Crisis What Crisis?

From building a multimillion-dollar clothing business in India only to be wiped out by a global trade embargo, to redefining pop culture for a generation at MTV and Nickelodeon, Tom Freston’s career is a masterclass for any aspiring entrepreneur.
In this episode, Tom joins me to discuss the resilience required to reach the top and the sheer guts needed to start over when it's all taken away. He shares his "decidedly non-traditional" path to the C-suite and why humility, earnestness, and curiosity are the ultimate defining traits for success.
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IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE:
Building the MTV empire: The legendary "I Want My MTV" campaign and the David Bowie sauna story.
The reality of being fired as the boss at Viacom by Sumner Redstone and receiving a hero’s send-off from 1,000 employees.
Returning to Afghanistan to help launch the country’s first television network.
Why stepping off the "conveyor belt of conformity" is the best classroom for a young person today.

LESSONS YOU’LL LEARN
Skills are transferable: It’s never too late to change careers.
Optimism is a competitive advantage: back yourself when no one else will
The most successful careers are rarely the most conventional
Know when to disappear: recovery needs space, don't rush the next move
Hire people smarter than you: it's your best protection against your worst instincts

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro
04:44 - Stepping off the conveyor belt of conformity
12:30 - Where does confidence come from?
17:23 - Becoming a millionaire in your 20s
22:11 - The sudden collapse of Hindu Kush
31:06 - The ground floor of MTV
36:44 - The "I Want My MTV" Hail Mary pass
45:28 - Being fired as CEO of Viacom
53:30 - Reassessing life and finding Phil Stutz
56:28 - The "perfect circle" back to Afghanistan
1:00:26 - The Tom Freston manual for young people
TOM’S BOOK:
Read Tom’s book: Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu Follow Tom Freston:
https://www.amazon.com/Unplugged-Adventures-Timbuktu-Tom-Freston/dp/1668089793
FOLLOW TOM:
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Following the loss of his daughter Sushila to anorexia, broadcaster Sir Trevor Phillips reveals the daily habits, personal anchors, and life advice that keep him grounded.
In this "Crisis Compass" segment, we move away from the headlines to look at the personal resilience required to survive a 22-year battle with mental illness.
THE COMPASS QUESTIONS:
In this episode, Andy Coulson asks Trevor to reveal:
The person who shaped his perspective during his darkest hours.
The daily habit he refuses to give up (even in crisis).
The piece of advice he returns to when uncertainty takes over.
His ultimate source of comfort.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW:
This is a bonus segment. Listen to the full, wide-ranging conversation with Sir Trevor Phillips here:
https://player.captivate.fm/episode/8be66777-24c2-42ee-9d97-c59f4996be30/
IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 – Sir Trevor Phillips: A life forged in crisis
01:06 – The people he turns to for strength
02:32 – The daily habit for mental clarity
04:00 – Life-changing advice for hard times
05:26 – Finding comfort after loss
FOLLOW TREVOR:
X – https://x.com/TrevorPTweets
FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?
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TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

After a 22-year battle with anorexia, Sir Trevor Phillips' daughter Sushila died aged 36 in April 2021. Now he's calling for a radical shift in how we talk about mental illness – and he's not holding back.
The broadcaster, writer, and equality campaigner joins Crisis What Crisis? to explain why banning social media for under-16s is "preposterous," why celebrity "mental health struggles" make him furious, and what the "seventh circle of hell" really looks like in an eating disorder ward.
Trevor also talks to us about his remarkable upbringing and career across media, business and politics - all of it etched with resilience.
⚠️ Please note: This episode contains frank discussions of anorexia, eating disorders, mental illness, and grief that some listeners may find distressing.
WHAT YOU’LL HEAR:
The brutal reality of a 22-year battle with severe anorexia
Why mental illness and sadness are NOT the same thing
Trevor's message to celebrities who conflate difficulty with trauma: "F*** off"
Why removing friction from children's lives destroys resilience

LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:
Separate mental illness from sadness: stop confusing clinical illness with being "a bit fed up"
Teach resilience, don't remove pain: you can't take friction out of the human condition
The good guys can win: but you have to fight for it
Know what you cannot do: in crisis, understand your limitations
Light a candle: don't curse the darkness

IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 – Introduction: Sir Trevor Phillips' remarkable life
21:23 – What Britain should learn from its racial progress
27:10 – What real resilience looks like in a crisis
31:26 – The Leadership Lesson: knowing what you can't do
33:06 – Shushila: A 22-year battle with anorexia
44:39 – How grief changed everything
49:27 – Mental Illness vs. Feeling Sad: "stop conflating them"
57:12 – Why banning under-16s from social media Is "preposterous"
01:04:30 – What immigrants can teach Britain about resilience
SUPPORT & RESOURCES: If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder: Beat Eating Disorders - www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk
FOLLOW TREVOR:
X – https://x.com/TrevorPTweets
FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?
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TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod
IF YOU FOUND THIS USEFUL...
If you found this episode useful I recommend heading into our archive and listening to:
Lisa Squire - whose daughter, Libby Squire, was rapped and murdered. Lisa's resilience and methods for managing unimaginable heartache left me beyond moved.
Click here to listen now – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis/id1517015748?i=1000592846650

In 2021, the UK energy market collapsed. More than 30 of the big energy suppliers went under. But, the business Greg Jackson founded, Octopus Energy, didn't just survive, it grew.
In this bonus Crisis Compass episode of Crisis What Crisis?, Greg shares with us the four anchors he relies on when pressure mounts and uncertainty takes over.
In this segment, Andy asks Greg for:
1) A person who shaped his perspective
2) A piece of advice he returns to
3) A source of comfort
4) A daily habit he refuses to give up
This is Part Two of a longer conversation with Greg. If you enjoyed this episode, you can listen to the full interview on our podcast homepage.
Follow Octopus Energy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/octopusenergy/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@octopusenergy
Follow Crisis What Crisis?
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of energy giant Octopus Energy, is perhaps one of Britain’s most innovative CEOs.
In 2021, the British energy market collapsed. Wholesale gas prices surged six-fold, thirty suppliers went under in months, while millions of families faced impossible bills.
Rather than sticking his head in the sand, Greg went public, putting his own credibility on the line to explain why prices were rising. He cut his own salary to minimum wage, provided £150 million in bill relief packages, and became the face of the energy crisis when everyone told him not to.
The result? Octopus became the UK's largest energy supplier during the worst energy crisis in a generation, now valued at over £7 billion.
Greg is an entrepreneur who's built multiple businesses by doing exactly what everyone else refuses to do – a true lesson in why fortune really does favour the brave.
LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:
Character matters more than ability.
When you see something clearly, don't hesitate.
Fortune favors the brave, zig when others zag!
Being smart isn't enough. The combination of being smart and working hard is critical.
Communicate relentlessly, especially in crisis.

FOLLOW OCTOPUS:
Instagram – www.instagram.com/octopusenergy/?hl=en
TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@octopusenergy?lang=en
FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?
Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=en
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod