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Look Mum, No Hands! Embracing Life's Risks

Look Mum, No Hands! Embracing Life's Risks

By Daniel Confino and Sarah Sharman

Success can often be judged as pre-ordained or “who you know” or about money or good luck or simple fate.
That debilitating and defeatist worldview can be challenged. Maybe hard work,
perseverance, taking risks, and making your own luck can be equally powerful,
The power of true life stories in all their rich detail of success and setbacks can provide a positive framework and instructive lessons for those facing challenges and scary opportunities.

Join Daniel Confino and Sarah Sharman on their brand new show.
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Maawura Totoe - Embracing Life's Risks

Look Mum, No Hands! Embracing Life's RisksJul 20, 2023

00:00
01:07:59
Maawura Totoe - Embracing Life's Risks

Maawura Totoe - Embracing Life's Risks

FLO London, Civil engineer

Jul 20, 202301:07:59
David Smith MBE - Embracing Life's Risks

David Smith MBE - Embracing Life's Risks

Great British medallist David Smith joins us on the show Sharing how he's overcome in life incomplete

Jul 13, 202301:27:37
Nicola Rossi - Embracing Life's Risks

Nicola Rossi - Embracing Life's Risks

Nicola is a published award winning author with a mission to warn and educate on the dystopian possibilities of modern life and tech influence. We can start to see the origins as she takes us through her life story. A childhood marked by fantasies and a rich imaginative life, as an only child surrounded by unlimited ice cream, TV shows and Frankenstein monsters. Her experience of adults include the extremes of duty bound ties to the family shop and failing alcohol and depression models. Nicola’s unblinking honesty is painful at times and she opens up (maybe for the first time) on the trauma she experienced as a young adult. Nicola takes a measured approach to risk. She utters the famous words “what’s the worst that can happen” but she had to be bored and feeling disengaged after a long traditional career to make the big move from comfy job to creative writer through several gateways. It is a very emotional interview. Sarah chokes up at one stage. Daniel the complete softy is always watery eyed. The only one keeping her poise is Nicola who seems to draw upon some inner strength to see her through. Maybe it is knowing that she as a child used to visit, in all innocence, Britain’s most prolific hangman Albert Pierrepoint, that inoculates against the bad stuff in life. Join us in this great interview as we attempt to connect the dots and draw the lessons for life.
Dec 28, 202201:18:14
Callie Dickens - Embracing Life's Risks

Callie Dickens - Embracing Life's Risks

Callie is hard to describe. She is like a wound up ball of energy who had escaped the straight jacket of circumstance to define her own way in life. Callie has taken some “what the hell” decisions and wears a necklace with the words “F it” as a constant reminder. Those decisions include relocating to Dubai for several years.
That experience contributed to giving Callie a strong sense of justice and she is now a strong advocate for equity giving all a fair access to life and opportunities.
The quote below is how Callie sees herself but we go deeper to what is really driving her big decisions in life. “Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Poor Jane; a brand agency for entrepreneurs and the businesses they intend to change the world with. For ingenious brands and the genius minds behind them. For whom success is as much in the adventure of the journey as in the rewards. Where brands are born to have impact, creativity and longevity..

Public speaker, coach and regular at the squat rack.....and the buffet.”

The question remains for you to decide. Has Callie freed herself from fear of the new and unknown or has she given full reign to her restless soul to become very focused and driven. Or maybe a risk seeker in need of the next challenge?
Dec 20, 202201:12:20
Yuri Buzzi - Embracing Life's Risks

Yuri Buzzi - Embracing Life's Risks

Yuri could have taken the well trodden path to becoming a lawyer in his home town. But that was not to be. The call of acting was too strong and the start of a creative adventure marked by several highs including replacing George Clooney as the face of Martini. At the age of twenty he left Puglia and went to study at the School Of Cinema in Rome (Acting & Directing) and subsequently at The Actor Centre in London. In July 2019 he completed his accredited ICF diploma, in life coaching at the Animas Centre for Coaching in London. He has travelled a lot with his work and had had the pleasure of working with numerous directors such as Paul Feig in the movie Spy, produced by 20th Century Fox, Mandie Fletcher in the movie Patrick for Walt Disney UK, Jordan Scott and Peter Thwaites in the worldwide campaign for Martini & Rossi produced by Gorgeous film and RSA Film, Angelo Longoni in the movie "Tiberio Mitri - The champion and the miss", Luca Lucini in the movie "Just Married” and also with Alessandro D'Alatri on several campaigns for major brands such as Telecom, Dreher, TIM and Repubblica. In 2014 he relocated to London and joined Najma Bhatti at Four55 Ltd our Creative Agency, where his skills in writing and co-directing have created a great symbiosis.
Dec 14, 202201:02:39
Illana Gambrill - Embracing Life's Risks

Illana Gambrill - Embracing Life's Risks

Illana is a vivacious bundle of energy and enthusiasm for life. Her irrepressible approach has taken her from a simple observation about what was missing from the world of dance to founding Dancebox. Illana is brutally honest about her sheer stubborn determination and complete self belief. And how necessary that was to see beyond an empty hall on a wet Tuesday afternoon to having tens of thousands of followers who have found true expression through uninhibited dance, encouraged by Illana’s refreshingly inclusive approach. We have the strong sense that Illana is not done with her ambition and the world had better prepare to see Dancebox becoming a global movement.
Dec 07, 202201:03:16
Charles Castronovo - Embracing Life's Risks

Charles Castronovo - Embracing Life's Risks

Charles bares his soul as a perfect subject for a discussion of risk taking and ambition in the creative world. Born in New York and raised in California, Castronovo began his career as a resident at the Los Angeles Opera. He was invited to join the Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artists Development Program and in the autumn of 1999 made his debut at the Metropolitan as Beppe in the opening night performance of I Pagliacci. Acclaimed internationally as one of the finest lyric tenors of his generation, Castronovo has also sung at most of the world’s leading opera houses such as the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Vienna State Opera, Berlin State Opera, Paris Opera, Bavarian State Opera, Munich, Theatre Royale de la Monnaie, Brussels, and many others including at the Salzburg and Aix en Provence Festivals. His repertoire spans from the great Mozart tenor roles in Don Giovanni, Cosi Fan Tutte and Die Zauberfloete, to Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Nemorino in L’Elisir D’Amore and Alfredo in La Traviata to name a few. www.charlescastronovo.com/
Nov 30, 202250:12
Michael Tilley - Embracing Life's Risks

Michael Tilley - Embracing Life's Risks

Michael is The Blackboard Artist. His story is a fascinating case of keeping the faith with your inner calling and actively spotting that all important first break. In 2013, while working in hospitality, Michael practiced working on blackboards in-between shifts. Following his passion and perfecting his craft, he soon caught the attention of local businesses, restaurants and street food stalls. After gaining experience, Michael was given the opportunity to work for high-profile individuals as well as being taken on as Soho House’s main sign-writer in the UK. This achievement led to a unique large-scale project for Soho Farmhouse, where he painted every sign. Michael’s skill has not gone unnoticed, having been featured in 3 books – Art Class: Hand Lettering, V&A A Maker’s Guide: Calligraphy & Lettering, and Soho House: Morning Noon Night – as well as having work featured in a Walker’s TV advert. He also teaches regular workshops to pass on his knowledge and skills.
Nov 23, 202201:07:52
Shaun McKenna and Leighton James House - Embracing Life's Risks

Shaun McKenna and Leighton James House - Embracing Life's Risks

Shaun and Leighton most recently collaborated on the new musical “Are you as nervous as I am” at the Greenwich Theatre. We step inside the world of musical production and catch up with Shaun and Leighton to explore the symbiotic world of lyricist and composer and the way they ever manage to put words and music together, with such emotion and resonance. But that proves to be only the start of an incredible emotional insight into the creative process with all its dark and uplifting moments. Shaun is a playwright, bookwriter & lyricist, screenwriter and an award-winning British dramatist. Home Front won Outstanding Contribution to Radio Drama Award 2019 at the BBC Audio Awards. Ladies in Lavender won five Broadway World UK awards (including Best Fringe or Regional Play) in 2012. The Lord of the Rings won a Best Musical DORA. Leighton made his presence known as a composer in 2004, when his score for the musical based on the Terry Pratchett novel Only You Can Save Mankind hit the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to great acclaim, after showcasing at London’s Soho Theatre. A special studio album of Only You Can Save Mankind was released in 2009. His first complete musical Lifts was written while he was still studying at college and was performed at the 1999 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, winning Best New Musical at the inaugural Ken Hill Awards.
Nov 16, 202201:26:10
Cassa Pancho - Embracing Life's Risks

Cassa Pancho - Embracing Life's Risks

Cassa Pancho MBE founded Ballet Black as a ballet company in 2001. Cassa’s indomitable spirit and determination over 20 plus years have seen her prove her sceptics wrong. Cassa saw Ballet Black as a response to the industry myopia and resulting lack of professional opportunities for Black and Asian ballet dancers in the UK. The Company was founded to provide dancers and students of Black and Asian descent with inspiring opportunities in classical ballet. Ballet Black have been nominated for and received several coveted industry awards. Cassa talks openly about the need for persistence, seizing lucky breaks and defying conventional wisdom.
Nov 09, 202201:07:19
Luke Theochari - Embracing Life's Risks

Luke Theochari - Embracing Life's Risks

Luke is the most gifted air cooled VW mechanic of his generation. Does a nice respray too. With trophies from Santa Pod (fastest VW), the fastest Beetle in the UK, celebrity clients and an incredible story of Herbie 53 first love, you will be moved to tears and laughter by his story…..which btw was recorded in the back (not what you’re thinking) of Daniel’s 1970 campervan outside Luke’s famous atelier, Terry’s Beetle Services. All will be illuminated. Luke is quite busy, but beautiful single ladies are always welcome to sort out their 4 stroke problems.


https://www.terrysbeetles.com/

https://www.instagram.com/terrys_beetle_services/

Nov 02, 202201:02:57
David Webb - Embracing Life's Risks

David Webb - Embracing Life's Risks

David Webb, the renowned operatic tenor reveals his loves, habits and enormous range of interests in a fast paced conversation. His unassuming manner contrasts with an incredibly disciplined life which is always under review for ways to be better. We cover work, fitness, diet regimes and inspiration through people and books. He is quieter about celebrity status and relationships. His story starts with the big break of attending Exeter Cathedral School guided by his mum. The focus on success and self belief take up the story. Knowing what would work for his career. And the critical need for support from the right manager/agent. David’s story is about being authentic, true to your calling and cutting your own path in life.
Oct 25, 202201:08:11
Joelle D’Fontaine - Embracing Life's Risks

Joelle D’Fontaine - Embracing Life's Risks

Joelle is a Nike Trainer who has breached the wall between dancing and fitness. His no limits approach to inclusivity and acceptance of sexual orientation, gender identities, races, shapes and sizes has won him a huge following. Joelle talks openly about his very difficult start in life. His triumph over adversity from a worryingly young age clears the path for a career that takes him wherever he chooses. His can-do approach to life and enthusiasm has attracted support and opportunities wherever he goes.
Joelle's story should give confidence to anyone who by force of personality can power through life. We find the hinge moment which put him on the road to success.
atyourbeat.com/
Oct 18, 202257:51
Niall Phillips - Embracing Life's Risks

Niall Phillips - Embracing Life's Risks

Niall is an award-winning director and the Artistic Director of Lonesome  Schoolboy Productions. He has taught at some of the best drama schools,  including RADA, Italia Conti, Birmingham School of Acting and IDSA.

Niall gives a sometimes painfully honest account of key decisions he took and ducked and their impact on his actual and fantasy career. The sheer energetic enthusiam which Niall exudes leaves no time for self reflection or regret. Niall is the ultimate 'it is what it is' believer. 

We force the Niall of today to talk to his younger self so you can draw your own conclusion from his experience. 

https://www.instagram.com/niallpxx/?hl=en-gb

https://lonesomeworkshops.com/

Oct 11, 202253:52
Dan Pelles - Embracing Life's Risks

Dan Pelles - Embracing Life's Risks

Dan Pelles is the head chef at The Coal Office in King's Cross. His cooking is truly amazing, combining elements from his various family influences. 

Dan's journey takes him from Isreal to New York where his love interest causes him to relocate to the UK. New York's loss is our gain. 

Dan talks openly about life chances grabbing opportunities and following your instincts, there is also an element of caution characterised by the saying 'look before you leap.'

Dan is slightly too thin to be a totally convincing chef, but are sure time will see to that.

https://coaloffice.com/

https://www.instagram.com/coaloffice/

https://www.instagram.com/dan_pelles/

Oct 04, 202201:00:31
Simon Spencer- Embracing Life's Risks

Simon Spencer- Embracing Life's Risks

We caught Simon four days before the first night of a brand new musical production "Are you as nervous as I am?" at Greenwich theatre. 

Simon started his career in theatre before joining BBC television and working mainly in light television. He later went freelance and moved into children's television, for which he has received three BAFTA nominations as director and producer.


We find Simon in a slightly schizophrenic mood, torn being the creative driving force behind the new musical and also the producer trying to maintain restraint and keep to timetable.  He shows no signs of sweaty palms ahead of the big opening night on Saturday 1st October and is looking forward to entertaining the audience with a new approach to musical drama and giving them a few pointers on the meaning of life.


To book tickets click here: 

https://greenwichtheatre.org.uk/events/are-you-as-nervous-as-i-am/

https://www.areyouasnervous.com/


Sep 27, 202259:30
Anoosheh Ashoori - Embracing Life's Risks

Anoosheh Ashoori - Embracing Life's Risks

Anoosheh Ashoori is a British - Iranian businessman detained in jail in Iran. Iranian authorities arrested Ashoori in August 2017, when he was in the country to visit his mother.  Ashoori, and  Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, were released on 16 March 2022. 

Anoosheh is a quietly spoken professional engineer who had to adjust overnight to terrifying dystopian life in jail and find the strength to assert his humanity after experiencing the depth of despair. His story is an uplifting account of the indomitable human spirit, although it has to be admitted that Anoosha's first food request on his return was for fried chicken - Food for the soul.


To sponsor Anoosheh to raise funds for Hostage International please follow the link. 

 https://tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/anoosheh-ashoori

Sep 20, 202201:05:09
Dale Elena McCready - Embracing Life's Risks

Dale Elena McCready - Embracing Life's Risks

A New Zealand-born TV & feature cinematographer working internationally, based in the UK. Dale Elena McCready BSC talks openly about the big decisions in her life from moving to the UK and being open about her true authentic self and asserting  her place in a man's world. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566961/ https://www.instagram.com/dalemccready/?hl=en Hosts Daniel Confino & Sarah Sharman Music by George Twydell Artwork by Jayne Confino Recording Studio Soho Works
Sep 13, 202201:09:01
Look Mum, No Hands - Embracing Life's Risks

Look Mum, No Hands - Embracing Life's Risks

The power of true life stories, In all their rich detail of success and setbacks, the power of true life stories can provide a positive framework and instructive lessons for those facing challenges and scary opportunities. Looking at the best and worst of what it takes to leave your comfort zone and accept risk, leap into the unknown and emerge stronger—listening to that small god who incessantly whispers in your ear.

Jun 20, 202203:21
Coming Soon - We want you.

Coming Soon - We want you.

Far too many shrink from taking the steps and embracing the risks when the opportunity comes knocking. It comes in various guises. Leaving a job to work for yourself. Starting a business. Emigrating. Following a lover to the end of the earth. Retraining for another career. Giving up security and following a calling to be a performer or a sportsperson. Leaving home. Bringing children into this world. Changes to your health.

Telling the story of routes to fulfillment through trial and tribulation and self-doubt and personal cost and gritty determination can be elevating and inspirational for ordinary people.

If you would like to share your story, please send us a message. sarahasharman@icloud.com.

May 24, 202208:10