The Room Where It Happened

What will the future really look like—and how can we prepare for it? In this episode, Nick Foster, ex-Head of Design at Google X, takes us behind the scenes of moonshot projects and shares how to think rigorously about the future, from everyday life to big industries. He explains why AI is just one piece of the puzzle, and why understanding the trends, behaviors, and possibilities shaping tomorrow...

This week, Jake opens his notebook to reflect on missed opportunities, ego, and the stories we tell ourselves about "what might have been." From turning down Top Gear to starting Whisper with no plan, he shares raw lessons on regret, success, and why the final 5% matters most. Plus: a powerful tribute during Suicide Awareness Month, and a reminder that life gives more than it takes. Hosted on Acas...

What does it take to guide companies through billion-dollar transformations, and then walk away in search of something new? Jeff Dodds has done just that. From leading Virgin Media through a $44 billion merger in the middle of lockdown, to stepping into the fast-paced world of motorsport, Jeff’s career is defined by bold pivots, unexpected opportunities, and the courage to admit when it’s time for...

Since he was a teenager, Jake has kept notebooks and diaries, now for the first time he opens them up to discuss his thoughts on business and life in real-time. He reads candid notes he's made from recent interviews, events from his life and interactions with friends, colleagues and business leaders to help unpack the moments of inspiration and thought provoking advice that happen everyday. IFS -...

What happens when a teenager takes control of her own brand? For JoJo Siwa, it meant signing a deal that wasn’t perfect, betting on herself anyway, and later realizing the power of knowing her worth. In this episode, JoJo shares how a simple bow became a global phenomenon, the challenges of rebranding from child star to seasoned entertainer, and the behind-the-scenes lessons of navigating major pa...

Journalist Karen Hao has spent years exposing the realities of the world’s most powerful AI labs. Her 2019 embed at OpenAI was a turning point, what she saw behind closed doors didn’t always match the public mission, and the lack of clear answers from leadership sparked a deeper skepticism that would shape her reporting. In this episode, Karen unpacks the unexpected story of how a nonprofit AI lab...

Ben Askins didn’t expect his next big chapter to come from LinkedIn posts, but it did. After selling his first business in 2021 and being locked out of new ventures during his earnout, he turned his focus to storytelling online. One post about a bad recruitment experience went viral, sparking a flood of stories from employees around the world and revealing a universal truth: bad bosses are everywh...

Alex Packham knows what it’s like to have everything change in a single day, and nothing changes at all. From selling ContentCal to Adobe from his spare bedroom in the middle of lockdown to waking up the next morning wondering who he was without the business, Alex’s journey blends adrenaline highs with the quieter, harder work of rebuilding identity. In this episode, he opens up about the reality...

TS Anil’s journey through the world of banking has been anything but conventional. From boardrooms in Tokyo to the fast-moving culture of Silicon Valley, each step taught him that real change doesn't come from preserving the past, it comes from building something new. In this episode, TS reflects on his decision to leave the safety of big banks, the career-defining leap into tech at Visa, and how...

Gary Stevenson didn’t follow a traditional path, he challenged it at every turn. Expelled from school at 16 and later pushed out of Citibank for speaking up, Gary’s journey has been shaped by resilience, rebellion, and a refusal to stay silent. In this episode, Gary opens up about the high-stakes world of trading, the psychological toll of chasing success, and the personal battles that came with c...

George Heaton’s journey with Represent wasn’t a straight line, it was a series of hard pivots, gut checks, and quiet rebuilds. What started as a passion project in streetwear hit a breaking point, forcing George to confront what wasn’t working and make the kind of decisions most founders avoid. In this episode, George takes us through the moment everything stalled, the warehouse bathroom where rea...

Paul Clement never set out to build a flashy startup, he set out to build something that mattered. Born from genuine passion and a deep connection to the community he served, his business grew not by chasing trends, but by staying grounded in purpose. In this episode, Paul talks about the power of building slowly and sustainably, why loving the process matters more than chasing quick wins, and how...

Jim Chapman was part of a digital wave no one saw coming, and found himself at the center of it. What started as casual videos turned into global influence, brand deals, and a move to London that changed everything almost overnight. In this episode, Jim reflects on the chaos and charm of building a career in the early days of YouTube, the pressure to constantly evolve as the internet shifted benea...

Aron D’Souza didn’t just question the rules, he set out to rewrite them. Frustrated by the limitations of legacy institutions, he launched the Enhanced Games: a bold, controversial vision aimed at redefining the future of human performance. In this episode, Aron shares the moment he walked away from venture capital to pursue something far riskier, the power of writing down your vision before speak...

Dan Bosomworth wasn’t chasing fame, he was chasing a feeling. One moment in his garage, fed up with complacency and craving change, sparked the creation of a product that would go on to redefine recovery for athletes, celebrities, and wellness seekers around the world. In this episode, Dan unpacks the early missteps, how challenge creates change, and the tough calls that pushed Brass Monkey toward...

Nick Grey didn’t follow the traditional path, and that’s exactly what made all the difference. Long before GTECH became a household name, Nick was a designer quietly solving problems, battling self-doubt, and planning a bold leap into entrepreneurship on his own terms. In this episode, Nick reflects on the early rejection that shaped his drive, the breakthrough product that caught America’s attent...

What sparks the leap from corporate boardrooms to building a movement? For Michelle Kennedy, it was a single conversation in a meeting room that changed everything. In this episode, Michelle shares the turning point that sparked her leap from legal counsel to founder, how early work with Bumble ignited a passion for building from scratch, and the behind-the-scenes battles of being a new mom in a m...

How do you take a brand from dated to defining? For Dylan Jones, it started with a clear vision, a few audacious hires, and the nerve to challenge tradition from the inside out. In this episode, Dylan reveals the calculated risks behind GQ’s reinvention, the behind-the-scenes battles that shaped its new voice, and how one outrageous idea proved he was the right person for the job. From navigating...

What happens when a supply chain expert is handed the keys to one of the world’s most iconic brands? For Jesper Brodin, it meant hitting the road, literally, to understand the heartbeat of IKEA from the ground up. In this episode, Jesper shares the behind-the-scenes decisions that helped steer IKEA through a digital revolution, a global pandemic, and a bold sustainability mission. From the lessons...

Before Virgin became a name known around the world, one bold decision set Richard Branson on a path that defied every expectation. In this episode, he recounts the pivotal moments, from turning a missed flight into the birth of an airline, to risking it all on artists no one else would sign. Branson shares the battles behind boardroom doors, the doubts he faced from his own team, and the personal...

What happens when a beauty industry powerhouse walks away from the boardroom to build something entirely her own? For Michelle Feeney, it meant defying expectations, embracing uncertainty, and launching a purpose-led brand grounded in decades of experience. In this episode, Michelle shares the pivotal moment that sparked her leap into entrepreneurship, the challenges of starting over in her fiftie...

What if the biggest breakthroughs in business don’t come from logic, but from noticing what others overlook? In this episode, Rory Sutherland unpacks the moment a late-night scroll through economics blogs led him to Nudge, sparking a fascination with behavioral science that would quietly transform global brands. From saving a snack brand with a single word to helping an airline generate millions t...

Before Michael Jordan became a global icon, one unlikely figure made the call that changed everything. In this episode, Sonny Vaccaro shares how a gut instinct, a relentless belief in potential, and a risky pitch inside a boardroom at Nike rewrote the rules of sports marketing. From nearly walking away after Jordan leaned toward Adidas, to the quiet resolve that kept him in the game, Sonny reveals...

What does it take to turn a niche idea into a global phenomenon? For Alan Barratt, it meant trusting his instincts, betting on a product his own board doubted, and risking it all on a pivot that made no logical sense, until it did. In this episode, Alan reveals the behind-the-scenes battles that shaped Grenade’s bold transition from sports supplements to protein bars, the critical moment one unexp...

How does a former banker end up leading one of the fastest-growing food brands in Europe? For John Eckbert, it started with a magazine cover, a cold email, and a vision that would eventually reshape the fast-casual dining landscape in the UK and beyond. In this episode, John takes us through the unexpected journey that led him to Five Guys, from a bold proposal sent through a website form to...