Rob Konrad: Conversations

“How do you become a pickpocket?” 

Bob Arno, a Swedish-born American entertainer, author, and criminologist gets asked this a lot. 

And if you had the chance to ask him yourself, in person, he would have your wallet long before you had your answer (you would get it back though). 

Recounting his journey from a career on stage as a comedic magician to using his expertise to help Europol crack down on crime syndicates, the “Pickpocket King” tells Rob Konrad everything he’s learned about the psychology of thieving. 

In this episode, Bob shares fascinating insights into the mindsets of thieves and victims, different varieties of street crime around the world, and how to spot – and get along with – street criminals. 

Plus, you’ll hear about a special wallet he’s had stolen and returned over 150 times, and a house visit to a genuine Mafioso. 

      “The best criminals… are fabulous social engineers” – Bob Arno

Listen to the episode - and join the conversation NOW!

Watch the video of the conversation, read the show notes and the full transcript here:

https://www.robkonrad.com/podcast/conversations/007-bob-arno/

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The first time Jamie Pool died, he was wearing a suit.

That suit turned out to be the difference between his cardiac arrest going unnoticed by passers-by, and him getting medical help that would save his life. Jamie suffers from a heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an often undetectable, but fairly widespread, genetic disease that causes unpredictable cardiac arrests.

Today Jamie copes with his illness through the use of a subcutaneous device called an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) - essentially a defibrillator machine that is permanently attached to his heart. But over the last decade, Jamie experienced dying nine times - four of which happened on consecutive Thursdays! 

In this episode of Rob Konrad: Conversations, Jamie talks to Rob about near-death experiences, his thoughts on the afterlife, coincidences that feel supernatural, and having astonishingly good luck. He tells Rob what it feels like to die, and how he finds meaning in life without religious belief, and without being able to plan a future with any certainty. 

Listen to the episode - and join the conversation now!

Watch the video of the conversation, read the show notes and the full transcript here:

https://www.robkonrad.com/podcast/conversations/006-jamie-poole/

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When Jessica Cox was born without both arms, her parents didn’t grieve. In fact, her father has never shed a single tear over his daughter’s life-altering disability. Instead, Jessica’s parents challenged her to be great.

And that’s exactly what she did. Jessica is the world’s first, and only, licensed pilot without arms who flies unmodified airplanes with her feet.

She is a motivational speaker who has inspired hundreds of thousands of people to overcome their own challenges and to find positivity and strength through their struggles.

In addition to all that, she is a Taekwondo black belt, has received a personal blessing from the Pope, a scuba diver and a parachuter.

In this uplifting episode of “Rob Konrad: Conversations”, Jessica tells Rob all about how she came to see her physical limitations as an opportunity to bring hope to others. You’ll discover how she cultivates fearlessness and uses her T.H.I.N.K principle to tackle seemingly impossible challenges. She’ll also answer a burning question many people are dying to ask her: if she could choose to have arms, would she want them?

Watch the video of the conversation, read the show notes and the full transcript here:

https://www.robkonrad.com/podcast/conversations/005-jessica-cox/ 

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As one of the earliest Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champions, former King of Pancrase and Thai Boxer, Bas Rutten has faced some pretty tough opponents.

But none challenged him as much as his personal struggles, from chronic illness and bullying as a kid, to beating an opioid addiction, to strange happenings in his family home.

In this episode Bas tells Rob Konrad a rollicking tale of learning to swing through trees, standing up to bullies, knocking many people out, coming out tops at a high school reunion, being a grandfather, and finding his way back to his faith.

And he also happens to have some inspiring life advice to share....

Watch the video of our conversation, get the show notes and full transcript here:

https://www.robkonrad.com/podcast/conversations/004-bas-rutten/

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On the first day of high school, Mirna Valerio went to hockey practice - and suffered. She was larger than the other players, and a lot less fit. Her coach, instead of telling her she was no good, encouraged her to keep going - and that’s why today Mirna is an ultramarathoner, speaker, author, and the 2018 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year.

The name of Mirna’s first blog, “Fat Girl Running”, describes exactly who she is - a body-positive larger woman who lives to run (and when she can’t do that anymore, surf). In this episode of Rob Konrad: Conversations, Mirna tells Rob about the challenges she’s overcome to become a professional runner, the bullying she’s endured because of her body type, and the gratitude and compassion she’s discovered through changing her life and living her dream.

And - she believes that anyone can do the same, without so much as jogging around the block.

For the video interview of the conversation, show notes, full transcripts, links to Mirna's books, and more, visit:

https://www.robkonrad.com/podcast/conversations/003-mirna-valerio/

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When Christian Picciolini was 14 years old, he joined America’s first organized neo-Nazi white power movement and remained there for 8 years. He became a leader in the organization and recruited hundreds of others to join. He ran a record store specializing in music that promoted Neo-Nazi ideology and committed countless acts of violence and hate.

And then…. he changed his life.

This is the story of how Christian lost everything to radicalization, and then rebuilt his life on an entirely new foundation: make good happen.

That is Picciolini’s personal mission statement, and today he works to help people of all ages disengage from extremist organizations on both ends of the political spectrum.

In this episode of Rob Konrad: Conversations, Christian shares the powerful story of what drove him to join the movement and what eventually led him to leave, and how he regained his sense of purpose in the process.

Listen to the episode - and join the conversation now!

Watch the video of the conversation, read the show notes and the full transcript here:

https://www.robkonrad.com/podcast/conversations/002-christian-picciolini/

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When Harold Mintz met Gennet Belay, a stranger to whom he had donated one of his kidneys some months earlier, he wondered how that kidney could have possibly fit inside her. He was a 6’5” tall man, and she was a “tiny” immigrant from Ethiopia, that had suffered for years and years due to an increasingly failing kidney...

But then she showed him the site of the surgery, and there it was: a little lump on the left side of her back, clearly visible under her skin – Harold’s giant kidney working perfectly inside its crowded new quarters...

Harold was the first living person in America to donate an organ to a complete stranger, after a change in legislation allowed this for the first time ever.

But what kind of person would even do that? In this episode, Rob Konrad asks him this and other burning questions, like: Was he afraid? Did he want to meet the recipient after the surgery? What if someone in his family needed a kidney down the line?

Harold shares a deeply personal story of encounters and experiences that led him to an ethical revelation that prizes two things above all else: life and fun.

Listen to the episode - and join the conversation now!

Watch the video of the conversation, read the show notes and the full transcript here:

https://www.robkonrad.com/podcast/conversations/001-harold-mintz/

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That’s the one question that I’ve always been fascinated with.

• What drives outstanding athletes, adventurers, artists and entertainers?
• What drives exceptional scientists, great thinkers, those who give up their own comfort to help others, and those who dare to be different?
• What drives people who were affected by tragedy, illness, disability and violence, but who manage to not only survive, but to thrive and to inspire?

What makes these people go further than most? What makes them push through the struggles and pain along the way? 

I’m Rob Konrad from Switzerland, and I always wished I had a chance to ask these fascinating people about their personal stories, and ask them all the big and small questions.

So that’s exactly what I decided to do, and over the last months, I’ve spent hundreds of hours talking to people who shape this world through their actions and their thoughts; or who inspire us by overcoming their obstacles or traumas.

They all have one thing in common: they are making an incredible impact on this world, and we all can learn and grow from their examples, to make an impact ourselves.

Because I believe that’s what we all share: deep inside, we all strive to make an impact on our lives and the lives around us. But what we often lack is the inspiration or encouragement to believe that we can create change, whether that’s in our private life or within our organization.

Now, you can meet these extraordinary people for yourself and be inspired – because every week I’m gonna share one of my conversations with you.

I ask the questions you wish you could ask – which are often very personal, sometimes difficult, sometimes provoking.

And you’ll hear about how they developed the courage and commitment to pursue their dreams or to help others. You’ll learn all about what got them to where they are today – their successes, but also their setbacks and challenges, completely unfiltered.

I believe this is an incredible opportunity for all of us – to learn, to grow and impact lives.

On May 1st, 2019 I’m officially going to launch “Rob Konrad: Conversations with extraordinary people”, there are dozens of episodes produced and waiting, and more are coming every week.

So make sure to subscribe on this page so I can inform you when I launch the first 10 episodes, and send you some exclusive content that won’t be published anywhere else.

I look forward for you to join me on this journey, and join the conversation – NOW!

http://www.RobKonrad.com

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