Mentor

What happens when a top media executive walks away from it all at 50 and heads for the jungle? In this episode of Mentor, Marco Bertozzi and Rachel Ford sit down with the one and only Andy Hart, former Global CRO at Hearst, Microsoft VP, and now... Shamanic. Andy takes us on a journey from running national newspapers to exploring shamanic rituals, Burning Man revelations, and redefining leadership. He shares raw reflections on burnout, ego, learning to let go, and the power of living with intention.

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Produced by Viral Tribe Entertainment: https://viraltribe.co.uk/

Chapters

02:14 Career in 60 Seconds – From VNU to Microsoft

04:46 Digital Transformation & Burnout at the Mail

06:22 Climbing at Microsoft and the Power of Leadership Training

07:35 Quitting at 50 – The Groucho Club Revelation

08:56 Is He Brilliant or Bonkers? Breaking Free from the Corporate Matrix

10:21 Spiritual Awakening, Burning Man & Saying Yes

12:47 Shamandi Is Born – Tribes, Ayahuasca & the Matrix Unplugged

14:11 Helping vs. Fixing – A New Definition of Leadership

15:00 Parenting, Mentorship & Giving Space

17:30 Get Out of Your Own Way – Lessons from INSEAD & Coaching

18:57 Drive-by Shootings & Leadership Blind Spots

21:17 The What, How, When & Where of Maturing as a Leader

22:39 What Would You Tell a 25-Year-Old Today?

27:44 Biggest F*-Up: The Simply Switch Acquisition

31:03 Mentors Who Shaped Andy’s Life – From Shamans to Steve Myron

33:23 Finding Mentors Today – Just Ask

34:17 Spiritual Timing & Clearing Space

35:35 Are You a Whippy? (Well-Off Hippy)

36:14 Marco’s Story – When Shamandi’s Advice Sparked a Business

37:48 Words Are Spells: Mitzvahs, Karma & Bitcoin

39:23 Andy’s Final Advice: The Four Agreements + Trust the Process

43:34 Hydration, Delegation & the Power of a Pause

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Mentor is the podcast where industry heavyweights share the lessons they’ve learned on the road to leadership. Hosted by Marco Buzzozi and Rachel Forde, this week’s episode features Rak Patel — Chief Commercial Officer at Channel 4. From his early days cold-calling at Drapers to leading sales teams at Spotify, Rak opens up about authenticity, diversity, and the power of just doing the thing in front of you.

https://www.tiktok.com/@thezoo.london

https://www.instagram.com/thezoo.london/

https://thezoo.london

Produced by Viral Tribe Entertainment: https://viraltribe.co.uk/

Chapters:

00:00 – Channel 4, Gen Z & The Lost Boys Report

04:18 – Rak Patel’s Career in 60 Seconds

11:41 – Diversity, Representation & Why It Can’t Be a Tick Box

18:24 – Leading Through Uncertainty

22:04 – Biggest Career Mess-Up (And What It Taught Him)

26:53 – Role Models & Masculinity

31:06 – What Real Sales Leadership Looks Like

37:30 – Best Advice He Ever Got (From His Wife)

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Claudine Collins – Chief Client Officer at EssenceMediacom UK and the no-nonsense interviewer from BBC’s The Apprentice – joins Rachel and Marco to talk about what 30 years in advertising have taught her. From building bulletproof client relationships to hiring on instinct, Claudine shares the career lessons that shaped her, the value of mentorship, and the one big thing she wishes she’d done differently.

https://www.tiktok.com/@thezoo.london

https://www.instagram.com/thezoo.london/

https://thezoo.london

Produced by Viral Tribe Entertainment: https://viraltribe.co.uk/

Chapters

1:18 — Meet Claudine Collins - From EssenceMediacom to The Apprentice

2:57 — 12 Years Interviewing for The Apprentice: What It’s Really Like

4:34 — 30 Years in Media: How Claudine Stayed and Thrived

7:30 — The Secret to Great Client Relationships

9:42 — Little Gestures, Big Impact: Donuts, Birthdays, and Loyalty

11:06 — Why Claudine Never Switched to Sales or Client Side

13:16 — Mentorship, Cheerleaders, and Supporting Young Talent

17:04 — The Advice Claudine Wishes She’d Heard Earlier

20:37 — Work-Life Culture Then vs. Now: What’s Missing?

24:44 — Why Being in the Office Still Matters

26:38 — Spotting Leadership in Seconds

28:14 — Real-World Hiring: Gut Instinct vs. Resume

32:39 — Claudine’s Biggest Career Mistake (and the Trolls Who Came for Her)

39:38 — Steel with Pride: The Story That Changed Her Leadership Style

44:31 — The Power of Playing to Your Strengths

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MENTOR is a podcast that gives a platform to successful senior executives to share their lived experiences, career lessons, and personal stories.

Hosted by founders Rachel Forde and Marco Bertozzi of TheZoo.London and produced by leading podcast network Viral Tribe, each episode offers relaxed yet insightful conversations with top industry leaders.

Launches on 28th May 2025.

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