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In this episode, Sid Bensalah welcomes Radha Balani, Partner and Director of Strategy at Think Beyond, for an honest conversation about purpose, performance, and progress in sport. From her deep experience shaping strategies for some of the world’s most iconic clubs and brands, Radha breaks down how sport can—and should—be a vehicle for social change, commercial growth, and community impact.

The episode explores why sport can’t fake purpose, how storytelling connects fans to values, and what it takes to turn corporate talk into measurable action. They discuss bold moves by clubs like Liverpool FC, the shift from philanthropy to shared value, and why data shows purpose-driven brands outperform their peers.

Radha doesn’t shy away from hard truths. She calls out systemic issues in the industry, from performative sustainability to gender inequality, and offers grounded, practical advice for sports executives who want to lead with integrity and impact.

Timestamps

00:00 How Storytelling Drives Purpose in Sport – With Radha Balani of Think Beyond 

01:30 The Role of Sports Beyond Results and Revenue 

04:26 The Power of Storytelling in Sports 

10:07 Translating Purpose into Action 

30:01 The Impact of Purpose on Performance

30:22 From Philanthropy to Shared Value 

32:00 Data Supporting Purpose-Driven Companies 

33:49 Challenges in the Sports Industry 35:37 Addressing Inequality in Women's Sports 

44:00 The Role of Athletes in Social Change 

48:26 Advice for CEOs and GMs 

50:08 Inconvenient Truths in the Industry 52:23 Lightning Round Q&A 

55:59 Closing Thoughts

With her trademark mix of honesty, logic, and warmth, Radha gives listeners a clear view of what the future of sport could—and should—look like.

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In this heartfelt episode, Janet Irizarry, founder of My Mindful Kitchen, joins host Sid Bensalah to discuss how the kitchen can influence more than just meals — it can shape minds, values, and legacies. From owning restaurants to launching a food advocacy movement, Janet shares her journey, sparked by a powerful line in her son's college essay: There was never food in the house.

Together, they explore how daily kitchen routines can teach leadership, gratitude, responsibility, and empathy—while also addressing real-world issues like food insecurity, climate change, and emotional connections within families. Janet explains the importance of intentional meals, reducing food waste, and using food as a tool to teach emotional intelligence and sustainability.

Topics Covered

The hidden power of family meals
• How the kitchen becomes a classroom for values
• Practical ways to reduce food waste
• Using food to lead with empathy and purpose
• Stories that blend food, memory, and identity

Chapters

00:00 Title and Theme
01:52 The Impact of Family Dinners
05:40 Reducing Food Waste
08:10 Teaching Leadership Through Food
15:12 Climate Change Connections
18:28 Cooking and Social Media Pressure
41:22 Eating Local and Seasonal
44:01 Enlightened Hospitality
47:23 Cooking with Love
53:43 The Mindful Kitchen Method
55:43 Food Waste Meets Poverty
57:23 Tips for Sustainable Family Meals
01:04:49 Lightning Round
01:11:45 Final Thoughts on Empathy and Food

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In this powerful episode, host Sid Bensalah is joined by Joshua Harrison, co-founder of Leaf Island and co-director of the Center for the Study of the Force Majeure. Together, they unpack how cities around the world can use nature—not just to survive climate stress—but to regenerate and thrive.

This isn't theory. It's about real solutions already in play.

We explore:

• Turning recycled Styrofoam into high-performance green roof soil
• Rethinking urban metabolism using modular plant systems
• Confronting the empty promises of COP climate summits
• And how clean progress can start on your rooftop—not in a faraway boardroom

Joshua brings sharp insight from the field, from composting in NYC to working with island communities in the Caribbean, blending systems thinking, urban ecology, and creative storytelling into one timely conversation.

00:00 How Cities Can Cool Themselves: Climate Design with Joshua Harrison  
00:32 Composting and Recycling in Cities  
02:20 UN Climate Conference and Environmental Irony  
02:54 Indigenous Protests and Global Climate Events  
04:04 Challenges of Hosting Global Conferences  
07:05 Introduction to Joshua Harrison  
07:36 The Role of Nature in Urban Regeneration  
09:24 Cultural Development in the Caribbean  
19:22 Climate Migration and Global Inequality  
30:03 The Importance of Storytelling in Climate Systems  
35:22 Innovative Green Roof Solutions  
38:54 Introduction to Bioactive Soil  
39:21 Hydroponics vs. Traditional Soil  
39:53 Benefits of GaiaSoil™  
41:09 Urban Greening and Climate Impact  
44:33 Economic and Community Benefits  
48:40 Challenges and Solutions for Green Cities  
52:06 Leadership and Climate Action  
56:01 Youth Activism and Global Climate Efforts  
58:51 Reflections on Climate Leadership  
01:06:50 Hope for the Future  
01:10:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts  

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In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Sid Bensalah sits down with Mark Motsenbocker, a seasoned executive, mentor, and author of “Searching for Father: Lessons From a Son’s Journey.”

Mark opens up about the life-altering loss of his parents in a tragic car accident when he was just 8 years old. With raw honesty, he shares how that trauma shaped his journey, and how his grandmother and a series of father figures stepped in to guide him toward leadership, character, and faith.

The conversation goes far beyond personal grief, touching on universal themes like fatherlessness, community support, resilience, mentorship, faith, and legacy. From boardrooms to backyards, Mark’s life story is a masterclass in turning suffering into service, pain into purpose, and hardship into hope.

00:00 – Searching for Father: Legacy, Loss & Leadership

00:12 – A Tragic Loss and Its Impact

00:45 – The Role of Grandmother

01:07 – Fatherlessness: A Silent Epidemic

05:21 – Community Support and Resilience

08:47 – The Power of Presence and Giving

10:43 – Influence of Father Figures

13:09 – Acts of Kindness and Community

32:46 – Teaching Values to the Next Generation

39:20 – Coping with Loss and Discovering Optimism

42:00 – The Power of Hope and Faith

49:24 – Leadership and Mentorship

01:03:09 – Family, Legacy, and Living with Intention

01:05:06 – Writing and Publishing “Searching for Father”

01:14:57 – Final Reflections and Timeless Wisdom

Key Takeaways

• Fatherlessness is a silent epidemic. Mentorship matters.
• Grief can shape character when met with love and presence.
• True leadership is about consistency, humility, and service.
• Legacy lives in everyday acts of kindness and giving.
• Faith, family, and community are the pillars of lasting impact.

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Miles Reynolds, a sports entrepreneur, founder, and president of Legendary Sports Construction, host of the Pickleball Builders Podcast, and board member of Southern Nevada Pickleball, has become one of the most influential voices in America's fastest-growing sport. With experience in business development, community outreach, and youth engagement, Miles has helped elevate pickleball from a backyard activity into a cultural and commercial movement.

In this conversation with Sid Bensalah, Miles shares his experience of surviving colon cancer, his commitment to staying grounded in faith and gratitude, and how pickleball has influenced his family life.

He offers his perspective on youth development, what makes a pickleball community thrive, and the sport's potential to become an Olympic event.

00:00 – The Pickleball Boom: How Miles Reynolds Is Building More Than Courts
00:01 – Introduction and Welcome
00:04 – The Rise of Pickleball
00:58 – Sustainable Growth in Pickleball
02:11 – Miles Reynolds: A Journey in Sports Entrepreneurship
10:35 – The Impact of the Pandemic on Pickleball
20:01 – Challenges and Costs in Building Pickleball Courts
26:31 – Personal Stories and Family Moments
30:02 – A Surprise 50th Birthday Party
31:52 – The Importance of Youth Engagement in Pickleball
35:06 – Promoting Pickleball in Schools
37:46 – Pickleball as a Corporate and Community Activity
40:02 – Surviving Colon Cancer: A Life-Changing Experience
44:26 – Faith and Resilience Through Adversity
50:06 – The Ideal Pickleball Community
53:41 – Pickleball's Olympic Potential
55:29 – Lightning Round: Fun and Personal Insights
58:37 – Final Thoughts and Advice

This episode combines sports, leadership, community, and resilience into a story that inspires and informs. Whether you're a fan, coach, builder, or just curious about pickleball, there's something here for you.

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Chris Baron is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, Series Producer for National Geographic and the BBC, and host of the No Ordinary Monday podcast.

He has filmed in some of the most extreme environments on the planet. From volcanoes to minefields, from deep caves to active war zones, his career is defined by curiosity, courage, and calculated risk. In this episode of Pre-Zero Sports Talk, host Sid Bensalah dives into Chris’s transition from molecular microbiology to documentary filmmaking and what it takes to lead, observe, and create under pressure.

This conversation explores how fear can be a tool, why leadership matters most in chaos, and how real innovation often happens where no one’s looking.

Pre-Zero Sports Talk brings you stories of sports, leadership, faith, performance, coaching, community, innovation, and clean progress from Sweden to the world.

00:00 Intro
00:01 Meet Chris Baron, From Science to Storytelling
01:40 The Journey from Lab to Lens
07:43 Challenges and Lessons in Documentary Filmmaking
17:46 Leadership in Extreme Conditions
24:37 Creative Problem Solving in Filmmaking
30:58 Audience and Success in Documentary Production
35:08 Embracing Failure as a Learning Opportunity
35:59 The Thrill of Facing Fears
37:25 Diverging Views on Horror Films
41:23 Understanding Fear, Helpful vs Harmful
42:41 The Inspiration Behind No Ordinary Monday
45:14 Memorable Podcast Conversations
48:38 The Interfaith Church Experience
51:20 Passion vs Purpose in Filmmaking
52:55 The Realities of Working in Television
01:02:05 Finding Wonder in Science and Nature
01:06:50 Reflections on Life, Death, and Purpose
01:09:13 Hope for the Future
01:10:27 AI in Filmmaking
01:14:36 Embracing AI, Challenges and Opportunities
01:16:09 Lightning Round, Quick Questions
01:21:02 Closing Thoughts

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In this episode, Sid Bensalah sits down with Sandy Cohan, an elite mindset architect, former professional hockey coach, global keynote speaker, and best-selling author of the UNSHAKABLE: 99 Rules series.

Together, they unpack what it really takes to perform under pressure—on the field, in the locker room, at home, and in life. Sandy shares how true confidence is built over time, not through hype or hustle, but by doing the reps, reflecting on mistakes, and recovering with purpose.

From youth sports to elite performance, this episode offers practical tools, real-life stories, and valuable insights for anyone in sports, leadership, or high-performance roles.

00:00 Flip the Switch: Building Grit, Belief, and Mental Clarity with Sandy Cohan
00:04 Building Confidence: Reps, Reflection, and Recovery
01:26 Exploring Mental Performance in Sports
02:05 Sandy Cohan’s Journey and Insights
02:39 The Importance of Mindset in Sports
06:58 Leadership and Clarity in Team Sports
09:51 Flipping the Switch: Compete Mode
11:50 The Seven Pillars of the Mental Edge Blueprint
13:34 Focus and Grit: Keys to High Performance
15:01 Handling Pressure and Mental Toughness
20:53 Identifying and Preventing Burnout
31:39 Parental Support in Youth Sports
38:44 Reframing for Problem Solving
39:47 The Ride Home After a Game
41:22 Staying Quiet and Letting Kids Process
44:27 Coaching Parents and Young Athletes
46:05 Common Mistakes Parents Make
47:30 Understanding Athlete Psychology
49:39 Socioeconomics in Sports Development
52:54 Building Belief and Confidence
59:52 Sandy's Book Series: Unshakeable
01:10:05 Lightning Round Q&A

Learn more → https://www.mentaledgehockey.com/

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In this episode, host Sid Bensalah welcomes Lesle Lane, founder and lead photographer at Studio 13 in Indianapolis and a former U.S. national-level figure skater. Lesle’s story blends high performance, artistic leadership, and entrepreneurial grit.

From her early mornings on the ice to reimagining a third-generation photography business, Lesle unpacks the mindset, mentorship, and moments that shaped her purpose. She reflects on failing a skating test seven times and how that grit carried over into running a creative business, mentoring photographers, and leading with authenticity.

You’ll also hear her take on gender bias in the creative industry, how she’s embraced AI in commercial photography, and what legacy means when balancing personal standards with community impact.

00:00 From Ice Rinks to Industry: Lesle Lane on Discipline, Legacy & Leadership

01:07 Leslie Lane's Background and Early Passion for Skating

01:40 The Discipline and Independence of Skating

03:31 Lessons from Coaches and Dealing with Failure

06:47 Transition to Photography and Overcoming Business Challenges

10:57 Balancing Personal and Professional Life

25:28 Taking Over the Family Business

27:34 Challenges of Being a Female Photographer

29:28 Proud Achievements and Milestones

31:45 Navigating Gender and Age Bias

33:40 Advice for Women Leaders

35:34 Importance of Mentorship

37:49 Adapting to Technological Changes

44:09 Personal Legacy and Impact

48:11 Lightning Round Q&A

Key Takeaways

• Sports can teach lifelong discipline and leadership
• Grit is built through failure and tested in business
• Coaching others reveals more about yourself
• Being a female leader in commercial photography requires courage and clarity
• AI is changing the creative space, but not replacing human vision
• Mentorship isn’t optional; it’s a responsibility
• Legacy is built moment by moment, with intention

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In episode #80, Sid Bensalah discusses with Marat Omarov, founder of The ARK, a regenerative village in the lush landscapes of Costa Rica, to explore one of the most radical life changes ever featured on the show.

Born and raised in Kazakhstan during the collapse of the Soviet Union, Marat shares how his early life in a strict, hierarchical system of military school, government service, and major political projects like Expo 2017 ultimately left him burned out and disconnected.

What followed was a complete reset: moving away from structured power to rediscovering freedom in Mexico and eventually establishing a community based on regenerative living, shared ownership, and purpose-driven leadership in Costa Rica.

Together, they explore:

• The difference between sustainability and regeneration
• Why Traditional Leadership Models Are Failing
• How The ARK challenges current beliefs about land, ownership, and success
• The mental and emotional toll of high-performance careers, and ways to recover
• Real stories of transformation from people who have visited or joined The ARK

00:00 Why Marat Omarov Left It All to Build a Regenerative Future in Costa Rica
00:01 Introduction and Greetings
01:59 Marat's Early Life in Kazakhstan
04:04 Military School and Early Leadership
06:43 Struggles and Realizations
08:35 Return to Kazakhstan and Political Involvement
17:09 Burnout and Transition to Mexico
21:10 The Birth of ARK
27:29 Living in Costa Rica
28:07 Reflections on Mexico and Costa Rica
29:01 The Concept of Regenerative Living
29:46 Sustainability vs. Regeneration
30:45 Expo 2017 and Public Understanding
40:01 Challenges of Hierarchical Structures
46:52 The Vision for the ARK Community
48:56 Future of Living and Leadership
50:58 Lightning Round Q&A

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In episode#79, host Sid Bensalah talks with Tareq Nazlawy, CEO of the sports-tech startup Trace and former Senior Director of Digital Strategy at Adidas. Tareq explains how he's closing the gap between elite sports brands and the 99% of fans who never enter a stadium by turning live sports moments into personal, digital experiences fans can truly own.

From launching Adidas' CONFIRMED app to leading the Into the Metaverse NFT drop, and now building Trace in partnership with the ATP Tour, Tareq discusses the future of sports, storytelling, and the power of digital fandom.

We explore leadership transitions from corporate to startup life, the emotional value of blockchain collectibles, and how Trace is rethinking global fan engagement across sports like Formula One, tennis, and beyond.

00:00 – From Adidas to Trace: Changing the way fans connect
01:35 – Tareq’s journey from Adidas to entrepreneurship
04:28 – Lessons from leadership in the corporate world
07:23 – The origin story of Trace
11:49 – What Trace really is: fan connection through digital ownership
20:14 – Partnering with the ATP and early feedback
26:14 – Growing Trace: challenges and vision
33:46 – Building emotional connection with fans
34:19 – Turning passive fans into active participants
35:44 – Why D2C in sports is hard
38:29 – Market strategy & reaching global fans
42:05 – Entering new sports verticals: motorsport, football, more
46:10 – Understanding new patterns in sports consumption
50:50 – Engagement differences: F1 vs. Tennis
54:50 – What fan connection could look like in 2030
59:59 – Lightning Round: favorite moments, advice & more
01:05:36 – Final thoughts on legacy, leadership & fandom

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