Unscripted with Spencer Lodge

In this episode, we sit down with Naoum Barakat, a transformative leader in HR strategy and talent development across the UAE and beyond. With decades of experience shaping people and culture in some of the region’s most influential organisations, Naoum brings deep insight into what truly makes a great leader. From the boardroom to the locker room, we unpack leadership through surprising lenses whether it’s Roy Keane’s intensity, Steve Jobs’ paradox of honesty and empathy, or the misunderstood difference between coaching and mentoring. Naoum doesn’t shy away from hard truths: he challenges outdated promotion tactics, questions the rise of “wellbeing theatre,” and reminds us all that you own your growth, not your boss, not your company. If you're leading a team, building a culture, or navigating your own development journey, this conversation will reshape how you think about leadership, empathy and performance in today’s workplace.   3:08 – Why do companies want to promote but not train? 5:00 – What some companies miss out on when promoting Leaders 9:15 – What Questions should you be asking to ensure your promotion is set up for success 11:39 – Leadership is NOT a one size fits all 15:16 – Empathy without honesty is just sugar-coating 20:50 – How do we teach desire as leaders 24:50 – What is the difference between mentoring and coaching 33:18 – How can you bond and lead teams from different cultures 38:00 – Where does health and wellness fit into a business 44:44 – What you can do to have a company thriving culture and workplace wellbeing 53:40 – What impact does a pay rise have on increasing performance 1:04:30 – Project Naoum was most proud of with Mars   Show Sponsors:   AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences. https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers     Allsopp & Allsopp: Redefining real estate, through cutting-edge technology and setting new standards for seamless, elevated customer experience. Keep moving with Allsopp & Allsopp. https://bit.ly/Allsopp-and-Allsopp    Socials:   Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en  https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge  https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/  https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV  https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/    Follow Naoum Barakat on Social Media https://www.linkedin.com/in/naoum-barakat-a1038122/

This week’s guest is a trailblazer in the legal world and a content creator who’s rewriting the rulebook on how lawyers show up online. Arash Zad is a UAE based lawyer who took a bold step into unfamiliar territory, TikTok - Somewhere most only knew from the funny dancing. While most of his peers stuck to traditional methods, Arash turned the camera on, shared his legal insights with clarity and charisma and the internet took notice. Millions of views later he’s become the first lawyer in the region to go viral on the platform, building a loyal following of roughly 300,000 people. What makes Arash stand out isn’t just his ability to simplify complex legal topics, it’s his fearless approach to innovation in a profession known for playing it safe. In this episode, we dive into the story of how he became the UAE’s first TikTok lawyer and answer questions from viewers and listeners around the world about UAE law. Please welcome to the show, the viral lawyer changing the face of legal content in the Middle East—Arash Zad.   10:10 - The Story of Becoming a Social Media Lawyer 22:15 - New Laws on Financial Advisors (Finfluencers) 28:00 - Cold Calling Changes 29:00 - Scams & Hacks 34:10 - Being Blindsided by Real Estate Deals 41:30 - Biggest Myth Westeners believe about UAE Legal System 45:05 - Key Questions investing in Off Plan Property 55:50 - Biggest mistake setting up a business 57:05 - What is the biggest thing people miss about the law     Show Sponsors:   AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences. https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers     Allsopp & Allsopp: Redefining real estate, through cutting-edge technology and setting new standards for seamless, elevated customer experience. Keep moving with Allsopp & Allsopp. https://bit.ly/Allsopp-and-Allsopp    Socials:   Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en  https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge  https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/  https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV  https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/    Follow Arash Zad on Social Media https://www.tiktok.com/@arashzad?_t=ZN-8xoGs3ztaUA&_r=1 https://www.instagram.com/arashzad?igsh=MW84aGVzMHkxYms5

How far would you go to break through fear? For Benoit Demeulemeester, it starts with breathwork, ice baths, and walking barefoot across burning coals.   A former high-stakes banker turned transformational coach, Benoit has spent the last 14 years pushing people past their mental limits. Through Endorphins Management, he’s taken everyone from CEOs to entire teams into fire rituals and freezing water to teach them one thing: your mind is stronger than you think.   This episode is about rewiring fear, building grit, and finding freedom in discomfort. If you’ve ever felt the urge to test your limits, you won’t want to miss this.   02:44 Why resilience is so hard 04:57 The truth about shortcuts  08:31 About Benoit’s journey 15:29 The benefits of an ice bath 25:29 What clients can experience 29:55 Walking on fire 34:03 Men’s mental health 38:45 Client transformations 40:40 Have people lost their tolerance for pain? 44:07 Building better leaders 50:00 The role of breathwork 53:36 Benoit’s 7-day water fast 58:51 Experiences Benoit offers Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences.https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers   Allsopp & Allsopp: Redefining real estate, through cutting-edge technology and setting new standards for seamless, elevated customer experience. Keep moving with Allsopp & Allsopp.https://bit.ly/Allsopp-and-Allsopp Socials: Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/  Follow Benoit Demeulemeester on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/benoit_dubai_1964?igsh=ejVnb2Z4bjhlM3V2 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoit-demeulemeester-162388/

What does it take to survive chaos, lead under fire, and rebuild your life from rock bottom? Ollie Ollerton doesn’t just teach it – he’s lived every brutal moment.   A former Royal Marine Commando and Special Forces operative, Ollie rose to public attention on ‘SAS: Who Dares Wins’. But long before the cameras, he was battling trauma, addiction, and identity loss after leaving the military.   Today, as the CEO of BreakPoint, he helps businesses and individuals unlock elite performance through the same principles that kept him alive. 13:00 – The sense of belonging 18:47 – The power of helping other people 28:04 – The idea of success 32:27 – Early childhood trauma 40:23 – Being battle ready 46:48 – The start of ‘SAS: Who Dares Wins’ 59:37 – Letting go of the past to move forward 1:08:09 – The value of a Mission Statement Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences.https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers   Allsopp & Allsopp: Redefining real estate, through cutting-edge technology and setting new standards for seamless, elevated customer experience. Keep moving with Allsopp & Allsopp.https://bit.ly/Allsopp-and-Allsopp Socials: Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/  Follow Ollie Ollerton on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/ollie.ollerton/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/ollie.ollerton/ https://x.com/ollie_ollerton?lang=en https://www.linkedin.com/in/double-o/

Jas Mathur made his first million before he turned 20. But his biggest success? Reinventing himself. From tech prodigy and media mogul to health entrepreneur and investor, Jas’s story is one of relentless drive, reinvention, and personal transformation. He’s built businesses worth hundreds of millions and lost over 100kg in a complete health reset. This episode goes far deeper than money and metrics. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, athlete, or simply someone chasing a better version of yourself, this is the mindset masterclass you didn’t know you needed. 03:22 – The dark side of success  10:54 – Managing stress like a CEO  17:42 – Chasing purpose, not validation  26:00 – From sports to celebrity circles  33:08 – Jas’ 100kg transformation 46:25 – Betting on yourself 56:45 – The birth of limitless 1:14:33 – Who inspires Jas Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences.https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers   Allsopp & Allsopp: Redefining real estate, through cutting-edge technology and setting new standards for seamless, elevated customer experience. Keep moving with Allsopp & Allsopp.https://bit.ly/Allsopp-and-Allsopp Socials: Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ Follow Jas Mathur on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/limitless/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/limitlessx https://x.com/limitless?lang=en https://www.tiktok.com/@limitless  

Most people struggle to run even one marathon. Paris Norriss ran seven marathons on seven continents in just seven days.   Adventurer and endurance athlete, Paris Norriss, shares what it takes to push the body and mind to the absolute limit.   Alongside his friend James Elliott-Square, Paris completed the World Marathon Challenge, running a full marathon every 24 hours across Antarctica, Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, South America, and North America. But this conversation goes far beyond the running.   We dive into the psychology of resilience, the mental battles most people never see, and the emotional toll of pushing through pain when your body is screaming to stop.   Tune in to hear what really drives someone to do the impossible. 02:54 – More about The Mad Adventure 09:08 – Training for 7 marathons, on 7 continents, in 7 days 11:41 – Running the Arctic 20:11 – Mindset matters more than muscle 33:24 – The role of support 39:20 – How running compares to other extreme adventures 45:00 – Grit: Born with, or can you build it? 53:13 – How childhood shapes us 1:07:26 – What’s next for Paris? Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences.https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers   Allsopp & Allsopp: Redefining real estate, through cutting-edge technology and setting new standards for seamless, elevated customer experience. Keep moving with Allsopp & Allsopp.https://bit.ly/Allsopp-and-Allsopp Socials: Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/  Follow Paris Norriss on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/parisnorriss/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/c/guyindubai https://www.facebook.com/ParisNorriss/

What does it take to go from survival mode to a $370 million exit – all without breaking?   Maaz Sheikh, co-founder and CEO of Starz Play, has lived the answer.    In this episode, Maaz opens up about the high-stakes journey of building one of the Middle East’s leading streaming platforms, from battling burnout and chasing investment, to navigating a buyout and preparing for what’s next.   This is the untold story behind one of the region’s biggest media growth plays, and a powerful conversation about resilience, vision, and the relationships that hold it all together.   01:48 – Where Starz Play fits in the global streaming race 05:52 – COVID’s impact: 6 years of growth in 6 weeks 13:41 – How audiences are shifting, fast 16:55 – Hitting content home runs  21:37 – The power of the right investors 30:00 – Inside the buyout 40:46 – Resilience under pressure 42:23 – Gym time, support, and real relationships 52:27 – The $370 million milestone and what’s next 01:04:32 – Why in-person connection still matters Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences.https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers   Allsopp & Allsopp: Redefining real estate, through cutting-edge technology and setting new standards for seamless, elevated customer experience. Keep moving with Allsopp & Allsopp. https://bit.ly/Allsopp-and-Allsopp Socials: Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/  Follow Maaz Sheikh on Social Mediahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/maazsheikh?originalSubdomain=ae https://x.com/maaz_starzplay?lang=en

Social media algorithms control your audience. Email lets you take back that control.   Tyler Denk, founder of Beehiiv, an email newsletter platform that has scaled to a US$225 million valuation in just four years, shares his journey from building Morning Brew (sold for US$75 million) to launching Beehiiv.   He unpacks why email newsletters remain one of the most powerful and underutilised tools for building loyal audiences and generating consistent revenue.   Whether you’re a business owner, content creator, or just curious about the future of digital marketing, this episode is packed with insights that could change how you think about audience growth forever.   03:00 – Tyler’s early life, school, and becoming an entrepreneur 19:10 – Leaving startups for YouTube Music & Google 29:54 – Why algorithms, not followers, control your audience 33:20 – What Beehiiv can do for content creators and businesses 42:23 – How to write email newsletters that people actually open 49:42 – Email vs. WhatsApp for audience engagement 54:57 – Getting your emails into inboxes, not junk folders 1:02:37 – Turning an email newsletter into consistent revenue Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences.https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers   Allsopp & Allsopp: Redefining real estate, through cutting-edge technology and setting new standards for seamless, elevated customer experience. Keep moving with Allsopp & Allsopp.https://bit.ly/Allsopp-and-Allsopp Socials: Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/  Follow Tyler Denk on Social Mediahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-denk/ https://www.instagram.com/tylerdenk_/?hl=en https://x.com/denk_tweets?lang=en

Think a second passport is about avoiding tax?    For millions of people, it’s about something far more basic: freedom of movement.   In this episode, Armand Arton, founder and CEO of Arton Capital and one of the world’s most influential voices in global citizenship and investment migration, shares his journey. From growing up in communist Bulgaria with a passport that limited his every move, to building this business that has helped nearly 20,000 people gain mobility and security, has been deeply personal.    He also unpacks how governments shape these programmes, what most people get wrong about residency and citizenship by investment, and why mobility is becoming a new form of wealth in a rapidly shifting world.   06:10 – Growing up in Bulgaria with a “bad passport” 13:31 – How Armand entered the investment migration space 20:20 – The global landscape of citizenship by investment 32:16 – Advising governments and shaping policy 36:33 – Building credibility through human capital 46:23 – What drives Armand to keep going 51:27 – Working with governments as an entrepreneur 56:26 – Giving back through the Global Citizen Forum   Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences.https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers   Allsopp & Allsopp: Redefining real estate, through cutting-edge technology and setting new standards for seamless, elevated customer experience. Keep moving with Allsopp & Allsopp.https://bit.ly/Allsopp-and-Allsopp Socials: Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/  Follow Armand Arton on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/armandarton/?hl=en https://www.linkedin.com/in/armandarton/?originalSubdomain=ae

Your employees are already using AI, and you probably don’t even know it. But the problem is, they could be unknowingly leaking confidential company information.   If you’re a business owner, this should concern you, or at the very least, pique your interest.   In this episode, AI expert and founder of Tyde.AI, Isabella Williamson, unpacks what business owners need to know about adopting AI the right way. From driving productivity to avoiding costly security risks, Isabella shares the real-world strategies companies are using today.   Make sure to listen – the success of your business depends on how you use AI.   05:22 – What AI is and why it matters  08:23 – The fear of AI  14:26 – Business use cases for AI  22:30 – Gaining a competitive edge with AI  31:25 – Three AI questions every CEO must ask  40:26 – What every business owner needs to know about AI  48:51 – ROI on AI training  52:23 – Building custom AI solutions without coding   Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences.https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers   Allsopp & Allsopp: Redefining real estate, through cutting-edge technology and setting new standards for seamless, elevated customer experience. Keep moving with Allsopp & Allsopp.https://bit.ly/Allsopp-and-Allsopp Socials: Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/  Follow Isabella Williamson on Social Mediahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/isabellawilliamson?originalSubdomain=ae https://www.instagram.com/isabellaluisawilliamson/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575647225610 https://x.com/isabellatek?lang=ar