The Bid Picture with Bidemi Ologunde

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's new show: The Work Ethic Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde takes listeners inside a rare moment when Beijing's usually sealed-off security apparatus is leaking signals to the outside world: a run of espionage-linked detentions and purges touching the PLA command pipeline, and even the state-finance sphere, including the reported downfall of Bank of China executive Lin Jingzhen. What does it mean when China's leadership allows public visibility into cases that would normally be buried? Are these arrests a sign of genuine counterintelligence panic, a political loyalty sweep, or both at once? And if some of the targets include high-ranking officers with real warfighting experience, how does that reshape risk calculations around Taiwan: deterrence, timing, and the chance of miscalculation? Bidemi also maps the second-order ripple effects: crisis communications with the U.S., signals to allies and rivals, procurement and readiness shocks, and the way "anti-espionage" politics can tighten across finance, tech, and society.

On the Bid Picture Podcast, I talk about big ideas, and Lembrih is one of them. Born from Ghanaian roots, Lembrih is building an ethical marketplace for Black and African artisans: makers of heritage-rich products often overlooked online. The vision is simple: shop consciously, empower communities, and share the stories behind the craft. Lembrih is live on Kickstarter now, and your pledge helps build the platform. Visit lembrih.com, or search “Lembrih” on Kickstarter.

Sponsors and partners:

Promeed: 100% mulberry silk pillowcases and bedding that feel incredibly soft, stay breathable, and are naturally gentle on hair and skin.

SurviveX: professional-grade FSA/HSA eligible first aid and preparedness kits designed in Virginia, USA and produced in an FDA-registered facility.

Alison US CA: Alison is the world's largest free online learning and skills-training platform, helping more than 50 million learners in 193+ countries build career-ready skills with 6,000+ free courses, certificates, and diplomas.

eSign (iOS only): eSign is a clean, privacy-first document-signing app that works entirely on your device, letting you sign PDFs, DOCX files, images, and scans, edit and assemble pages, and export crisp 300 DPI PDFs in seconds, without accounts, cloud uploads, or compromising sensitive documents.

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's new show: The Work Ethic Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde sits down with Damilola "Dammy" Gbenro, a Data Analytics and Machine Learning professional and talked about what it really means to build and maintain an online presence in the age of algorithms and AI. How do you utilize the benefits of social media without letting it consume you? What does online safety look like when your life is also your brand? And as AI reshapes trust, attention, and creativity, how do we protect our identities and our peace?

Quick question: when you buy something handmade, do you ever wonder who made it, and where your money really goes? Lembrih is building a marketplace where you can shop Black and African-owned brands and learn the story behind the craft. And the impact is built in: buyers can support vendors directly, and Lembrih also gives back through African-led charities, including $1 per purchase. They’re crowdfunding on Kickstarter now. Back Lembrih at lembrih.com, or search “Lembrih” on Kickstarter.

Sponsors and partners:

Promeed: 100% mulberry silk pillowcases and bedding that feel incredibly soft, stay breathable, and are naturally gentle on hair and skin.

SurviveX: professional-grade FSA/HSA eligible first aid and preparedness kits designed in Virginia, USA and produced in an FDA-registered facility.

Alison US CA: Alison is the world's largest free online learning and skills-training platform, helping more than 50 million learners in 193+ countries build career-ready skills with 6,000+ free courses, certificates, and diplomas.

eSign (iOS only): eSign is a clean, privacy-first document-signing app that works entirely on your device, letting you sign PDFs, DOCX files, images, and scans, edit and assemble pages, and export crisp 300 DPI PDFs in seconds, without accounts, cloud uploads, or compromising sensitive documents.

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's new show: The Work Ethic Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde breaks down the week of Feb 2–8, 2026, when an ancient idea, the Olympic Truce, collided with modern reality: AI-built platforms leaking identities, satellites and cyber defenses becoming battlefield "terrain," sanctions escalating into lawfare, and ceasefire language clashing with ongoing violence. What happens when "trust" becomes the scarcest resource online? Who controls connectivity in war zones: states or private networks? When do sanctions stop being diplomacy and start reshaping international justice? And in an era of drones, deepfakes, and cyberattacks, what does a "truce" even mean?

On the Bid Picture Podcast, I talk about big ideas, and Lembrih is one of them. Born from Ghanaian roots, Lembrih is building an ethical marketplace for Black and African artisans: makers of heritage-rich products often overlooked online. The vision is simple: shop consciously, empower communities, and share the stories behind the craft. Lembrih is live on Kickstarter now, and your pledge helps build the platform. Visit lembrih.com, or search “Lembrih” on Kickstarter.

Sponsors and partners:

Promeed: 100% mulberry silk pillowcases and bedding that feel incredibly soft, stay breathable, and are naturally gentle on hair and skin.

SurviveX: professional-grade FSA/HSA eligible first aid and preparedness kits designed in Virginia, USA and produced in an FDA-registered facility.

Alison US CA: Alison is the world's largest free online learning and skills-training platform, helping more than 50 million learners in 193+ countries build career-ready skills with 6,000+ free courses, certificates, and diplomas.

eSign (iOS only): eSign is a clean, privacy-first document-signing app that works entirely on your device, letting you sign PDFs, DOCX files, images, and scans, edit and assemble pages, and export crisp 300 DPI PDFs in seconds, without accounts, cloud uploads, or compromising sensitive documents.

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's new show: The Work Ethic Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde breaks down an open-source, intelligence-brief–style profile of Costa Rica's president-elect Laura Fernández Delgado: her leadership signals, governing incentives, and the early indicators that will matter most once she takes office. What kind of decision-maker is she: technocratic operator, movement carrier, or both? How far can a security-first agenda go inside Costa Rica's institutional guardrails—and what would be the regional ripple effects? Does San José tighten alignment with Washington on counternarcotics, cyber, and migration, while still hedging with Beijing on trade and investment? And could deeper security mini-lateralism in Central America reshape the balance between "order" and democratic norms? Framed with the kind of structured analysis Bidemi has used for high-stakes audiences, this episode maps the geopolitical downstream effects, before the first 100 days write the story.

Quick question: when you buy something handmade, do you ever wonder who made it, and where your money really goes? Lembrih is building a marketplace where you can shop Black and African-owned brands and learn the story behind the craft. And the impact is built in: buyers can support vendors directly, and Lembrih also gives back through African-led charities, including $1 per purchase. They’re crowdfunding on Kickstarter now. Back Lembrih at lembrih.com, or search “Lembrih” on Kickstarter.

Sponsors and partners:

Promeed: 100% mulberry silk pillowcases and bedding that feel incredibly soft, stay breathable, and are naturally gentle on hair and skin.

SurviveX: professional-grade FSA/HSA eligible first aid and preparedness kits designed in Virginia, USA and produced in an FDA-registered facility.

Alison US CA: Alison is the world's largest free online learning and skills-training platform, helping more than 50 million learners in 193+ countries build career-ready skills with 6,000+ free courses, certificates, and diplomas.

eSign (iOS only): eSign is a clean, privacy-first document-signing app that works entirely on your device, letting you sign PDFs, DOCX files, images, and scans, edit and assemble pages, and export crisp 300 DPI PDFs in seconds, without accounts, cloud uploads, or compromising sensitive documents.

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's new show: The Work Ethic Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde sits down with Sara Dorris, a data & cybersecurity professional about the moments and mindsets that shaped her path into data analytics and cybersecurity. What was she like before the job titles: a builder, an organizer, a detective, or a storyteller? Who first sparked her curiosity about technology, business, and security? Sara reflects on the hard and soft skills she carried from the University of South Florida (Go Bulls!), the advice she'd give her college self, what Big Data taught her about risk, decision-making, and AI's evolving role in data science. They also zoom out to the human side of tech: how do you stay security-aware without living in paranoia, what personal tech boundaries actually help, and what's her take on social media in today's attention economy? Plus, Sara shares three essential skills for breaking into analytics/cyber, one trap to avoid, and practical guidance for career switchers coming from fields like healthcare or the social sciences.

Sponsors and partners:

Promeed: 100% mulberry silk pillowcases and bedding that feel incredibly soft, stay breathable, and are naturally gentle on hair and skin.

SurviveX: professional-grade FSA/HSA eligible first aid and preparedness kits designed in Virginia, USA and produced in an FDA-registered facility.

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's new show: The Work Ethic Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde traces four fast-moving global signals over the past week: the AI capital expenditure arms race led by Meta and Nvidia; the increasingly public rift between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates; a cross-border investment-scam takedown in South Africa involving Interpol; and Myanmar's deepening post-coup crisis flagged by the United Nations. What happens when tech spending starts to look like geopolitics? Can Gulf rivalry reshape conflicts far beyond the region? Are global scam-busting coalitions keeping pace with digital fraud? And what would real accountability look like in Myanmar's war-torn future?

Sponsors and partners:

Promeed: 100% mulberry silk pillowcases and bedding that feel incredibly soft, stay breathable, and are naturally gentle on hair and skin.

SurviveX: professional-grade FSA/HSA eligible first aid and preparedness kits designed in Virginia, USA and produced in an FDA-registered facility.

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's new show: The Work Ethic Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde discusses the global disruption rocking the video game industry, connecting the headlines (layoffs, studio closures, and delayed releases) to the deeper structural shifts (rising development costs, investor pressure, market saturation, and the evolution of monetization from premium sales to live services and in-game purchases). Why did so many companies cut jobs even as blockbuster games kept shipping? Is the "games-as-a-service" model reaching a breaking point, or just entering a tougher, more sustainable phase? What happens when thousands of new titles flood digital storefronts every year, and attention becomes the scarcest resource? And as mobile, AAA, indie, and esports collide in the same attention economy, who is best positioned to survive, and what does the next era of gaming look like for creators, players, and investors?

Sponsors and partners:

Promeed: 100% mulberry silk pillowcases and bedding that feel incredibly soft, stay breathable, and are naturally gentle on hair and skin.

SurviveX: professional-grade FSA/HSA eligible first aid and preparedness kits designed in Virginia, USA and produced in an FDA-registered facility.

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's new show: The Work Ethic Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

In this episode of host Bidemi Ologunde's latest podcast, The Work Ethic Podcast, he explores how to protect deep work in a notification world, without falling into hustle culture. Why does it feel like you can't stay focused for more than a few minutes? What are notifications really costing you in quality, confidence, and calm? And what simple systems can you build to create sustainable excellence—whether you're an ambitious professional, a founder/creator, a student launching your career, or a leader managing others?

You'll hear practical strategies for reclaiming your attention (without disappearing from your team), plus real-life stories of people who reduced digital noise and unlocked better output with less stress.

Weekly Challenge: For the next 7 days, schedule one daily deep-work session (start with 30 minutes), turn off all notifications, and focus on a single important task. Track what changes—your output, your mood, and your ability to re-focus.

Want accountability and feedback? Join our private WhatsApp Community to share your progress, compare notes, and learn from others around the world.

Sponsors and partners:

Promeed: 100% mulberry silk pillowcases and bedding that feel incredibly soft, stay breathable, and are naturally gentle on hair and skin.

SurviveX: professional-grade FSA/HSA eligible first aid and preparedness kits designed in Virginia, USA and produced in an FDA-registered facility.

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's new show: The Work Ethic Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde sits down with procurement and logistics leader Kseniia Litovskaia to unpack what it really takes to deliver under pressure—and what it means to bet on yourself. With over a decade of experience spanning project purchasing, supplier negotiations, and cross-border operations, Kseniia has led procurement for major, deadline-driven projects and built supply chains from the ground up. But one of her boldest moves happened off the org chart: leaving Russia and moving to the United States, choosing to essentially restart her career and rebuild credibility in a new market despite having already earned hard-won expertise.

Why walk away from a stable path to begin again? What does "starting over" look like when your résumé is strong—but your network, norms, and recognition reset overnight? And how do you turn procurement from a back-office function into a strategic driver of speed, cost control, and resilience? Kseniia shares the mindset shifts, practical lessons, and leadership principles that helped her navigate change, create measurable impact, and keep moving forward.

Sponsors and partners:

Promeed: 100% mulberry silk pillowcases and bedding that feel incredibly soft, stay breathable, and are naturally gentle on hair and skin.

SurviveX: professional-grade FSA/HSA eligible first aid and preparedness kits designed in Virginia, USA and produced in an FDA-registered facility.

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's new show: The Work Ethic Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde breaks down four global signals from Jan 19–25, 2026: an Arctic flashpoint that tested U.S.-Europe alliances, a global turn toward AI regulation, intensifying crackdowns on guns, hate, and synthetic drugs, and conflict dynamics from Gaza to Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. What does the Greenland dispute reveal about the future of NATO-era alliances? Are governments finally catching up to AI's real-world risks, or just getting started? Do sweeping law-and-order crackdowns actually reduce violence and trafficking, or push them into darker corners? And in today's "never-ending" wars, what separates a fragile ceasefire from the next escalation?

Sponsors and partners:

Promeed: 100% mulberry silk pillowcases and bedding that feel incredibly soft, stay breathable, and are naturally gentle on hair and skin.

SurviveX: professional-grade FSA/HSA eligible first aid and preparedness kits designed in Virginia, USA and produced in an FDA-registered facility.