Whistle to Work Podcast
“Whistle to Work” delves into the journey of transitioning from corporate life to entrepreneurship in a portfolio career. Mike and Zed share personal anecdotes, professional insights, and strategies for thriving in new communities while effectively managing career shifts. The podcast provides a welcoming and supportive space for learning and personal growth.
Portfolio careers cannot rely on your past role and ‘brand’ alone. In this series we’ll focus on how you’ve got to “show up properly”. That means, purposefully, organised, prepared, knowledgeable, and a myriad of other things that we will talk about during this series. It's serious stuff but not dull.
The primary objective of “Whistle to Work” is to assist individuals in navigating portfolio career opportunities. The podcast aims to share real-time narratives on managing portfolio careers, impart productivity, personal branding, and targeted learning principles, and foster a community of engaged listeners.
Hosted by Zed Vakil and Mike Anderson
Connect with Hosts
Zed Vakil https://www.zarirvakil.com/
Mike Anderson https://dottt.co.uk/
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Whistle to Work Podcast
Bridging the Gap: Innovation, Experience, and the Power of the 'Grown-Ups' with Alex Meisl of Gray Hair Works
Join hosts Zed and Mike as they sit down with Alex Meisl—entrepreneur, connector, and digital transformation pioneer. As the co-founder of Gray Hair Works, Alex shares his journey from a large corporate environment to running multiple ventures globally. Discover the simple, yet powerful, concept behind Gray Hair Works and its sister consultancy, Grace and Co: connecting corporates searching for genuine innovation with a boutique network of seasoned, 'grown-up' executives who know what truly works. Alex offers no-nonsense advice on building a portfolio career, the importance of trust and relevance, the disciplined art of the 30-minute meeting, and the crucial lessons learned from starting, scaling, and selling a business—including managing "technical, legal, and contractual debt." Tune in to explore why experience is the most impressive tool in the digital age and how to build a community that thrives on no-bullshit, purposeful engagement.
Time Stamps
[01:50] Introducing Alex Meisl: The Corporate to Entrepreneur Leap.
[06:20] The Simple Power of Gray Hair Works.
[09:40] Why We Call Our Network "Grown-Ups."
[11:00] The USP: Trust, Relevance, and the Best Community.
[17:00] Entrepreneurship: Innate Skill or Learned Behavior?
[20:00] How to Cut Through Vendor Noise (The 2-Minute Rule).
[23:15] The Most Impressive Tool: Our Brains (and AI).
[27:00] Building Value for the Exit: Debt and Contracts.
[30:55] The Pre-Investment Playbook: Nurturing Investors.
[33:00] Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a 'Board' to Challenge Them.
[34:25] The Real Talk on Ageism and Experienced Talent.
[37:20] Essential Tips for Experienced Job Seekers.
[38:55] The Future of Peer Networks and Community Building.
[40:50] How to Join the Gray Hair Works Community.
Connect with Alex Meisl
Connect with Hosts
Zed Vakil https://www.zarirvakil.com/
Mike Anderson https://dottt.co.uk/