Explore every episode of the podcast CSI Chat

We are joined on CSI Chat by pricing expert and AI investor, Madhavan Ramanujam.  Madhavan is currently a GP at 49 Palms Ventures and previously he was a Managing Partner at Simon-Kucher & Partners, a global pricing strategy firm.  Madhavan is also the author of two terrific books on pricing, Monetizing Innovation and Scaling Innovation.  

During our "Chat" with Madhavan, we touch on a number of areas:

- The current "lay of the land" of Artificial Intelligence and what it means for technology companies.  What are the key characteristics of tech companies who will thrive in this new environment? 

- The importance of pricing new products in the AI age.  What are the key elements of pricing AI related products in order to drive both customer adoption and revenue growth?

- What are some great examples of companies who have priced products extremely well (such as Apple) and companies who have managed disruption (Microsoft).  What can we learn from both of these companies?

I hope everyone enjoys the " CSI Chat" with Madhavan!  

We are joined by Scott Anthony who is a professor of strategy at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth where his research and teaching focus on the adaptive challenges of disruptive change.  Scott is also the author of the terrific book, "Epic Disruptions:  11 Innovations that Shaped our Modern World". 

We have a terrific "CSI Chat" with Scott whereby we discuss the concept of "Disruption" and touch on:

- A few specific case studies from his book, including Bethlehem Steel (a company that was disrupted) and Apple (a company that was the disruptor).  What can we learn from both of these examples?

- What are the core characteristics of leaders and a workforce that can withstand disruption?

- Generative AI and its impact as a "Disruptive Technology".

I hope everyone enjoys the "CSI Chat" with Scott!

We are joined by Anthony Scilipoti, the President and CEO of Veritas Investment Research.  Veritas Investment Research is Canada's leading independent equity research firm and is staffed entirely by CPAs.  We spend some time talking to Anthony about a variety of topics, including:

• The state of the markets today and where Anthony is seeing the "Red Flags".  Are there particular industries which Anthony feels are over valued?  
• How does the "Veritas Valuation Framework" identify companies that might be over valued?  
• What can we learn from past case studies of Nortel Networks and Valeant Pharmaceuticals.  Does history always repeat itself?

I hope everyone enjoys our "CSI Chat" with Anthony!  

We are joined by Mike Abrashoff, a NY Times Best Selling Author, Leadership and Teamwork Expert and the former captain of USS Benfold.  Mike is the author of the best-selling book, "It's Your Ship:  Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy". 

At 36, he was selected to be Commander of USS Benfold and was the most junior commanding officer in the Pacific fleet.   The challenges of this underachieving destroyer were staggering, with low morale and the highest turnover rate in the Navy.  Few thought the ship could improve. Yet 12 months later it was ranked #1 in performance -- using the same crew.  How did Mike do it?  By replacing command and control leadership with commitment and cohesion. The lesson was clear:  Leadership matters and culture is everything.  Since leaving the Navy, Mike has worked with over 1200 organizations instilling leadership initiatives at every level – achieving phenomenal change in unexpected places. 

We talk to Mike about how we can apply these leadership strategies in the business world!  

We are joined by Kjetil Nyland, who along with Oddbjørn Dybvad and Adnan Hadžiefendić, wrote the terrific book "The Compounders: From Small Acquisitions to Giant Shareholder Returns".  Their book analyzes a group of high-performing companies, led by capital allocators, who operate using decentralized structures in fragmented markets, and redefine acquisitive growth.  

During our "Chat" with Kjetil, we talk about:

- What makes these "Compounders" so unique and why are so many of these companies based in Sweden?  Is there something in the water in Sweden?

- The stories in the book of the authors meeting with the CEOs of these is legendary... from the CEOs making coffee for their guests to the "low key" nature of the offices, the folks that lead these companies are remarkable individuals.  

- What are some of the key elements of a successful compounder?  Decentralization, ability to deploy capital at high rates of return, managers acting as owners.  We talk about several of these key elements.

I hope everyone enjoys the "CSI Chat" with Kjetil!

We are joined by Peter Doherty who worked for the London Metropolitan Police Service for over 25 years and is currently the head of Crisis Response for S-RM, a global intelligence and cyber security consultancy.  Peter is an expert when it comes to keeping yourself safe when travelling to other countries, especially those countries which have been categorized as "high risk".

During our "CSI Chat", we talk to Peter about:

- The "State of Global Affairs" and why it is riskier than ever to travel to other countries. 

- What are some of the ways that you can keep yourself safe when travelling to other countries?  For example, what can you do before you leave?  What are some of the things you need to think about when arriving at the country?

- What should you do if you find yourself in a dangerous situation?  Peter has several tips that will keep you alive. 

I hope everyone enjoys the "CSI Chat" with Peter!  

We are joined by Kyle Buckett, a retired US Navy SEAL and a leadership expert.  Kyle spent over 20 years in the US Navy and led the advanced training for both junior and seasoned Navy SEALs.  Kyle is the Cofounder of "Culture Force" and is the co-author of the incredible book, "Leadership is Overrated:  How the Navy SEALs Create Self-Leading Teams that win"?  

During our "CSI Chat" with Kyle, we talk about:

• Kyle talks about the process of going through "Hell Week", one of the most difficult elements of the famous US Navy SEAL’s training program, during the "Winter Season".  Surviving "Hell Week" with water temperatures approaching "freezing" requires a level of "mental strength" which is off the charts.  
• Chapter 1 in Kyle's book is entitled "Kill the leader...".  Kyle explains how every organization needs to be able to survive without the leader and how to build a team that can sustain this drastic change.  
• Kyle outlines how to build a culture within an organization that can produce at a high level.  Kyle outlines the importance of "decentralization", how leaders conduct themselves and the need for "rituals".

I hope everyone enjoys our Chat with Kyle!  

We are joined by author and prominent Canadian business writer David Thomas.  David has been writing about businesses for decades for various publications, including the Financial Post, the Globe and Mail, MoneySense and Macleans.  David recently released his first book, "The Fairfax Way: Inside Prem Watsa's Secret to Lasting Success" which documents the history of one of Canada's most successful companies. 

During our "Chat" with David, we discuss:

- How was David able to build a relationship with Prem Watsa which ultimately resulted in the terrific book on the entire history of Fairfax. 

- David provides some perspectives on Prem Watsa who arrived in Canada from India with $8 in his pocket and ultimately became one of Canada's most successful entrepreneurs.    

- How was Fairfax able to become so successful through leveraging their core values of "Fair and Friendly"?  

David's book on "The Fairfax Way" is a must read for anyone looking to learn about one of Canada's most successful companies.  I hope everyone enjoys the "Chat".  

We are joined by Peter Cappelli who is the George W. Taylor Professor of Management at The Wharton School and Director of Wharton’s Center for Human Resources.  We talk to Peter about his latest book which he co-authored, entitled "In Praise of the Office:  The Limits to Hybrid and Remote Work".  

During our "CSI Chat", we talk to Peter about:

- The evolution of "Work from Home" and current state of the work force in 2026.  What do most employers expect in 2026 as it relates to working from home vs. from the office?

- What does the data support surrounding the effectiveness of working from home?  Is it is more productive to work in the office or work from home?  Peter would argue that it depends on the nature of your job.  

- What is the right way to transition a team from working from home to working from the office?  

I hope everyone enjoys the "Chat" with Peter!

We are joined on CSI Chat by Nathan Mueller.  Nathan, a CPA, worked for an insurance company in a finance role and he began embezzling money to pay off personal debt and fund a passion for gambling. What started as a $1,100 check to a credit card, spiraled into an $8.5 million fraud over the next four years.  After being caught, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison. He was released in September of 2014 and now is a sought-after public speaker preaching the value of ethics and strong internal controls to finance teams around the globe.  

During our "Chat", we talk to Nathan about:

- His upbringing and how he started in finance.  We then get into the details of how he managed to defraud an insurance company for over $8 million in a short period of time.  Nathan also outlines how he was able to keep Internal Audit and the external auditors "at bay".  

- Nathan outlines how he eventually was caught and his experience in jail.  Nathan outlines what was harder, "Going into jail at the outset or being released?"

- Nathan outlines best practices in ethics training and internal controls which should be present in all finance groups.

I hope everyone enjoys the "CSI Chat" with Nathan!

We are joined on CSI Chat by Jeffrey Pfeffer who is the Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University where he has taught since 1979 and has authored or co-authored over 16 books on various business topics, including Power, leadership and career development. 

We talk to Jeffrey about his latest book, "7 Rules of Power:  Surprising – But True – Advice on how to get things done and advance your career".  We touch on a number of topics with Jeffrey, including:

-   What is the definition of "Power" and why is it important to have "Power"?  Is there a positive correlation between happiness and power?

- What are the "7 Rules of Power"?  Why do several of these rules run counterintuitive to our upbringing?   

- Is there one of the 7 Rules which is most important?  Do you need to apply all 7 rules in order to obtain "Power"?

I hope everyone enjoys our "Chat" with Jeffrey Pfeffer.   

We are very lucky to be joined on CSI Chat by the reigning 2024 Microsoft Excel World Champion, Michael Jarman. 

We talk to Michael about a number of topics, including: 

• What do the "Microsoft Excel World Championships" entail?  How does one prepare themselves for the World Championships?  If somebody was interested in competing, how do they go about qualifying?
• What is more important at the Excel World Championships, Speed or Skill?  
• What is Michael's favorite Excel function for moderate and advanced users of Excel?
• How is the process going for 2025?  Is Michael going "back-to-back"?

I hope everyone enjoys the "CSI Chat" with the top Excel user on the planet Michael Jarman.  

We are joined by "Mr. Excel" himself, Bill Jelen.  There are very few on the planet who know more about Microsoft Excel then Bill Jelen.  Bill started the "Mr. Excel" website in 1998 and since then, has authored over 70 books and runs seminars all over the world on the use of Excel.  He also has several other "special talents", including winning the Grand Prize in a local "Stupid Human Tricks" competition by stopping an electric fan with his tongue!  

We talk to Bill about:

- How did he get started in becoming an "Excel Expert"?  

- What are some of the best tips for beginners and advanced users on Excel?  What is Bill's favorite function in Excel?

- What are the MS Excel World Championships and is it true that Bill was once a commentator?

Bill is a fascinating guy and I hope everyone enjoys the conversation!

We are joined on CSI Chat by Guido Palazzo.  Guido is a professor of business ethics at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland and a business advisor.  During our "Chat", we talk about Guido's latest book, "The Dark Pattern:  The Hidden Dynamics of Corporate Scandals" whereby Guido reviews several corporate scandals and identifies certain trends and commonalties across each of these.  

During our "Chat" with Guido, we discuss:

• The balance between "Human Morality" and "Shareholder Returns/Capitalism". 
• Trending of corporate scandals over time and whether the issue has declined.  Guido also discusses a number of case studies in his book.
•  The "9 Building Blocks of the Dark Pattern" and how they were evident in each of his case studies.  

I hope everyone enjoys the "Chat"!  

We are joined by business Professors Feng Gu and Baruch Lev to discuss their latest book, "The M&A Failure Trap:  Why Most Mergers and Acquisitions Fail and How the Few Succeed".  

We talk to Professor Gu and Professor Lev about:

• The process of analyzing historical acquisitions and how they reached the conclusion that most M&A ends in failure. 
• Over time, has the M&A failure rate improved or gotten worse?  The statistics are surprising.   
• What are some of the main reasons why M&A ends in failure?  The Professors have also put together a "M&A Checklist" which should help companies in their M&A process.  

It is a very interesting discussion with Professor Gu and Professor Lev and I hope everyone enjoys it!  

We are joined by Pav Gill, formerly of Wirecard and perhaps the most famous whistle-blower on the planet.  Despite serious risk to Pav's physical well-being and his professional reputation, he made the courageous decision to blow the whistle on the issues he was seeing within Wirecard.  

During our "CSI Chat" with Pav, we talk to him about:

- His decision-making process to originally join Wirecard as legal counsel and how long it took him to realize that there may be serious issues within the Company.  

- What were some of the issues he was seeing within Wirecard and why didn't anyone listen to his concerns?  

- At one point, Pav was instructed by his superiors at Wirecard to travel to another country for a "business trip".  Pav later realized that if he decided to hop on the plane, it would be a "one way trip".  Pav explains.  

I hope everyone enjoys the "Chat" with Pav!

We are joined by Dan McCrum, an investigative reporter from the Financial Times who wrote extensively about Wirecard and was the author of the terrific book, "Money Men:  A Hot Start-up, A Billion Dollar Fraud, A Fight for the Truth" which chronicles the story of Wirecard, the large German payment processing company which collapsed. 

During our "CSI Chat" with Dan, we discuss:

-  The role of an investigative reporter and the extensive research which goes into articles produced by the Financial Times.  There is an incredible amount of work involved prior to hitting "Print".  How does Dan sleep the night before a big story?  Dan explains during the chat.  

- Dan outlines how he first crossed path with Wirecard and the early signs he uncovered which indicated there might be a problem.  Dan also outlines his interactions with some of the executives at Wirecard.  

- Dan explains the risk he encountered to both his safety and his professional reputation while pursuing this story.  From Russian poison recipes to plots to plant drugs in the back of Dan's car, this is an example whereby the truth is stranger than fiction!

I hope everyone enjoys our "CSI Chat" with Dan!    

We are joined on “CSI Chat” by retired United States Navy SEAL Drago Dzieran. Drago wrote an terrific book entitled “The Pledge to America: One Man’s Journey from Political Prisoner to U.S. Navy SEAL”.

During our "Chat", Drago and I talk about:

• The challenges of growing up in Poland under the Communist rule and how we was able to immigrate to the United States. Drago’s time in Poland included being locked up as a political prisoner under extremely difficult circumstances.
• Drago became a US Navy Seal at the age of 31 (which is very old when it comes to a Navy SEAL). Drago talks about surviving the extensive US Navy SEAL training and the notorious “Hell Week”.

I hope everyone enjoys our "CSI Chat" with Drago.  

We are joined on CSI Chat by Crypto Currency expert Jake Ryan to talk about Crypto and his book “Crypto Asset Investing in the Age of Autonomy”. If you were looking for a “Crypto 101 Seminar”, you will find the “Chat” very interesting.

During our "CSI Chat" with Jake, we talk about:

• The current state of the “United States Dollar” and how Crypto Currency may play a significant role in the future.
• The history of Crypto Currency/Bitcoin and how it was developed by a yet to be identified founder, “Satoshi Nakamoto”.
• Crypto 101 basics including the the role of a blockchain and a more fundamental question on how to value the various Crypto Currencies which currently exist on the market place.

I hope everyone enjoys our "CSI Chat" with Jake!  

We are joined by investment expert Chris Mayer to talk about "100 Baggers".  Chris wrote a terrific book entitled "100 Baggers:  Stocks that return 100-to-1 and how to find them".  In the book, Chris analyzes these high performing stocks and tries to find similarities between them.  

During our "Chat" with Chris, we talk about:

- Chris' background and how he transitioned from a corporate lender to a professional investor.  We also talk about Chris' core investment values and how he goes about trying to find the next "100-Bagger".  

- We talk about some of the key characteristics of "100-Bagger" stocks, including high growth expectations and a low PE ratio.  Which is easier to find?  Do you need both to have a "100-Bagger"?

- What are some of the "100-Baggers" which have gone bust?  This would be a great title for Chris' next book!

I hope everyone enjoys the Chat with Chris!

We are joined by Harvard Kennedy School business professors Dan Levy and Richard Zeckhauser to talk about decision making and their latest book, "Maxims for Thinking Analytically".  End of the day, if you can think more analytically, it will enable you to understand the world around you and make better decisions.  

During our Chat with Dan and Richard, we discuss the interesting topic of "Decision Making" and touch on:

• How does it help to leverage both extreme cases and simple cases when it comes to decision-making?  How do we need to avoid taking refuge in complexity?  
• How should some of these core decision making skills be utilized to make important decisions such as those surrounding tariffs?  How can we use these skills to order dinner at a restaurant?  We look at both ends of the spectrum. 
• For the football fans out there, we ask Dan and Richard the critical question which arose from Super Bowl 49 when the Seattle Seahawks famously through a late interception which costed them the game to the New England Patriots... Should Pete Carroll have handed off the ball to star running back Marshawn Lynch?  Alternatively, was the decision to pass perhaps a good decision that resulted in a bad outcome?

I hope everyone enjoys the "CSI Chat" with Dan and Richard.  

We are joined by Peter Warmka who is a former Senior Intelligence Officer with the CIA with over 20 years of experience in national intelligence and security issues.  To make it simple, Peter is an expert in "Human Hacking" or the art of influencing people.  Peter is also the author of 2 terrific books entitled "Confessions of a CIA Spy" and "Why are you messing with me".  

During our "Chat" with Peter, we talk about:

• How did Peter join the CIA?  Peter outlines the crazy story of how he joined the CIA which involved some very intensive interviews with both him and his wife!  
• What is the "Art of Elicitation" and how is this used to extract information from other people?
• Why should we be careful navigating some of these social media sites such as LinkedIn?  What are some of the red flags we need to watch out for?  
• Why do we need to be careful talking with strangers at conferences or trade shows?  Surprisingly, these events can be attended by folks who are strictly looking to extract non-public information from others.  

It was a fascinating conversation with Peter and I would encourage everyone to check it out!  

Robert Mazur served for 27 years as a special agent for the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, the Customs Service and the Drug Enforcement Agency working predominantly as a undercover agent working as a money launderer.  Robert wrote two terrific books, "The Infiltrator" and "The Betrayal", the first of which was turned into a movie which starred Brian Cranston as none other than Robert Mazur!

Robert joins CSI Chat and we touch on a number of topics including:

- How did someone go from working at the Internal Revenue Agency (IRS) to working undercover going up against the most dangerous drug cartels in the world?

- What is the mental skill set one needs in order to prepare themselves to go undercover?  How do you prepare your family for this dangerous experience?

- What is the "day in the life" of an undercover agent?  How do you deal with the stress and the fear of potentially being caught?

Robert is an American hero and an incredible person who has been fighting against the illegal drug trade in the United States his entire life.  We are very lucky to have him join "CSI Chat".  

We are joined by the former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan (and HUGE Detroit Tigers fan) Barbara McQuade to talk about her book "Attack from Within:  How Disinformation is Sabotaging America".  After spending some time talking about the pros and cons of both the Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays signing Alex Bregman during the offseason, we get down to business and address:

• Her experience as the former US Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan and some of the high-profile cases she prosecuted during this time.
• How disinformation is used by politicians to push their agenda and help sway voters.  
• What we can do as citizens to ensure that we are not a victim of a disinformation campaign.  

It was a terrific conversation with Barb and I would encourage everyone to check it out!  

We are joined by the "Q" (James Bond fans will know "Q") of the CIA, Dawn Meyerriecks.  After learning a bit more about Dawn, perhaps it is more accurate to state that "Q" is the Dawn Meyerriecks of the British Secret Service.  In any event, Dawn was the Deputy Director of the CIA for Science and Technology.  Dawn recently led a "Masterclass" on "The Art of Intelligence" which I would highly encourage everyone to check out.  

We talk to Dawn about: - There are a few questions that we have always wanted to ask someone from the CIA (including whether it is true or false that there are CIA agents who speak over 30 different languages fluently).  Dawn does her best to answer these questions!

- What is a "day in the life" of the "Deputy Director of the CIA"?  How did she spend a typical day?

- How does Dawn compare life in the public sector vs. the private sector (as she has worked in senior positions in both).

- We ask Dawn about the current state of technology in society and whether we should be concerned about the increased investments being made in Artificial Intelligence.  

I hope everyone enjoys the "CSI Chat" with Dawn!  

We are joined by Colin Bryar, a former Amazon executive and co-author of the outstanding book, "Working Backwards:  Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon".  How did Amazon grow from a tiny start-up to one of the most successful companies on the planet?  What best practices did Amazon leverage to facilitate this success?  Colin was Jeff Bezos' "shadow" (Jeff's Chief of Staff") during those early days and talks to CSI Chat about: - How was Amazon able to hire the best and the brightest employees?  Colin explains Amazon's "Bar Raiser" hiring approach and how it was leveraged to hire 1,000's of Amazon's top employees.  

- Amazon has banned the use of PowerPoint within their organization for most meeting presentations.  Why did Amazon ban PowerPoint and what format does Amazon now use for most presentations?  

- How has "thinking long-term" and "focusing on the customer" resulted in some of Amazon's life changing products and services including "Amazon Prime" and "Amazon Web Hosting"?

End of the day, Colin explains how nearly all of Amazon's best practices can be leveraged by all corporations to facilitate their growth and success.  

Michele Rigby Assad, who is a "super spy" and a renown author, joins us to talk about her latest book, "Get off the X:  CIA's Secrets for Conquering Obstacles and Achieving your Life's Mission".  Michele spent 10 years working in the Central Intelligence Agency ("CIA") and is now an international corporate advisor, author and keynote speaker.  

Michele talks to us about:

• How do you go through the process of joining the CIA?  How do you apply and how does the interview process work?  What types of folks are the CIA looking for?  
• What is it like living in a war-torn country while working for the CIA?  What is a typical "day in the life" of a super spy?  
• What does Michele imply when she says to "Get off the X"?  How do we apply the training she received in the CIA to real world examples?

After listening to Michele (and reading her book!), you will have a tool kit to "Get off the X" and achieve your life's mission.  

Frank Perri joins CSI Chat to talk about "Red Collar Crime".  Frank is the author of "Red Collar White Collar Crime:  Corporate, Predatory Violent Fraud Offenders".  Frank debunks the myth that white collar criminals reflect the kinder, gentler offender and Frank explains how red collar criminals resort to violence to prevent the detection of their fraud schemes. 

Frank takes us down a fascinating journey of how a white collar criminal can turn to violence ("Red Collar") when cornered.  

We are joined by Bethany McLean on CSI Chat to talk about the learnings from Enron, the 2008 financial crisis and her most recent book, "The Big Fail:  What the Pandemic Revealed about Who America Protects and Who it Leaves Behind".  Bethany is a well-known journalist who published in 2001 the now famous article in Fortune, "Is Enron Overpriced".  Bethany is the author of several books, cohost of the podcast "Capitalisn't" and a special correspondent at Insider and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair.  

During our "Chat" with Bethany, we talk about a number of topics including:

• We go back in a time machine to March 2001 when she first wrote "Is Enron Overpriced"?  What was Bethany thinking at the time?  What conversations did she have with the Enron executive team?
• After 20+ years since her article and the Enron collapse, have we learned anything?  Is history due to repeat itself?
• Why did she decide to write a book on the financial crisis of 2008 entitled "All the Devils are Here"?  Was the 2008 financial crisis preventable?
• Her most recent book, "The Big Fail", goes through the learnings of the COVID 19 pandemic.  What did we do well during the pandemic?  What were the areas that we could have done better?  Are we prepared for the next global pandemic.   

It is a fascinating conversation with Bethany and I hope everyone enjoys it.  

David Giersdorf joins us at CSI Chat to talk about his experience in the cruise industry and his fantastic book, "Hardships:  Navigating your company, career, and life through the fog of disruption".  

David has spent nearly his entire professional life involved with the travel and cruise industry.  When COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in March 2020, the cruise industry was hit extremely hard.  How did the cruise companies deal with this disruption?  How were they able to navigate when a huge portion of their costs are fixed?  David was called upon by several cruise companies to assist during this difficult time.  

David provides his strategies and insights on how to deal with disruption which are applicable to all industries.    

The "Pink Collar Crime" lady Kelly Paxton joins us on CSI Chat for a terrific discussion on "Pink Collar Crime".  Kelly Paxton is the author of the book "Embezzlement: How to Detect, Prevent, and Investigate Pink-Collar Crime" and is a world-renown expert and global speaker in the area.  Kelly's background ranges from investigating narcotics crimes for the United States Customs to investigating how owner managed businesses are at risk of fraud.  

During our Chat with Kelly, we touch on:

• The definition of "Pink Collar Crime" and the type of businesses which are most susceptible to this issue.  
• What are some of the "Pink Flags" that would indicate a potential issue in a business?  
• What are the most common methods to facilitate a "Pink Collar Crime" and how do we build an effective internal control environment to prevent these issues.  

I hope everyone enjoys the "Chat" with Kelly Paxton.  

Tom Hardin, also known as "Tipper X", was working his way up the corporate ladder on Wall Street when he was stopped on the street by a couple of FBI agents and his life was never the same.  Tom was faced with accusations of insider trading and decided to cooperate with the FBI.  It was at this point Tom transitioned from being "Tom Hardin", up and coming Wall Street banker to "Tipper X", undercover agent for the FBI.  After working with the FBI, Tom is now a renown public speaker and sought after expert in the area of corporate ethics.

The discussion with Tom is fascinating as we touch on a number of subjects, including:

• When Tom is first stopped in the street by the FBI agents, the FBI suggests they go to a private spot to discuss the situation.  Where is the spot of choice?  The restaurant "Wendy's" of course. 
• The amount of profit on the insider trades was approximately $46,000.  Hard to believe that someone's life can be turned upside down for $46,000. 
• Tom tells some shocking stories about the process wearing a wire, including one experience in a pool.   Truth stranger than fiction?  Perhaps.  

Tom is a very interesting guy and I hope everyone enjoys the "Chat".  

Gregory Makoff is the author of the terrific book, "Default:  The Landmark Court Battle over Argentina's $100 Billion Debt Restructuring".  Greg's book outlines the saga of Argentina's default on their sovereign debt obligations and the lengthy process of resolving the default.  

We talk to Greg about a number of topics, including:

• The key differences between sovereign debt and corporate debt.  
• The major players in the international debt markets who played a role in helping to resolve the situation with Argentina.  
• The impact on a country when they default on their debt obligations and whether certain countries today are at risk of defaulting on their rising debt.  

If you are interested in learning about Argentina and the complicated issues of sovereign debt, I would encourage you to listen to the interview.  

Dr. Kristy Goodwin, author of the terrific book "Dear Digital, We need to talk", joins CSI Chat for a "heart to heart" discussion on the relationship between our ourselves and our digital devices.  

These days, technology should be making our jobs easier and less stressful; however, it is quite possible that the reverse trend is occurring as technology could be making our jobs more complex and much more stressful.  Dr. Goodwin joins us to discuss: 

• How is technology increasing our stress level (when it is supposed to be doing the opposite)?
• How do we leverage "Biological Buffers" to reduce our dependency on our "Digital Device".  Human connection, sleep, and physical movement are critical to our wellbeing.   
• What is a "Toilet Tweeter"?  Apparently, this is a "thing". 

I hope everyone enjoys the "CSI Chat" with Kristy.  

Our next guest on CSI Chat is Chris Ashford.  Chris is UK military veteran turned personal trainer.  Chris has spent nearly his entire professional life focused on personal wellness and namely the three core pillars being sleep, diet and exercise.  He is “Head Coach” at “Ashford Fitness Consultancy” which helps both individuals and corporations maximize personal wellness.

During our conversation on CSI Chat, we talk to Chris about:

• We start our conversation with Chris talking about the “elephant in the room” and the impact of alcohol on the human body. 
• Chris and I taped this interview on November 1, 2024 (which is the day after Halloween!)  Chris will provide some perspectives on what a healthy amount of candy consumption would be (thankfully for me, it is not zero!)
• Chris talks about the transition to “working from home” and how he is helping clients build a plan which strikes the proper balance between working from home and the office.  

Walt Pavlo was a senior finance executive overseeing a $2 billion operation at MCI Communications during a high growth period in the telecommunications industry before he was caught in a scheme to embezzle $6 million.  Walt was eventually caught, spent some time in prison, and now speaks globally on the importance of ethics and corporate culture.  Walt is the co-author of the terrific book "Stolen without a Gun - Confessions from insider history's biggest accounting fraud - the collapse of MIC WorldCom" as well as an active contributor on Forbes writing about the state of prisons in the United States.  

We talk to Walt about a wide range of topics, including the details of the embezzlement, the risk of bus rides in prison, best practices in corporate culture and advice to white collar criminals.  Needless to say, a very fun "Chat"!  

Patricia spent her childhood growing up in a cult with very strict rules surrounding interactions with her family and the outside world.  She was then kicked out of the cult at a very young age and left with nothing.  She started at the bottom rung of the ladder and eventually rose to the highest levels within Wall Street.  Her story is documented through her two fantastic books, "Little Sister" and "Breaking Glass:  Tales from the Witch of Wall Street".

Patricia's story is absolutely incredible!  We talk to her life about growing up in the cult and her rise up the corporate ladder within Wall Street.  

We sit down with Superhero Jay Dobyns (who ironically is also married to a Superhero!).  Jay went deep undercover as a US Federal Agent with the Hells Angels and went on to become one of the most successful undercover agents in US law enforcement history.  He is the author of two outstanding best-selling books, "No Angel:  My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels" and "Catching Hell:  A True Story of Abandonment and Betrayal".

We talk to Jay about his career as a Federal Agent which included:

• Starting work on a Monday and getting shot and nearly killed on a Thursday.
• Life as an undercover agent and the toll it took on his mental well being and his family.  
• Going into a Hells Angels clubhouse while wearing a wire (including asking Jay, "What would happen if you were caught?") 
• Jay's exit from the undercover world and eventually from the US government.  Sadly, it was not a fairy tale ending.  

A "Superhero" is defined as a person who typically possesses superpowers or abilities beyond those of ordinary people and uses those powers to make the world a better place.  After listening to this interview, I think there is no doubt that Jay Dobyns is a Superhero.  

Why is the Netherlands consistently ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world?  Have the Dutch solved the secret to happiness and what can the rest of the world learn from them?  Olga Mecking attempts to unlock this mystery in her terrific book, "Niksen:  Embracing The Dutch Art of Doing Nothing".  

Olga has spent a significant amount of time living and raising her family in the Netherlands and has seen the benefits of Niksen.  We talk to Olga about the health benefits of Niksen and why it makes sense to slow things down and enjoy the finer things in life in a very fast paced world.  

Craig Stanland arrived at work on a Tuesday morning and was greeted with a chilling message from the FBI demanding that he return home and he realized that his past had caught up with him.  Craig documents his entire experience starting with this voicemail and ending with how he emerged from prison a changed man in his excellent book "Blank Canvas:   How I reinvented my life after prison".  

In our "Chat", Craig takes us through this entire experience and how he emerged from prison with a completely different perspective on life.  If you want to know what it is like to go from having everything, losing it all and then rebuilding your life, you should certainly listen to this Chat. 

We are joined by Richard Gurman who was the executive producer on the ground breaking show "Married... with Children" and author of the new book, "Married... with Children vs. the World".  

Richard takes us behind the scenes of the meteoric rise of Married... with Children and the FOX Network.  Richard also discusses the process of writing, casting and filming a hit TV Series.

Did your favorite TV Series "Jump the shark"?  Several successful TV series had a "Jump the shark" moment and Richard explains the background on this terminology.     

On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members aboard.  On the fateful launch day, there were several engineers who expressed serious concerns surrounding the launch on one of the coldest days in Florida history. 

We are joined by author Adam Higginbotham to talk about his new book, "Challenger:  A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space", which chronicles the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and the missteps that were made along the way.   

In 1988 Ben Johnson ran a record breaking 9.79 in the 100m and won an Olympic gold medal.  A few days later, he tested positive for steroids and the gold medal was lost. 

Is this the greatest moment in Canadian sports history or the worst?  Did Ben Johnson get a fair trial?  Do we wish Ben Johnson got away "Scott Free"?   

We are joined by the incredible Mary Ormsby as she talks about her new book, "World's Fastest Man:  The Incredible Life of Ben Johnson" and attempts to answer these complicated questions.  

We are incredibly lucky to be joined by one of the top investigative journalists in Canada from the Toronto Star, Kevin Donovan.  Kevin chats about the current state of newspapers, the important role of investigative journalism and the process he undertakes when embarking on a new investigation. 

We then move on to talking about the excellent investigative work he has performed over the last several years on the tragic, unsolved, double murders of Barry and Honey Sherman.  Kevin's work is documented in his book, "The Billionaire Murders:  The Mysterious Deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman" which led to a 9-part podcast and a 4-part streaming series of the same name (I have read, listened to and watched all three and they are terrific). 

We also ask Kevin, "How do you sleep the night before one of your stories is about to hit the headlines in the Toronto Star and rock the world"?  For that answer, you need to listen to the Chat!    

It is the week of July 4th and this episode features an American Hero, Peter Forcelli.  Pete is 9/11 first responder, former ATF agent and author of "The Deadly Path".  In our interview, Pete revisits the events of 9/11 and later, how he became a federal whistle-blower while working for the ATF detailing how federal prosecutors in Arizona did not prosecute gun traffickers.  Pete's story is incredible and documented in his book, "The Deadly Path:  How Operation Fast and Furious and Bad Lawyers Armed Mexican Cartels".     

Does "Artificial Intelligence" pose a risk to the human race?  The answer is "Yes" and Darren McKee, author of the fantastic book "Uncontrollable", explains to us why this is the case.  

Alexandra Posadzki is a business reporter for the "Globe and Mail" and author of the fantastic book "Rogers v. Rogers".  Alex tells the incredible story of how one of Canada's most successful entrepreneurs (Ted Rogers) created one of Canada's most successful companies (Rogers Communications) and how the tricky issue of succession played out.      

Becky Holmes is a world renowned romance fraud expert, queen of the Twitter/X account @deathtospinach, and author of the book "Keanu Reeves is not in love with you".  In addition, Becky is absolutely hilarious!

Becky shares her expertise on the ever-growing, very serious issue of "Romance Fraud" in her own unique way of using humor.  

Neil is one of the top Improv performers in the world and a very funny guy.  He talks about how you can effectively apply Improv and humor in the work environment to build relationships which he discusses in detail in his book, "In the Moment".  

How do we learn about someone's personality based on their home/office set-up?  If their pictures are facing outwards towards incoming guests, what does this imply?  What if those same pictures are facing inwards?  Do non-human animals contain personality traits in the same way of humans?  Do ants (yes... ANTS) have funerals?  Sam is a personality expert and answers all our wacky questions!