The Ridiculously Human Podcast

Electrical Engineer. Entrepreneur. Lecturer. Silicon Valley Founder. Rocket Scientist. Conscious Capitalist. Author. Speaker. Cricket Fanatic. Humble Human. Founder of Payactiv. The world that we live in is such a transient place. Countries, people and cultures are forever evolving. Maybe more importantly, what we need to be aware of, is the cycles in life. What were once great dynasties, are now forgotten era’s and their once grand and vast cities, are now dilapidated ghost towns. Our guest this week, Safwan Shah, is a man who understands everything to do with the importance of looking after humanity. He strives to serve people, to care for them and provide them with security, dignity and savings! Safwan, was born and grew up in Pakistan. His Dad was an electrical engineer and moved around the country a lot because of his work, which meant that Safwan got to taste and learn about the various micro-cultures in the different provinces. Like a lot of young men in Pakistan, he was and still is a cricket fanatic and would spend countless hours playing in the streets. He was also a massive bookworm and would spend much of his time with his head buried in all the old classics. Safwan first attended University in Karachi, before heading over to the US, to complete his Masters. While doing his PhD, he worked on fascinating and groundbreaking projects for NASA, trying to research things like, how to make plants grow in space when there is no gravity. After his PhD, he was suddenly struck with a huge debt that he hadn’t anticipated. U.S. student debt! Fortunately, he was able to get advice on how to manage and pay off his debt and start building up a credit rating. Safwan is a man who thinks outside the box and likes to connect the dots between maths, economics, history and music. He took the lessons he learned from NASA and used them in the ATM software business he built called, Infonox. He sold Infonox in 2008 and slipped quietly into retirement... But playing golf all day, made him feel like he lacked meaning and purpose in his life. Then, one day, after sitting in a cafeteria and seeing people ‘not paying’ on their way out and learning that the costs of their food or coffee were deducted from their pay, spawned an idea that led to PayActiv. PayActiv provides employees timely access to their ‘earned but unpaid wages’. His mission is to empower financially stressed, lower-income workers with the tools to achieve financial resilience. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Let’s find out what it means for Safwan Shah, to be Ridiculously Human. Your fellow beings, Craig and Gareth SHOW NOTES Background, Context & Reference Connect with Safwan Shah: Website | FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Safwan’s book: It’s About Time Other relevant points discussed and mentioned:   Reader’s Digest Afghan transit trade Apartheid Russian invasion of Afghanistan NED University of Engineering and Technology University of Colorado Boulder Controlled Ecological Life Support System - CELSS Apollo 13 Chobani Yogurt Whole Foods UBI - Universal Basic Income Conscious Capitalism People Discussed Leo Tolstoy Jane Austen Geoffrey Boycott Imran Khan Louis L'Amour Tom Hanks Books Mentioned Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl Places Mentioned Karachi, Pakistan Afghanistan Music By The Bambuseae Rhythm Section - Check them out here The Simon Van Gend Band - Check them out here Right Hook Request HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST? We know this is always a big one to ask and you hear it a million times but anything you can do to help us get our podcast out there into the ether will be massively appreciated! Please tell Your Friends & Share Online Subscribe, Rate & Review:  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Google Play | TuneIn | iHeartRADIO | Follow us on: Website | YouTube | Medium | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy RHP #015: Shaun Fuchs, ex- School Principal. Educationalist and Entrepreneur RHP #024: Dr Thandi Ndlovu, CEO of Motheo Construction Group and Freedom Fighter RHP #025: Dianne McGrath, PhD Researcher and Mars One Astronaut Candidate RHP #029: Michael O'Brien, Executive Coach. CEO of Peloton Coaching & Consulting RHP #034: Chris Kilham, Founder of Medicine Hunter and Plant Medicine Expert RHP #076: Michael Bungay Stanier, Author, Coach, Speaker, Rhodes Scholar, Founder and CEO of Box Of Crayons

Alex Moore - Metalsmith. Actor. School Teacher. Designer. Rugby Player. Dad. Jewellery Maker. Networker. Class Clown. Smiler. Side Hustler. Founder of Gold Pan Pete. This is a short and sweet, supplementary version of our weekly Podcast. It’s a taster to give you a flavour of what to expect from the full Podcast episode. Connect with Alex Moore - http://bit.ly/GoldPP Listen to Full Podcast - http://bit.ly/RHPAlexMoore

Metalsmith. Actor. School Teacher. Designer. Rugby Player. Dad. Jewellery Maker. Networker. Class Clown. Smiler. Side Hustler. Founder of Gold Pan Pete. There are going to be times in your life when you feel that things are not quite right. Like you may be a little lost, in a job you don’t quite connect with, or are perhaps slightly bewildered. The good thing is, it’s totally ok. We all need a bit of time in our life to wander. Our guest this week, Alex Moore, knows all about trying his hand at many things. In fact, it’s part of who he is and why it makes him such an interesting human to speak with and listen to! Alex was born in St.Louis, Missouri. He grew up in a quintessential American town and is still best friends with two of the guys from his same road! His Mom always encouraged him to try different things and to travel too. She would remind him that if things never quite worked out, that he could always come home :) In his early years at school, he enjoyed art, ceramics, and sculpting, a creative side he would re-visit many years later. His first year of university in California was pretty sweet! He started working for and touring with, his favourite band called Sublime! He also got involved in acting classes. After a couple of years working as a chemistry teacher, it was his love for rugby and his appetite for travel and adventure, that took him on a path to the UK. He worked as a primary school teacher while playing rugby. He also started landing himself a few small roles in various movies, like Green Zone, Captain America, RED 2 and The Dark Knight Rises. The best thing about his time in London was that he met his wife, Paula. It was a trip to New Zealand, a couple of years later to visit her family, when Alex told his future father-in-law, that he wanted to spend some time gold-panning to find enough gold for his wedding ring...after 40 hours of panning, they had found 1.5 grams of the required 20 grams to make a ring! For two years, back in London, Alex attended jewellery making classes and found his new calling. After moving back to New Zealand permanently to start their family, life dealt them a devastating blow when their one twin, Grace, was diagnosed with a brain tumour… These days, Alex is the proud founder of Gold Pan Pete, a jewellery making business, and he works as a part-time school teacher too. He is also a Dad to three beautiful and healthy children, who he gets to spend much more time with than ever before. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Let’s find out what it means for Alex Moore, to be Ridiculously Human. Your fellow beings, Craig and Gareth SHOW NOTES Background, Context & Reference Connect with Alex Moore: Website | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Alex’s product Collection Other relevant points discussed and mentioned:   The School Of Greatness Podcast Camp America, USA Camp Horizons, Virginia Aussie Rules Football - AFL Sublime Warped Tour Ilford Wanderers Rugby Club Los Angeles Police Department - LAPD Impostor Syndrome Lost Wax Casting Kickstarter Ronald McDonald House Child Cancer Foundation The Bulletproof Diet The Secret - Rhonda Byrne How The Secret Changed My Life People Discussed Lewis Howes Eminem Donovan Marsh Matt Damon Anthony Hopkins Chris Lee Dave Asprey Places Mentioned Saint Louis, Missouri Samoa Long Beach, California Christchurch, New Zealand Queenstown, New Zealand Films Mentioned The Sandlot Little Nicky Princess Diaries Green Zone Captain America Dark Knight Rises Rise and Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story Music By The Bambuseae Rhythm Section - Check them out here The Simon Van Gend Band - Check them out here Right Hook Request HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST? We know this is always a big one to ask and you hear it a million times but anything you can do to help us get our podcast out there into the ether will be massively appreciated! Please tell Your Friends & Share Online Subscribe, Rate & Review:  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Google Play | TuneIn | iHeartRADIO | Follow us on: Website | YouTube | Medium | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy RHP #031: Alvin Irby, Founder of Barbershop Books. Comedian & Entrepreneur RHP #044: Tony Moze, Edutainer, Entrepreneur, Passion Promoter and The Rhyming Book Reviewer RHP #051: Devin Lester, Professional Photographer, Dream Chaser, Technical Artist, Realist, Black Belt Karate and Founder of DLP RHP #056: Brianna and Kristine Tesauro, Heroes, Sassy Sisters, Smilers, Positivity Creators, Living Legends, Adventure Seekers, Cancer Survivor, Founders of Catch Some Air

Eczema Conqueror. Health Coach. Author. Natural Chef. Smiler. Business Woman. Tribe Builder. Eczema Warrior. Founder Of The Beauty Of Eczema. Life certainly has a strange way of throwing us curve balls and teaching us lessons. It’s often how we react and deal with those challenges that determines how things ultimately prevail. Our guest this week, Camille Knowles, is a lady who has experienced the struggles of physical blemishes and had to deal with all the insecurities, self-doubt and lack of confidence which ensued. At age six, Camille was first diagnosed with eczema. Her earliest memories include her grandma making her mittens to stop her scratching at night. Sadly, a certain mindset was forged from an early age too and she would ask her grandad, things like, “Am I ugly?” because of her eczema. As a youngster, she really enjoyed and immersed herself in arts and sports, primarily cross country running. At school, she experienced being teased and bullied more than most by the popular girls which broke her down even further. Camille’s eczema would come and go depending on certain things which occurred in her life. Sunlight and eating well were the reasons why it would disappear and when she would be glowing inside and out. There were other times when she became extremely obsessive and restrictive with what she ate. This resulted in her first eating disorder, orthorexia. It was a trip to California, which was the first life-changing experience she had. Six months of living in the sun, eating well, exercising and being surrounded by like-minded, health-conscious people made her eczema disappear once again. Moving back to the UK, the up and down yo-yo continued and sent everything in reverse. She was neglecting sleep and isolating herself. She’d wake up with sheets full of blood and skin. Her boyfriend, at the time, would dress her and wrap her hands in bandages just to go to work. Even driving was a painful experience. Lying in hospital at the ripe old age of 21, the best case scenario doctors prescribed for her was to take a combination of steroids and anti-depressants to help her cope for the rest of her life. Fortunately, her Mom came to the rescue and suggested she read a book called, The Secret, and also made her see an NLP practitioner. It was a combination of these and other things which started shifting her mindset. Her holistic approach to recovery is what started defining and shaping future Camille. After a month backpacking around Australia with her sister, she was fully charged and revitalised and spent the whole flight back writing out her future business plan. This lady is a headstrong fighter and these days she has a thriving business which is providing an immense amount of value to her tribe of eczema warriors. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Let’s find out what it means for Camille Knowles, to be Ridiculously Human. Your fellow beings Craig and Gareth SHOW NOTES Background, Context & Reference Connect with Camille Knowles: Website | Instagram | FaceBook | YouTube | Twitter | LinkedIn | Camille’s book: The Beauty of Eczema Camille’s HOPE Program Other relevant points discussed and mentioned:   Eczema Orthorexia The Secret by Rhonda Byrne NLP - Neuro-Linguistic Programming Trello The Anxiety Solution by Chloe Brotheridge You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay Places Mentioned Lancashire, United Kingdom Dead Sea, Israel Music By The Bambuseae Rhythm Section - Check them out here The Simon Van Gend Band - Check them out here Right Hook Request HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST? We know this is always a big one to ask and you hear it a million times but anything you can do to help us get our podcast out there into the ether will be massively appreciated! Please tell Your Friends & Share Online Subscribe, Rate & Review:  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Google Play | TuneIn | iHeartRADIO | Follow us on: Website | YouTube | Medium | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy RHP #007: Eva Claire Marseille, Boeing 747 Pilot and First Officer. Fly with Eva RHP #013: Ashlyn George, Founder of Lost Girls Guide to Finding The World RHP #021: Joe Cross, Joe the Juicer. Filmmaker of Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead RHP #022: Emma and Carla Papas, The Merrymaker Sisters. Bloggers and Merry Makers RHP #067: Jody Calitz, Women’s Health Expert, Ex-Pro Bikini Bodybuilder, Nutritionist, Vegan Athlete, Elite Personal Trainer

Camille Knowles - At age six, Camille was first diagnosed with severe eczema. Lying in hospital at the ripe old age of 21, the best case scenario doctors prescribed for her was to take a combination of steroids and anti-depressants to help her cope for the rest of her life. This is a short and sweet, supplementary version of our weekly Podcast. It’s a taster to give you a flavour of what to expect from the full Podcast episode. Connect with Camille Knowles - http://bit.ly/BOEczema Listen to Full Podcast - http://bit.ly/RHPCamilleKnowles

Michael Bungay Stanier - is recognised as one of the world’s top coaches. He is an influential keynote speaker, has authored many books, the most well-known being, The Coaching Habit. This is a short and sweet, supplementary version of our weekly Podcast. It’s a taster to give you a flavour of what to expect from the full Podcast episode. Connect with Michael Bungay Stanier - http://bit.ly/MBSboxofcrayons Listen to Full Podcast - http://bit.ly/RHPMichaelBungayStanier

Curious Communicator. Author. Coach. Listener. Keynote Speaker. Podcaster. Rhodes Scholar. Bookworm. Founder and CEO of Box Of Crayons. Probably the most important ingredient of any relationship in the world is communication. You would think that everyone in the world would be an absolute expert at communicating well, if you follow the 10,000-hour philosophy that is. However, sadly, that is not the case and poor communication, and lack thereof, seems to be the catalyst to the downfall of most things. Our guest this week, Michael Bungay Stanier, knows this all too well after spending 1,000’s of hours teaching people how to be better at managing their employees, by being curious for longer and holding back to offer advice Michael grew up in Canberra, Australia, where he flourished as a child. He was born with a cleft lip and slight speech impediment, but that didn’t phase him in the slightest as he had so much else going for him. He enjoyed playing sport but was also a massive bookworm. He was able to read rather quickly which allowed him to become a well-read and intelligent young man. He was also grounded with good morals and ethics early on, by working as a milkman for four years. Michael remembers a few incidents which left him feeling powerless, frustrated and made him start questioning what power means and the responsibility which comes with it. Those incidents instilled values in him which are focused around fairness and not abusing your power. After school, he studied English and Law in Australia, before moving over to the UK where he studied Modern Literature at Oxford University. Oxford was also where he met his wife, Marcella! After a few years of working in the corporate world while living in London and Boston, he and Marcella moved to Toronto. That’s where Michael set up his business, Box of Crayons. Box of Crayons, is a training company which champions coaching as a force for manager excellence, leadership development and cultural change. Michael is also recognised as one of the worlds top coaches. He has written many books, his most well-known being, The Coaching Habit. Although one book he wrote which is close to his heart called, End Malaria, raised $400,000 for the charity organisation, Malaria No More. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Let’s find out what it means for Michael Bungay Stanier, to be Ridiculously Human. Your fellow beings, Craig and Gareth SHOW NOTES Background, Context & Reference Connect with Michael Bungay Stanier: Website | FaceBook | YouTube | Twitter | LinkedIn | Michael’s books: End Malaria Do More Great Work Get Unstuck & Get Going Great Work Provocations The Coaching Habit Michael’s Podcasts: The Great Work Podcast The Coaching Habit Podcast Other relevant points discussed and mentioned:   Oxford University Malaria no more foundation Books Mentioned The Hobbit - J.R.R Tolkien Lord of the Rings - - J.R.R Tolkien A Room Of One’s Own - Virginia Woolf Flawless Consulting - Peter Block The Answer To How Is Yes - Peter Block Saga - Brian K. Vaughan An Imaginary Life - David Malouf Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka A Brief History of Everything - Bill Bryson People Discussed Peter Block Seth Godin Places Mentioned Canberra, Australia Toronto, Canada Music By The Bambuseae Rhythm Section - Check them out here The Simon Van Gend Band - Check them out here Right Hook Request HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST? We know this is always a big one to ask and you hear it a million times but anything you can do to help us get our podcast out there into the ether will be massively appreciated! Please tell Your Friends & Share Online Subscribe, Rate & Review:  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Google Play | TuneIn | iHeartRADIO | Follow us on: Website | YouTube | Medium | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy RHP #006: John Sanei, Trenovator, Futurist, Moonshot Chaser and Author RHP #057: Sophie Sabbage, Bestselling Author, Keynote Speaker, Patient Activist, Transformational Facilitator, Cancer Convalescent RHP #058: Seth Godin, Blogger, Speaker, Marketing Guru, Bestselling Author of Linchpin, Tribes, Purple Cow and This Is Marketing RHP #059: Dr Heather McKee, Behaviour Change Specialist, Habit Coach, Bit Sized Habits Podcast Host, Research Geek, PhD in Weightloss Psychology

Donovan Marsh - Award Winning Filmmaker. Screenwriter. Artist. Writer. Editor. Cinematographer. Hollywood Film Director of Hunter Killer. Dad. Creative Genius. This is a short and sweet, supplementary version of our weekly Podcast. It’s a taster to give you a flavour of what to expect from the full Podcast episode. Connect with Donovan Marsh - http://bit.ly/DonMarsh Listen to Full Podcast - http://bit.ly/RHPDonovanMarsh

Award Winning Filmmaker. Screenwriter. Artist. Writer. Editor. Cinematographer. Hollywood Film Director of Hunter Killer. Dad. Creative Genius. Life is such a beautiful thing when you begin to start noticing the little details. There are so many things which we just take for granted without even batting an eyelid. However, when you do tune in and become more aware of the minutiae, you open up a whole new unseen world. Our guest this week, Donovan Marsh, is somebody who is totally aware of the necessity of details. He understands the emotions which can be conjured by using and manipulating the different human senses. Donovan was born in Swaziland, a small country within South Africa. He spent a lot of his childhood growing up in different countries around the world. During high school, he always wanted to be a psychiatrist, because he had a fascination with medicine and human behaviour. He enrolled in medical school, but soon realised that he wanted to go more down the creative path, after seeing the making of a film called ‘The Never Ending Story’! He attended drama school in South Africa, for four years, where he almost had to teach himself how to make films. After that, he spent six months at a professional film school in London, where he learnt the real technicalities of filming. He returned to South Africa and got his first job in the industry, which was changing the large commercial pneumatic videotapes in the editing room. His trajectory shifted as a result of visiting his parents in the UK, where he saw a show called Gladiators. When he went back to South Africa, he inquired about the rights to it, and next thing you know, at twenty-five years old, he found himself as the director of the show! Donovan’s latest film is called, Hunter Killer. The research that went into the film was absolutely fascinating. Going to Pearl Harbor, the most nuclear and secure place in the world, was an eye-opening experience. Spending three days underwater, with the US Navy, on a highly secretive vessel, allowed him and producer, Gerard Butler, to create a true to life, action-packed Hollywood movie. Donovan is a fascinating man to speak to and he encourages us to be a little bit crazy, as it’s important for our own creativity. He fuses the invisible lines between art, science, psychology, emotion and entertainment in this Podcast for us. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Let’s find out what it means for Donovan Marsh, to be Ridiculously Human. Your fellow beings, Craig and Gareth SHOW NOTES Background, Context & Reference Connect with Donovan Marsh: FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube | Donovan’s films: Dead End Spud and Spud 2 Dollar$ + White Pipes iNumber Number Hunter Killer Other relevant points discussed and mentioned:   Bishops Diocesan College Neverending Story Laurel and Hardy Three Stooges Dungeons and Dragons MTN Gladiators - South Africa Film Grammar Product placement in films Hardcore History Podcast Religulous Artificial Intelligence People Discussed Terence Hill and Bud Spencer Charlie Chaplin Adolf Hitler Gerard Butler Bill Maher Gary Oldman Places Mentioned Swaziland / Eswatini Pearl Harbor Music By The Bambuseae Rhythm Section - Check them out here The Simon Van Gend Band - Check them out here Right Hook Request HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST? We know this is always a big one to ask and you hear it a million times but anything you can do to help us get our podcast out there into the ether will be massively appreciated! Please tell Your Friends & Share Online Subscribe, Rate & Review:  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Google Play | TuneIn | iHeartRADIO | Follow us on: Website | YouTube | Medium | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy RHP #006: John Sanei, Trenovator, Futurist, Moonshot Chaser and Author RHP #051: Devin Lester, Professional Photographer, Dream Chaser, Technical Artist, Realist, Black Belt Karate and Founder of DLP RHP #069: Richard Mulholland, Punk Rocker, ex-Roadie, Speaker, Author, Serial Entrepreneur and Founder of Missing Link, Talk drawer and HumanWrit.es RHP #071: Arno Carstens, Platinum Singer-Songwriter, Lead Singer of Springbok Nude Girls, Fine Artist, Smiler, Rock Star, South African Legend

Damara Ryder - Family Lawyer. Ex-Investment Banking Director. Dancer. World Traveller. Networking Professional. Snowboarder. Smiler. Nature Lover. Wife. Mum. Entrepreneur. This is a short and sweet, supplementary version of our weekly Podcast. It’s a taster to give you a flavour of what to expect from the full Podcast episode. Connect with Damara Ryder - http://bit.ly/thriveleadershipdamara Listen to Full Podcast - http://bit.ly/RHPDamaraRyder