Mission Undercover

Zaidaan Nawaz

Unearthing what hasn't been found. Revealing all that is hidden. Uncovering the secrets of our world. Mission Undercover. Check me out on Instagram @zaidaannawaz Check out my X @marzipanlegend2 'Those who tell the stories rule society'- Plato https://substack.com/@zaidaannawaz Check out courses for personal development at Alison today: https://alison.com/courses/personal-development?utm_source=alison_user&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=50203615 The best online courses on the market: https://alison.com/?utm_source=alison_user&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=50203615

  1. Sep 4

    Schools don't teach you about money- I asked an entrepreneur how we can fix it

    Adelo Ramirez once ran a successful restaurant, but after his business declined he realised that he had never been properly taught how to understand the numbers behind it. That experience changed his career and eventually led him to create financial-literacy workbooks for schools.In this episode, I ask him what happened, why he believes the education system leaves young people unprepared for adult financial decisions, and what students can do before they earn a full-time salary. We talk about the difference between earning money and keeping money, the spending habits that quietly damage families, and the three practical systems he recommends: record your expenses, calculate your cost of living, and track your time. Adelo also explains how he taught his daughter business bookkeeping from a young age, why he encourages teenagers to start small businesses at home, and why failing early can be an advantage rather than a disaster. The conversation ends with a bigger question: could financial education change the cycle of inequality between generations? Timestamps: 00:00 — Introducing Adelo Ramirez 00:25 — The question that began his financial-literacy mission 01:03 — His restaurant, financial crisis, and search for help 02:04 — The lesson that changed his business perspective 02:43 — The case for adding financial literacy to schools 05:23 — The danger of graduating without knowing your cost of living 08:17 — Why the reason for saving matters 09:00 — Education, critical thinking, and inequality 11:23 — Growing up without conversations about household finances 13:00 — Using schoolwork to make money discussions more open 15:35 — How everyday purchases add up 17:03 — The three lessons young people should learn 18:40 — Debt, extra income, and investing 20:20 — The connection between time management and money management 22:44 — Losing money and rebuilding from the ground up 24:50 — Why lottery winners and athletes can still lose wealth 26:31 — What Adelo sees young people doing wrong with money 28:39 — The teenager who discovered that buying more can keep you poor 31:02 — Raising a young bookkeeper 32:39 — Entrepreneurship, investing, and taking the first step 33:05 — Why parents should let young people try and fail 34:15 — Why finishing matters more than perfection 34:49 — Starting a business before you have major costs 37:19 — The policy changes Adelo wants to see 39:45 — Final advice for young people https://zaidaannawaz.gumroad.com/l/oyiqpf My GCSE English Resources Instagram: @zaidaannawaz https://substack.com/@zaidaannawaz Check out courses for personal development at Alison today: https://alison.com/courses/personal-development?utm_source=alison_user&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=50203615 The best online courses on the market: https://alison.com/utm_source=alison_user&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=50203615

  2. Aug 30

    Why is Britain ungovernable? (and how can we fix it?)

    Why does Britain feel increasingly difficult to govern? In this episode, I argue that the problem is not simply the quality of individual politicians. The deeper problem is that Britain’s political and administrative institutions are outdated, centralised and often designed to manage decline rather than deliver meaningful change. Many observers argue that the UK government struggles to deliver on its core promises, creating a gap between vision and real-world outcomes. This discussion explores why Whitehall and Westminster frequently fail to implement policies that impact the high street and daily life. It is essential viewing for anyone questioning the current state of British politics and the structural limitations facing modern administrations. I examine how Whitehall and Westminster can frustrate political visions, and I put forward three radical reforms. First, I explore whether power should be decentralised away from the Treasury and reorganised around clear national priorities such as the cost of living. Second, I ask whether Parliament should be reformed — potentially even moved away from London — to create a less confrontational and more effective political system. Finally, I challenge the assumption that monetary policy should remain completely independent of democratic control.I also discuss the rapid turnover of prime ministers, public impatience with politics, the polarising effect of opinion polling and the need for a faster, more ambitious approach to political change. By analysing why Britain is ungovernable, we pinpoint the disconnect between political ambition and practical execution. We assess whether the current machinery of government is capable of delivering the stability required for the nation to function effectively. This breakdown provides a clear-eyed look at the obstacles hindering political delivery in the current climate.Subscribe for regular UK political breakdowns, and comment your thoughts on whether you believe Whitehall reform is actually possible. 00:00 — Is Britain ungovernable? 00:53 — Whitehall and the culture of “managed decline” 01:31 — Reform 1: Decentralising power from the Treasury 02:49 — Reform 2: Rethinking Westminster and Parliament 03:52 — Reform 3: Who should control monetary policy? 04:33 — Why prime ministers keep leaving office 05:48 — Why the public is losing patience 07:33 — Opinion polls, polarisation and political incentives 08:49 — My case for radical change https://zaidaannawaz.gumroad.com/l/oyiqpf My GCSE English Resources Instagram: @zaidaannawaz https://substack.com/@zaidaannawaz Check out courses for personal development at Alison today: https://alison.com/courses/personal-development?utm_source=alison_user&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=50203615 The best online courses on the market: https://alison.com/utm_source=alison_user&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=50203615

  3. Aug 25

    Results Day shouldn't exist

    In this episode, I argue that Results Day is an indictment of the way we value young people. Grades can represent years of effort, discipline, setbacks, and progress. But on Results Day, all of that is often reduced to a set of numbers on a piece of paper. The system can ignore the skills we developed, the mistakes we learned from, the contributions we made to our schools and communities, and the people we became along the way. I explore why education has become so focused on performance, earnings, employability, and financial outcomes — and why I believe that narrow framework has stripped purpose and morality from the system. Education should help young people build meaningful lives, contribute to their communities, and develop a sense of direction. It should not simply prepare us to become more productive workers or reduce our worth to a grade sheet.I also discuss what education should be built around instead: moral ambition, purpose, real skills, personal development, and a society that provides security and opportunity to everyone rather than leaving people to compete for them individually. Timestamps 00:00 — Why I believe Results Day should not exist 00:10 — The problem with reducing years of work to numbers 00:33 — What grades fail to measure 01:08 — Performance versus development and personal improvement 01:35 — How education becomes financialised and commodified 01:57 — Why education reform is often reduced to jobs and earnings 02:07 — Young people are more than grades, jobs, and university places 02:39 — The dehumanising spectacle of Results Day 03:03 — The fundamental question: what is education for? 03:46 — Education, contribution, legacy, and security 04:29 — Why education needs moral ambition 05:07 — Young people are not pawns in a game of power 05:41 — The education system as a forced competition 06:04 — What a better education system should teach 06:33 — Why every young person needs purpose and direction 07:14 — Financial security matters, but it should not define education 07:57 — Reclaiming a politics of utopia 08:17 — What exams can teach us — and what they cannot 08:40 — The truth about Results Day and the future of education https://zaidaannawaz.gumroad.com/l/oyiqpf My GCSE English Resources Instagram: @zaidaannawaz https://substack.com/@zaidaannawaz Check out courses for personal development at Alison today: https://alison.com/courses/personal-development?utm_source=alison_user&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=50203615 The best online courses on the market: https://alison.com/utm_source=alison_user&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=50203615

  4. Aug 7

    Jay Heinrichs: The Secret Language of Power

    How do the world's most powerful leaders use language to mold the minds of millions? Join me on Mission Undercover as I sit down with Jay Heinrichs, the bestselling author of Thank You for Arguing, to decode the art of rhetoric and explore what has really caused the rise of populism in society today. In this episode, we explore: • The Evolution of Language: From the poetic oratory of JFK and MLK to the "broken," tribal language of modern social media. • The Secret of Populism: Why the "straight-talking" style of leaders like Donald Trump and Nigel Farage is so effective at building tribal loyalty. • Rhetoric of Power: How Martin Luther King Jr.’s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was more effective than his "I Have a Dream" speech. • Stoicism vs. Epicureanism: Why Jay Heinrichs identifies as an Epicurean and how overcoming "unreal" fear is the key to mental health. • The AI Controversy: Jay’s provocative take on why AI might be the "savior" of civilization rather than its destroyer. • The "Future Tense" Tool: A practical rhetorical hack to win any negotiation or de-escalate any argument instantly. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: The Power of Words 02:15 - Discovering the "Lost Art" of Rhetoric 04:30 - Old vs. New Language: Why We’re More Tribal Than Ever 07:45 - MLK’s Most Effective Rhetorical Act (It’s Not What You Think) 09:15 - The Secret Rhetoric of Donald Trump & Populism 14:45 - "Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You": Decoding Famous Quotes 18:30 - "Take Back Control": The Rhythm of a War Cry 24:20 - The Most Controversial Opinion on AI 27:10 - The Unique Rhetorical Challenges for Women in Politics 30:00 - Stoicism vs. Epicureanism: Which One Actually Works? 33:50 - How to Overcome Internal Blocks & Fear 38:50 - One Final Message: The "Future Tense" Tool for Life

About

Unearthing what hasn't been found. Revealing all that is hidden. Uncovering the secrets of our world. Mission Undercover. Check me out on Instagram @zaidaannawaz Check out my X @marzipanlegend2 'Those who tell the stories rule society'- Plato https://substack.com/@zaidaannawaz Check out courses for personal development at Alison today: https://alison.com/courses/personal-development?utm_source=alison_user&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=50203615 The best online courses on the market: https://alison.com/?utm_source=alison_user&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=50203615