Unscripted with Spencer Lodge

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

We’re in the middle of a social connection crisis. Call it what you like, loneliness, isolation, disconnection, it’s becoming one of the most urgent issues of our time. In the U.S. alone, the cost of loneliness to businesses is estimated at $154 billion. And that figure is only going to grow unless we start addressing it. Our guest on the show today is Simone Heng, a global keynote speaker and expert on human connection. In this episode, she breaks down the root of the problem, the real cost of disconnection, and the simple steps leaders can take to build more connected teams and healthier business cultures. 02:30 – The social connection crisis 09:40 – Understanding asynchronous communication 16:30 – The data around loneliness 25:28 – A US$154 billion problem in the USA alone 30:17 – Are expats more lonely? 44:48 – What can business owners do to fight loneliness? 47:30 – The three rules of rapport  51:15 – How to make a genuine connection   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 Simone Heng on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/simoneheng/?hl=en https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-heng-speaker https://www.facebook.com/simonehengofficial/ https://www.youtube.com/@SimoneHengSpeaking https://www.tiktok.com/@simoneheng?lang=en

AI is already changing the way we sell, scale, and show up in business. But most people are still playing catch-up.   In this episode, entrepreneur and AI strategist John Lee breaks down the mindset shift every business owner, sales leader, and entrepreneur needs to make right now. Because the real power of AI isn’t in the tech, it’s in how you use it to multiply what you already do well.   Whether it’s automating follow-ups, training your team faster, generating leads while you sleep, or scaling your personal brand, AI isn’t here to replace you. It’s here to amplify you. 05:33 – What AI actually is (explained simply) 12:30 – How AI is being used right now 18:01 – Game-changing business use cases 28:17 – Social media’s shift: Followers vs. saves 39:17 – How John uses AI to run his business 46:12 – Rethinking fear: Why AI isn’t the enemy 54:12 – AI in sales: From lead gen to live coaching 1:03:03 – Setting up AI systems inside companies 1:22:36 – The real risks of AI and what’s coming next   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 John Lee on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/john_lee_official/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvLpL7r5IF_ijOJ9xrAfxxg

Most people think gold just sits in a vault, safe, static, and gathering dust…   But Mark Pey, Head of Strategic Relationships at Monetary Metals, is on a mission to redefine how we think about gold. In today’s world of volatile markets, vanishing trust in fiat currency, and overhyped digital assets, gold is the most powerful, underused tool for wealth generation.   Whether you’ve overlooked gold entirely or assumed it was only for central banks and doomsday preppers, this episode will change everything you thought you knew about the world’s oldest form of money. 09:37 – Why people avoid investing in gold 13:51 – Understanding asset classes 24:18 – The natural qualities of gold 29:20 – Turning gold into cash 43:41 – Paralysed by too much information? 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 Mark Pey on Social Mediahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-b-pey-873833/?originalSubdomain=ae

Kris Fade is the voice behind the region’s #1 radio show, a star of Netflix’s Dubai Bling, and the founder of the health and wellness brand Fade Fit. But he didn’t just wake up famous. Kris’s success is the result of relentless hustle, smart decisions, and an unshakable belief in himself. From launching a brand-new radio show in Dubai to building a multimillion-dollar business, and leveraging the global spotlight of Dubai Bling, Kris shares the real story behind his rise. This conversation dives deep into legacy, personal branding, and what it really takes to build an empire from the ground up. 02:30 – Growing up in Sydney11:44 – Building a radio empire in Dubai 14:48 – From afternoons to prime time20:00 – The power of human connection27:30 – The birth of Fade Fit41:43 – Inside Dubai Bling49:02 – Staying motivated after success 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 Kris Fade on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/krisfade/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@krisfade https://www.facebook.com/KrisFadeOfficial/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-fade-10447b27/?originalSubdomain=ae

Dubai’s real estate market is booming, but are you asking the right questions before investing?   In this week’s episode, I sit down with Sonia Waters, Head of Sales at AYS Developers, to talk all things real estate – escrow accounts, how the market is evolving, and what makes Dubai such a hotspot for investors.   I’m also proud to officially welcome AYS Developers as the new title sponsor of the show. They’re more than just a top-tier luxury property developer brand. They’re a company that genuinely cares and reinvests their profits to fund meaningful initiatives. It’s rare to find a brand that truly leads with the heart, and that’s exactly why this partnership feels right.   If you’re serious about investing in Dubai property, this is the episode you can’t afford to skip. 05:57 - More about AYS Developers 10:56 - AYS Developers’ project on Dubai Islands 18:03 - How the law protects international investors 26:09 - Steps to choosing the right developer 28:31 - How to choose a trusted brokerage 30:35 - Sonia’s impact at AYS 34:14 – More about AYS’ full property management service 36:33 - Sonia’s journey into real estate 41:10 - What’s next for AYS 49:35 - Sonia’s personal charity work 53:43 - What to know about off-plan investing   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 Sonia Waters on Social Mediahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/soniawaters/

What does it take to turn a childhood dream into a global career AND make Adele disappear along the way? Rob Lake, one of the world’s most celebrated illusionists and finalist of America’s Got Talent, has done just that. But beyond the magic, Rob is also an entrepreneur who’s built a successful empire around his craft. From discovering his calling at 10 to winning the prestigious Merlin Award, performing on the biggest stages, and pulling off jaw-dropping illusions, this is a story of creative brilliance, business strategy, and relentless determination. 02:52 – Performing illusions amplifies parts of your personality 05:22 – Rob’s first encounter with magic 10:09 – The dark side of the industry 16:00 – His first moment of success 19:00 – Behind the scenes of America’s Got Talent 24:10 – What it means to follow your dreams 29:19 – Mentors, reflection, and life beyond the stage 31:10 – Magic as a business and the leadership lessons 38:00 – How do you keep evolving? 42:15 – Where Rob finds his inspiration 46:25 – Why giving back matters Show Sponsors: 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  AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences.https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers  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 Rob Lake on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/roblakemagic/?hl=en https://www.linkedin.com/company/roblakemagic https://www.youtube.com/roblakemagic