Episodes

  • Why You MUST Run Towards Adversity with Simon Daglish

    Why You MUST Run Towards Adversity with Simon Daglish
    Jun 24 2025
    In this episode of Mentor, Rachel and Marco sit down with media legend and ITV exec Simon Daglish – or Dags, as he’s known across the industry. From raising £1 million for charity, to going bankrupt, Dags shares the raw truth about resilience, leadership, failure, and finding purpose in adversity. Chapters 00:00 – Meet Dags: Media Legend, Charity Founder, Polar Explorer 05:36 – From Millionaire to Bankrupt: The Hardest Lesson 12:00 – Leading with Trust: Why You Shouldn't Do It All 17:30 – Run Towards Adversity: The Story Behind Walking With the Wounded 20:40 – Yes, That’s Prince Harry… and a Muff 23:15 – Degrees Don’t Matter: What Really Makes You Employable 30:00 – Project 84: Turning a Statistic Into a Movement 33:55 – The Power of Real Conversations and TV Storytelling 38:30 – Listen to the Little Guy: Staying Connected as a Leader 42:15 – Feed Them, Entertain Them: The Morrisons Moment 48:00 – Regrets, Resilience, and Radiators vs. Drains 50:00 – Final Advice from Richard Curtis (and Dags) Follow The Zoo on TikTok and Instagram Produced by Viral Tribe Entertainment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    51 mins
  • Why You’re Probably Undervaluing Yourself – Lessons from Top CEO Lindsay Pattison

    Why You’re Probably Undervaluing Yourself – Lessons from Top CEO Lindsay Pattison
    Jun 17 2025
    Lindsay Pattison, former Chief People Officer at WPP and past President of WACL, joins Rachel and Marco to reflect on a career defined by bold leadership, relentless energy, and championing inclusion. From pitches gone wrong to the power of sponsorship, Lindsay shares unfiltered wisdom on mentorship, confidence, taking leaps—and why she’s choosing to pause now. Plus, we go behind the scenes of her work with the Women’s Rugby World Cup. Chapters: 02:33 – Lindsay’s Career in 60 Seconds (Sort of!) 06:45 – From CEO to Chief People Officer: Career Milestones 08:36 – The Power of the Pause: Why Lindsay Stepped Down 11:08 – Behind the Scenes of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 13:36 – Mentorship vs Sponsorship: What's the Difference? 21:02 – Biggest Career Mistakes and What They Taught Her 29:11 – Return to Office & Bridging the Generational Gap 33:00 – Advice for Team Leaders: Building Culture & Connection 40:14 – Women, Confidence & Championing DEI 44:55 – Public Speaking Tips & Pitching Advice 46:15 – The Best Life Advice Lindsay Ever Received 47:47 – Building Your Ally Network & Taking the Leap Follow The Zoo on TikTok and Instagram Produced by Viral Tribe Entertainment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    54 mins
  • Delegate, Hydrate, Pause: Life Lessons from Microsoft VP Andy Hart

    Delegate, Hydrate, Pause: Life Lessons from Microsoft VP Andy Hart
    Jun 10 2025
    What happens when a top media executive walks away from it all at 50 and heads for the jungle? In this episode of Mentor, Marco Bertozzi and Rachel Ford sit down with the one and only Andy Hart, former Global CRO at Hearst, Microsoft VP, and now... Shamanic. Andy takes us on a journey from running national newspapers to exploring shamanic rituals, Burning Man revelations, and redefining leadership. He shares raw reflections on burnout, ego, learning to let go, and the power of living with intention. https://www.tiktok.com/@thezoo.london https://www.instagram.com/thezoo.london/ https://thezoo.london Produced by Viral Tribe Entertainment: https://viraltribe.co.uk/ Chapters 02:14 Career in 60 Seconds – From VNU to Microsoft 04:46 Digital Transformation & Burnout at the Mail 06:22 Climbing at Microsoft and the Power of Leadership Training 07:35 Quitting at 50 – The Groucho Club Revelation 08:56 Is He Brilliant or Bonkers? Breaking Free from the Corporate Matrix 10:21 Spiritual Awakening, Burning Man & Saying Yes 12:47 Shamandi Is Born – Tribes, Ayahuasca & the Matrix Unplugged 14:11 Helping vs. Fixing – A New Definition of Leadership 15:00 Parenting, Mentorship & Giving Space 17:30 Get Out of Your Own Way – Lessons from INSEAD & Coaching 18:57 Drive-by Shootings & Leadership Blind Spots 21:17 The What, How, When & Where of Maturing as a Leader 22:39 What Would You Tell a 25-Year-Old Today? 27:44 Biggest F*-Up: The Simply Switch Acquisition 31:03 Mentors Who Shaped Andy’s Life – From Shamans to Steve Myron 33:23 Finding Mentors Today – Just Ask 34:17 Spiritual Timing & Clearing Space 35:35 Are You a Whippy? (Well-Off Hippy) 36:14 Marco’s Story – When Shamandi’s Advice Sparked a Business 37:48 Words Are Spells: Mitzvahs, Karma & Bitcoin 39:23 Andy’s Final Advice: The Four Agreements + Trust the Process 43:34 Hydration, Delegation & the Power of a Pause Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • From Spotify to Channel 4: How Rak Patel Redefined Leadership

    From Spotify to Channel 4: How Rak Patel Redefined Leadership
    Jun 3 2025
    Mentor is the podcast where industry heavyweights share the lessons they’ve learned on the road to leadership. Hosted by Marco Buzzozi and Rachel Forde, this week’s episode features Rak Patel — Chief Commercial Officer at Channel 4. From his early days cold-calling at Drapers to leading sales teams at Spotify, Rak opens up about authenticity, diversity, and the power of just doing the thing in front of you. https://www.tiktok.com/@thezoo.london https://www.instagram.com/thezoo.london/ https://thezoo.london Produced by Viral Tribe Entertainment: https://viraltribe.co.uk/ Chapters: 00:00 – Channel 4, Gen Z & The Lost Boys Report 04:18 – Rak Patel’s Career in 60 Seconds 11:41 – Diversity, Representation & Why It Can’t Be a Tick Box 18:24 – Leading Through Uncertainty 22:04 – Biggest Career Mess-Up (And What It Taught Him) 26:53 – Role Models & Masculinity 31:06 – What Real Sales Leadership Looks Like 37:30 – Best Advice He Ever Got (From His Wife) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • How to Build Unbeatable Client Relationships – with Claudine Collins

    How to Build Unbeatable Client Relationships – with Claudine Collins
    May 27 2025
    Claudine Collins – Chief Client Officer at EssenceMediacom UK and the no-nonsense interviewer from BBC’s The Apprentice – joins Rachel and Marco to talk about what 30 years in advertising have taught her. From building bulletproof client relationships to hiring on instinct, Claudine shares the career lessons that shaped her, the value of mentorship, and the one big thing she wishes she’d done differently. https://www.tiktok.com/@thezoo.london https://www.instagram.com/thezoo.london/ https://thezoo.london Produced by Viral Tribe Entertainment: https://viraltribe.co.uk/ Chapters 1:18 — Meet Claudine Collins - From EssenceMediacom to The Apprentice 2:57 — 12 Years Interviewing for The Apprentice: What It’s Really Like 4:34 — 30 Years in Media: How Claudine Stayed and Thrived 7:30 — The Secret to Great Client Relationships 9:42 — Little Gestures, Big Impact: Donuts, Birthdays, and Loyalty 11:06 — Why Claudine Never Switched to Sales or Client Side 13:16 — Mentorship, Cheerleaders, and Supporting Young Talent 17:04 — The Advice Claudine Wishes She’d Heard Earlier 20:37 — Work-Life Culture Then vs. Now: What’s Missing? 24:44 — Why Being in the Office Still Matters 26:38 — Spotting Leadership in Seconds 28:14 — Real-World Hiring: Gut Instinct vs. Resume 32:39 — Claudine’s Biggest Career Mistake (and the Trolls Who Came for Her) 39:38 — Steel with Pride: The Story That Changed Her Leadership Style 44:31 — The Power of Playing to Your Strengths Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    56 mins
  • Why Steve King Thinks You Should Quit Your Job After 4 Years

    Why Steve King Thinks You Should Quit Your Job After 4 Years
    May 20 2025
    Steve King’s career reads like a playbook for leadership, longevity and bold decision-making. Marco and Rachel chat to the former Publicis COO, to learn about the pivotal moments, mistakes and mentors that shaped his four-decade journey through media and advertising. From selling earrings in Italy to managing 90,000 staff globally, Steve reflects on imposter syndrome, protecting time for family, and what it's really like working under Maurice Lévy. Plus, the one afternoon in his diary he never gave up — no matter what! https://www.tiktok.com/@thezoo.london https://www.instagram.com/thezoo.london/ https://thezoo.london Episode Chapters 01:24 Journalism vs AI: Make It Fair Campaign Explained 05:53 Introducing Steve King – A Masterclass in Leadership 08:48 From Donuts to Media – The Start of Steve’s Journey 13:29 Moving to America: Career Defining Moment 14:51 Dealing with Imposter Syndrome at the Top 20:44 Creating Zenith’s Global Identity – The ROI Agency 24:49 US vs UK vs French Leadership Styles 30:10 Building Publicis Media: Trust, Talent, Transformation 34:08 The Pandemic Years: Shingles, Solitude, and Publicis Survival 41:23 Why US Experience is Crucial for Future Leaders 43:19 What Steve Learned from Maurice Lévy and Arthur Sadoun 46:30 Balancing Work, Life and Rugby – Steve’s True Priorities 49:27 Magpie Advice: Simplify, Listen, Hire Smart Produced by Viral Tribe Entertainment: https://viraltribe.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    52 mins