AI and Indian Classical Dance: Bharatanatyam Meets Technology

Have you ever thought AI just wasn't for you? Vaida Stone said the same thing. A solo entrepreneur who turned 40 and decided to lean into change rather than away from it, she went from fearing a wrong button click to building her own suite of custom ChatGPT assistants. In this episode, she shares how she automated her entire lead magnet system, got a personalised makeup lesson from a photo upload, and even used AI to spot a heart condition her doctors had missed. Vaida is a financial clarity coach, holistic coach, and AI trainer who works with women navigating midlife, burnout, and big life changes. Her mantra is simple: curiosity defeats fear. If you're dabbling with AI but not sure where to go next, this conversation will give you the nudge you need.

Have you ever started something just for fun and ended up completely changing the direction of your life? That is exactly what happened to my guest Erika Gianni. What began as a creative branding workshop to build an Instagram page for her cat led to building a Notion life management dashboard with Claude, studying AI at executive level through MIT, and becoming an AI trainer herself through our AI for Non-Techies programme. In this episode, we talk about how she got started, how she uses AI tools day to day, and what she has learnt about operations, visibility, and human-centred AI adoption along the way. If you have ever felt overwhelmed by templates, unsure where to start, or wondered how to use AI in a way that fits your life, this one is for you. Erika is warm, practical, and brilliantly honest about what works and what does not. "Creation is so important in somebody's AI journey” — Erika Gianni You’ll hear about:

Ever send dozens of job applications and hear nothing back? AI is screening your application before any human sees it. But you can use AI to get past those filters. I'm chatting with Dr. Kara Elam, a health policy expert who's been using ChatGPT to navigate a tough job market. She shares how she trains AI to sound like her, writes cold emails that get executive responses, and tackles the blank page of death problem we all face. This is honest, practical advice for job hunting, which can be so useful when you're juggling applications, family, and save time wherever you can. "The blank page is scary. AI gives you a starting place." — Dr. Kara Elam You’ll hear about:

My guest today made me stop and think about AI in a completely different way. We talk about what it really means to live in an intergenerational world, why people over 50 are so often underestimated with technology, and how AI can act as a powerful leveller rather than another barrier. Simon Long describes himself as an “age astronaut” and once you hear him explain why, it makes perfect sense. We explore deeply human topics, from dementia and Alzheimer’s to loneliness, social isolation and mental health. We look at how voice-based AI, natural language tools and simple interfaces could help people stay connected to family, memories, music and community, without pretending that AI should ever replace real human connection. Simon also shares the AI tools he uses day to day, how he thinks about boundaries with AI, and why curiosity matters more than age. This is a hopeful, thoughtful conversation about where AI fits into real lives, not just work. Could AI help us feel more connected, rather than less? “AI should help people feel connected, not replaced.” – Simon Long You’ll hear about:

Ever stared at an error message with no clue how to fix it? Me too… In this episode, I talk to finance manager and ACCA accountant Sirajuddin Mohammed about the moment Copilot helped him fix a failed BACS payment and turn panic into pure relief. Siraj shares how he uses Copilot safely at work, from debugging Excel formulas to building PowerPoint skeletons. He also talks about how Copilot has helped him become more confident with his email writing in English, as it is his second language. How amazing is that?! We dig into why those “tiny” 5–10 minute time savers add up to meaningful hours back each week, and why AI is less a robot overlord and more like a friendly teammate sitting beside you. We also talk about the reality of AI adoption in finance teams, why so many accountants are still stuck in manual processes, and how small experiments with tools like Copilot, Power Automate and Power Apps can quietly transform the way finance works. If you’ve ever thought “AI isn’t for me” or “I don’t have time to learn this,” this conversation might just change your mind. If you’re in finance, buried in manual tasks or nervous about trying AI at work, this one’s for you. “Time is money, so use AI to save both.” – Sirajuddin Mohammed You’ll hear about: