Natural Genius: Deep Conversations. Meaningful Lives.

Natural Genius
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Natural Genius is a podcast of thoughtful conversations with people shaping meaningful lives, useful work and uncommon paths.Hosted by Sam Bell, the show listens for the hidden clever in each guest: the instinct, inner knowing, craft, courage and lived wisdom that shape how they build, lead, create, care and contribute.Guests include founders, operators, makers, artists, elders, wisdom holders and people whose lives carry practical insight.The conversations trace what becomes possible through close listening, trusted instinct, and a life organised around what matters.Listen for the thread. Notice what feels true. Take what’s useful into your own life and work.More at naturalgenius.com.au

  1. 22h ago

    #66 - Anna Beuselinck: Joy, Impact, Ease and the Art of Locating Yourself

    Anna Beuselinck has spent decades paying close attention to people: how they behave, what helps them grow, and what allows more joy, impact and ease into work and life. She is an ICF-certified executive coach and organisation strategist who has worked across leadership, culture and organisational development with global organisations including Nike, Gap, Nestlé, Reebok and Genentech, as well as founders, CEOs, boards and C-suite leaders.  And that is only one dimension of Anna’s life. With her husband Gary, Anna is co-founder and steward of Campovida, a certified organic farm, garden and vineyard retreat in Northern California. Together they also steward Stock Farm Restaurant & Inn and the historic Thatcher Hotel in the  town of Hopland. Their work has included restoring land and buildings, making wine, creating places for people to gather and investing in the life of their local community. Anna also co-founded and hosted the DO Lectures USA at Campovida.  In this conversation, Anna and Sam move between leadership and land, coaching and community, marriage and family, business ownership and the inner work of knowing where you are. Anna describes growing up as the youngest of 11 children, learning to observe people closely, and eventually realising that being interested in others also needs to be balanced by being interesting: developing your own point of view and finding your voice.  Later, through Method Writing with Jules Swales, another idea deepened: locate yourself first. Anna now brings that quality of presence into her work with clients, describing herself less as the person responsible for their growth and more as a “helpful observer” who can sometimes offer the question, perspective or gentle push that helps someone move.   What you’ll hear: • Growing up as the youngest of 11 and becoming a lifelong observer of human behaviour • Finding a voice and point of view while working internationally in leadership and organisational development • Anna’s guiding inquiry into creating more joy, impact and ease • Building and stewarding Campovida, Stock Farm and Thatcher Hotel with Gary in Hopland • Life Gardener, compost and the value hidden inside difficult experiences • Why Anna’s best clients are both interested and interesting • Presence, Method Writing and helping people “locate themselves” Guest links: • Anna Beuselinck: https://www.alifegardener.com/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifegardener/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-beuselinck-b445371/ • Campovida: https://www.campovida.com • Thatcher Hotel: https://www.thatcherhotel.com • Thatcher Hotel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatcherhotel/ • Stock Farm Restaurant & Inn: https://www.stockfarmhopland.com • Stock Farm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stockfarmhopland/ Conversation mentions: • Gary Breen: https://www.felizcreekcellars.com/our-team-1 • Method Writing with Jules Swales: https://www.julesswales.com/method-writing-tip-authentic-writer/ • The DO Lectures USA: https://thedolectures.com/everything/?eventType=DO%20USA • The DO Lectures: https://thedolectures.com/ • Clare and David Hieatt, co-founders of DO: https://thedolectures.com/our-story/ • The Biggest Little Farm: https://www.biggestlittlefarmmovie.com/ • Payne’s Hut: https://www.facebook.com/PaynesHut • Rick Rubin’s Tetragrammaton podcast: https://www.tetragrammaton.com/podcasts Chapters: 00:13 Anna, Campovida and a life of leadership and stewardship 02:52 Growing up as the youngest of 11 and learning to observe 06:54 Finding her voice and choosing joy, impact and ease 16:30 Campovida, Hopland and building places with Gary 31:24 Life Gardener, compost and learning through what is difficult 37:17 Interested and interesting: what Anna notices in people who grow 40:07 Coaching as a firm hand, a holding hand and helpful observation 42:07 Method Writing, presence and locating yourself 45:53 DO Lectures USA and shining a light on interesting people Explore further: Discover Natural Genius: https://naturalgenius.com.au Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au Other platforms: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568387 Subscribe to hear future episodes. Credits: Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Kiama and Anna Beuselinck at Campovida, Hopland, 29 July 2026. Produced at the Kiama office, 29 July - 9 August 2026.  Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

    #66 - Anna Beuselinck: Joy, Impact, Ease and the Art of Locating Yourself

  2. 2d ago

    #65 - Carl Rausch: Delivering Oxygen Without Blood and Keeping Breakthrough Science Alive

    What happens when someone urgently needs oxygen delivered to their tissues and compatible blood is not immediately available? Carl Rausch has spent much of his working life trying to solve versions of that problem. Carl Rausch is a chemical and medical engineer, biotechnology founder and senior executive whose career has spanned some of the formative decades of modern biotechnology. He was Founder, former Chairman and CEO of Biopure, later led Boston Therapeutics and World Technology East II, and has worked across blood purification, separation science, haemoglobin-based oxygen delivery, clinical development, manufacturing, regulation and commercialisation. Along the way he has raised significant capital, built and led teams of around 200–250 people, testified before congressional committees, worked with senior leaders across major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and assembled boards and investor groups that included three billionaires and former US Surgeon General C. Everett Koop. Carl and Sam move through an extraordinary life in science and business: his early work in environmental and life-science engineering, caring for his father with ALS, purification of blood-derived products, the AIDS crisis and the development of bovine haemoglobin as an oxygen carrier.  They also explore what happens when promising science meets company upheaval, regulation, manufacturing complexity and repeated commercial setbacks. Carl is still pushing the work forward, including applications in veterinary medicine, organ sustainability and kidney transplantation.  Away from the science, there are glimpses of Carl’s love of travelling, hiking, skiing, sailing, family and a life increasingly designed for greater freedom. Thank you to Christopher Treble for introducing us. Content note: This conversation includes discussion of animal bleeding and veterinary procedures, severe human blood loss and postpartum haemorrhage. It also includes Carl’s views and experiences of medical regulation and blood banking. These are shared as personal and professional perspectives, not medical advice. What you’ll hear: • How Carl moved from chemical engineering into medicine, biology and blood science • Caring for his father with ALS and designing practical ways to help him keep working • Blood purification, the AIDS crisis and the origins of Carl’s bovine haemoglobin work • Delivering oxygen without matched human blood • Building companies, losing control of technology and repeatedly starting again • Veterinary applications, organ sustainability and kidney transplantation • A life of science, persistence, travel, family and creating more freedom Guest links: • Carl Rausch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-rausch-7566824/ • Carl on delivering oxygen without blood: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7484543321936416768/ • Carl on delivering oxygen without blood 2: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7451251694543327232/ Conversation mentions: • Christopher Treble’s Natural Genius: https://youtu.be/5jSAFj7lwy8 • Dr Mario Feola, whose work helped influence Carl’s move towards cattle as a controlled source of haemoglobin Chapters: 00:13 Christopher Treble, technology and how humans learn 12:35 Carl’s current mission and a life built around the work 16:28 His father’s ALS and the move into medical engineering 19:11 Blood purification, Waters and the emerging biotechnology industry 28:50 The AIDS crisis, bovine haemoglobin and delivering oxygen 39:31 Veterinary use, regulation and keeping the technology alive 48:42 Organ sustainability, kidney transplantation and future applications 56:34 Building companies, selling the science and creating more freedom Explore further: Discover Natural Genius: https://naturalgenius.com.au Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au Other platforms: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568387 Subscribe to hear future episodes. Credits: Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Kiama and New York, 22 July 2026. Produced at the Kiama office, 22 July - 7 August 2026. Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

    #65 - Carl Rausch: Delivering Oxygen Without Blood and Keeping Breakthrough Science Alive

  3. 4d ago

    #64 - Victoria Jones: Building Trust, Situational Leadership and Growing Happy

    People have a radar. They sense when a leader’s words, behaviour and genuine intent do not align. Trust is built less through grand gestures than through the small, consistent signals people experience over time. Victoria Jones is Senior Manager, Leadership and Capability at UniSuper and a Director and Chair of the Professional Development Committee at Women in Super. Across more than 20 years in leadership and learning, she has worked at Monash University, Specsavers, Forever New and UniSuper. Victoria makes  leadership work feel bright, practical and possible. She is upbeat, powerful, magnetic and easygoing, with a gift for reading a room, creating self-awareness and helping people experience the “light bulb moment” for themselves. Victoria and Sam explore situational leadership, trust as organisational infrastructure, feedback, psychological safety and why self-awareness matters as AI accelerates work. They also move through family life, The Corner Store in Mentone, running, Women in Super, learning guitar, travelling around Australia and Victoria’s simple ambition: “I want to grow happy.” Thank you to Sarah Jade Green for introducing us after sharing that Victoria’s situational leadership teaching stayed with her throughout her career. What you’ll hear: • Why people sense the mindset beneath a leader’s words and behaviour • How trust grows through small, consistent gestures • Situational leadership as a practical framework for adapting to each person • The role of self-awareness, honest feedback and psychological safety • Why trust and human judgement matter more as AI reshapes work • The work, relationships and adventures that help Victoria keep growing happy Guest links: • Victoria Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-jones-7a085219/ • The Corner Store, Mentone: https://www.thecornerstore3194.com/ Conversation mentions: • Sarah Jade Green’s Natural Genius: https://youtu.be/iSkU4WsIIzs • Jack Dorsey and Roelof Botha, From Hierarchy to Intelligence: https://block.xyz/inside/from-hierarchy-to-intelligence • Arbinger Institute: https://arbinger.com/about • Blanchard SLII and Situational Leadership: https://www.blanchard.com/our-content/programs/slii • Patrick Lencioni and The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: https://www.tablegroup.com/topics-and-resources/teamwork-5-dysfunctions/ • The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team: https://www.fivebehaviors.com/ • Women in Super: https://www.womeninsuper.com.au/who-we-are/our-people • Mother’s Day Classic: https://www.mothersdayclassic.com.au/ • Geoff Brown’s family travel archive: https://campingfeet.wordpress.com/ Chapters: 00:13 Sarah Jade Green and a leadership lesson that lasted 01:22 From academia to leadership and capability development 06:09 Self-awareness, facilitation and the light bulb moment 09:05 People have a radar: trust, behaviour and intent 15:58 Situational leadership and finding your own way to lead 21:42 Family, The Corner Store, running and Women in Super 26:22 Learning guitar, Australian adventures and growing happy Explore further: Discover Natural Genius: https://naturalgenius.com.au Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au Other platforms: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568387 Subscribe to hear future episodes. Credits: Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Kiama and Murrumbeena, 24 July 2026. Produced at the Kiama office, 24 July - 5 August 2026. Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

    #64 - Victoria Jones: Building Trust, Situational Leadership and Growing Happy

  4. 5d ago

    #63 - Sarah Jade Green: Creative Leadership, Human Taste and Small Business Brand Efficiency

    Sarah Jade Green makes ambitious creative work feel more possible. She calms pressure, sees patterns, builds practical systems and helps people move before everything is perfect. Sarah is Head of Creative at Village Cinemas, where she is building a new in-house creative department for one of Australia’s most iconic cinema brands. Across 16 years in design, brand strategy and creative leadership, she has led large creative teams and worked across many of Australia’s best-known retail brands. She is also co-founder and Creative & Strategy Director of Margaret Studio, which she runs with her partner, Tyler Jefferson. Together they give small and medium businesses access to senior brand, writing, content and design expertise without needing full-time specialists. In this conversation, Sarah and Sam explore leadership as helping, brand consistency as a culture issue, using AI to remove administrative work without outsourcing human taste, and the practical courage to begin before everything is perfect. They also discuss an emerging model in which senior creatives embed inside smaller businesses for a day or two each week, connecting strategy and execution while making good work more efficient. What you’ll hear: • Leading through curiosity, mentoring and skill-sharing • Staying calm when fast-moving retail work is dialled up to 110 • Building the new creative function at Village Cinemas • Why everyone in a business can become a custodian of the brand • Using AI for briefs, communication and admin while humans remain the tastemakers • How curiosity, travel, art and Dark Mofo help develop creative taste • Starting Margaret Studio and giving small businesses efficient access to senior expertise Guest links: • Sarah Jade Green on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-jade-green/ • Margaret Studio: https://margaretstudio.com.au/ • Margaret Studio on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/margaret-studio • Margaret Studio on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margaretstudio.au • The Personal Brand Workbook: https://margaretstudio.com.au/the-personal-brand-workbook • The Small Business Branding Workbook: https://margaretstudio.com.au/the-small-business-branding-workbook/ Conversation mentions: • Lisa Gamboni’s Natural Genius: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhggwNqZiEo • Lucas Z. on paying yourself first: https://youtu.be/2RsBOTm1Y4A • Ryan Trainor, formerly Deloitte Australia's Entrepreneur in Residence: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-trainor-814355 • Village Cinemas: https://villagecinemas.com.au/ • Travis Eliot: https://traviseliot.com/ • Michelle Crawford’s Natural Genius: https://youtu.be/dpv5Vh5Vtps • Dark Mofo: https://darkmofo.net.au/ Chapters: 00:13 Sarah Jade Green: leading by helping 07:30 Calm under pressure in fast-moving creative work 10:14 Portfolio careers, RMIT and pattern-based systems 13:09 Building Village Cinemas’ creative function and Margaret Studio 19:35 Why brand consistency is a culture problem 23:37 AI, efficiency and why humans remain the tastemakers 27:47 Curiosity, Tasmania, courage and Dark Mofo 34:08 Just start: freelancing, asking and using your network 40:07 Embedded senior expertise for small businesses Explore further: Discover Natural Genius: https://naturalgenius.com.au Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au Other platforms: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568387 Subscribe to hear future episodes. Credits: Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Kiama and Margaret Studio, 22 June, 2026. Produced at the Kiama office, 22 June - 4 August, 2026. Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

    #63 - Sarah Jade Green: Creative Leadership, Human Taste and Small Business Brand Efficiency

  5. Aug 1

    #62 - Marisa Hallsted: Beyond Spiritual Bypassing, Reality Architecture™ and Feeling Fully Alive

    Marisa Hallsted brings brightness, candour and contagious energy to a conversation about what it takes to feel fully alive. Marisa is the founder of Reality Architecture™, a philosophy exploring how the invisible architecture beneath our identity shapes the life we experience. She is also founder and CEO of Seeded Sound, an app combining original music, nature recordings and subliminal affirmations. Her work spans transformational mentorship, yoga, embodiment, subconscious patterns and energy practice. Raised by bodyworkers and yogis, Marisa saw both the beauty of holistic practice and the limits of spirituality without deep internal work. She rejected the healer identity as a teenager, then returned through heartbreak, yoga and the recognition that her purpose may be as simple as “give good energy”. Marisa and Sam explore moving beyond spiritual bypassing, using triggers as teachers, Reality Architecture™, Seeded Sound, compassion, communication and learning to use energetic gifts intentionally. Thank you to Lucas Z for introducing us.  Marisa is the first fifth-generation Natural Genius guest in the connection chain from Serana Hunt-Hughes to Adriana Basile, Jelena Blajer, Lucas Z. and Marisa. Content note: This conversation includes suicidal thoughts, antidepressant medication, plant medicine, altered states and spiritual experiences. These are personal experiences, not medical advice. In Australia, Lifeline is 13 11 14. In an emergency call 000. What you'll hear: • Marisa’s purpose to “give good energy” and how she cultivates joy • Growing up with yoga, bodywork and spiritual bypassing • Moving beyond forced positivity and taking triggers as teachers • Reality Architecture™, identity and “never enough” patterns • Seeded Sound, subconscious practice and sound at scale • Compassion, communication and “Can we try again?” • Channeling, Reiki, plant medicine experiences and clear boundaries Guest links: • Marisa Hallsted and Reality Architecture™: https://www.marisahallsted.com/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marisahallsted/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisa-hallsted-ba76b9347 • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marisa.hallsted • Seeded Sound: https://www.seededsound.com • Seeded Sound newsletter: https://www.seededsound.com/#newsletter • Seeded Sound Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seededsound • Reality Architecture™ Podcast: coming soon Conversation mentions: • Jayne Gottlieb and BODY ALIVE: https://www.jaynegottlieb.com/home • Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/646858/atmosphere-a-gma-book-club-pick-by-taylor-jenkins-reid/9780593158715/ • Lucas Z's Natural Genius: https://youtu.be/2RsBOTm1Y4A Chapters: 00:13 Introducing Marisa and Lucas’s friendship 05:14 Joy, purpose and “give good energy” 09:16 Dance, yoga and growing up with healers 15:28 Beyond spiritual bypassing and triggers as teachers 21:32 Reality Architecture™, successful women and “never enough” 24:40 Seeded Sound and subconscious practice 30:16 Connection, compassion and “Can we try again?” 43:19 Energy work, channeling and clear boundaries 49:25 Plant medicine and remembering your gifts Explore further: Discover Natural Genius: https://naturalgenius.com.au Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au Other platforms: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568387 Subscribe to hear future episodes. Credits: Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Kiama and Southern California, 24 July, 2026. Produced at the Kiama office, 24 July - 1 August, 2026. Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

    #62 - Marisa Hallsted: Beyond Spiritual Bypassing, Reality Architecture™ and Feeling Fully Alive

  6. Jul 31

    #61 - Lucas Z.: Pay Yourself First, Financially and in Life

    Money can be coming in and financial stability can still feel out of reach. Lucas Z. spent three decades following his passions for photography and music. His event photography business became financially successful, yet his money problems intensified and, beneath the outward success, he felt deeply unhappy. A friend helped Lucas see that money, business, success and inner healing were not separate. By paying himself first, simplifying how he managed irregular income and facing the emotional patterns beneath his finances, he became calmer, more stable and more creatively free. Today, Lucas continues to run his photography business and teaches business owners and creatives through The Big Split with Lucas. His approach brings together practical financial systems, personal responsibility and the deeper work of choosing yourself. Thank you to Jelena Blajer for introducing Lucas. Offers from Lucas: • Free 30-minute session. Use code NaturalGenius: https://www.thebigsplitwithlucas.com/simplify-your-finances • Receive 10% off How to Remove Your Financial Blocks, Lucas’s new workshop with Scott Stone, launching 4 August, 2026. Use code NaturalGenius: https://www.thebigsplitwithlucas.com/moneyblocks   Please note: This conversation shares personal experiences and general information. It is not financial, tax or investment advice. What you'll hear: • Why earning more did not resolve Lucas’s financial problems • How paying yourself first became a financial and personal practice • Practical ways to stabilise irregular income and stay closer to your spending • What debt, shame, scarcity and difficult clients can reveal • How financial stability can create more room for creativity • The influence of Peter Crone, Travis Eliot and daily inner work Guest links: • The Big Split with Lucas Z.: https://www.thebigsplitwithlucas.com/ • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebigsplitwithlucas • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebigsplitwithlucas Conversation mentions: • Jelena Blajer's Natural Genius: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=7Kz1vxGffVU • Peter Crone: https://www.petercrone.com/ and https://www.youtube.com/@PeterCroneOfficial • Travis Eliot: https://traviseliot.com/ • Travis Eliot's Empowered 30-Day Yoga Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9Yiz3pzepyGGzQx7DmgL4F5NWIC8p0na • Travis Eliot's 180 day programs and other via Inner Dimension TV: https://www.innerdimensionyoga.com/ • RJ Spina: https://youtu.be/G2WtX6QYcuY • The Miracle Morning: https://miraclemorning.com/ • Network School: https://ns.com/samanthaleebell/invite Chapters: 00:00 Welcome and life in Aspen 03:21 From creative struggle to financial success 11:06 Practical money systems and deeper change 20:33 Paying yourself first beyond money 27:00 Creativity, stability and writing your own rules 31:38 Peter Crone and changing perspective 39:52 Applying what you learn 46:18 Yoga, healing and Travis Eliot 52:02 Integration, nature and letting go Explore further: Discover Natural Genius: https://naturalgenius.com.au Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au Other platforms: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568387 Subscribe to hear future episodes. Credits: Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Kiama and Aspen, Colorado, 19 June, 2026. Produced at the Kiama office, 19 June - 31 July, 2026. Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

    #61 - Lucas Z.: Pay Yourself First, Financially and in Life

  7. Jul 28

    #60 - Ludovic Bodin: AI, Art and the People We Meet Along the Way

    What happens when a global investor begins painting the future of AI and humanity? Ludovic Bodin has spent decades building and investing across Europe, Asia, Latin America and Silicon Valley. He is founder and CEO of BOBIC Generational Wealth, co-founder and managing director of Kalibrio, and author of Atomic Scaling. Today, his work spans AI, finance, entrepreneurship, investing and art. In this conversation, Ludo and Sam move between the first Paris exhibition he created with his wife through Wang Bodin Studio, the role of humans in an AI-led world, and his belief that greater technological capability could give more people the time, tools and courage to create. They also explore starting his first company as a teenager, living across many countries, meditation and Vipassana, plant medicine, altered states, different forms of intelligence, bringing unlikely people together and the shift from pursuing the destination to valuing the people met along the way. Content note: This conversation includes personal discussion of plant medicine, altered states and spiritual experiences. These are shared as personal experiences, not medical advice. What you'll hear: • Creating Wang Bodin Studio and a first Paris exhibition about AI and humanity • Art as a way to sense and express what has not yet become language • AI, abundance and the possibility of expanding human creativity • The courage to start before you feel qualified • Ludovic’s journey from teenage founder to global entrepreneur, investor and author • Meditation, Vipassana, plant medicine and emotional steadiness • Generous exploration, friendship and the people we meet along the way Guest links: • Ludovic Bodin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ludovicbodin • Ludovic Bodin on X: https://x.com/ludovicbodin • Atomic Scaling: https://www.atomicscaling.com/the-book • Wang Bodin Studio: https://www.wangbodinstudio.com/ • First Paris exhibition announcement: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ludovicbodin_dear-all-just-a-quick-reminder-that-our-activity-7477368211739627521-Uobu Conversation mentions: • Network School: https://ns.com/samanthaleebell/invite • The Soul’s Prospective by Mivin Mathew: https://mivin.substack.com/p/the-souls-prospective • Sophie Vo’s Natural Genius episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O43mS7w0F54 • John Paul Fischbach’s Natural Genius episode: https://youtu.be/x2vUvzWwCqU Chapters: 00:00 Introducing Ludovic Bodin 01:04 Wang Bodin Studio and a first Paris exhibition 05:08 AI, humanity and what art reveals 10:06 Music, lightness and the joy of creating 13:28 AI abundance, creative courage and having something to say 18:18 A life across France, Latin America, China and Silicon Valley 24:32 Moving to Paris, Network School and music 31:15 Meditation, Vipassana, plant medicine and consciousness 41:06 Different forms of intelligence and the people we meet along the way Explore further: Discover Natural Genius: https://naturalgenius.com.au Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au Other platforms: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568387 Subscribe to hear future episodes. Credits: Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Kiama and Paris, 16 June, 2026. Produced at the Kiama office, 16 June - 28 July, 2026. Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

    #60 - Ludovic Bodin: AI, Art and the People We Meet Along the Way

  8. Jul 23

    #59 - Fiona Smolenaars: How to Ask, Connect and Create Opportunity

    Fiona Smolenaars can meet someone looking for work, meet an employer who needs exactly that person hours later, make one introduction and help create a job. She has spent more than thirty years turning that instinct into work that strengthens people, organisations and regional Victoria. At the heart of this episode is a practical skill many people were never taught: how to ask. Fiona shares the words she uses to approach someone, request advice, make the ask small and create opportunities through conversations. Her instinct to connect people has moved through agriculture, facilitation, strategic planning, community development, arts leadership, university partnerships and workforce development. It also helped turn a conversation about honouring Bella Ainsworth into a $100,000 perpetual education scholarship. Fiona is now the cofounder of clickWork, a Shepparton-based regional workforce connector and career consultancy. clickWork brings job seekers and regional businesses closer together, helping school leavers, graduates and mid-career changers understand their options, prepare well and build the relationships that lead to meaningful work. Fiona and Sam also talk about recognising connection as a professional strength, trusting what a community tells you and having the courage to do something audacious, while remaining content with where the work leads. What you'll hear: • The moment Fiona realised she wanted to help people think, rather than provide technical answers • How to introduce yourself and ask someone for career advice or an opportunity • Why asking for one small next step makes it easier for people to say yes • How Fiona turned connecting people into a career • How Bella Ainsworth’s impact inspired a $100,000 perpetual education scholarship • What her Masters in Business & Empathy changed in Fiona’s thinking • How clickWork is reimagining regional careers and workforce connection Guest links: • Fiona Smolenaars: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionasmolenaars/ • clickWork: http://clickwork.au/ Conversation mentions: • Shepparton Festival: https://www.sheppartonfestival.org.au/ • Lift Off scholarship program - which includes the Bella Ainsworth Perpetual Scholarship: https://www.greatershepparton.foundation/scholarships • Goulburn Murray Community Leadership Program: https://www.goulburnmurraycommunityleadership.com.au/ • Mastery of Business & Empathy (MBE) by Small Giants Academy: https://www.smallgiants.com.au/programs • Foundation for Young Australians: https://www.fya.org.au/ Chapters: 00:00 Turning connection into a career 01:15 Agriculture, systems thinking and facilitation 05:23 Finding the work that fits 09:11 Honouring connection as a professional strength 12:36 How to ask and create opportunities 13:41 Bella’s impact and the $100,000 scholarship 22:05 Business, empathy and enough 29:08 clickWork and regional careers 46:35 Be audacious and content Explore further: Discover Natural Genius: https://naturalgenius.com.au Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au Other platforms: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568387 Subscribe to hear future episodes. Credits: Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Prahran and Shepparton, 30 June 2026. Produced at The Hotham, Prahran, and the Kiama office, 30 June–23 July 2026. Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au

    #59 - Fiona Smolenaars: How to Ask, Connect and Create Opportunity
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About

Natural Genius is a podcast of thoughtful conversations with people shaping meaningful lives, useful work and uncommon paths.Hosted by Sam Bell, the show listens for the hidden clever in each guest: the instinct, inner knowing, craft, courage and lived wisdom that shape how they build, lead, create, care and contribute.Guests include founders, operators, makers, artists, elders, wisdom holders and people whose lives carry practical insight.The conversations trace what becomes possible through close listening, trusted instinct, and a life organised around what matters.Listen for the thread. Notice what feels true. Take what’s useful into your own life and work.More at naturalgenius.com.au

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