Best Cess Podcasts (2025)

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34 - Building Bridges: How to Connect with Teams Across Cultures and Locations with Hyperion Solutions' David Hewitt 30:35

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6M ago30:35

30:35

Your host, Robert White, talks with the CEO of Hyperion Solutions, David Hewitt. David shares insights on navigating cultural differences, managing complexity across multiple locations, and the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. He highlights the value of direct engagement with employees, strategic execution, and fostering a suppor…

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33 - Navigating Tech with Purpose: A Guide to Building Meaningful Connections with Hivelocity's Jeremy Pease 24:40

8M ago24:40

24:40

Your host, Robert White, talks with the CEO of Hivelocity, Jeremy Pease. Jeremy shares his unconventional journey to becoming a CEO in the technology industry. Jeremy discusses his early career, the critical role of mentorship, and the lessons learned from both successes and failures. He emphasizes the importance of adaptability, balancing confiden…

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32 - Leading with Clarity: Why Personal Growth Fuels Great Leadership with Catalynt's Meg Gluth 34:42

8M ago34:42

34:42

Your host, Robert White, talks with the CEO and Owner of Catalynt, Meg Gluth. Meg shares her inspiring journey from growing up in poverty in Iowa to becoming a successful CEO in the Pacific Northwest. She discusses her challenges in education, her transition from law to business, and the cultural differences between the Midwest and the West Coast. …

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The UX problem in Web3 and how to solve it (feat. Ponder One) 22:42

10M ago22:42

22:42

In this episode of Hashing It Out, host Elisha Owusu Akyaw sits down with Moe El-Shibib and Selim Sezgin, co-founders of Ponder One, to explore the evolving Web3 landscape. They discuss the challenges of usability and adoption, the role of AI in simplifying blockchain interactions and the importance of interoperability in a multichain world. The co…

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DeFi’s missing link: Fixed income (feat. Treehouse) 27:37

10M ago27:37

27:37

The global fixed-income market is massive, yet it’s nearly absent in crypto. In this episode of Hashing It Out, Elisha Owusu Akyaw sits down with Treehouse CEO Brandon Goh to explore how DeFi can integrate fixed-income products, why benchmarks matter and what’s next for institutional adoption. They dive into risk management, yield generation and th…

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CEX vs. DEX in 2025: The future of trading feat. Armani Ferrante (Backpack) 38:30

11M ago38:30

38:30

In this episode of Hashing It Out, host Elisha Owusu Akyaw sits down with Armani Ferrante, CEO of Backpack, to discuss the evolution of centralized exchanges, Backpack’s innovative approach to trading and the role of compliance in crypto. From proof of reserves to Backpack’s new perpetual futures system, they dive into how exchanges can build trust…

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Wearables and AI: The future of health data (feat. CUDIS) 24:43

11M ago24:43

24:43

Wearable technology is evolving, and blockchain is playing a key role in reshaping how health data is owned and used. In this episode of Hashing It Out, host Elisha Owusu Akyaw speaks with Edison Chen, CEO of CUDIS, about the intersection of wearables, Web3 and AI. They dive into everything data privacy, blockchain’s role in securing health informa…

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Time please gentlemen: Who are the big award winners in the final Upper Bottom episode? 57:21

11M ago57:21

57:21

After almost exactly a year of podcasting – spanning 51 episodes – co-hosts Ollie and Cess raise a glass to their favourite episodes, best interviewees, top personal stories, the most fervent supporters and more. There is a cathartic close to the podcast, as Clare and Clara, wives of Ollie and Cess, respectively, answer puzzlers on what their spous…

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Key learnings from 50 episodes of Upper Bottom: Which one is your favourite? 50:24

11M ago50:24

50:24

With Upper Bottom hitting a half-century of episodes – woo hoo!! – Ollie and Cess list their top 50 learnings from their sobriety journey. These are listed below – with links to relevant episodes. (Booze News and Just the Tonic return next week.) 1. "Upper Bottom" may raise eyebrows as a podcast name, but it a conversation starter that perfectly ca…

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Decentralized AI and AI agents driving the Web3 2025 supercycle 38:22

12M ago38:22

38:22

In this episode of Hashing It Out, Elisha Owusu Akyaw sits down with Michael Heinrich, co-founder and CEO of 0G Labs, to explore the intersection of Web3 and AI in 2025. They hash out the hype of Web3 AI, the best applications, the pros and cons of AI agents and what goes into a decentralized AI operating system. [02:15] - AI simplifies Web3 user e…

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Last orders: Are you an Upper Bottom waiting for a crisis to stop drinking? 44:15

12M ago44:15

44:15

Cess and Ollie welcome local south-east London friend Boo Darlison – who is Matron for Personal Cancer Care, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust – to share her wisdom about how people should invest in their future selves by making good decisions with drink and food before a health disaster strikes. The interview with Boo comes just as America's top do…

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From rock bottom to mountain top: Can ultra runner James Gwinnett's 100-mile inspirational sobriety story change your life? 56:13

12M ago56:13

56:13

In the first episode of 2025, Ollie and Cess invite James Gwinnett to discuss his fascinating and insightful story of overcoming depression and alcoholism – he is nearly nine years sober – after a serious rugby injury, and going on to take part in Channel 4's SAS: Who Dares Wins and run a series of ultramarathons. He’s recently released a book – RE…

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Waving goodbye to the year – and to booze: How do you ensure a successful Dry January, and beyond? 35:45

12M ago35:45

35:45

After a one-week break for the festive holiday, co-hosts Cess and Ollie return to discuss how their sober Christmas Days went – Botivo was a big hit for Cess! Ollie, meanwhile, shares a story about being sozzled in front of Princess Catherine. Oops! And, with the news that a record 15.5 million Britons (29% of the adult population in the UK) are pl…

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2025 and beyond: DePIN's role in the next crypto wave 30:55

1y ago30:55

30:55

Dive into the future of decentralized infrastructure with Elisha Owusu Akyaw and Fluence Labs CEO Tom Trowbridge on this episode of Hashing It Out. Discover how DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks) disrupts centralized giants, enables real-world utility and shapes blockchain's next frontier. Tom unpacks the challenges, opportuniti…

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Ep 14 From sprinter to closing in on 100 caps for Scotland - Hannah Chrisp 56:29

1y ago56:29

56:29

Sprinter turned Scottish touch footy rep Hannah Crisp joins the podcast to discuss her experience and love for the touch footy community. We talk about her opportunities to play touch in Australia, plans for the future including more representative caps, hopefully, for Scotland. Someone absolutely chokes on a big lead in one of the games and we tal…

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Festive party season: How to deal with ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future? 45:11

1y ago45:11

45:11

In the final episode before Christmas – the hosts will take a break on December 24 – Cess and Ollie consider embarrassing drinking tales from work dos in the past. They also contemplate how to ensure a sober person can enjoy themselves during the especially boozy party season, and offer some tips and tricks. Given the time of year, there is also a …

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Merry Christmas: How is society’s relationship with booze during the festive period changing? 51:37

1y ago51:37

51:37

With the festive season in full swing, Cess – now a marathon runner – and Ollie explore how norms are changing regarding Christmas drinking. And it seems that really boring lot, Gen Zzz, is to blame (according to the Daily Mail). A new trend for "Dry Christmas" is gathering pace, quicker than a behind-schdule Rudolph. This movement is being helped …

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Are NFTs dead? RARI Chain's Jana Bertram says they’re just evolving 25:35

1y ago25:35

25:35

In this episode of Hashing It Out, host Elisha Owusu Akyaw chats with Jana Bertram, Head of Strategy at Rari Foundation, to explore the current state and future of nonfungible tokens (NFTs). Together they discuss the challenges and opportunities in the NFT space, including the impact of royalties, scalability, and adoption in real-world application…

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Ep 13 No sauce on pies for the voice of touch footy - Scott MacAllister 1:21:08

1y ago1:21:08

1:21:08

The voice of touch football, in our opinion along with many others, joins us for a very entertaining chat. Scotty MacAllister chats all things touch footy from his side of the microphone and gives us some of his predictions for the Metro Cup and QLD State Cup finals. The games prove to be a fun challenge for both competitors and in discussing food …

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Setting the ‘right’ example: How does a parent’s drinking habit influence their offspring’s relationship with alcohol? 51:24

1y ago51:24

51:24

What was your relationship with alcohol like when growing up? To what extent did how your parents' drinking habits shape your own? And what do today's youngsters think about boozing? Ollie and Cess – who both gave up alcohol at least in part to set a better example for their children – try to answer these big questions. And to assist with the last …

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Steps to sobriety: What’s Alcoholics Anonymous like, and do Upper Bottoms need it to kick booze? 48:05

1y ago48:05

48:05

To answer this massive question, Ollie and Cess draw upon their own insights and the straight-talking wisdom of interviewee Gary Mairs – aka sobernsound ("sweary sobriety mentor") on Instagram. Gary's catchphrase for his 33,000+ followers is "get to midnight and go again". He attended AA in April 2014, but struggled with the idea of supplicating to…

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Understanding the power of crypto cash-back rewards with Moso co-founder Blake Capozza 19:30

1y ago19:30

19:30

In this episode of Hashing It Out, host Elisha Owusu Akyaw chats with Blake Capozza, the co-founder of crypto rewards platform Moso, about revolutionizing the shopping experience through crypto cashback rewards. Learn more about how Web3 is changing the way people spend their money, how shops can incentivize customers via rewards and what this mean…

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Avoiding rock bottom: What do drinkers hope to find at the bottom of the glass? 51:11

1y ago51:11

51:11

Dr Fiona Dowman, a clinical psychologist and addiction specialist, joins Cess and Ollie and shares many illuminating insights for Upper Bottoms – and those who have dropped lower. What are the signs of addiction? Are some people more predisposed to addiction than others? What are drinkers hoping to gain from boozing hard? And what are the tools and…

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Rock (bottom) and roll: Is there an indelible link between music and drinking? 45:23

1y ago45:23

45:23

Is a rock-and-roll lifestyle a shortcut to hitting rock bottom? Cess invites his musical pals Louis Brennan and Tom Bowen, who both stopped drinking during the pandemic, to explore the dangerous dance between sonic creativity and intoxicants. It's a wild jig – and a level lower than usual for Upper Bottom listeners. Indeed, Tom reveals that he was …

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Data sovereignty in the age of blockchain with CESS co-founder 39:47

1y ago39:47

39:47

In this episode of Hashing It Out, Elisha Owusu Akyaw and Nicholas Zaldastani, co-founder and chairman of CESS, discuss the evolution of Web3, focusing on data sovereignty, privacy and the role of decentralized storage. Zaldastani shares his journey from Oracle to founding CESS Network, emphasizing the importance of data security in the blockchain …

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Ep 12 Refs aren't just failed players, keeping them onside - Luke Heckendorf & Luke Saldern 1:03:30

1y ago1:03:30

1:03:30

Highly accomplished touch footy referees Luke Heckendorf and Luke Saldern join us to talk all things from behind the whistle. From officiating and sometimes sending off family members, handling some of the most challenging players, to being dealt some great sledges. The boys shed a light on why and how they became referees and explain the pathways …

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Rising from Upper Bottom: What have we learnt from our podcast journey? 1:01:22

1y ago1:01:22

1:01:22

To mark episode 40, co-hosts Ollie and Cess have a heart-to-heart about the progress of the podcast, which began in February. They've packed a lot in the last nine months, spoken about their troubles and interviewed the great and the good in this space – but has it all been a form of therapy, albeit in a public forum? The soul-searching comes as li…

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Trick or treat: Is Halloween and the run-up to Christmas your sobriety nightmare? 39:46

1y ago39:46

39:46

When Ollie was drinking, "October 31 sounded the starting pistol to a one-person race for which there were no winners – apart from the venues where I would jollily buy outrageous Yuletide rounds," he writes in his latest Low No Drinker Magazine column. "I can now detect, while scrolling back through my phone to revisit nightmares of past Hallowe’en…

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Breaking the oligopoly: Decentralized infrastructure with Fleek and Aethir 41:33

1y ago41:33

41:33

In this episode of Hashing It Out, host Elisha Owusu Akyaw (GhCryptoGuy) delves into the rapidly evolving world of decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN) with Harrison Hines, CEO and co-founder of Fleek Network, and Kyle Okamoto, CTO of Aethir. They explore how DePIN reshapes industries by decentralizing access to resources such as …

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Ep 11 The new COO for FIT can't Lion King but can certainly run a TWC - Chris Simon 59:51

1y ago59:51

59:51

Current England Touch CEO Chris Simon joins us on the podcast to discuss his exciting new role as very first Chief Operating Officer of International Touch. Chris, more affectionately known as Pel (nickname origin story also discussed) gives us a first hand review of the 2024 Touch Football World Cup from his position at the very top. We talk about…

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Spirit level: Can we have a grin and tonic without the booze? 54:46

1y ago54:46

54:46

Of no-or-low beer, wine, and spirits, the latter sub-category has most underwhelmed Cess since he started his sobriety journey on January 1, 2023 – can this week's guests change his mind? The co-hosts are joined by Michael Allen, Co-Founder of Scotland-based Naesip, producer of a non-alcoholic gin, called Munroe (much to Cess's excitement), and Cas…

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From booze to CBD: Are 'functional drinks' redefining sobriety? 1:01:14

1y ago1:01:14

1:01:14

Cannabinoid (CBD) drinks and "functional" drinking are on the rise – indeed, the latter is enjoying a 38% year-on-year increase in the UK, according to Eoin Keegan, Co-Founder & CEO at Goodrays. His drinks are even available as part of the Waitrose meal deal at the moment. For this week's episode, Ollie and Cess dive into the CBD space with a fasci…

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Using Web3 to incentivize a better life with Puffpaw CEO & VeChain comms lead 46:08

1y ago46:08

46:08

In this Hashing It Out episode, host Elisha Owusu Akyaw is joined by VeChain comms lead Jake Campton and Puffpaw CEO Reffo Tse for a roundtable discussion on how Web3 can incentivize positive lifestyle changes. They explore VeChain’s VeBetter platform, which tokenizes sustainable actions, and Puffpaw’s vape-to-earn initiative, using blockchain rewa…

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Ep 10 Skydiving is a bucket list item for Malaysian dual international - Jeff Iszeham 1:01:56

1y ago1:01:56

1:01:56

Dual international for Malaysia and Ireland Al-Jeffery Iszeham joins the podcast to talk all things Touch Malaysia. Jeff tells us about his Coaching Director role for Touch Malaysia, his experience as a dual international, and the development of the game in his home country. We play our usual games and have a very food based discussion in this epis…

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Running away with the alcohol-free-beer market: How is Lucky Saint leading the pack – and what's next? 57:05

1y ago57:05

57:05

Ollie and Cess join Lou Pollitt, Category and Insights Director at Lucky Saint, for a 5-kilometre run around Regent's Park in London. This is a regular community-building event for the leading alcohol-free beer brand, which has rocketed since its establishment in 2018. The trio meets at the Lucky Saint pub, the company's headquarters, to discuss dr…

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Drinkaware research indicates a sobering trend: But are UK drinkers binning the booze? 51:47

1y ago51:47

51:47

Over 5,000 adults were surveyed for the annual Drinkaware Monitor – since 2009, the UK’s only national survey that provides an insight into the country’s drinking habits, according to the official bumph. The 2024 Monitor, published on Sept 26, shows: Nine in ten UK drinkers moderate their drinking – up from 87% in 2023 and 84% in 2018 Yet in five (…

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31 - Cleaning Up the Competition: How to Lead a Franchise Without Getting Your Hands Dirty with Anago Cleaning Systems' Adam Povlitz 17:14

1+ y ago17:14

17:14

Your host, Robert White, talks with the CEO and President of Anago Cleaning Systems, Adam Povlitz. Adam shares his transition from corporate finance to leading a family business, detailing the unique three-tier franchise model of his company. He discusses the challenges of scaling the business, the importance of hiring practices, and maintaining a …

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Ep 9 The flower that best describes me is Self Raising - Quinn Witika 1:01:36

1+ y ago1:01:36

1:01:36

Self confessed touch footy technical fanatic Quinn Witika joins us on the Podcast to geek out on some touch chat. We find out about Quinn's junior start in the Western suburbs of Sydney into seniors playing alongside and being coached by some of the great names of the game. He talks about his future in the game and hope to grow it and give back to …

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Smarter sipping: How can the growing "light" alcohol category help Upper Bottom drinkers? 1:01:48

1+ y ago1:01:48

1:01:48

Cess and Ollie invite Cami Vidal, Founder of La Maison Wellness, and Gaby Lamb, Co-Founder (with her husband) of 6PERCENT, to discuss a new alcohol-free subcategory: light. The interview – which takes place in Ollie's kitchen (as everyone is based in south-east London) – covers drinking trends, how long it takes to develop a 6% wine that people are…

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Growing pains: What is needed to help the no- and low-alcohol drinks category come of age? 59:30

1+ y ago59:30

59:30

Ollie and Dan have been busy attending various no- and low-alcohol events, and they are wearing Upper-bottom t-shirts, of course. Here, they capture some of the main takeaways from Drink It In and the Club Soda Low, Light & Alcohol-Free Summit. So, where is the category right now? And what needs to happen to help it grow? Plus, what is the future o…

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Data, AI and the blockchain paradigm shift with Chainbase COO Chris Feng 27:37

1+ y ago27:37

27:37

In this episode of Hashing It Out, your host, Elisha Owusu Akyaw, sits down with Chris Feng, co-founder and COO of Chainbase, to explore the fascinating intersection of data, AI and blockchain. Chris shares insights into how Chainbase is trying to change onchain data infrastructure and driving the next wave of innovation in Web3. Timestamps: (01:13…

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Ep 8 Swiss Open Mixed Rep would date Captain America - Micha Trost 1:08:37

1+ y ago1:08:37

1:08:37

Swiss Open Mixed male representative Micha Trost joins us on the Podcast to review their Touch World Cup campaign. We find out about Micha's transition to the touch game, the current touch footy scene in Switzerland, and the development they hope will come. Micha comes up against Cess in the games testing his quick responses in under 5 seconds and …

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Kicking the cans: What can Upper Bottoms learn from 'ex problematic binge drinker' Jack’s year of sobriety? 43:17

1+ y ago43:17

43:17

The hosts catch up with Jack, aka Kickingthecans on Instagram. He previously featured in one of Upper Bottom's most popular episodes, Final whistle: Why is watching football so boozy, and what's it like sober? Now Jack has reached the milestone of a year sober. And, although he won't be celebrating as such, life is good – and much better than it wa…

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Post-summer reset: Is September the best time to reboot – and quit booze? 37:52

1+ y ago37:52

37:52

For many, September ushers in the end of summer and a halt to holiday indulgence. It's the second reset month of the year after January, and that means reflection, positive change, detoxification, and possibly action. Cess and Ollie have both been active, with the former bagging a couple of Munros in the Highlands and the latter bettering Dame Kell…

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Traveling across the multichain world with Keer Lau from Orbiter Finance 28:34

1+ y ago28:34

28:34

In this episode of Cointelegraph’s Hashing It Out podcast, host Elisha Owusu Akyaw dives deep into the world of cross-chain protocols and multichain ecosystems with Keer Lau, ecosystem growth lead at Orbiter Finance. Lau discusses how Orbiter is redefining interoperability, tackling liquidity fragmentation and building a seamless, secure future for…

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Ep 7 Apparently Emus say Letsss Go - Jackson Mills 55:05

1+ y ago55:05

55:05

Australian Emus Mixed Opens representative Jackson Mills joined us prior to the Touch World Cup to discuss his journey with touch football, the team's preparation, as well as giving some sneaky predictions. Did you know Millsy is the only current Emus player to have not played State of Origin?! During the episode Millsy compares the two states havi…

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Dry destinations: Which countries are leading the sobriety trend? 50:26

1+ y ago50:26

50:26

In this week's episode, just before schools reopen their doors for the new term, Ollie and Cess reflect on recent overseas holidays and how sobriety and drinking cultures vary in different countries – and how they have evolved. Special attention is paid to Ollie's experiences at a much-loved family retreat on the grape-growing slopes in Perpignan. …

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Laughter and rhythm without the booze: Can sober events redefine nightlife? 55:11

1+ y ago55:11

55:11

Refreshed after a summer break, Cess and Ollie speak with Martyn Davies, organiser of Sober is Fun (https://www.soberisfun.co.uk/), the UK's first regular sober comedy event, and Ben Jolliffe, who runs Feed the Fire (https://feedthefire.me/dancing), a no-drink or drugs rhythmic dance focused on freedom and connection. Both interviewees stopped drin…

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Navigating Web3 hiring with Talent Protocol CEO Pedro Oliveira 29:18

1+ y ago29:18

29:18

In this episode of Hashing It Out by Cointelegraph, host Elisha Owusu Akyaw dives into the world of Web3 talent with Pedro Oliveira, co-founder and CEO of Talent Protocol. Discover the current state of builders in Web3, the challenges of hiring in this evolving space, and how Talent Protocol is revolutionizing recruitment with onchain reputation sy…

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Ep 6 The Great Firewall of China - Mengsrun Chea 59:15

1+ y ago59:15

59:15

It's already 3 weeks post World Cup and those post tournament blues have well and truly kicked in. We had this chat with China Mixed Opens representative Meng prior to the World Cup and discussed all things China touch including training and selections, challenges for Chinese players, and some sneaky predictions. The Great Firewall of China played …