The Good Intentions Podcast

James Lafferty is the CEO of Fine Hygienic Holding and has been described as one of the most unique and diversified CEO's in the world today. He's not just a successful CEO, he's also an Olympic coach. An award-winning journalist. A college professor. A competitive athlete.  A philanthropist, husband and father of 6. James started his career with humble roots, as a youth track and field coach. Hired by Procter and Gamble in his native Cincinnati, Ohio, James was recruited from the ranks of fitness instructor to enter P&G's “Brand Management” program and after delivering incredible results on the US business, James was transferred into an international career that took him to North Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, The Middle East, Western Europe, Africa and Asia. Jams is clearly a business powerhouse, and I was so keen to speak to him to understand what drives him to achieve so much and how he uses his experience for good. He spoke with great honesty and candour about his challenging upbringing, what he considers to be his own personal failures, and how these have driven him to become the person and leader that he is today.We talked about consumer culture, working practices post-Covid and how a modern CEO needs to bring empathy and energy to everything that they do.He only hires on desire and his purpose in life is to leave the world a little better than he found it. James is warm, optimistic and his honesty made our conversation a real pleasure. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/https://www.instagram.com/goodintentionsuae/Find James here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-michael-lafferty-2737071/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Erik Weihenmayer - Touch the Top of the Worldhttps://magrudy.com/book/touch-the-top-of-the-world-a-blind-mans-journey-to-climb-farther-than-the-eye-can-see-9780452282940/Vince Lombradi - The Lombardi Ruleshttps://magrudy.com/book/the-lombardi-rules-25-lessons-from-vince-lombardi-the-worlds-greatest-coach-9780071444897/Nelson Mandela - Long Walk to Freedomhttps://magrudy.com/book/a-long-walk-to-freedom-the-autobiography-of-nelson-mandela-9780349106533/

Cassie Mather-Reid is a holistic life coach who left her 18-year career in corporate IT behind to follow her calling. One of her main areas of focus is blocked energy and how we store trauma and distress at a cellular level, leading to emotional and physical problems. She works with clients on both their belief systems and energy systems to overcome limiting beliefs and release energy blocks - sounds fascinating, doesn't it?We talked about how Cassie recognised that she was feeling lost and unfulfilled in life and chose to take a different path, healing her own trauma, discovering her goals and learning to live in alignment.We also talked abut leadership and the challenges of the corporate world, discussed the mind body connection and how it works and how our body has everything that it need within it to heal itself. We just need to listen to it.Cassie is warm and approachable and as you might expect, she has great energy - it was a delight to talk to her. I hope you enjoy this episode.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/https://www.instagram.com/goodintentionsuae/Find Cassie here:https://www.instagram.com/cassie_mather_reid/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Gay Hendrix - The Big Leaphttps://magrudy.com/book/the-big-leap-conquer-your-hidden-fear-and-take-life-to-the-next-level-9780061735363/Hal Elrod - The Miracle Morninghttps://magrudy.com/book/the-miracle-morning-the-6-habits-that-will-transform-your-life-before-8am-change-your-life-with-one-of-the-worlds-highest-rated-self-help-books-9781473668942/Vex King - Healing is the New Highhttps://uae.kinokuniya.com/bw/9781788174770

I really do have an incredible conversation for you today. David Goulding is a Sober and Recovery Coach who has been on a 15-year journey of addiction discovery, which saw several attempts to get clean and sober in addition to several rehab stints and attempts to take his own life.A recovered alcoholic and gambling addict, David finally surrendered and transformed his life.It's now his main goal in life to help those who are in similar situations, which led him to launch a programme unique to the Middle east called Sober Lifestyle Coaching.David anonymously and confidentially supports and mentors clients who have made the brave decision to change their lives and embark on the journey of recovery. Of course we talked about alcohol, it's pervasive and addictive role in our culture and society, and how insidious it has become in our every day lives.We also talked about grey area drinking - how the term alcoholic can act as a barrier to change and acceptance and why addiction occurs in the first place - what trauma are we trying to numb or escape from by drinking or taking drugs.More than that, we talked about hope, about connection, about how talking can save our lives and how we as humans are hard wired to help and connect with one another.David says the best thing about no longer drinking is that he is free and at peace.Our conversation was open and honest and beautiful and I left with the most incredible feeling of peace and hope and safety.If you want to fulfil your full potential - if you want to navigate the stresses of life without running away from them, this conversation has so much to give you - whether you're questioning your relationship with alcohol or not.Please enjoy it.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/https://www.instagram.com/goodintentionsuae/Find David here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/soberdubaihttps://www.facebook.com/sobercoachdubaihttps://sober.ae/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Jordan Peterson - The 12 Rules for Lifehttps://magrudy.com/book/12-rules-for-life-an-antidote-to-chaos-9780141988511/Rhonda Byrne - The Secrethttps://magrudy.com/book/the-secret-9781847370297/Russell Brand - Recovery - Freedom from our Addictionshttps://magrudy.com/book/recovery-freedom-from-our-addictions-9781509850860/

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff you have? Do you have too many things at home that you don't know what to do with? You are not alone: most of us have a bit of a hoarding streak and live with clutter in our lives.So my guest this episode is perfect for all of us. Shelina Jokhiya discovered she had a natural gift for organising when she was a child, spending hours organising cassette tapes, CDs, DVDs and her huge collection of Madonna memorabilia into simple systems. While school teachers admired her organised files, it wasn't considered a career choice, and she was encouraged to study law. After reading law at university, Shelina became a solicitor working in London and Dubai, but despite her success, she knew her heart was elsewhere. She never gave up on her dream of becoming a professional organiser and decided to take the leap, launching DeCluttr Me in 2013, where it became the region's first licenced, professional organising service.Shelina's mission is to help people lead more relaxed, motivated, and productive lives – free of clutter - and we talked a lot about how the things that we own can overwhelm us, and this goes way deeper than you might think - affecting us on a very deep, cellular level.We explored the  huge emotional side of decluttering and I loved what she had to say about conscious consumerism - thinking hard about what we buy and why we are buying it and how clutter can act as a cloud over our heads and hearts.Shelina has also written a book “Can You Find it in Five Seconds?” which you'd better believe I am buying a copy of - everything she said spoke straight to my soul.If you're yearning to lead a more simple life with less then this episode really is for you  - Shelina is warm, wise and she's also absolutely hilarious - I loved our conversation and I know you will too. Please enjoy it.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/https://www.instagram.com/goodintentionsuae/Find David here:https://www.instagram.com/decluttrme/https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelinajokhiyaImmerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Shelina Jokhiya - Can you Find It in Five Secondshttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LTFV2DR?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420David Allen - Getting Things Donehttps://magrudy.com/book/getting-things-done-the-art-of-stress-free-productivity-9780143126560/Tony Buzan - Mind Mapshttps://magrudy.com/book/mind-mapping-kickstart-your-creativity-and-transform-your-life-9780563520344/Vikram Seth - A Suitable Boyhttps://magrudy.com/book/a-suitable-boy-9781780227894/

On this episode, I had a super conversation with Aliya Raja. Aliya is a personal and professional development coach, a corporate trainer, a podcast host an entrepreneur and founder of Coaching with Aliya. She helps people develop the range of skills they need to maximize their potential, which obviously I couldn't wait to hear more about.We talked about changing our lifestyle and our habits, how organizations need to change and evolve post COVID at the confidence gap between men and women. Fascinating stuff. Aliya says: "Have big goals, have wonderful relationships, have huge amounts of success in your life. But unless you're also dedicating yourself to knowing who you are, knowing what you want and nurturing the relationship you have with yourself, you will end up feeling empty and disconnected, no matter how many boxes you tick that look impressive to other people."She gave lots of practical tips about how to stay connected to what's important to you, how to succeed at work and at home, and she gave me lots of food for thought about how we classify success in our lives. I hope you enjoy the conversation. Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/https://www.instagram.com/goodintentionsuae/Find Aliya here:https://www.instagram.com/coach_aliya/https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliya-rajah-0b72ba8a/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Adam Poswolsky - The Quarter Life breakthroughhttps://magrudy.com/book/the-quarter-life-breakthrough-invent-your-own-path-find-meaningful-work-and-build-a-life-that-matters-9780143109525/Susan Jeffers - Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway https://magrudy.com/book/feel-the-fear-and-do-it-anyway-the-phenomenal-classic-that-has-changed-the-lives-of-millions-9780091907075/Carrie Green - She means Businesshttps://magrudy.com/book/she-means-business-turn-your-ideas-into-reality-and-become-a-wildly-successful-entrepreneur-9781401953164/https://www.instagram.com/iamcarriegreen

My guest this episode is Sasha Bates: psychotherapist, journalist and former BBC and Channel Four producer. Sasha's husband, the actor and playwright Bill Cashmore, died unexpectedly at the age of 56. When Bill died, Sasha turned to writing and the resulting book, called Languages of Loss, is a moving, powerful and informative narrative account of how grief works, how it feels and how it can be managed; a searingly honest account of losing a loved one, and a practical guide to help anyone who is grieving. In this beautiful conversation, Sasha talked to me about the death of her husband Bill and how her best selling book The Languages of Loss, is a conversation between her therapist self and her grieving self in an attempt to express and make sense of the inexpressible and incomprehensible. We talked about the five stages of grief and how they are not necessarily helpful, why we are so bad at talking about death as a society and how we can best support someone who has lost a loved one. We also talked about guilt- how feeling happy doesn't mean you've forgotten a loved one, yet it is an inevitable part of the grief process.Sasha is warm and wise and open about her experiences and has so much practical advice about how to attempt to navigate grief, and why it will never be the same experience for two people. Our conversation is a powerful insight into what it is to lose someone you love, and is also filled with hope and healing. Sasha says: “Fear is at the root of our inability to talk about death, we are absolutely terrified of speaking about it.” I really hope that my having more conversations like this, we can bring grief out of the darkness and into the light, where it can heal.I hope you enjoy this episode. Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/https://www.instagram.com/goodintentionsuae/Find Sasha here:https://www.instagram.com/sashbates/https://sashabates.co.ukImmerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Sasha Bates - Languages of Losshttps://magrudy.com/book/languages-of-loss-a-psychotherapists-journey-through-grief-9781529312690/Sasha Bates -  A Grief Companionhttps://www.amazon.com/Grief-Companion-Practical-darkness-Languages-ebook/dp/B0967R92G4Nelson Mandela - The Long Walk to Freedom https://magrudy.com/book/a-long-walk-to-freedom-the-autobiography-of-nelson-mandela-9780349106533/Ndaba Mandela - Going to the Mountain - 11 Life Lessons from Nelson Mandela https://www.amazon.ae/Going-Mountain-Lessons-Grandfather-Mandela/dp/1786090570/The Dalai Lama - Cultivating Happinesshttps://magrudy.com/book/cultiving-happiness-9781607967170/

On this episode we speak about a topic very dear to my heart - the zero alcohol revolution. I stopped drinking alcohol in 2017, and it was a truly life changing and momentous decision. I'm always passionate to talk about how embracing a sober lifestyle can impact positively on your world, and the world around you.So you can imagine how excited I was to speak to Erika Doyle, zero alcohol champion here in the UAE. Erika is proud to be the driving force behind the UAE's first and only premium non-alcoholic drinks marketplace, Drink Dry. Erika's Drink Dry journey began in 2015 when she decided to give up alcohol to start a family. She moved to the UAE just a few years later and found there was a gap in the market for non-alcoholic drinks in the region and the Drink Dry store was born. The one stop shop caters to those wanting to either reduce or eliminate their alcohol intake and indulge in a variety of premium non-alcoholic hops and grapes, spirits and cocktails. What started as an e-store, is now a firm mainstay in the retail and hospitality sector across the UAE with expansion plans into Kuwait and KSA this year.Erika is a busy working mum, juggling three children with a successful business, so I was keen to understand how she manages to stay focused, efficient and resilient. We talked about the positive impact of cutting down or cutting out alcohol, the insidious nature of ‘mummy wine' culture and how community is crucial when starting an alcohol free journey. We also talked about making a difference in our lives and the world around us and I found Erika's grounded and compassionate approach very relatable and inspiring. I'm sure you will too - please enjoy our conversation.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/https://www.instagram.com/goodintentionsuae/Find Erika and the Drink Dry store here:https://drinkdrystore.com/https://www.instagram.com/drinkdrystore/https://www.instagram.com/erika_drinkdry/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Michelle Obama - Becominghttps://magrudy.com/author/michelle-obama/Michelle Obama - Becoming - For Younger Readershttps://www.amazon.ae/Becoming-Adapted-Readers-Michelle-Obama/dp/0593303741/

Louise Nichol fell in love with Dubai when she moved here in 2005. Originally from the UK, you probably know her best as editor of fashion magazines Grazia Middle East and Harper's Bazaar Arabia. Most recently Louise has made a career switch to indoor cycling instructor and can be found leading legendary and much sought after classes at Crank. Her impossibly glamorous life always fascinated me and I couldn't wait to talk to her about her experiences in the world of publishing, how she balances raising three children with a career and how she manages to stay grounded - especially when surrounded by the glitz and celebrity  of the magazine world. Louise is warm, candid and down to earth and I loved her take on life in Dubai, making big career changes and bold choices whatever age you are and how to find connections and community. Last but not least, I loved our conversations around wellness and taking responsibility for our own health.Louise says: It's humbling, terrifying and life-affirming to start from scratch at the bottom, to go from being the most experienced to the least. The power of learning is truly formidable.I learned so much from my conversation with Louise and I know you will too. Please do enjoy it.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Louise Nichol here:https://www.instagram.com/louisenichol/https://www.louisenichol.com/Read more about Heroes of Hope and their great work here:https://www.instagram.com/heroes_of_hope_/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: JRR Tolkien - Lord of the Ringshttps://magrudy.com/book/the-lord-of-the-rings-9780618645619/Justin Cronin - The Passagehttps://magrudy.com/book/the-passage-9780752883304/Robin Hobb - Assassin's Apprenticehttps://www.amazon.ae/Assassins-Apprentice-Farseer-Trilogy-Book/dp/000756225X

I just love it when my incredible guests recommend other incredible guests to be on the show, and that is exactly what happened with this episode. Earlier this year I interviewed the wonderful Shereen Al Qutob - who is a corporate alchemist, no less. She led me to Hiba Balfaqih who has an equally brilliant job title - she's a Mind Hacker. As one of the world's top mindset therapists, healers and psychologists, she helps liberate people from deeply held blocks, negative beliefs, and trauma to live their most fulfilled life.A trained psychologist who combines traditional practices with those of energy and healing, Hiba quit her corporate job to choose this new life path - as you might imagine she's full of guts and chutzpah and she had me hooked from the first word.We spoke about how the first 7 years of our lives are crucial in setting the shape of the rest of our lives and how we can unpick that programming, how to stay connected to what's important to us, and how to stay fulfilled if you work in the corporate world.A self confessed growth addict, Hiba believes that if you're not growing, you're dying, and her energy and wisdom is so uplifting. She believes that we create our reality, and after our conversation, I felt inspired to do go off and do the same.  I hope you do too.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Hiba Balfaqih here:https://www.instagram.com/hibabalfaqih/https://www.hibabalfaqih.com/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: An Extraordinary Mind - Vishen Lakhianihttps://magrudy.com/book/the-code-of-the-extraordinary-mind-10-unconventional-laws-to-redefine-your-life-and-succeed-on-your-own-terms-9781508224532/Dying to be Me - Anita Moorjanihttps://magrudy.com/book/dying-to-be-me-my-journey-from-cancer-to-near-death-to-true-healing-9781848507838/Will - Will Smithhttps://www.amazon.ae/Will-SmithWhat Happened to You - Oprah Winfreyhttps://www.amazon.ae/What-Happened-You-Conversations-Resilience/Conversations with God - Neale Donald Walschhttps://www.amazon.com/Conversations-God-Uncommon-Dialogue-Book/dp/0399142789

Mimi Nicklin is the internationally bestselling author of Softening The Edge - an incredible book about how humanity's oldest leadership trait - empathy - is changing our world. The data shows that in emotionally intelligent organisations where empathy is high, we see performance, productivity, and creativity go up.Mimi believes that empathy – a scientifically validated skillset –has the power to not only change business environments, but to change society for the better. This was music to my ears.I can't think of a better time to talk to Mimi about empathy - burn out is at an all-time high, we are all feeling super jaded after the last year, passion is dropping, and the younger generation is leaving the corporate world quicker than they entered it.Mimi believes that we are significantly underestimating the powerful role that increased empathy could have on profits as well as workplaces at large. We had a fascinating discussion about empathy - can it be taught or are we born with it, how we can build empathy within our workplaces, and how can we balance the demands of a corporate job with a desire to lead an empathetic life? I loved what Mimi had to say about empathy, community and connection, and how it can make a real difference to our world and the way we do business. I hope you enjoy our conversation.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Mimi Nicklin here:https://www.instagram.com/miminicklin/https://www.linkedin.com/in/miminicklin/Mimi's wonderful book is here:https://www.amazon.ae/Softening-Edge-humanitys-leadership-changing/dp/9948340094Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Hit Refresh - Satya Nadellahttps://magrudy.com/book/hit-refresh-9780008247652/Lean In - Sheryl Sandberghttps://magrudy.com/book/lean-in-women-work-and-the-will-to-lead-9780753541647/

Karen Osman is an award winning, best selling novelist based in Dubai. Since she won the Montegrappa Prize for Fiction at the Emirates Literature Festival back in 2016, her gripping psychological thrillers have flown off the shelves across the world. I've read them all and can tell you just how good they are.Her hugely popular online course Kick Start Your Book with Karen helps budding authors achieve their dream of writing a book and Karen was very generous with her advice and insight on how to write a novel.Despite writing utterly terrifying books, Karen is an absolutely lovely human being, full of positive energy and tips on how to stay focused and creative in a busy and demanding world.If you long to pursue a creative life  and if you feel you have a novel inside you - then this episode is for you.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Karen Osman here:https://www.instagram.com/karenosmanauthorhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/karenosmanImmerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Wild Swans - Jung Changhttps://magrudy.com/book/wild-swans-export-9780743254397/Shantaram - Gregory David Robertshttps://magrudy.com/book/shantaram-9780349117546/The 4 Hour Work Week - Tim Ferrisshttps://www.virginmegastore.ae/en/books/non-fiction-books/business-books/4-hour-work-week-expanded-version/p/444600?gclid=CjwKCAjwieuGBhAsEiwA1Ly_naB5BAtNQYEUKJdpNySL1cI5CVfMDN8L9Co1CoRORx1G7JlIAVBkeRoCBqoQAvD_BwE

Monica Malhotra is the founder and CEO of The Gaggler, an online publishing platform that provides regionally relevant content with diverse points of view, and authentic storytelling.She's a passionate entrepreneur, always looking for ways to create something with a positive impact and this passion led her to start businesses in education and more recently in online publishing with The Gaggler.Monica and I discussed how re-framing problems is the key to succeeding in business and why patience and perseverance are so important in everything that we do.Monica's sense of gratitude and curiosity pours from her and I loved the wisdom that she shared about being an entrepreneur and how she's created a work life balance.Please do enjoy our conversation.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Monica Malhotra here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-malhotra-thegaggler/Find The Gaggler here:https://www.instagram.com/thegaggler/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Women Who Think Too Much - Susan Nolen-Hoeksemahttps://magrudy.com/book/women-who-think-too-much-how-to-break-free-of-overthinking-and-reclaim-your-life-9780749924812/Happiness is the Way - Wayne Dyerhttps://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Way-Reframe-Thinking-Already/dp/1401956076

Shereen Qutob is absolutely fascinating - she enables organizations to understand and tap into their true talents - their teams. She helps high performance cultures in an age of constant disruption and as a self proclaimed Corporate Alchemist, her mission is bring humanity back to the workplace one conversation at a time.Shereen says: We've been lied to as a humanity. That life is hard. That nothing comes easily. Stress and strife are seen as “normal” while being happy for no reason is questioned. It's time to break free of these limiting beliefs and shackles that have killed more dreams than we can imagine.Isn't she incredible!? Our conversation about employees and the workplace post Covid, how compassion and empathy are the key to business performance and bringing joy to the every day resonated with me on so many levels.I hope that this conversation leaves your fired up and ready to bring humanity back to your workplace. Please enjoy it.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Shereen Qutob here:https://www.instagram.com/shereenclaritycoach/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: The Enlightened Gardener - Sydney Bankshttps://www.amazon.com/Enlightened-Gardener-Sydney-Banks/dp/1772130206

Bashayer Arif is an Emirati writer, and the author of a wonderful new children's book - The Secret Life of Dubai's Street Cats.Her book about three street cats exploring the city of Dubai is about cats (obviously!) but it's also a beautiful story of friendship and forgiveness.We discussed the profound power of storytelling, why empathy is so important, and the danger of seeing the world in black and white.Bashayer also shared tips for anyone wanting to write a book - and get published - and she talked through her writing process.I was so touched by Bashayer's beautiful book, and our conversation around animals and what they have to teach us left me hopeful and happy. Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Bashayer Arif here:https://www.instagram.com/bashayer.arif/https://www.instagram.com/secretlifeofstreetcats/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Americanah - Chimamanda Ngozihttps://uae.kinokuniya.com/bw/9780007356348The Namesake  - Jhumpa Lahirihttps://uae.kinokuniya.com/bw/9780006551805Matilda - Roald Dahlhttps://uae.kinokuniya.com/bw/9780141365466

Gaj Ravichandra is an International Career Path Strategist and Executive Coach, Organizational Psychologist, and the Co-founder of Kompass Consultancy here in Dubai.Humans hate uncertainty and Gaj's insights on how to navigate what are most definitely very uncertain times right now were just brilliant. We talked about neuroscience and upgrading our operating software - which was fascinating, we also talked about spotting patterns in our behaviour, building resilience and how to turn off that negative voice inside our head.I loved what Gaj had to say about his family leaving Sri Lanka to start a new life in Australia  and how that shaped him. Ex-pats in Dubai will be able to identify strongly with this, I'm sure.Our conversation is full of insights and practical tips on how to improve your mindset and develop mental toughness. I loved it, and I'm sure you will too. Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Gaj Ravichandra here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaj-ravichandra/https://www.instagram.com/gajravichandra/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Grit - Angela Duckworthhttps://magrudy.com/book/grit-the-power-of-passion-and-perseverance-9781501111105/The Power of One - Bryce Courtenayhttps://magrudy.com/book/the-power-of-one-9780833554253/

Marcus Smith is a phenomenon..I'd go as far as to say he's almost superhuman!He's an extreme athlete who ran 30 marathons in 30 days and he did this just 9 months after being hit by a truck when he was out cycling. I told you - he's superhuman!Marcus has an Ultra mindset - and he's full of great advice for how people can live their best lives and end every day better than they were yesterday.If you've been feeling a bit flat lately (and I don't mind admitting that I have) then this episode is for you.We talked about grit, determination, not giving up, even when things seem hopeless and his energy and desire to grab life by the neck each and every day was just the boost I needed. Marcus has a mantra: Work hard, have fun, be mentally strong. isn't that what we all need right now? Buckle up and get ready for a truly energising, brilliant conversation.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Marcus Smith here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusjdsmith/https://www.instagram.com/mjd_smith/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Legacy - James Kerrhttps://magrudy.com/book/legacy-15-lessons-in-leadership-what-the-all-blacks-can-teach-us-about-the-business-of-life-9781472103536/Finding my Virginity - Richard Bransonhttps://magrudy.com/book/finding-my-virginity-the-new-autobiography-9780753556139/

Leila Rezaiguia is an executive coach and co-founder of Kompass Consultancy here in Dubai. Leila is hugely well respected and recognized in the region for her work with Arab female leaders and has 18 years of international experience building high-performance teams for top organizations, business schools and sporting teams.Obviously I couldn't wait to talk to her about coaching and we also had a fantastic conversation about living an intentional life, spiritual leadership and finding the right network.I loved what she had to say about the issues that women face at work and how they can succeed and overcome them and we also talked about how positivity and acceptance are crucial to life and to leadership, especially during COVID times.I left our conversation full on energy and inspiration and I'm sure you will do too.Please enjoy our conversation.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Leila Rezaiguia here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/leila-rezaiguia/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: A New Earth - Eckhart Tollehttps://magrudy.com/book/a-new-earth-create-a-better-life-9780141039411/The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruizhttps://magrudy.com/book/the-four-agreements-practical-guide-to-personal-freedom-9781878424310/

I am so excited about this week's guest and I know you will be too. When the book The Sheikh CEO was released, it was hugely anticipated and took Dubai and the UAE by storm. It's written based on the first hand experience of Dr Yasar Jarrar, who worked for the Executive Office of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum for many years, as well as interviews with people who worked (and continue to work) very closely with the Sheikh CEO.The book is a carefully crafted tale of Sheikh Mohammed's enterprising approach to running Dubai and is an engaging narrative about his penchant for risk-taking, even when the chips are stacked against him.The book has been called a ‘must read' not just for UAE residents but for anyone who aspires to be a great leader and i can't speak highly enough about it. The book is about leadership. And it's also about having a great vision, and making it happen. It's about resilience, innovation, and creating future leaders. It is about public leadership and building effective governments in the emerging markets that can lead social and economic development. It is about leading in an uncertain world.Dr Yasar Jarrar paints a story of a man and his vision that has transformed Dubai into the global city it is today. We spoke about why storytelling is crucial to leadership, how to win hearts and minds and why we should have hope for future.I absolutely loved our conversation and I know you will too. Please enjoy it. Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find The Sheikh CEO here:http://www.sheikhceo.com/the-book/And buy the book here:https://www.amazon.ae/Sheikh-CEO-Lessons-Leadership-Mohammed/dp/1785961101

If you've met Isobel Abulhoul, you will know that she is a force of nature, a pioneer and a true inspiration. She is perhaps best known for literacy – she co-founded Magrudy's, the book store chain (and a UAE institution!) in 1975. In 2008, she founded the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the Arab World's largest celebration of the written and spoken word. This beautiful event has gone on to win awards such as Best Festival, Best Family Day out and Favourite Festival – and I can testify that it's an incredibly special space and the absolute highlight of my year, every year.Isobel, who arrived in the UAE over 40 years ago, has been lauded with countless accolades including Cultural Personality of the Year by His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah and no less than an OBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. This is in addition to others including an Arabian Business most influential woman award, and one which I just love: Femina's Unstoppable Woman.As the co-host of ‘Talking of Books', broadcast weekly on Dubai Eye 103.8 FM, Isobel has now found an enjoyable way to spend Saturday mornings discussing the latest titles and interviewing authors from around the world.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature here:https://www.instagram.com/emirateslitfest/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: A Little Life - Hanya Yanagiharahttps://magrudy.com/book/a-little-life-9781509818235/Burnt Sugar - Avni Doshi https://magrudy.com/book/burnt-sugar-9780241441510/In Search of Fatima - Ghana Kharmi https://magrudy.com/book/in-search-of-fatima-a-palestinian-story-9781844673681/

My guest this episode is Aakanksha Tangri.She's the founder of Re:Set, an online resource for tools and stories around education, parenting, mental health, gender and inclusivity. Its a wonderful platform that aims to dispel misconceptions and stigma and provide a safe, inclusive space that encourages dialogue. It's full of incredible stories and resources and I really recommend that you take a look at it.She's also a journalist who worked for CBC news in Canada, CNN and Vice news - such an interesting background and foundation for her work at Re:Set.We talked about her love of news, shining a light on shame and being a Dubai baby who has returned to the UAE. It was such a great conversation - I hope you enjoy it.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Re:Set here:https://www.instagram.com/resetfest/

What if you could turn philanthropy on its head, and make giving to charity easy, simple, and part of everyday life? We'd solve a lot of problems in the world, right? Well that's exactly what my next guest has done - to incredible effect.My guest this week is Jad Toubayly, CEO and Co-Founder of Idealz. Idealz is an ecommerce store which sells self-branded sports clothing and stationery. You sign up to the app, and with every purchase you can win a prize  - and we're talking huge prizes here - I live in hope of landing a Mercedes G Wagon!Every customer who opts to donate the item they've bought to Dubai Cares gets given an extra ticket entry into the prize draw. This incentive system is widely used by the retail industry to promote sales, and was re-purposed by Idealz to create a formidable method of promoting corporate social responsibility. The popularity of this impressive start-up has resulted in substantial contributions to Dubai Cares and is already inspiring other SMEs to follow suit.I had a great chat with Jad about business, creativity and what gets him out of bed in the morning. He's extremely modest when it comes to his business achievements - this is despite being in the Arabian Business 40 under 40 list and being on his eleventh business start up. I'm curious about what drives hugely successful business people and Jad was honest and open about challenges and why gratitude and smiles are what makes him tick, more than a balance sheet.I hope you enjoy our conversation. Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Idealz here:https://www.instagram.com/idealz/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: How to Build a Billion Dollar App - George Berkowskihttps://www.amazon.com/How-to-Build-Billion-Dollar-App-audiobook/dp/B01N4WQRQA

This week my guest is Karalynn Thomson, founder of The Animal Agency, the UAE's only professional animal agency providing models and actors of every colour, shape and size to the region's growing media and advertising industry.Karalynn also runs the fantastic initiative Reading Dogs UAE, which encourages school children to become confident readers by reading aloud to pet dogs. Research shows that reading with dogs improves children's reading fluency by up to 30 per cent. It also offers them a whole host of social and emotional benefits too.Obviously I was very keen to talk to Karalynn more about this and she was extremely generous with her time, especially given that she's just moved house, and has new baby - a gorgeous four month old daughter, who made a guest appearance half way through our chat.We had a wonderful conversation about animals and pets, what they can can teach us, and as an added bonus, I got to meet Minnie the Great Dane. What a great day. Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Reading Dogs UAE here:https://www.instagram.com/readingdogsuae/Find The Animal Agency UAE here:https://www.instagram.com/animalagencyuae/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: The Book Thief - Marcus Zusakhttps://www.amazon.com/Book-Thief-Markus-Zusak/dp/0375842209Shantaram - Gregory David Robertshttps://www.amazon.com/Shantaram-Gregory-David-Roberts/dp/8365282313Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Won't Stop Talkinghttps://www.amazon.com/Introverts-Talking-TURTLEBACK-SCHOOL-Prebound/dp/B00QPHBJGQ

From the very first day I started this podcast I knew that I wanted to explore the wisdom of animals and how our relationship with them can guide us and help us to grow. So when a client of mine posted about an equine leadership session that they'd taken part in, I just had to interview the coach. So my guest this episode is Kelly Eide. Kelly is a corporate strategist and a leadership coach who works with business leaders and CEO at the highest level. And she does this in an unusual way - she uses herds of healing horses.By taking people out in to nature and using natural horsemanship, she helps business leaders' to practice how they lead in a truly unique way. I knew that horses were blessed with unique skills when it came to intuition and Kelly taught me so much more about what these incredible and powerful creatures can teach us. Horses live in herds. They set and respect boundaries. They are authentic. And above all, they look out for one another. Was there ever a better time than now to tap into their power?My conversation with Kelly was nothing short of magical as she opened my eyes to accelerating our lives with horsepower. Please, enjoy her incredible experience and wisdom. Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Kelly here:https://www.instagram.com/experiencetrueleadership/http://www.trueyoume.com/index-meImmerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Finding Your Way in a Wild New World - Martha Beckhttps://www.amazon.com/Finding-Your-Way-Wild-World/dp/1451624603The Tao of Equus - Linda Cohen https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Equus-Journey-Healing-Transformation/dp/B004J24Y1GWhat the Robin Knows - Jon Young https://www.amazon.com/What-Robin-Knows-Secrets-Natural-ebook/dp/B005MZN22G

If you've ever wondered why you have certain aches and pains, or why you can't shake certain behaviours, this episode is for you.My guest this week is Anna Mitchell - a kinesiologist. If you're wondering what kinesiology is don't worry - I was a little hazy about this myself until I met with Anna.In a nutshell, kinesiology is the science of human movement. It uses muscle testing to identify imbalances in the body's structural, chemical, and emotional make up.  It can reduce stress and pain, improve performance at school, work and home, be beneficial in sports and relationships. Its simply a great tool to promotes health and wellbeing. Sounds brilliant, doesn't it? I had a fascinating chat with Anna as she explained more about how it works and how our body has each and every tool it needs to heal itself. We just need to listen to it.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Anna here:https://www.instagram.com/kinesiologydubai/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Talking to Strangers - Malcom Gladwellhttps://www.amazon.com/Talking-Strangers-Should-about-People-ebook/dp/B07NDKVWZWTouch for Health - John Thie https://www.amazon.com/Touch-Health-Complete-Spiral-bound-John/dp/B00546CQS4Educate Your Brain - Cathy Brownhttps://www.amazon.com/Educate-Your-Brain-Kathy-Brown/dp/1938550005Heal Your Body - Louise Hayhttps://www.amazon.com/Heal-Your-Body-Louise-Hay/dp/0937611352The Dominance Factor - Dr Carla Hannaford https://www.amazon.com/Dominance-Factor-Knowing-Dominant-Learning/dp/0915556405

My guest this week is Zach Holz. Zach is a teacher, a finance expert, a serial expat and a general all round brilliant human being. You might know him from his blog: The Happiest Teacher, or from his weekly columns in The National newspaper here in the UAE. He's one of those great people who is on a constant quest for self-improvement, who in the process also wants to share what he's found with others.We talked about his relentless positivity, what being an expat has taught him, how we can best help our children navigate technology and how his zealous attitude to savings and investment has given him financial freedom. His enthusiasm is completely infectious and we had such a great conversation. I left him feeling inspired and uplifted - I hope you do too.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find Zach here:https://www.thehappiestteacher.com/https://www.instagram.com/thehappiestteacher_zach/Read his columns for The National here:https://www.thenational.ae/topics/Author/Zach%20HolzImmerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Digital Minimalism - Cal Newport https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Minimalism-Choosing-Focused-Noisy-ebook/dp/B07DBRBP7GAtomic Habits - James Clearhttps://www.amazon.ae/Atomic-Habits-life-changing-million-bestseller/dp/1847941834

Our surroundings can impact us on a deep level - our home, after all, is the space that we wake up to in the morning and that we return to each night. How can we make sure that these spaces lift us up and really enrich our lives?My guest this episode is Emilie Jacob - the incredible woman who runs the boutique interior design studio Stella and the Stars. She's known for her signature style: lots of colour and bold spaces.My home is testament to my love of Emilie's style and I'm definitely not the only one - her work is in demand all across the UAE. Emilie says: “Our home is the place I am going to spend every single day, so it should be a beautiful, cosy place that I enjoy getting back to at the end of each day.” We had a brilliant conversation about creativity and where it comes from, and how her chaotic childhood drives her longing to creating safe and beautiful spaces. It's honest and full of Emilie's gorgeous energy. Enjoy.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find the wonderful Stella and the Stars: https://www.instagram.com/stellaandthestarsImmerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Lean In - Sheryl Sandberghttps://www.amazon.com/Lean-Women-Work-Will-Lead/dp/0385349947How Social Media is Ruining Your Life - Katherine Ormerodhttps://www.amazon.com/Social-Media-Ruining-Your-Life-ebook/dp/B07D2F92S3Becoming - Michelle Obamahttps://magrudy.com/book/becoming-9780241334140/

In this episode we meet Eda Gungor, the founder of SEVA - which you will previously have known as Life n One in Jumeirah 1.SEVA is a wellness centre, a vegan cafe and a concept shop, but it's so much more than that - it's a beautiful oasis of calm and tranquility with a garden to die for!I chatted to Eda, who started Life n One six years ago, in that very garden, and we had a brilliant conversation about what brought her to Dubai and what led her to create Life n One,Her journey has not been without its challenges, and I loved how honest she was when it came to moving past obstacles and how she created a life with balance and meaning.  Spoiler alert: It isn't as easy as we might think.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find the wonderful SEVA here:https://www.instagram.com/sevaexperience/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: The great Joe Dispenzahttps://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supernatural-Common-People-Uncommon-ebook/dp/B0746RN3G7Napoleon Hillhttps://www.amazon.com/Napoleon-Hill/e/B000APAMYE

In this episode we meet Fiona Day, an intuitive consultant and an energy healer.Fiona operates on a completely different level - in a different dimension in fact - so being in her presence and learning more about her amazing abilities was absolutely fascinating.I arrived at her lovely home to be met by a dog, a cat, and a house rabbit (there may be a few miaows in the background!) and for an animal lover like me, this was pure heaven, and I knew we were going to get along. Especially when she revealed she goes to the Maldives alone every year.Fiona is warm, open and her perspective on energy and how we can tune into our own intuition and feelings is eye opening.When she isn't working in Dubai she's doing amazing, life-changing work in Nepal and one day,  might just buy an island in the Maldives - something tells me she'll have a willing tribe of people to follow her!I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Find the wonderful Fiona here:https://www.fionaday.comImmerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Many Lives, Many Masters - Brian Weisshttps://www.amazon.com/Many-Lives-Masters-Prominent-Psychiatrist/dp/0671657860Only Love is Real - Brian Weisshttps://www.amazon.com/Only-Love-Real-Soulmates-Reunited/dp/0446672653The Celestine Prophecy - James Redfieldhttps://www.amazon.com/Celestine-Prophecy-James-Redfield/dp/153873026X

My guest for you in this episode is Reza Alavi, the founder of Real Pilates, a true Dubai business success story. With a mission to enrich people's lives, Reza turned his back on his conventional career to start the Real Pilates studio, and his journey from corporate life to wellness is a fascinating one.I first discovered Pilates and Reza's amazing Jumeirah One studio about five years ago - I was going through a very challenging time and it is no exaggeration to say that it saved my mind - the positive effects on my body were an added bonus. Reza has an incredible energy, he is open, honest and candid. He shared the daily rituals that keep him grounded (hello Mantras!) and had so much advice about business and life. For anyone who has ever dreamt of leaving the 9 to 5 grind and pursuing a passion, this conversation is for you. I hope you enjoy it.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Follow the wonderful Real Pilates community :https://www.instagram.com/realpilates/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Hal Elrod - The Miracle Morning https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Morning-Habits-Transform-m/dp/1473668948Robin Sharma - The Monk Who Sold His Ferrarihttps://www.amazon.com/Monk-Who-Sold-His-Ferrari/dp/0062515675Winning - Jack Welch https://www.amazon.com/Winning/dp/B0009929HY

From an early age, Clinical Psychologist Dr Saliha Afridi knew that she wanted to change the world. What began as a desire to heal evolved into helping people to help themselves and today Dr Saliha leads The Lighthouse: a community mental health clinic based in Dubai.I was so thrilled to sit with Dr Saliha in the beautiful space she's created in the heart of Dubai. We talked about everything from therapy to work to parenting and religion. She revealed that she's deleted Instagram from her phone and how she stayed connected to love through divorce. Our chat was full of energy and joy and laughter. Absolutely loved it.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Follow the wonderful Dr Saliha Afridi:https://www.instagram.com/drsalihaafridi/Follow The Lighthouse:https://www.instagram.com/lighthousearabia/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed:The Forty Rules of Love - Elif Shafakhttps://www.amazon.com/Forty-Rules-Love-Novel-Rumi/dp/0143118528Anita Moorjani - Dying to be Mehttps://www.amazon.com/Dying-Be-Me-Journey-Healing/dp/1401937535The great Joe Dispenzahttps://www.amazon.com/Joe-Dispenza/e/B001IGX24Q

As a counsellor and self-development coach, Helen has dedicated her life to helping others. From her Dubai-based business Mindful Me, she is a guide and mentor, running courses and retreats that aim to nourish the souls of those who attend them.Spending time with Helen is always a pleasure. She has an energy and outlook that belies her 70 years and wisdom pours out of her.We talked about travelling alone, why Helen loves to dance (I adored this!) and how she's read Eckhart Tolle's New Earth over 55 times! Helen is so engaged with living and learning - getting to understand more about her intentions and the passions that drive her was a true privilege.Follow me, and the Good Intentions podcast:https://www.instagram.com/kellyharvarde/Follow the incredible Mindful Me community :https://www.instagram.com/mindfulme_dubai/Immerse yourself in some of the books we discussed: Eckhart Tolle - A New Earth https://www.amazon.com/New-Earth-Awakening-Purpose-Selection/dp/0452289963John Wellwood - Perfect Love, Imperfect Relationshipshttps://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Love-Imperfect-Relationships-Healing/dp/1590303865Undefended Love - Jet Psaris and Marlena Lyons https://www.amazon.com/Undefended-Love-Jett-Psaris/dp/1572242086