In this episode of SkillCast by LOSD, Nurbanu Somani speaks with Greg Fuller, a Dubai-based consultant specialising in construction, cost management, project management and sustainability.Greg challenges the belief that green construction must be expensive. He explains how smarter design, better management and changes to everyday processes can reduce environmental impact without requiring major investment.Drawing on his experience with solar-passive homes, Greg discusses buildings that require little or no conventional heating and cooling. He also examines misleading green credentials, carbon credits, lifecycle costs and the importance of helping clients understand both the environmental and commercial benefits of change.The conversation then turns to Dubai’s sustainability ambitions, social sustainability and the role people play in protecting the environment.Greg also shares his other great passion: ballroom dancing. Having performed during the Sydney Olympics and taught dance aboard cruise ships, he explains how dancing taught him confidence, focus and freedom from other people’s judgement.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Welcome to SkillCast Season 700:48 Introducing Greg Fuller01:01 Construction and green consulting01:18 Dancing and sustainability01:35 Growing up around nature01:53 Studying sustainable design02:16 Creating solar-passive homes02:28 Sustainable design versus building rules02:39 Buildings without conventional heating or cooling02:50 The struggle to promote green construction03:00 Superficial sustainability credentials03:35 Immediate cost versus future value03:41 Starting his own consultancy03:44 Does sustainability have to cost more?03:52 The first steps towards sustainability03:59 Why education comes first04:16 Explaining the “why” and “how”04:46 Action versus corporate lip service05:12 Sustainability through management05:33 Saving time and reducing emissions06:05 Measuring carbon savings06:14 Moving beyond carbon credits06:48 Is Dubai a concrete jungle?07:21 The UAE beyond the skyscrapers07:55 Innovation in Dubai08:35 Dubai’s sustainability ambitions09:07 Turning targets into action09:31 Sustainable steel production10:24 People versus the planet10:33 People are part of the environment10:46 Social sustainability10:50 Buildings, productivity and wellbeing11:40 Greg’s dancing career11:54 Teaching on cruise ships12:12 Performing at the Sydney Olympics12:56 Why Greg challenges conventional thinking13:01 Are 99 people always right?13:56 What dancing taught him14:08 Ignoring other people’s judgement14:45 Confidence and personal presence15:07 Why children need the arts15:44 Improving focus through dance16:37 Encouraging individual expression17:14 Connecting with Greg17:46 Sustainable workplaces18:15 Does quality have to cost more?18:22 Researching sustainability costs18:39 Lifecycle value19:16 Building-integrated solar power19:37 Solar-generating materials20:02 From small steps to major change20:15 Closing reflectionsFor enquires email: [email protected]

Why do we sometimes over-explain ourselves when a simple answer would be enough?In this episode of SkillCast by LOSD, Nurbanu Somani speaks with Cassidy Amber Chapman, a life coach, transformational artist and speaker who has worked with clients across more than 35 countries.Cassidy explains that over-explaining can come from a desire to prove ourselves, feel seen or receive validation. When we realise that we have nothing to prove and focus instead on serving others, our communication becomes clearer and more meaningful.She also explores self-trust, self-belief and taking a leap of faith. Fear does not necessarily disappear—but trusting that you can recover after falling gives you the confidence to move forward.Cassidy discusses servant leadership, transformational artistry and creating safe, non-judgemental spaces for people to share difficult experiences. She also introduces a global song project that will unite artists to break the silence surrounding childhood abuse and empower survivors through music.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Welcome to SkillCast Season 700:48 Welcoming Cassidy back01:14 Life coaching and transformational art01:30 Is coaching oversaturated?01:39 What makes Cassidy different?02:08 Clients across more than 35 countries02:34 The importance of genuinely caring02:42 From personal development to entrepreneurship03:31 What clients gain from coaching03:41 Self-trust and self-belief03:53 Taking a leap of faith04:03 Dancing with fear04:11 Trusting yourself to recover04:33 Changing your view of failure05:05 Cassidy’s communication style05:10 Why people over-explain05:20 Trying to prove yourself05:25 Having nothing to prove05:43 Helping speakers become concise05:55 Seeking validation06:38 Cassidy’s coaching programmes06:46 Transformational artists06:51 Using art to create change07:02 Music and sound healing08:39 Servant leadership08:57 Leading beyond money and fame09:15 Creating value and purpose09:32 Co-creating transformation09:55 Leading your own life10:10 Leadership through love10:16 Learning to serve others10:35 Growing up around kindness10:59 How adversity develops empathy11:37 Living with chronic illness11:57 Coaches are human too12:35 Community and accountability12:58 Faith and service13:45 Helping people find their voice14:11 Creating a non-judgemental space14:33 Acceptance and accountability14:49 The shame people carry15:02 A global song project15:12 Breaking the silence around childhood abuse15:23 Empowering survivors through music16:05 Connecting with Cassidy16:33 Closing reflectionsThis episode contains discussion of childhood abuse. Listener discretion is advised.For Enquires Email: [email protected]

In this episode of SkillCast by LOSD, Nurbanu Somani speaks with Agnes Lai Ying Ng, an Australia-based speaker, coach and finance professional who supports women through major life transitions.

After losing her husband five years ago, Agnes had to rebuild her life as a single mother raising two children, including a neurodivergent son.

Although her son received support from healthcare and therapy professionals, Agnes recognised that the mother’s emotional needs could easily be overlooked.

This inspired her to establish *She Matters 2*, a community initiative for mothers caring for children with autism, ADHD, neurodivergence and other disabilities.

Agnes discusses cultural stigma, the fear some families experience when disclosing a child’s additional needs and how personal experience taught her to replace judgement with compassion.

She also shares three important lessons for navigating change: rediscover who you are, understand your goals and refuse to give up when another storm arrives.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to SkillCast Season 7

00:48 Introducing Agnes Lai Ying Ng

00:54 Clothing, colour and mood

01:40 How colour influences emotion

02:17 Dressing authentically

02:44 Agnes’s background

03:04 A career in finance

03:19 Losing her husband

03:29 Becoming a single mother

03:39 Raising two children through change

04:04 Supporting women facing major transitions

04:58 The first steps after life changes

05:20 Processing difficult emotions

05:27 Rediscovering your identity

05:53 Setting clear goals

06:00 What resilience really means

06:19 Avoiding comparison

06:28 Raising a neurodivergent child

06:38 Building resilience through adversity

07:07 Identity, goals and perseverance

07:21 Supporting her son

07:38 Accessing therapy in Australia

07:50 Who supports the mother?

07:58 Transitioning into secondary school

08:19 Creating “She Matters 2”

08:27 Supporting mothers and carers

08:40 Building a safe community

08:49 It is okay not to be okay

09:01 Support networks in Australia

09:21 Cultural attitudes towards additional needs

09:37 Fear surrounding disclosure

10:20 How openness creates understanding

10:29 Replacing judgement with compassion

11:03 Mothers sharing their experiences

11:52 Everyone has an unseen story

12:09 Choosing kindness

12:45 Welcoming international travellers

13:06 Coaching across generations

13:27 Cooking and community

14:05 Supporting young travellers

14:41 Forgiveness, fulfilment and finance

14:56 Financial confidence for women

15:06 Connecting with Agnes

15:13 Closing reflections

For Enquires Email: [email protected]

In this episode of SkillCast by LOSD, host Nurbanu Somani speaks with Dr Amish Purohit, a physician, healthcare executive, entrepreneur and Harvard alumnus whose career spans clinical medicine, health-system leadership, artificial intelligence and integrative care.

Dr Purohit explains that general AI tools such as ChatGPT can help people explore basic health information, but they do not necessarily have access to an individual’s full medical history, medications, allergies or previous conditions. This can result in generic, unsuitable or incorrect recommendations.

His advice is clear: AI may help someone prepare questions or understand general possibilities, but treatment decisions require properly validated information and qualified clinical judgement.

Dr Purohit also shares his unconventional professional journey—from healthcare administration and active service in the US Air Force to medical school, family medicine, executive leadership and entrepreneurship.

He discusses growing a healthcare organisation from approximately 7,000 to 600,000 patients across eight US states, generating $1.8 billion in revenue, before moving into AI-enabled care and integrative medicine.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to SkillCast Season 7
00:34 Introducing Dr Amish Purohit
00:54 Returning to Boston as a Harvard alumnus
01:04 Studying Clinical Service Operations at Harvard
01:20 Dr Purohit’s unconventional career journey
01:34 Beginning in healthcare administration
01:41 Serving in the US Air Force
01:51 Why colleagues encouraged him to study medicine
02:07 Medical school, family medicine and clinical training
02:28 Moving into healthcare management
02:38 From medical director to CEO
02:53 Leading a tribal healthcare organisation
03:19 Entering managed care and health insurance
03:47 Becoming responsible for an entire state operation
04:03 Founding a healthcare company
04:31 Growing from 7,000 to 600,000 patients
04:44 Reaching $1.8 billion in revenue
04:52 Moving into integrative primary care
05:07 Developing AI for clinical decision support
05:31 The challenge of 15-minute appointments
05:45 Medical records containing up to 1,000 pages
05:57 How AI could support healthcare professionals
06:23 Helping clinicians manage complex patients
06:41 Four new healthcare projects
06:52 Developing a stem-cell clinic
07:08 How is clinical AI different from ChatGPT?
07:38 Dr Purohit’s view of general AI tools
07:55 Understanding large language models
08:12 How AI can provide incorrect information
08:23 Why clinical knowledge remains essential
08:42 The problem with missing patient information
08:52 Generic answers and AI hallucinations
09:00 The risk of following AI-generated treatment advice
09:15 How patients can use AI more safely
09:29 Why general AI tools are not clinically validated
09:37 Evidence-based AI resources for clinicians
10:30 Life outside healthcare
10:55 Football as a form of meditation
12:11 Why traditional meditation does not work for him
12:27 Exploring regenerative medicine
12:52 Stem cells, exosomes and peptides
13:12 Are rising healthcare costs improving long-term health?
13:22 Weight-loss medication and wider health considerations
13:48 Nutrition and supplementation
14:46 Chronic conditions and inflammation
15:45 Food, lifestyle and patient education
16:19 Why diet and exercise are only part of the picture
16:33 The relationship between the gut and brain
16:51 Stress and inflammation
17:27 Why sleep matters
17:41 Exercise, nutrition and reducing stress
18:08 Preventing chronic health conditions
18:27 Dr Purohit’s 12-hour eating window
18:38 The timing of protein and carbohydrates
19:05 Educating healthcare professionals
19:29 Closing reflections

This conversation is for general educational purposes only and does not replace personalised medical advice, diagnosis or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional.

#HealthcareAI #ChatGPT #MedicalAdvice #DigitalHealth #SkillCast

At 23, Somya Gupta moved from India to New York to study Computer Science at NYU. Three years later, he had founded an AI education company, organised more than 100 startup events and entered venture capital.

In this episode of SkillCast by LOSD, Nurbanu Somani speaks with Somya about how changing his environment and surrounding himself with ambitious founders transformed what he believed he could accomplish.

Somya discusses building a more connected startup ecosystem in New York, scouting investments for a European fund and helping founders secure $500,000. He also challenges the myth of the “self-made” entrepreneur, explaining why success always depends on communities, relationships and people willing to help one another.

The conversation explores Generation Z, technology, friendship, health, fundraising and Somya’s ambitious plan to establish a hacker house for founders in New York City.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to SkillCast Season 7
00:48 Introducing Somya Gupta
00:59 Moving from India to New York
01:14 Studying Computer Science at NYU
01:24 Founding an AI education company
01:42 Building a startup community
01:48 Organising over 100 events
02:04 Entering venture capital
02:16 Helping founders raise $500,000
02:39 The motivation to start young
02:54 Why your environment matters
03:10 How New York changed Somya’s life
03:18 Surrounding yourself with ambitious people
03:30 Reaching your maximum potential
03:44 Building in an increasingly digital world
04:16 Choosing the right people
04:41 Understanding Generation Z
04:56 Growing up alongside technology
05:48 Bridging different generations
06:07 Modern tools and first-principles thinking
06:41 Balancing work and life
06:58 Putting people first
07:11 Rejecting the “lone wolf” mentality
07:30 Friendship and community
07:56 Staying grounded amid ambition
09:11 Life outside work
09:56 Salsa, pickleball and sport
10:58 Mentoring other founders
11:14 Why nobody is truly self-made
11:38 How other people shape our success
12:21 Building a pay-it-forward culture
12:32 Improving New York’s startup ecosystem
13:15 Goals for the next six months
13:50 Health and fitness
14:07 Somya’s health transformation
14:19 Helping 10 founders raise money
14:38 Creating a New York hacker house
15:03 Making an audacious idea happen
15:27 Supporting early-stage founders
16:08 Growing organically on LinkedIn
16:21 Human connection in the age of AI
16:50 Closing reflections

For enquires email: [email protected]

In this episode of SkillCast by LOSD, Nurbanu Somani speaks with Laura, a certified transformational life coach, about the journey that changed her understanding of success and fulfilment.Laura planned to spend a year travelling the world to discover what she truly wanted. When COVID cancelled those plans, she realised that she did not need to leave everything behind to find herself. She needed to create enough internal space to hear the answers already within her.Laura shares practical ways to reconnect with intuition, including mindfulness, conscious breathing, journalling, quiet walking, voice notes and simply allowing the mind to wander without constant stimulation.The conversation also examines difficult but important questions about personal transformation: What happens when a partner resists your growth? Can a friendship belong to an earlier chapter? How can you put yourself first without abandoning the people you love?TIMESTAMPS00:00 Welcome to SkillCast Season 700:48 Introducing Laura M Pichardo00:55 Transformational coaching and AI01:11 Laura’s journey into coaching01:52 Experiencing a difficult period02:20 What makes transformational coaching different?03:03 Is the visible problem the real problem?03:28 Laura’s personal transformation03:50 Externally successful but internally unfulfilled04:02 Following society’s checklist04:27 Feeling trapped and depressed04:40 Planning to travel the world05:00 When COVID changed everything05:22 “I never had to leave”05:34 Leaving the corporate world05:48 Discovering life coaching06:35 Finding the answers within06:54 Reconnecting with intuition07:33 Mindfulness, breathing and journalling08:52 Why breathing comes first09:28 Explaining intuition to Generation Z10:17 Why spacing out can be valuable10:51 Creating space in your mind11:20 Recognising instinctive thoughts12:07 The five-second intuition exercise12:24 Becoming an unexpected entrepreneur12:46 Stopping the fight against the right path13:05 Alternatives to journalling13:54 When loved ones resist your transformation14:40 Removing what no longer serves you15:07 Relationships that belong to an earlier chapter15:28 Communicating change to your partner16:24 Other people’s opinions and advice16:43 Taking care of yourself first17:43 Remembering that this is your life18:07 Are they saving you or drowning with you?18:23 Becoming comfortable with saying no19:00 Closing reflectionsFor enquires email: [email protected]

What happens when the pressure to succeed causes you to fall out of love with your greatest passion?

In this episode of SkillCast by LOSD, Nurbanu Somani speaks with Cihannur “Chianne” Ozgur, a singer, songwriter and recording artist whose journey has taken her through fashion, heartbreak, stage fright, burnout and healing.

Chianne explains how she initially followed a conventional path before heartbreak led her back to singing. After moving to Los Angeles, she began writing and producing music—but a difficult first performance exposed severe stage fright.

The pressure to prove herself and gain validation eventually disconnected her from the reason she began creating. Chianne stepped away from music and promised herself that she would only return after rediscovering her original “why”.

She shares how letting go of expectations helped her reconnect with music, creativity and her inner child. The episode concludes with an exclusive live preview of her forthcoming song, Rise Again.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to SkillCast Season 7
00:48 Introducing Chianne Ozgur
01:12 Becoming a singer and recording artist
01:34 Growing up without encouragement to pursue art
02:09 From international relations to fashion
02:17 Heartbreak and returning to music
02:32 Singing as a form of healing
03:48 Moving to Los Angeles
04:05 A disastrous first performance
04:15 Discovering severe stage fright
04:38 Healing through music
04:47 Life as an independent artist
05:36 The reality of following your passion
06:08 Starting later in life
06:30 The pressure to prove herself
07:06 Burnout and disconnection
07:23 Stepping away from music
07:35 Falling in love with music again
07:47 Success, validation and hidden pressure
08:19 Letting go of everything
08:30 Creating for personal healing
09:08 Releasing expectations
09:25 Surrender and divine timing
11:20 Expectations as “the killer of peace”
11:46 Postponing happiness
11:56 Becoming whole within yourself
12:28 Music and healing
12:54 Introducing “Rise Again”
13:10 Writing to her inner child
13:42 Reclaiming childlike wonder
14:03 Creating without external validation
14:26 Fear of releasing music
15:14 Judgement and burnout
15:24 Making peace with fear
16:04 Why she needs to create
16:51 Exclusive performance of “Rise Again”
18:01 Finding Chianne’s music
18:19 Closing reflections

For enquires email: [email protected]

How do the confidence, resilience and integrity developed in the military translate into the world of commercial real estate?In this episode of SkillCast by LOSD, Nurbanu Somani speaks with Minni Chalana, a commercial real-estate and new-development professional based in New Jersey.Minni shares her remarkable journey from PwC and Wall Street to serving for 16 years in the US Army Reserve and working with high-net-worth clients and developers on projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars.She explains how military training gave her the mindset to succeed in traditionally male-dominated environments—and why authenticity and honesty remain central to her work.The conversation also explores Minni’s transition from survival mode to living fully, how the loss of loved ones changed her outlook, her ambition to earn a commercial pilot’s licence and the importance of family, relationships and meaningful networks.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to SkillCast Season 7

00:48 Introducing Minni Chalana

00:55 From PwC and Wall Street to real estate

01:32 Sixteen years in the US Army Reserve

01:50 Confidence in male-dominated industries

03:07 Why Minni joined the Army

04:28 Applying military skills to real estate

04:40 Working with major commercial developments

05:25 Life beyond work

05:59 Becoming an author

06:32 Pursuing a commercial pilot’s licence

06:59 “Anything I admire, I become”

07:15 Why life is too short to wait

07:38 From survival mode to living mode

08:40 How personal loss changed her outlook

09:22 Staying connected with family

11:17 Pets and personal responsibility

12:01 Dating as a confident, successful woman

13:13 Moving beyond your comfort zone

13:38 Building relationships through networking

14:02 Entering the right rooms

15:01 Finding professional collaboration

16:23 How to connect with Minni

16:54 Closing reflectionsSubscribe to SkillCast by LOSD for inspiring conversations about business, leadership, resilience, personal growth and the unexpected skills we develop through life.

Guest: Minni Chalana

Host: Nurbanu Somani

Podcast: SkillCast by LOSDPresented by: London Organisation of Skills Development

For enquires email: [email protected]

What happens when your test results are described as normal—but you still don’t feel well?

In this episode of SkillCast by LOSD, Nurbanu Somani speaks with Dr Desiree Eakin, a physician specialising in integrative medicine, metabolic health, brain health and hormone optimisation.

Dr Eakin introduces her “Look Deeper” method—a whole-person approach that considers how symptoms and different systems within the body may be interconnected. She explains why integrative medicine does not mean rejecting pharmaceuticals, but combining appropriate medication with evidence-based consideration of nutrition, lifestyle and the wider person.

The conversation also explores the limitations of short medical appointments, technology in brain health, mental resilience and what caring for children taught Dr Eakin about treating adults.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to SkillCast Season 7
00:48 Introducing Dr Desiree Eakin
01:55 Dr Eakin’s medical background
02:30 Mental resilience and international speaking
03:17 Technology and brain health
03:44 Connecting metabolic, hormonal and brain health
04:43 The Look Deeper method
05:14 When test results are normal but you don’t feel fine
05:22 A whole-person approach to symptoms
06:01 Integrative versus conventional medicine
06:39 Why integrative medicine does not reject medication
07:12 The limitations of 15-minute appointments
07:49 Symptoms versus underlying factors
08:17 Lessons from paediatric medicine
08:37 Resilience in children and adults
09:54 Entering integrative medicine
10:31 Creating a better approach to healthcare
10:58 Creativity, family and lifelong learning
12:38 Learning more about Dr Eakin
13:00 Closing reflections

This episode is for educational purposes only and does not replace individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.For enquiries email: [email protected]

In this episode of SkillCast by LOSD, host Nurbanu Somani speaks with Dr Emmanuel Dalavai—an experienced corporate leader, entrepreneur and specialist in leadership and emotional intelligence.Drawing on a career spanning six industries, Dr Dalavai shares the principles that have shaped his approach to leadership. He introduces the Dalavai Leadership Institute and its mission to help people transform themselves, elevate others and accelerate their legacy.

00:00 Welcome to SkillCast Season 7

00:51 Reconnecting after Oxford

01:12 Life is like a box of chocolates

01:28 Three major new projects

01:42 Building the Dalavai Leadership Institute

02:14 Transform, Elevate and Accelerate

02:30 What it means to “spill the tea”

02:48 Standing out in the leadership industry

03:12 Lessons from Fortune 50 companies

04:20 The five-stage leadership framework

05:11 How the framework was created

05:23 Stranded in Dubai during regional conflict

06:06 Turning a crisis into something meaningful

06:23 The HERO resilience framework

07:00 Launching a new podcast

07:42 Why emotional intelligence matters

08:13 The four elements of emotional intelligence

08:52 Exploring life beyond one subject

09:35 The family story behind the podcast

10:34 Entrepreneurs see possibilities

10:53 Becoming a global ambassador of possibilities

11:19 Closing reflections

For enquires email: [email protected]