Connecting the Dots by The Collective

Conflict is unavoidable. Silence is optional. Skills are learnable, but only if leaders seek them out.In this episode of Connecting the Dots, Jennifer Halsall is joined by Pinky Ghadiali, conflict resolution practitioner, mediator, and leadership coach, to unpack why conflict continues to damage culture and performance and why most leaders were never taught how to handle it.They explore how avoidance turns toxic, how power dynamics quietly shape behaviour, and why “open door policies” often fail in practice. This is not about fixing everything in one conversation. It’s about learning the skill.Pinky Ghadiali works with leaders across healthcare, pharma, and fitness to help them manage conflict without drama or avoidance, using mediation, coaching, and facilitation.Website: ⁠https://www.bypinky.com/⁠LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/bypinkyg/?originalSubdomain=uk⁠🎯 Small Steps Leaders Can Take TodayConflict doesn’t improve overnight, but behaviour can change immediately.Start here:Use the three-minute listening rule: listen without interrupting, fixing, or defending.Thank people for raising difficult issues — even when it’s uncomfortable.Ask “What am I missing?” to reduce defensiveness and surface blind spots.Notice your signals under pressure: tone, body language, phone use.Name tension early: “We’ve hit a tension here — let’s slow this down.”Shift from managing to serving: leadership is about creating safety to speak.Books Referenced:Difficult Conversations — Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton & Sheila HeenGetting to Yes — Roger Fisher & William UryEpisode Overview:00:01 – Why conflict is still taboo at work02:49 – The leadership burnout caused by avoidance04:21 – Safety, trust, and walking on eggshells08:59 – Why one-off conflict training doesn’t work09:52 – Formal vs informal power in organisations13:51 – “Conflict isn’t the problem. Silence is.”16:05 – Listening under pressure18:01 – Empathy, curiosity, and judgement22:38 – Managing expectations in hard conversations24:27 – How power shapes communication27:13 – Informal influence and culture change31:05 – Do people feel smaller or stronger after you speak?36:47 – Emotional regulation and reactive leadership39:08 – The three-minute listening challenge46:06 – Promotions, promises, and negotiation53:25 – Conflict tools and practical frameworks55:06 – Book recommendations57:25 – Closing reflections

Leading Digital Strategy for Fitness Operators in MENA: How F1T Cloud Empowers Studios and Transforms the Member ExperienceThis week, Jen welcomes co-host Rachel Young and founder Inaze Fatima Sarang, who takes us behind the scenes of building FitCloud—a platform designed to solve real operational pain for fitness operators across the Middle East.From running Virgin Active clubs in South Africa to launching new concepts in Oman, Dubai, and Kuwait, Inaze shares how her lived experience as an operator shaped a digital solution built for the region’s reality, not a global template.The conversation dives into localisation, cultural nuance, gender-segregated operations, pricing misunderstandings from global suppliers, and why “Sunday support” matters more than most people realise.We also explore digital leadership: how smaller operators can build an omni-channel strategy without a dedicated tech team, and how FitCloud’s roadmap integrates AI, CRM, ERP, NPS, POS, loyalty, and more into one unified experience.Along the way, we hit honest reflections on entrepreneurship, stereotypes in tech, and the legacy Inaze wants to leave for future female founders in the region.00:00 — Intro00:50 — Jen welcomes Rachel and introduces Inaze01:18 — The journey across South Africa, Oman, UAE, Kuwait02:32 — Learning operations without heads of department03:57 — Cultural expectations and luxury markets05:16 — Systems and processes that make or break a club06:01 — Understanding regional nuances in the UAE06:31 — Entrepreneurship “on an island” in Kuwait08:48 — The moment she realised the tech gap12:07 — Supplier hunting: listening vs selling13:44 — Why localisation isn’t optional14:43 — Sunday operations and non-negotiables15:55 — When onboarding becomes impossible at scale16:50 — Suppliers asking but not hearing18:17 — What makes the MENA fitness market different19:30 — Payment behaviours and shifting models20:25 — Gender-segregated classes and legal realities21:52 — Market differences across the GCC23:09 — Introducing FitCloud23:45 — Localised support + Arabic/English dialect25:04 — Dashboards, analytics, and system-prompted commissions25:38 — Built-in NPS for feedback25:49 — CRM, ERP, POS, inventory—one system26:19 — Entrepreneurship with a toddler on your lap27:23 — Lead-to-sale journey and Meta integration28:50 — Why CRM must include sales data29:53 — Building from the operator’s perspective30:28 — Pushback from developers and fighting for UX31:23 — White-labelling and user-first design32:22 — Designing for simplicity33:26 — The bias she’s faced as a female founder34:14 — Using industry experience to guide dev35:38 — Ideal FitCloud customer profiles37:20 — Loyalty and rewards partnerships38:43 — Integrations and collaboration philosophy41:33 — Helping operators build digital roadmaps42:21 — FitCloud’s AI roadmap44:03 — Why digital expectations in MENA are rising fast44:30 — Hard truths: what global suppliers get wrong46:18 — Pricing misconceptions in affluent markets48:26 — The importance of localisation and humility49:01 — Regulatory barriers global suppliers overlook50:32 — Inaze’s personal “why” and the legacy she wants to build54:44 — Shout-outs to regional leaders57:10 — Closing reflections and gratitude

For our 50th episode — and the one-year anniversary of Connecting the Dots — Jennifer Halsall, Grace McNamara, and Dr. Lou Atkinson sit down for a reflective, future-focused conversation about the themes, lessons, and leadership insights that defined season one.Across two seasons, the podcast has brought together voices from fitness, health, women’s health, longevity, tech, physical activity, and business. In this anniversary episode, the team looks back at the conversations that stayed with them, the patterns that emerged, and what they believe is coming next for the sector.This is a fireside-style retrospective on women’s leadership, data-driven health, recovery, gender dynamics, longevity, GLP-1s, diversity of thought, and why cross-sector collaboration matters more than ever.00:01 – Welcome & why this episode mattersSetting the stage for a look back at our most impactful conversations.01:04 – How the podcast beganGrace’s global network, the nudge to record, and the spark behind the show.02:45 – Global perspectivesFrom Saudi Arabia to Nashville — what cultural context taught us.04:11 – Leadership, partnership & the Nashville episodeReflections on the power couple conversation with Shahara and Mark.05:28 – The LEAD programme & Sade AkindeleHow the Life Wheel exercise became one of the year’s standout tools.07:16 – Positive psychology & whole-life leadershipLou explains the science behind the Life Wheel and why it works.11:34 – The myth of “having it all”Burnout, expectations, invisible labour, and the pressure on women.12:39 – The case for slowing downWhy recovery is a leadership skill — not a luxury.14:47 – Stress, rest & behaviour changeInsights from Krista Scott-Dixon and the science of parasympathetic reset.19:50 – Sleep, wearables & confronting your dataGrace shares her sleep metrics and the tools she’s adopting.20:30 – Vagus nerve stimulationLou explains why it’s emerging and how it supports sleep and stress regulation.24:05 – Longevity: hype vs evidenceJennifer on the growth of the sector and the need for accessible solutions.27:26 – Menopause as a key customer segmentInsights from Davitt Meenahan and real-world clinical trends.29:24 – The gaps in women’s researchRepresentation, hormones, and why the science still lags behind.32:38 – Why openness mattersNormalising menopause, brain fog, and real lived experience.33:40 – The business case for women’s healthPurchasing power, retention, absenteeism, and leadership strategy.36:50 – Leadership pipelines & transparencyWhy board and executive pathways remain opaque — and what must change.38:23 – Network = net worthVisibility, community, and breaking the habit of staying quiet.41:29 – The Collective NetworkWhat we learned from building a 300+ global community.43:36 – LinkedIn and visibilityWhy modesty and career progression are a bad mix.47:51 – Sponsorship vs mentorshipThe distinction that changes careers.54:07 – GLP-1s and the future consumerLou on the next wave and what organisations need to get right.59:21 – Behaviour change, inactivity & long-term riskConnecting GLP-1s, kids’ activity trends, and systemic challenges.1:05:10 – Accessible longevityThe rise of affordable scanning, testing, and personalised care.1:08:16 – Will longevity absorb fitness?A discussion on the sector’s evolution.1:10:50 – Looking ahead to 2026Cross-sector collaboration, evidence-based practice, and women leading the future.Timestamps

Longevity and preventative health are booming – but most tools are still priced and designed for a small group of wealthy, already health-literate consumers.In this episode, Jen speaks with Jamie Mair, founder of Yunopod, about how full-body, non-invasive scanning can give people actionable health data in minutes, at a price point designed for the wider population, not just the 1%.Jamie traces his journey from the early fitness industry, through equipment innovation and corporate wellbeing, to building Yunopod: a stand-in pod that captures a full-body 3D model, skin mapping, bioimpedance metrics, and a more accurate Body Volume Index – all in just a few seconds.Together, they explore how Yunopod fits into the rapidly emerging longevity ecosystem, why accuracy and accessibility matter more than hype, and how this type of technology could change the way we think about healthspan, prevention, and population health.In this episode, we cover:Why longevity has become “a playground for the rich” – and how to change thatJamie’s journey across fitness, tech, and corporate health that led to YunopodWhat actually happens when you step inside a Yunopod – from scan to personal dashboardThe difference between BMI and Body Volume Index (and why it matters)How full-body skin mapping and shape change tracking can support preventionReal-world stories: from emotional body-change moments to mole monitoringWhere Yunopod could live in the future: hospitals, pharmacies, gyms, and pods on wheelsThe next 2–3 years of preventative tech, non-invasive diagnostics, and healthspan innovationLearn more:Yunopod: https://www.yunopod.com/#benefitConnect with Jamie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-mair-827b881/00:00 – Longevity as a playground for the richWhy most longevity and wellness tools are still inaccessible for the wider population.00:49 – Welcome and Jamie’s origin storyFrom the early days of the fitness industry to equipment, tech, and Virgin Health Miles.03:00 – From gyms to prevention and dataHow Jamie’s experience in fitness and corporate wellbeing led to the idea behind Yunopod.08:06 – Defining longevity: lifespan vs healthspanWhy the real goal isn’t living forever, but living better for longer.12:23 – Democratising health dataThe cost problem in current health and longevity tech, and how Yunopod aims to solve it.14:03 – What is Yunopod, really?The pod, the scan, and what gets measured: skin, 3D model, bioimpedance, Body Volume Index.18:24 – Inside the pod: the user experienceWhat it feels like to step in, scan in seconds, and then explore your data privately.25:12 – Body Volume Index explainedHow it compares to BMI, why it’s more accurate, and how Yunopod delivers it at scale.27:28 – Your “post-scan grocery list”The concrete outputs you walk away with – and how they create agency, not anxiety.34:01 – Stories from early testingEmotional body-change moments, mole tracking, and supporting clinicians with better data.39:45 – Where you’ll find Yunopod in futurePharmacies, hospitals, health clubs, corporate sites – and Yunopod on wheels.42:34 – Dream collaborationsInsurers, skincare brands, and longevity clinics as key ecosystem partners.45:27 – The next 2 years of preventative techNon-invasive capture, dry-hand diagnostics, and making serious tech truly affordable.48:17 – Sector shoutouts and inspirationOther players pushing prevention and early detection forward.51:25 – Fitness, lifestyle medicine, and longevityWhy gyms and clubs are natural hubs for healthspan.Timestamps (Spotify chapters)

In The Community Advantage: Why Belonging Drives Better Health and Better Business, Jennifer sits down with Thomas Weidlich- initiator of Noesis and a creator who has spent the past five years building communities that actually work.Together, they unpack what he’s learned from early business-club experiments, the realities of holding space for others, and why community isn’t a “nice extra” but a competitive edge in both longevity and leadership.They explore belonging, ambition, self-care, and how to design environments where people genuinely grow — without burning out the person building them.If you’d like to learn more about Noesis or connect with Thomas, you’ll find him here:Thomas Weidlich on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasweidlich/00:01 — OpeningJennifer introduces Thomas and sets the stage for a conversation on community, connection, and longevity.01:00 — Early Lessons in ConnectionThomas reflects on formative experiences that shaped how he thinks about belonging and collaboration.03:00 — Loneliness, Mentorship, and the Search for Peer CommunityWhy the absence of community can drive the creation of one.06:00 — From Business Clubs to Community BuildingHow early business-club experiments revealed what works — and what absolutely doesn’t.10:00 — Longevity, Lifestyle, and Taking Responsibility for Your HealthThomas shares his simple, grounded definition of longevity and the personal practices that guide him.14:00 — Movement, Recovery, and Building a FoundationTraining, recovery, and what injury taught him about consistency.17:00 — Nutrition, Testing, and Intentional ExperimentingWhy testing, tailoring, and listening to your body matters.20:00 — Community as a Core Pillar of LongevityWhy social connection is a driver of long-term health and human wellbeing.25:00 — Designing Experiences That Break Down BarriersFrom pajama parties to curated conversations — the art of helping people connect.30:00 — The Psychology of GatheringEnergy, nervous system regulation, and creating spaces where people feel safe.34:00 — Blue Ocean, Collaboration, and Avoiding the 'Red Ocean' TrapWhat competition teaches you, and why collaboration is the smarter play.40:00 — Birth of NoesisThe spark, the founding members, the principles, and the vision for a collaborative longevity network.48:00 — Leading Community Without Burning OutHard-earned lessons in boundaries, expectations, and avoiding the guru trap.53:00 — Contribution, Reciprocity, and Long-Term MomentumHow real communities sustain themselves.57:00 — Ambition, Waves, and Reinventing YourselfA candid conversation about motivation as life evolves.01:02:00 — High-Frequency HumansWho inspires Thomas — and why.01:04:00 — Closing ThoughtsBuilding community as a practice, a responsibility, and a long game.Chapters & Timestamps