The Business Elevation Show With Chris Cooper - Be More. Achieve More

About this epsiode: What if compassion wasn't just a moral ideal—but a measurable driver of performance, innovation, and long-term success?  In today's fast-moving and often high-pressure world, many organisations still operate from models built on stress and scarcity, leaving people disengaged and depleted. Yet a growing body of science points to a different path—one where care, trust, and psychological safety are central to sustainable high performance.  In this insightful conversation, Chris Cooper is joined by organisational strategist Carson Kelly, Founder of Compassion 2.0, to explore the concept of the ROI of Care—and why the organisations that truly flourish are those that place human wellbeing at the heart of how they operate.  Drawing on neuroscience and real-world experience, Carson shares how care-based cultures can unlock creativity, strengthen relationships, and improve both engagement and results. Together, Chris and Carson explore what it takes to move from fear-based, extractive enviro

About This Episode: To truly make a positive difference in the world, we need exceptional relationships. The real question is — how do we create connections that are meaningful, authentic, and built to last? In this episode, I'm joined by internationally recognised relationship expert Andy Lopata to explore how professional relationships, when built with intention and integrity, can drive not only commercial success but also lasting, positive impact. Because in today's world, if we want to achieve anything meaningful… relationships really matter. Andy brings over 25 years of experience helping leaders and organisations unlock the true value of connection. From working with global brands like Google, PayPal and the BBC, to contributing to Harvard Business Re-view and Psychology Today, he has become one of the leading voices on networking, mentoring, and relation-ship-driven leadership. In this conversation, we explore Andy's journey since he was last on the show — how his thinking has evolved, what it really

About this episode: What if the way we respond in just a few seconds could strengthen—or damage—our relationships, our leadership, and our impact on the world? In this deeply insightful conversation, Chris Cooper speaks with Louise Evans, creator of The 5 Chairs, a powerful yet beautifully simple model that helps people recognise their behaviour in the moment and choose a more conscious, constructive response. Drawing on decades of global experience—and a personal journey shaped by inner work and transformation—Louise shares how we can move from reaction, self-doubt and conflict towards curiosity, authenticity, empathy and meaningful connection. Her work has already transformed organisations, schools, families and lives, with millions engaging in her widely viewed TED Talk and many describing the model as life-changing. But this conversation goes beyond communication skills. It explores something bigger: how becoming more self-aware in the way we think, speak and relate can help us build healthier relationsh

About this episode: In every area of life and leadership, the ability to persuade with integrity is essential. Whether inspiring a team, influencing change, or sharing an idea that matters, persuasion done well can be a force for good. If we are seeking to deliver more good initiatives, we need to master the art of persuasion — as it can make all the difference between success and failure. My guest, Paul du Toit, is one of Africa's most respected professional speakers, coaches, and authors, and the author of the new book The Book of Persuasion. Paul was the first speaker on the African continent this cen-tury to be awarded the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation from the National Speakers Asso-ciation (USA) in 2008. He later became Southern Africa's CSP Liaison Officer, helping others achieve the same recognition. A founder member and past president of the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa, Paul was inducted into the Southern African Speakers Hall of Fame in 2017. Having inspi

About this episode: In a world where visibility and positioning matter more than ever, many highly capable leaders find themselves brilliantly representing their organisations, yet struggling to articulate their own value. This conversation explores why that happens and, more importantly, what to do about it. Chris Cooper is joined by Danielle Ellis, a career strategist who has helped over 2,000 executives position themselves more powerfully in the market, earning more than 2,000 five-star reviews for her work. Danielle specialises in helping high-performing leaders translate their impact into clear, compelling personal narratives that attract the right opportunities. Together, they explore how LinkedIn can be used as a powerful platform to elevate your good, increase your visibility, and open doors to meaningful opportunities. The discussion brings clarity to how the LinkedIn algorithm works, the differences between personal and business pages, and how to show up authentically while still being strategic. Wi

About this episode: Why do some people turn setbacks into extraordinary success while others remain stuck? And what does it really take to create freedom, impact and opportunity in today's uncertain world? On this episode of The Business Elevation Show,  Chris Cooper speaks with Daniel Wood, CEO and co-founder of the Swedish Wealth Institute, about the principles and experiences that help people transform their lives and create meaningful success. Daniel leads a global movement focused on democratising success by giving everyday people direct access to world-class mentors such as Robert and Kim Kiyosaki, Les Brown, Jack Canfield, Nick Vujicic, John Assaraf and Brian Tracy. Through large-scale summits, workshops and the Swedish Wealth Institute Podcast, he shares practical strategies that help entrepreneurs and investors create genuine freedom and long-term opportunity. But Daniel's journey has not been without challenge. His own experiences of both significant wins and difficult setbacks helped shape a missio

About this episode: Why do some people turn setbacks into extraordinary success while others remain stuck? And what does it really take to create freedom, impact and opportunity in today's uncertain world? On this episode of The Business Elevation Show,  Chris Cooper speaks with Daniel Wood, CEO and co-founder of the Swedish Wealth Institute, about the principles and experiences that help people transform their lives and create meaningful success. Daniel leads a global movement focused on democratising success by giving everyday people direct access to world-class mentors such as Robert and Kim Kiyosaki, Les Brown, Jack Canfield, Nick Vujicic, John Assaraf and Brian Tracy. Through large-scale summits, workshops and the Swedish Wealth Institute Podcast, he shares practical strategies that help entrepreneurs and investors create genuine freedom and long-term opportunity. But Daniel's journey has not been without challenge. His own experiences of both significant wins and difficult setbacks helped shape a missi

About This Epsiode: What happens when the work you care about most begins to drain the very life from you?  Over thirty years ago, Dr Michael Brant DeMaria was working as a child protection psychologist, witnessing thousands of cases of severe abuse and neglect. The emotional toll led to compassion fatigue, burnout and even suicidal thoughts. For someone devoted to helping others, it became a defining question: how do you stay open-hearted, purposeful and resilient in the face of profound human suffering?  What followed was a life-changing vision quest in the wilderness, guided by a Native teacher. Alone and without food or water, Michael entered what he now calls "the way of twilight" — the space between breakdown and breakthrough, ego and soul, despair and renewal. It was there that he rediscovered meaning, creativity and a deeper reverence for life.  In this powerful conversation, we explore the hidden cost of leadership and caring roles, why burnout is often a signal rather than a failure, and how

About This Episode:  Peace is not passive. It is not abstract. And it is not something reserved for governments, diplomats or global leaders. It is something we build — or undermine — every single day through how we communicate, how we lead, how we handle disagreement, and how we speak about those who see the world differently.  In this thought provoking and deeply practical conversation, Chris Cooper is joined by Michael Macy — former U.S. diplomat, intercultural communications specialist, long-time student of Sufism, and co-founder of Enacting Peace. Drawing on nearly 30 years in the Foreign Service, with experience spanning the UK, Afghanistan, India, Haiti, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia, Michael shares what peace-building really looks like beyond headlines and politics.  Together they explore why peace is the invisible foundation upon which business, communities and everyday life depend. They reflect on the difference between conflict and violence, and why that distinction matters profoundly in the workp

About this episode: What if some of the most effective tools for feedback, performance management, and emotional intelligence had been refined for centuries? In this practical and thought-provoking conversation, Chris Cooper is joined by Dr Laura Lois Greenwood, a leadership and emotional intelligence specialist who has helped tens of thousands of people transform challenging emotions into clear, compassionate workplace responses. Drawing on decades of Buddhist practice and real-world organisational leadership, Laura translates ancient mind-training principles into fully secular, workplace-ready tools. Together, they explore why performance management so often fails, why feedback is the pivotal leadership skill, and how leaders can learn to motivate rather than deflate. The conversation covers emotional intelligence under pressure, common leadership traps, and Laura's use of frameworks such as "Friends, Enemies, and Strangers" and the Buddhist understanding of anger, grasping, and indifference — all groun

About this episode: Chris Cooper is joined by bridge-builder and social entrepreneur Simon Greer for a powerful conversation about how to bridge divides in a world where people increasingly see those they disagree with as "the other." Simon shares his early life, his rise through progressive politics, and the turning point when he realised he had been contributing to the very demonisation he opposed. He came to see that real change had to begin with himself. That insight sparked a decade-long journey to better understand the people his own side had cast as enemies, immersing himself in perspectives he had once dismissed. Together, they explore why today's conflicts may be less political than spiritual — rooted more in identity and belonging than in policy. They discuss what it really means to "get inside" the issues that divide us, why listening is a superpower, and how to enter courageous conversations with honesty and humility. They also examine how we can honour the competing truths people carry from thei

About this episode: Biodiversity loss isn't just an environmental issue—it's a financial, social and business risk that affects us all. In this episode of The Business Elevation Show, Chris is joined by Helen Avery, Director of Nature Programmes at the Green Finance Institute (GFI), to explore how private sector investment is being mobi-lised to restore nature and why this matters for leaders, organisations and communities worldwide. Helen leads the team overseeing GFI's work on supporting the UK Government's investment readiness funds, the UK's National Consultation Group for the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), and an international nature investment programme with UNEP FI and UNDP Biofin. She shares how finance, gov-ernment and business are working together to turn ambitious nature goals into real-world action. Together, they discuss why biodiversity is rising rapidly up the global agenda, how nature risk shows up in sup-ply chains and communities, and what "high-integrity" nature

About this episode: Words shape lives. If you want your communication to build trust, inspire action and change—or even save—lives, this episode is for you. In this episode, Chris Cooper is joined by Elevation Collective member Rhonda Curry, a global communications and marketing leader who has spent decades shaping the narratives behind health and cancer research, prevention, treatment and care. From UCLA Health to the University of Miami Health System, Rhonda has been at the forefront of telling stories that build trust, inspire hope, accelerate philanthropic support and help breakthrough science reach the people who need it most. Rhonda's work spans local, national and global audiences, including initiatives across Latin America, Africa and Asia. Together, Chris and Rhonda explore how "communications for good" works in practice, and why simple, human relatability is often the key to translating complex science without losing accuracy or integrity. This conversation is designed to be genuinely useful. R

About this episode: Life and business rarely move in straight lines. There are ladders that elevate us faster than expected—and snakes that can suddenly knock us back. In this insightful and timely conversation, Chris Cooper is joined by Paul Davis, renowned business growth consultant, intuitive advisor, and three-time best-selling author, to explore the wisdom at the heart of his latest book, Winning the Snakes and Ladders Game of Life. Together, they explore how to navigate both the highs and the setbacks with clarity, resilience, and purpose. Paul draws on decades of entrepreneurial experience and his unique intuitive approach—one that has helped transform struggling businesses into multi-million-euro success stories. As the creator of The Genius Code™, Paul is passionate about helping people uncover their unique genius, reconnect with what truly matters, and build success that is not only financially rewarding, but deeply meaningful and sustainable. This episode will be a brilliant way to start the y

About this episode: In this thought-provoking episode of The Business Elevation Show – Where Good Matters, Chris Cooper is joined by Robin Dreeke, retired FBI Special Agent and former Chief of the Counterintelligence Behavioural Analysis Program.   Robin's career took him into some of the highest-stakes environments imaginable — recruiting spies, working in counterintelligence, and navigating extreme human complexity. Yet, as this conversation reveals, his work has never been about manipulation or persuasion. Instead, it has always been about trust, psychological safety, and understanding human behaviour at its deepest level.   Together, Chris and Robin explore what it truly means to build unbreakable alliances — in leadership, business, families, communities, and even across ideological divides. They discuss why influence is the wrong goal, how calm and context help us navigate chaos, and why creating environments where people feel safe is the foundation for innovation, collaboration, and progress.   This i

About this episode: In a world marked by growing complexity, division, and ecological tipping points, a new story is emerging — one that reclaims our deep interconnectedness with each other, with the Earth, and with the cosmos itself. Dr. Jude Currivan, cosmologist, planetary healer, and former international business leader, invites us into a radical shift in perception: from the illusion of separation to the embodied reality of unity. In this Special Encore conversation, we explore how her groundbreaking work in The Cosmic Hologram and The Story of Gaia offers not only a profound scientific narrative but a practical, ethical, and evolutionary framework for leadership and business in the 21st century. What does it mean to live — and lead — from the awareness that we are inseparable from the systems we shape? How do organizations evolve from extractive and competitive to regenerative and co-creative? And what becomes possible when we align our strategies not just with markets, but with meaning? This is a conv

About this episode: As the year draws to a close, Chris Cooper steps behind the microphone for a special solo episode to reflect, distil, and share what truly matters now.   Drawing on over 14 years od conversations with inspiring leaders and changemakers on The Business Elevation Show, alongside the lived wisdom of The Elevation Collective community, Chris shares 10 Elevations for Thriving and Doing Good in the World Today.   These Elevations are not trends or theories. They are grounded insights shaped by real leadership journeys, meaningful conversations, and lived experience, exploring how we can thrive personally and professionally while contributing positively to the world around us. In this reflective end-of-year episode, Chris speaks directly to listeners, weaving together stories, insights, and gratitude for the many remarkable people who make up the Business Elevation and Elevation Collective communities. It is both a moment to pause and reflect, and an invitation to step into the year ahead with g

About this episode: As the year draws to a close, Chris Cooper steps behind the microphone for a special solo episode to reflect, distil, and share what truly matters now. Drawing on over 14 years of conversations with inspiring leaders and changemakers on The Business Elevation Show, alongside the lived wisdom of The Elevation Collective community, Chris shares 10 Elevations for Thriving and Doing Good in the World Today. These Elevations are not trends or theories. They are grounded insights shaped by real leadership journeys, meaningful conversations, and lived experience, exploring how we can thrive personally and professionally while contributing positively to the world around us. In this reflective end-of-year episode, Chris speaks directly to listeners, weaving together stories, insights, and gratitude for the many remarkable people who make up the Business Elevation and Elevation Collective communities. It is both a moment to pause and reflect, and an invitation to step into the year ahead with great

About this episode: How do we best cope with our current volatile, disruptive and extremely polarised world situation? How can you adapt your approach when you meet others with a very different view to you? On this Special Encore episode, we welcome Joe Weston who brings over 30 years of experience in conflict prevention, leadership, stress management, and communication. We explore the principles outlined in his Amazon bestselling book, Fierce Civility: Transforming our Global Culture from Polarisation to Lasting Peace. Including what is fierce civility and how can it help us to bridge divides and foster personal and professional peace and collaboration. As the founder and owner of Weston Network and the non-profit Fierce Civility Project, Joe has worked with a diverse array of clients, including NASA, the World Bank, Oxfam, Booz Allen Hamilton, PBS, The National Cancer Institute, The United Nations, and Mitsubishi Motors. His groundbreaking work and methodologies have made a significant impact on corporatio