The Business Of Thinking

Richard Reid
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“The Business of Thinking” is the only podcast that gives ambitious leaders evidence-based psychological strategies for peak performance, decision-making, and resilience. Are you a founder, CEO, or senior executive struggling with decision fatigue, stress, or imposter syndrome? You're not alone. The challenges of modern leadership are primarily psychological. Join Richard Reid, organisational psychologist and leadership coach, as he cuts through the noise to deliver actionable mental models from psychology and behavioural science. In 30-45 minute deep-dives and conversations with global experts, you'll learn how to master the inner game of leadership, build resilient teams, and leverage your mind for competitive advantage. In every episode, you will: Discover the hidden cognitive biases sabotaging your strategic decisions.Learn to build psychological safety in your team for innovation and high trust.Find out the evidence-based secrets to sustained resilience without burnout. Stop managing your business. Start mastering your mind. Want the actionable takeaways and resources mentioned in the episodes? Find more information on www.richard-reid.com.  Subscribe today for your weekly mental upgrade!

Episodes

  1. 3D AGO

    Unleash Your Self-Worth: Why Energy Is 80% Of Your Business Success with Hina Siddiqui

    In this episode of The Business of Thinking podcast, host Richard Reid speaks with Hina Siddiqui, founder and CEO of Corporate Influence Media. Hina shares her journey from a chaotic childhood in India to becoming a published author and corporate coach, highlighting resilience, self-worth, and her “80% energy, 20% action” philosophy. She discusses leaving a stable corporate career, enduring five years with no income, and turning her “mess into a message.” Hina also explains her “Let’s Make You Famous” strategy, positioning IT CEOs as industry celebrities to boost credibility, confidence, and business growth. Her core belief: treat work like a fun game you’re playing to win. Key Takeaways Resilience builds success: Early hardship taught Hina to take bold risks.Self-worth drives income: Celebrity positioning increases confidence and pricing power.The game mindset: Set an exciting goal and pursue it with fun, not stress.Energy over effort: High-quality energy fuels better results than constant hustle.Episode Highlights Childhood scarcity and its impact on mindsetLeaving corporate life and surviving five years without incomeHiring a coach and breaking the “do it all myself” patternTurning IT leaders into industry celebrities through media and awardsShifting The Corporate Life Podcast toward cinematic life storiesTimestamps 00:00:20 Introduction  00:04:33 Leaving corporate life  00:09:07 Hiring a coach  00:14:11 Making IT CEOs famous  00:18:45 The “game” mindset  00:23:03 80% energy, 20% action  00:30:17 The Corporate Life Podcast 🔗 Connect with Hina Siddiqui Website: TheHinaSiddiqui.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hinasiddiqui/  Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/hinawithwings?igsh=MTUya3V1aG1mNGo0dg%3D%3D  YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thehinasiddiqui?si=FZx-sc6n-Zigo9Qa ⭐️ Connect and Subscribe Thank you for joining us on The Business of Thinking podcast. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Find more about Richard Reid’s work at www.richard-reid.com. Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

    33 min

  2. DEC 16

    The Hard Yards of High Performance: From Homelessness to Rally Champion with Penny Mallory

    In this episode of The Business of Thinking podcast, host Richard Reid speaks with Penny Mallory, who shares her journey from a challenging childhood and homelessness to becoming a rally driver, boxer, and keynote speaker, highlighting the power of purpose in overcoming adversity and achieving high performance. Penny reflects on how hitting rock bottom became the catalyst for change, leading her to a rally school that “changed the course of my life,” and shares how stubbornness, proving others wrong, and a relentless pursuit of excellence now drive her resilience and her latest challenge—rowing the Atlantic. Key Takeaways Purpose as a driver: A clear mission or purpose changes everything, forming the foundation of mental toughness and something to lean on in difficult times.The foundation of excellence: True elite performance comes from the “drudgery” of repeating mundane tasks until they become natural—the hard yards often overlooked in an age of instant gratification.The Power of Reflection: Taking time to reflect on what truly matters—why you’re here and what you’ll hold onto when things get tough—helps define your purpose, often rooted in family and health.Reframing Failure: Reframe setbacks as opportunities to learn, not failure. Embrace a growth mindset, as Penny believes failure is a concept she’s "never really embraced."Resilience vs. Mental Toughness:  Resilience is bouncing back because you have to, while mental toughness is bouncing back because you want to, viewing challenges as growth opportunities. Episode Highlights Penny's formative years, including her family life with an alcoholic mother, and the impact of those experiences on her character.The surprising, deeply personal purpose that drove her to become a rally champion: the desire to make her father proud.Her terrifying, yet exhilarating, experience boxing and how she manages fear by coaching herself to use nerves for performance.Her current focus on conscious health and active living, including two hours of gym every day, driven by the purpose of seeing her new grandchild grow up.Details on her next huge challenge: training to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean with a team.Timestamps 01:04 - Penny's formative years and challenging childhood.  04:47 - The power of purpose in overcoming adversity.  06:05 - Advice on how to find your own purpose.  08:07 - Life after rallying: boxing, climbing, and the adrenaline chase.  09:38 - Not being afraid to fail and having a growth mindset.  16:14 - The terrifying experience of stepping into the boxing ring.  18:01 - How to manage fear and use nerves for high performance.  21:03 - Defining resilience versus mental toughness.  24:00 - Training to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean at age 60. 🔗 Connect With Penny Mallory LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pennymallory Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mallory.penny/ Facebook: facebook.com/PennyMalloryTalks  YouTube: youtube.com/@pennymallory ⭐️ Connect And Subscribe Thank you for joining us on The Business of Thinking podcast. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Find more about Richard Reid’s work at www.richard-reid.com. Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

    30 min

  3. DEC 9

    Embracing Doubt: The New Rulebook for High-Performance Leadership with Dr. John Dentico

    Welcome to The Business of Thinking, the podcast for high achievers seeking mastery over motivation, as Richard Reed is joined by author, leadership expert, and business coach, Dr. John Dentico. This episode delves into Dr. Dentico's background as a Naval Officer , and explores the pivotal role of trust in every organization and relationship. Dr. Dentico emphasizes that trust is not built through talk, but is a byproduct of action and engagement. Listen in as they discuss the power of mutual trust , the necessity of being proactive and transparent with bad news , and the importance of embracing doubt and ambiguity to kickstart genuine collaboration. This conversation offers vital insights for leaders and teams, challenging the traditional view of leadership. Dr. Dentico proposes that "leadership is what people do together" and advocates for a shift from focusing on an individual leader's traits to fostering organizational values. The discussion also covers the critical need for meaning and values alignment in the post-COVID work world, citing Victor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning". Key Takeaways Trust is the vital fuel for all organizations and relationships and is created through action and mutual engagement, not conversation. Leaders should proactively deliver both good and bad news with honesty to build trust and integrity. Embracing doubt and ambiguity opens the door for genuine, necessary collaboration, moving past the "big hug" of fake consensus. Meaning is the greatest motivational force; creating meaning and a sense of mattering for people is key to addressing engagement problems. Leadership should be viewed as an implementable process done collaboratively, rather than a set of traits held by one individual. Episode Highlights 01:10 Dr. John Dentico’s journey from New York City to Naval Officer. 03:57 The two core lessons learned in the Navy: the power of trust and taking care of your people. 04:34 Discussing trust, psychological safety, and the importance of being safe to speak up. 05:34 Trust as a byproduct of action and the concept of mutual trust. 07:33 Building trust through consistency, authenticity, and honesty in communication. 10:08 The shift: Why modern leaders must embrace doubt and ambiguity to foster true collaboration. 12:00 The "big hug" problem: Why fake collaboration fails to engage people. 14:34 The power of meaning as the greatest motivational force and its link to engagement. 17:26 The role of ego in leadership and the first rule of leadership: "It's not about you". 18:36 From servant leadership to collaborative leadership: "Leadership is what people do together". 23:47 The mismatch between leadership training and organizational culture/reward systems. 24:43 The need for culture to be empathetic, authentic, and support vulnerability. 31:09 Post-COVID realization: People are seeking values alignment over just a paycheck. 34:35 Reflecting on Victor Frankl’s three ways to derive meaning. 38:21 Dr. Dentico's current projects: A Udemy course on interviewing and fractional work in strategic thinking. 🔗 Connect With John Dentico Website: www.throttleupleadership.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndentico ⭐️ Connect And Subscribe Thank you for joining us on The Business of Thinking podcast. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Find more about Richard Reid’s work at www.richard-reid.com. Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

    43 min

  4. DEC 2

    The Lost Art of Leadership and Sustaining High Performance with Jez Rose

    Jez Rose joins Richard Reid on The Business of Thinking podcast to discuss his multifaceted career - from speaker and author to ceramic artist and the first certified carbon neutral honey farmer. Informed by personal experiences with loss, Jez explores the philosophy of "going all in" on life. He delves into the psychology of high performance, arguing that the focus must shift from achieving it to sustaining high performance, which requires embracing self-reflection, pausing, and removing the unnecessary (both physical objects and influences). Key Takeaways Sustaining High Performance is the Sweet Spot: Achieving high performance is possible, but the real secret is sustaining it, which is much more difficult than constantly pushing for more.The Power of Pause and Reset: The most powerful notion is giving yourself permission to stop, press pause, and reset to re-evaluate and remove what no longer serves you in both work and life.Leadership is Psychology and Behavioural Science: Effective leadership fundamentally requires understanding people's psychology, knowing what motivates team members, and modeling vulnerability rather than pretending to have all the answers.You Have Enough: The powerful, core Buddhist realization that you are enough and you have enough brings mental clarity and freedom by removing constant consumption and comparison.Episode Highlights Jez Rose's accidental journey to becoming the first certified carbon neutral honey farmer, aligning his environmental commitment with the difficulty of "doing the right thing" in leadership and sustaining high performance.How an experience as a critical care paramedic trainee informed his "all in" philosophy, based on the uncertainty of the next day.The "Seasonal Change Model" suggests that navigating change involves four phases that mirror nature's seasons, helping to identify where you are and what comes next.The tragic common pattern in businesses where high-performing teams are exhausted because leaders keep pushing for "a bit more" without focusing on sustainability.The story of a diabetic employee receiving a massive chocolate hamper as a generic award, illustrating a failure of leadership to know what truly motivates or reinforces an individual's behaviour.The quote by Lao Tzu, "To hold, you must first open your hand, let go," highlights the immense trust required to let go of comfortable but unhappy situations in life.Key Timestamps 00:00:51:09 Jez Rose's accidental honey farm and being carbon neutral00:03:41:00 Why "going all in" on life is his philosophy00:10:29:23 The power of pressing pause and a blank new page00:15:46:12 The tragedy of high performance and sustaining it00:17:38:07 The importance of knowing what drives individual team members00:27:20:14 The Seasonal Change Model for navigating life changes00:36:19:12 Leaders and the struggle with imposter syndrome00:43:59:07 Final advice: you have enough and it's never too late to start again 🔗 Connect with Jez Rose Website: thejezrose.com LinkedIn: @thatjezrose Instagram: @thatjezrose Tik Tok: @thatjezrose YouTube: @thatjezrose ⭐️ Connect and Subscribe Thank you for joining us on The Business of Thinking podcast. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Find more about Richard Reid’s work at www.richard-reid.com. Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ /

    46 min

  5. NOV 25

    Stop Telling People What to Do: The Data-Driven Psychology of Workplace Culture with Matt Phelan

    This episode of The Business of Thinking features host Richard Reed in conversation with Matt Phelan, co-founder of The Happiness Index. They skip the surface level talk and go straight into the psychology of high performance , exploring Matt's unique background, the founding of his company, and the power of data in measuring and transforming workplace culture. Matt shares a powerful philosophy from his farming roots: "You have to create the right environment and things take time" for growth. Tune in to discover why Matt believes marketing teams are often 10 years ahead of HR teams in resource and data utilization , and his belief that "comparison is the fee for joy".  Key Takeaways Farming Philosophy in Business: Matt's farming upbringing shaped his approach to business—focusing on creating the right environment for growth, accepting setbacks, and taking responsibility. The Power of Data in Culture: The Happiness Index was built to add data and "light" to the subjective world of culture and HR, much like data transformed marketing. Embrace Freedom and Growth: Matt’s transition from a restricted corporate role to entrepreneurship was driven by a desire for autonomy and freedom, embracing the scary but exhilarating "big ocean" of business. Conversation is the Lowest Barrier to Entry: To begin developing an organizational culture, start conversations: ask colleagues what truly motivates them (unpeeling the "onion" of their answers) and collect that information. Episode Highlights Matt's unconventional upbringing on a farm in Harwich, Essex, and how it instilled principles of commitment and hard work. Relatable experiences with the pandemic from a farmer's perspective, having already gone through crises like BSE (Mad Cow Disease) and Foot and Mouth. The psychological resistance to data, even conclusive evidence, when it contradicts long-held beliefs or identity. Matt's advice on normalizing uncomfortable reactions to data by explaining the role of hormones, urging people to lean in when data feels "icky". The strategic decision to go "deep and not wider" with The Happiness Index, aiming to uncover more than the believed 9.5% of what makes us tick in the world of work. Timestamps 00:00:48 Matt's Farming Background & Philosophy 00:01:44 The Farmer's Approach to Growth and Environment 00:04:45 Transition to Marketing and Entrepreneurship 00:06:05 The Founding of The Happiness Index 00:11:49 Resistance to Change and Conventional Wisdom 00:14:39 Normalizing Uncomfortable Data (Ego & Hormones) 00:18:00 Why Internal Comparison is Better than External Benchmarking 00:19:46 Future: Going Deeper and Connecting Culture to Performance 00:24:48 The Importance of Continually Checking In (People Change) 00:25:47 Final Takeaway: Stay Intrigued About People 🔗 Connect with Matt Phelan Website: https://mattphelan.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewphelan/ Instagram: @ matthewJphelan YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thehappinessindex ⭐️ Connect and Subscribe If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Find more about Richard Reid’s work at www.richard-reid.com.  Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

    27 min

  6. NOV 18

    Too Resilient? Finding Balance and Beating Burnout, with Ali Cammelletti

    In this episode, leadership coach and keynote speaker Ali Cammelletti shares her powerful personal backstory and philosophy on resilience. Ali discusses her upbringing, which led to high-achieving traits like perfectionism, hypervigilance, and a drive to earn self-worth through her career, ultimately taking a toll on her health.  She shares candidly about managing life-altering stress - including a major health crisis, family loss, and divorce - and how these experiences forced her to create crucial daily tools. Learn how to identify when you're being "too resilient," distinguish between actions driven by love vs. fear, and apply mindfulness and gratitude practices to build sustainable high performance. Key Takeaways Cost of Hyper-Achievement: Unsafe environments can lead to perfectionism (stickler), hyper-achievement, and hyper-vigilance (anxiety) as defense mechanisms.Health as a Red Flag: Neglecting self-care manifests in serious health issues; the body shouts louder when you're not listening.The Worth-Production Cycle: Many high achievers unconsciously try to earn their worth through their production—a sign they may feel unsatisfied elsewhere.Mindfulness in Nature: Daily rituals like spending time in nature without earbuds are powerful for balance and reducing anxiety.The Secret Sauce of Gratitude: A daily gratitude practice is important for resilience, especially when negative feelings arise.Love Over Fear: Ali's core personal value is ensuring all her actions are out of love, not fear.Values as a Compass: Feeling like something is "not right" is often a sign your actions are not in alignment with your core values. Episode Breakdown Highlights Ali’s challenging upbringing and the development of high-achiever characteristics.The warning sign: How Ali’s lack of self-care led to a massive liver tumor.Hitting a wall with anxiety and depression during the four-year adoption wait.Actionable Tools: The importance of self-care, exercise, and gratitude practice.Living by the personal value: All actions are out of love, not fear.Current work: Developing a core value alignment survey for companies. 🔗 Connect with Ali Website: Spark Your MindsetLinkedIn: Ali King CammellettiInstagram: Snack LeadershipFacebook: Spark Your MindsetYouTube: Spark Your Mindset ⭐️ Connect and Subscribe Thank you for joining us on The Business of Thinking podcast. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. You can find more of Ali's work at sparkyourmindset.com or on LinkedIn. Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

    38 min

  7. NOV 18

    How to Use Your Thinking Power to Lead and Stop Being Quiet, with Laura Camacho

    In this conversation with leadership coach Laura Camacho, we explore the psychology of high-performance for introverted entrepreneurs and leaders. Laura, who specializes in communication for introverts, addresses the negative stigmas introverts face (e.g., being perceived as disinterested for not speaking up). Learn actionable strategies to manage your energy, increase visibility, and leverage your innate strengths as a deep thinker so your valuable ideas are acknowledged. Key Takeaways Introversion Defined: Introverts need to recharge after social interaction; managing this energy is key to success.Silence Stigma: Not speaking up can be falsely assumed as a lack of commitment or having nothing to contribute, leading to low visibility.Preparation is Power: The biggest challenge for introverts is thinking on their feet. Preparing points ahead of time is vital for effective contribution."Sell It Before You Tell It": Increase the perceived value of your ideas by adding context or "packaging" to evoke curiosity before revealing the solution.Building Your "Insurance": When exhausted, use sincere texts or emails to build an emotional bank account. This prevents misinterpretation of low energy as being aloof or angry.Trusted Advisor Mindset: Reframe speaking up not as "ego," but as your responsibility to contribute value and help people make better decisions.Inclusive Leadership: Leaders must intentionally give introverts a heads-up or topic to prepare for before meetings to capture their valuable input.Episode Breakdown Highlights The key lesson: Being an expert is not the same as selling your craft.Addressing false assumptions: Why introverts are often negatively perceived.The Achilles heel: Struggling to think on your feet.Communication as a source of value (Warren Buffett quote).Reframing speaking up to focus on creating value.🔗 Connect with Laura Website: www.speakupwithlaura.comFree Resource: Executive Presence ScorecardThis quick assessment reveals the gaps between the leader you think you are and the leader others experience.Get free access: Email hello@speakupwithlaura.com with the word "score" in the subject line.⭐️ Connect & Subscribe Thank you for joining us! Subscribe and leave a rating for more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

    41 min

  8. SEASON 1, EPISODE 1 TRAILER

    The Business of Thinking: The Trailer

    Forget the clichés and the fake gurus. Real success isn't just hard work - it's smart thinking. Welcome to The Business of Thinking, the podcast for high-achievers who want more than just motivation, they want mastery. Hosted by Richard Reid, we skip the basic motivational talk and dive deep into the real psychology of high performance. Each episode explores critical topics like: High-performance psychologyDecision-making under pressureMental resilience and focusThe strategies of innovation Hear real conversations with innovators, leaders, and thinkers who built their empires from the inside out. Because in business, it's not just what you do—it's how you think. Don't just compete. Dominate. New episodes of The Business of Thinking launch November 18th, with new episodes weekly.

    1 min

Trailer

About

“The Business of Thinking” is the only podcast that gives ambitious leaders evidence-based psychological strategies for peak performance, decision-making, and resilience. Are you a founder, CEO, or senior executive struggling with decision fatigue, stress, or imposter syndrome? You're not alone. The challenges of modern leadership are primarily psychological. Join Richard Reid, organisational psychologist and leadership coach, as he cuts through the noise to deliver actionable mental models from psychology and behavioural science. In 30-45 minute deep-dives and conversations with global experts, you'll learn how to master the inner game of leadership, build resilient teams, and leverage your mind for competitive advantage. In every episode, you will: Discover the hidden cognitive biases sabotaging your strategic decisions.Learn to build psychological safety in your team for innovation and high trust.Find out the evidence-based secrets to sustained resilience without burnout. Stop managing your business. Start mastering your mind. Want the actionable takeaways and resources mentioned in the episodes? Find more information on www.richard-reid.com.  Subscribe today for your weekly mental upgrade!

Information

  • Creator
    Richard Reid
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Business Of Thinking
  • Show Website
    The Business Of Thinking