What if creativity could become a way to survive?

In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Brett Ashby, an internationally recognised contemporary, public, and performance artist whose unconventional approach involves painting while riding a skateboard.

But Brett's story goes far beyond the art.

After surviving cancer, he began exploring how movement, creativity, and storytelling could transform difficult experiences into something meaningful. His work has taken him around the world, with major public art projects, performance paintings, and portraits of internationally recognised figures.

Brett and Wisdom explore what painting on a moving skateboard has taught him about fear, flow, creativity, and being present, and how surviving cancer changed his understanding of time, purpose, and life.

They also discuss why Brett believes art can give pain somewhere to go, the connection between creativity and mental health, building an unconventional creative career, and why movement can sometimes help us process things that words cannot.

In This Episode

How Brett's skateboard painting technique began

The relationship between movement, fear, and creativity

Creating art while living through cancer

Why Brett believes "art gives pain somewhere to go"

Art as a tool for healing, connection, and expression

Creativity and men's mental health

Building an international career without following a traditional path

The role of travel in Brett's creative process

The hidden cost behind a creative career

Turning difficult experiences into purpose

What creativity can offer someone going through a difficult season

Lessons Brett has learned from surviving cancer and continuing to create

Connect with Brett Ashby

Official Website: https://www.brettashby.com/⁠

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brettashbyartist/⁠

Artist Bio: https://www.brettashby.com/bio/⁠

Explore Brett's Work

Artist Collection: https://www.brettashby.com/artist/⁠

Blog & Latest Work: https://www.brettashby.com/blog/⁠

Leadership isn't about having a title. It's about giving people a reason to trust you, believe in you, and choose to follow.

In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Larry Robertson, leadership advisor, author of WHY listen to, work with and follow YOU?, and former British Army officer.

Larry grew up in the Scottish Highlands, trained at Sandhurst, served in the British Army, built a career in advertising, and has spent more than 30 years helping leaders across 30 countries become better at bringing people with them.

His central question is simple but confronting:

No one has to listen to, work with, and follow you. So, why should they?

Wisdom and Larry explore the hardest truths leaders need to hear, why leadership must be earned rather than claimed, and the three qualities Larry believes define true leadership: Authenticity, Empathy, and Intent.

They also discuss failure, courage, vulnerability, generational differences, the personal cost of leadership, and what it really takes to earn someone's trust.

Whether you're leading a company, a team, a family, or simply trying to lead yourself better, this conversation offers a powerful challenge:

Are you actually someone people would choose to follow?

Connect with Larry Robertson

Official Website: https://robertsonburns.com

Personal Website: https://www.larryrobertson.net

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larryrobertsontrueleadership/

Get Larry's Book

WHY listen to, work with and follow YOU?: The 3 Qualities of True Leaders: https://profileeditions.com/product/why/

What if the biggest cybersecurity risk in your company isn't sitting in the server room but in the boardroom?

In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Ioannis Antypas, a tech entrepreneur, #1 bestselling author, educator, and cybersecurity and AI leader who has spent more than 12 years working across Saudi Arabia, the GCC, Greece, and the UK. He has taught more than 34,000 professionals worldwide and specializes in helping business leaders make clearer decisions around cybersecurity, AI governance, and digital transformation.

Clarity +1

Ioannis challenges the way leaders think about cybersecurity. His central message is simple: security is a business and leadership issue, not merely an IT problem.

We talk about why cybersecurity failures often begin with leadership decisions, how businesses can adopt AI without losing control, what compliance actually does and doesn't protect you from, and what leaders can learn from Saudi Arabia's rapidly changing business environment.

We also explore persuasion, scaling businesses, cross-cultural leadership, and the personal cost of building a career across multiple countries and industries.

In this episode, you'll discover:

Why cybersecurity belongs in the boardroom

How leaders can approach cybersecurity without getting lost in technical jargon

The difference between compliance and actual security

How businesses can separate AI opportunity from AI hype

Why AI governance matters as much as AI adoption

What Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 can teach leaders about transformation

How culture affects technology and business decisions

What separates businesses that scale from those that get stuck

The role of persuasion and trust in winning customers

The leadership lessons Ioannis has learned from teaching thousands of professionals

Connect with Ioannis Antypas

Official Website:

https://www.ioannisantypas.com/⁠

LinkedIn:

https://sa.linkedin.com/in/ioannis-antypas⁠

Clarity — Ioannis Antypas:

https://clarity.fm/ioannisantypas⁠

Books & Resources:

https://www.ioannisantypas.com/shop/⁠

The Persuasive Marketer:

https://www.ioannisantypas.com/shop/the-persuasive-marketer/⁠

What does it really take to build a business that lastsnot just for a few years, but for more than a decade?

In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Julie Tylman, Co-Founder of GroupTogether, to talk about entrepreneurship, partnerships, operations, AI, and the unglamorous work behind sustainable growth.

GroupTogether began in 2015 after Julie and her co-founder, Ali Linz, became frustrated with the hassle of organizing group gifts. What started as a simple solution has grown into a platform used for group cards, gifting, workplace recognition, and celebrations across Australia and the United States.

But the most interesting part of Julie's story may be the partnership itself. More than ten years, one co-founder, and according to Julie zero drama.

We explore what makes that kind of partnership work, how responsibilities can be divided without creating competition, and how founders navigate disagreements without damaging the relationship.

Julie also takes us behind the scenes of entrepreneurship from financials and compliance to fraud prevention and payments and explains how her team is approaching AI as a practical tool rather than simply chasing the latest technology trend.

In this episode, you'll discover:

How a simple frustration became a scalable business

What makes a long term co-founder partnership work

How to handle disagreements between business partners

Why operational work matters as much as big ideas

Practical ways businesses can use AI

Why systems and processes are essential for sustainable growth

The hidden sacrifices behind running a company

What founders can do when they're overwhelmed by operations

Lessons Julie wishes she knew when GroupTogether was just an idea

Connect with Julie Tylman

GroupTogether:

https://www.grouptogether.com/

GroupTogether — Our Story:

https://www.grouptogether.com/us/our-story/

Julie Tylman on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-tylman-8a160977/

GroupTogether on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/grouptogether/

About The Ambition Lab

The Ambition Lab is where we have honest conversations with entrepreneurs, leaders, and changemakers about ambition, purpose, leadership, and what it really takes to build something meaningful.

**Keep building.**

this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Albert Butler, CPA, MBA, Forbes Best-In-State CPA, author of LIFE: Truth, Love, Loss, Success & Failure, and creator of the Legacy Alignment System.

After more than 25 years as a CPA and business advisor, Albert has learned that financial statements are about far more than revenue, expenses, and taxes. The numbers reveal priorities, habits, decisions, and whether what you're building is actually aligned with what matters most.

We explore why Albert calls accounting the "heartbeat of a business," what it means to follow the money to find the answers, and how leaders can use financial clarity to make better decisions. We also talk about his Legacy Alignment System, the Plan Act Review framework, fatherhood, faith, and the challenge of building something meaningful that extends beyond your own lifetime.

This conversation is for entrepreneurs, business owners, parents, and anyone who wants their money and their life to reflect what they truly value.

In this episode, you'll discover:

Why accounting can be a powerful truth system

What your numbers may reveal about your priorities

Why business owners shouldn't treat accounting as an afterthought

How the Legacy Alignment System connects purpose, finances, and legacy

How to use the Plan Act Review framework

The relationship between money, family, and legacy

Why discipline matters more than motivation

Practical steps for building a more aligned life

The financial lessons every family should learn early

Connect with Albert Butler:

Website: https://albertbutler.com/about⁠

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/butleralbert/⁠

Get Albert's book:

LIFE: Truth, Love, Loss, Success & Failure

https://www.amazon.com/LIFE-Success-Failure-Quotes-Advice-ebook/dp/B0FKGJD7LD⁠

What happens when you refuse to put yourself in just one box?

In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with ST Tangirala, Co Founder & COO of Sobo, host of The Next In Time Podcast, entrepreneur, technology leader, and author.

ST has built a career across business, technology, storytelling, and leadership and his journey offers a powerful lesson: success isn't just about having great ideas; it's about learning how to execute them.

We explore why businesses struggle to turn strategy into action, how small businesses can approach AI without becoming overwhelmed, and what ST has learned from interviewing founders and innovators. We also talk about the connection between entrepreneurship and storytelling, his experience writing fiction, and why creativity and technology can become a powerful combination.

This conversation is especially relevant for founders, entrepreneurs, and anyone sitting on an idea they haven't yet turned into reality.

In this episode, you'll discover:

Why execution matters more than having the perfect idea

How small businesses can start using AI practically

What successful founders have in common

Why storytelling matters in business

How writing fiction can influence entrepreneurial thinking

The challenges of balancing multiple ambitions

How to move from planning to actually building

Connect with ST Tangirala:

Sobo: https://www.sobo.ai/⁠

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/st-tangirala/⁠

Listen to The Next In Time Podcast:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0sT34LJ7LVSIcWYgguyrw5⁠

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-in-time/id1630844597⁠

Website: https://nextintimepodcast.com⁠

ST's Books:

Havensbury: https://tertulia.com/book/havensbury-st-tangirala/9798348447083⁠

Success doesn't always mean freedom. Michelle Masters, known as The Coaches' Coach, joins The Ambition Lab to explore the subconscious money patterns that can create invisible ceilings, why awareness alone isn't always enough, and how rewiring those patterns can change the way we earn, receive, and grow.

michelle-masters.mykajabi.com +1

Connect with Michelle Masters:

Website: https://wiredformagic.com/⁠

Money & Career: https://wiredformagic.com/money-career/⁠

Wired for Money: https://michelle-masters.mykajabi.com/wired-for-money-single⁠

Programs: https://wiredformagic.com/programs/⁠

Your career doesn't have to end when you retire. Kirk McCarley, also known as The Seed Sower Coach, joins The Ambition Lab to share how he turned 35 years in HR into a new chapter of coaching, writing, cycling, and service—and why purpose doesn't have an expiration date.

Connect with Kirk McCarley:

Website: https://theseedsowercoach.com/⁠

Author Website: https://kirkmccarleyauthor.com/⁠

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirk-mccarley-1bbba950/⁠

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirkmccarley/⁠

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KirkMcCarleyTheSeedSowerCoach/⁠

Teddy Bloom traded his savings for a 3,000-mile bicycle ride across America. On this episode of The Ambition Lab, he shares what the journey taught him about sacrifice, resilience, civic unity, and the power of one person starting a conversation.

Connect with Teddy Bloom / Ride4Rights:

Website: https://www.ride4rights.com/⁠

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ride4_rights/⁠

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Ride4Rights⁠

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@ride4_rights⁠

Creativity isn't something you lose—you forget. Patrick Williams, founder of Satori Innovation, joins The Ambition Lab to explore creative colonization, creative collapse, martial arts, and how we can reconnect with the creativity we've always had.

Connect with Patrick Williams:

Website: https://patrickwilliamsstaycreative.com/⁠

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-michael-williams⁠

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pmwcreativity/⁠

TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/2Sy0ZciwT3g⁠