What a privilege this was. On the show today we have none other than Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Gary Rivlin. From New York Times Magazine to Wired and Newsweek Gary has covered a wide range of topics balancing deep research with ethical concern.

We discuss his new book AI Valley where he shadows the top thinkers in the field of Artificial Intelligence, introducing the breakthroughs and developments that will change the way we live and work.

In AI Valley, Gary brings us deep into the world of AI development in Silicon Valley. Rivlin closely follows founders and venture capitalists trying to capitalize on this AI moment.

AI Valley: Microsoft, Google, and the Trillion-Dollar Race to Cash In on Artificial Intelligence is essential reading for anyone interested in the explosive growth of generative AI.

It's a brilliant read, Rivlin introduces us to a raft of AI experts, including Reid Hoffman, of Manus AI and Inflection AI, American internet entrepreneur, venture capitalist, OpenAI cofounder Sam Altman and Mustafa Suleyman, the co-founder of DeepMind, an early AI startup that Google bought for $650 million in 2014. Rivlin also brings readers inside Microsoft, Meta, Google and other tech giants scrambling to keep pace.

We discuss:

• Comparison of AI Boom to Dot-Com Era
• Venture Capital's Role in AI Innovation
• AI Funding and the Role of Large Tech Companies
• Hidden Power Brokers in the AI Economy
• Geopolitics and AI Innovation
• Concerns about AI Deployment and Guardrails
• Limitations and Misconceptions of Autonomous AI
• Positive Applications and Deliberate Development of AI
• Historical Parallels: AI Winters and Overselling
• Advice for Building with AI in a Concentrated Market
• Talent War and Exorbitant Salaries in AI
• AI's Impact on Professions and Future Advice
• AI Proficiency and Discernment
• China's Energy Advantage and Future AI Development

Gary is a truth seeker who uses storytelling to make the hidden or ignored visible. He's somebody who believes stories matter: that telling them well can influence understanding, policy, culture. I applaud you for this, for AI Valley, everyone should go get a copy.

Follow Gary

Website: https://garyrivlin.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-rivlin/

AI Valley: https://amzn.asia/d/hIj41qv

#ai #tech #agenticai

Follow Tim

Tim is recognised in the Worlds Top 30 Negotiation Professionals of 2025, an award winning best selling Author of 5 books and negotiation expert. His books are relied upon by Universities, Fortune 100 companies and prestigious startups as playbooks to influence, persuasion, sales and negotiation.

NEW BOOK: #1 on Amazon #startingabusiness - The First Domino, leverage your sales process, take more risk and win clients. Don't miss the Launch Promo https://a.co/d/jl1aYMQ

Free Sales Resources here https://www.thefirstdominobook.com/

Tims YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TimCastle

Negotiation Expert Instagram https://www.instagram.com/timjscastle/?hl=en

The Highly Skilled Negotiator Short Course (80+ LESSONS + Bonus course Job Interview Mastery) - improve your negotiation skills. https://www.timjscastle.com/the-highly-skilled-negotiator

Tim's Website https://www.timjscastle.com/

Contact: tim@timjscastle.com

Today on the show we have a seasoned journalist I have long admired. Having met in Singapore over 5 years ago, I've seen Justin take on new challenges and counties, daring to tackle topics and go deep into the latest innovations and trends.

He's the type of reporter you want to read, giving you the no fluff insight you've been looking for and shining a light on power stories at the leading edge.

That's why this conversation goes deep, its a treasure trove of strategies and advice for entrepreneurs

What makes a great journalist in 2025? How should entrepreneurs really approach media if they want to get noticed? And is crypto still a wealth creation opportunity - or just noise?

I sat down with Justin Harper - award-winning journalist (BBC, FT, Daily Mail, Arabian Business, Campaign ME, Entrepreneur Middle East) and author of The Crypto Clear Newsletter — to unpack:

✅ Why storytelling is the secret weapon for entrepreneurs and startups
✅ The future of journalism in an AI-driven world
✅ How crypto is reshaping money and opportunity
✅ What it takes to stand out in business, media, and life

Justin’s sharp wit, global perspective, and integrity make this an unmissable conversation.

Justin dives deep into

• The most exciting trends shaping the GCC's startup and entrepreneurial ecosystem right now
• How Middle East founders differentiate themselves compared to Silicon Valley or Asia-based entrepreneurs
• What journalists look for in a story that makes them say: This is worth covering
• How founders should approach media if they want to get featured
• The qualities that consistently stand out among those who succeed
• What makes a great journalist
• How AI is changing journalism and the role of journalists is evolving

As a journalist for Entrepreneur Middle East, as well as Podcast Host, Former BBC, FT, Daily Mail, Arabian Business covering Business, Personal Finance, Entrepreneurs and Author of Crypto Clear newsletter Justin has seen it all, been their and got the t-shirt.

You'd be wise to tune in, listen up and take notes. This is episode delivers right the way through.

Follow Justin

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/harperjustin/?originalSubdomain=ae

Crypto Clear Newsletter https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/wtf-crypto-clear-justin-harper-uihgf/

Follow Tim

Tim is recognised in the Worlds Top 30 Negotiation Professionals of 2025, an award winning best selling Author of 5 books and negotiation expert. His books are relied upon by Universities, Fortune 100 companies and prestigious startups as playbooks to influence, persuasion, sales and negotiation.

Grab a copy of his new book The First Domino and leverage your sales process, take more risk and win clients. Get it here: https://a.co/d/jl1aYMQ

Get Free Sales Resources here https://www.thefirstdominobook.com/

Tims YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TimCastle

Negotiation Expert Instagram https://www.instagram.com/timjscastle/?hl=en

The Highly Skilled Negotiator Short Course (80+ LESSONS + Bonus course Job Interview Mastery) - exactly what you need to learn to improve your negotiation skills. https://www.timjscastle.com/the-highly-skilled-negotiator

Tim's Website https://www.timjscastle.com/

Contact: tim@timjscastle.com

This is very special episode, one that everyone MUST listen to deeply - it could change your life!

Business leaders need to find inner peace if they are to create an inspiring and sustainable future.

Fabrice Desmarescaux former partner at McKinsey & Company, Fabrice has practiced meditation, taught yoga, and led spiritual retreats for two decades. Fabrice looks after leadership development at McKinsey & Company.

The first half of his life is a very classic business background, engineering, then to business school, to partner.

Externally Fabrice had all the markers of success, the position, the responsibility, a few thousand under his care, but he realized he was not really fulfilled - he was not enjoying himself. This triggered a point of reflection and a complete career change at 42.

He went from being a senior banker, to starting completely afresh as global executive search and then coaching. He understood what the drivers of great careers are. What separates people who make it to the top. What makes people feel fulfilled and what makes people run on empty. He had finally found something that made him feel very fulfilled.

His practice transformed to coaching. Now he works with executive leaders to develop the next generation of leaders.

His groundbreaking book The Art of Retreats: A leaders journey to clarity, balance and purpose, provides simple, practical advice for creating effective solo retreats, from the occasional hour carved into the day to profoundly insightful weekends and more. Drawing on a unique combination of business experience, science, philosophy, and ancient wisdom, it offers deep reflections, practices, and contemplations that will help leaders find peace, resolve, and wisdom in an otherwise hectic life.

In this episode we talk about:

• How do we enable organizations to flourish?
• The of damage of business
• What are the patterns for people who are driven, smart, conscientiousness and hungry who push and cut themselves no slack?
• How do you balance promotions and money with fulfillment?

I felt like I was guided into his work and Fabrice can help a lot of listeners manage this situation.

Follow Fabrice

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabrice-desmarescaux/?originalSubdomain=sg

The Art of Retreats Book https://www.amazon.sg/Art-Retreats-Leaders-Journey-Clarity/dp/1544526385

McKinsey & Company https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/fabrice-desmarescaux

Follow Tim

Tim is recognised in the Worlds Top 30 Negotiation Professionals of 2025, an award winning best selling Author of 5 books and negotiation expert. His books are relied upon by Universities, Fortune 100 companies and prestigious startups as playbooks to influence, persuasion, sales and negotiation.

Grab a copy of his new book The First Domino and leverage your sales process, take more risk and win clients. Get it here: https://a.co/d/jl1aYMQ

Get Free Sales Resources here https://www.thefirstdominobook.com/

Tims YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TimCastle

Negotiation Expert Instagram https://www.instagram.com/timjscastle/?hl=en

The Highly Skilled Negotiator Short Course (80+ LESSONS + Bonus course Job Interview Mastery) - exactly what you need to learn to improve your negotiation skills. https://www.timjscastle.com/the-highly-skilled-negotiator

Tim's Website https://www.timjscastle.com/

Contact: tim@timjscastle.com

Today on the show, we’ve got a negotiation powerhouse - someone who’s changing the way the world thinks about influence, trust, and dealmaking.

He has more than 30 years experience in international management, negotiation, and communication. He’s advised governments, Fortune 500 companies, and global brands like LEGO, Johnson & Johnson, and Rolls-Royce.

He’s the mind behind the SMARTnership model, a bestselling author of over 27 books! A true global thought leader when it comes to negotiation strategy and behavioral economics.

His new book, The SMART Negotiator, dives deep into the future of negotiation, where trust, transparency, and yes, even AI, are reshaping how we win deals.

This isn’t just theory. In this episode I dig into the psychology, the tactics, and the breakthroughs in his latest work. Introducing Keld Jensen. How can AI help you be more prepared, confident and open?

Negotiation is important for success in life. It helps us create value. Keld goes through the tool box on how to negotiate properly. He goes through the data, where trust is high - negotiators managed to create 34% more value than negotiations where trust is low.

Negoeconomics is an award winning mathematical model Keld created that shows up to 42% of the value in a negotiation usually disappears. AI can support us on a lot of this.

Does your organisation have a negotiation strategy? Is your organization blending AI with negotiation? If not, it might be time to get involved. How do you enhance trust with AI? We go through this and more key strategies.

Listen now and don't get left behind....

Follow Keld

Pre-Order here https://keldjensen.com/smart-negotiator/

Website: https://keldjensen.com/

Connect https://www.linkedin.com/in/keldjensen/

#trust #collaboration #negotiation #ai

Follow Tim

Tim is recognised in the Worlds Top 30 Negotiation Professionals of 2025, an award winning best selling Author of 5 books and negotiation expert. His books are relied upon by Universities, Fortune 100 companies and prestigious startups as playbooks to influence, persuasion, sales and negotiation.

Grab a copy of his new book The First Domino and leverage your sales process, take more risk and win clients. Get it here: https://a.co/d/jl1aYMQ

Get Free Sales Resources here https://www.thefirstdominobook.com/

Tims YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TimCastle

Negotiation Expert Instagram https://www.instagram.com/timjscastle/?hl=en

The Highly Skilled Negotiator Short Course (80+ LESSONS + Bonus course Job Interview Mastery) - exactly what you need to learn to improve your negotiation skills. https://www.timjscastle.com/the-highly-skilled-negotiator

Tim's Website https://www.timjscastle.com/

Contact: tim@timjscastle.com

This week on The Tim Castle Show I’m joined by the incredible Eli Harwood—better known as the Attachment Nerd. With over 738k followers on Instagram, Eli is a licensed therapist, author, and mom of three who is on a mission to help parents raise securely attached kids.

Her first book Securely Attached explored romantic relationships, but her newest book Raising Securely Attached Kids is the one she’s been preparing to write her whole life. Inspired by her own mother’s journey of breaking generational patterns and choosing healing, Eli shares powerful insights into how we can give our children the secure foundations they need to thrive.

This conversation is a MUST-listen for every parent. Together we explore:

• How to break old patterns and become the parent you truly want to be
• Proven strategies to create deep, lasting bonds with your kids
• Practical tools to manage anxiety and panic so you can show up calm and connected
• The difference between secure and insecure attachment—and why it matters for your child’s future

If you’ve ever worried about whether your kids will grow into confident, compassionate adults, this episode will give you hope and a roadmap. Eli’s work shows us how to build relationships rooted in connection, trust, and open communication.

This is one of the most important conversations you’ll hear as a parent—it has the power to change not just your child’s life, but yours too.

Follow Eli Harwood:

• 🌐 Website https://attachmentnerd.com/
• 📖 Books
• 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/attachmentnerd/?hl=en

#attachmentstyle #parenting #attachment

Follow Tim

Tim is recognised in the Worlds Top 30 Negotiation Professionals of 2025, an award winning best selling Author of 5 books and negotiation expert. His books are relied upon by Universities, Fortune 100 companies and prestigious startups as playbooks to influence, persuasion, sales and negotiation.

Grab a copy of his new book The First Domino and leverage your sales process, take more risk and win clients. Get it here: https://a.co/d/jl1aYMQ

Get Free Sales Resources here https://www.thefirstdominobook.com/

Tims YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TimCastle

Negotiation Expert Instagram https://www.instagram.com/timjscastle/?hl=en

The Highly Skilled Negotiator Short Course (80+ LESSONS + Bonus course Job Interview Mastery) - exactly what you need to learn to improve your negotiation skills. https://www.timjscastle.com/the-highly-skilled-negotiator

Tim's Website https://www.timjscastle.com/

Contact: tim@timjscastle.com

In this episode of The Tim Castle Show, I sit down with one of the brightest minds I’ve ever had on the show — former Navy SEAL commander, elite performance coach, and bestselling author Rich Diviney.

We dive deep into his new book, Masters of Uncertainty: The Navy SEAL Way to Turn Stress Into Success for You and Your Team, and uncover how the SEALs stay calm, composed, and effective in the most chaotic situations imaginable.

Rich shares the Mastering Uncertainty Method, revealing why success isn’t superhuman — it’s about rewiring your relationship with stress, building trust, and learning to adapt on the fly. You’ll hear:

• Why the Osama Bin Laden raid succeeded even though nothing went to plan
  
  
• The surprising difference between peak performance and optimal performance
  
  
• How to transform stress into energy and composure when it matters most
  
  
• Why most teams say they want adaptability but fail to build the trust it requires
  
  
• How to train your mind to stay cool, get going, and anchor in the present

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep moving when your world is spinning, this episode will change how you think about stress, leadership, and your own potential.

Follow Rich

The Attributes https://theattributes.com/

Masters of Uncertainty https://www.amazon.com/Masters-Uncertainty-Navy-Stress-Success-ebook/dp/B0DSCG825P

Social https://www.instagram.com/rich_diviney/?hl=en

Optimism Company https://simonsinek.com/optimists/rich-diviney/

Follow Tim

Tim is recognised in the Worlds Top 30 Negotiation Professionals of 2025, an award winning best selling Author of 5 books and negotiation expert. His books are relied upon by Universities, Fortune 100 companies and prestigious startups as playbooks to influence, persuasion, sales and negotiation.

Grab a copy of his new book The First Domino and leverage your sales process, take more risk and win clients. Get it here: https://a.co/d/jl1aYMQ

Get Free Sales Resources here https://www.thefirstdominobook.com/

Tims YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TimCastle

Negotiation Expert Instagram https://www.instagram.com/timjscastle/?hl=en

The Highly Skilled Negotiator Short Course (80+ LESSONS + Bonus course Job Interview Mastery) - exactly what you need to learn to improve your negotiation skills. https://www.timjscastle.com/the-highly-skilled-negotiator

Tim's Website https://www.timjscastle.com/

Contact: tim@timjscastle.com

Why are some products impossible to put down — and others forgotten overnight?

In this episode of The Tim Castle Show, I sit down with bestselling author and behavioral design expert Nir Eyal to uncover the psychology behind Silicon Valley’s stickiest products. From Meta to Slack to WhatsApp, we explore the Hooked Model — Nir’s powerful framework for creating experiences that connect your users’ problems with habit-forming engagement and retention.

You’ll learn:
✅ Why engagement is a moat you can’t buy — but must design into the product.
✅ How to leverage variable rewards to keep users coming back.
✅ The critical link between problem, product, frequency, and habit.
✅ Why the world’s most addictive products all share one thing in common - and how you can apply it to create healthy, lasting habits in your customers.

We also dive into his other groundbreaking work, Indistractable, and explore how to reclaim your focus in a world full of digital distractions. Nir shares actionable strategies to break the cycle of endless notifications and regain control over your time, attention, and priorities — so you can be both a creator of engaging experiences and a master of your own habits.

If you want to create products or services people can’t help but return to — and do it ethically — this episode will show you how to build engagement, defensibility, and true customer loyalty into the very fabric of your offering.

🔗 Tune in now and discover how to design habits that stick.

Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

#productmarketing #psychology #timcastle #nireyal

Follow Tim

Tim is recognised in the Worlds Top 30 Negotiation Professionals of 2025, an award winning best selling Author of 5 books and negotiation expert. His books are relied upon by Universities, Fortune 100 companies and prestigious startups as playbooks to influence, persuasion, sales and negotiation.

Grab a copy of his new book The First Domino and leverage your sales process, take more risk and win clients. Get it here: https://a.co/d/jl1aYMQ

Get Free Sales Resources here https://www.thefirstdominobook.com/

Tims YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TimCastle

Negotiation Expert Instagram https://www.instagram.com/timjscastle/?hl=en

The Highly Skilled Negotiator Short Course (80+ LESSONS + Bonus course Job Interview Mastery) - exactly what you need to learn to improve your negotiation skills. https://www.timjscastle.com/the-highly-skilled-negotiator

Tim's Website https://www.timjscastle.com/

Contact: tim@timjscastle.com

I am thrilled to welcome Annalie Howling once again to the show. In this episode I sit down with Annalie Howling for the second time and what a pleasure it was. She brings the energy, the deep presence, the passion and the power, and she's got a new book out that I am confident is going to rock your world.

The topic in question, shame. This might be the single most important episode you ever listen to. Annalie talks through her experiences encapsulated in her remarkable book, Unapologetic.

We talk about it all, all the areas shame shows up, in sex, careers, in relationships, in the person we think we need to be to gain approval, validation and worth. All of it.

Prepare to come into a world that once you unlock you are never going back, this is a world where your needs matter and are seen, a place where you radiate with radical self love and give yourself the permission to be unapologetically you.

What I love about how Annalie conveys her message is that nothing is hidden, there's a raw unbundling that happens at speed because of the authenticity and openness it means we can skip the small talk and go direct to the raw aliveness that lives within all of us. Trust me, once you've heard what she has to say you will not only feel connected to her but you'll feel more connected to you.

This one is about liberation and the freedom to ask for what you want, to live life loving yourself for who you are with curiosity and pleasure, to build desire into how you hold yourself, and reconnect with parts of you that were hidden, to surface the unseen and lead with presence.

Howling has worked with thousands of women, to help them move through internal pain, triggers and difficult life experiences and into a chapter of their lives where they are no longer bound down by the past. Annalie is a sought-after speaker and experienced facilitator, she has run multiple sell-out retreats and live workshops across the world.

Follow Annalie

You can find out more about Annalies work here https://annaliehowling.com/ and follow her on Instagram where she has over 330k followers https://www.instagram.com/annaliehowling/?hl=en I would recommend doing this now, I am constantly sharing her posts because they are just so relevant, on point and speak to the soul.

Here YouTube is here https://www.youtube.com/@annaliehowling

Follow Tim

Tim is recognised in the Worlds Top 30 Negotiation Professionals of 2025, an award winning best selling Author of 5 books and negotiation expert. His books are relied upon by Universities, Fortune 100 companies and prestigious startups as playbooks to influence, persuasion, sales and negotiation.

Grab a copy of his new book The First Domino and leverage your sales process, take more risk and win clients. Get it here: https://a.co/d/jl1aYMQ

Get Free Sales Resources here https://www.thefirstdominobook.com/

Tims YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TimCastle

Negotiation Expert Instagram https://www.instagram.com/timjscastle/?hl=en

The Highly Skilled Negotiator Short Course (80+ LESSONS + Bonus course Job Interview Mastery) - exactly what you need to learn to improve your negotiation skills. https://www.timjscastle.com/the-highly-skilled-negotiator

Tim's Website https://www.timjscastle.com/

Contact: tim@timjscastle.com