S2 Eps 8 From South Africa To New Zealand Citizenship

We celebrate the moment Louis becomes a New Zealand citizen and unpack what a new passport really changes in identity, freedom, and future plans. We also trace Bridget’s AI cohort journey and ask how we use fast-moving technology without losing the human connection that makes life and business worth building. 

• the eight-year pathway to New Zealand citizenship and why it feels surreal 
• why “Plan A only” builds resilience and follow-through 
• what the citizenship ceremony includes and what the passport unlocks 
• Bridget’s AI cohort experience and why marketers belong in AI 
• using AI tools to speed up work without getting lost in rabbit holes 
• avoiding the AI subscription creep and tracking free trials properly 
• real-world AI use cases in kiwifruit forecasting and manufacturing knowledge systems 
• building friendly AI interfaces that reduce search time and stress 
• staying “pure human” and protecting intuition, relationships, and community 
• rethinking school, tertiary education, and debt for the next generation 
• funding travel, stability, and decision-making in a shifting economy 

Leave comments, share it, and if it really does speak to you, please get hold of us and let us know what you think of the podcast. 

Transcript

Welcome And What We’re Building

SPEAKER_01 0:00

The Bolton Ink Effect.

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Hey there, I'm Louis. And I'm Bridget. Welcome to the Bolton Ink Effect Podcast, where we are navigating new horizons.

SPEAKER_01 0:10

Each week we're pulling back the curtain on what it really takes to build something remarkable, a business, a life, and a legacy.

SPEAKER_00 0:16

So join us as we share honest conversations about relationship, entrepreneurship, video production, and the art of building a life together in a new land.

SPEAKER_01 0:25

Because sometimes the biggest risks lead to the greatest rewards.

SPEAKER_00 0:30

How can we help?

SPEAKER_01 0:31

Can I ask you the question? Bolton Ink Effect.

SPEAKER_00 0:46

And as you can see, I have my gorgeous wife with me today. Bridge, welcome back to the studio.

SPEAKER_01 0:51

Thank you, Louie. It's nice to be back in here with you. It's been a while, hasn't it? It has, yeah. It's been a busy time. Yeah, it's been a very busy time. I can't remember the last time we chatted. Would be four episodes ago. Yeah, a lot's happened in between then and now.

SPEAKER_00 1:05

A lot's happened in between there and now.

The Long Road To Citizenship

SPEAKER_00 1:08

And the reason I started the podcast and said Giora is because I finally did it. We finally did it. We actually did it. I'm now officially a QE citizen. You are.

SPEAKER_01 1:26

You have your lovely black passport and you've worked hard to get there, Louie.

SPEAKER_00 1:30

2,832 days. Yeah. That's how long it took from the time that we landed in September 2018. That's right. Up until June 2026, where um I attended the citizen ceremony. You did. And how did you feel when you were there? It was quite surreal. I mean, to be fair, I mean, we're in New Zealand and things work pretty like clockwork. So there wasn't any like real pomp or ceremony, but it was still ceremonial and there was ritual to it, which I really appreciate. There were about 60 of us in um a little sort of theatre room uh at Bay Court here in Toronto, and uh the mayor, or now I have to say mayor, but it's it'll always be a mayor, uh welcomed us to Toronga and appreciated the fact that we have done the time to become New Zealand citizens and choosing New Zealand to be their home, to be our home. Um, and then there's an allegiance piece, and you are awarded with a citizens certificate. And after that, then you can apply for um your passport. Now, I'm not gonna lie, it's pretty surreal, to be fair, because I applied on the Monday and the following Wednesday it arrived. Um I was working the whole day, so you were very you were at home and you and you collected it for me and you told me that that that it was here. And when I arrived home, it was beautiful because you and Miss 15 had set up the kitchen with all things kiwi, um, just a few products and things that I really enjoy with the passport. And when I looked at it and I held it in my hands, I kind of left my body. I know that sounds a little bit like esoteric and woo woo, but it was I didn't it was so surreal that eight years of my life had passed, and sitting back on the farm in 2017 when we both decided to make the move, and then the culmination of all of that into the black passport. I'm very proud of myself.

SPEAKER_01 3:45

Yeah, I'm very proud of every step that you've taken on this journey. I mean, you've had difficult situations to deal with, difficult people to deal with. There have been a lot of times along the journey where you could have given up, and a lot of, and it's not maybe it's not about giving up, maybe it's just a lot of people make the decision that this is not for them and they go back to their original country, whether that's America or India or Europe or South Africa. And and and you didn't, for you, this was always plan A, you were gonna achieve it, um, and you've got there, and now you just actually have to settle into this new I guess it's a new identity because New Zealand is now your mother country.

SPEAKER_00 4:19

It's again, it's surreal to think that the land of my birth is South Africa, which is still very much in my heart, but the land of my choice that I am now calling home is New Zealand. Yeah. And you and Ms. 15 have been with me on that journey, and I want to publicly thank you for your love and support on that journey because there have been many ups, there have been many downs, and we did it. Yeah, we did do it. We did it, and you know, looking back, and if I reflect a little bit on it, I do realize that part of the success of it was the fact that we only had plan A. There wasn't plan B, C or D. And I've mentioned this before in previous podcasts. That I think was a real factor in the success of getting um a new passport in this country for me. And now you're right. The re-identification, yeah, exactly. The redesign of myself is quite exciting. Yeah, about what this actually opens up for me. And I mean, you know, we could speak about a lot of what a passport means to various people, but for our situation, it means a lot of freedom for me. Yes, definitely does. That now the world opens up suddenly with less bureaucracy because of the power of that passport.

SPEAKER_01 5:37

But not only that, you you you you now are a citizen of a country that is one of the safest in the world. Correct. You're a c a citizen of a country that is one of the freest in the world in terms of women having the vote, in terms of um uh freedom of speech, in terms of democracy, and and everything that belonging to a free country means. And things work. Uh uh even over and above the fact that and things work. Yeah, yeah. But you know, your child has access to education, you have access to education, you can go and see um uh the MP of the region, you can make an appointment to have your voice heard. You you really are now a citizen of a country whose cogs work, who politically is pretty sound.

SPEAKER_00 6:23

Yeah. I think another layer to that is the fact that when I say it opens up the world, is I used to look at or let me rephrase it. You often used to say, where should we go on holiday? And I've never really thought about it. I've kind of blocked it off because I knew that it would just be difficult because I was on the previous passport. So now when I look at at possibilities of going to Australia, to Europe, to America, to anything like that, I suddenly look at it and it's different now. That I can actually walk in there without a visa, I don't have to worry about that. And that's not an entitled thing at all. I've worked bloody hard to to get to where I've got to, and it was a choice that I made. Yeah, and I'll I'll I'll share one thing with you that I'll never forget. I remember when we left South Africa, we went to Oratambo and we were busy pushing the trolleys with our bags to the to the gate, and we had to get into an elevator, and there was a lady in there who pulled out a New Zealand passport, and this was eight years ago. And I remember looking at it going, yeah, well, I'm starting the journey. Like one day I'll have that, you know. And then eight years later, I've now have it in my hand. It's so surreal, man.

SPEAKER_01 7:37

And you know, you often talk about having only plan A, but another way of phrasing that is you were you were single-mindedly focused on a goal. And and you know, plan B could have been going back to South Africa, plan C could have been going back to Europe. So any of those plans could have come to fruition had the proverbial shit hit the fan and something hadn't worked out, or whatever the case is. But this was single-mindedly your goal.

SPEAKER_00 8:00

Yep, it was.

SPEAKER_01 8:01

And you and you pursued it with a passion and a purpose. Um, and yeah, and as you say, as you said earlier, it means uh different things to different people.

SPEAKER_02 8:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:12

And and and the fact of the matter is we're we're all one. We're I don't care which country you come from, the fact that you've just changed passports means that you've given yourself you yeah, you've just changed lanes, you've given yourself freedom, you've given yourself more options. But you know?

SPEAKER_00 8:28

But it's quite exciting now because it's quite exciting now because it does allow space to, as we as I mentioned earlier, is redefine myself and reinvent myself. Like what's next? Like this the next chapter. Yeah, it'll be interesting to see where that what I don't have an answer for that at the moment.

SPEAKER_01 8:45

And and you don't have to. It's important to have the next set of goals, obviously. Sure, and they're formulating.

SPEAKER_00 8:51

Correct.

Bridget Joins An AI Cohort

SPEAKER_00 8:52

Anyway, enough about me and my my my story to success, and there are many successes. Let's turn the tables. Um, we haven't spoken for a while, and there has been a lot that has happened in your life as well. Just for some context for the viewers out there and the and the listeners out there, you and I embarked on a journey to start something together and work on our business, Bolton Inc., um, with you know, with me filming and editing and you doing the marketing aspect, and we've been through quite an interesting journey on that road to figuring things out. Um that has culminated in the fact that we've realized that um well, there's a couple of things that you are now uh in a situation where you were approached to be part of an AI cohort um to study for four months and help. Well, tell us about that. Tell us about that because what's happened now is you've actually you're going to go and you're going into full-time employment. It's a cover leave. But just take us through the last couple of months in your life.

SPEAKER_01 9:59

So I um was so so there's a company called Scene Ventures, an amazing organization, and they do these cohorts um in collaboration with the New Zealand Institute of Technology and Toyo Ohoma, which is the um local university. And so um my name was put forward and I went through the interviews, and you've got to submit a whole lot of um um credentials to I guess to show that you you're up to committing to three or four month study. And yes, and it was all about um studying the AI as as a as a big subject. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 10:36

You know, I mean it's changed in the four months that you've done it.

SPEAKER_01 10:39

So just understanding some of the tech, uh some of the um the vocabulary, what some of the tech can do, how to use it, how to get the best results from it, how to streamline your own um uh thinking, because a messy mind is a w is a is a messy workspace, and and AI will reflect that. And in fact, you said that to me the other day.

SPEAKER_00 11:00

Yeah, we'll talk, we'll we'll we'll get onto that, but what I just want to take a step back. How come how did you land on that cohort? Because you are not a coder or a computer scientist or or or anything. You're you're you're a pure marketer.

SPEAKER_01 11:15

So AI doesn't need um coders because AI does the coding itself. Um and and so it's it's really, I guess, just having um the maturity, and so so essentially we we were being trained over a three-month period, we we were split into two separate groups within the within the study group, um, and one of us worked on one client uh which is a manufacturing business in New Zealand, and the other one worked on another client, which is in the Kiwi industry.

SPEAKER_00 11:42

So so so was that was that the was that the premise? Was that why they put together is actually to do like a case study and then actually work on an actual business so there was an actual outcome into that business?

SPEAKER_01 11:55

Yes, 100%. So at the end of the course, a proposal has been taken to those two organizations to say, would you like to give any of the people in this co-hap?

SPEAKER_00 12:04

Okay as a solution.

SPEAKER_01 12:05

Or would you like to give them employment? Right, I'm with you. So it was it was a path to employment for some, and it was a path to just expanding knowledge for others. How did you find it? What were your biggest takeaways? I I I absolutely loved it. And and the thing is, being part of this group was incredibly humbling. I mean, there are people from all walks of life.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 12:25

Um, and it's a level of honesty and acceptance and vulnerability that I've I've I haven't experienced here in New Zealand.

SPEAKER_02 12:33

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 12:33

Um a really, really amazing group of people, and I miss seeing them. I really miss them. Um they they have affected me in in ways that I probably couldn't even explain. Um, but we all put our best foot, most of us put our best foot forward. We we came through the course learning a whole lot more than when we went in, understanding the tools. Um, and some of us are clearly adept at one part of it more than uh more than others. Um and so, although I understand the technology, it's the coding part that I that I rely very heavily on AI to help me with. So if I'm developing an app or something, I I need chat or Claude to do the code for me. So it's literally a cut and paste, put that into whatever the app space is that I'm working in and to try and work things out that way. So it's still a like like my feeling is it's still a little bit um um like a cobbled together solution. It's nebulous. Well, I think it's a good thing. No, no, no, no, I don't I don't mean nebulous.

SPEAKER_00 13:32

There's no clear bridge between any of the parts.

SPEAKER_01 13:36

Yes, and and it's and it's that it's it's it's very bitty, and it's and it's a bridge um but between you know developing the app and how the that app actually actually works

Tools, Prompts, And Subscription Traps

SPEAKER_01 13:46

for you. I think the other thing um to take into account is that every single day new versions and new apps and new um processes and new ways to do it are are being developed and being released, and it's it's really exhausting trying to keep up with it all. Well, you can't. So so stay with the technology that you know. For example, if you use Chat GPT, stay that and explore all the realms around that. If you're with Claude, stay there and explore all the realms around Claude. Um but the other thing that that that I encounters is you can spend an absolute fortune. You really could, because you know, a a Canva um subscription costs you X X amount per per year or per month, as does Chat GPT, as does Claude, as does make.com, as do any of the others that you're using, they all require subscriptions. So suddenly you're spending 200 bucks a month just experiencing and playing, and then suddenly you've got to pull that back and go, hang on, I'm just like a single user. Um and so and so fortunately, while I was learning, I made a list of every single um subscription, because a lot of them have like a month free or seven days free or whatever. So I made a list of all of those subscriptions and put a little thing in my calendar to say cancel this, cancel that. That's a great, great piece of advice. The only one I forgot about was Canva, and and now that my situation's changed somewhat, um, I won't be needing, you know, a full pro Canva anymore. But anyway, that's that's just that's just as it didn't.

SPEAKER_00 15:11

Just two questions, just going stepping back.

Real AI Projects For Real Businesses

SPEAKER_00 15:14

What was the final outcome when you presented to these two businesses? Were they open to the idea? Did they walk the journey with you? And were they uh were they accepting of what you had come up with as two cohorts offering an AI solution within their business?

SPEAKER_01 15:29

So so so the two situations were very different. Kiwi industry, it was about bud count, trying to predict what a future um uh crop would look like, because there's quite a lot of money that gets spent. And if you're if you're not in the kiwi industry, you don't realize it. They've got to pay for crates, for staff, for refrigeration, for trucking, and all those sorts of things. And those things are done on um predicting what's gonna come. So trying to find a reliable model to predict what's happening with the fruit. Um, and right now it's a manual count. So, you know, you walk underneath and you click for all the buds that you see. Um, and then and then in the industry that I worked in, which is um uh the the salt industry, um, it's it's about having all of this knowledge which is, and it's quite typical of manufacturing industries or businesses in the manufacturing space. Knowledge is in so many different places. It's in an email, it's on your desktop, it's on an F-drive, it's on a it's on a server that sits somewhere, and so it's bringing all of that together and finding a way to overlay that and give and give everybody in the team access to that knowledge, um, as well as ring fencing that knowledge so that the um so that the AI has no option to hallucinate and and to go off. So, and so those were sort of the solutions that that we looked at. But you know, this this organization uh in some instances doesn't even have a technology portal, so there's no iPad, there's no computer in a particular space. So it's all very much paper-driven. So so and and they're very keen to take it away from that and bring all of their workers, admittedly an aging workforce, into a new way of doing things where things are a lot easier for everybody. So, you know, there's training and and um standard operating procedures uh and and and so many things go into that sort of a an industry.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

Bridge, what's your take after you know the four or five months that you've been part of this? Where do you see it going and what was what what what's your what's your your feeling on the on on the whole process, having actually been part of it now?

SPEAKER_01 17:36

On the process of AI in general.

SPEAKER_00 17:38

Yeah, and and and taking it into a business which you're offering a resolution to the business. The business has to decide and figure out a whole bunch of stuff, you know, whether it's yes or no. Is it inevitable that they will have to go on something and or are people going to be left behind? What is what's your biggest kind of takeaway or gut feel about where where this is all going and how you have managed to? There's lots of questions there. I know, okay. So let me let me start with the one. So, what's your gut feel about where this is all going to go in terms of your experience having gone through learning and then uh presenting to a fairly big client?

SPEAKER_01 18:15

So where the technology, AI technology is going or where the technology foresee. The reception the the the reception, how how was that

Efficiency Gains Without Losing Ourselves

SPEAKER_01 18:22

received? They were very open to it. And I think that most organizations realize now that there is a a quicker, um, cheaper way of using resources. Because every time you search for a document, it's th those minutes add up. And so over a week, um you you're almost spending 25% of your weekend searching for stuff.

SPEAKER_00 18:44

So you're giving them back time. So there's a steep learning curve, but then it'll level off and then it'll increase efficiencies, which is the point.

SPEAKER_01 18:51

But with the AI solution that we created, it's actually not such a steep learning curve. So it's a really f friendly interface that uses human language. And it's really, where do I find this um standard operating procedure? And then the technology goes away, and there's lots of things that happen in the in the back end that the front user doesn't even know about. And that's the magic of of AI, I guess, is creating this really friendly user interface where all of the stuff is working in the back, and it's working in the back within a matter of seconds.

SPEAKER_00 19:26

Yeah, you know, it's been a fascinating because I've kind of been on the sidelines on the journey with you. I've watched you do what you what you've done, and I've kind of gone down a few rabbit holes myself, and it can go down rabbit holes, you actually have to pull yourself back. You do. And the one thing that I've realized is that we must not forget, I must not forget my humanity. And what I mean by that is that you can get sucked into all these different, as you say, subscriptions and models and prompts and everything like that, and build things. And I've had to take a step back and say, what do I actually want to create? What do I actually want it to do for me? When I say it, I use that term loosely. How can I use it effectively in my work? Because essentially, what I want is augmented intelligence to work for me so that I can spend more time with you, with Juno, with Miss 15, and actually do the things that I want to do.

SPEAKER_01 20:19

Well, exactly. And I think that AI is a tool that will give you that. So so developing your vegetable garden at home, because you know this this um this issue with in in this war between the US and Iran taught us one thing that we are so reliant on the industries around us, whether that's fuel, diesel, uh, and and how that has an impact on what you're buying, the f the cost of things go up, your vegetables go up. And so if if you can automate your content, for example, so that you know you're posting on your social platforms and and that content is being written in your tone, um, you can then go and spend some time working with um uh somebody who understands how to get the best out of compost. And and and we really should finish our compost heap so that we've got compost, so that we can, you know, the time has come now, and unfortunately it's passed, and neither of us have spent time in our garden, but we've got lovely veggie boxes. And so and so two or three hours a day doing that while the business is automated and doing what it should do, that's that's I guess part of the magic of what AI is offering all of us.

SPEAKER_00 21:25

Yeah, yeah. I don't think we truly fully understand how different our lives are going to be in the next couple of years. And I mean there's lots of.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

You can't, because you you need to experience something in order to know it and to and to understand it.

SPEAKER_00 21:38

Yeah, but this communication, this in real life human connection is is uh an aspect that I don't want to forget

Podcasts, Curiosity, And Big Questions

SPEAKER_00 21:45

about.

SPEAKER_01 21:45

I tell you what, Louie, the the the one thing that um you know, we we had we had the fortune of getting um um a voucher to go and spend on technology because of um the iPad that we bought that was then false. And so Kenzie and I then went and got some Apple um AirPods. And I tell you what, it's absolutely changed my life because I don't have the cables anymore. I don't have to have my phone in my pocket. But sorry, where I'm going with that is that I have listened to so many podcasts about so many things. And for me, podcasts are there to teach people, to connect people, to bring people into a community. And it's just, it's such a powerful platform. Can you share any ones that have stood out? Anything. Oh, I've gone on. You know me, I've gone on all sorts of things. So the deep, the deeper I go into technology and AI, the more I the more I focus on my own humanity. And so I've been I've been looking at things like studying like how legitimate is the Bible. Is it a fable? And interestingly, and and and also I've been challenging some of my own. I love I love this eyes.

SPEAKER_00 22:53

You're you you are sp you are blossoming. You you you your eyes have sparked up. There's a there's a there's an energy that runs through you when you talk about this. I love it. Thank you. Please carry on. Sorry, I just I didn't want to stop you there. I just have to acknowledge that. It's beautiful to see.

SPEAKER_01 23:07

Um so I've so I've looked at some of the beliefs that Elf uh that I've had around religion and God, uh and I've I guess I've touched on some of this before and the Bible. And so I've started to do some deep diving and to do some investigative um question ans uh question and answer seeking for myself. Um and and I'm just coming up with with really some fascinating and really interesting things. And so care to share well, like one or two of them? Well, so you asked me who I follow. So I've I've been looking a lot at Greg Braden.

SPEAKER_00 23:37

Greg Braden.

SPEAKER_01 23:38

Um who uh I find really interesting and most almost everything he says is backed up by science, research, and study. So he's a scientist. He is um he's got two degrees. One is a as a geologist, but he he's also um was very heavily involved in the tech industry years back in the 80s and early 90s. Um and and you'll find a lot of these these folks who um asking much deeper, bigger questions. Yeah, but but they all have this incredible scientific background to them. So there's something.

SPEAKER_00 24:12

Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 24:12

And and so and so this morning I woke up with with a very clear intention that in order for my brain to grasp things, I kind of work in mind maps, so I need to put it all on a big board and you know, and and to try and puzzle it out. And so scientists have got us to the point where we mostly understand the Big Bang. Um but you know, you you you follow somebody like Brian Cox, and he was saying, but what's the what's what was yesterday before the Big Bang? Like what was there? What happened before that? And that's such a big question.

SPEAKER_00 24:44

It's a massive question.

SPEAKER_01 24:46

So so there was the Big Bang and and and uh and then this massive explosion, and then humanity came uh uh what some 200 or 300,000 years ago, and and then you read Homo sapiens, or what's it sapiens by um uh uh Uval.

SPEAKER_00 25:05

Yes, Hurry.

SPEAKER_01 25:06

Uh that's right. And and and look at the different kinds of sapiens that existed on the planet, and then you overlay that with religion and belief and and uh religious texts. And so many texts have been found subsequent to to when the when the Bible what we were taught at school. Well, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 25:24

Because the access to information is now there.

SPEAKER_01 25:26

Exactly. You know, and you've got these Dead Sea Scrolls which which which have been found. Um and and you know, there is imagery of of scientists trying to put that together.

SPEAKER_00 25:36

But where does what does it mean for you? Where's this leading you?

SPEAKER_01 25:40

So what I think comes out of it is is what incredible um technology we are as humans. And that um where we come from is not as simple as what we think. And that we're part of a much bigger consciousness, and maybe the advent of AI is helping us to explore some of some of that because we now have this intelligence that thinks and grasps concepts much quicker than we do, which comes from humans, and has all of the access to all of the written words everywhere. And if you, you know, you don't have to take one one view of something. If you access, if you get some information, you can verify it in so many different ways. So you don't have to blindly follow what what chat or or Claude tells you if you think, ah, you know, that doesn't quite sound true. And if I'm gonna take this on as a belief, I need to know where that started or where the where those facts came from. It's fascinating. Um can I can I just say one more thing? The other thing that I'm that I'm really excited about right now, and what listening to a lot of this and having having AI do some of the work for me means that I can go on some of my soul exploration. And so that's I guess why I suddenly have so much more time, because I've you I've learned to use AI as the tool, which gives me the time to go and do other things, is and and one of the other things I love that. Yeah. That's and that's and that's I guess the the space and the freedom that it gives us. But when I talk about what an amazing technology we are, um, you know, I remember my mom telling me years ago about the Heart Math Institute. And and and it and it flomics is me that they are not just more well known, that people aren't talking about them at schools. Because they talk about the the heart being the soul and the brain and the well, one of the brains of the body. And and the heart actually emits this incredible electromagnetic field, and it it has a it has a name. I can't remember what the name is because I've got so many facts in my head that they're bumping each other around. Um, but so we so we have this heart center around us. So often we talk about, you know, when you walk into a space, you get a funny feeling, or when somebody close to you, you you get a funny feeling, and um sometimes somebody comes near you and you're a bit like, oh, I don't like that, or somebody comes near you and you're like, oh, I just love this person's energy. So we carry this thing with us, yeah. But that thing is also created by our thoughts and our vibrations. And so if you walk into the world with um a certain energy or vibration, I'm grateful, I have abundant love and abundant joy, I have abundant health, um, abundant sunshine, and you carry that with with you, and I'm not saying that I do that, I'm saying that this is what I'm studying, this is what I'm thinking, this is what I'm I'm trying to embrace.

SPEAKER_02 28:38

Right.

SPEAKER_01 28:39

Um, and you carry that with you. It's just it's it's amazing the things that will happen to you.

SPEAKER_00 28:45

You know, I do think that the access to the information that we've got um is exponential, that there's so much information out there, and it's about distilling the information that is relevant to us where we are on our various soul journeys. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 29:01

So And to that point, that's how the Bible was written, in fact. Because and and all the other all the other religious texts from all the other religions, they were written for a perspective because everybody is on a different part of their journey.

SPEAKER_00 29:19

And it's tied back to kind of like one universal Yes, b back to one universal concept. Truth or exact concept of like treat others as you would want to be treated. Love thy neighbour.

SPEAKER_01 29:30

Yeah, and and that, and that we are the expression of of of this almighty God. Of whatever that looks like for you.

SPEAKER_00 29:36

Yeah. Yeah. You know, it begs the question for me where I love the, I've always said this, I love the the art, the long form art of podcasting, of writing, of just the long-form art of documentary. And so valuable. But what I'm realizing is that not everybody as we move forward has a time to listen to an hour podcast. They might. And you know, but my point being is like what we are doing and what folks are doing with long long-form podcasts, documentaries, and and and written is that that then exists, and then AI is able to go and aggregate exactly the pieces of it if you have a shorter attention span. And I'll give you a perfect example is no one is going to listen to this podcast. Well, I hope you do, but this podcast and then it's in its entirety. But once it's out there, AI can go into it and say, give me the two points or three points that Bridge said about her journey on AI. Yeah. And the rest will be out there. So it's still important what we're doing. But just going back to what you're saying about the heart space and the heart math space and the energetic field, I feel very strongly about humans buy from humans, and humans, the connection is an important part. Because that is where AI will not be able to discern what you're talking about, an attraction or a rep or a repel. To the point of when you walk into a room and you're like, this person has got a good energy. It's a gut feel, it's something that you cannot verbally express because it's innate in the body. And I think that's a very real thing that's going to differentiate how we navigate the road forward between where we are going with the changing. And I think it's really does that make sense.

SPEAKER_01 31:33

And I think it's really important that we remember that to try and stay pure human. So don't augment ourselves too much.

SPEAKER_00 31:40

So, how do you what do you say about because a lot of people are saying now technology and humans are going to merge.

SPEAKER_01 31:45

I mean, there's brain and but maybe keep yourself as a pure human. Because that seems the safest way forward. You've been given this incredible technology, a brain that we still don't fully understand, a heart brain um connection. No, I'd at this point in my life I wouldn't. I want to stay in the house. You would stay sovereign. I want to stay pure human.

SPEAKER_00 32:07

Yeah, yeah. And I think And you might be slower. You might be slower at doing things because the interface will be slightly because you'll still have to talk to an AI versus.

SPEAKER_01 32:16

Yeah, but I've got the AI in my ears, and I've got the AI in my glasses.

SPEAKER_00 32:19

My point being is if you have a chip in your head, it's a speed of thought. We're here, there's still a verbal saying, I would like to do X, I want this information.

SPEAKER_02 32:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:27

So, and I agree with you. I mean, I think the sovereign aspect is something that we need to be very conscious of and aware of in terms of staying that pure human and using it as a guide and an aid. Because it's a perfect technology.

SPEAKER_01 32:41

I mean, your your body does things, our bodies are doing things right now that we don't even realize.

SPEAKER_00 32:47

No, absolutely. And I think we're understanding it more and more and more.

SPEAKER_01 32:50

Exactly. Um, I'm aware that Juno's here, I'm aware of your presence there, I can see you, I can hear you, you know. My I'm regulating temperature, my gut is doing something.

SPEAKER_00 32:59

How does it work for you when it comes to Ms.

School, Unschooling, And Kids Ahead Of Us

SPEAKER_00 33:03

15, knowing that the systems are changing? How do we have the conversation with her in terms of the traditional method of going to school, going to university? We've made we've touched on it briefly, but has your have your thoughts changed on that? As a mom? As a mother?

SPEAKER_01 33:22

I think still very much what I would love to do is I would love to be able to pull Kenzie out of school, unschool her, and let her study and learn the way she wants to, because she's very driven. Um, I mean, a case in point is she has a massive injury at the moment and she refuses to stay home because she has an English essay that she wants to do really well at. So we're taking her to school just now. Um sorry, in a short while. Um but I I get you I get your point. So so the conversation around Kenzie is that um I I I and once again I don't intend this to sound esoteric, but I think that children who are born now need to be treated with a lot of care and dignity. And I think that they have an intelligence, an intuition, and a capability far beyond what our generation of people can understand. And and I've seen that with so many kids. And spending time with children is such a wonderful, encouraging way to see the hope, the possibility, and the potential. I don't necessarily think at this point in time that Kenzie going to study because she feels she has to and because it's the right thing to do is the path for her. But that choice I will leave open to her. I won't stop her and and but I just don't know that it's worth getting thousands of dollars in debt, tens of thousands of dollars in debt.

SPEAKER_00 34:48

It's not an option. Do something. That system is flawed now. Because it's because the but not for everybody, Louie. But the thing is, the nature of the the very nature of the system about going to train to do something, by the time you leave is outdated. The speed at which things are happening is exponential.

SPEAKER_01 35:04

But I think there's still a space for doctors to be together or microbiologists to be together, scientists.

SPEAKER_00 35:09

But you talk about a different thing when you talk about the human element of actually connecting to the documents. That's exactly what I was where I was going with that. So the nature of why you're going to a place or tertiary education is to connect to humans and and figure out how other humans work. That I think is going to be is an unexplored part of this whole puzzle.

SPEAKER_01 35:27

Yeah. Well, I I I think it's explored and I think it's valued. I think that I think that we understand that people need to be with people, especially in this era of of massive loneliness.

SPEAKER_00 35:37

Yeah, which is another whole element and aspect that we haven't even discussed. The isolation of the human being. Yeah. But that's for another discussion.

SPEAKER_01 35:46

Yeah, so so so so back to our daughter. I I I would just love to pull her out of a school system that I believe is outdated. Well, we're on the same page there.

SPEAKER_00 35:56

And I don't think it necessary. I have a passport. I think we need to go and actually just go and travel something. So if anybody out there needs a fun and fresh, funky family to go and look after their yacht in the Caribbean, I'll put my hand up. Or whatever that looks like. I I'm I mean I'm not being facetious about that. But yeah, it's something that's really worth considering.

SPEAKER_01 36:14

But I wonder how other families are are looking at it. Because ultimately you still have to fund the airfare. You can get into the country, you can stay, you can register with a company, you know, trusted pet sitters or house sitters or whatever there are unlimited, but you've still got to come up with uh 6,000 New Zealand dollars to get to Europe.

SPEAKER_00 36:33

And then fund yourself and pay.

SPEAKER_01 36:34

Yeah, it's a very pay for the food on your table. So that's the part of the that's the part of the puzzle I haven't quite resolved

Money Fears, New Work, And Closing

SPEAKER_01 36:41

yet.

SPEAKER_00 36:41

And it's a part of the puzzle that freaks me out in terms of the fact that we're going to be living much longer, is how do we fund that? Well, ex exactly.

SPEAKER_01 36:48

That's and that's a very real thing. Yeah. Yeah. How do we fund that? Because this the the financial system, I suspect, is is is also starting to look very different.

SPEAKER_00 36:58

It definitely is. And the whole the whole way things are doing, and that's where we're in this flux point at the moment. We're always in flux, there's always something. But now it's a very real Yes, it's very sharp.

SPEAKER_01 37:08

Like do you buy fundamental? Do you buy some sort of cryptocurrency? But the cryptocurrency, you know, Bitcoin's failing and it has nothing to back it.

SPEAKER_00 37:15

Well, the experts don't even know what to say.

SPEAKER_01 37:17

Well, exactly. Do you do you buy shares? You know, we and then when you look at it.

SPEAKER_00 37:20

Do you buy a house? Do you invest in property?

SPEAKER_01 37:22

Exactly. Like like where where do you get your financial stability right now?

SPEAKER_00 37:26

So two ticks to you, back yourself, I'll back myself, and we'll walk this journey together. Let's just try and land this plane and finish this off because we've got other things that we need to attend to this morning. Bridge, it sounds like you've been on a well, I know you've been on a wonderful journey. What can we look forward to in the next couple of months? Where are you going? Where are you heading? Any highlights? Anything that you'd like to share?

SPEAKER_01 37:48

I'm really excited. I'm um stepping into a role for the next 12 months, which will give us the little um, well, the the much needed, I think, financial stability that uh the current economic environment has um has has made quite challenging. Um, and so I'm going to lead the brand for a um a New Zealand business, which I'm very excited about. So that's a that's a 12-month journey. I um will endeavor to continue to explore my humanity.

SPEAKER_00 38:22

I love that.

SPEAKER_01 38:23

And um yeah, I'm now married to a Kiwi, so I have to I have to learn to cook um fosh and chops.

SPEAKER_00 38:29

Fosh and chops. Yeah, properly.

SPEAKER_02 38:31

I have to have fosh and chips.

SPEAKER_00 38:32

Well, look, I really appreciate you being the podcast. Let's do this again soon because um I always love these conversations because we go down rabbit holes and we find these little parts of ourselves which we don't necessarily get the time sometimes during the day to actually explore. So all the best for your for your new venture and um to reinventing myself along the journey. Thanks for being here and I love you very much. Love you too. And remember, I've got a surprise for you today. Cheers, folks. Thank you. Leave comments, share it, and if it really does speak to you, please get hold of us and let us know what you think of the podcast. Much, much love.

SPEAKER_01 39:13

Can I ask you a question? Bolton Inc. That's a wrap for today on the Bolton Inc. Effect podcast. The world doesn't need more noise. It needs bold voices and real stories, people who are willing to show up. So if something here sparked an idea, made you rethink the rules, or reminded you that you're not alone on this journey, don't keep it to yourself. Share it, talk about it, believe it, take action. Because at the end of the day, it's not about waiting for permission, it's about showing up, doing the work, and making something that matters. So thanks for being here. Now go build and create. Keep pushing forward, and we'll see you next time.