In this episode of the Inner Design® Podcast, Rubina Chadha sits down with musician, educator, leadership consultant, and author Charles Grimes for a conversation about the human side of leadership. Charles has spent his career navigating worlds that rarely intersect—moving from a background in broadcasting with the BBC to nearly three decades as a business psychologist advising global giants like Google, British Airways, and McDonald’s. He is also a classically trained musician who has performed worldwide, including special performances for King Charles at Buckingham Palace.

Drawing from his book, A Question of Leadership, Charles shares how the symphony orchestra operates as the ultimate high-performing team. Together, they explore how musicians develop extraordinary listening skills, why vulnerability strengthens trust, and how creativity begins by learning to truly observe what others overlook.

Rubina expands the conversation into breath, silence, and Inner Design®, exploring how internal awareness shapes communication and why presence is something we practice rather than perform.

This episode is for leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, creatives, and anyone interested in building stronger relationships through greater self-awareness and human connection.

In This Conversation

• Why great leaders study people before problems

• The difference between hearing and truly listening

• How vulnerability builds trust inside teams

• What artists notice that others often miss

• Music, breath, and the foundations of human communication

• The role of silence in leadership and conversation

• Presence as a leadership practice rather than a performance

• Why creativity begins with curiosity

Key Takeaways

• Leadership starts with understanding people.

• Trust grows through vulnerability and genuine listening.

• Presence creates stronger communication than performance.

• Creativity begins by seeing what others overlook.

• The quality of our attention shapes the quality of our relationships.

Listen to the Inner Design® Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: tiny.cc/innerdesignapplepodcasts

Spotify: tiny.cc/innerdesignspotify

Listen Notes: tiny.cc/innerdesignlistennotes

IMDb: tiny.cc/InnerDesignIMDb

Connect with Charles Grimes

Website: https://charlesgrimes.com

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/charlesggrimes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charles.grimes.16

Book: A Question of Leadership -https://amzn.to/3eTG917

#InnerDesignPodcast #Leadership #Presence #Communication #LeadershipDevelopment

In this episode of the Inner Design® Podcast, Rubina sits down with entrepreneur and coach Leslie Boyce for an honest, vulnerable, and joyful conversation.

Together, they explore resilience, entrepreneurship, self-worth, grief, healing, chronic pain, motherhood, and the many ways life invites us back into alignment when things do not go according to plan.

Leslie shares a grounded approach to growth rooted in the same principle that guides Inner Design® “presence over performance”. She reflects on navigating personal and professional challenges, building resilience through self-trust, and celebrating progress with an “done list” instead of focusing only on what remains unfinished.

Throughout the conversation is a simple but powerful reminder: joy is not reserved for the end of the journey. Through movement, creativity, connection, balance, and play, Leslie shows how joy itself becomes a pathway to wellbeing, resilience, and a meaningful life.

If you are navigating change or learning to value presence over constant striving, this conversation offers both encouragement and practical perspective.

IN THIS CONVERSATION

• Moving from pressure and performance toward greater alignment

• Why acknowledging progress matters through an "Done List Mindset"

• Navigating grief, chronic pain, and major life transitions

• The role of joy in creativity, wellbeing, and leadership

• How movement, balance, and play support sustainable growth

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• You are not your business.

• Your worth is not determined by your results.

• Recovery is not something you earn after burnout.

• Sustainable success requires boundaries.

• Presence creates a stronger foundation than performance alone.

Inner Design® with Rubina Chadha is available on

Apple Podcast: tiny.cc/innerdesignapplepodcasts

Spotify: tiny.cc/innerdesignspotify

Listen Notes: tiny.cc/innerdesignlistennotes

IMDb: tiny.cc/InnerDesignIMDb

Connect with Leslie Boyce:

IG: www.instagram.com/leslieboyce_

website: www.leslieboyce.com

Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFitnessofBusiness

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslieboyce/

Substack: https://substack.com/@leslieboyce

Connect with Rubina:

Instagram: @theinerdesigndotcom & @theofficialrubina

Facebook:   / innerdesignart  

LinkedIn:   / rubina-c  

Substack: https://innerdesign1.substack.com/

#InnerDesignPodcast #LeslieBoyce #LeadershipDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #BurnoutRecovery #SelfWorth #Mindfulness #NervousSystemAwareness #WomenInBusiness #PersonalGrowth

Drawing from neuroscience, narrative identity research, wellness, and his own personal journey, Robert shares why storytelling may be one of the most overlooked elements in the healing process. Together, they explore how stories influence the nervous system, why information alone rarely creates lasting change, and how reconnecting with meaningful stories can help us remember who we truly are.

This conversation also examines creativity in the age of AI, the growing need for human connection, the future of wellness, and why storytelling may be far more than a marketing tool.

In This Episode:
• Why storytelling is fundamentally about connection
• How stories shape identity, behavior, and personal transformation
• The neuroscience behind powerful storytelling
• Why information alone rarely changes people
• Storytelling as part of the healing ecosystem
• The relationship between narrative identity and well-being
• How stories affect the nervous system
• The role of creativity in a rapidly automated world
• AI, technology, and the growing hunger for human connection
• Human Design, alignment, and living according to what is correct for you
• Why healing may actually be a process of remembering
• The future of wellness, creativity, and community

Key Takeaways:
Story shapes identity.
Identity shapes behavior.
Behavior shapes outcomes.
When we change the stories we carry about ourselves, new possibilities emerge.
Healing is not always about becoming someone new. Sometimes it is about remembering who you were before the world told you otherwise.

Inner Design® with Rubina Chadha is available on
Apple Podcast: tiny.cc/innerdesignapplepodcasts

Spotify: tiny.cc/innerdesignspotify

Listen Notes: tiny.cc/innerdesignlistennotes

IMDb: tiny.cc/InnerDesignIMDb

Connect with Robert Bean
Website: https://impact.eco
Substack: https://storiesheal.substack.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsbean/

Connect with Rubina:
Instagram: @theinerdesigndotcom & @theofficialrubina
Facebook:   / innerdesignart  
LinkedIn:   / rubina-c  
Substack: https://innerdesign1.substack.com/
Get Human Design Chart here: www.mybodygraph.com

#InnerDesignPodcast #Storytelling #Wellness #Healing #HumanTransformation #Neuroscience #PersonalGrowth #Mindfulness #HumanDesign #WellBeing #Creativity #Leadership #NarrativeIdentity #MentalWellBeing #RobertBean

It is about understanding people, energy, and presence in real time.

In this episode of the Inner Design® Podcast, Rubina Chadha speaks with photographer and visual storyteller Mark Adams about the deeper psychology behind photography, communication, and human connection.

Mark’s work centers on The motorcycle and maker communities, shaped by a strong foundation in product photography and portraiture. His process is grounded in real environments where timing, presence, and human behavior intersect. Rather than staging moments, he works with what is unfolding, using attention and relational awareness to guide how each image is made.

This conversation explores how presence shapes what we see, how we respond to others, and how creative work becomes a reflection of our internal state.

At its core, this episode is about awareness in action.

In This Episode

• Why photography is fundamentally about presence, not equipment
• Why the best photographers learn to observe, not force
• How great storytelling comes from listening to energy shifts
• The importance of letting people be seen, not performed
• How mindfulness shows up in fast, real-world environments

Key Takeaways

• Photography is not about capturing moments. It is about recognizing them.
• Presence is a skill that can be trained, not assumed.
• Emotional awareness changes the quality of what you create.
• People respond to how you are being, not just what you are doing.
• Stillness and observation are core creative tools.

Connect with Mark Adams

Instagram: @markadamspictures

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-adams-pictures-831b096

Website: https://markadamspictures.com

Connect with Rubina

Instagram: @theinerdesigndotcom& @theofficialrubina

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/innerdesignart

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubina-c

Substack: https://innerdesign1.substack.com/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:28 Photography vs Painting

03:34 Early creative perspective

06:00 Presence in portrait work

09:49 Empathy behind the camera

13:57 Mindfulness in creative practice

18:09 Emotional awareness in storytelling

22:41 Learning from master photographers

26:25 Ethics of presence and intention

31:35 Photography as awareness practice

36:25 Decision making in real time

40:21 Energy, timing, and intuition

44:51 Emotional intelligence in portraits

50:05 Holding space in creative work

53:44 Closing reflections

This Episode is also available on:

Apple Podcast: tiny.cc/innerdesignapplepodcasts

Spotify: tiny.cc/innerdesignspotify

Listen Notes: tiny.cc/innerdesignlistennotes

IMDb: tiny.cc/InnerDesignIMDb

In this episode of the Inner Design® Podcast, Rubina Chadha speaks with Tony Di Zinno, visual storyteller, educator, and equine specialist, about presence, perception, and the deeper intelligence behind how we see the world.

Tony’s career spans visual storytelling for Nike, humanitarian work in Afghanistan, conservation projects in Africa, and decades of teaching photojournalism and documentary film. Today, his work extends into equine-assisted healing, supporting people navigating trauma, grief, and emotional recovery through horse-human connection.

This conversation explores what it means to truly see, not just with the camera, but with awareness.

In This Episode

• How visual storytelling begins with attention, not technique
• Why presence is the foundation of photography and communication
• What horses reveal about emotional truth and regulation
• The 3 core questions every photographer must ask
• How mindfulness shows up in real-time creative decision making
• The connection between creativity, embodiment, and awareness

Key Takeaways

Photography is not just image-making. It is presence in action.

What you choose to see shapes what you create.

Real storytelling requires emotional honesty, not performance.

Horses respond to truth, not narrative.

Mindfulness is not abstract. It is how you pay attention in real time.

Healing and creativity both begin with awareness of the present moment.

Connect with Tony Di Zinno

Instagram: https://instagram.com/dizeno
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dizinno/
Location: Mountain Center, California

Connect with Rubina
Instagram: @theinerdesigndotcom & @theofficialrubina
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/innerdesignart
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubina-c
Substack: https://innerdesign1.substack.com/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
01:55 Early life and creative origins
03:34 Sports, photography, and first influence
06:17 Art Center and visual education
09:03 Working with artists and celebrities
12:05 Presence behind the camera
13:57 Mindfulness and perception
18:09 Stillness and awareness practice
22:41 Encounter with master photographers
26:25 Intent, humility, and teaching
31:35 Photography as meditation
36:25 Three questions of visual storytelling
40:21 Mindfulness, breath, and timing
44:51 Equine therapy and healing work
50:05 Horses as emotional mirrors
53:44 Where to find Tony Di Zinno
55:09 Closing reflections

This Episode is also available on:

Spotify: https://bit.ly/4vmPNQu

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/4tXHusZ

Listen Notes: https://lnns.co/CPXZWUvbfKw

IMDb: https://bit.ly/3PPmgzK

In this episode of the Inner Design® Podcast, Rubina Chadha speaks with Colin Egglesfield, Hollywood actor, keynote speaker, communication strategist, and three-time cancer survivor, about what it really means to lead with authenticity under pressure.

Known for Something Borrowed, Melrose Place, and All My Children, Colin shares how surviving 9/11, navigating cancer, and building a Hollywood career reshaped his understanding of purpose, identity, and resilience.

This conversation explores how presence, emotional regulation, and self-awareness directly shape communication, leadership, and trust.

In This Episode

• Why authenticity matters more than performance in leadership
• How fear and self-doubt shape communication and decisions
• What illness and crisis taught Colin about time and purpose
• Why leadership begins with self-regulation
• How to rewrite the story you are living from

Key Takeaways

Presence drives communication.

People respond more to how you are being than what you say.

Most limitations are internal stories, not external reality.

Fear often signals meaning, not danger.

Authentic leadership requires awareness and regulation.

Connect with Colin

Colin Egglesfield: https://colinegglesfield.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colinegglesfield
Beyond Impact Mastery: https://beyondimpactmastery.com

Book: Agile Artist: Life Lessons from Hollywood and Beyond.

Learn more: https://agileartist.com

Connect with Rubina

Instagram: @theinerdesigndotcom & @theofficialrubina

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/innerdesignart

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubina-c

Substack: https://innerdesign1.substack.com/

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction
01:10 Authenticity vs Performance
03:49 Creativity and Expansion
06:27 Purpose and Flow
09:09 Identity and Visibility
11:59 Fear and Rewriting Your Story
14:23 Life, Cancer, and Perspective Shift
17:31 Courage and Choice
19:37 Self-Doubt and Regulation
20:22 Meditation and Awareness
25:08 Agile Artist Framework
27:54 Legacy Story Design
30:20 Communication and Presence
34:58 Energy and Trust
36:05 Leadership Presence
40:55 Practice and Performance
41:54 Living Beyond Impact
44:02 Closing Reflections

This Episode Available on:

Spotify: https://bit.ly/4vmPNQu

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/4tXHusZ

Listen Notes: https://lnns.co/CPXZWUvbfKw

IMDb: https://bit.ly/3PPmgzK

Rubina Chadha sits down with Dr. Deb Rivera, PhD in neuroengineering from UCLA, scientist, inventor, Associate Professor at the Center for Care and Cures at Eindhoven University of Technology, and founder of JourneyMetrics. This conversation bridges nervous system regulation, breath work, creative expression, and cellular biology into one clear picture of how we function under stress and how we recover.

In this episode: why stress processes the same way in your body whether it comes from a virus, a toxic environment, or a thought you will not let go of. How chronic stress locks your main energy pathway. What the default mode network actually is and why most of us live there. Why the inhale sets the neural clock for coordination across the brain. How creative expression rewires the balance between your rational brain and your emotional brain. And why creativity and well-being feed each other like a water wheel.

Dr. Deb also shares her own journey through concussion, heart surgery, and loss, and the personal operating framework she built from the inside out.

“Creativity is as important as exercise.”

“You don’t have a discipline problem. You have a regulation problem.”

Find Dr. Deb Rivera on Instagram at drdebrivera.

Learn more about JourneyMetrics at journeymetrics.com.

Inner Design® with Rubina Chadha explores the inner systems that shape how we live, lead, create, and thrive.

New episodes every week. Subscribe on

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inner-design-podcast/id1896836118

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033oJ6dEAuG8tqbMkNfRTo?si=794517309a4241f9

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsPLi4c5Gu04-k5BohhsC5Yp2Ja2yZgUF&si=kWCUaXMrcvwWIlVS

Rubina Chadha speaks with Willa Kammerer, entrepreneur, brand strategist, and founder of Firestarter Interactive and Firestarter Funnels. Willa’s story is not a highlight reel. It is a real account of achieving external success while feeling deeply misaligned, making a life-altering decision with an eight-month-old at home, and rebuilding from the inside out.

In this episode: how Willa recognized misalignment in her body long before her mind admitted it. What it actually felt like to leave a marriage that looked fine from the outside. How she rebuilt her identity and her business at the same time. Why practicing in public is what breeds clarity, not planning in private. What the difference is between niche and noise. How she helps clients close the gap between who they are internally and how they show up externally. And when she finally found her own inner design.

“Even though there was so much unknown, it felt so much less scary than this known that I felt so disconnected from.”

“Those voices don’t go away. We just get better at hearing them and taking action anyway.”

Find Willa Kammerer on Instagram at willakammerer. Learn more at firestarterfunnels.com.

Inner Design® with Rubina Chadha explores the inner systems that shape how we live, lead, create, and thrive.

New episodes every week. Subscribe on:

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inner-design-podcast/id1896836118

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033oJ6dEAuG8tqbMkNfRTo?si=794517309a4241f9

Youtube:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsPLi4c5Gu04-k5BohhsC5Yp2Ja2yZgUF&si=kWCUaXMrcvwWIlVS

Rubina Chadha speaks with Thomas Mueller, Chief Design Officer at Accenture Song, globally recognized design leader, and 2024 Distinguished Alumni of Art Center College of Design. Thomas brings three decades of design leadership across digital, mobile, AI, and organizational transformation into a conversation about the inner conditions that make great leadership possible.

In this episode: why technology does not create meaning and never has. What Thomas means when he says efficiency will replace responsibility if we are not intentional. How he defines designing for trust in an era of constant instability. Why people do not need brands to be louder, they need them to be steadier. What clarity looks like as a leadership practice at scale. How identity is not fixed and why that is a gift. And the inner conditions he returns to when decisions get genuinely hard.

This is a conversation about design as a way of seeing, not just a profession. And about what it means to stay creative, curious, and grounded across decades of change.

“Good leadership doesn’t simplify people. It simplifies the environment around them.”

“Design is the result of an act of care for people, for systems, and for the future.”

Find Thomas Mueller on LinkedIn. Learn more about Accenture Song at accenturesong.com.

Inner Design® with Rubina Chadha explores the inner systems that shape how we live, lead, create, and thrive.

New episodes every week. Subscribe on:

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inner-design-podcast/id1896836118

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033oJ6dEAuG8tqbMkNfRTo?si=794517309a4241f9

Youtube:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsPLi4c5Gu04-k5BohhsC5Yp2Ja2yZgUF&si=kWCUaXMrcvwWIlVS

This is a podcast about how we build from the inside out.

Each episode brings conversations with designers, entrepreneurs, neuroscientists, artists, and leaders who have learned how to live and work with more clarity, stability, and intention. The focus is not performance on the outside, but structure on the inside.

We explore one core idea. The most important work you will ever do is not designing your brand, business, or product. It is designing yourself. Your inner world. Your ability to regulate, realign, and return to who you are under pressure.

This is called Inner Design because everything sustainable begins with inner architecture. When that foundation is steady, everything you build externally becomes more aligned and effective.

Each episode is designed to be useful. Not just insight, but application. You will leave with a practice, a question, or a shift in perspective that you can bring into real life and work.

Subscribe and follow the journey as we begin.