Canny Conversations Podcast by Safaraz Ali MBE

In a special hour-long conversation Saf meets acclaimed war reporter Lynne O’Donnell, who talks about her experiences working in some of the world’s biggest trouble spots including Afghanistan and Iraq. She shares her fears of the knock-on impact of the war in Ukraine and the conversation explores leadership, diversity and education.

In a special hour-long conversation, Saf meets acclaimed war reporter Lynne O’Donnell who talks about her experiences working in some of the world’s biggest trouble spots including Afghanistan and Iraq. 

She shares her fears on the knock-on impact of the war in Ukraine and the conversation touches on leadership, diversity and education.

Born in Australia, Lynne spent a decade working in China before going on to cover the first war in Iraq and then the conflict in Afghanistan from 9/11 to the final hours before the western forces pulled out.

As well as being an award winning journalist and author of the widely acclaimed ‘High tea in Mosul,’ the story of two English women who married Iraq men and lived in that troubled land through the tyranny of Sadam Hussain, Lynne holds a MA in War Studies from the Kings College, London, where she is visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience.

In 2011 Lynne won the Amnesty International Human Rights Press Award for her series of articles about Afghanistan women and in 2017 became a fellow of the Dart Centre at the Colombia Journalism School.

She has studied all over the world including in China and Japan.

Lynne speaks Chinese and Japanese as well as conversational French and Turkish.

In a wide ranging conversation, Saf talks to Lynne about her life in journalism and how ‘a nice girl from sunny Melbourne came to be dogging bullets and bombs in some of the world’s darkest places.’

She talks about how she copes with ‘seeing things people never should have to see’ and why fear is an important part of keeping safe: ‘fear is a sign of intelligent life.’

The role of women and girls in Afghanistan is discussed as is the importance of education. Lynne explains why she does not believe the western involvement in Afghanistan was neither a waste of time or money.

Most businesses hold personal data and a lot of it. This includes data about employees, contractors and customers. Keeping this safe is a must as Safaraz Ali discusses with his guest Chris Woods from the CyberQ group. The cost of not doing so can be devastating both financially and reputationally. In this podcast Saf and Chris look at Cybercrime from the perspective of businesses and larger organisations.

There are many reasons for cybercrime and it can take on different forms.

These can range from organised crime through to discounted employees or former employees looking for revenge. Chris Woods from the CyberQ Group has seen them all. Safaraz Ali whose business interests involve holding large amounts of personal data knows how important security is and tries to build it into the culture of his staff.

Chris reminds listeners that the regulator can fine a business up to five per cent of annual turnover for a data breach. But whilst this is enough to bring executives out in a cold sweat, the reputational damage can be even greater and, in some cases, not only game changing but the end game for businesses that fall foul.

Saf talks about how, like many businesses, cyber security as part of the IT budget has grown in a bid to beat the crooks. 

CyberQ operates in the UK, USA and Asia so Chris shares his experiences as to how businesses in different parts of the world view cybercrime. He tells of how in some cases the risk and seriousness of being a victim is too often not understood until too late. The idea that prevention is better than cure is very applicable to internet security. Stress testing and seeing how secure a customers’ systems are is a big part of what CyberQ does.
As a chief executive and company chairman, Saf wants his businesses to be safe but also able to operate efficiently with the minimum of inconvenience to staff, suppliers and customers. They talk about getting the balance right. 

Staff can often be the weakest link in a security protocol, sometimes because they are malicious but often through carelessness or because they have not been given proper training. The podcasts provide important guidance for businesses from start-ups to multinationals.

Safraz Ali is joined by Chris Woods from the CyberQ Group to talk about keeping safe in the digital world. This is a must listen for tips about how to avoid being another victim of cybercrime. The conversation is full of practical tips that lift the lid on the myth that cyber criminals are always fiendishly clever crooks with brains the size of Jupiter operating from China or Russia. They are more likely to be chancers that prey on human vulnerability and there are some basic steps to keep them out as Chris shares with Saf.

Cybercrime is big with hundreds of thousands of cases in the UK each year and that is those that are reported, many are not.

Safaraz Ali is joined by Chris Woods from CyberQ group to provide a not to be missed guide on the best ways of keeping safe.

They lift the lid on this digital criminality and explode the myth that cyber criminals are all fiendishly clever people with brains the size of Jupiter. There is no one size fits all for a cyber crook and in many cases, they are chancers who take advantage of human vulnerability. Saf shares his experience of having been a victim and tells of not just the inconvenience but the stress that also follows. The podcast provides reasons to hope because in many cases it is possible to protect against becoming a victim, often by following some basic rules and knowing what the reg flags are to recognise and keep away from danger. An important message is to be careful with social media because information can be used by crooks to build a profile that can then be used to lull someone into a false sense of security and gain access.

Digital technology allows people to operate on the move and whilst this can bring many benefits it also involves risks, especially when away from the home or office and using public networks. Cybercrime is on the increase, and this is unlikely to change anytime soon but this broadcast can help to stay one step ahead and avoid the misery that comes with being hacked and having vital data compromised.

Safaraz Ali has been bringing people together for two decades with different networking initiatives. He is joined by Dr Richard Fallon, a scientist by training but now running a business that brings people together. He has set up and leads the technology supply chain that supports the technology sector in Birmingham and the West Midlands. Saf and Richard talk about networks, both formal and informal. They share their own experiences and tips about how to engage. The message from both of them is that good networks are about much more than people selling to each other.

A conversation about how to bring people together has Safaraz Ali and his guest Dr Richard Fallon sharing their experiences of networking. Many years ago, Safaraz learned that ‘one size does not fit all’ and that is why he has set up a number of different groups to meet different needs. He talks about the thinking behind ‘Coffee and Natter’ and ‘Chutney and Chat.’

Richard is a scientist by training with a PhD in photonics. He has moved into marketing, especially in the technology sector and heads the Birmingham Supply Chain initiative.

For both Saf and Richard, establishing trust is vital to every network and so is an understanding of concepts like USP. Richard tells the story about how an accountancy firm told him that there USP was doing a good job and being nice people. He points out that given that being incompetent and unpleasant are not characteristics most people want in an accountant, this is hardly a USP.

Saf and Richard consider both formal networks such as BNI and informal networks like a golf club. They agree that there is a place for both. The conversation also turns to how technology is changing networking with an increasing use of platforms like zoom, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It might be easy to think that networking is a recent invention, but it has been happening since the dawn of time. People meeting each other, finding more about each other and building a relationship based on trust are the foundations of every good network.

Richard and Saf also stress the value of networks not just in selling products and services but sharing experience, mutual learning and in some cases just ‘providing a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to cry on.’

Dr Richard Fallon has a PhD in photonics so who better to join Saf to throw light on technology? They talk about the transition of Birmingham and the West Midlands from one built upon traditional heavy engineering to innovative enterprises based upon the use of technology. He tells Saf that great things are happening in the region and the two men look into the future and what further changes can be expected in the coming years. Safaraz talks about how he is increasingly using technology in his businesses to increase efficiency and effectiveness. 

The West Midlands is a region transformed with technology driving much of that change.

Safaraz Ali is joined by Dr Richard Fallon to review the state of play in Birmingham and the West Midlands. Dr Fallon, who has a PhD in photonics, shines a light on some of the good things that are happening in the region.

When Saf’s father came to Birmingham from Pakistan the economy was based upon traditional heavy engineering and automotive. In a changing world the region has had to reinvent itself and Richard and Saf share their views on how successful this has been.

Safaraz talks of how technology is being used to make his businesses more efficient and effective whilst Richard says that technology is increasingly being used to undertake more mundane activities leaving people with more time to be inventive and creative.

Richard tells how an ‘interest in how things work’ was the driver behind his decision to follow a scientific career albeit through the traditional university route. Safaraz, a champion of apprenticeships, sets out the opportunities for people to get into science and technology through the apprentice route. They agree that there is a huge need for skilled workers but also share a view that the definition of ‘skills’ is too narrow and includes work like HGV driving. Dr Fallon discusses how there are many different skills like good communications and people management that are transferable across sectors.

They conclude that technology is important but not for its own sake but as an engine of economic prosperity, job creation and wellbeing.

Technology and the Covid pandemic forms part of the conversation with a shared view that despite the awful consequences of the virus, it has been an accelerator with more people now tech savvy than before the arrival of the coronavirus in early 2020.

Safaraz Ali is in conversation with Paul Cadman, Professor of Entrepreneurship at Birmingham City University, on the topic of ‘Giving Back and the importance of ‘Corporate Social Responsibility.’ Paul is recognised for his charitable fund raising for many good causes including St Basil’s that works with homeless young people and ‘Acorns’ that runs children’s hospices across the West Midlands, supporting children with life limiting illnesses and their families, to name but two. Safaraz believes it is vital for businesses to give back to local communities and talks about how he and his companies do this.

Giving back is something that businesses have being doing for decades with companies like Cadbury, a classic example in Birmingham

For this conversation about the importance of ‘Corporate Social responsibility’ Saf is joined by Paul Cadman. Paul is known for his fund raising for many good causes including St Basil’s that works with homeless young people and ‘Acorns’ that runs children’s hospices across the West Midlands, supporting children with life limiting illnesses and their families, to name but two.

He is also Professor of Entrepreneurship at Birmingham City University and does a lot of work to bring charity and business together. He makes the point that a successful relationship between a charity and a business will always be a ‘two-way street’ with both sides gaining.

Paul and Saf talk about the huge problem in deciding which of the many good causes to support. They consider some of the criteria that businesses should look at when deciding which good causes to help.

Both men also challenge the view that charities can at times let Government ‘off the hook’ by providing support that it can be argued is the responsibility of the state.

Saf and Paul share their own experiences of how supporting charities can provide valuable exposure for business and also give staff an opportunity to gain experience.

With Paul and Saf both coming from humble beginnings in the less well-off parts of Birmingham, they share a view of the importance of people who can, giving something back. They talk about the value of supporting good causes at grass roots as well as international charities and make the point that giving does not always have to be about just money but can include knowledge, time and effort. The message is that everyone can give something and in giving they will receive more than they might expect.

 | Safaraz Ali and Professor Paul Cadman who is Professor of Entrepreneurship at Birmingham City University are in conversation about awards. They share their experience of Award programmes and discuss the role that they play in encouraging business and celebrating success.  With many years of experience as an award winner, judge and event’s organiser, Saf has seen awards from all angles, He was head judge at the Birmingham Awards and a judge of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards amongst others.  As a judge, Safaraz talks about the kind of things needed of a winner and lifts the lid on the huge amount of work that goes into organising a successful event.  

The second series of the Canny Conversations Podcast closes with Safaraz retracing his steps and reflecting upon the many topics and issues that have been covered.

It will remind listeners to be clear what they mean by best and the challenges of scaling a business.

People are central to success and the series has looked at behaviours and why some people are more in need of validation than others.

Then there is the desire for perfection and how this can be a curse that holds back progress.

Networking is such a huge topic that two episodes are given to examining this and providing pointers.

Improving performance is often not about the ‘big idea’ but utilising the power of marginal gains and this is discussed at length with examples.

There is no apology for revisiting and taking a fresh look at recruitment including some ideas from ‘left field’ as to how bias can be eliminated from the process.

The importance of making good decisions and taking time is also covered and in the last but one episode there is a debate about what the most important features of giving a business a solid foundation should be.

Safaraz also deals with the pressures of business life and how it is important to try to make things a little ‘less crazy’ as well as a discussion of the issues of physical and mental health.

All of these form part and parcel of the reflective process that will also include dealing with the comments and observations of listeners.

Safaraz has looked at business from many angles, the trials and also the rewards. He believes the entrepreneurial spirit still burns strong as is his determination to continue to make a difference.

It is not for nothing that he has labelled himself ‘the MAD’ (make a difference) Social Entrepreneur. Hopefully, this series will have helped those considering following him and also those already on their way.

The Canny Conversations Podcast by Safaraz Ali where he shares his insights and experiences on subjects such as social entrepreneurship, having a growth mindset and getting the best out of people.

Safaraz Ali is also the author of Canny Bites books, the latest being: Attract, Retain and Grow your people to grow your business. Here he breaks down what you need to do to get the right people, keep and engage them, develop, and build your team to create a high-performance culture for sustainable business growth. 

Journalist Adrian Kibbler speaks to Safaraz and after the feedback & success of series 1, we are now into our second series. Chasing perfection is the same as chasing rainbows, whereas often ‘good enough is good enough. It could be said that anyone who goes into business must be a bit crazy. Maybe, but this should not be the default position. No business is risk free, but risk needs to me calculated and minimised

These are just some of the things that social entrepreneur and author Safaraz (Saf) Ali shares in the second series of conversations with journalist Adrian Kibbler.

The topics covered in these conversations include: How to Scale? Imperfect Perfection, Lets talk recruitment and Make Haste Slowly amongst others.

For Saf the Canny Conversation podcast is a logical next step, taking his insights, and experiences and packaging it in audio bites of business wisdom with context and background.

These are not a series of lectures on business theory but practical and simplified advice with insights from someone who has worked at senior levels in the private and public sectors, regarded