Natural Genius: Deep Conversations. Meaningful Lives.

What happens when you are suddenly made redundant and need to rebuild confidence, momentum, and direction?

In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with Via Tendon about redundancy, rebuilding confidence, and the generosity that can unite and support people during uncertain career moments.

After being made redundant, Via began openly sharing her job-search journey on LinkedIn. What started as a simple act of honesty quickly resonated with many people navigating similar experiences. Her posts became a way to reduce isolation, share practical insights, and help others regain momentum in their careers.

Drawing on over a decade leading brand and content teams across global agencies and in-house organisations, Via reflects on the emotional realities of job searching, the value of community support, and the importance of developing personal agency when navigating change.

This is a conversation about kindness, professional courage, and how people can develop their career agency.

This episode explores
• Redundancy and the psychological impact of unexpected career disruption
• Why honesty during a job search can create connection and community
• Developing personal agency when navigating career uncertainty
• Practical approaches to networking, learning, and rebuilding momentum
• Paying forward the generosity of mentors, peers, and communities

Guest links
• Via Tendon
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vtendon/ “I'm here to support early to mid-career people navigate their careers, especially post-redundancy. My four resources and network for careers:”
• Amelia Schubach (Via’s Career Coach)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amelia-schubach/
• Gaurav Valani
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravvalani/
• Hilary Gridley - Be a Supermanager (with AI)
https://maven.com/hilary-gridley/ai-powered-people-management
• Wes Kao – Executive Communication and Influence
https://maven.com/wes-kao/executive-communication-influence
• Via's Metta Play
https://www.instagram.com/mettaplay
• A great job-hunting video Sam has shared a lot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L02GcDC76I&list=FLD0D7bPli784tcwmLIaYbQg&index=20

Chapters
00:00 What Happens When You’re Made Redundant
02:55 Why Via Shared Her Job Hunt Publicly on LinkedIn
06:40 The Community Support That Changed Everything
10:30 Rebuilding Confidence After Losing a Job
16:40 Networking and Learning During a Job Search
22:00 Developing Career Agency During Uncertainty
28:30 Paying Forward Help to Others Navigating Redundancy

Explore further
Book a Lab: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Subscribe to hear future episodes.

Credits
Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Peregian Beach and Melbourne, 27 February 2026
Produced at the Violet Town and Peregian Beach offices, 27 February - 10 March 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au 

In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with Pete Williams about action, experimentation, and creating constant progress.

Pete Williams has spent more than three decades working at the intersection of technology, innovation, and business transformation. He began working with internet technologies in 1993 and founded Deloitte Australia’s eBusiness Consulting group in 1996, which later evolved into Deloitte Digital. Today he is Chief Edge Officer at Deloitte’s Centre for the Edge, where he explores how emerging technologies and societal shifts are shaping the future of business and institutions. Alongside his work with large organisations, Pete has co-founded and supported a number of startups including Packform, and has contributed extensively to community initiatives including bushfire recovery efforts across Australia and education initiatives in Papua New Guinea.

This conversation moves through Pete’s philosophy of action, the importance of simply picking up the phone when something needs to happen, and the idea of paying forward knowledge and help across communities. Pete also shares why he believes AI represents a profound shift in how humans access and use knowledge, comparing its impact to the early internet, and potentially far beyond.

This is a practical conversation about leadership, technology, community responsibility, and getting meaningful things done quickly.

This episode explores:
• The simple leadership habit: just pick up the phone
• Action over words and stepping forward when nobody knows what to do
• The “pay it forward” mindset in disaster recovery and community leadership
• Why prototypes matter more than PowerPoints
• Experimenting through doing rather than endless planning
• Lessons from rebuilding communities after Black Saturday
• Building startups that focus on real problems and real customers
• AI as a profound shift in knowledge access and human capability
• Why the biggest risk with AI may simply be laziness
• Kindness, responsibility, and leadership in uncertain times

Guest links:
• Pete Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexster/ 
• Lifetimes: https://lifetimes.co/
• Packform: https://www.packform.com/ 
• Jack Growden, Founder of LiteHaus International (education initiative in Papua New Guinea) https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-growden-355542161/ and https://litehausinternational.org/
• From Pete “This article might be useful for people struggling with approaching Ai. It was co author with Peter Evans-Greenwood and Kellie Nuttall” https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/talent/rethinking-future-of-work-models-to-predict-the-unpredictable.html 

Chapters:
02:30 Indigenous art, heritage, and community connection
06:00 Black Saturday and entering disaster recovery work
11:30 “Just pick up the phone” — lessons from Greensburg, Kansas
17:00 Action over words and stepping forward when nobody knows what to do
24:00 Building startups: prototypes not PowerPoints
30:00 Packform and redesigning the packaging supply chain
36:00 AI as a new knowledge superpower
45:00 The biggest risk of AI: laziness
52:00 Social media, technology cycles, and what actually matters
58:00 Kindness, leadership, and paying it forward

Explore further:
Book a Lab: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Subscribe to hear future episodes.

Credits:
Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Violet Town and North of Melbourne, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung lands, 4 March, 2026
Produced at the Violet Town and Benalla offices, 4 - 8 March, 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with Gina Rembe about testing what works, pragmatic systems and process design, and creating structural change that holds.

Gina is Head of Human & Organisational Development at ProjectTogether in Berlin, leading complex, cross-sector transformation initiatives. Her career spans Associate Director of Human-Centered Design at PwC New Zealand, systems-intervention leadership at Lifehack, and deep involvement with Enspiral’s global network. She has led youth mental health innovation, circular futures initiatives, large-scale stakeholder processes, and experience design across government, construction, and social impact sectors.

Drawing on more than a decade of systems work across Europe, Australia, and Aotearoa New Zealand, Gina reflects on what actually creates durable impact: testing and iterating, designing strong containers, shaping pragmatic next steps, and building relationships that outlast projects.

This is a conversation about structural ambition grounded in practice, community resilience in uncertain times, and why scrappy prototypes can become lasting systems.

This episode explores:

• Process design as craft: shaping invitations, containers, and stakeholder journeys 
• Pragmatism in complex systems: test, iterate, build on what resonates
• Prototypes, stories, and output as communication tools
• Youth wellbeing innovation and open-source resources that continue to ripple years later
• Scrappy prototypes and communication to provide vision, structural ambition, and learning through “loose” systems
• Enspiral’s networked model and long-term community development
• Experience design and adding delight to serious work
• Impossible projects, limited budgets, and making them real
• Geopolitics, civic responsibility, and strengthening local community ties
• Relationships first: lessons from New Zealand about connection before agenda

Guest links

• Gina Rembe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-rembe-3a607014/
• Enspiral: https://www.enspiral.com/
• The youth wellbeing innovation initiative – Lifehack: https://lifehackhq.co
• Dan Burgess and Good for Nothing: https://goodfornothing.co
• Maggie Doyne @ the DO Lectures: https://thedolectures.com/speakers/maggie-doyne/

Chapters

03:08 Choosing mission-driven challenges and structural change
07:42 Testing, building prototypes and using stories as communication tools
11:38 DO Lectures Wales and life-changing moments
14:26 Family lineage, craft, and mediation
16:47 Slowing down and ‘relationships-first’ in New Zealand
24:19 Building community intentionally in Berlin
27:23 Long-term networked impact with Enspiral and Lifehack (youth mental health), and open-source innovation
33:30 Scrappy systems, governance tensions, and learning by doing
40:24 Experience design, adding delight to retreats and spaces of care
48:28 Impossible projects and doing more with less
51:14 Digital lightness vs real-world weight
52:30 Neighbours, local resilience, and small acts of community

Explore further

Book a Lab: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Subscribe to hear future episodes.

Credits

Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Violet Town and Berlin, 1 February, 2026
Produced at the Violet Town and Peregian Beach offices, 1 February - 3 March, 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with Vasu (Vasudevan) Sreenidhi about building meaningful success in high-pressure environments, aligning growth with integrity, and creating education systems that serve students, families, and partners with dignity.

Vasu leads the B2B India business and global MBBS vertical at MetaApply, working with thousands of recruitment agencies, universities, and institutional partners to make international education more aligned, transparent, and effective. With over a decade across training, operations, strategic partnerships, and overseas education platforms including AcadFly and Adventus, he brings a practitioner’s lens to scale, trust, and decision-making in complex systems.

This is a practical, grounded conversation about bringing heart to work, being aware of the impact on others and having integrity, while creating business success.

This episode explores:

• Choosing family over prestige, including turning down a top-tier US business school offer
 • The Indian “pressure cooker” and how comparison becomes a treadmill
 • Detachment from outcomes and staying devoted to effort
 • Building scalable international education systems grounded in trust and clarity
 • Aligning students, universities, and recruitment partners without losing human judgment
 • Clarity for students, teams, and families when stakes feel high
 • Parenting, perspective, and the dignity of everyday work
 • Appreciation as fuel: reducing burnout and reinforcing what matters
 • Faith across traditions and the practice of being human
 • A question worth returning to: are you building something impressive or something meaningful?

Guest links

• Vasu (Vasudevan) Sreenidhi: https://in.linkedin.com/in/sreenidhi-vasudevan

Chapters

02:40 Ambition and peace, putting family first and the comparison treadmill
06:09 Parenting as a teacher: life is lived while you figure it out
10:39 Detachment from outcomes, devotion to effort, and “upgrade time”
12:49 Building international education systems with dignity, trust, and access
18:09 The reality of global education sales, sector change, and increasing student confusion
27:35 India: delivery riders, teachers, wealth, and perspective
30:46 Faith across traditions and the practice of being human
35:18 Appreciation: invisibility, uncertainty, fatigue, and ambition with gratitude

Explore further

Book a Lab: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Subscribe to hear future episodes.

Credits

Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Terang and Telangana, India, 1 February, 2026
Produced at the Violet Town and Peregian Beach offices, 1 February – 2 March, 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with leadership practitioner, systems designer, and PhD candidate Em Roblin about thriving as vitality and learning, and flourishing as something we build together across an ecosystem.

Em works at moments of transition, when something new is emerging. She has over two decades of experience across thirty countries and has designed and facilitated transformational leadership programs for multinationals, venture capital firms, startup ecosystems, and business schools. Her work spans inclusive leadership, cross-cultural collaboration, thriving cultures in frontier environments, and learning ecosystems designed for adaptive capacity.

Em is also a PhD candidate in Transformative Studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies and a Fellow of the International Humanistic Management Association, bridging rigorous transdisciplinary research with co-creative practice.

In this conversation, Em shares what she is learning through deep work, research, and facilitation, including what it looks like to design playful, low-risk spaces where people can practise leadership in complexity, sense what is needed, and learn in real time.

Together, they explore the new "Flourishing Lab", the “hold the inquiry” stance, cultural unicorns who lift communities, and how we can shift from envy into celebration as part of building healthy cultures.

This episode explores:
• Thriving as vitality and learning
• Why achievement can still feel like stagnation
• Flourishing in an ecosystem: “If you’re not alright, can I be alright?”
• Deep work as a habit in family and client ecosystems
• The Flourishing Lab: leadership simulation practice, reflection, and integration
• “What is this situation asking of me now?”
• Flourishing in complexity: uncertainty, paradox, and staying human
• Cultural unicorns: people who see, hear, and lift others in ways that build health
• Turning envy into celebration and path-trust, as a leadership capacity

Guest links:
• Em Roblin (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/emroblin/
• Em Roblin (Website): https://www.emroblin.com/
• Em's news: https://emroblin.substack.com/
• Flourishing Lab (2-day workshop): https://luma.com/zamnd95h
• Dawn’s Cultural Unicorns X Post: https://x.com/dawninthewild/status/2024007977402069436?s=46
• Learn your Principles You archetype: https://principlesyou.com/ 

Chapters:
01:19 Thriving vs flourishing: vitality, learning, and the ecosystem lens
06:10 Deep work as a habit, and the real constraints of family and clients
10:24 Designing conditions to flourish at Network School with PrinciplesYou
18:08 Playful simulations, change, and reflection as a learning engine
21:10 Leaving day one “unfinished”, and why integration takes time
27:13 Holding the inquiry, dancing the edge of growth without getting hurt
29:10 Otto Scharmer, transforming business education, and humanistic leadership
34:33 Cultural unicorns: seeing, hearing, and lifting others as community currency
40:39 Crafting your own conditions for thriving in chaotic times

Explore further:
Book a Lab: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Subscribe to hear future episodes.

Credits:
Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Peregian Beach and Bali, 19 February, 2026
Produced at the Peregian Beach and Sunshine Motorway offices, 19 February - 1 March, 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with Jacqui Simpson about backing yourself as a commercial generalist, human-centred leadership, and believing you can “work stuff out” in complex environments.

Jacqui brings over thirty years of senior business, people and culture experience, and more recently as a business co-owner. 

Jacqui shares stories from major transformation work across Australia and internationally, and reflects on how clarity is often created through prioritisation, discernment, and staying close to the people who will live with the outcome. Together, they explore successful transformation across corporates and SMEs, technology-enabled progress, and what becomes possible when leaders combine instinct with disciplined execution.

This episode explores:

• Confidence from being a generalist who can “work stuff out”
• Cross-cultural teams, belonging, and what great collaboration can feel like
• Change anchored in human context that works
• Commercial leadership grounded in lived experience
• The role of intuition, discernment, and “knowing where something comes from” in leadership decisions
• Staying focused on what matters when you are stretched thin
• Ultra-distance paddle-boarding, dark training and steady commitment
• Parenting as a mirror and learning through relationship

Guest Links:

• Jacqui Simpson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-g-simpson2023/

Chapters:

01:30 Courageous women skiers and taking on scary challenges to learn fast
07:20 Stoicism, beyond a perfect facade, and achieving balance for performance
10:27 Strategy, tactics, and focusing on the valuable  “big rocks”  for the business
19:00 The opportunity for People and Culture people and being a straight shooter
22:01 The human differentiator, AI agents and asking instinctual questions
37:43 Standup paddle-boarding, competitions and sharks
44:34 Being constantly courageous, constantly pushing yourself out of your comfort zone
51:54 Surprising ourselves with achieving physically and setting yourself up for the day
53:18 Parenting teens and the delight on the other side of it

Explore further:

Book a Lab: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Subscribe to hear future episodes.

Credits:

Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Violet Town and Auckland, 4 February, 2026
Produced at the Peregian Beach and Sunshine Motorway offices, 4 - 24 February, 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with David Stancel about teaching complex ideas clearly, building practical tools with AI, and designing infrastructure that supports individuals gaining freedom and sovereignty over their lives.

David is an educator, entrepreneur, advisor and founder of Polystate.io.  He's spent the last 12 years in crypto, initially researching and then building infrastructure for financial freedom. He first had a failed crypto startup, then successful Fumbi, the market leader for Czech and Slovak Republic crypto investing then CorkProtocol, backed by a16z. Drawing on his work in crypto education, network states, and remote-first systems, in this conversation, David reflects on teaching, his entrepreneurial experiences, and why grounded thinking matters at the edge of technology.

This conversation is about digital literacy, autonomy, and building thoughtfully with emerging tools.

This episode explores
• A simple explanation of Bitcoin, blockchain, and why it matters
• Teaching as translation and credibility
• AI tools for building faster, learning faster, and shipping more often
• Polystate.io and infrastructure for digital nomads
• Building tools for digital nomads, for autonomy and mobility

Guest links
• David: https://davidstancel.com/
• Learn about crypto and network states with David: https://davidstancel.com/slides
• David's news https://davidstancel.substack.com
• David’s latest company: https://polystate.io/
• Coin Story, David's book: https://coinstory.tech/
• Cursor: https://cursor.com
• VS Code: https://vscode.dev/
• Replit: https://replit.com/
• Loveable: https://loveable.dev/
• Network School: https://ns.com

Chapters
3:06 Teaching crypto clearly
7:40 Beginner-friendly definition of blockchain and Bitcoin
13:44 Building community and belonging through inspired events
18:40 Ninety million digital nomads, autonomy and building Polystate.io
22:00 Solo time: writing a book on Madeira Island, deep work and getting things done
25:07 The future skill: getting fluent with AI tools and AI use cases
27:40 App-building stack: IDEs, Claude Cowork, VS Code, Cursor, Replit, and Loveable

Explore further
Book a Lab: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Subscribe to hear future episodes.

Credits
Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Melbourne and Network School, January 22, 2026
Produced at the Travancore, Violet Town, Peregian and Sunshine Motorway offices, 26 January - 22 February, 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with Jen Goss about food as care, teaching cooking through doing, and creating systems that help people look after themselves and each other.

Drawing on Jen’s experience across hospitality, catering, and building the charity Cegin y Bobl (The People’s Kitchen), this conversation explores practical capability, community resilience, and the quiet leadership of feeding people well. Jen reflects on education, curriculum reform, and how cooking restores confidence, agency, and belonging.

This is a conversation about nourishment, systems thinking in education, and the everyday practices that strengthen communities.

This episode explores

• Food as a practice of attention, care, and belonging
• Teaching practical skills that restore confidence
• Cooking as agency and companionship
• Rethinking education curriculum and real-world capability
• Building community kitchens and systems that support everyday life
• The dishes and places that carry memory and meaning

Guest links
• Jen Goss: https://www.ourtwoacres.co.uk
• Cegin y Bobl: https://ceginybobl.co.uk
• The Do Lectures (watch a talk, apply to attend): https://thedolectures.com/events/do-wales/
• Welsh blankets, Sian and fforest: https://www.instagram.com/coldatnight/
• The delicious cheese store, Ultracomida: https://www.ultracomida.co.uk/page/venues/aberystwyth  

Jen’s books

• Do Preserve https://thedobook.co/products/do-preserve-make-your-own-jams-chutneys-pickles-cordials
• Do Smoke https://thedobook.co/products/do-smoke-a-modern-guide-to-cooking-and-curing

Chapters
03:00 Creating food for many, simple curation and beauty
09:30 The simple omelet and how food gathers people
14:10 Community kitchens and collaborating to cook for the masses
19:30 Teaching cooking to children and teachers, transforming communities 
34:00 Delegation, favourite dishes and wild, wintry West Wales

Explore further
Book a Lab: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Subscribe to hear future episodes.

Credits
Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Melbourne and Wales, 22 January, 2026
Produced at the Travencore, Violet Town, Langwarrin and Peregian offices, 26 January - 20 February, 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with Iris Ray Nunn about deep listening, attunement to nature, and remembering what we already know.

Iris's background spans social entrepreneurship, clinical aromatherapy and body-work, activism, growing businesses and more recently regularly guiding at Uluru, one of the sacred sites at the centre of Australia. 

This is a welcoming and spacious conversation about sensing, slowing down, and reconnecting with the intelligence within. Iris guides us through deep listening practices, nature-based awareness, and presence.

This episode explores
• Deep listening as a way of knowing
• Nature as an intelligent collaborator, when we tune in
• Sensory awareness and embodied perception in nature
• Intuition and the unique, inner signal
• Creating space for emerging insight 

Guest links
• Iris Ray Nunn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irisraynunn/
• Deep Listening to Nature: https://www.deeplisteningtonature.com/contact
• Deep Listening to Nature Retreats (individual / group / team): https://www.instagram.com/reels/DVZpNsDkrZz/
• Latest updates via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deeplisteningtonature and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/deeplistening2nature
• 10,000 AMEND https://www.facebook.com/AncientMotherEarthNewDreaming
• Words from Iris: “Learn rare, simple deep listening skills that awaken an embodied knowing of our belonging in Nature. Skills which can be easily shared with family and friends to bring greater peace and comfort in our world.
If you would like to know more about how you can help young Anangu mothers in their self employment efforts at Uluru, please get in touch."
All welcome to send a request or private message to https://www.facebook.com/iris.r.nunn 

Chapters
02:10 Iris’ childhood in the Gap, Brisbane, by the Enoggera Creek
07:20 The influence of water and nature
13:00 Uluru, ngangkari, healers and wisdom of elders
17:18 The origin of the Aṉangu and animal and plant family
21:30 The present moment, Aṉangu learning and sacred site insights
37:00 Finding the wild spirit through book writing
46:00 Having courage to go beyond the comfort zone and dropping fear

Explore further
Book a Lab: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Subscribe to hear future episodes.

Credits
Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Peregian Beach and Crabbes Creek, 16 February, 2026
Produced at the Peregian Beach office, 17-18 February, 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with Nick Jaffe about focus, responsibility, and designing a life that is both enjoyable and exacting.

Drawing on Nick’s experiences as a freelance photographer, filmmaker, sailor, overlander, craftsman, writer, builder, entrepreneur, surfer, and dad, this conversation explores hyper-focus, tolerance for discomfort, and how life changes with responsibility for others.

This is an honest conversation about agency, endurance, and choosing how to live well. 

This episode explores

• Hyper-focus and decisive execution
• Designing life for freedom and readiness
• Responsibility as a clarifier
• Risk, endurance, and tolerance for discomfort
• Activism, privacy, and moral seriousness
• Building work and products that last

Guest links

• Nick Jaffe: https://www.nickjaffe.com.au
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nick_jaffe
• YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NickJaffe
• Kohutt™ - Nick's Australian-made goods label https://kohutt.com.au
• Kohutt Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kohutt.workshop
• "The Years of Thunder" by Nick Jaffe https://www.nickjaffe.com.au/book

Chapters
02:20 Hyper-focus, full commitment, and getting things done
06:20 The best life experience: children
08:04 Designing an interesting life
15:34 Flow, Federation Square, privacy, and partnerships
19:10 Privacy, apps, and AI agents
23:00 Wild surfing, remote Tasmania, and secret lagoon barrels
34:00 Readiness, opportunity, fool-hardiness, and being lucky
38:04 Circumnavigation, big ambitions, and containerised efficiency
42:00 Establishing Kohutt™ and building heirloom, outdoor gear

Explore further

Book a Lab: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Subscribe to hear future episodes.

Credits

Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Melbourne, 25 January, 2026
Produced at the Travancore, Violet Town, Tullamarine and Peregian offices, 1 - 15 February, 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au