Uncommon Courage

Andrea T Edwards
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Welcome to Uncommon Courage, the podcast, where we’ll be having the conversations we need to be having as members of the human collective. We are all being called upon to step up and lead – with kindness, big hearts and unshakable courage – because right now, we have an opportunity to redress what we got wrong in the past, as well as deal with the disruptions we face today, to create a better world for all. However, if we are completely truthful, the biggest challenge we face is believing we can do it – believing in our ability to create massive change. But everyone knows you can’t achieve anything significant without guts, determination, and of course, the courage to keep driving towards the goal, regardless of how hard the journey is! Uncommon Courage will feature global conversations determined to contribute to creating a better future for all life on earth. Ideas, solutions, arguments and laughs - it’ll all be part of the journey. It is time for that which is uncommon to become common.#UncommonCourage #AndreaTEdwards

  1. The Sh*t Show: war, chaos + the death of climate reporting?

    5H AGO

    The Sh*t Show: war, chaos + the death of climate reporting?

    Send a text Two weeks into the war between the US/Israel and Iran, and we’re still not sure why. But it’s over, wait, no it’s not, it could be over anytime Donald Trump wants, but it’s over, not yet, maximum damage is on the way, and we’re going to kick them while they’re down. Yes, we’ve been buffeted with war time machismo, however, we could also be in the midst of an end-times Holy War with three prophecies openly discussed. Then there is the wider economic implications, from farmers all over the world unable to fertilize crops or drive equipment, schools closed because no fuel for buses, work from home orders in place across the world to reduce fuel use, food inflation and energy inflation escalating rapidly, and in the Philippines, it’s going dark at night because of fuel restrictions.  As always, we’ll discuss this within the bigger context of how it ripples out and consumes the world, including the environmental impact, and why the situation we are in is a very VERY bad idea, no matter which “side” you’re sitting on.  There is more news to discuss, of course, I mean, have you seen the floods in Australia and Kenya, and the Tornados in the US? However, we’re also going to dig into mandatory ISSB-aligned reporting too – that’s the climate reporting ‘bit’ in the title. You might ask - is it still a thing? Because the US administration rescinded its endangerment finding on greenhouse gases, and the EU simplified its sustainability reporting thresholds through Omnibus I, so does that mean the rules are loosening, the pressure is easing, and we can all relax? Not so fast.  To help us explore this in more detail and uncover what’s next, we are delighted to welcome our special guest, Joanne Flinn, who is on the Thinkers50 Radar for 2026, Chairperson of the ESG Institute, and author of Greensight -The Sustainability Guide for Company Directors. Joanne is a keynote speaker, prolific author, artist, AND right now, she is thinking ‘out loud’ for her next book, publishing early thoughts on Substack. You can find her there.  The intensity continues and we appreciate how overwhelming everything is, so hopefully we can help bring all the different threads together and make some sense of it. That’s always our goal. So why not come and join us this Friday, 13th March 2026, at 7am UK, 8am EU, 11am UAE, 2pm TH, 3pm SG, 6pm AEST. Streaming across various locations, and no doubt about it, we’d love your support.  The Sh*t Show is a Livestream happening every Friday, where Andrea T Edwards, Dr. David Ko, Richard Busellato and Joe Augustin, as well as special guests, discuss the world’s most pressing issues across all angles of the polycrisis, working to make sense of the extremely challenging and complex times we are all going through, plus what we can do about it. Help us move the needle so we can change the name of the show to something more genteel when (or if) it is no longer a sh*t show.  #TheShitShow #UncommonCourage You can find me Andrea T Edwards | The Digital Conversationalist and Welcome - Uncommon Courage - An Invitation. My book Uncommon Courage, an invitation, is here https://mybook.to/UncommonCourage My book 18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile, is here https://mybook.to/18stepstoanallstar

    2h 17m
  2. The Sh*t Show: war, what a great idea!

    MAR 6

    The Sh*t Show: war, what a great idea!

    Send a text This time last week, the US and Israel weren’t at war with Iran, alas, the very next morning the bombs started dropping. Terrific (not)! It’s been absolute chaos since, with the narrative of the “why” probably the most chaotic it’s ever been, because why did this war start? Pre‑emptive self‑defence against Iranian attacks? Yes and, because Israel started it and we had to follow? Yes and, stopping Iran’s nuclear and missile programme? Yes and, protection of allies / collective defence? Yes and, regime change and “freeing the Iranian people”? Yes and, because Iran is a “global danger”? Yes, and we could go on, we’ve heard it all.  While we will certainly cover a lot more news, the first hour will be focused on this war and what it really means, with a special focus on war, oil, and the economy. We will discuss the war crime of a girls primary school in Iran being bombed which resulted in the deaths of more than 160 people, mostly children, as well as the fact this war is being supported within the US military by Christian Nationalists attempting to fulfil a Biblical prophecy, which will spur the second coming of Christ. Yep, that’s in the mix too.  Joe Augustin can’t be with us this week, and Richard Busellato can only join for the first 45 minutes, so we are bringing in a former guest as co-host this week, Oliver Gill. Ollie is also keen to discuss the UK rivers raw sewage issue, which has gotten a lot of attention, following the release of the new drama/documentary: "Dirty Business". It will be great to get a local insight on this critical issue.  It’s definitely been an intense week for all of us, as we come to terms with another war, but this one has the potential to end in absolute global calamity. Join us as we bring the story together as much as we can. It’s all happening this Friday 6th March 2026, at 7am UK, 8am EU, 11am UAE, 2pm TH, 3pm SG, 6pm AEST. Streaming across various locations, and no doubt about it, we’d love your support.  The Sh*t Show is a Livestream happening every Friday, where Andrea T Edwards, Dr. David Ko, Richard Busellato and Joe Augustin, as well as special guests, discuss the world’s most pressing issues across all angles of the polycrisis, working to make sense of the extremely challenging and complex times we are all going through, plus what we can do about it. Help us move the needle so we can change the name of the show to something more genteel when (or if) it is no longer a sh*t show.  #TheShitShow #UncommonCourage You can find me Andrea T Edwards | The Digital Conversationalist and Welcome - Uncommon Courage - An Invitation. My book Uncommon Courage, an invitation, is here https://mybook.to/UncommonCourage My book 18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile, is here https://mybook.to/18stepstoanallstar

    2h 9m
  3. The Sh*t Show: making sense of the chaos 2026

    FEB 27

    The Sh*t Show: making sense of the chaos 2026

    Send a text It’s time to get back in the ring after a decent break and reset, which we always do up until after Chinese New Year, BUT what a time to have a break! Every day, multiple stories all deserving major breaking news status, and because of that intensity we risk what matters most getting lost, and what doesn’t matter gets the attention. That’s why this time is so challenging, but there is a design to the overwhelm. It’s strategic and powerful (flood the zone with shit, right?), so we have to keep on top of it.  It’s just the four of us for our first show, and what are we going to discuss? Well, what do you want to know about? We’ve got a climate on steroids with a “Hot House Earth” predicted, especially with the next El Nino on the horizon. We’ve seen the shenanigans in Venezuela, Greenland and Iran, elections in Japan, Bangladesh and Thailand amongst others, a stock rally, Bitcoin tanking, and the US Department of War looking to punish AI companies that don’t want to play the game.  We’ve got space junk with hundreds of thousands of new satellites confirmed for launch, Mexico exploding after El Mencho was killed this week, the Board of Peace, Trump bowing out of the EPA, incidentally just when the link between Alzheimer’s and pollution has been scientifically quantified, Brazil ending it’s moratorium on deforestation for farmland, Tourette’s in the spotlight, misogyny too, and a global reckoning for those linked to Epstein, which is not happening in the US… yet. We didn’t even mention AI evolution, which is going off the charts, in every possible way.  All that and more as we kick off the show for 2026, where you’ll get a comprehensive recap of the year so far. It’s all happening this Friday 27th February 2026, at 7am UK, 8am EU, 11am UAE, 2pm TH, 3pm SG, 6pm AEST. Streaming across various locations, and no doubt about it, we’d love your support.  The Sh*t Show is a Livestream happening every Friday, where Andrea T Edwards, Dr. David Ko, Richard Busellato and Joe Augustin, as well as special guests, discuss the world’s most pressing issues across all angles of the polycrisis, working to make sense of the extremely challenging and complex times we are all going through, plus what we can do about it. Help us move the needle so we can change the name of the show to something more genteel when (or if) it is no longer a sh*t show.  #TheShitShow #UncommonCourage You can find me Andrea T Edwards | The Digital Conversationalist and Welcome - Uncommon Courage - An Invitation. My book Uncommon Courage, an invitation, is here https://mybook.to/UncommonCourage My book 18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile, is here https://mybook.to/18stepstoanallstar

    2h 9m
  4. My friend, a Venezuelan in exile - Jenn Villalobos

    FEB 16

    My friend, a Venezuelan in exile - Jenn Villalobos

    Send a text It was a privilege to sit down with my dear friend Jenn Villalobos to discuss a topic that's often overlooked: what it truly means to live in exile. Jenn has been in exile from Venezuela for 27 years, part of the more than 9.5 million Venezuelans (30% of the population) forced to leave their homeland since the 90s. In this deeply personal conversation, she shares her journey from growing up between the US and Venezuela in the 1970s and 80s, to witnessing the dramatic transformation of her country, to making the impossible choice to never return. In this episode, we discuss: What life was like in Venezuela before and after Hugo Chávez came to powerThe rapid descent from prosperity to crisis through corruption and oppressionThe personal cost of exile: losing friends, family separation, and raising children without their cultural rootsThe fear, grief, and survival mode that comes with watching your country collapse from afarThe cautious hope emerging after Maduro's capture, and why change will take timeWhat the rest of us can do: "Please don't look away. Don't forget."This isn't just a political story, it's a deeply humanitarian and psychological crisis that has impacted millions of families for nearly three decades. You can find Jenn’s blog post here https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/un-shielded-thirty-one-days-hope-after-twenty-seven-years-villalobos-ufrrc/  My ask: If you have Venezuelan friends or colleagues, listen to their stories. Validate their experiences. And please, don't look away. About Jen Villalobos: Jen is currently Deputy CEO of FasterGreener (https://www.linkedin.com/company/fastergreener/) , an AI company focused on solving traffic congestion. She spent nearly 30 years in corporate roles focused on digital transformation and technology. She's also a journalist, a mother, and a Venezuelan who dreams of the day her daughter can experience the Venezuela she once knew. #Venezuela #Exile #HumanRights #LatinAmerica #UncommonCourage #VenezuelanCrisis #Diaspora #HumanitarianCrisis You can find me Andrea T Edwards | The Digital Conversationalist and Welcome - Uncommon Courage - An Invitation. My book Uncommon Courage, an invitation, is here https://mybook.to/UncommonCourage My book 18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile, is here https://mybook.to/18stepstoanallstar

    45 min
  5. The Sh*t Show: discussing loneliness + end of year wrap up

    12/12/2025

    The Sh*t Show: discussing loneliness + end of year wrap up

    Send a text It’s our last show for the year and we are looking forward to a break after an intense year of news! Why not do yourself a favour and join us, because we are going to tackle the issue of loneliness in our societies and its impact, as we welcome one of the world’s leading experts on the topic. With the festive season coming up, loneliness is an issue that impacts one in six people, so we’re going to dig into the science including the numbers and impact, why social cohesion is so important, we’ll split it out over demographics, as well as the difference between males and females, and most importantly, what we can do to overcome our loneliness challenges. Then it’s onto 2025. We are going to discuss the major events that happened this year, many of which we’ve already forgotten about as the next extreme event or news cycle chaos hit. We’ll go through the major extreme weather events across the world and the impact on communities, we’ll talk politics as we’re nearly a year into the Trump Presidency and well, it’s been a rollercoaster in its own right, we will discuss the economy, AI, social media, and a whole lot more! Our final guest for the year is Simone Heng. An award-winning author, Certified Speaking Professional, and Board Member for the Foundation for Social Connection, Simone helps organisations embed connection to drive performance, productivity and retention, and in the world of rapid AI advancement, her message is more important than ever. She first published the ‘Secret Pandemic: The Search for Connection in a Lonely World’, which was re-worked into ‘Let's Talk About Loneliness” and published by Hay House Publishing in 2023. This book has gone on to win six awards, including a silver Nautilus book award, and suffice to say, we’re delighted she is joining us.  Not only is this another show you can’t miss, it’s also our last for 2025, so come and get your yearly recap, because it’s certainly been a big year in the news on many levels. It’s all happening this Friday 12th December 2025, 7am UK, 8am EU, 11am UAE, 2pm TH, 3pm SG, 6pm AEST. Streaming across various locations, and no doubt about it, we’d love your support.  The Sh*t Show is a Livestream happening every Friday, where Andrea T Edwards, Dr. David Ko, Richard Busellato and Joe Augustin, as well as special guests, discuss the world’s most pressing issues across all angles of the polycrisis, working to make sense of the extremely challenging and complex times we are all going through, plus what we can do about it. Help us move the needle so we can change the name of the show to something more genteel when (or if) it is no longer a sh*t show.  #TheShitShow #UncommonCourage You can find me Andrea T Edwards | The Digital Conversationalist and Welcome - Uncommon Courage - An Invitation. My book Uncommon Courage, an invitation, is here https://mybook.to/UncommonCourage My book 18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile, is here https://mybook.to/18stepstoanallstar

    2h 48m
  6. The Sh*t Show: update from the UK national emergency briefing

    12/05/2025

    The Sh*t Show: update from the UK national emergency briefing

    Send a text On 27th November, ten of the UK’s leading experts briefed an invite-only audience of 1,250+ politicians and leaders from business, culture, faith, sport and the media about the implications of the planetary crisis on health, food, national security and the economy. Organizers said the climate and nature crisis is a multi-pronged emergency that will impact all aspects of British life, from national security to food security. Speakers presented the latest evidence, clarifying what is at stake, and outlined actionable solutions. Our guest was in attendance, reporting on the event, and she is going to share her biggest take-aways.   So, we will spend our first hour focussed on this (which is relevant globally), and then it’ll be time to get into the news. Following on from last week, the extreme weather catastrophe across Asia finally received the global attention it deserved as the magnitude of the disaster became apparent – and we still don’t know final numbers – while in Japan, a disturbing move has the world on edge, so we’ll dig into what that’s all about. In other news, in the US we have a war criminal without a war, Thames Water is being sued as more people become sick due to pollution, nine million birds are dead due to Bird Flu (future pandemic?), the Ukraine peace plan went awry maybe, the ocean is about to release a massive heat “burp” so what does that mean (?), and more will be discussed as the news never stops.  Our very special guest is Monica Piccinini, a freelance journalist focused on environmental, health and human rights issues. She is also a recent award winner, clinching The Sustainability, Environmental Achievement, and Leadership (SEAL) Award – which recognizes her work for top-notch investigative reporting! Monica covers the world, but one area she works tirelessly to cover are issues surrounding the Amazon rainforest, where she exposes the state and corporations’ that are destroying it, their human rights violations against its indigenous peoples, and how this crucial ecosystem is central to the survival of us and the planet. Originally from Brazil but based in the UK, Monica covers issues from around the world, so we are absolutely thrilled she is joining us this week.  Another show you can’t miss, where you’ll not only get a front row seat to the UK’s national emergency briefing, but also our unique insights into all the other news blaring across our screens every day. Don’t miss out, Friday 5th December 2025, 7am UK, 8am EU, 11am UAE, 2pm TH, 3pm SG, 6pm AEST. Streaming across various locations, and no doubt about it, we’d love your support.  The Sh*t Show is a Livestream happening every Friday, where Andrea T Edwards, Dr. David Ko, Richard Busellato and Joe Augustin, as well as special guests, discuss the world’s most pressing issues across all angles of the polycrisis, working to make sense of the extremely challenging and complex times we are all going through, plus what we can do about it. Help us move the needle so we can change the name of the show to something more genteel when (or if) it is no longer a sh*t show.  #TheShitShow #UncommonCourage You can find me Andrea T Edwards | The Digital Conversationalist and Welcome - Uncommon Courage - An Invitation. My book Uncommon Courage, an invitation, is here https://mybook.to/UncommonCourage My book 18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile, is here https://mybook.to/18stepstoanallstar

    2h 36m
  7. Climate Change and the Global South, with Jan Umsonst

    12/01/2025

    Climate Change and the Global South, with Jan Umsonst

    Send a text Understanding what is going on in our environment really requires understanding the whole global system. There are very few people who can grasp that complexity, which is I why I follow climate systems scientists. They help me weave it all together and make sense of the interconnections.  However, as I am in the Global South, one of the limitations is the specifics for this region and seeing the disastrous impacts of climate escalations in Asia just in the last week, we must better understand what is coming next, so we can prepare and adapt.  There are many reasons for the lack of specifics on the Global South, particularly the fact the narrative and media coverage is controlled and dominated by the English-speaking wealthy world, so grasping this whole story requires a lot of work. There are some areas that will remain extremely challenging, and for many countries/regions in the Global South, the challenge is a lack of data. Just that is a challenge we must overcome.  To help me make more sense of what the Global South will face in the coming years, I asked Jan Umsonst if he’d join me to have a broad conversation about the region. He is the Earth System Nerd and an earth system consultant, regularly discussing the fact we are now leaving the age of natural variability and entering the age of forced variability, where we will start experiencing the synchronization of feedbacks.   Sit back and enjoy a far-ranging conversation, which is honest, and empowering, with the clear message - we must act now.  Thank you so much Jan! You can follow him on BlueSky @umsonst.bsky.social — Bluesky  And here he is on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-umsonst-92ba859a/  #UncommonCourage #GlobalSouth #JanUmsonst You can find me Andrea T Edwards | The Digital Conversationalist and Welcome - Uncommon Courage - An Invitation. My book Uncommon Courage, an invitation, is here https://mybook.to/UncommonCourage My book 18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile, is here https://mybook.to/18stepstoanallstar

    1h 56m
  8. The Sh*t Show: money, money, money

    11/29/2025

    The Sh*t Show: money, money, money

    Send a text We are guest-free this week, which provides an opportunity to dig deeper into some of the topics we’ve been covering this season, and the biggest focus is on money… well, the economy more broadly. We always discuss the economy in relation to what’s happening in the news, going as deep as we can, because we know it’s the wider implications of what’s going on that really matter when it comes to the economy – debt, climate impacts, and more. It’s a conversation requiring nuance, something we seem allergic to these days.  We’ll talk about Cop30 and the lack of funding promised to developing countries, along with why it’s never going to happen. The UK had a new budget announced this week, and no one is excited about it, so what is happening? Crypto has been falling apart and the global economy has been on the edge of collapse for months – what’s really going on? Is it more than the AI bubble?  We’ll also talk about other big issues in the news, like the flood devastation happening right now in Southeast Asia, with Vietnam expecting Typhoon Verbena to strike this Friday, after already suffering three extreme flooding events in three weeks. Hundreds are dead across the region, with millions displaced, and more rain is expected. Why is it so extreme? Well according to experts, two major climate systems - La Niña and a negative Indian Ocean Dipole - have combined, supercharging rainfall across the region.  We are going to talk about food security, the growing health and financial impacts of heat extremes, why poorer nations keep investing in coal and industries that kill their people, and Australia is firmly entering its hot season with record seasonal temperatures. We’ll ponder if peace will happen in Ukraine after Russia wrote the plan (?), delve more into the big picture on AI, and of course, a show wouldn’t be a show without discussing US political shenanigans. Whatever is happening in the world that matters, we’ll be sure to cover it.  Come and join us, so you can get caught up on the news that matters, this Friday 28th November 2025, 7am UK, 8am EU, 11am UAE, 2pm TH, 3pm SG, 6pm AEST. Streaming across various locations, and no doubt about it, we’d love your support.  The Sh*t Show is a Livestream happening every Friday, where Andrea T Edwards, Dr. David Ko, Richard Busellato and Joe Augustin, as well as special guests, discuss the world’s most pressing issues across all angles of the polycrisis, working to make sense of the extremely challenging and complex times we are all going through, plus what we can do about it. Help us move the needle so we can change the name of the show to something more genteel when (or if) it is no longer a sh*t show.  #TheShitShow #UncommonCourage You can find me Andrea T Edwards | The Digital Conversationalist and Welcome - Uncommon Courage - An Invitation. My book Uncommon Courage, an invitation, is here https://mybook.to/UncommonCourage My book 18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile, is here https://mybook.to/18stepstoanallstar

    2h 17m
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About

Welcome to Uncommon Courage, the podcast, where we’ll be having the conversations we need to be having as members of the human collective. We are all being called upon to step up and lead – with kindness, big hearts and unshakable courage – because right now, we have an opportunity to redress what we got wrong in the past, as well as deal with the disruptions we face today, to create a better world for all. However, if we are completely truthful, the biggest challenge we face is believing we can do it – believing in our ability to create massive change. But everyone knows you can’t achieve anything significant without guts, determination, and of course, the courage to keep driving towards the goal, regardless of how hard the journey is! Uncommon Courage will feature global conversations determined to contribute to creating a better future for all life on earth. Ideas, solutions, arguments and laughs - it’ll all be part of the journey. It is time for that which is uncommon to become common.#UncommonCourage #AndreaTEdwards

Information

  • Creator
    Andrea T Edwards
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    196
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Uncommon Courage
  • Show Website
    Uncommon Courage