In Conversation with Nathalie Nahai

Today I have the pleasure of speaking with author, art therapist and Jungian analyst, Mary-Jayne Rust, who lectures and facilitates workshops on Ecopsychology. Having worked in a men’s prison in the 1980s, and at the Women’s Therapy Centre in London during the early years of feminist psychotherapy, she has developed a rich and varied understanding of how culture shapes our internal worlds. In this conversation we talk about culture, breakdown and rites of passage, and how we might better understand and transform not only how we relate with ourselves, but also with the greater web of life.

Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Casper Ter Kuile, author of The Power of Ritual and co-host of the award-winning podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text. A Ministry Innovation Fellow at Harvard Divinity School, Casper is also the co-founder of startup Sacred Design Lab, a research and design consultancy working to create a culture of belonging and becoming. In today’s conversation we explore how we might engage in practices that bring us a deeper sense of depth, connection and meaning, and how we might revisit the art and power of ritual through a modern lens.

Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Simon Hill, CEO & Co-founder of Wazoku - a tech company that helps businesses unlock the nascent innovation potential of their employees, partners, customers the world over. An Angel investor, author & speaker on topics relating to collaborative innovation, crowdsourcing, co-creation and intrapreneurship, Simon also advises several B2B & B2C early stage tech businesses, and he has received many awards and nominations for his tech leadership over the years. In this conversation, we explore how organisational culture, business and innovation can remake the way in which we work and live, and learn about the extraordinary ways in which we can discover powerful solutions to complex problems.

Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Looby MacNamara – an author, facilitator, designer, gardener and mother. Having discovered permaculture in 1999, Looby was deeply inspired by the collaborative learning environment and the focus on emerging solutions through collective wisdom, and she has since written 4 books connected with these themes: Cultural Emergence, People & Permaculture, 7 Ways to Think Differently and Strands of Infinity. In this conversation, we explore everything from community and resilience, to cultural emergence and education, in what I hope will offer an enlivening source of ideas and inspiration. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 3rd February 2021.

In today's conversation, I speak with Betsy Reed, an author, speaker and award-winning director of innovative behaviour change approaches, whose work explores social and environmental issues. Her first book, ‘Communicating Social and Environmental Issues Effectively,’ was published in July 2020 by Emerald Publishing and the UK’s PRCA, the largest PR association in Europe. Betsy has led sustainability public affairs work for the world’s biggest food company and worked as an independent consultant advising executives in the food, tech and fashion industries on sustainability strategy, risk, and internal and external engagement. With her passion to engage people in exploring 'How connection, play and being human in everything we do can save the world,’ this was a vibrant, thought-provoking conversation which I hope will inspire you along your way. For more information, you can find Betsy's podcast and book via her website www.betsy-reed.com Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 15th January 2021.

In this conversation, I speak with Gill Coombs - an author, coach, and facilitator who works with groups and individuals to help them find their unique way of contributing something positive to the world - whether through their work, activism, or life choices. With an approach rooted in her own journey towards fulfilling work, she has supported hundreds of people to charter a path that's both good for the soul, and good for the world, and has written several books exploring these rich themes. From exploring how we might connect with and more fully express our values, to ways in which we can live and work with greater alignment and purpose, this conversation is a gentle, powerful tonic for the soul. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 7th January 2021.

In today’s episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Professor Graham Miller - Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Surrey and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. A member of the Executive Board of the University, Graham also holds a Chair in Sustainability in Business, and his research focusses on the drivers we can use to create a more sustainable tourism industry. Beyond University walls, Graham holds a UK Sustainable Innovation fund to create indicators of sustainability for businesses in the camping and caravanning industry, with Plum Data Ltd and Professor Xavier Font (University of Surrey). With pressure mounting for companies to operate more responsibly both for people and planet, we talk about the need for CEOs to do more than just commit to initiatives for equality and sustainability. Rather than focus simply on the “input” or effort they’re making, we discuss the importance of tracking real, tangible “output” - the evidence that shows the effectiveness of the approach being deployed. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 7th January 2021.

Today I speak with Ebony Bailey, the Communications Manager for EcoCiv, an organisation whose mission is to promote civilizational change for the long-term wellbeing of people and the planet. Working with allies and global leaders to design solutions for the well-being of the entire web of life, Eco Civ have been able to catalyse groundbreaking explorations of the ways that current systems and structures need to be transformed. Ebony is a researcher, photographer and filmmaker whose work explores cultural intersections, diaspora and food justice, whose interest lies in using communications as a means of telling stories that weave together diverse social causes. She received a B.A. in journalism at USC and recently completed her Master’s thesis documentary project at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. In this conversation, we explore what changes we can make to our existing systems so as to live more sustainably, in a way that supports not only our local ecologies, but also the rich, diverse communities to which we belong. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 30th November 2020.

In this episode, the first of the new year, I had the pleasure of speaking with Tessa Clarke - CEO and co-founder of Olio, a food-sharing app between neighbours designed to help eliminate food waste. What started out as a local initiative in North London back in 2015 has since grown into a phenomenally popular app, serving over 2.5 million users in 4 years. To date, Olio has shared 9 million portions of food, saved 1.3 billion litres of water and 8168 tonnes of carbon that would otherwise have been emitted. A champion of businesses that combine profit with purpose, Tessa and her co-founder, Saasha Celestial-One, are vocal advocates of sustainability, the circular economy and zero waste, and Olio’s impact has been widely recognised, most notably by the United Nations who highlighted Olio as a "beacon” for the world, and by Vivatech who awarded them the "Next European Unicorn". If you’re looking for ways to make a difference and work towards a more equitable, sustainable and just society, this action-packed conversation is for you. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 16th December 2020.

With the deepest night of the year upon us, today’s rather special conversation comes as a celebration of solstice and the turning of the year, as a joint offering from The Hive, Accidental Gods, and the Upstream Podcast. We wanted to take a moment to reflect on the challenges we’ve faced and what they’ve taught us, share some the inspiring gifts that have gotten us through, and offer our visions for what we might create together as we move into 2021. For those of you who are as yet unacquainted, Manda Scott is a podcaster, screenwriter and trainee homeopath. In her past, she’s been a veterinary surgeon, an award-winning novelist, columnist and political activist. These days, she teaches shamanic dreaming and is doing her utmost to facilitate conscious evolution. She’s host and co-founder of Accidental Gods and - newly - is one part of Narrative Ark. She’s looking forward to a transformative year in 2021. My second conversation partner, Della Duncan, is a renegade economist dedicated to the just transition to a more sustainable and equitable world. From sharing stories of economic system change through the Upstream Podcast, to her workshops and consultancy work with communities and organizations, she helps people to better align their work with alternative economics movements. I really enjoyed being a part of this conversation with these two formidable women, and as we look to the year ahead, I hope this episode may serve as a companion to you. Join in the conversation #hivepodcast, and find out more at www.nathalienahai.com/the-hive-podcast/ Recorded on 9th December 2020.