Call To Action 164: Jo Living on how poker can make you better at business
Jun 20, 2025
47:40
This week we kept shouting things like HIT ME! TWIST! GO FISH! WHAT’S A SPADE? In order to win the professional attention, and personal sympathy, of Jo Living – founder of ‘poker for business’ consultancy Aces High.
Having noticed that poker was less about bluff and bravado and more about strategy, empathy and teamwork, Jo realised it could be the perfect game for teaching people how to make smarter business decisions. From there she went on to run workshops teaching everything from communication and negotiation, to assertiveness and risk management, all done eye-to-eye through what she calls the ‘contact’ sport of poker.
It’s an episode where we try very hard not to say things about ‘laying the cards on the table’ (but probably won’t succeed) covering everything from the real-world value of a poker face to the power of a timely pause.
This episode is proudly dedicated to Adam Living.
Follow Jo on LinkedIn.
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Timestamps
07:33 - Investment Banking Experience
10:32 - Quarter Life Crisis
15:47 - The Poker Environment
18:15 - Poker as a Game of Strategy
19:50 - Women in Poker
22:39 - Parallels Between Poker and Business
26:02 - Skills Developed Through Poker
29:02 - The Power of the Pause
31:37 - Identifying Leadership Traits
37:13 - Getting More Women at the Table
39:12 - Subtle Tells for Leadership
Jo’s Book Recommendations are:
Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke
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Having noticed that poker was less about bluff and bravado and more about strategy, empathy and teamwork, Jo realised it could be the perfect game for teaching people how to make smarter business decisions. From there she went on to run workshops teaching everything from communication and negotiation, to assertiveness and risk management, all done eye-to-eye through what she calls the ‘contact’ sport of poker.
It’s an episode where we try very hard not to say things about ‘laying the cards on the table’ (but probably won’t succeed) covering everything from the real-world value of a poker face to the power of a timely pause.
This episode is proudly dedicated to Adam Living.
Follow Jo on LinkedIn.
/////
Timestamps
07:33 - Investment Banking Experience
10:32 - Quarter Life Crisis
15:47 - The Poker Environment
18:15 - Poker as a Game of Strategy
19:50 - Women in Poker
22:39 - Parallels Between Poker and Business
26:02 - Skills Developed Through Poker
29:02 - The Power of the Pause
31:37 - Identifying Leadership Traits
37:13 - Getting More Women at the Table
39:12 - Subtle Tells for Leadership
Jo’s Book Recommendations are:
Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke
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