The Business Elevation Show With Chris Cooper - Be More. Achieve More

Viktor Frankl’s classic ‘Mans Search for Meaning’ focused on love, hope, responsibility, inner freedom, and the beauty found in both nature and art to overcome the most harrowing of experiences. Having endured the pandemic, and now in a rapidly changing world where we often don’t know what to believe, his messages are as valuable as ever. It is in this search for meaning that businesses leaders must change their ways if they are to attract, build and retain highly motivated and loyal employees and suppliers. In return contributing to a better world whilst delivering great financial results. My guest, Blair Singer, is the founder and CEO of the Blair Singer Training Academy, and author of four best-selling books. Blair is an in-demand international public speaker. With teachings spanning 25 countries on five continents, he’s helped hundreds of thousands of individuals and businesses experience unparalleled growth, return on investment and overall happiness. Join us as we discuss Blair’s perspectives on a more

What do you need to consider if you wish to attract venture capital to grow your startup in today’s unqiue global business climate? Jennifer Jordan has spent her career helping entrepreneurs and investors build valuable enterprises and is someone I personally admire for her great wisdom and guidance.. She has extensive experience leading multiple investments across many business sectors. Jennifer has been a Managing Director at Techstars for Barclays’ New York Accelerator and Female Founders First program. As a VC and Vice President of MassVentures, she led the firm’s investments in Ginkgo Bioworks (synthetic biology), ClearGov (data transparency), Spiro.ai (ML and AI that lets salespeople sell), MachineMetrics (industrial IoT for advanced manufacturing), and FairMarkIT (digital procurement). Jennifer is currently a Venture Capital Partner for iGlobe Partners helping unearth, invest and grow startups into Global Leaders. If you are considering setting up a new business or wish to grow a successful venture the

The world and our species are at a critical turning point, and it is down to us as consumers to ensure major businesses change their way of doing business in order to put people and the planet first. The business shareholder primacy model and leadership behaviours must change. Sales Leadership expert Lisa Earle McLeod created the “Noble Purpose” concept and strategy after her research revealed that organizations driven by a Noble Purpose outperformed the market by over 350%. Her bestselling book ‘Selling with Noble Purpose’ has been a game changer across the globe and her expertise has been showcased on the NBC Nightly News, the Today Show, Oprah.com and Good Morning America. A sought-after keynote speaker and author of 4 bestselling books in 4 genres, leadership, sales, personal development and a collection of humour essays. Join us as we discuss our roles as consumers, employees, and leaders in helping business become noble in their people and planet focus and help us shift to a more positive trajectory.

How much more adventure could you add to your life and also the lives of those you connect with? Neil Laughton is a former Royal Marine Commando, helicopter pilot and Special Forces Officer. He is an award-winning entrepreneur and the founding director of the OPL Group (which was sold to a FTSE100), the Penny Farthing Club and Floating Developments – a new concept in luxury floating homes. A life-long adventurer, Neil has organised and led more than 75 expeditions on 7 continents, by land, sea and air and has multiple world records. He summited Mt Everest with Bear Grylls, was the first person to circumnavigate mainland Britain & Ireland on a jet-ski and he piloted the world’s first road legal flying car on a 10,000 km journey from London to Timbuktu including a traverse of the Sahara Desert. Join us to be inspired by Neil’s amazing adventures and positive mindset whilst also considering how you can add more adventure into your own life.

Mark Levy interviewed me recently about ‘keeping your head when others are losing theirs’ and although a great privilege, I needed to turn the tables on Mark as he is one of the smartest people I know! Mark explained to me that he was giving a big talk on ‘Relevancy’ and during 11 years of the show, it was clear to me that this was a great unexplored topic! So what are the different forms of relevancy and how do you ensure when speaking to others, selling or marketing to them that you truly understand what is relevant to them? Such that you get into their mindset? Mark is a brilliant conversationalist, consultant to global brands, iconic TV shows and individuals like Simon Sinek. He has written for the New York Times, is a multiple author, Hall of Fame Consultant, educator and speaker. He also creates magic tricks and shows including co-creating ‘Chamber Magic’ that has run for over two decades and is New York’s highest rated live-show, even higher on TripAdvisor than Hamilton. Join us as we explore Mark’s un

Do your passions and talents balance perfectly with what the world needs and is prepared to pay for? My guest and good friend Jane Hansom epitomises this state of balance beautifully as summarised in the Japanese concept of Ikigai. So how do you make this happen for you or is this just an unreachable dream? In this interview, we will look at how one step at a time Jane’s life and career in London as a busy marketeer became entwined with a passion for long distance triathlon. Nudged reluctantly into entering the London marathon at age 40, over the next 10 years Jane became a world name on the Ironman and Triathlon stage both as an elite competitor and as a business leader. Today, Jane not only sits on the board of the Triathlon Industry Association and The Professional Triathletes Organisation advising government sporting bodies and developing triathlon into a major global sporting series she also now lives in one of the most stunning locations in the world. Join us and consider how you might transition your l

A key premise of this show is that business can be a force for good. I am therefore always keen to interview fascinating guests who demonstrate the power of putting more heart and consciousness into the business world. My guest this week, Andrew Thornton, is an entrepreneur, speaker, author, advisor and coach to business leaders who see that businesses can be a force for good in society. Along with his partner Eudora, he developed the heart way of doing business in his award-winning London supermarket Thornton’s Budgens. Together they founded Heart in Business, whose purpose is to ‘uncover the authentic leader in us all, trusting that profit will follow’. Join us as we explore the lessons and learnings from Andrew’s experience and his book co-written with Eudora Pascall, ‘Putting The Heart Back Into Business – How to place people, planet, and purpose at the core of what you do’.

What truly is winning? Do you still win if you come second in the world, or have you lost? What if you come last or experience a business failure though learn lessons that last a lifetime? Is that a loss or winning in disguise? My guest Dr Cath Bishop is an Olympian, former diplomat, business coach and consultant, and author of ‘The Long Win’, listed in the FT’s Top 10 Business Books 2020. She competed in rowing at 3 Olympic Games, winning World Championships gold in 2003 and Olympic silver in Athens 2004. As a diplomat for the British Foreign Office for 12 years, Cath specialized in policy and negotiations on conflict issues, with postings to Bosnia and Iraq. Cath now works as a leadership consultant, executive coach, facilitator, and author. On this episode of The Business Elevation Show, we’ll discuss the lessons from Cath’s first book ‘The Long Win: the search for a better way to succeed’ described by the Financial Times as ‘a deep and rewarding exploration of human motivation in sport, politics, business

How do you transform your message, offer and model so that you win more clients? I am delighted to welcome back one of my favourite past guests, Dan Kuschell, to the show. Dan describes himself as a Husband, Dad, Serial Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, and Business Growth Specialist. He helps Founders, CEOs and Business Owners (maybe like you) connect the dots, see the blind-spots, and get unstuck ,with his unique Direct Response BrandingTM Methodology by helping you perfect your message, offer, and model so you get more clients daily and have a bigger impact, reach, and contribution. He’s started 11+ companies, coached over 5,000 founders, CEOs, and business owners from over 180 niche industries, 11+ countries, and had many high profile clients and partners. Join us as we explore the changes you may need to make to your message, offer and model to win more clients.

Are you a business owner, sales executive, leader or professional with the desire to create a rapid and sustained increase in their sales, without having to invest a significant amount time or money to do so? If so join us as I talk to sales expert and key note speaker Shawn Casemore, Shawn is the author of The Unstoppable Organization (2017) and his latest book “The Unstoppable Sales Machine” is set to release in August 2022. I first interviewed Shawn back in 2014 and was astonished at the speed that he had built his consultancy business. When most new consultants are taking years to build their practices, Shawn was up and running with multiple clients within just a few weeks. His response to me was ‘well I made a list of all the people I knew including my parents and rang everyone of them in the first month’. Today as a sales expert he teaches his clients techniques to achieve rapid growth like this with spectacular results. So after 8 years, I felt it was about time I invited Shawn on to the show again to

How do you keep your head when others may be losing theirs? I am delighted to have the fascinating Mark Levy on the show again. However, surprised at how he used his sleight of hand mastery to magically turn the tables on me – ‘Chris, we could talk about my experiences, however what everyone needs right now is to understand how you have remained calm in the storm following two failed major surgeries this year’. Mark is a brilliant conversationalist, consultant to global brands, iconic TV shows and individuals like Simon Sinek. He has written for the New York Times, is a multiple author, Hall of Fame Consultant, educator and speaker. He also creates magic tricks and shows including co-creating ‘Chamber Magic’ that has run for over two decades and is New York’s highest rated live-show, even higher on TripAdvisor than Hamilton. So join us as we explore my (Chris Cooper) elevatory health experiences (with Mark leading the interviewing), as well as Mark’s wisdom in keeping your head whilst others may be losing the

Are you holding on to pre-existing beliefs that may be holding back your business, clients or work progress following the current post covid lockdown? My guest, Libby Wagner decided a sabbatical was needed to get her own thoughts in order. With an unsettling world of political division, unsettling media reporting and economic turmoil , Libby wanted to challenge her own thinking and get closer to the truth. This took the form of a solo grand adventure across the United States by Campervan to reflect, write and connect with normal people and discover what was really going on and where beliefs need to shift. Libby is the author of Amazon Best-Seller, The Influencing Option: The Art of Building a Profit Culture in Business and What Will You Do With Your 90,000 Hours? The Boardroom Poet’s Thoughts on Work and three collections of poems. She works with executives to create dramatic, memorable impacts, so they confidently lead their organizations on adventures towards innovative horizons. Her revised thinking is now

Getting things done is a superpower that for most of us requires learning and disciplined practice. What is more when you do you also need the ability to keep moving forward when life’s road blocks throw you off track. For example, I have had an unusually disrupted and unexpected start to my own year with two major surgeries. As I am now getting well again and feel ready to get back firing on all cylinders the timing for this conversation is simply perfect. My guest is my good friend Dr. Steven Levinson the clinical psychologist, author and inventor who has devoted so much of his career to helping people follow through on their own good intentions whilst navigating life’s obstacles. Back in 2015, we co-authored ‘The Power To Get Things Done (Whether You Feel Like It Or Not)’ which was published by Perigee (Penguin Random House New York). Through the book we helped thousands of people to develop this usually untaught discipline. Join us as I catch up with Steve and we revisit lessons from the book and reflecti

Do you want to be a leader that makes a meaningful difference, who opposes injustice and strives to make the world a better place? Are you looking for a more compassionate, caring, loving and servant led way to lead? This week I’m delighted to welcome back inspirational leader Paul Hargreaves who is also a B Corp Ambassador who inspires businesses to make a positive impact on the world. Paul’s main role is as CEO of Cotswold Fayre, a rapidly growing speciality food and drink wholesale business supplying over 1,750 retail sites in the UK. In this interview, we will discuss key lessons from Paul’s excellent book ‘The Fourth Bottom Line’. The book highlights the key qualities of leaders driven by principle, purpose and passion. I personally have really engaged with the book which is set out in short chapters for personal reflection and encourages you to deeply work on qualities that can help you to have a more profound impact on business and the world. Join us for another very insightful interview on the Busines

Ian de Cruz, Global Director of P4G (Partnership for Green Growth and Global Goals by 2020) will joins guest host Gene Early this week to share vision, implementation, and successes from P4G’s contribution to creating a sustainable, global future. Ian will address the question of, “How do you lead by example to make healthy, sustainably-sourced food more available for all; transform our cities into cleaner, healthier places to live and work; reduce global waste and find new ways to use and re-use what we already have?” For him it begins with love. That love has its source in his origin story, a child of a migrant family, and his journey to envisioning a safer, healthier, more inclusive world for himself and others. He’ll share how his history has shaped his identity and prepared him to lead this global effort. He’ll also describe how P4G’s leadership team has directed the incubation and acceleration of more than 70 global partnerships in eight countries and already reduced CO2 emissions by almost 200,000 metr

How can we overcome hardship and setbacks in life and then use that experience and wisdom to make a difference to others? That’s what we will be exploring in this episode with Jillian Haslam, philanthropist, motivational speaker and trainer, who in her work shows others how to derive meaning from their hardships, find grace in adversity, and develop genuine purpose to achieve their destiny. Jillian grew up in the slums of India and her incredible life story of overcoming extreme hardships makes her one of the most inspiring people I have ever met. Her story is now the subject of a new book, “a Voice out of Poverty”, which is soon to be made into a feature film. Join us as we discuss how we can all develop a resilient and irrepressible mind that can help us overcome unimaginable adversity. We’ll also talk about how success can be so much more fulfilling and richer when it focuses on what we can do for others, truly making a difference to other people’s lives. And how lasting that impact we create can be.

How can we build a better more sustainable and equal world through business? My guest Sarah Dusek in my opinion is an extremely inspiring force for good and someone whose humility belies an immense drive for change. Sarah began her career in the non-profit world in her early twenties working in Southern Africa and Southeast Asia on aid projects. Disillusioned at the impact she was having, Sarah moved to the US and set up a glamping company. In 2018, she successfully sold her company, Under Canvas, for more than $100 million and launched Enygma Ventures. Today Sarah has returned to Southern Africa as a venture capitalist and co-founder of Enygma Ventures investing in women-led businesses and creating solutions to wealth disparity and access to capital for women. Her online programmes over the past year have also helped five thousand entrepreneurs to become investor-ready and to learn how to build valuable companies. During this interview, I look forward to exploring Sarah’s inspiring life story and to access w

According to my guest this week Damian Culhane, in uncertain times where your world has changed exponentially, the quicker you can pivot and bounce back then the easier it will be for you to rise above the limitations of your unconscious mind. So how do you become the master of your own mind so that you can make these changes? I am delighted to welcome Damian Culhane to the show as I have thoroughly enjoyed our exchanges around human development and investment after being connected with him in 2021. He is a very experienced non-executive director, master coach and professionally qualified chartered manager with over 30 years’ international experience, and is currently based in Poland. He has worked in multiple sectors delivering results driven talent management programmes, unlocking human potential working with senior stakeholders to amplify performance. He creates and implements learning and development playbooks that tap into the brilliance of teams and is a pod-cast host and author – contributing to three

In September 2021, Neil McCoy-Ward joined me to share his thoughts on the big financial and economic changes that might impact your life and business in the next 10 years. With such valuable insight from Neil and extreme turmoil in the world right now, I am so grateful that he is with me again to help you make better sense of this rapidly changing and daunting world. Neil McCoy-Ward is the Group CEO of the Forward Thinking Group UK who has spent his life since travelling the globe for answers. His career has taken him from highly decorated soldier to an experienced CEO, Investor, financial forecaster, housing market expert and Best-Selling Author. Neil is most well known for his expertise and controversial content in the Finance, Investment & Housing Markets. This work leading to a large social following of over 285K people for his accurate forecasts that have beaten even the largest data and research company forecasts. Join us as we discuss Neil’s unusually accurate and highly researched predictions that

Story telling is a skill I love to explore with business leaders who wish to better engage and influence within my own leadership pro-grammes. Yet story telling is also a hugely valuable skill when it comes to sales performance and I am therefore delighted to be joined by John Livesay aka The Pitch Whisperer. John is a sales keynote speaker, master storyteller and an exceptional former guest on the show. His TEDx talk: Be The Lifeguard of Your Own Life has over 1,000,000 views and his podcast 'The Successful Pitch' is accessed in over 60 countries. John's new book, The Sale Is in the Tale, teaches us how to use storytelling to improve professional and personal relationships. Join us and learn how to take your story telling to a new level to elevate your relationships and results with my fabulous guest John Livesay.