The Collective Project

What stays with you when certainty disappears early in life? In this conversation, I sit down with Mirza Sagdati to talk about identity, responsibility, and what it means to build something real when life doesn’t offer guarantees. Mirza grew up in Kosovo during and after the war. That experience shaped how he understands pressure, uncertainty, and personal responsibility. Years later, those same l...

Greenland is all over the news right now. Climate change. Melting ice. Global attention. But this episode answers a different question. What happens to a human being who actually crosses it? In this episode, Lexi Novitske shares what it was really like to cross Greenland by kite and skis for 22 days straight. No roads. No rescue button. Just ice, pain, and the decision to keep going. Halfway throu...

Most people will never experience true silence. Not the silence of a room…but the silence of 1,600 kilometers of ice, wind, fear, and the possibility that you may not come home. Today’s guest is Finnish adventurer Jussi Uusitalo, one of the only people on earth who has crossed Greenland on skis using only the power of a kite. For 22 days he battled whiteouts, exhaustion, pain, and emotional breakd...

Violence doesn’t just happen in war zones. It’s in our homes, schools, and streets — and Finland, despite its reputation for equality, now ranks highest in Europe for gender-based violence. In this deeply personal and eye-opening conversation, I sit down with Elina Viitasaari, a trauma-informed violence prevention expert working with the City of Vaasa's Youth Services, former UN Women board me...

In this episode, Daniel Laurean sits down with South African sommelier and filmmaker Michael Gabagas to unpack one of the least-spoken realities among migrant professionals — the Black Tax: the unspoken responsibility to financially support family back home. Michael shares the personal story that inspired his upcoming documentary, tracing how informal remittances have become a $700 billion global...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Andrew Agbaje, a physician-turned-researcher behind the groundbreaking urFIT-child project. His work focuses on the early warning signs of disease in children and how everyday lifestyle choices—sedentariness, poor diet, overexposure to technology—can quietly shape a child's lifelong health outcomes. We explore:How public health systems are missing early opportu...

Burnout isn’t just about long hours—it’s an identity crisis hiding in plain sight. In this powerful episode, Dr. Leonor Carvalho—a burnout coach, hypnotherapist, and former academic who hit rock bottom—exposes the real causes of exhaustion and how to break free before it’s too late. Why now? Because “burnout” has become a buzzword thrown around after a stressful day, but the reality is far more da...

Being “nice” is ruining your life—and no one has the guts to tell you. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Robert Glover, author of the explosive bestseller No More Mr. Nice Guy, to uncover the brutal truth behind why men today feel anxious, unfulfilled, and stuck in cycles of people-pleasing. We talk about how childhood trauma, emotional suppression, and cultural expectations create the so-calle...

Why is modern love failing—and what can we do to stop it from taking society down with it? In this episode, I sit down with evolutionary scholar and author Mads Larsen, whose groundbreaking book Stories of Love from Vikings to Tinder traces the 800-year transformation of mating ideologies—from tribal polygyny to feminist individualism—and exposes why today’s dating landscape may be the most dysfun...

Why does Denmark consistently rank as one of the happiest countries in the world? And what does that have to do with how you parent your kids? In this episode, I sit down with Jessica Joelle Alexander—bestselling author of The Danish Way of Parenting—to unpack the cultural and psychological foundations of parenting that foster resilience, empathy, and emotional intelligence in children. We explore...

Why The Internet Is Changing & Europe Might Be Left Behind" In this eye-opening episode, I’m joined by Elia Elenius, the COO of Videobot, a company at the forefront of reshaping how we engage with the internet. We unpack the rise of video as the dominant form of online communication, and why static websites are a relic of the past. Elia shares the origin story of Videobot—a platform that...

In this raw and revelatory episode, I sit down with country-rock artist  Remi Mae , a self-described “old soul” raised in the rodeo life of Western Colorado, now making waves in the heart of Texas. We unravel the layers behind her evolving sound, her analog love for tape machines, and the hauntingly real inspiration behind fan-favorite  Washing Machine Song . What unfolds is more than a conversati...

“What We Can Learn From Finland, Canada, and the Cultures in Between — with Professor Melanie Kirwa” What happens when a Canadian professor finds herself building a life, family, and career in Finland—a country known for its silence, snow, and stoicism? In this episode, Daniel sits down with  Melanie Kirwa , a communications and cultural diversity professor at HAMK University, to unpack the deep c...

Men’s mental health is an issue often left in the shadows. In Finland, a country that consistently ranks among the happiest in the world, thousands of men silently struggle with stress, isolation, fatherhood challenges, and mental health crises. But why aren’t they talking about it? In this eye-opening conversation, Daniel sits down with Henri Hyttinen from Miessakit, an organization dedicated to...

🔥  What does it take to compete at the highest level in CrossFit? Lea Schmidt didn't set out to be an elite athlete—she  became  one. In this episode, we explore her journey from Switzerland to Mexico, her unexpected entry into competitive CrossFit, and the mental fortitude it takes to push beyond limitations. From grueling training sessions to the importance of surrounding yourself with people w...

What does it take to go from being a football-playing country boy in West Texas to managing one of the most legendary recording studios in Texas? Casey Johns, the managing partner at  Yellow Dog Studios , sits down for an in-depth conversation about his evolution from a touring rock musician to a sought-after producer.

Join me in an eye-opening conversation with  Will Harris , the owner of  White Oak Pastures , a pioneering farm in regenerative agriculture. Once an industrial cattleman, Will made a radical shift toward  sustainable, multi-species farming —one that restores the environment instead of depleting it.

Most people talk about winning. Few know what it actually takes. Randy Doege is more than just a football coach—he’s a mentor, a father, and a builder of men. With a career spanning decades, he has transformed young athletes not just into champions on the field but into leaders off of it. In this episode, we dive deep into the art of coaching, the importance of second chances, and the impact of me...

Sanna-Maria Siintoharju shares her pioneering work in bringing regenerative thinking to Finnish universities. She discusses its impact on agriculture, architecture, and tourism, the challenges farmers face in transitioning, and the role of consumers in driving sustainable change. The conversation highlights cultural shifts in food purchasing, the need for education to bridge traditional and regene...

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Max Ahonen, the 22-year-old co-founder and CEO of Dora, a revolutionary health monitoring device for dogs. Recently featured on the Finnish version of Shark Tank, Max is turning heads with his innovative approach to pet health and his rapid rise as a young entrepreneur. This conversation offers a candid look into the mind of a Gen Z entrepreneur reshapin...