Thriving Minds with Alberto Zandi

Nikola Mrkšić didn’t grow up dreaming of building a $500 million AI company. He wanted to be a neurosurgeon, or a diplomat. Instead, he co-founded Europe’s leading AI platform, PolyAI, a company handling over 100 million customer calls a year, backed by NVIDIA, and reshaping how we interact with machines.

In this raw, unfiltered conversation, Nikola reveals:

• Why he never planned to be an entrepreneur, and how he got “accidentally” rich.
• The real reason AI startups get funding with no product, no revenue, and no customers.
• How his childhood during the Yugoslav wars shaped his obsession with seizing opportunity.
• The stress, pressure, and burnout behind building a billion-dollar company with two toddlers at home.
• Why Europe is broken for tech and what he’d do differently if starting today.
• His brutally honest take on success, motivation, and why some people should never start a company.

This episode cuts through the hype and tells the truth about what it takes to succeed in AI, and why most people are chasing the wrong dream.

🎧 Listen now to hear the story behind one of Europe’s most exciting AI founders.

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In this compelling episode of Thriving Minds, we sit down with Josh Deal, the mastermind behind ZEBR, a platform that's redefining music marketing in the digital age. From his beginnings as a drummer to becoming a tech entrepreneur without a coding background, Josh shares his transformative journey.

What you'll discover:

• Innovative Strategies: How Josh leveraged influencer marketing to propel artists into the spotlight.
• Overcoming Challenges: The hurdles and solutions faced while bootstrapping a tech startup without technical expertise.
• Industry Insights: The evolving landscape of music promotion and the role of platforms like Zebra.
• Personal Growth: Josh's reflections on resilience, adaptability, and the entrepreneurial mindset.

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a music enthusiast, or someone seeking inspiration, this episode offers valuable takeaways on turning dreams into reality.

Follow Josh & Zebr:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/joshdeal

LI: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/joshdeal

Zebr

Web: https://www.zebr.app/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/zebr_app/

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There are over 400 dog breeds in the world.

So why is most pet food still made based on size?

Entrepreneur Victor Mortreu, Co-Founder of Just Russel, asked that same question, and built one of the fastest-growing pet food companies in Europe in response.

By using AI to create custom-tailored nutrition plans, Just Russel is helping pets live longer, healthier lives.

 The company is now doing over $30 million in annual revenue.

Victor is a firm believer in failing and testing cheaply. He did that a few times until co-founding Just Russel.

What changed?

His mindset, his process, and his ability to spot a rising cultural shift: pets becoming the new children.

Success is all about testing and keep trying.

In this conversation with Alberto, Victor reveals:

• ​How to test and validate business ideas quickly, with minimal capital
• ​The advantages of scaling from a smaller market like Belgium
• ​What most founders get wrong about building trust with modern consumers
• ​The entrepreneurial lessons behind turning trends into businesses

This is not just a story about pet food. It’s about timing, psychology, and building a product that actually matters.

If you’re thinking about launching something new, or pivoting something old, this is the episode you’ll want to study.

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Born into a family of successful entrepreneurs, many assumed Henry’s path was already paved. That his success was inherited, not earned.

But behind the surface of privilege lies a different kind of struggle—one not defined by lack, but by the emotional complexity of building something that’s truly yours when the world believes it was handed to you.

• Identity and legacy
• The pressure of high expectations
• Choosing challenge over comfort
• Redefining success when money isn’t the motivator

Henry built a thriving, values-led business in the organic consumer space—and faced the invisible hurdles that come with being expected to win.

🎙️ Subscribe now and leave us a review—it helps more people find the show!

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How can I build more confidence?

How can I self-promote without sounding arrogant?

How can I stand out in public speaking?

How can I stand out?

In this deeply educational and insightful episode, author and coach Stefanie Sword-Williams chats with Alberto about all things confidence.

Stefanie has worked with some of the world’s largest companies, including Netflix, Unilever and Google, helping individuals improve their career paths by teaching them how to build confidence and promote themselves effectively.

This episode will give you practical tools to improve your stage presence, impress during your next investor pitch, advance in your corporate career, or recognize when it’s time to quit what you’re doing and move on.

For this episode, we’ve partnered with Bornbound, the sportswear brand revolutionizing athletic performance. Bornbound mastered the art of combining extreme lightness, rapid-dry technology, and sleek design to create the ultimate running and workout gear.

As a Thriving Minds listener, we’ve secured an exclusive 30% discount for you! 

Use code 30T at checkout and experience the difference of next-level sportswear.

Train smarter. Perform better. Welcome to the future of fitness.

🔗 Shop now: https://30-and-thriving.com/bornbound-acast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In just a few years, DIRTEA has grown from a bold idea into the UK’s leading functional mushroom brand, stocked in the country’s biggest retailers and trusted by thousands of customers.

But behind the scenes is a story very few founders would have the courage to share. 

In this episode of Thriving Minds, Alberto Zandi sits down with Andrew Salter, Co-Founder of DIRTEA, the UK's leading functional mushroom company, to explore what it really takes to disrupt an industry, build a brand with purpose, and perform at your highest level.

This isn’t a conversation about trends. It’s a deep dive into the mindset, strategy, and science behind building something that lasts.

You’ll learn:

– The real benefits of functional mushrooms (and which ones actually work)

– What it takes to lead a wellness revolution

– How to stay ahead in the most competitive consumer markets

– The challenges (and rewards) of building a business with your sibling

– The daily nutrition, fitness, and mental habits that fuel success

This episode will change how you think about your health, your habits, and your potential.

If you’ve ever wondered how to take a niche idea and turn it into a household name, this episode is essential listening.

Listen now.

For this episode, we’ve partnered with Bornbound, the sportswear brand revolutionizing athletic performance. Bornbound mastered the art of combining extreme lightness, rapid-dry technology, and sleek design to create the ultimate running and workout gear.

As a Thriving Minds listener, we’ve secured an exclusive 30% discount for you! 

Use code 30T at checkout and experience the difference of next-level sportswear.

Train smarter. Perform better. Welcome to the future of fitness.

🔗 Shop now: https://thrivingmindsshow.com/bornbound-acast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In just 5 years, TRIP CBD went from an idea to being stocked in Whole Foods, Soho House, and over 35 countries worldwide, averaging a staggering 400% growth per year.

But their success story isn’t just luck, it’s a masterclass in turning challenges into opportunities.

When they launched, CBD advertising was banned across major platforms. Instead of giving up, they hacked their way to global success by:

• Crafting a product so good word-of-mouth became their #1 marketing tool
• Partnering with brands like Equinox & Soho House to make TRIP the go-to drink for wellness & coolness
• The real benefits of CBD, separating facts from myths.

This episode is packed with hard-earned lessons on building a category-defining brand, breaking into elite retailers, and scaling a consumer product when the odds are stacked against you. 

If you want to know how to build a global brand in a completely new industry, this is the episode you can’t afford to miss.

For this episode, we’ve partnered with Bornbound, the sportswear brand revolutionizing athletic performance.

Bornbound mastered the art of combining extreme lightness, rapid-dry technology, and sleek design to create the ultimate running and workout gear.

As a Thriving Minds listener, we’ve secured an exclusive 30% discount for you! 

Use code 30T at checkout and experience the difference of next-level sportswear.

Train smarter. Perform better. Welcome to the future of fitness.

🔗 Shop now: https://30-and-thriving.com/bornbound-acast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I didn’t just want to make history, I wanted to change it.”

Rebecca Ajulu-Bushell became the first Black woman to ever swim for Great Britain, but that was only the beginning. She went on to graduate from Oxford, become the CEO of the 10,000 Interns Foundation, and author the powerful book This Heavy Black Bone.

In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Rebecca opens up about the hurdles of being a Black woman in elite spaces, the fight to balance the scales, and the bravery it takes to rewrite the rules of success.

👉 This is not just another success story. It’s a blueprint for resilience.

🎧 Watch now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

For this episode, we’ve partnered with Bornbound, the sportswear brand revolutionizing athletic performance. Bornbound mastered the art of combining extreme lightness, rapid-dry technology, and sleek design to create the ultimate running and workout gear.

As a Thriving Minds listener, we’ve secured an exclusive 30% discount for you! 

Use code 30T at checkout and experience the difference of next-level sportswear.

Train smarter. Perform better. Welcome to the future of fitness.

🔗 Shop now: https://thrivingmindsshow.com/bornbound-acast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A story to fuel your day with motivation and hope.

Marine Tanguy grew up on a small island in France, far from the art world’s elite circles.

She had no connections, no privilege, and no fast track to success. Yet today, she’s the founder of MTArt Agency. 

Her mission is to empower talented artists who don’t have the means to break through. MTArt is now valued at £35M, proving that success in even the toughest industries is possible.No big city, no privileged background required.

This conversation on Thriving Minds will change the way you think about success in the creative world. Listen now, this one will change everything.

For this episode, we’ve partnered with Bornbound, the sportswear brand revolutionizing athletic performance. Bornbound mastered the art of combining extreme lightness, rapid-dry technology, and sleek design to create the ultimate running and workout gear.

As a Thriving Minds listener, we’ve secured an exclusive 30% discount for you! 

Use code 30T at checkout and experience the difference of next-level sportswear.

Train smarter. Perform better. Welcome to the future of fitness.

🔗 Shop now: Click here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gary Izunwa grew up in a single-parent, working-class household where he learned the value of hard work and witnessed first-hand the barriers to opportunity faced by underprivileged communities. Today, he’s the founder of Tangent, a ground-breaking digital recruitment platform tackling the deep-rooted unfairness in employee referrals and opening doors for those often overlooked by traditional hiring systems.

Gary’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. From landing a dream job at LinkedIn to discovering how recruitment often favours privilege over merit, he turned frustration into a mission: to create a world where people from less privileged backgrounds can secure roles at top-tier companies like Google, Microsoft, and Goldman Sachs.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Gary took Tangent from an idea to a revolutionary platform.
• The hard truths about recruitment in today’s job market.
• The importance of onboarding the right investors for your vision.
• The challenges of navigating a market with a new and bold idea.

Gary’s story is a masterclass in resilience, vision, and impact-driven entrepreneurship. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, someone passionate about social change, or just looking for inspiration, this episode will leave you motivated to think bigger.

For this episode, we’ve partnered with Bornbound, the sportswear brand revolutionizing athletic performance.

Bornbound mastered the art of combining extreme lightness, rapid-dry technology, and sleek design to create the ultimate running and workout gear.

As a Thriving Minds listener, we’ve secured an exclusive 30% discount for you! 

Use code 30T at checkout and experience the difference of next-level sportswear.

Train smarter. Perform better. Welcome to the future of fitness.

🔗 Shop now: Click Here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.