Between Data & Risk

What if the next revolution doesn’t start with a protest—but with a beat?

In this powerful episode of Between Data & Risk, hosts Marian Siwiak and Artur Guja sit down with Ariana Alexander-Sefre, founder of SPOKE, to explore how music, culture, and authenticity can radically reshape mental health care.

Ariana shares her journey from the wellness industry to launching SPOKE, a platform that fuses music with psychology to support mental well-being—particularly for young men often sidelined by traditional therapy. Together, we dive deep into the role of cultural relevance, social prescribing, and authenticity in business, while unpacking the deeper question: Can change come from inside the system?

🔑 What you’ll learn:

- Why music can be more effective than words in mental health support

- How SPOKE uses sound to make therapy more accessible and relatable

- The dangers of commodifying rebellion—and how to resist it

- What balancing profit and purpose really looks like in a social enterprise

- How company culture shapes impact from the inside out

- Why we need to rethink how we define “help” in the age of algorithms

- Whether you're a founder, creator, or someone navigating the edges of change—this conversation will challenge how you see art, business, and care.

Relevant links:

Ariana Aleksander-Sefre's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arianasefre/

SPOKE: https://spoke.world/

🎙 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe if this resonates with you.

#MentalHealth #MusicTherapy #StartupLife #CulturalRevolution #AuthenticLeadership #SocialEnterprise #SpokeWorld #ArianaAlexanderSefre #Founders #MentalHealthAwareness #BetweenDataAndRisk #RevolutionWithRhythm

In this Between Data and Risk episode, Dr. Marian Siwiak and Artur Guja engage with Mark Bjornsgaard of Deep Green to explore innovative solutions for utilizing waste heat from data centers. The conversation delves into the potential for community benefits, the evolving landscape of data center clients, and the intersection of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors with cost efficiency. Mark shares insights from his entrepreneurial journey, the importance of local solutions in energy transition, and reflections on capitalism and social responsibility.

Takeaways

- 90% of the heat from data centers can be captured for use.

- Data centers can provide free heat to local communities.

- The prawn industry is a significant contributor to carbon emissions.

- Local solutions are essential for sustainable energy practices.

- The journey of entrepreneurship often involves waiting for the right moment.

- Cost efficiency is crucial for the adoption of green technologies.

- Brexit has complicated the tech market in the UK.

- Community engagement is vital for successful energy projects.

- The importance of social responsibility in business practices.

- Innovative energy storage solutions can transform the market.

In this conversation, Dr. Marian Siwiak and Artur Guja discuss the challenges and opportunities of implementing AI in the finance sector with Neil Lathia from Gradient Labs. They explore the complexities of building AI solutions in regulated environments, the importance of understanding customer vulnerability, and the role of empathy in AI interactions. The discussion also touches on the evolving nature of AI development teams and the implications of AI on employment and business operations.

Takeaways

- AI is still relatively new in many financial environments.

- Building confidence with stakeholders is crucial for AI adoption.

- Understanding customer vulnerability is essential for effective AI support.

- Empathy in AI involves understanding before providing solutions.

- The future of AI may involve less operational overhead and more efficiency.

- AI's impact on employment is significant, especially in customer-facing roles.

- AI can mimic empathy but lacks true emotional understanding.

- The roles within AI development teams are evolving and collapsing together.

- There is a reluctance to adopt AI due to fear of potential failures.

- AI's ability to navigate complex customer interactions is still limited.

Relevant links:

Gradient labs: https://gradient-labs.ai/

Neal's Github page: https://nlathia.github.io/

Neal's Medium page: https://neal-lathia.medium.com/

What happens when government policy meets the business reality?

In this episode of Between Data and Risk, we speak with James Robson, CEO and co-founder of FundOnion, about the intersection of regulation, capital access, and the hiring challenges facing UK SMEs today.

James shares what he’s learned from two recent roundtables with the UK Department for Business and Trade, and breaks down the data from FundOnion’s 2024 SME Survey—including why 86% of respondents believe the Employment Rights Bill gets the balance wrong between protecting workers and enabling businesses to grow.

We discuss the unintended consequences of well-meaning regulation, the invisible line between slowing growth and shutting down entirely, and what founders actually need in order to scale responsibly.

James also explains how SMEs can build resilience by aligning three critical levers: funding, technology, and the right people.

This podcast is also available on www.bdr.show and your favourite podcast platforms.

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In this installment of "Between Data and Risk", Artur and Marian discuss maritime freight, supply chains and more. Their guest is Alexandros Joseph - Private Equity SCM/Business Consultant.

This podcast is also available on https://bdr.show and your favorite podcast platforms.
Subscribe today to make sure you don't miss any future episodes!
If you’d like to contact us with comments, suggestions, or complaints, email us at podcast@cognition.llc

Enjoy!

In this installment of "Between Data and Risk", Artur and Marian discuss the practicalities, opportunities, and risks of utilizing Generative AI in the business environment. The canvas for their discussion is their newest book: "Generative AI for Data Analytics", now in Manning Early Access Program -

https://www.manning.com/books/generative-ai-for-data-analytics

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If you’d like to contact us with comments, suggestions, or complaints, email us at podcast@cognition.llc

Enjoy!

In this installment of "Between Data and Risk", Artur and Marian discuss cybersecurity and cyber resilience. Their guest is Amit Basu, VP, CIO and CISO for International Seaways, Inc.

This podcast is also available on https://bdr.show and your favorite podcast platforms.

Subscribe today to make sure you don't miss any future episodes!

If you’d like to contact us with comments, suggestions, or complaints, email us at podcast@cognition.llc

Enjoy!

In this episode of "Between Data and Risk", Artur and Marian discuss the intricacies of using data in the financial industry context. Their guest is Andrew Badstubner, CIO for First Community Mortgage.

This podcast is also available on https://bdr.show and your favorite podcast platforms.

Subscribe today to make sure you don't miss any future episodes!

If you’d like to contact us with comments, suggestions, or complaints, email us at podcast@cognition.llc

Enjoy!