by W3bm4ster | Nov 26, 2025 | Podcast
Episode 54 – The Human Edge in the Age of AI
With Roy Vella
In this episode of Career & Spirituality Conversations, I had the pleasure to interview “grizzli-stricken” globe trotter and fintech expert Roy Vella, about the intersection of AI, spirituality, and human connection at work and beyond.
We explored how curiosity fuels innovation, how collective intelligence can make teams more effective, and why presence—not performance—is the true measure of success. Roy also shares how his company is reimagining meetings through AI-driven collaboration analytics, helping leaders create smarter, more conscious workplaces.
About Roy Vella
Roy is a deep-tech strategist, futurist, and CEO of Next Collab, a platform that uses AI to measure and improve meeting effectiveness. With a background in business and law and decades of experience across continents, Roy blends technology, psychology, and collaboration science to help teams work with more clarity, purpose, and humanity.
He describes himself as curious, extroverted, and enthusiastic—driven by a belief that giving and learning are two sides of the same coin.
Episode Takeaways
- How curiosity shaped Roy’s journey across technology, AI, law, and global adventure
- Why presence and attention are the real foundations of meaningful leadership
- What spirituality looks like without religion — the “energy between people”
- How collective intelligence explains better teamwork, better decisions, and better meetings
- What Roy learned about identity and belonging from his time living in Cameroon
- How feedback from introverts changed his entire approach to communication
- How his company Next Collab uses AI to transform meetings into shorter, smarter, more intentional collaboration
Ready for a more efficiently collaborative workplace?
You’ll find this conversation useful if you’re curious about using AI to improve teamwork and productivity, if you’re seeking to build spiritually intelligent organizations, blending technology and humanity for real impact, and learning from curiosity, connection, and collective wisdom.
Roy’s spent most of his career leading growth in fintech organizations, from founding one out of Stanford (that was acquired), then starting 3 new lines of business at PayPal (that is, Merchant Services, Travel and Mobile which brought him to London) to working with a wide array of enterprises large and small throughout EMEA. Now back in the States, Roy’s focused on deeptech (AI/ML, Big Data, Climate, Energy, etc.) ventures, that is, impressive core science that needs help commercializing. More details and further background are obviously available at LinkedIn.
by W3bm4ster | Nov 25, 2025 | Testimonials
I was experiencing deep unhappiness in my work place, a culmination of a long period without clear guidance and leadership followed by a Manager whose unpredictability and inappropriate behaviour was causing my body to experience huge levels of anxiety and stress. The stress and anxiety was affecting my sleep and my ability to enjoy other aspects of my life. I had some tools to counteract the stress, however I was beginning to feel overwhelmed and was loosing confidence in my ability to complete tasks that were well within my capability. I had made big sacrifices to get this job 7 years previously and had successfully been promoted and thought I would stay in this job until my retirement in a few years. I was on the verge of handing in my notice even though I had nothing else lined up to fall back on.
Then I I reached out to Julie and did her ‘Aligned’ coaching program. I wanted to get to a place of leaving the job not because I was running away from it but had outgrown it and to have made steps to move to a new career doing more of what I am passionate about.
As the program was approaching a conclusion I was offered a totally unexpected transfer to a completely different type of role in a more convenient location. It felt like this job offer had been created during my work with Julie as this role has many of the ingredients that Julie and I had focussed on in our work together. Now I have a very supportive manager and I am working in a role which is more soul aligned and I am back to enjoying my work and the challenges that comes settling into a new role in a different location. I am sleeping better and waking up energized and looking forward to the adventures of the day ahead. I would highly recommend working with Julie.
BW | Ireland
by W3bm4ster | Sep 9, 2025 | Podcast
Episode 53 – Recruiter by Chance, Entrepreneur by Drive, Coach by Choice
With Howard Longstaff
What happens when a recruiter who spent decades matching executives to top jobs decides to slow down, “smell the roses,” and dedicate himself to coaching?
In this episode of Career & Spirituality Conversations, I sit down with Howard Longstaff, a former chef, business builder, and international recruiter, who now brings his wisdom to guiding others through career crossroads, imposter syndrome, and the search for clarity.
From his spiritual grounding in nature and fishing, to his candid take on the future of recruitment in the age of AI, Howard shares both practical strategies and heartfelt reflections on life, work, and meaning.
About Howard Longstaff
Howard Longstaff is a retired recruiter turned coach, with over 30 years of experience in building and running recruitment businesses across London, New York, Los Angeles, and Auckland. Today, he focuses on coaching individuals at career and life crossroads, supporting them in navigating imposter syndrome, stress, and uncertainty, while building clarity and resilience. Grounded in a spirituality rooted in nature and presence, Howard also offers specialised CV, Linkedin and interview support through his “CV Surgery” and academy programmes.
Episode Takeaways
- How Howard “fell into” recruitment by accident and built multi-continent businesses
- Why behavior and cultural fit matter as much as skills and experience in hiring
- The impact of AI and ATS systems on today’s job search (and why bullet points can hurt your CV)
- How spirituality and time in nature (gardening, fly-fishing) shaped Howard’s clarity and resilience
- What to consider if you’re wondering whether entrepreneurship is really for you
- Why everyone, from athletes to executives, benefits from a coach
Ready to jump into a career transition?
You’ll love this conversation if you’re looking for clarity, are hesitating between business and employment, and seeking perspective and a grounded wisdom on navigating change.
Howard Longstaff has spent over 30 years moving between hotels, technology sales, global recruitment, and business consulting, building and selling multiple companies along the way. After leading recruitment firms with offices across multiple countries, he shifted his focus toward what had always been at the heart of his work: coaching and mentoring people at crossroads. Drawing on decades of interviews, leadership, and business building, he brings a sharp acuity for reading people — not just their skills, but their behaviours, motivations, and untapped potential. Today, his work centres on helping individuals find clarity, balance, and purpose in both career and life.
by W3bm4ster | Aug 19, 2025 | Testimonials
When I started working with Julie, I was in a very bad place – burnt out, anxious, lost, with no idea what to do next. I was so unhappy and had a constant tightness in my throat. I felt overwhelmed and thought about work 24/7. I had no capacity for anything outside work, including my family. I was constantly stressed. Not long after, I was signed off work with stress. Whilst I knew there were issues at work, I also knew deep down I needed to change my mindset, that I had lost my way and that the answer was in me, not in just walking away from the job. I wanted to be able to make decisions about my life and work from a place of calm clarity, not from a place of panic and stress.
Three months later, after working through the programme with Julie, I feel so much happier – grounded, more confident and centred in myself. I have much deeper self-knowledge, I am calmer, lighter and so much stronger. This is exactly what I needed in terms of learning how to manage stress, access my calm logical brain, understand myself and make decisions from this place of strength, clarity and peace. I have learned so much about myself and what I need to be fulfilled and now have effective tools for managing life’s ups and downs. This programme has brought me strength, hope and clarity.
In terms of work, this means that I no longer feel stressed and anxious. I approach problems that arise with a clear mind and a calm nervous system. I am more focused and can solve problems faster and without panicking. When managing challenging work relationships, I don’t get irritated and reactive the way I used to, instead I am able to stay calm and address the situation without the emotional load. It means I don’t get drained anymore and have more energy and time to focus on the parts of work I enjoy and do best. It also means I don’t bring the weight of work home with me anymore.
Increasing productivity was not my aim in doing this programme but as a by-product I find that because I am not so emotionally activated, I am much more productive. Who knew that by slowing down, calming my nervous system and disconnecting my worth from my work, that I could achieve more!
In terms of family relationships, I am no longer distant, irritated, snappy and negative, unable to spend quality time with my husband and children because my head was full of work 24/7. Now I rarely think about work at all when I am not there, and if I do, it passes quickly and does not steal away my precious family time. My children have commented that I seem much happier and am more fun to be with. I am present for them and can help them through their challenges as well, whereas previously, I was so consumed by thoughts of work that I had no capacity for their needs.
Prior to the programme, I was full of harsh, negative self-judgement. In effect, I was bullying myself, and as a result I was very unhappy, with low self esteem and confidence. By practicing self-compassion and being kind to myself, acknowledging that it’s okay to make mistakes or need a break, I am much less self-critical. This means I am also less critical of others and of circumstances, seeing challenges as a gift means life is so much more enjoyable and peaceful.
I have gone from feeling lost and disconnected from myself to having a deeper understanding of personal strengths and weaknesses and feeling empowered to use them for growth. By identifying my soul type, I can now make decisions about my career and my future life from a solid foundation. My career aspirations are now something I would never have imagined before!
I can honestly say it has been life changing, not only in work but for my general mental health and for the quality of my relationships with my husband, children and wider family. This is a new way of operating in the world that brings positive benefits to myself and those around me.
Claire D | Management, UK
by W3bm4ster | Jul 10, 2025 | Podcast
Episode 52 – Guided From the Other Side
With Jenn Cohen
What if your career path was guided by someone you love… even after they’ve passed?
In this episode, intuitive mentor and spiritual coach Jenn Cohen shares the deeply personal and powerful story of how her father’s sudden death became the beginning of an extraordinary spiritual connection, one that guided her through a 27-year career in the entertainment industry and eventually to her true calling.
We explore how to recognize signs from deceased loved ones, how intuition can guide your career and life decisions, and how to quiet the noise of fear and overthinking to hear your inner knowing. Jenn also explains why intuition isn’t about predicting the future, but about connecting to your higher self and spiritual guidance in the present moment. Plus, she shares simple practices you can start using today to strengthen your intuition.
If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s possible to connect with loved ones after they pass, or how to trust your intuition even in a fast-paced, corporate environment, this conversation will inspire you to notice the signs, follow your inner guidance, and trust the journey.
About Jenn Cohen
Jenn Cohen is an intuitive mentor, spiritual coach, and former senior executive in the entertainment industry. After nearly three decades in creative corporate roles, she left to help others strengthen their intuition and connect to guidance: whether from their higher selves, loved ones who’ve passed, or simply their own inner wisdom. Through private intuitive coaching sessions, group channelings, and her membership programs, Jenn helps clients move through fear, career challenges, and feeling stuck with the support of higher spiritual guidance.
Episode Takeaways
- How grief and anger can open the door to spiritual connection
- What intuition feels like in your body, and how to tell it from fear
- The practice of noticing “the story you keep telling” as a signal
- How to find joy and flow even within a corporate job
- Why intuition is about being embodied and present, not escaping reality
- Exercises to build your intuitive “muscle” step by step
Ready for your intuition to guide you, in work and life?
You’ll love this episode if you’ve ever felt stuck in your career, wondered if signs from the other side were real, or struggled to trust your own inner knowing.
Jenn Cohen has always been captivated by the power of intuition. After a life-changing experience in her 20s, she explored how intuition could shape her life and career. During her 27 years in the entertainment industry, Jenn found that intuitive decisions often led to success. Now an intuitive consultant, she helps individuals and organizations unlock potential, gain clarity, and achieve their goals through practical, intuition-based strategies. Jenn’s work fosters growth, creativity, and purpose in both personal and professional realms.
