Joseph and Rebecca Bau survived the Holocaust, saved the lives of others, became closely connected to Oskar Schindler — and built a life defined not by what had been done to them, but by love, humour, creativity and an extraordinary determination to live.In this episode of The Growth Time Machine, I meet their daughters, Clila and Hadasa Bau, for the remarkable family story behind Schindler’s List.Joseph and Rebecca met inside the Płaszów concentration camp and were secretly married there — a wedding later depicted in Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List. Joseph was an artist, poet, graphic designer and master forger. During the Holocaust he used those skills to help save Jewish lives and became closely associated with Oskar Schindler. Rebecca was herself a remarkable rescuer, risking her life repeatedly to save others.But Joseph Bau’s story did not end with the war.After arriving in Israel, he became one of the country’s pioneering animators, building his own animation equipment and tiny cinema. And only after his death did his daughters discover another astonishing secret: Joseph had been the chief graphic artist for Mossad, forging documents for spies and operatives — including documents connected to Adolf Eichmann and the team sent to capture him.Clila and Hadasa tell me about their parents’ secret marriage, Rebecca’s extraordinary sacrifice for Joseph, Joseph’s relationship with Oskar Schindler, the day Schindler picked up a five-year-old Clila and told her, “I’m your grandfather because I saved your father,” and what it was actually like growing up with two people who had experienced unimaginable darkness yet filled their home with jokes, music, art and laughter.And this story is still being fought for today.Clila and Hadasa now preserve their parents’ legacy through the Joseph Bau House Museum in Tel Aviv, housed in Joseph’s original studio. It contains his paintings, graphics, animation equipment, films, typography, books and the tiny cinema he built himself. The museum was recognised by TripAdvisor among its top 1% of attractions worldwide in 2024.But the museum needs help. Its building has been sold and is scheduled for demolition, meaning Clila and Hadasa must find a permanent new home for this extraordinary collection. A fundraising campaign is now underway to help save and relocate the Joseph Bau Museum.PLEASE SUPPORT THE JOSEPH BAU HOUSE MUSEUM🏛️ Joseph Bau House Museum — Official Websitehttps://www.josephbau.org/en/about-us...❤️ Official Museum Donations Pagehttps://www.josephbau.org/en/about-us...🙏 Save the Joseph Bau Museum — Crowdfunding Campaignhttps://causematch.com/JosephBauMuseum🔗 Joseph Bau Museum — All Official Linkshttps://linktr.ee/JosephbauhouseThis is not simply a Holocaust story. It is a story about Oskar Schindler, survival, espionage, extraordinary courage, a 50-year secret, family, creativity — and the decision to choose life and happiness after experiencing the very worst of humanity.My thanks to Clila and Hadasa Bau for trusting me with the story of Joseph and Rebecca.This is The Growth Time Machine.

Barry Rosen was serving as press attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran when, on November 4, 1979, the embassy was seized and he was taken hostage.

He would spend 444 days in captivity.

In this deeply personal conversation, Barry takes us far beyond the headlines of the Iran hostage crisis. He talks about the person he was before that day: a young man from Brooklyn, raised in a close family, drawn to the wider world through the Peace Corps and later the Foreign Service, and someone who developed a genuine affection for Iran, its people and its culture.

He describes the moment the embassy was overrun, the interrogations that followed, being beaten, blindfolded and moved between locations, and the constant uncertainty of never knowing what might happen next. At one point, he was threatened with death unless he signed a declaration saying he was a spy.

Barry also reflects on the tiny things that helped him survive: letters from home, photographs of his children, books, moments of human connection, and even the image of a bird that appeared on the ceiling of one darkened room and became a symbol of the outside world.

He speaks movingly about his wife Barbara and the extraordinary campaign she mounted for his release, while raising their young children and travelling to meet political and religious leaders around the world.

And finally, he remembers the day he was told he was going home — the fear that remained until the plane had left Iranian airspace, and the much harder journey that followed: trying to understand who he was after 444 days of having almost no control over his own life.

This is not simply a conversation about a historic crisis.

It is a conversation about survival, trauma, family, identity, courage, memory and what it means to rebuild a life after history has happened to you.

Tony Palmer has spent more than six decades behind the camera, making over 100 films and documenting some of the defining figures and moments of modern culture.

In this episode of The Growth Time Machine, Tony reflects on an extraordinary life in film, television and music — from the BBC of the 1960s to John Lennon, The Beatles, Benjamin Britten, Ken Russell, David Attenborough, Liberace and beyond.

He recalls meeting Lennon in 1963 and unexpectedly spending an afternoon showing him around Cambridge, the remarkable circumstances that led him to work with Benjamin Britten, and an era at the BBC when young filmmakers were trusted to experiment, take risks and follow their curiosity.

Tony also speaks about the work he most wants to be remembered for, Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, his film connected to Henryk Górecki and Auschwitz, and reflects on what matters after a lifetime surrounded by extraordinary people.

Funny, candid, provocative and deeply human, this is much more than a conversation about filmmaking. It is about creativity, independence, memory, family, fatherhood and a remarkable life spent behind the camera.

Tony Palmer: The Beatles, Britten & A Remarkable Life In Film.

Günter Wetzel escaped East Germany in one of the most extraordinary ways imaginable: by building a hot-air balloon in secret and flying two families across the border to West Germany.

In this episode of The Growth Time Machine, Günter talks about growing up in the German Democratic Republic, the restrictions that shaped his life, being denied opportunities he wanted, and the moment a magazine article about hot-air balloons sparked an idea that would change everything.

He remembers the danger of the flight, the uncertainty after landing, and the tiny clues that finally told them they had reached the West.

But this is not only a story about escape.

For Günter, reaching West Germany was the beginning of a new life. He retrained, built a career in the automotive industry, learned to fly, became a flying instructor and pursued the freedoms and opportunities that had once seemed impossible.

We also discuss the films inspired by the escape, including Disney’s Night Crossing and Michael “Bully” Herbig’s Ballon, and what it is like to watch actors recreate something your family genuinely lived through.

Ultimately, the conversation comes back to freedom — not as an abstract idea, but as the ability to speak, choose, leave, and decide what kind of life you want to live.

Günter speaks German and I speak English. The episode includes translated subtitles in the video version so that each of us can speak in our own language.

A remarkable story of Cold War history, courage, risk, identity and what freedom really means.

He was expected to become a doctor. Instead, Bradley Rapier found hip-hop — and it changed the entire direction of his life.Bradley Rapier is an Emmy-nominated, award-winning choreographer, speaker and author whose career has taken him from pioneering street dance in Canada to Hollywood, television, theatre and Broadway.Along the way, he has worked on and around productions including Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, and collaborated with leading figures behind productions including Hamilton and Jesus Christ Superstar.But this conversation is about far more than dance.Bradley talks openly about growing up as the high-achieving “golden child” in a family where becoming a doctor seemed almost inevitable, while privately living through family turmoil, insecurity and a powerful need to belong.Then he discovered street dance.What captivated him wasn't simply the movement. It was the freedom he saw in people who seemed completely comfortable being themselves. Bradley wanted that freedom — even though stepping into the dance circle initially terrified him.We talk about fear, performance, impostor syndrome, authenticity, creativity, family expectations, being present, learning to trust yourself and Bradley's belief that life changes when we stop trying to prove who we are and start offering what we genuinely have.Bradley also explains the philosophy behind his new book, Step in the Circle: You Can't Lead from the Outside, and how lessons learned through decades of hip-hop culture became a framework for leadership, creativity and human connection.Bradley's career eventually stretched from Canadian dance competitions to Los Angeles, more than two decades building creative communities, Off-Broadway productions, television, film and Broadway.This is a conversation about what happens when the life expected of you isn't necessarily the life that belongs to you.Bradley Rapier:Website: https://www.bradleyrapier.com/Book – Step in the Circle: https://www.bradleyrapier.com/stepinthecircleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradleyrapierYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BradleyRapier/shortsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@groovemindsetLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-rapier/The Growth Time Machine with Daniel Curtis explores the experiences, decisions, setbacks and unexpected moments that shape who people become.Subscribe for more extraordinary stories and conversations.Listen to Growth Time Machine podcast episodes to master business scaling strategies. Join host Daniel Curtis and guest Bradley Rapier.In this episode of the Growth Time Machine podcast, we sit down with Bradley Rapier to discuss the professional journey and key insights that drive successful growth. This conversation is designed for entrepreneurs and business leaders looking to refine their approach to scaling operations and managing professional development effectively.Throughout our discussion, we explore the specific methods Bradley Rapier uses to navigate complex business challenges. By listening to this Growth Time Machine interview, you gain a clearer perspective on how to apply these lessons to your own career path, ensuring you are equipped with practical knowledge for long-term success.Subscribe for weekly business growth breakdowns and leave a comment below letting us know what career topic you want us to cover next.#BradleyRapier #HipHop #Choreography #TheGrowthTimeMachine #PersonalGrowth

What happens when you achieve success — and realise it still isn’t the life you want?

Tim Miller went from NCAA Division 1 head football coach to RE/MAX Hall of Fame real estate professional to professional motivational hypnotist. His story is one of extraordinary career change, reinvention and having the courage to walk away from a successful life to build a completely different one.

For more than 20 years, Tim worked in football coaching, eventually becoming an NCAA Division 1 head coach and learning from figures including NFL Hall of Fame coach Dick Vermeil and the Kansas City Chiefs organisation.

When his coaching career ended, Tim reinvented himself in real estate and went on to enter the RE/MAX Hall of Fame.

But another unexpected experience would change his life again.

For years, Tim thought hypnosis was nonsense. Then, while on a cruise, he watched his wife Michelle being hypnotised.

What happened fascinated him.

Tim began studying hypnosis and discovered a world combining many of the things he had always loved about coaching: performance, psychology, motivation, human behaviour and helping people realise what they are capable of.

Eventually, Tim and Michelle made a remarkable decision.

They sold their dream home, their cars and almost everything they owned, bought an RV and spent two years travelling while Tim built an entirely new career.

Today, Tim Miller is a professional motivational hypnotist, speaker and entertainer, performing for organisations including Pfizer, Toyota, LegalShield and the New York Conference of Mayors, as well as venues including Hollywood’s Laugh Factory.

But this episode of The Growth Time Machine is about much more than hypnosis.

Daniel and Tim explore:

• why success can sometimes become a barrier to change

• what football coaching taught Tim about people and performance

• walking away from an identity you have spent decades building

• marriage, family and faith

• failure and starting again

• the psychology of our thoughts

• why difficult periods can teach us more than victories

• what hypnosis actually feels like

• the biggest myths about hypnosis

• what hypnotising thousands of people has taught Tim about the human mind

• and why sometimes the bravest decision is admitting that the successful life you built is no longer the life you want.

It’s a fascinating conversation about identity, success, psychology, hypnosis and the courage to completely reinvent yourself.

🌐 Website: https://hypnotizingamerica.com/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim_miller_hypnotist/

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hypnotizingamericawithtimm9786

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HypnotizingAmerica

Watch Tim’s performances, learn more about Hypnotizing America and discover The Chaotic Hypnotic Game Show at:

https://hypnotizingamerica.com/

Find Tim Miller

What happens when the life that looks right on paper stops feeling like your life?

In this episode of *The Growth Time Machine**, Daniel Curtis sits down with **Jon Symes* — speaker, author and creator of Narrative Leadership — for a candid conversation about identity, purpose, leadership, success and the stories that quietly shape our lives.

Jon's own story has taken some extraordinary turns.

He studied engineering at **Imperial College London**, began his career with **ICI**, and quickly realised that the path he had worked towards wasn't actually where he belonged.

That decision began a journey through business, leadership development and human transformation that would eventually take him far beyond the corporate world.

Jon went on to work with major organisations and senior leaders, becoming a trusted adviser while exploring a question that would increasingly define his work:

*What actually causes people to change?*

Eventually, conventional success stopped being enough.

Jon left the corporate world and spent almost a decade with the **Pachamama Alliance**, helping take an ambitious message about humanity, the environment, spirituality and social justice around the world.

Then came an even bigger leap.

Jon and his wife gave away much of what they owned, packed two suitcases each and bought one-way tickets to South America.

What followed included hope, adventure, risk, betrayal, financial devastation and years of rebuilding.

And through those experiences emerged the idea that now sits at the heart of Jon's work:

*What story are you living inside — and did you actually choose it?*

Daniel and Jon explore the invisible narratives around *success, masculinity, identity, faith, leadership, purpose and midlife* that can quietly determine the direction of an entire life.

They discuss why being successful isn't necessarily the same as being fulfilled, why transformation is different from simply changing, what happens when the identity you've built no longer fits, and whether we have far more power to shape our own lives than we realise.

Jon also shares the thinking behind his new book, **The Stories That Are Killing Us**, and explains why so much of his work now centres on recognising — and changing — the stories we unconsciously live by.

The conversation ends in a particularly personal way as Jon shares a poem about remembering and reclaiming who we really are.

This is a conversation about changing direction, losing certainty, finding meaning, rebuilding after failure and having the courage to ask:

*Is the life I'm living actually mine?*

🎙️ *Guest: Jon Symes*

Speaker | Creator of Narrative Leadership | Founder of Whole & Free

🔗 Jon Symes: https://www.jonsymes.com/​

🔗 Free Mid-Life Reset Challenge: https://www.wholeandfr...​

🔗 Instagram:    / jonsymes  ​

🔗 LinkedIn:    / jonsymesspeaker  ​

🔗 YouTube:

What happens when you’ve worked hard, built a successful life — and still feel like something is missing?

In this episode of The Growth Time Machine, Daniel Curtis is joined by Ted Kopecko, author of Finding JOY… Journey Of You, for a conversation about purpose, personal growth, mindset, identity and the value of time.

Ted shares why so many people become “Life-Led” — reacting to expectations, work and routine — rather than intentionally creating a life that feels meaningful. Together, Daniel and Ted explore burnout, limiting beliefs, lifelong learning, the people we surround ourselves with, and what it takes to change direction when you feel stuck.

At the heart of Ted’s message are four areas: mindset, identity, time and direction. He also introduces the idea of a “time bank”: every day we spend something we can never get back.

His challenge is simple:

“Don’t die bitter. Die better.”

If you’ve ever wondered how to find your purpose, get unstuck or create a more fulfilling life, this conversation is for you.

📖 Finding JOY… Journey Of You
https://www.findingjoy.us/

#PersonalGrowth #FindYourPurpose #Mindset #FindingJoy #TedKopecko #TheGrowthTimeMachine

What happens when someone who has spent decades studying winning, elite performance and human potential begins to redefine what success really means?

Dr. Jack Groppel is a pioneer in sports science and human performance, a Hall of Fame coach, scientist, author and entrepreneur whose work has helped shape the way world-class athletes and leaders think about performance, recovery, resilience and energy.

In this episode of The Growth Time Machine, Jack takes Daniel Curtis through the remarkable journey behind that career — from humble beginnings and teaching himself tennis to becoming an NCAA tennis coach and building a career at the forefront of sports science and elite performance.

But some of the most important lessons didn't come from winning.

Jack talks about the mentors and relationships that changed the direction of his life, the personal challenges that tested him, and the role that family, fatherhood and faith have played in reshaping what success means to him.

They explore the mindset behind elite tennis performance, resilience in the face of setbacks, the importance of encouragement and mentorship, and why achievement alone doesn't necessarily create a meaningful life.

After a lifetime spent studying human performance, Jack's message is ultimately a deeply human one: relationships matter, where we invest our energy matters, and success is about far more than the final score.

CONNECT WITH DR. JACK GROPPEL

📖 Mountains Within: A Life of Achievement, a Quest for Meaning, and the Mountain that Changed Everything
https://noboringbooks.com/books/mountains-within/

🌐 Website
https://jackgroppel.net/

💼 LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackgroppel

▶️ YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@jackgroppel1

What happens when a lifetime of achievement no longer feels like enough?

Dr. Jack Groppel is a pioneering sports scientist, Hall of Fame coach, entrepreneur and former NCAA tennis coach whose work helped transform the way elite athletes, business leaders and major organisations think about performance, recovery and energy.

In this episode of The Growth Time Machine with Daniel Curtis, Jack looks back at the experiences, relationships and unexpected turns that shaped his extraordinary journey.

He shares how early jobs climbing and maintaining vinegar barrels taught him what he did not want from life, how an influential mentor redirected him from wildlife biology towards kinesiology, and how relationships helped take him from college tennis coaching to the forefront of international sports science.

Jack also takes us behind the scenes of his work with tennis legends including Stan Smith and John McEnroe, revealing how high-speed cinematography and scientific research offered new insights into elite performance.

However, this conversation reaches far beyond sport.

Jack reflects honestly on childhood discipline, the pressure to prove his worth, the danger of becoming addicted to achievement and the moments that forced him to reconsider what success really means.

He shares the deeply personal story of adopting his son from China, the lessons fatherhood taught him about love and strength, and how climbing Mount Kilimanjaro together became a powerful symbol of life’s peaks, valleys and unexpected challenges.

This is a conversation about resilience, faith, family, ambition, kindness and learning to build a meaningful life beyond the scoreboard.

• The childhood experiences that shaped Jack’s work ethic and ambition
• Climbing vinegar barrels and the lessons of his earliest jobs
• The mentor who transformed the direction of his life
• Moving from college tennis coach to internationally recognised sports scientist
• Working with Stan Smith, John McEnroe, Nike and elite athletes
• What separates the very best performers from everyone else
• Why achievement and approval can become addictive
• How adopting his son changed Jack’s understanding of success
• The role of faith, love and kindness in his life
• Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with his son
• Why we should calibrate our lives every day around what matters most

Jack’s book, Mountains Within: A Life of Achievement, a Quest for Meaning, and the Mountain That Changed Everything, is available now:

https://noboringbooks.com/books/mountains-within/

#JackGroppel #MountainsWithin #HumanPerformance #SportsScience #Tennis #Fatherhood #Faith #Resilience #Purpose #PersonalDevelopment #GrowthTimeMachine