renteria, a seasoned CEO Coach, Diverse Board Director and Bestselling Author, who brings a wealth of experience from his dynamic career, including his tenure at Goldman Sachs and large hedge funds. 

Ryan’s transformative insights will empower you to lead with clarity, purpose and vitality. In this episode of Extrology you’ll uncover: 

👥 The Art of Delegation: Learn how to delegate effectively to liberate time for strategic thinking and self-care - allowing you to focus on what truly matters.

🎸Building a Dream Team: Explore the secrets to hiring rockstars and fostering a culture of trust within your team, empowering them to excel and thrive. 

🧠 Prioritising Mental Health: Gain invaluable strategies for prioritising mental health and well-being amidst the hustle and bustle of leadership, ensuring you remain resilient and energised. 

Don’t miss out, listen on your favourite podcasting platform today.

In 2023 we were fortunate to be joined on Extrology by a staggering number of inspiring guests, and sometimes we need to look back in order to refresh our worldview for the year ahead.

From Jenn Drummond’s Seven Second Summits to Sue Anstiss’ game-changing Netflix documentary, join us as we look back on some of the best moments from our amazing array of guests last year.

Building upon last week’s exciting recap of 2023 guests on Extrology, we’ve another host of unmissable clips from last year’s most thought-provoking episodes.

Udo Erasmus’ life experience is like no other, and his worldview is equally unique and profound; Jenn Drummond’s story is similarly gripping, but holds an uplifting and revitalising message for all to hear. 

Join us on Extrology this week as we once more revisit last year’s most fascinating guests ahead of the roster that we look forward to in 2024.

This episode features:

• Udo Erasmus’ ethos of simplicity being the key to living harmoniously 
• Jenn Drummond’s incredible physical feats, and the numerous hardships she overcame in taking back control of her life

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

In 2023 we were fortunate to be joined on Extrology by a staggering number of inspiring guests, and sometimes we need to look back in order to refresh our worldview for the year ahead.

It’s an impossible challenge to summarise the insights from so many, but in the first of two special ‘Best of 2023’ episodes we shine a spotlight on Sue Anstiss’ game-changing Netflix documentary, Paula Reid’s admirable cycle across war-stricken Ukraine, and the pariah of positivity himself, Mark Reeves.

This episode features:

• Paula Reid’s remarkable cycle across Ukraine, and some of the inspiring figures she met on the way
• Mark Reeves’ unrelenting positive mindset in spite of some harrowing life events
• Sue Anstiss’ return to Extrology having made a monumental mark on the growing world of women’s sport

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

The Ultratriathlon is a staggering feat in its own right, but becoming the first person in the UK to complete two of them back to back is among Claire Smith’s crowning achievements.

She once hated sport, and has fought through addiction and mental battles, demonstrating a level of resilience that enables us to achieve the impossible.

Claire joins us on Extrology to detail the brave start to her endurance athletics journey, how she processes failure, and the huge next chapter to come.

Lee and Claire discuss:

• The journey from once hating sport to completing her first half marathon
• Focusing on the journey over the destination
• The sheer scale of Claire’s past achievements, soon to be surpassed by future endeavours
• Processing failure as a deeply personal experience
• How to cultivate the power of the mind to overcome challenges

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

Cameron Brookhouse’s exploration of fitness in gaming is a bold step into an engaging future for wellbeing in the digital age.

Through Quell, he and his Co-Founders are trailblazing an industry with the first ever dedicated fitness gaming platform, in a captivating game called Shardfall.

The link between gaming and wellbeing has rarely been perceived positively, but over the course of this episode of Extrology, you’d be hard pressed not to find new worlds of potential, especially through the lens of such a visionary as Cameron.

Lee and Cameron discuss:

• A multicultural upbringing with stints around the world
• Cameron’s fascinating first foray into product design
• How Quell identified the links between fun in fitness and in video games
• The breakneck pace with which they went from prototype to reality
• Breaking stereotypes around the health impacts of video gaming

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes particularly detailed discussions about suicide between the 32:30-35:00 mark, which listeners could find distressing, and may wish to avoid. If you, or somebody you know, requires urgent assistance, Samaritans are available on 116 123.

Our lives can be turned upside down in an instant, but as Gareth de la Torre can attest, losing everything isn’t an ending, it’s a beginning.

Epilepsy is an often-misunderstood condition with far-reaching, daily impacts, and while it cost Gareth much of his previous life, the hope and inspiration that he exudes comes from how he’s reclaimed that life.

Join us for a deeply impactful journey of adversity and perseverance in this episode of the Extrology podcast.

Lee and Gareth discuss:

• The accident at home which led to Gareth’s epileptic seizures
• Common myths and misunderstandings with epilepsy, and the unique ways that it can affect people
• Everyday life challenges less frequently considered by non-epilepsy sufferers
• The challenge of epilepsy being an invisible disability
• Gareth’s attempt to take his life, and turning around from rock bottom
• The awakening moments that continue to give a new lease of life

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

It’s rare that we’re afforded truly enlightening conversations in life, but this exploration through Udo Erasmus’ worldview is absolutely full of revelations.

Through childhood wartime experiences, a studious mind and relentlessly seeking life’s answers, his perspective on finding ourselves and seeking stillness is utterly infectious.

Join us in this episode of extrology to experience just a portion of this wisdom.

Lee and Udo discuss:

• Udo’s harrowing wartime childhood, escaping fighting at as young as 6
• Finding a path of learning through the sciences
• The art of stillness and finding ourselves through heartache
• How business shows your every personal strength and weakness
• Where to start with self-improvement
• The simplicity to life that we often overcomplicate

A must-listen episode for anyone seeking either motivation, strategies or tools to create positive change in their lives. 

Doug Fleener shares his incredible journey from the depths of despair, to becoming a corporate director at a global corporation, a CEO and international speaker and a trusted business advisor.

Doug reveals his practical strategies for daily success, how to embrace failure and move forward and how to overcome uncertainty. 

This episode of Extrology explores: :

• How addiction informed Doug’s early life choices, and path to recovery
• The principles that guided a remarkable business career
• What ‘One Day Success’ means to Doug
• How to let go of past pain and regret
• Defining failure and moving forward

Not every business is lucky enough to say that their work has a genuine positive impact on communities worldwide. Kenneth Bérard, Chief Executive Officer of Optimy, is here to share his story; that businesses can serve as a force for good. 

Optimy is revolutionising how organisations manage their philanthropic efforts, with a highly configurable, positive impact platform, serving over 350 organisations across 25 countries. It’s an impressive feat and a truly inspiring episode. 

Lee and Kennth discuss:

• How Optimy helps organisations amplify their positive impact
• Why positive impact is no longer a nice-to-have but a must-have
• Navigating the complexity of working with multiple languages
• Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to make positive impact

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

While we rightfully celebrate our NHS, it’s not without room for innovation - that’s where Navenio’s Connie Moser hopes to make her mark.

Simple technology used in a complex way is key to a solution that’s reducing wait times and connecting medical professionals with patients’ needs like never before.

Connie’s career has been a blend of innovative tech solutions and effective management strategies in healthcare, the culmination of which she shares in this week’s Extrology podcast. 

Lee and Connie discuss:

• Early, inspirational role models in Connie’s life
• The greater growth found in diversity of thought
• Differing attitudes towards learning from failure between the US and UK
• Navenio’s inception, greatest challenges, and medical innovation
• Evolving leadership styles in an increasingly digitised world

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

The natural world is more than simply around us - for many, it saves lives.

That much is true of Isaac Kenyon, an eco-adventurer and world record-setting advocate for sustainability and mental wellbeing alike, noting the unbreakable link between our wellbeing and the world around us.

Isaac joins us on Extrology to detail his experiences with eco-anxiety, and how he was spurred to take on rows, runs and Ironmans.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains deep discussions around suicide, suicidal ideation and mental wellness - for those in need of immediate support, Samaritans are available by phone at 116 123.

Lee and Isaac discuss:

• Early experiences with nature, rooting a sense of exploration within Isaac
• Everyone’s responsibility as a sustainability leader
• Overcoming eco-anxiety and mental health challenges
• The inception of Isaac’s huge adventurous projects and world record-setting ways
• Businesses’ role in saving our planet for the future

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

Some people’s fates are seemingly mapped out before their birth, and for Dr Craig Thayer, a life devoted to helping others was preordained.

Craig started life adopted at 9 months, and through his family upbringing became a surgeon with a faith as strong as his conviction to do good through his medical marvels.

Join us for the inspirational story behind Craig’s book - Saved: One Trauma Surgeon's True Accounts of the Miracles in His Life - and his remarkable journey through life.

Lee and Craig discuss:

• The catalyst for Craig’s passion in medicine and path to becoming a doctor
• His eventful upbringing, dealing with loss and struggle from an early age
• How Craig’s faith manifests in his surgery and medical help
• Turning pain into purpose

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

Playing small does not serve the world, and by no means does Paula Reid ever play small. 

She ventures where most seldom dare, cycling across the entirety of 16 countries, and most recently adding a war-stricken Ukraine to that list in an adventure which exposed the remarkable, resilient nature of its people.

What kind of mindset takes the nub of an idea and turns it into such a bold pursuit? Paula returns to Extrology this week for us to learn more…

Lee and Paula discuss:

• Paula’s love of adventure 
• Regaining a sense of childlike wonder
• How much of our lives we should spend in the comfort zone
• The genesis of Paula’s cross-Ukraine cycle, and logistical challenges
• Handling the emotional weight of the stories that came from Paula’s encounters

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

Fundraise with Paula:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/paula-reid-siobhanstrust

We don’t make relationships through ‘funnels’, but rather bonds are formed through considerate discussion - the power of a conversation is near-enough unparalleled.

Interview Valet began based on the tenet that we’re just one conversation away from creating limitless opportunities, and its Founder & CEO is the greatest advocate for better marketing through conversation - Tom Schwab.

Join us for a dive into the kiss of death in modern marketing, the art of the awkward conversation, and why the future is in rich audio.

Lee and Tom discuss:

• Why digital marketing might actually be hurting businesses
• The value of connections, and breaking out of obscurity
• Tools as amplifiers of brilliance and stupidity alike
• The two-way nature of magnetic marketing
• What makes podcasting such a lucrative marketing tool

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

Since November 2020, when we last caught up with Sue Anstiss MBE, she’s become Director and Producer of a hugely powerful Netflix documentary, and that’s just scratching the surface…

Much has changed in 3 years for Fearless Women’s Founder - to have Sue return to the Extrology podcast is both an ultimate privilege, and a chance to observe the bountiful progress that women’s sport has enjoyed, and what’s yet to come.

Lee and Sue discuss:

• The inception of what became Sue’s stellar Netflix documentary - Game On: The Unstoppable Rise of Women’s Sport
• Significant shifts in media coverage for women’s events
• Unexpected production challenges that faced the making of the documentary
• Whether we need an approach of advocacy, activism or anarchy
• Immediate steps that governing bodies can take to achieve true equality and equity

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

We sometimes need to come close to death, to realise how much life we’ve yet to live.

Jenn Drummond had once quit on herself - now she stands proud, having scaled the 2nd highest peaks on all 7 continents, arguably the most challenging climbs on the planet.

So how do you take a near-death experience and channel it into a new lease on life? Jenn’s story is an unparalleled inspiration, and she shares it all in this week’s Extrology.

Lee and Jenn discuss:

• How Jenn had come to quit on herself
• The car wreck that became Jenn’s catalyst for change
• Why the Seven Second Summits are such a challenging feat
• Practising the pause and seeking your summit

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

For challenger brands, a PR strategy that takes a small budget a long way could be the difference between a flash in the pan, and an underdog story to admire.

Bringing her passion for sharing others’ stories with creativity and emotive messaging, CommsCo’s Founder Ilona Hitel is this week’s guest on the Extrology podcast.

We share how tech innovations are shifting the PR landscape, uncover her remarkable family roots, and touch on the perfect time to differentiate yourself.

Lee and Ilona discuss:

• Growing up with her father’s close experience with conflict
• Being atop the Berlin Wall when it came down
• How to differentiate in recessions and crises
• The challenge of evidencing creativity
• ChatGPT’s impact on the PR industry

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

From writing for The Economist to guiding CEOs through the learnings of other leaders, Tim Jackson's business impact is immense. 

With shrewd economic insight and 4 books worth of entrepreneurial analysis, we speak to Tim about his role at Walking Ventures, his prolific journey to date, and the unseen futures into which our technological advances might take us.

Lee and Tim discuss:

• How his journalism background altered his entrepreneurial approach
• Knowing the perimeter of your circle of competence
• Tim's 5 top qualities of an investable CEO
• Staying ahead of disruptors in the tech industry
• The true role of a CEO coach

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

The city as we know it cannot stay the same forever, and how we change it comes down to the remarkable data for which VivaCity is responsible.

Replacing the inefficient observer-with-clipboard methods of data gathering with computer vision AI is just the first step in revolutionising cities, and Mark Nicholson is the Co-Founding CEO at the forefront.

Mark joins us on Extrology to discuss the evolution of cities, a new age of data analysis, and why hardware rather than software will play host to the most exciting innovations.

Lee and Mark discuss:

• Parallels between tennis coaching and business ownership
• Mark’s balance of technical and creative endeavours
• How we’ve been poorly served in data analysis, and how modern methods have iterated
• The challenging mission of shifting transport demand within cities
• New, localised challenges with a launch in the US and a European presence

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/

While evolution pushes us forwards, we’re holding our youngest generations back from their physical potential.

Shockingly, most kids spend less time outside than prison inmates, and Darryl Edwards is the Movement Coach, Author & Founder of Primal Play looking to reignite the joy in movement.

He joins us for an episode of Extrology which details a journey to which most will relate, the greatest eye-opening epiphanies around exercise, and how to tap into the power of our primal instincts.

Lee and Darryl discuss:

• Darryl’s former career in investment banking technology, and how it motivated a change in lifestyle
• Development of The Primal Play Method
• How physical movement links to wellbeing in a multifaceted way
• Shocking statistics about the activity of kids today
• How we make societal change

Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/