Speaking Podcast

What if the "eco-friendly" choice you're making is actually 200x worse for the environment? Dr. Chris De Armitt—materials scientist, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and author of The Plastics Paradox—joins us after reviewing over 6,000 peer-reviewed studies. His mission? Replace environmental mythology with actual science. In this no-holds-barred conversation, Chris reveals why plastic bags are the greenest option, why your reusable cotton tote is an environmental disaster, and why billionaires like Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates are funding studies that say the exact opposite of the scientific consensus. Whether you're a speaker who needs to fact-check your material or someone tired of being guilt-tripped at the grocery store, this episode will change how you think about "sustainability."

Guest: Dr. Chris De Armitt

Bio of Dr. Chris De Armitt

Dr. Chris De Armitt (PhD, FRSC, FIMMM, CChem) is one of the world's leading independent experts on plastics, microplastics, and the environment. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, he has worked at the forefront of polymer science with companies including BASF, HP, Apple, and Disney.

He is the founder of Phantom Plastics and the Plastics Research Council, a network of professors and toxicologists dedicated to sharing scientific truth. After reviewing over 6,000 peer-reviewed studies, he authored The Plastics Paradox and Shattering the Plastics Illusion, both available for free.

His work has been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, BBC, Sky News, and The Washington Post. He has advised governments and policymakers worldwide and has never been funded by the plastics industry.

What we discussed:

00:00 Introduction

07:50 The lie of the Plastic in our Bodies

08:20 Why it Does Not take 1,000 yrs to break down

09:45 How long to Degrade a Plastic bag

11:19 Everylife bags

12:35 Tyre materials have toxic Rubber

14:20 How your body reacts to plastics

16:40 Does Plastics leak into your body from Water bottles

18:00 How Poor Countries sterilize their water

19:05 Testing the Plastic on rats should put you at ease

19:40 People get ill from the Worry of Plastics in your body

20:30 Fed 25% of Teflon to Rats

22:30 Do any Governments pay attention to his studies

24:30 Why taxing plastic bags did not help

25:50 What happens to our Plastic to be Recycled

27:50 Poland new bottle tax

30:35 No Correlation between Recycling and Litter

31:45 The Ocean Plastic Lie

36:20 Is the 8 Billion Population another Lie

37:20 The attacks on Social Media

41:25 His 2 Books on Plastic

42:50 Why are Billionaires lying about the Plastics

46:24 Be Skeptical of Headlines

47:30 Where to find Dr. Chris De Armitt

🔗 CONTACT DR. CHRIS DE ARMITT

Website & Free Books: https://www.plasticsresearchcouncil.com

🤝 CONNECT WITH ROY COUGHLAN

Website: https://www.awakeningpodcast.org

#PlasticsParadox #MicroplasticsMyth #AwakeningPodcast #ChrisDeArmitt #PlasticTruth #EnvironmentalMyths #WakeUpToScience #PlasticsResearchCouncil #ScienceVsMedia #GreenWashing #OceanPlasticMyth #RecyclingTruth #PFAS #MicroplasticsFacts #PeerReviewedScience #BigEnvironment #PlasticLies #AwakeningToTruth #ConsciousConsumer #RoyCoughlan #EnvironmentalScience #TruthSeekers #MediaManipulation #FactsOverFear #PodcastAwakening #FollowTheScience #PlasticRecycling

Guest: Dr Alexander McWilliam All Episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠⁠ All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bio of Alex McWilliam Dr Alexander McWilliam is founder and managing director of Improv4Business. It provides presentation and speaking training, including executive coaching, team sessions and bespoke programmes. It works primarily with B2B clients, from start-ups to multi-billion-pound organisations. These have included ITV, The Entertainer, Kenwood and Computacenter. Dr McWilliam has a background in professional acting and improvisation, and is the only UK PhD graduate in “public-speaking anxiety and performing under pressure”. What we Discussed: 00:00 Introduction 01:13 The Only UK PhD in Public Speaking Anxiety 02:37 Why Friends' Fear of Presenting Sparked His Research 04:22 The 3.5 Year Doctorate Journey 05:48 Brain Freeze: When Practice Meets Reality 07:15 The "Blank" Moment We All Experience 08:33 Being Selectively Shy 10:05 From Shy Kid to Door-to-Door Sales 11:42 How Stories We Tell Ourselves Hold Us Back 13:08 Why the Audience Isn't Your Enemy 14:35 Reading Faces Wrong: Crossed Arms Don't Mean Boredom 16:02 You Are Your Own Worst Critic 17:29 Why Audiences Want You to Succeed 19:03 The Power of Watching Yourself Back 20:38 Audiences Forgive Mistakes, Not Panic 22:04 Recovery Is What People Remember 23:41 When Speakers Freeze and Start Over 25:07 No One Has Your Script 26:34 Adapting When Time Gets Cut 28:01 Pressure Testing Your Presentations 29:38 Making Failure Fun in Safe Environments 31:05 The "Die" Exercise 32:42 Building Resilience Through Improv 34:09 Table Topics and Playfulness 35:46 Impromptu Speaking Builds Real Confidence 37:13 The Science of Self-Efficacy 38:40 Daily Impromptu Practice 40:07 Why Comedy Is Unforgiving 41:34 Group Failure Exercises 43:11 Surviving the Worst Case Scenario 44:38 Social Anxiety vs. Performance Anxiety 46:05 When Shyness Shows Up Selectively 47:32 Teenage Years and Peer Judgment 48:59 How School Experiences Shape Adult Fear 50:26 Domain-Specific Anxiety 51:53 The Public Speaking Threat Inventory 53:20 27 Items Across Three Domains 54:47 Finding Your Focus Area for Growth How to Contact Alex McWilliam https://www.improv4business.co.uk/ All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🤝 Join our Speaking Podcast Community ✦ Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠⁠ ✦ YouTube: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@roycoughlan⁠⁠⁠ ✦ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakingpodcast/⁠⁠⁠ ✦ Facebook: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakingpodcast⁠⁠⁠ ✦ TikTok: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@roycoughlanpodcaster⁠⁠⁠ #PublicSpeaking #StageFright #PresentationSkills #CommunicationSkills #ProfessionalDevelopment #SpeakingAnxiety #PerformanceAnxiety #ExecutiveCoaching #ImprovForBusiness #PresentationTraining #OvercomeFearOfPublicSpeaking #SpeakWithConfidence #BusinessCommunication #LeadershipSkills #WorkplaceAnxiety #SpeakingPodcast #InterviewPodcast #PersonalDevelopmentPodcast

Discover the hidden strategies behind websites that turn casual browsers into loyal customers without expensive ads or complicated funnels.

This Episode is a Promotional Episode for the Website services that we offer at ⁠va.world⁠

What we Discussed:

00:00 Why we Recorded this Episode

00:47 Why do you want a Website?

01:36 How to Make Sure a Website Converts

02:55 The Biggest Mistake Businesses Make when Creating a Website

04:30 How Important is Brand Clarify with your Website

05:10 What questions to ask Clients before building their Website

06:34 Allow Disability access for your Website

07:30 Align a Website with the Companies Long Term Goals

08:40 We have worked over 5 years together and have not had an argument.

09:40 What makes a Website Stand Out

10:54 How to approach User experience on your Website

11:53 How Annoying Pop Up's are on Websites

12:35 Design Psychology for Improving your Website

13:44 Ensure you can see the Text on the Website

14:03 Speed & Performance for Website Success

15:22 How to Ensure a Website works across different Devices

16:22 How the Wesbite helped a client with ongoing Upgrades

18:20 How our Design improved Conversions on the Website

19:20 Feedback from Clients after Creating their Websites

20:54 Do not be to Pushy with Sales on the Website

21:35 How the Cookies Help with Sales on your Websites

22:30 Tracking on all Prts of your Website

23:11 Website are like Podcasts that have a lot of things to make it Successful

24:28 How to be be Safe adding Payment Options on your Website

26:15 Maintaining Your Website with our VA

27:32 Do not Managing your own Website if you want to grow your business

29:04 We Create Packages with a breakdown of costs

29:48 Staying ahead of website trends like Ai

30:53 What Website Platforms do we Specialise in

32:38 How do you Future Proof a Website

33:09 We Help Create Skool Groups

33:22 Difference between a Template Site and a Strategically Built Website

34:50 Some Templates Require Plugins

36:00 Amature Websites V's Professionally Designed Ones

37:00 The Problem getting the Wrong Website Template

37:32 How Important is Messaging compared to Visuals on the Website

38:47 How Long should a homepage be on your Website

39:57 The Process from Concept to Launch of your Website

40:57 Having Your Socials connected on your Website

41:37 Do you need a New Website

42:15 How to Connect with us for a New Website

44:35 My 6 Podcasts got 110K downloads last week

Find our Website ⁠va.world⁠

Book a Free Call ⁠https://va.world/contact/⁠

#WebsiteDesign #ConversionOptimization #OnlineBusiness #DigitalMarketing #VAservices #BusinessGrowth

Guest: Shiraz Baboo – Reality Addiction Expert, Author of How to Rewrite Reality, and Founder of Energetic Magic

Episode Focus: How unconscious stories shape our physical reality, from chronic illness to financial blocks, and the radical process of rewriting them for lasting transformation.

All Episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠⁠

All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

#shiraz #ShirazBaboo #bodybuilder

 Bio of Shiraz BabooMulti-award-winning author. Reality Interventionist. Creator of the Million Dollar Impact Makers Program.  I have helped thousands of coaches, healers, and high-achieving entrepreneurs break their subconscious addiction to struggle and rewrite the stories keeping them stuck—so they can finally grow their businesses in alignment with who they truly are. At Business Magic Live, I work with you live to release the unconscious patterns that are sabotaging your success… and replace them with the belief, clarity, and aligned action required to build a business that creates real wealth and lasting legacy.Most of the people who come to me already know the strategies. What’s been missing isn’t knowledge. It’s the internal permission to execute, receive, and lead at the level those strategies require.

What we Discussed:

  00:00 Introduction

01:00 Shiraz's Origin Story: From Bodybuilder to Bedridden

04:40 We are protecting ourselves through Stories

05:40 How I healed my Back Pain

06:30 Fake knee operations gave the same results

07:06 A woman with a Tumor that kept disappearing 08:00 Lessons learnt from living in different countries

11:50 How he kept getting Stopped at Border Control

18:00 How to navigate peoples issues without them knowing what is wrong

21:00 How he resolved his own Financial issues

23:00 My own Financial Struggles 23:20 Reviewing Why I have these Fears

25:50 If I had Money would it Corrupt me

 29:05 Push & Pull Energy

32:00 Are you will to step out of the story

33:45 Reflecting on how I got seriouly injured every time I was relaxed

35:20 Do I always have to be on guard

37:00 You Do not have to worry about something to solve it

39:00 Common Patterns with clients

40:35 His Event Business Magic Live

42:00 People having a yo-yo with Finances

43:00 Where to find Shiraz and the Event

How to Contact Shiraz Baboo

⁠https://energeticmagic.com/⁠

⁠https://www.facebook.com/energeticmagic/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirazbaboo/⁠

⁠https://www.youtube.com/energeticmagic⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/energetic.magic/⁠

All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

🤝 Join our Speaking Podcast Community

✦ Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠⁠

✦ YouTube: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@roycoughlan⁠⁠⁠

✦ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakingpodcast/⁠⁠⁠

✦ Facebook: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakingpodcast⁠⁠⁠

✦ TikTok: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@roycoughlanpodcaster⁠⁠⁠

#irishman #speakingpodcast #energeticmagic

In this deeply moving episode, we welcome Sylvia Wolfer – grief specialist, mindfulness practitioner, and Pilates instructor – who shares her profound journey through multiple losses and how she transformed her pain into purpose. Shaped by the sudden deaths of her father, two brothers, and later her mother passed. Sylvie brings together grief science, mindfulness, and movement to offer grounded, research-informed support for those navigating loss.

All Episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠⁠

All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

#SylviaWolfer #speaker #griefhealing

 Bio of Sylvia Wolfer

 Sylvia Wolfer is a neuroscience-informed mindfulness guide and grief educator. Her work bridges contemplative practice, nervous system regulation, and lived experience after profound loss.A long-term meditation practitioner, Sylvia has explored contemplative traditions for many years. After losing both of her parents and her two brothers, her practice deepened — becoming not just a spiritual discipline, but a steady anchor through grief.Today, she creates grounded, body-aware guided meditations designed to support people through emotional overwhelm, loss, and life transitions. Her approach integrates neuroscience, breath, and embodied awareness to help people build emotional steadiness without bypassing what hurts.Sylvia is the creator of several digital courses and guided meditation series, and she teaches weekly online sessions blending mindfulness and movement.

What we Discussed:

00:00Who is Sylvia Wolfer

00:40 Death is a fact of life

00:55 Sylvia's difficult journey with Family Grief

02:52 Her therapist recommended that she help people with grief

04:11 When you reflect on death later as if they say good bye before dying

06:45 Additional Grief when a person dies abroad

09:05 The time taken before the burrial can effect us

12:10 People Suppressing emotions during death

14:20 Grief is like a wound

15:50 Times a person the body still looks alive

19:20 We should have 1 month compassion leave when someone close passes

25:00 Nice ways to give condolences

27:15 Understanding People's sadness

28:33 Be mindful not to touch or clean in the house without approval

29:45 Having the hard conversations before someone passes

31:30 Be honest when a person knows they are Dying

33:40 Did the Pilates help with the Grief

35:20 How she overcame the pain with Daily rituals

37:30 How the Gym stopped back aches

38:00 Why are breathwork session not available weekly, similar like going to the church

39:37 Common trands that she witnesses

42:00 Signed we get when a loved one passes

44:05 The grief courses she offers

45:55 Meditations to follow in English, French & German

47:15 Do not say you do not have time to Meditate

47:40 The Meditations find their way to a person when its needed

48:10 How a booked helped my trapped nerve

49:40 The different Meditations can help with language learning

50:00 Where they can find Syvlia

How to Contact Sylvia Wolfer

 ⁠https://sylviawolfer.com/⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/_sylvia_wolfer_grief_support/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylviawolfer/⁠

All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

🤝 Join Our Meditation Podcast Community

✦ Website: ⁠http://meditationpodcast.org/⁠

✦ YouTube: / ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@roycoughlan⁠

✦Instagram:⁠https://www.instagram.com/meditationpodcast⁠

✦Facebook:⁠https://www.facebook.com/meditationpodcast.org⁠

✦ TikTok: / ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@roycoughlanpodcaster⁠

 #meditationpodcast #pilates #death #grief #breathwork

Manuj Aggarwal, is the founder and Chief Innovation Officer TetraNoodle Technologies, an elite AI consulting company.

Join my PodFather Podcast Coaching Community ⁠https://www.skool.com/podfather/about⁠

Awakening Podcast Social Media / Coaching My Other Podcasts 

Manuj Aggarwal, is the founder and Chief Innovation Officer TetraNoodle Technologies, an elite AI consulting company. With a remarkable track record of driving transformative change, Manuj, through TetraNoodle, has touched at least 10 million lives and generated over $500M in value through his expertise in technology and AI. He has shared his insights at the United Nations alongside distinguished figures like the Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize winners, while President Obama and Bill Gates have recognized his work. With four AI patents to his name, Manuj is the perfect mentor to guide you through the transformative potential of AI and its benefits for businesses. Join us and discover the limitless possibilities of AI under the guidance of this visionary industry influencer.

What we Discussed:

01:47 His 4 Patents

05:00 Making $2 a day to a Successful Entrepreneur

06:48 Will Good beat Evil in AI

10:25 Will AI take over Humanity

11:05 Ai does not always tell you the Truth

12:50 The 2 Books he wrote

13: 12 Firewalls to Protect our Data

15:10 What has Meditation and Ai got in Common

16:40 What AI tools he uses for his Podcast

19:30 Have the AI can interact with your knowledge

 ⁠https://manujaggarwal.com/⁠

 ⁠https://www.facebook.com/manuj.aggarwal⁠

⁠https://x.com/manujagro⁠

⁠https://www.youtube.com/@manujagro⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/manujagro/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/manujaggarwal/⁠

⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@manujagro⁠

------------------------------

Welcome to the Speaking Podcast. Guest Vlad Tayman went from spending 20 years climbing the corporate ladder to total burnout, losing $150K trying to escape, and finally finding a trading strategy that let him replace his $250K salary trading just a few times a month.

All Episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠

All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠

#VladTayman #trader #investment

 Bio of Vlad Tayman

Vlad Tayman is the founder of Trader Foundation, a trading education platform built on a radical premise: busy professionals can learn to generate consistent income without chaining themselves to screens or gambling their retirement savings.His path there wasn't typical. After immigrating from Ukraine and climbing to Director-level positions over 20 years in corporate America, Vlad hit a wall—severe burnout, health issues, and the realization that success without wellbeing wasn't success at all. Trading offered an escape, but he saw most people approaching it wrong: chasing hot tips, trusting bots, or handing money to strangers who didn't care.So he built Trader Foundation differently. Drawing on his background as a training director, he stripped trading down to essential patterns anyone could follow. The model combines one-on-one coaching , unlimited support, paper trading until you're ready, and a written money-back guarantee. Six years and 100+ students later, the focus remains the same: teach people to fish, don't fish for them.

What we Discussed:

00:00 Who is Vlad Tayman

01:30 His Career to date

03:47 He does not take people's money butteaches them skills

05:50 Some people trade to make money for themselves and not their clients

06:30 Their Trust Pilot Reviews

07:00 The Process of how they work

09:40 Their Coaches trained with them

11:54 How he can simplifies the Metrics

14:21 Example with Netflix

15:00 Why you should

18:10 Can you trade with Ai bots

20:50 People Glued to their PC when Trading

23:20 Letting your Emotions get in the way of Trading

26:45 The Metrics and Training to simplify it

29:00 The Different Plans they offer

31:50 Using your Pension to Invest

33:30 93% Chance of Winning

34:50 What things can go wrong

38:45 His Trader Foundation Podcast

40:05 Social Media influencers are not the ones you take advice from

42:50 Should we track Pelosi

45:05 How the Coaches work

49:05 They share a lot of valuable information on Social Media

50:00 People are Skeptical of Trading

51:30 Positive reviews for the company

54:15 Where they can find Vlad

How to Contact Vlad Tayman

⁠https://trader.foundation/⁠

All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠

🤝 Join our Speaking Podcast Community

✦ Website: ⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠

✦ YouTube: / ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@roycoughlan⁠⁠

✦ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakingpodcast/⁠⁠

✦ Facebook: / ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakingpodcast⁠⁠

✦ TikTok: / ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@roycoughlanpodcaster⁠⁠

#irishman #speakingpodcast #trader

Join Roy Coughlan as he welcomes Alexandra Cheo, a Toronto-based astrologer, spiritual guide, and international instructor with the Modern Mystery School. With 20 years of experience, Alexandra blends ancient wisdom with modern insights to help leaders and professionals align with their highest potential. In this episode, we explore astrology as a tool for self-discovery, how the Modern Mystery School empowers personal transformation, and why understanding your birth chart is like having a recipe for your life's purpose. We also dive into Alexandra's journey from reading her grandfather's astrology books as a child to becoming an international instructor, plus her insights on martial arts, boundaries, and finding your calling.

All Episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠

All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠

#AlexandraCeho #speaker #spirtualhealing

 Bio of Alexandra Ceho

Aleksandra Ceho is a Toronto-based astrologer, spiritual guide, and international instructor with the Modern Mystery School. With a lifelong passion for astrology, she combines ancient wisdom with modern insight to help leaders and professionals in healthcare and alternative health, legal and STEM-based professions align with their highest potential. With 20 years of experience under her belt, she joyfully serves those looking to supplement their careers with spiritual wisdom.

What we Discussed:

00:00 Intro

00:12 Who is Alexandra Ceho

01:20 What is the Modern Mystery School

03:50 Knowing who you are from stories

05:05 All types of Students ages & Nationalities

06:45 How her Astrology Journey began

11:25 Luna Cycle and 13 months

15:00 How relevant is your Date, Time & Location of Birth

18:25 Incorporating Astrology into your Business

21:40 Patterns she noticed with Entrepreneurs

23:35 If you are Lost and finding Yourself

27:00 What is the Aim of the school

29:35 Its hard to help someone if you have not being their yourself

30:50 The different Martial Arts she did

34:30 The confidence Martial Arts gives you

38:18 When I got Bullied and how I joined Kunf Fu

39:35 The different servies Alexandra offers

How to Contact Alexandra Ceho

⁠https://www.masterthestars.com/⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/pallas.aleks/⁠

⁠https://www.facebook.com/MasterTheStars/⁠

⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8WqG10ar6whrf1YEG_db8g⁠

All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠

🤝 Join our Speaking Podcast Community

✦ Website: ⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠

✦ YouTube: / ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@roycoughlan⁠⁠

✦ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakingpodcast/⁠⁠

✦ Facebook: / ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakingpodcast⁠⁠

✦ TikTok: / ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@roycoughlanpodcaster⁠⁠

 #irishman #speakingpodcast #modernmisteryschool#astrology