The CIA, Area 51 & a world of secrets hidden in plain sight — with Annie Jacobsen
What if the most powerful secrets shaping our world were hidden in plain sight?Annie Jacobsen is America’s most fearless investigative journalist. A seven-time bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize finalist, she’s spent decades uncovering the truth behind the CIA, covert military operations, nuclear war planning, and the government’s deepest classified programs - from Area 51 to assassination missions you were never meant to know about.Annie pulls back the curtain on stories that challenge what we think we know about power, secrecy, and war. She shares what it’s like to earn the trust of the world’s most dangerous men - and why the truth is often stranger, and scarier, than fiction.You’ll learn:How Annie went from earning $0 as a writer to breaking into national security reportingThe advice that changed her life — and how it led to bestselling investigationsWhat it takes to gain the trust of CIA operatives and intelligence insidersWhy “alpha individuals” survive — and what their psychology reveals about resilienceHow secrets stay buried despite being technically declassifiedWhy U.S. ICBMs don’t have the range to hit North Korea without flying over RussiaThe chilling truth behind the 72-minute nuclear war scenarioHow a single miscommunication between the U.S. and Russia could trigger World War IIIChapters:00:00 Welcome to High Net Purpose00:24 Meet Annie Jacobsen: Master of Government Secrets02:45 Annie’s Purpose: Telling Astonishing True Stories05:13 From Struggling Writer to National Security Reporter09:31 Billy Waugh: The CIA’s Most Legendary Spy16:31 Inside the Shadow World of Espionage22:02 The Secrets Behind Intelligence and Covert Ops25:49 The CIA’s First Hunt for Bin Laden26:23 Clinton, Bin Laden, and the Mission That Didn’t Happen27:59 Disguises, Deception & Espionage Tactics Revealed29:05 From Field Reporting to Bestseller Author29:53 The Lucky Break That Led to Area 5130:58 Nuclear War Planning: Too Real to Ignore36:56 NATO, Russia, and the Future of Global Security42:12 Writing About Dangerous Truths: The Personal Risks45:56 Staying Grounded in a World of High-Stakes Secrets49:51 Final Words for Future Truth Tellers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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51:06
Longevity by Design: Lessons from Blue Zones Founder Dan Buettner
What if everything you’ve been told about living longer was wrong?Dan Buettner has spent decades uncovering the truth. He’s the mastermind behind Blue Zones - the five places in the world where people live the longest, healthiest lives on Earth.His discovery of the Blue Zones sparked a global movement. Since then, he’s written four New York Times bestselling books, starred in a hit Netflix series, won 3 Emmy awards and helped over 70 cities redesign themselves for better public health - impacting more than 10 million lives for good.In this episode, Dan shares the powerful habits, community rituals, and environmental designs that make living well in to you 100s not just possible - but probable.You’ll learn:What every Blue Zone has in commonThe overlooked food that could add 4 years to your lifeThe ritual proven to reduce stress in minutesWhy purpose is a stronger predictor of longevity than any supplementHow cities are using design to make well-being the defaultChapters: 00:33 – Dan Buettner: Explorer, Author, Longevity Pioneer 01:52 – Ancient Wisdom, Modern Living 03:16 – His Global Quest for the Secrets of Long Life 08:06 – How the Blue Zones Were Born 09:42 – Why Where You Live Shapes How Long You Live 17:06 – What the Longest-Lived People Really Eat 23:27 – Purpose, Belonging & the Longevity Effect 25:02 – The Link Between Volunteering & Wellbeing 25:34 – Rethinking Public Health Through Urban Design 25:46 – Inside the Blue Zones Projects 28:10 – Longevity in Action: Real-World Results 31:01 – What Singapore Got Right About Health 34:00 – Love, Connection & Relationships That Last 35:41 – Loneliness: The New Public Health Crisis 37:04 – Food vs. Pharmaceuticals: What Works Best? 39:42 – How to Manage Stress Like a Blue Zoner 45:04 – Dan Buettner’s Playbook for a Longer, Better Life 46:36 – Final Reflections on Health, Happiness & Legacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Martha Lane Fox: From lastminute.com to Lasting Impact
At 25, Martha Lane Fox co-founded the early internet disruptor lastminute.com and became one of Britain’s first true digital pioneers.But it was surviving a near-fatal accident that truly reshaped her life and sense of purpose.Today, Martha leads far beyond technology. She is President of the British Chambers of Commerce, a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, Chancellor of The Open University, and sits on the boards of British Airways, Chanel, and Multiverse.Her work is reshaping business, education, and the future of digital transformation.In this episode, Martha shares her extraordinary story of resilience, reinvention, and leadership - and what it really takes to create lasting impact.You'll learn:The 3-question framework to use before saying yes to anything.How a near-fatal car crash changed everything, and nothing.The brutal reality still facing female founders.What most leaders get wrong about digital transformation.What it really takes to change government systems.The one decision she regrets from the Lastminute.com journey.Why legacy isn't about status - it's about example.Chapters00:00 – Welcome to High Net Purpose00:26 – Martha Lane Fox: Tech Pioneer & Digital Leader02:00 – Her Decision-Making Framework for Purpose & Impact03:46 – Why Diversity Fuels Innovation in Tech05:06 – Navigating Change in a Rapidly Evolving Digital World07:46 – Founding Lastminute.com: Early Startup Lessons11:06 – Her Life-Changing Accident & New Perspective15:41 – Advice to Young Founders & Entrepreneurs20:45 – From Tech to Government: Driving Digital Inclusion22:36 – Fixing the Digital Divide: Access, Jobs & Equity23:07 – How Tech Can Reconnect Local Communities24:16 – What Government Should Learn from Startups24:50 – Inside the Creation of GDS (Government Digital Service)25:57 – Lessons from Scaling Tech in the Public Sector26:16 – Why Prime Ministerial Backing is a Game-Changer27:15 – Building Effective Teams in High-Stakes Environments27:43 – Her Personal Growth Through Government Work29:25 – Joining the House of Lords: A New Platform for Change31:46 – The Real Role of Boards: Governance, Influence & Integrity34:51 – The Power of Mentorship in a Purpose-Driven Career37:47 – True Digital Transformation Starts with Culture39:26 – The Future: Climate, AI, and Diversity in Leadership41:55 – Family, Legacy & What Drives Her Now44:01 – Final Reflections from Martha Lane Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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44:57
How Andrew White built FundApps from a spare room to monitoring $27 trillion in AUM without VC funding
Andrew White is the founder of FundApps, one of Europe’s most under-the-radar success stories. Bootstrapped from a spare bedroom above a London pub, FundApps now monitors over $27 trillion in assets daily - roughly 17% of the world’s total AUM. Today, it’s a global reg-tech powerhouse, trusted by 5 of the world’s 10 largest hedge funds and several of North America’s biggest pension funds. Now, it’s on track to become Europe’s leading reg-tech unicorn. This is the captivating story of how an independent thinker built a values-driven business from the ground up, scaled globally, and never compromised. Listen to hear:• Why he turned down external funding• How bootstrapping became a long-term strategic edge• The moment that reshaped his idea of success• Why he hires for mindset, not credentials• How FundApps embedded purpose at the heart of its culture• Why he avoids meetings and believes indecision is the real killer• What it takes to serve the world’s largest asset managers while staying true to your valuesChapters:00:00 – Welcome to High Net Purpose 00:24 – Andrew White: The Quiet Disruptor 00:51 – Why He Never Fit the Mold 01:08 – From Pub to Product: Starting Fund Apps 01:23 – Becoming the UK’s First B Corp SaaS Company 02:00 – Finding Purpose in Code, Culture & Capital 03:09 – Growing Up Irish: Early Influences & Hustle 05:54 – How He Became a Reluctant Technologist 07:55 – One Backpack, One Year: Travel That Changed Everything 12:41 – How Fund Apps Was Born 16:22 – Bootstrapping to Success: Lessons from the Hard Way 18:07 – Playing the Long Game in a Fast World 21:11 – Selling to Banks? Here’s What No One Tells You 26:09 – Sticking to Your Vision (Even When It’s Hard) 28:54 – Scaling a Company Without Losing Soul 29:37 – How to Hire People Who Actually Fit 31:23 – The Secret to Retaining a High-Performing Team 32:33 – Why Purpose Beats Perks 37:25 – Fund Apps Goes Global 46:55 – Giving Back: A Founder’s Take on Philanthropy 53:04 – If He Could Start Again: Andrew’s Final Reflections Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Next Gen & Tech: Making Digital Childhood Safer with Alexandra Evans
The next generation face a challenge their parents never did, a digital childhood that shapes their future.Alexandra Evans has spent her career fighting to make the digital space safer. From shaping human rights law at Mishcon de Reya to leading policy at TikTok and the British Board of Film Classification, she’s been at the forefront of child safety in a world where technology is evolving faster than regulation, and children are paying the price.Now, as the founder of the Digital Childhood Agency, Alexandra is working with policymakers, brands, and tech platforms to create a future where kids can thrive online—not just survive it.You'll learn:How parents, policymakers, and businesses can take back control in a rapidly evolving digital world.Why screen addiction is not the biggest problem. How social media algorithms push kids towards riskier content. The real power and responsibility of tech companies in shaping digital childhood.The truth about banning smartphones in schools.Whether AI will become the biggest threat to childhood or a tool for protection.What needs to change for a safer digital future.Chapters:00:00 – Welcome to High Net Purpose 00:24 – Alexandra Evans: Protecting Kids in a Digital World 03:28 – Her Career Journey: Law, Policy & Purpose 05:27 – Tech and Child Safety: What’s Really at Stake 07:00 – Harm vs. Thrive: A New Way to Talk About Risk 10:51 – What Makes a Safe Childhood in the 21st Century? 15:42 – How Digital Transformation Is Reshaping Childhood 18:26 – Why Parents & Policymakers Are Struggling 27:27 – Real-Life Family Scenarios: The Digital Disconnect 34:56 – Why Kids Feel Socially Obligated Online 35:45 – Is Tech Changing How We Show Up for Each Other? 37:00 – Are We Addicted to Our Phones? 38:10 – Can Children Thrive with Technology? 40:08 – Should Schools Ban Smartphones? 42:27 – Inside Trust & Safety Teams at Big Tech 45:51 – What Age-Appropriate Design Really Means 47:38 – Why Age Verification Is So Hard (and So Crucial) 58:42 – Generative AI & The Future of Childhood 01:05:33 – Final Reflections from Alexandra Evans Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Most of us are in pursuit of purpose, but it can be especially hard to bring purpose into your business. On this show, we invite growing businesses and industry leaders to share their purpose and give us ‘the pitch’. We want to find out how entrepreneurs and global leaders in our network are allocating capital in a more responsible and purposeful way. But more importantly, we want to know what isn’t in the pitch deck. Joe McCarthy hits his guests with the hard questions in order to find the paradoxes and nuances in their pitches. High Net Purpose is hosted by Joe McCarthy, founder of Islandbridge, a company focused on helping highly successful people allocate their capital in a meaningful way. Whilst traditional investing is often solely focused on the accruement of more wealth, Joe has been working hard to shift the focus to purpose-led investing and show that’s it’s not black and white, but it is worth it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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