Walkabout Elevations Podcast

This interview blew my mind!**190 countries visited. Three left to go. And Ireland is being saved for last.**My guest on this episode of Walkabout Elevations is Ric Gazarian, founder of the Extraordinary Travel Festival and host of the *Counting Countries* podcast, where he interviews some of the world's most traveled people. We met at HORECFEX Vietnam 2026 in Da Nang, and within the first few...

What happens when you achieve financial success at a young age, lose everything, rebuild your life through military service, and eventually discover that success means something entirely different? In this episode of **Walkabout Elevations**, I sit down with Daniel James, a former British Army officer, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Centrepoint, a people-focused leadership and wellbeing consultan...

Few people have watched the evolution of hospitality in Vietnam from the vantage point John Gardner has. With more than four decades in the industry, John's career has taken him from New Zealand and Australia across the Asia-Pacific, including senior hotel leadership roles with Accor and IHG. In 2007, he arrived in Vietnam to become General Manager of the iconic Caravelle Saigon, later becomin...

Vietnam's tourism industry is growing rapidly. But is visitor growth really the best measure of success? At HORECFEX Vietnam 2026 in Da Nang, I sat down with Miquel Angel, founder of MQL Sustainable Tourism Services, for a candid conversation about what Vietnam is getting right (and what still needs attention) as it develops into a major international tourism destination. Miquel has lived and...

What does luxury hospitality really mean in 2026?In this episode of Walkabout Elevations, recorded at HORECFEX Vietnam 2026 in Da Nang, I sit down with Neha Pandey, Vice President of Branding at PN Consulting in Singapore, to explore how branding, artificial intelligence, personalization, and guest expectations are reshaping the hospitality industry. For decades, hotel brands were built around sta...

At the Vietnam Financial Forum 2026, I sat down with Shimna Chandan, Managing Director and Head of Private Assets at Vantage Point Asset Management in Singapore, to discuss why international investors are increasingly looking at Vietnam, and why Da Nang may have a particularly interesting role in what comes next. Shimna and her firm have been actively investing in Vietnam for several years. What m...

Vietnam is creating wealth at remarkable speed. But creating wealth and preserving it across generations are two very different challenges. At the Vietnam Financial Forum 2026, I sat down with Lu Zhou, CEO of Vanquour Wealth Management in New York, for a conversation that moved from Vietnam's financial ambitions to China, Wall Street, family offices, women in finance and the surprisingly diffi...

Can Vietnam build an international financial center capable of competing in one of the most competitive regions in the global economy? At the Vietnam Financial Forum, I sat down with Jochen Biedermann, Managing Director of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers and a member of the advisory council supporting Vietnam's International Financial Center. Jochen brings a rare global p...

Why do so many successful people still feel like they're not enough? In this episode of Walkabout Elevations, I sit down with entrepreneur and leadership coach Joel Rickard to explore imposter syndrome, entrepreneurship, men's mental health, childhood programming, comparison, self-worth, and the psychology behind lasting success. Joel shares how he went from studying aerospace engineering...

Can Vietnam produce world-class whisky? According to the World Whisky Awards, the answer is yes. At Vietnam Financial Forum 2026, I sat down with Mikey Brenker, co-founder of Ve De Di Spirits, Vietnam's first single malt whisky producer and Southeast Asia's first craft whisky distillery. In this conversation we discuss: • Why Vietnam is surprisingly well-suited for whisky production • The...

Vietnam continues to attract investors, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and innovators from around the world. But what is driving that growth, and what challenges still remain? At Vietnam Financial Forum 2026, I sat down with market analyst and senior customer consultant Ho Le Khanh Uyen (Ami Benavides) to discuss Vietnam's rapid transformation and the opportunities emerging across the country....

As Vietnam attracts more international investment, technology, and global business, one critical question remains: Can people communicate clearly across cultures, industries, and borders? At Vietnam Financial Forum 2026, I sat down with Merianne Sontillanosa Nosa, founder of Speak Better and Connect Better, to discuss communication, networking, business relationships, and the human skills that rem...

What does the future of Da Nang look like? At Vietnam Financial Forum 2026, I sat down with Chris Vanloon, Chairman of AmCham Central Vietnam, real estate developer, investor, and one of the longest-serving foreign business leaders in Vietnam. Having lived in Vietnam for nearly three decades, Chris has witnessed the transformation of Da Nang from a small coastal city into one of Southeast Asia&#39...

What happens when the world becomes cashless? How do we teach children about money when they rarely touch cash, use piggy banks, or visit a bank branch? At Vietnam Financial Forum 2026, I sat down with Jamie Wellstern, Director of Saigon Fintech Capital, Galaxy Holdings executive, and founding member of Vietnam's International Financial Center initiative. In this fascinating conversation we ex...

What does it take to bring more than 300 international finance leaders, investors, economists, and business professionals together in Vietnam? In this episode recorded at the Vietnam Financial Forum 2026, I sit down with Alex Castaneda, founder of Da Nang 365 and one of the driving forces behind many of the city's largest international events. We discuss:• The vision behind Vietnam Financial F...

What if overthinking isn't the problem? In this episode of Walkabout Elevations, I sit down with author, coach, and former Google and Uber executive Alex Ostergaard to explore the deeper causes of overthinking, anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and the constant search for validation. Alex shares his journey from growing up between three cultures, to working at some of the wor...

What happens when childhood trauma, foster care, addiction, fame, self-sabotage, and heartbreak collide? In this episode of Walkabout Elevations, I sit down with James, founder of Rise Above The Journey, for one of the most honest and vulnerable conversations we've had on the show. James shares his journey from an angry and deeply troubled young man growing up in foster care in Liverpool, to exper...

In this episode of the Walkabout Elevations Podcast, I sit down with Ed Ryotatsu Barton, social confidence coach, former British diplomat, entrepreneur, and former Zen Buddhist monk. Ed's story is unlike any I've heard. From working inside the British Embassy in Beijing and struggling with severe anxiety, to building a successful online business, traveling the world, and eventually spendin...

In this episode of the Walkabout Elevations Podcast, I sit down with organizational psychologist, researcher, consultant, and entrepreneur Dr. Anna Wolf for a fascinating discussion on teamwork, leadership, psychological safety, and the future of work. Why do smart teams fail? Why do employees stay silent when they see problems? And why, despite having more technology than ever before, are so many...

In this episode of the Walkabout Elevations Podcast, I sit down with career coach, LinkedIn strategist, community builder, and Da Nang Nomad Festival co-founder Markos Korvesis. What started as a conversation about careers and remote work quickly evolved into something much deeper: freedom, belonging, community, and the search for a meaningful life. Markos shares his journey from Greece to Southea...

In this episode of the Walkabout Elevations Podcast, I sit down with Sam Gute Rogers for one of the most honest and thought-provoking conversations we’ve had on the show so far. Sam shares his journey growing up between the United States and China, struggling with addiction and direction during college, getting arrested at 19, and eventually rebuilding his life through discipline, reflection, phys...

In this episode of the Walkabout Elevations Podcast, I sit down with Ondra Němčík, better known online as “RoboHumanist”: lifestyle engineer, coach, creator, and founder of a philosophy centered around optimizing human performance without losing our humanity in the process. We explore what modern technology, algorithms, AI, and constant stimulation are doing to the human nervous system… and why so...

In this episode of the Walkabout Elevations Podcast, I sit down with Jeremy Greene: public speaker, community builder, digital nomad, and creator behind @jeremytalkstostrangers. Jeremy openly shares his journey from social anxiety and depression into a life centered around confidence, human connection, and meaningful community. After traveling through more than 60 countries and spending years buil...

In this episode of the Walkabout Elevations Podcast, I sit down with Toby Johnson, Founder and Director of Education at USA English, whose work spans over 16 years building English learning systems across China and now Vietnam. But this conversation is about what actually happens when people try to learn. Toby spent over a decade in Beijing working inside one of the most competitive private educat...

In this episode of the Walkabout Elevations Podcast, I sit down with my friend Scott Robinson and this conversation goes far deeper than cycling. Scott’s story is one of transformation, discipline, and raw reinvention. We talk about a period of his life that most people would rather forget; being arrested and spending time in jail in the United States . And how that experience became a turning poi...