In this episode of 'More Than Work,' Rabiah sits down with Dave Birss, founder of the Gen AI Academy and LinkedIn Learning instructor specializing in AI and prompting. Dave shares his fascinating journey from musician and recording engineer to BBC comedy performer, then through a 20-year advertising career before becoming one of the leading voices in AI education. They discuss his unique approach to teaching AI that prioritizes human thinking over technology, the ethical concerns around AI including environmental impact and copyright issues, and his vision for the future of humanity in an AI-driven world. Dave also opens up about his philosophy of leadership, his concerns about workplace engagement, and why he believes companies need to put humans before shareholder profits.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to More Than Work

00:34 Meet Dave Birss: AI Educator and Former Creative Director

00:57 Dave's Background: From Scotland to London

02:07 Edinburgh Fringe and Early Performance Days

03:19 The Unexpected Comedy Career

06:11 From Music to Advertising

10:43 Philosophy of Servant Leadership

17:24 Leaving Advertising to Start Teaching

19:41 The Power of Sharing Knowledge

25:07 Introduction to AI and ChatGPT

30:42 Creating the Most Popular AI Course on LinkedIn Learning

31:27 Founding the Gen AI Academy

34:34 Ethics of AI: Copyright, Environment, and Humanity

42:18 Energy Consumption: Putting AI in Context

45:02 The Future of Humanity and Brain Atrophy

50:00 Mind Gyms: The Next Fitness Revolution

51:41 Teaching Management Skills for the AI Age

56:10 Rethinking Capitalism and Corporate Structure

62:08 Advice and Mantra: Leave the World Better

62:48 The Fun Five Questions

70:40 How to Find Dave and Closing Thoughts

Note from Rabiah (host):

I first wrote to Dave as a fan of his LinkedIn Learning courses. I was hesitant about using AI for some of the exact reasons Dave talks about in our chat but he made me want to push myself. Plus he was very entertaining which is unusual for skills courses! He wrote back and we ended up having one of my favorite chats. I was slow to edit and publish but am excited to finally share this episode with you, the listener. Thank you for being here and giving me your time! Enjoy.

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Find Dave

Website: davebirss.com

Gen AI Academy: thegenaiacademy.com

LinkedIn Learning Courses: linkedin.com/learning/instructors/dave-birss

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More than Work Social Media: @morethanworkpod (Facebook, Instagram) and @rabiahcomedy (TikTok)

Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email morethanworkpod(at)gmail.com!

In this episode of 'More Than Work,' Rabiah sits down with Freddie Titcombe, co-founder of Evolve Journey. Freddie shares how he and his brother turned their personal journaling practice into a bestselling all-in-one journal and a thriving community focused on reflection, action, and accountability. He discusses the challenges of building discipline, the importance of balancing the four pillars of happiness, and how Evolve Journey helps people move from feeling stuck to making real progress. The conversation covers Freddie’s career journey from tech sales to care work to entrepreneurship, the power of community, and practical strategies for building better habits. Plus, Freddie shares his favorite productivity tool, the story behind his “Eat the Frog” method, and answers the Fun Five questions.

00:00 Introduction to More Than Work

00:26 Meet Freddie Titcombe & Evolve Journey

01:08 Freddie’s background and the start of Evolve Journey

03:10 Journaling, reflection, and building a business with his brother

05:07 Why blank-page journaling didn’t work—and creating a better system

08:07 Developing the all-in-one journal and its unique features

10:14 How the journal blends gratitude, habit tracking, and productivity tools

12:00 Advice for people who struggle with daily journaling

14:16 Launching the Accountability Academy and building community

17:00 Coworking, office hours, and the power of accountability

20:00 Consistency, discipline, and the value of partnership

23:00 Balancing health, wealth, relationships, and freedom—the four pillars of happiness

27:00 The “Eat the Frog” productivity method explained

29:00 Building confidence and overcoming self-doubt

32:00 Freddie’s career journey: from tech sales to care work to startups

36:00 Sam’s background and their complementary skills

39:00 The importance of service, helping others, and finding balance

43:00 Fun Five Questions

48:00 Freddie’s inspirations and how to connect with Evolve Journey

50:31 Closing thoughts and credits

Note from Host:

This episode took me way too long to get from recording day to publish day.i Ihad to deprioritize or maybe just reprioritize the podcast for a little while. The next one will be out soon too and was recorded during the same week.

I loved chatting with Freddie. We had fun and he shared a lot of wisdom along the way. Personally, I’ve started going through the journal he and his brother sell and think that journaling, in some form everyday, is the way to go. It is a form of mindfulness and can really compliment another practice. Check out Evolve Journey after you listen.

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Find Freddie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evolve.journey

Website: https://www.evolvejourney.co.uk/

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More than Work Social Media: @morethanworkpod (Facebook, Instagram) and @rabiahcomedy (TikTok)

Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email morethanworkpod(at)gmail.com!

In this episode, Rabiah talks with Ravi Holy—a vicar, comedian, and leader of a therapeutic program for adult survivors of child abuse. Ravi shares his remarkable journey from punk theater and addiction to recovery, faith, and finding his calling in the Church of England. He discusses the intersection of comedy, ministry, and therapy, the challenges of serving a community, and the importance of honesty and resilience. Plus, Ravi answers the Fun Five and shares how you can connect with him.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:34 Meet Ravi Holy: Vicar, Comedian, and Program Leader

01:22 Ravi’s Background: From Cambridge to London

02:10 Punk Theater, Addiction, and Recovery

04:14 Finding Faith and the Path to Sobriety

06:04 Experiences with Religion: From Cult to Church of England

09:45 Becoming a Vicar and Discovering a Calling

13:30 The Realities and Surprises of Vicar Life

15:00 Comedy and Ministry: How Standup Informs Preaching

18:00 Getting Started in Comedy and Early Gigs

21:00 Running Heal for Life: Supporting Survivors of Child Abuse

25:00 Integrating Comedy, Ministry, and Therapy

27:00 Burnout, Resilience, and Staying Sane as a Clergy Member

29:00 Advice and Mantras: Honesty and Growth

30:00 Fun Five Questions

33:00 Where to Find Ravi and Closing Thoughts

Note from Host:

Since they are people, a lot of comics are more than just comics. With Ravi Holy, that was obvious when I met him. He was dressed in clericals. I was intrigued that a vicar was performing comedy and loved his set. Since then we have gigged together and have had the chance to chat and now I’m sharing one of those chats with you.

I know episodes have been sparse. I love sharing my conversations and will keep going until I don’t love it anymore. And I’ll try to share more regularly. Thank you for reading and thank you for listening. It is a privilege to have any ears or eyes on the podcast and I appreciate your time. If it is your first time here, check out more. There are over 100 cool people to listen to and find inspiration from!

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Find Ravi

Instagram: @revraviholy

Facebook: Ravi Holy

Learn more about Heal for Life: [Google "Heal for Life UK"]

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More than Work Social Media: @morethanworkpod (Facebook, Instagram) and @rabiahcomedy (TikTok)

Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email morethanworkpod(at)gmail.com!