10 Lessons Learned

Host Siebe Vanderzee interviews career strategist Curt Sassak, a former award-winning chef who lived and workedin seven countries and reinvented his life around age 40 after losing passion,feeling bored despite “success on paper,” and turning to excessive alcohol.Curt explains how identity can outlive its usefulness, and how COVID—while he was running a wine and spirits company—pushed him to become “unf*ckwithable” by building skills, hiring coaches, and creating more self-sufficiency. He shareslessons including the Jurassic Park effect (repeating the same career move expecting a different result), the Olive Garden effect (looking polished externally while feeling empty), the Blockbuster Video effect (what made you successful can keep you stuck), treating career transitions like a recipe with interdependent ingredients, and that staying put can be the biggest career risk. He also discusses self-awareness, overthinking, and using AI as a thinking partner rather than for judgment calls. 00:00 Curt Sassak - Career -WIP09:15 Lesson 1: The Jurassic Park Effect11:38 Lesson 2: The Olive Garden Effect13:21 Lesson 3: The Blockbuster Video Effect17:13 Lesson 4: The Recipe Effect24:43 Lesson 5: The Biggest Career Risk

Annet Monster has worked across corporate and government roles in Europe, Africa, and the US for over two decades, developing a deep understanding of how change and culture shape behavior. This experience allows her to support, motivate, and inspire others in meaningful and practical ways.Two years ago, she started her own business as a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer. She is also a Behavior Change Specialist, and NLP Master Practitioner.Through her work, she guides clients in building sustainable habits that enhance both their health and mindset. Herapproach blends evidence-based practices with practical, real-life strategies.Authenticity and a growth mindset are at the heart of how she connects with others, creating environments where people feel empowered to share, collaborate, and grow."  Episode Notes 00:00 Annet Monster - The Key To Happiness Is To Detach06:59 Lesson 1: Respond vs. React10:42 Lesson 2: Don't Judge, Be Curious13:50 Lesson 3: When Nothing Goes Right, Go Left16:33 Lesson 4: When You Learn, Teach21:05 Lesson 5: No Pain, No Gain24:06 Lesson 6: Travel, Travel, Travel28:41 Lesson 7: You Become Who You Surround Yourself With31:41 Lesson 8: Your Cravings Reveal Something Deeper34:52 Lesson 9: The Key to Happiness is to Detach37:14 Lesson 10: Quality of Life = Quality of Thoughts

Host Robert Hossary interviews Matt Formston, a blind Australian surfer, cyclist, author and Order of Australia recipient, about his book “Why Not?” and 10 lessons learned. Matt recounts being diagnosed at age five with macular dystrophy and later struggling through bullying, illness, losing sport, a friend’s suicide, and a decade of rebuilding his identity. He explains key frameworks: using “why not” to break down problems; shifting consciously between strategy and execution; treating values as standards with clear consequences; conducting a confronting “bullshit audit” of unfiltered behaviour; building capacity by choosing the hard way; making the future “already real” through sensory visualization and self-identity; using empathy to understand people without lowering standards; “owning every hat” with focused time and context-specific behaviours anchored by consistent values; separating diversity from inclusion and avoiding quotas; and a trust formula—trust = standards × consistency × time—as both foundation and amplifier of performance. Episode Notes 00:00 Matt Formston - Why Not? 04:54 Lesson 1: Why Not? 08:09 Lesson 2: Two Gears, One Engine 10:59 Lesson 3: Standards Without Consequences Are Just Wishes 15:36 Lesson 4: The Bullshit Audit 19:46 Lesson 5: The Hard Way Is The Easy Way 22:50 Lesson 6: The Future Is Already Real 27:24 Lesson 7: Empathy Is A Superpower 33:34 Lesson 8: Own Every Hat 39:28 Lesson 9: Diversity And Inclusion Need A Divorce 46:06 Lesson 10: Trust, The Bedrock And The Amplifier

10 Lessons Learned with Zoe Fragou: Negotiation, Strengths, Consistency & Speaking UpGuest: Zoe FragouZoe Fragou is an Organisational Psychologist with an MSc in Human Resources Management, a clinical psychologist license, a diploma in Business Coaching & Mentorship and a Certificate in Agile Leadership.At the moment, she is a PhD Candidate at Panteion University and her research is mainly focused on the psychometrics of the corporate culture.Alongside her academic interests, she is operating professionally in the full spectrum of her science, taking over projects of culture transformation, employee training and development, business coaching, personal branding, public speaking, and writing, for both private and corporate clients globally. Zoe shares her 10 lessons: everything is a negotiation; everyone is a mess; focus on strengths; don’t swipe issues under the carpet; pettiness stalls careers; be the person you needed when younger, including negotiating harder and addressing the pay gap; connections matter; stop starting and start finishing; consistency is showing up; and always be the last to speak. She emphasizes speaking up clearly about needs and learning from every conversation. 00:00 Zoe Fragou - Stop starting, start finishing05:56 Lesson 1: Everything is a negotiation08:04 Lesson 2: Everyone is a mess. Some hide it better11:12 Lesson 3: Focus on your strength15:39 Lesson 4: Don't sweep it under the carpet19:00 Lesson 5: Pettiness stalls your career20:51 Affiliate Break20:51 Lesson 6: Be the person you needed when you were younger26:37 Lesson 7: All we have is the connections that we make28:24 Lesson 8: Stop starting and start finishing31:05 Lesson 9: Consistency is about showing up32:11 Lesson 10: Always be the last one to speak

About Conan Higgins Dr. Higgins is an international business attorney, crisis leadership consultant, and Amazon #1 Bestselling author who has spent his career operating where most people only theorize. Before embarking on his illustrious academic journey, Conan served as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller with U.S. Air Force Special Operations—including parachuting into enemy-held territory in Iraq—earning two Bronze Stars for Valor across combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. After more than 25 years of military service, he became a Washington State Trooper and SWAT team leader before transitioning to international crisis management, where he oversaw projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars across six continents, from the Middle East and Eastern Europe to West Africa and Latin America. Today, Conan serves as President and General Counsel of TSI Legal Enterprises, advising clients on complex international transactions, defense contracting, and export control compliance. He has consulted for the Government of Qatar, contributed to the World Bank/IMF's "Doing Business" report covering 189 economies, and held leadership positions in the American Bar Association's international law committees. His book, The Maverick's Blueprint: Crisis Leadership for an Unstable World, distills decades of operational experience into practical frameworks for leaders facing high-stakes decisions. He also writes the Princess Gumdrop children's book series—proof that even operators have a softer side. Episode Notes 00:00 Conan J. Higgins - WIP 10:17 Lesson 1: The Signal Was Always There 14:10 Lesson 2: The Plan Dies on First Contact 15:59 Lesson 3: Calm Is Contagious 17:31 Lesson 4: Crisis Does Not Build Character 18:59 Lesson 5: Decide Who You Are Before the Phone Rings 23:03 Lesson 6: Give People a Job 27:45 Lesson 7: Train for the Day, Not for the Drill 31:24 Lesson 8: Relationships Are the Only Currency That Compounds 34:20 Lesson 9: Read the Room Before You Read the Brief 36:17 Lesson 10: Authority Is Not the Same as Judgment