In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak de Silva sits down with Lama Somananda Tantrapa — Tibetan lama, 27th-generation lineage holder of Qi Dao (Tibetan Shamanic Qigong), founder of the Academy of Qi Dao, and visionary behind the World Resilience Summit. Lama Tantrapa shares how resilience is not about merely “bouncing back,” but about bouncing forward—growing stronger through setbacks, just like advancing through the tougher levels of martial arts training. Together, we expl...
Stoyan Yankov is a productivity and performance coach, bestselling author, podcast host, and keynote speaker who helps organizations build high-performance cultures and boost productivity. With experience working with over 550 companies worldwide, including Coca-Cola and HP, he delivers practical strategies and engaging presentations. As the host of the Productivity Mastery podcast, Stoyan shares insights from top global leaders, combining strategic storytelling with actionable tools to inspi...
Stefan Gogoll is a German tech entrepreneur, visionary leader, and former professional athlete with over 25 years of experience driving software innovation and AI adoption. As the founder of andagon Holding and the creator of aqua cloud, his companies has played a role in modernizing QA, compliance, and test management strategies for global clients such as Google, IBM, and Deutsche Telekom. In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, host and leadership strategist Aslak de Silva talks wi...
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership podcast, leadership coach and focus expert Katie Stoddart shares practical strategies for improving focus, boosting productivity, and leading with clarity. As the founder of The Focus Bee and author of The Magic of Focus, Katie outlines her three pillars of focus: short-term, long-term, and selective. She explains how they help leaders perform at their best. We explore the connection between focus and flow, why energy management beats time mana...
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak sits down with Glenn Mathijssen, CEO and co-founder of Alberts, the world’s first smoothie-making food robotics company. From building a wooden prototype to scaling operations across six countries, Glenn shares how he’s blended vision, discipline, and patience to lead through the toughest rounds of entrepreneurship. This conversation explores how martial arts principles, like focus, resilience, and adaptability, can guide leaders through ...
Lars Sundmann is an advisor, keynote speaker and executive trainer on leadership, strategy, innovation and communication for global corporations and their leaders. He is the owner of Sudmann & Company, a consulting and management training network. Lars is drawing on his business experience (e.g. as CFO Belgium of Procter & Gamble) as well as consulting expertise with Fortune500 companies to help companies achieve better business and organizational results. Before you lead others, you ...
What if the secret to building great companies wasn’t about chasing unicorns, but solving your own problems first? Mikael da Costa, a serial entrepreneur, CEO of WPSEOAI, with a passion for building and scaling businesses that solve real problems. Over the years, he founded and grown multiple companies across different industries, focusing on creating impact and driving sustainable growth. In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, I sit down with serial entrepreneur and Startup Warrior...
Dr. James Hewitt, Human Performance Scientist, speaker, and author.James combines first-hand experience as a full-time racing cyclist with ground-breaking work and research, proven on Formula 1 tracks and with Fortune 500 companies, to provide actionable, inspiring, science-backed insights at the intersection of leadership, wellbeing, peak performance, and the future of work. In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak de Silva is joined by Dr. James Hewitt - a renowned human...
What if scaling a business at lightning speed didn’t require burnout, but balance? Lars Johan Bjørkevoll is a Nordic business leader who effectively balances scaling of businesses and organizational leadership with inner development and growth. With extensive experience scaling three global organizations and helping nearly 300 companies accelerate their growth through ScaleupXQ, Lars Johan brings practical insights on leadership, building high-performing teams, and creating resilient organi...
Dr. Oleg Konovalov is a global thought leader, bestselling author, business educator, C-suite whisperer, and the world’s top expert on visionary leadership. Named one of the Top 8 Global Leadership Experts by Thinkers50 and Global Gurus, and one of the 100 most inspirational leaders on the planet In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, we step into the future of leadership with one of the world’s foremost experts on visionary thinking - Dr. Oleg Konovalov. Often called the “Da Vinci ...
Salla Seppä, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Nordic Business Forum What does it take to create an unforgettable customer experience—and how do you train future leaders to deliver it under pressure? In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, host Aslak de Silva sits down with Salla Seppä, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Nordic Business Forum, to explore the power of encounters and the art of leadership training. In the first part of the conversation, Salla and Aslak dive into ...
Jori Pisilä, Head of Sales at Bayer Consumer Healt in Finland, 4th degree black belt in Boreal Han Moo Do What do martial arts and leadership have in common? Effortlessness, adaptability, and precision. In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, I sit down with Jori Pisilä—Head of Sales at Bayer Consumer Health and a 4th-degree black belt in Boreal Han Moo Do—to explore the concept of natural movement. We discuss how flowing with, rather than forcing, movement leads to better efficienc...
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, host Aslak de Silva sits down with Claus Raasted—a creative powerhouse who has authored 46 books, organized over 1,000 events, and delivered 100 keynotes in just 100 days. Together, they dive into the art of getting things done in a world where action is the ultimate advantage. From making tough decisions to embracing experimentation, Claus shares his philosophy on building a bias for action, overcoming perfectionism, and staying inspired in t...
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, host Aslak de Silva and AI expert Edgar Perez delve into why artificial intelligence is reshaping the business landscape, much like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu revolutionized MMA. BJJ became essential for success because it introduced a completely new dimension to the fight, forcing athletes to adapt or lose. Similarly, AI is changing the game for businesses, requiring leaders to learn and apply these new tools to remain competitive. Tune in to uncover...
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, we sit down with Guðrún Snorradóttir, an executive coach with a background in applied positive psychology and a passion for future-focused leadership. Drawing parallels between martial arts and leadership, we explore topics like building resilience under pressure, mastering emotional intelligence, leveraging strengths, and developing perseverance in the face of challenges. Guðrún shares actionable insights and coaching techniques to help leader...
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, host Aslak de Silva welcomes Jason Shupp, the experienced leader of Ferguson Roofing and host of the From There to Here podcast, for a deep dive into the journey of leadership growth. Using the martial arts belt system as a metaphor, they explore how leaders progress from the early days of the "white belt" stage, where fundamentals are formed, through to the "black belt" mastery level, where continual learning becomes key. Jason shares invalua...
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak de Silva is joined by Anna Kuusela (M.Sc. (Econ), ICF Executive Coach, Ex-Big4, and former ballerina), the founder and CEO of EDGE Leadership. Anna specializes in transforming the most influential leaders and leadership teams through creative insight, emotional intelligence, and relational mastery. Drawing on her experiences as a former ballet dancer and her deep expertise in organizational and personal change, Anna shares her insights on...
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership podcast, host Aslak de Silva is joined by Dr. Elisabet Lahti, an expert in inner strength and the Finnish concept of sisu. They explore how sisu—a unique blend of determination, grit, and resilience in the face of adversity—can be applied to leadership challenges. Drawing from her research and personal endurance feats, Dr. Lahti shares practical insights on how leaders can tap into their hidden reserves of strength and push through tough times. ...
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership podcast, host Aslak de Silva sits down with executive coach and author Ritu G. Mehrish to dive deep into the concept of Leaders Block—a phenomenon where even the most seasoned leaders can feel stuck, uninspired, or disconnected from their purpose. Drawing parallels to martial arts, where practitioners often face physical and mental plateaus, Aslak and Ritu explore how leaders can break through these blockages with resilience, discipline, and sel...
In this episode of the Black Belt in Leadership podcast, host Aslak de Silva sits down with Feras Alhlou, a seasoned entrepreneur, business strategist, and co-founder of E-Nor, a leading digital analytics consultancy that he successfully led to an acquisition by Dentsu, one of the world’s largest advertising and digital marketing agencies. With a proven track record of sparring with entrepreneurs and helping them scale their businesses to 7 and 8 figures, Feras brings a wealth of knowledge in...