The Business Elevation Show Where Good Matters

Chris Cooper

One of the world's longest-running business podcasts, The Business Elevation Show inspires you to grow your wisdom and elevate humanity through business — as doing good matters.

  1. Jun 12

    Thinking Systems for Good with Simon Bowen

    About this episode: What if the greatest untapped asset in your organisation isn't your technology, your products or even your people—but the way you think?  In this episode of the Business Elevation Show, Chris Cooper is joined by Simon Bowen, founder of The Models Method and a globally respected strategist who has spent decades helping organisations unlock what he calls their "Company Genius"—the hidden thinking that drives success.  Drawing on work with businesses, governments, research institutes and purpose-driven organisations around the world, Simon explains why every organisation operates through a thinking system, whether it realises it or not. He shares how making that thinking visible through powerful visual models can transform leadership, improve decision-making, align teams, strengthen culture and increase influence.  Along the way, Simon reflects on his remarkable journey from rural Australia to advising major organisations, his passion for rock music, and his belief that enterprise can be one of the most powerful forces for good on the planet.  This conversation is packed with practical insights for leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers who want to think more clearly, communicate more effectively and create greater positive impact through their work.  Join us as we explore how better thinking can lead to better businesses—and a better world.  More about Simon Bowen: Simon Bowen is the world's leading authority on strategic thinking systems and founder of The Models Method®, the proven methodology that transforms how organisations unlock, protect, and scale their unique intellectual genius. He works with Fortune 500 companies, heads of government, military leaders, and visionary CEOs to extract their intuitive genius and create visual frameworks that revolutionise how they sell, position, and deliver complex value.  With over two decades advising some of the most influential leaders across complex industries including manufacturing, mining, financial services, technology, defence, and infrastructure, Simon operates at the intersection of where most businesses fail: making the invisible visible. His fundamental finding is that thinking is systematically undervalued in our modern world, yet the power and success of any organisation is directly proportional to the quality of thinking and ideas on which it is built.  The Models Method® has enabled clients to achieve complete clarity on what they truly sell, transform how their teams articulate value, revolutionise conversion rates, and create deep organisational alignment around their core genius. Through his strategic frameworks, combined with pattern recognition mastery and extraction expertise, Simon has helped leaders protect their intuitive methodologies, scale without dilution, and build multi-generational market power.

    57 min

  2. Jun 5

    Iron Man, Not Terminator: Using AI to Amplify Human Potential with Bennett Borden

    About this episode: Artificial Intelligence is transforming our world at an extraordinary pace, creating both exciting opportunities and significant challenges. So how do we ensure AI enhances human potential rather than diminishes it?  In this engaging conversation, Chris Cooper is joined by Bennett Borden, Founder and CEO of Clarion AI Partners and a globally recognised expert on the legal, ethical, technological and business implications of artificial intelligence.  A former Partner and Chief Data Scientist at DLA Piper, Bennett believes AI is the most transformative technology since electricity. He shares his compelling "Iron Man, Not Terminator" philosophy, explaining how leaders can use AI to augment human capability, unlock innovation and create lasting value while managing risk responsibly.  Chris and Bennett explore the future of work, education, ethics, regulation and leadership in an AI-enabled world, and discuss what it will take to build a future where technology serves humanity and amplifies good.  This is an essential conversation for leaders, entrepreneurs, educators and anyone seeking to understand the opportunities and responsibilities that come with the AI revolution.  More about Bennett Borden: Bennett B. Borden is Founder and CEO of Clarion AI Partners, an integrated law, technology, and strategy firm helping organizations deliver AI the right way. He is a globally recognized authority on the legal, technological, and business implications of artificial intelligence, advising leading enterprises and AI developers on how to deploy AI systems that create real value while managing risk.  Before founding Clarion, Bennett served as Partner and Chief Data Scientist at the global law firm DLA Piper, where he helped shape AI strategy for multinational organizations. Today, he works with companies and policymakers to translate complex AI developments into practical insights leaders can act on.

    56 min

  3. May 29

    Your Good Matters: Turning Knowledge into Legacy with Debbie Jenkins

    About this episode: Most experienced professionals don't struggle because they lack knowledge. They struggle because they're stuck using it in ways that keep them busy… but not free. In this conversation, Chris sits down with Debbie Jenkins, entrepreneur, author and founder of a successful publishing business, to explore how people can turn what they already know into something far more valuable — freedom, impact and legacy. Debbie works with consultants, coaches and business owners who feel caught between delivering for clients and building something that lasts. She helps them uncover the intellectual property already within their work and transform it into assets that create long-term value and influence more good in the world. We also explore Debbie's own journey — from being told there was no future in writing, to becoming an engineer, to building multiple businesses and creating a life in Spain that reflects the vision she had as a young girl. At the heart of this conversation is our theme that: Good matters. And when you learn how to use your knowledge in the right way, you can amplify that good far beyond your time. More about Debbie Jenkins: In 1996, Debbie Jenkins founded her first business, a marketing and website design agency, despite having no background in marketing, no experience designing websites, and no existing clients. Leaving behind a well-paid, prestig-ious role, she stepped into the unknown with a simple belief: it couldn't be that hard. More than 25 years later, she knows the truth—building a business is hard. But when driven by purpose beyond profit, and sup-ported by people you genuinely enjoy working with, the effort becomes worthwhile. Today, Debbie works with experienced business owners—particularly those run-ning consultancy, training, or coaching businesses—who are beginning to ques-tion how they will ever slow down, retire, or create an exit. These entrepreneurs often find them-selves caught between delivering for clients and developing the products, processes, or intellectual property (IP) that could generate recurring revenue and long-term value. Her clients typically face three key challenges: legacy client expecta-tions that keep them tied to old ways of working, a reliance on selling time rather than scalable prod-ucts, and a lack of time to focus on strategic growth. Debbie helps them recognise and unlock the often-over-looked IP already embedded in their businesses—transforming it into valuable assets that create freedom, generate leads, and build a lasting legacy. A writer, author, painter, and self-confessed horse addict, Debbie lives in Spain at "The Disas-ter Farm" with her Italian partner and a lively collection of animals.

    57 min

  4. May 22

    Special Encore Show: Healing Trauma, Gracefully with Lori Leyden

    About this episode: Dr Lori Leyden (PhD, MBA) is an internationally recognised trauma-healing professional, transformational leader, and mentor whose work has supported thousands worldwide — including genocide survivors in Rwanda, communities impacted by the Sandy Hook Elementary School and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shootings, and Indigenous and refugee communities in Australia. In this interview, Lori joins Chris to explore what it really takes to heal trauma in individuals and communities — and why regulating the nervous system and cultivating therapeutic presence can be more effective (and safer) than "talking it out" for PTSD. They explore Lori's story and book, Embodying Grace, which is a practical and deeply compassionate guide to healing trauma by restoring safety, presence, and dignity in the body — not by reliving the story. They also discuss powerful insights from Lori's humanitarian leadership journey — from founding the nonprofit Create Global Healing and launching Project LIGHT: Rwanda, to her current resilience work with Ukrainian leaders living through active war — and what it means to build peace from the inside out, even in the most challenging circumstances. Listen in for inspiration, wisdom and a transformational perspective on how best to overcome trauma.   More about Dr Lori Leyden: Lori Leyden, PhD, MBA is an internationally recognized trauma-healing professional, transformational leader, and mentor who helps individuals and communities heal in the aftermath of profound tragedy. Her work has supported thousands worldwide, including genocide survivors in Rwanda, survivors of the Sandy Hook Elementary School and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shootings, as well as Australian Indigenous and refugee communities. Inspired by the resilience of orphan genocide survivors in Rwanda, Dr. Leyden founded the nonprofit Create Global Healing and established Project LIGHT: Rwanda, the world's first international youth healing, heart-centered leadership, and entrepreneurship program. Project LIGHT offers a new model of humanitarian aid—empowering young people to heal trauma, develop meaningful livelihoods, and lead with compassion. She also served as Executive Producer of the award-winning documentary When I Was Young I Said I Would Be Happy, which follows the transformational journey of Project LIGHT Ambassadors as they bring healing to others from Rwanda to Sandy Hook, Connecticut. Dr. Leyden's vision is to cultivate a global movement of peacebuilders creating peace from the inside out. She mentors individuals seeking deeper healing, meaning, and impact, and is a member of the Global Evolutionary Leaders Council and the Association of Transformational Leaders, as well as an Evidence-Based EFT Master Trainer. She received the Personal Achievement Award (2019). She is the author of The Grace Process Guidebook and The Stress Management Handbook, available in multiple languages. Dr. Leyden holds a doctorate in Health and Human Services with a concentration in psychoneuroimmunology, and an MBA in management.

    57 min

  5. May 15

    Rebuilding Connection in a Fragmented World with Aaron Hurst

    About this episode: How do we solve the growing crisis of disconnection affecting our society, workplaces, communities, and personal wellbeing? At a time when loneliness, declining trust, polarisation, and superficial online interaction are becoming increasingly common, the need for genuine human connection has never been greater. In this episode of the Business Elevation Show, Chris Cooper is joined by visionary social entrepreneur, bestselling author, and connection pioneer Aaron Hurst. Over the past two decades, Aaron has founded influential organisations focused on purpose, belonging, social impact, and community, including the Taproot Foundation, Imperative, and most recently the United States Chamber of Connection — an initiative dedicated to rebuilding trust and addressing the growing crisis of social disconnection. Aaron is also the bestselling author of The Purpose Economy and helped develop one of the first measures of employee fulfilment in partnership with NYU. Together, Aaron and Chris explore why connection and belonging matter more than ever in an increasingly AI-driven world, the impact disconnection is having on wellbeing and performance, and what leaders, organisations, and communities can do to foster deeper trust and more meaningful human relationships. This promises to be a thoughtful and timely conversation about how we bring people back together in ways that enable individuals and communities to flourish in a rapidly changing world. About Aaron Hurst: Aaron Hurst is a visionary social entrepreneur and CEO focused on advancing social impact, purpose-driven leadership, and human connection. Over the past two decades, he has founded several influential organizations—including Taproot Foundation, Imperative, and Board.Dev—each dedicated to building more connected, purposeful, and resilient communities. His latest venture, the United States Chamber of Connection, addresses the growing crisis of declining social connection and trust by bringing together leaders and communities to strengthen civic engagement and relationships. In 2023, Aaron co-founded Board.Dev with Alethea Hannemann, helping nonprofits strengthen governance by training and placing tech executives on nonprofit boards. Previously, he co-founded Imperative, which introduced the first purpose profiling technology to help Fortune 100 employees connect with purpose at work. The company later evolved into an enterprise peer coaching platform and was acquired by Chronus in 2024.

    58 min

  6. May 8

    Special Encore: Communicating for Good - Storytelling To Change and Save Lives with Rhonda Curry

    Words shape lives. If you want your communication to build trust, inspire action and change—or even save—lives, this episode is for you. In this Special Encore episode, Chris Cooper is joined by Elevation Collective member Rhonda Curry, a global communications and marketing leader who has spent decades shaping the narratives behind health and cancer research, prevention, treatment and care. From UCLA Health to the University of Miami Health System, Rhonda has been at the forefront of telling stories that build trust, inspire hope, accelerate philanthropic support and help breakthrough science reach the people who need it most. Rhonda's work spans local, national and global audiences, including initiatives across Latin America, Africa and Asia. Together, Chris and Rhonda explore how "communications for good" works in practice, and why simple, human relatability is often the key to translating complex science without losing accuracy or integrity. This conversation is designed to be genuinely useful. Rhonda shares six principles for writing compelling marketing communications, with real-world examples of powerful storytelling — from patients telling their own stories, to the craft of "transcreation" across cultures and languages, to how leaders can embrace generative AI without sacrificing authenticity, ethics or trust. A hopeful, practical and deeply human conversation about storytelling with integrity, leadership with purpose, and how great communication can create meaningful global impact.   More about Rhonda Curry: A seasoned communications executive, Rhonda has decades of experience leading strategic marketing and communications for academic medical centers with an emphasis in cancer research, prevention, treatment and care.  She leads communication and marketing at the University of Miami Health System for its NCI-designated cancer center. She previously served as chief of communications and interim chief of marketing at UCLA Health in Los Angeles, California. Prior experience also includes leading communications and marketing for the renowned Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington, home to three Nobel Laureates. The throughline of Rhonda's career reflects her deep commitment to telling the story of health care research and advances in urban and rural settings, from coast to coast across the United States. In addition, she leads marketing and communications for global cancer research – focus areas have included China, Uganda, South Africa, and Latin America. An innovative MarComm leader, she designs teams around digital content hubs to earn top-tier media placement, industry awards, increased philanthropic giving and new patient acquisition. At the University of Miami Health System since 2022, she has created and leads a specialized MarComm team focused on cancer research and prevention, clinical care and community engagement. The geographic endowment of Miami as the gateway to Latin America is a unique opportunity for cancer research that will benefit human health in the US and across the globe. Rhonda earned her Bachelor of Science degree in health care administration from St. Joseph's College of Maine, and her Master of Arts in communication and leadership studies from Gonzaga University. Her proudest accomplishment is being Nonna (Italian grandmother) to twelve beautiful children to whom she dedicates her work.

    54 min

  7. May 1

    From Inner-City Streets to Mountain Slopes: Helping Young People Find Confidence, Hope and a Future with Dan Charlish

    About this episode: What happens when you take young people from inner-city communities, many of whom have never left their local area, and introduce them to the challenge, freedom and possibility of skiing and snowboarding? In this episode, Chris speaks with Dan Charlish, Founder and CEO of Snow Camp, the UK's only national youth snow sports charity. Since 2003, Snow Camp has supported more than 23,000 young people to build confidence, gain qualifications and access real career pathways. During the pandemic, Dan also launched Stop.Breathe.Think, a national online mental health service offering free counselling to young people without the wait. This is a conversation about widening horizons, creating opportunity, building charities that last, and using sport, relationships and mental health support to help young people move towards a more hopeful future.   More about Dan Charlish: Dan Charlish is the Founder and CEO of Snow Camp, the UK's only national youth snow sports charity. Since 2003, the charity has helped more than 23,000 young people from inner-city communities gain confidence, qualifications, and career opportunities through skiing and snowboarding. In 2013 Dan received the Freedom of the City of London for services to youth work and in 2024 he was awarded the Pery Medal by the Ski Club of Great Britain. Snow Camp has also been recognised multiple times as a top UK apprenticeship employer, reflecting Dan's commitment to creating real pathways for young peo-ple to thrive on and off the slopes. During the Covid pandemic, Dan launched Stop.Breathe.Think, an online national mental health service provid-ing free counselling to young people without the wait. The service has delivered over 25,000 counselling ses-sions to young people to date. Dan lives in Hove, UK with his wife Amanda and children, Chloe and Rory.

    57 min

  8. Apr 24

    The ROI of Care: Building Compassionate Organisations That Flourish with Carson Kelly

    About this epsiode: What if compassion wasn't just a moral ideal—but a measurable driver of performance, innovation, and long-term success?  In today's fast-moving and often high-pressure world, many organisations still operate from models built on stress and scarcity, leaving people disengaged and depleted. Yet a growing body of science points to a different path—one where care, trust, and psychological safety are central to sustainable high performance.  In this insightful conversation, Chris Cooper is joined by organisational strategist Carson Kelly, Founder of Compassion 2.0, to explore the concept of the ROI of Care—and why the organisations that truly flourish are those that place human wellbeing at the heart of how they operate.  Drawing on neuroscience and real-world experience, Carson shares how care-based cultures can unlock creativity, strengthen relationships, and improve both engagement and results. Together, Chris and Carson explore what it takes to move from fear-based, extractive environments to more generative, human-centred organisations, and why, in an age shaped by AI, our most human qualities may become our greatest advantage.  If you care about building organisations that succeed and do good, this conversation offers both inspiration and practical insight into leading with care in today's world.  More about Carson Kelly: Carson Kelly is an organizational strategist and leadership advisor who helps organizations transform culture and performance by integrating organizational leadership, employee engagement, and the neuroscience of care into measurable business strategies. His work centres on building care-based workplace cultures that strengthen team cohesion, psychological safety, trust, and sustainable high performance—supported by quantifiable outcomes through the ROI of Care framework.  Carson's work is grounded in a broader mission of scaling compassion. He has founded and led three organizations at the intersection of prosocial science and commerce, directed a 4,000-member progressive civic engagement and resistance group, and serves as a board member at Mount Madonna School.   As Founder of Compassion 2.0 and Flourishingly, Carson partners with executives, Chief People Officers, HR leaders, Chief Wellness Officers, CEOs, COOs, and senior organizational leaders to design and implement science-backed leadership development programs, culture transformation initiatives, and AI-informed organisational diagnostics. His platforms and frameworks enable organizations to measure and enhance employee well-being, leadership effectiveness, organisational resonance, and cross-team collaboration.  Through his work with Karuna Ventures, Carson provides strategic consulting to mission-driven founders, executives, and investors seeking to align capital deployment with human flourishing and systemic impact. He bridges organisational design, leadership development, and impact measurement—supporting ventures from inception through scale. His advisory work includes business model alignment, stakeholder engagement, and applying the ROI of Care as a decision-making framework to ensure growth is both profitable and regenerative.  With over 15 years of experience across enterprise SaaS, digital health, and nonprofit governance, Carson has delivered meaningful results in culture transformation, employee retention, and human-centred organisational design. He collaborates with behavioural scientists, neuroscientists, and organisational psychologists to develop and deliver evidence-based practices—from somatic regulation to purpose and values alignment—that strengthen both people and performance.  He is a dedicated husband and father of three daughters.

    58 min
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4.7
out of 5
11 Ratings

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One of the world's longest-running business podcasts, The Business Elevation Show inspires you to grow your wisdom and elevate humanity through business — as doing good matters.

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