ABWilson's Heart of the Matter

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson "ABWilson"
  • 5.0 (4)
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Welcome to the ABWilson Heart of the Matter podcast. I'm Aderonke Bademosi Wilson, and I'm thrilled to be your host. From the stunning shores of Bermuda, nestled in the heart of the North Atlantic Ocean, comes a podcast that goes beyond the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. Here, we dive into the depths of human experience, one heartwarming story at a time. Heart of the Matter isn't just another podcast.It's a journey of exploration and discovery. In each episode, I sit down with remarkable individuals from all walks of life. These aren't household names. They're everyday heroes with fascinating tales to share. Drawing from my passion for Appreciative Inquiry, a management methodology focused on amplifying positivity, strengths, and successes.In fostering meaningful change, we seek to uncover the moments that define us. I unearth stories of joy, kindness, and resilience through overwhelmingly positive questions. Tell me about a recent accomplishment or success you're particularly proud of. Can you recall a situation where you overcame a challenge that led to personal growth?What did you learn from that experience? And what book recommendations do you have? These are just a few of the questions we explore together. We will delve into the heart of each story, one conversation at a time, but be warned, laughter and tears are both frequent companions on this journey. That's the beauty of authenticity. It knows no bounds.What sets ABWilson's Heart of the Matter apart is its consistency. I ask each guest the same questions in the same order, creating a blueprint of diverse experiences woven together by a common thread. So whether you need a good laugh or a heartfelt moment of reflection, join me as we celebrate the extraordinary within the ordinary. Welcome to the Heart of the Matter, where every story awaits sharing.

  1. S3 Ep12. A Good Man: Craig Simmons on Fathers, Daughters, and Legacy

    1D AGO

    S3 Ep12. A Good Man: Craig Simmons on Fathers, Daughters, and Legacy

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter, Aderonke Bademosi Wilson sits down with Bermudian educator and thinker Craig Simmons for a rich, deeply human conversation about joy, responsibility, love and what it means to live a charmed existence.  Craig begins by describing himself as inquisitive, silly and lucky, bringing listeners into his playful world of adventures with his grandchildren, cloud watching at the bus stop, and declaring independence on Twin Island with no devices in sight. He introduces the very Bermudian concept of micing as a kind of meditative staring into space that lets his mind wander freely from the sound of the Earth’s atmosphere touching space to the migration of longtails and whales.  From there, Craig opens up about winning what he calls the genetic lottery, reflecting on the profound influence of his parents, especially his mother, Sylvia Marie Musson‑Simmons, and his father, Leroy Fubler Simmons, whose quiet goodness and love for his grandchildren continue to shape Craig’s understanding of what it means to be a good man. The conversation moves into Craig’s life as a teacher and lifelong learner, where he describes teaching as a calling that, by definition, should change lives. He shares powerful stories of former students who return years later to say that his tutoring helped open doors to universities and careers and he reflects on the humility required to let students become teachers, including a moment when a student challenged his idealized view of Malcolm X and gifted him an unforgettable epiphany.  Craig also speaks candidly about his evolving relationship with economics, critiquing it as a discipline that lost its moral roots and reminding us that real economies are made of complex, imperfect humans rather than tidy equations. Along the way, he weaves in his love of history and books, from bell hooks to Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Atul Gawande, Michael Jarvis and Richard Reeves, using their work to illuminate issues of morality, mortality, masculinity and uncertainty in our modern world. ​ One of the most moving threads in this episode is Craig’s honesty about caregiving, guilt and love. He shares the hard, holy work of parenting daughters with sickle cell disease, including moments in the ICU when he felt so overwhelmed he wanted to run away and how the presence and wisdom of family helped him stay.  He then describes the nine‑year journey of caring for his mother in his home, from changing her, bandaging her fragile skin and bathing her, to the bittersweet honor of closing her eyes on the day she died. Craig calls that day a happy day because it marked the end of her suffering and a sense of completeness for the family as they watched the sunset together after her passing.  He talks openly about guilt when caregiving leads to unintended harm, the strange joy he felt after cleaning and comforting his mother when she was humiliated and how those experiences taught him empathy, humility and the courage to stay present even when it is hard. https://www.abwilsonconsulting.com https://abwilsonphotography.com

    1h 27m
  2. S3 Ep11. Positive Questions, Powerful Stories: Marking 100 Episodes of Heart of the Matter

    MAR 20

    S3 Ep11. Positive Questions, Powerful Stories: Marking 100 Episodes of Heart of the Matter

    Send us Fan Mail In this special episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter, host Aderonke Bademosi Wilson turns the microphone on herself and reflects on how a simple idea rooted in her early radio days in Bermuda has grown into a deeply meaningful space for conversation, reflection, learning, laughter, tears and connection. She shares how the podcast began as a radio concept inspired by the 2009 World Appreciative Inquiry Conference in Kathmandu, where she first witnessed how positive questions can shift conversations and create real change. ​ Aderonke walks listeners through the highs and bumps of producing 100 episodes, including the panic of Friday release days with no new episode ready, the lessons learned from missed deadlines and the systems she put in place so the show could continue with consistency and care. She explains why she asks every guest the same overwhelmingly positive questions and why the answers never feel repetitive, highlighting how each person’s story, wisdom, humour and perspective make every conversation completely unique. Reflecting on what the podcast has taught her, Aderonke talks about the generosity of guests who share deeply personal experiences, the surprise of how vulnerable people are willing to be when given time and space, and the joy of hearing listeners say, “This resonated with me.” She shares memorable moments, including an interview that brought her to tears when a guest spoke unexpectedly about her late mother and a powerful conversation on grief with guest Charmaine that she intentionally left standing alone as a source of comfort for anyone navigating loss. ​ Aderonke also explores how hosting has changed her: she sees herself as an intentional listener, committed to hearing the essence of each guest’s story and resisting the urge to say “me too,” so the spotlight stays on the person she is interviewing. She describes listening back to episodes in her car, imagining listeners doing the same in the midst of their own daily routines, and marvelling at the “nuggets” that surface in each conversation. ​ Throughout the episode, she answers thoughtful listener questions about why she started the podcast, why she keeps the questions consistent, what has surprised her most and what she hopes listeners take away from each episode. She speaks about the power of recognizing that while we are all different, we have so much in common and that hearing each other’s stories helps us feel more connected across distance, culture and experience. ​ Looking ahead, Aderonke shares her hopes for the next 100 episodes, including more guests, more perspectives and more opportunities to hear voices we might not normally encounter. She talks about her desire for the podcast to grow organically through listeners sharing episodes with friends, family and colleagues, even as she acknowledges that a more intentional growth strategy may someday be needed.  She also offers a glimpse of what is next beyond the podcast, including a women’s retreat in Bermuda designed to create meaningful connection, explore flourishing and thriving and invite women into conversations that go deeper than “Who are you and what do you do?” to “How are you and how are you doing what you are doing?” https://www.abwilsonconsulting.com https://abwilsonphotography.com

    35 min
  3. S3 Ep10. Humanity in Practice: Conversations on Belonging, Courage, and Deep Care with Veronica Olalla Love

    MAR 13

    S3 Ep10. Humanity in Practice: Conversations on Belonging, Courage, and Deep Care with Veronica Olalla Love

    Send us Fan Mail In this richly layered and deeply moving episode of ABWilson's Heart of the Matter, host Aderonke Bademosi Wilson sits down with Veronica Olalla Love, CEO of Newfield Network, artist, poet and lifelong seeker of meaning. Together they explore what it truly means to be human in today's world, diving into the practices, philosophies and personal stories that shape Veronica's extraordinary life and work.  From the meaning of attunement and the science of limbic resonance, to a family history forged in the fires of South American political upheaval, to her teenage daughter's breathtaking act of generosity, this episode is a tender and illuminating conversation that leaves you feeling more connected and more hopeful about what we are capable of as human beings. Veronica opens the conversation by unpacking what it means to be meaning centered, multifaceted and attuned, the three descriptors she uses to introduce herself to the world. Being meaning centered, she explains, is about living in close contact with one's deepest care, allowing that inner compass to guide every interaction and decision.  Being multifaceted is an embrace of life's full emotional and creative range, from dancing and piano to painting and poetry. And being attuned is a practice of presence, a conscious choice to show up with awareness and care for the people and world around us. She introduces the concept of limbic resonance, the science behind how our breathing patterns and emotional states quite literally affect the biology of those near us, whether we know them or not. One of the episode's most profound threads is Veronica's invitation to ask what it really means to human better. She shares how Newfield Network, which her father Julio Olalla founded 35 years ago after fleeing political violence first in Chile and then in Argentina, was born from a bone-deep knowing of what happens when human beings stop listening to and caring for one another.  Veronica's mother's act of covering her two young daughters with her own body during a coup in Buenos Aires is a story of love so fierce it became the seed of a lifetime's work. Newfield now brings together cohorts of ten or more nationalities at a time to do the deeply human work of learning how to show up fully, listen generously and grow together. Veronica shares a beautiful story of a coaching client who had achieved every external marker of success yet was hollow and lonely on the inside. Through their work together, he reconnected with his own wholeness, pivoted his career toward meaningful work and began showing up in his relationships in an entirely new way.  This story leads into a rich conversation about the epidemic of loneliness, the power of authentic community and the radical potential of being truly witnessed by another person. Veronica speaks with warmth and clarity about how Newfield creates the kinds of spaces where transformation like this becomes possible and how the ripple effects of that inner work spread into families, communities and organizations. https://www.abwilsonconsulting.com https://abwilsonphotography.com

    51 min
  4. S3 Ep9. You Cannot Edit What You Do Not Write: The Courage to Begin with Simone Dalton

    MAR 6

    S3 Ep9. You Cannot Edit What You Do Not Write: The Courage to Begin with Simone Dalton

    Send us Fan Mail In this warm and reflective conversation, host Aderonke Bademosi Wilson sits down with writer and writing practice coach Simone Dalton to explore what it means to build a sustainable, soul-nourishing writing life rooted in rhythm instead of burnout.  Simone shares how her love of language, her Caribbean roots and her journey through grief and transformation have shaped her creative work and the way she supports emerging writers, especially women of color who are juggling demanding careers and a long-held desire to write.​ Listeners will hear Simone describe what it truly means to be a language lover and story steward, and why she focuses on helping writers develop a writing practice that fits the reality of their lives rather than an idealized image of what a writer is supposed to look like. She explains the tension many writers feel between creativity and busy schedules, and how she guides them to sit with uncertainty, ask deeper questions of their stories and show up for the page with courage and tenderness.​ We travel with Simone back to the panyard in Trinidad where she grew up among steel pan orchestras, women who cared for her as a baby in a car seat on a bench and a community that taught her about rhythm, belonging and women holding one another up. She reflects on how those early experiences with music and community still live in her imagination, shape her sense of joy and inform the work she does today with writers and through her company, Island Scribe.​ Simone also talks about being inward focused and the personal development work she has done over the past 15 years to listen to the stories she holds, question where they came from and gently reframe or release them so she can move forward. She describes integrating mindfulness, embodiment and self-care into her work with writers, helping them separate their inner critic from their inner witness so they can return to the page even when it feels uncomfortable or lonely.​ A rich part of this episode centers on Simone’s coaching work with writers who do not yet feel comfortable calling themselves writers, often because their lives do not match their image of what a real writer looks like. She speaks to the specific challenges faced by women of color in writing spaces, including feeling exoticized or like the only one sharing a particular kind of story and how that disrupts their ability to sit with their questions and develop their work. Simone explains how she walks alongside writers as a story steward, helping them move from chasing validation and external success to cultivating a habit of creativity and a rhythm that lets them live with their writing for the long term. Throughout the episode, Simone returns to the idea that stories shape how we see ourselves and how claiming our story can quietly shift the narratives of our lives, our leadership and our communities. She invites listeners to see writing as a retreat and a long game, to build confidence instead of chasing validation and to remember that they do not need to be extraordinary to begin. As she reminds us, you cannot edit what you do not write. You just need to begin.​ https://www.abwilsonconsulting.com https://abwilsonphotography.com

    1h 9m
  5. S3 Ep8. Creativity as Love in Action: Ari Kamara's Loving Practice

    FEB 27

    S3 Ep8. Creativity as Love in Action: Ari Kamara's Loving Practice

    Send us Fan Mail Join Aderonke Bademosi Wilson as she welcomes Ari Kamara to ABWilson's Heart of the Matter. Ari, a self-described regular person trying to embody love, unpacks creativity as a daily resistance practice woven into cooking, relationships, art, poetry and filmmaking. They share growing up feeling uniquely weird in Bermuda as an autistic, queer, trans only child from a unique religious background, only to discover everyone's hidden stories create universal connection.​ Ari reveals three surprises: being an only child with sibling energy, homeschooling history and low-dose testosterone transition that eased dysphoria and saved their mental health. Proud accomplishments include winning the British Art in Motion short film contest with "This Woman Does Not Exist" about erased Bermudian abolitionist Mary Prince, and co-leading Canterbury Homeless Outreach's four weekly street outreaches focused on food, hot drinks and genuine listening.​ Key strengths like humility, reliability and passion fuel Ari's impact. Overcoming chronic anxiety through therapy, meds and self-acceptance shifted them from panic paralysis to confident conversations and spontaneous adventures. They urge young people: ignore stigma, seek therapists or meds fearlessly; it doesn't weaken you.​ Self-care rituals include gym weights/climbing, naps sans phone, friend time. Sharing growth ripples self-worth outward. Upcoming: graduating into archives/libraries for accessible heritage, a university radio show "Frequency 52," less winter cold for sunny naps. Joy flows from people, crafts, nature, braiding hair, presence. Current creations: Mary Prince dissertation mirroring the film, winter poetry, monthly poem zines. Book recs: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar, Bluets by Maggie Nelson, Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, Shy Radicals by Hamja Ahsan. https://www.abwilsonconsulting.com https://abwilsonphotography.com

    28 min
  6. S3 Ep7. Don’t Waste This Life: Gifts, Grief and Growth with Myra Lee Virgil, PhD

    FEB 20

    S3 Ep7. Don’t Waste This Life: Gifts, Grief and Growth with Myra Lee Virgil, PhD

    Send us Fan Mail In this rich and reflective conversation, Myra Lee Virgil joins host Aderonke Bademosi Wilson to explore what it means to live a life rooted in steadfast commitment, deep reflection and reliability. She shares how those three descriptors shape her work as founding CEO and managing director of the Bermuda Foundation, her writing life as a memoirist and her relationships with family, colleagues and community.​ The episode opens with Myra unpacking what it means to be steadfast, reflective and reliable in her life and leadership. She shares the long journey of establishing the Bermuda Foundation over more than a decade, including the late nights, uncertainty and commitment required to stay the course. As an introvert who loves being social so she can observe, she reflects on how she thinks deeply about race, privilege, identity and belonging after everyday interactions, and how that reflective practice shapes the way she shows up in relationships and work. She also shares why reliability matters so much to her and how she holds herself accountable to do what she says she will do.​ Myra speaks candidly about being a Black Bermudian Canadian and what it has meant to navigate belonging in Canada, Bermuda and beyond. She describes her manuscript “I Thought You’d Never Ask,” which explores how challenging it can be to belong even where one is supposed to belong, and how racism in Canada, Bermuda and the United States shows up differently. She shares stories about returning to Bermuda, wrestling with what it means to fit into a small community and how an incident with her lunch falling off her bike turned into a meditation on visibility, respectability and belonging.​ Drawing on ideas she attributes to Brené Brown, Myra talks about the exhausting nature of trying to fit in versus the freedom of seeking true belonging. She describes learning to trust that the spaces where she genuinely belongs will welcome her and giving herself permission to stop overworking to fit into places that are not meant for her.​ Toward the end of the conversation, Myra reflects on what brings her joy: seeing efforts pay off, watching others succeed in their dreams and supporting the people she loves and serves as they pursue their potential. She offers book recommendations including “Americanah” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “Still Alice” by Lisa Genova, and “The Namesake,” highlighting how these stories have stayed with her.​ In her closing reflections, Myra speaks from the heart about loss, the unsettling nature of current events and the preciousness of life. She urges listeners not to risk or waste their lives, to recognize their own gifts and to understand how deeply they are cared for by the people around them. Her words land as a loving appeal to honor our own lives and use our time and talents in ways that matter. https://www.abwilsonconsulting.com https://abwilsonphotography.com

    54 min
  7. S3 Ep6. Horse Culture and Human Healing with Melba Holliday: What Horses Teach Us About Leading and Listening with Heart

    FEB 13

    S3 Ep6. Horse Culture and Human Healing with Melba Holliday: What Horses Teach Us About Leading and Listening with Heart

    Send us Fan Mail This episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter with guest Melba Holliday invites listeners into a rich conversation about healing, courage and the wisdom we can learn from horses and nature.  Melba shares how her early experience of not feeling heard shaped her lifelong commitment to deep, transformational listening, as a mother and as a coach and how she helps clients feel truly seen and understood. She explores the power of partnering with her heart horse Ryder in experiential coaching, illustrating how on-the-ground work with horses helps leaders shift from force to influence, embody shared leadership and become more congruent, compassionate versions of themselves. Melba also opens up about her journey through depression and burnout during the 2008 financial crisis, how asking for help transformed her life and how movement, time with her horse and listening to her body remain vital self-care practices today.  Throughout the episode, she weaves in stories of adventurous living, from wild dolphin swims to cross-country moves and high-ropes facilitation, demonstrating how stepping outside our comfort zones can reveal our inner strength and deepen our connection to others and the world around us. https://www.abwilsonconsulting.com https://abwilsonphotography.com

    50 min

  8. FEB 6

    S3 Ep5. Joy as a Way of Life: Janet Harvey’s Journey from Wall Street to Regenerative Humanity

    Send us Fan Mail In this rich and soulful conversation, Janet Harvey shares how being an alchemical visionary shapes the way she invites people and organizations to transform from the inside out. She describes alchemy as a natural process of turning what is into what is possible, drawing on examples from nature, cooking and soil, and explains how this lens led her to name and build her company, Invite Change, over the past 30 years.  Janet reflects on her corporate journey at Charles Schwab & Company, where she led a massive transformation that successfully moved thousands of people into new roles and locations while retaining 96 percent of the workforce. That experience inspired her to become an entrepreneur and a leader’s leader, working with executives on six continents to widen their lens, listen deeply and access the wisdom that already lives inside their organizations.  She also shares how she unexpectedly became a coach’s coach, ultimately taking over and rebuilding a coach training school, expanding it into a global center for rigorous coach development and advanced education through Invite Change.​ Throughout the episode, Janet illuminates the profound ripple effect of well trained coaching, introducing her ripple effect formula: "every one hour with a well trained coach can positively impact 1,600 people in 30 days.: She describes coaching as a process of restoring access to a person’s essence, inner authority and personal sovereignty, and she contrasts coaching with therapy, mentoring, consulting and training so listeners can understand when each modality serves best.  She speaks candidly about trauma, grief and healing, including losing her mother and fiancé on consecutive days and how honoring trauma’s own clock allows people to move through loss rather than around it.​ The conversation also explores intuition and the body’s wisdom. Janet explains how she begins each day with movement, Asian Pilates, strength work and quiet reflection to stay resourced and fully available to others. She describes intuition as into me see, a form of intimacy rooted in noticing energetic and emotional shifts, mirror neurons and subtle changes in the relational field.  By practicing stillness and patience, she allows clients’ next insights to emerge rather than pushing her own agenda, modeling coaching as deep witnessing rather than problem solving.​ Throughout the episode, Janet returns again and again to joy. She finds joy in everyday moments, from hummingbirds at her window to pulling weeds and watching her beloved Seattle Seahawks play and she reminds listeners that every interaction is an opportunity to be a cathedral builder in someone else’s life.  She closes with a heartfelt affirmation that every person matters, that we are all more than our hardest moments and that our shared journey toward a regenerative, more compassionate world is possible and already underway. https://www.abwilsonconsulting.com https://abwilsonphotography.com

    1h 8m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Welcome to the ABWilson Heart of the Matter podcast. I'm Aderonke Bademosi Wilson, and I'm thrilled to be your host. From the stunning shores of Bermuda, nestled in the heart of the North Atlantic Ocean, comes a podcast that goes beyond the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. Here, we dive into the depths of human experience, one heartwarming story at a time. Heart of the Matter isn't just another podcast.It's a journey of exploration and discovery. In each episode, I sit down with remarkable individuals from all walks of life. These aren't household names. They're everyday heroes with fascinating tales to share. Drawing from my passion for Appreciative Inquiry, a management methodology focused on amplifying positivity, strengths, and successes.In fostering meaningful change, we seek to uncover the moments that define us. I unearth stories of joy, kindness, and resilience through overwhelmingly positive questions. Tell me about a recent accomplishment or success you're particularly proud of. Can you recall a situation where you overcame a challenge that led to personal growth?What did you learn from that experience? And what book recommendations do you have? These are just a few of the questions we explore together. We will delve into the heart of each story, one conversation at a time, but be warned, laughter and tears are both frequent companions on this journey. That's the beauty of authenticity. It knows no bounds.What sets ABWilson's Heart of the Matter apart is its consistency. I ask each guest the same questions in the same order, creating a blueprint of diverse experiences woven together by a common thread. So whether you need a good laugh or a heartfelt moment of reflection, join me as we celebrate the extraordinary within the ordinary. Welcome to the Heart of the Matter, where every story awaits sharing.

Information

  • Creator
    Aderonke Bademosi Wilson "ABWilson"
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    103
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 ABWilson's Heart of the Matter
  • Show Website
    ABWilson's Heart of the Matter