Shows
Industrial Hemp PodcastThe Winds of Cansayapi (Part Three)Welcome to part three of our Cansayapi Trilogy in which we explore the 13th International Hemp Building Symposium, held Oct. 3-5, 2025, at the Lower Sioux Indian Community in Southwestern Minnesota. Part Three opens where part two left off, with the sounds of a waterfall that melts into the rhythms of the Red Tree Singers as they chant and pray and lead the way into Day Three of the Hemp Building Symposium. After a news nugget from HempToday, this episodes opens with a tale of three Minnesota architects — Janneke Schaap, Simona Fischer and Anna Koosmann — who provi...
2025-11-0448 min
The Social Regeneration PodcastResponsible Rule Breaking - at Work! - with Alex Barker | 009How to be a constructive Rebel, tell Stories & drive Change from within organisation
SUMMARY
In this episode, I speak with Alex Barker about the art of driving change from within organisations. We reflect on our shared experience as "kind challengers" and what it means to challenge power structures with empathy. Alex shares insights from her work in both the public and private sectors, highlighting how to be an activist in the workplace. We talk about the importance of storytelling and language in shifting mindsets and creating lasting change.
We share personal experiences how...
2025-05-011h 25
Bring It In | The Future of Work, Jobs, and Education#113: Alex Barker — Author of “How to Be: More Pirate” on Pirates and Future of WorkAAAAAAAARRRRRRR MATEY!
We’re still talking about pirates on the podcast, because there's just too much treasure to dig up here. Today, we’re looking at the “sequel” to “Be More Pirate” with the aptly named “How to Be: More Pirate” by our guest, Alex Barker.
Alex graduated from Kings College in 2008 and after pursuing an MA in Conflict Resolution studies, began backpacking around the Middle East which eventually led to her working at Global Citizen, and then came to the Royal Society of Arts as a community manager.
Eventually she began freelance writing, where she came upon (l...
2023-08-2930 min
BA Brew - A Business Analysis PodcastBe More Pirate Feat. Alex Barker and Julie Walker This week we welcome two very special guests aboard the good ship BA Brew. 🏴☠️Novelist Julie Walker shares the incredible story of notorious female pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read while facilitator, speaker and author Alex Barker encourages us to learn from the Be More Pirate’s pirate code (see below). Are you brave enough to find your inner pirate and challenge the status quo? Topics discussed include: what motivated Ann Bonny and Mary Read to challenge the norms; the freedom and equality of the pirate life; how the Pirate Code and questioning rules applies to innovation and change...
2023-06-0228 min
Rethinking EducationS3E4: David Price OBE on how to unleash the untold potential of people-powered innovationToday I am speaking with David Price OBE. David is the author of two books - ‘Open: How we'll work, live and learn in the future’ - and ‘The Power of Us: How we connect, act and innovate together’. It is this latter book that I’m mainly speaking with David about today. I listened to it recently as an audiobook and it’s absolutely fascinating.
Here are some of the lovely things people have written about The Power of Us:
‘The Power of Us is the first book that captures the cultural forces that power innovation, the structural elements to fuel people...
2022-12-102h 12
The QI Guy in Conversation with...The QI Guy in Conversation with...Alex BarkerThis week I'm in conversation with.. Alex Barker. Alex leads the Be More Pirate community. Alex joined Sam Conniff in 2019 to give life to Be More Pirate as something beyond a book. Before piracy, she was Communications Manager at the RSA (Royal Society of Arts), and has spent a decade or so in the non-profit sector building networks and supporting social entrepreneurs. Alex leads the network and would like nothing more than to see a less conventional approach to social change take root.Follow Alex on Twitter: @alexandrabarke1 and visit her website.Be More Pirate Website: https://www.bemorepirate.com...
2022-04-2642 min
Be More PirateJamie KlinglerIn this particularly special episode we're talking to Reclaim These Streets co-founder Jamie Klinger, a week after she was in the high court taking on the Met Police. In 2021 Philadelphia native Jamie and a group of women founded Reclaim These Streets in response to the death of Sarah Everard, a 33 year old marketing executive who was raped and murdered by metropolitan police offer Wayne Couzens. The group organised a vigil for Sarah on Clapham Common in London which was then violently broken up by the police and several people were arrested. The police...
2022-02-1047 min
Be More PirateJon AlexanderTowards the end of Be More Pirate there's a chapter in which Sam writes his own pirate code: article no.3 is 'Make the Citizen Shift' which is a challenge to us all to see ourselves as citizens rather than consumers. The inspiration for that article came from the New Citizenship Project which was co-founded by our guest this week, Jon Alexander. Jon spent the majority of his early career working in advertising - the pinnacle and pioneer of consumer culture but eventually turned his back on it when he realised very starkly the damage it was doi...
2022-01-2552 min
Be More PirateNew Year Special from the CrewBe More Pirate is all about applied wisdom, so in this short new year special we have sourced some reflections from the network in the form of three questions:What was your most pirate moment this year?What rebellion would you most like to see in 2022?What advice would you give to a new pirate?Many thanks to the wonderful folk who sent in their thoughts: Deana Wildgoose, James Berg, Lefteris Heratakis, Kristin Joy-Davis, Mark Walmsley, Miguel Fernandez, Paul Ginsberg and Graeme Cooke What matters is what we...
2021-12-3110 min
Be More PirateSteve ChapmanToday's interview might be the most pirate one yet... but I'll leave you to be the judge of that. Steve Chapman is an artist, coach, writer, speaker and (sort of) podcaster. The more accurate way to describe Steve's work is that he does 'projects that are experiments in the opposite of what is normal'. His time is spent fully inhabiting the edges, and he works with a range of organisations and individuals to help them do the same. The results are very interesting: we cover 'provocative absence' 'quantum flirting' the elusive 'chair game' and the legacy of...
2021-11-1653 min
Be More PirateCarl HonoréCarl Honoré, deemed the Godfather of the Slow Movement, has spent the last two decades writing, talking and supporting thousands of people to move against the tide of our fast paced consumerist world. An award winning writer, best selling author, TED speaker and broadcaster, Carl is now turning his disruptive thinking to a new topic: ageism. His latest book Bolder, unravels the unhelpful stereotypes we have about getting ageing and proves that it doesn't have to be that way. With humility and some brilliant storytelling, Carl is an expert dismantling norms and supporting people to change their behaviour.
2021-11-0847 min
Be More PirateBenash NazmeenToday's guest is the impressive Benash Nazmeen, a practising midwife based in the North West working hard to address health inequalities within the profession. Benash is in every respect, the embodiment of re-humanising healthcare; caring deeply for the individual and all their nuances and complexities, whilst speaking up on behalf of those who cannot. Benash is co-founder of the South Asian Midwife's Association, is on the editorial board for the Practicing Midwife, and co-chair for the Births Inquiry into Racial Injustice in UK Maternity systems. We collided through the the NHS Horizons School for Change Agents p...
2021-11-0248 min
Be More PirateThe Uncertainty ExpertsThis week's episode is a bit different, as we steer away from pirates and rebellion and into Sam's new project, The Uncertainty Experts: a three part interactive documentary that is scientifically proven to increase your tolerance to Uncertainty. And after the year we've had, what could possibly be more helpful? In the same vein as Be More Pirate, The Uncertainty Experts is full of stories. It's based on interviews with some remarkable people who have each found their way through deep uncertainty and developed strategies that can help you in turn. And, it's backed up with som...
2021-10-2646 min
Be More PirateJackie FastBeing at your best when you're at your worst is not something you'd hear from many serial founders, but Jackie Fast is anything but average. An award-winning entrepreneur and venture capitalist who continually breaks all the rules of business, she started her first business Slingshot Sponsorship in her early 20s and was recognised for working so outside the usual boxes that the Great British Entrepreneur Awards awarded her in an entirely new category 'Media Disruptor of the year.' She has worked with Richard Branson on the infamous Necker Island, owns a luxury ice wine company REBEL Pi, was...
2021-10-1846 min
Be More PirateEd GillespieOver the last two decades, marine biologist Ed Gillespie has made a name for himself as a sustainability consultant turned futurist turned insultant (aka a consultant that tells the truth.). He's inspired Sam and Alex to kindly but bluntly push organisations to call out their own bullshit because in a rapidly warming world, there is no time for tinkering at the edges. In this episode we talk about the potential for employee mutinies, how humour can be your best weapon, and the the joy of community owned pubs. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast...
2021-10-1145 min
Be More PirateJessica ChapplowWhat could be further off the edges of the map than the mysterious realm of AI? We know it will shape the future, but even the experts don't really know how. Will it unpick or entrench systemic bias, and what can we do to ensure it's the former?In today's episode we try to demystify the topic somewhat by speaking with Jessica Chapplow, a specialist in Digital Transformation, who focuses on the role of cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Augmented Reality. Her platform, 'Heartificial Intelligence', was born out of a mission to raise awareness a...
2021-10-0448 min
Be More PirateSophie WalkerSophie Walker clearly remembers the moment she became an activist. The moment she realised that no one was coming to save the day and if she wanted change, she'd have to do it herself. Since then she's become a prominent feminist voice as the founding leader of the Women's Equality Party, author of the book '5 Rules for Rebellion' and more recently co-founder of the Activate Collective, a movement to support women standing for election. In this episode she is frank about the ups and downs of activism and clear that there can never a be...
2021-09-2733 min
Pirate Living PodcastPirate Queens Episode 2 - On Being More PirateBonus Episode #2
We are having fun with these! To see us live, head over to our Instagram account.
Today we talked about the impact that the books Be More Pirate by Sam Coniff and How To: Be More Pirate by Sam Conniff and Alex Barker had on us and our podcast.
Taking small bold actions and starting the change within are what started both of us on our pirate journeys.
The audio on these is taken straight from the Instagram video, so the audio quality may be harsh.
Thank y...
2021-08-2019 min
Be More PirateSam and Alex**BONUS EPSIODE**For this final episode in the 'season' Sam and Alex interview each other about some of the big themes and challenges of being a pirate in 2021. Expect a lot of uncertainty...Thank you to everyone who has supported and listened! Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-06-2841 min
Be More PirateMaff Potts & Petrina DouglasMeet the Camerados - a social movement with a very simple suggestion: 'the answer to our problems is each other.' A Camerado is someone who is halfway between a stranger and a friend: they're people who meet in public spaces, just to be alongside each other in good times and bad, with no agenda and absolutely no fixing. On this week's podcast we're talking to Maff Potts, - founder of the movement, and Petrina Douglas, an active Camerado based in Middlesborough. Maff had previously spent much of his career tackling homelessness - he’s worked bo...
2021-06-1146 min
LeadermorphosisAlex Barker and Sam Conniff on what we can learn from being more pirateSam Conniff and Alex Barker's books 'Be More Pirate' and 'How to Be More Pirate' have sparked a movement of people around the world who want to shake things up, to create new business models and systems that are better for people and planet. The tagline on their website says: "Being more pirate is a shift in your mindset; a willingness to think differently, to challenge and be challenged, and to stop asking for permission to do what you know is right." I wanted to talk to Sam and Alex about what we can learn from the golden age...
2021-06-1050 min
Be More PirateCarina RodneyThis week we’re talking real life fierce female pirates with award-winning writer for stage and screen, Carina Rodney, whose original Audible audio drama ‘Hell Cats’ tells the story of Anne Bonny and Mary Read, who in their escape from poverty and illegitimate birth, discovered true freedom in piracy. In a world synonymous with gnarled bearded men, their story is one of defiance of the status quo and a simultaneous acceptance of self. Alleged lovers, bonafide bad-asses, Carina sheds light on how these two women, unencumbered by modern insecurities were able to pursue personal truth and social...
2021-05-2857 min
Be More PirateHealthcare PiracySince the beginning Be More Pirate has had the biggest response from people working across health and social care. Perhaps it’s no surprise that environments with lots of rules and regulations and hierarchy would start to breed rebellion, however, it’s not all that easy to do and it’s certainly not easy to do alone. Which is why we wanted to do an episode or two where we speak to people who have managed to successfully challenge power within the system to show that it is possible.In this episode we talk to John Lodge an...
2021-05-2152 min
Be More PirateSaasha Celestial-OneSaasha Celestial-One is a powerhouse pioneer of the sharing economy - co-founder of Olio, the neighbourhood food sharing app that is re-humanising big tech while tackling a colossal part of the climate change puzzle. Olio came about in 2015 when Saasha and her co-founder Tessa realised they both cared a lot about the issue of food waste, so decided to give themselves a year to do something about it. Their market research and found that 1 in 3 people are “physically pained” throwing away food but like all good pirates they knew that for it to work, they'd have to s...
2021-05-1441 min
Be More PirateSarah CorbettIf you've ever felt intimidated by street protests, crowds, and the loud, angry face of activism, then join us for a fascinating conversation with Sarah Corbett, founder of the Craftivist Collective.Sarah is a pioneer of gentle protest, a way of campaigning for those who consider themselves introverts. She explains how you can create a full sensory experience to think deeply and differently about important issues and influence those in power. We discuss some of the unusual methods she uses, the battles hard won (including seeing her mum give the CEO of Tesco an ASBO), and...
2021-05-0639 min
Be More PirateLaura Willoughby MBEIn this episode we tackle the somewhat taboo topic that is alcohol consumption. We're joined by the fabulous Laura Willoughby of Club Soda, a community that provides courses and resources for anyone who wants to change their drinking habits. A former political campaigner, Laura co-founded the movement in 2015 after realising that the standard narrative around alcoholism and recovery wasn't working for her, and so probably wasn't working for others either. We learnt a hell of a lot from Laura about how you can bring much needed nuance to a binary conversation and tackle an entrenched social no...
2021-04-3046 min
Be More PiratePeter MacfadyenIn 2011 Peter Macfadyen led a mini revolution in his home town of Frome, Somerset. Fed up of the infighting caused by party politics and the damaging effect it was having on the community, he and a group of local citizens organised themselves in to a new party of independents, with a totally different, pirate way of working. They stood for local election, and won! Flatpack Democracy was born.10 years on Peter has written two books on how anyone can do what they did, and his team of pirates are leading the Flatpack 2021 campaign in the run...
2021-04-1845 min
Be More PirateGeorge the PoetMake no mistake, rewriting the rules begins with the terrain of your imagination. With re-evaluating what may or may not be possible and reinventing yourself accordingly. No one knows this better than award-winning podcaster, rapper, spoken word artist and social commentator George Mpanga, aka George the Poet. Blending up genres, styles and storytelling techniques like no other, George challenges political and social norms with unparalleled creativity and authenticity. We chat about the big picture - how we might start to create a new psychological infrastructure for the 21st century, back down to the very personal...
2021-04-1832 min
Be More PirateKresse Wesling MBEIn our inaugural episode we talk to environmental entrepreneur Kresse Wesling MBE (featured in Be More Pirate). Kresse is pure pirate: she has a zero tolerance for waste of any kind, and is ambitious and unapologetic about it. We discuss her incredible story that began with rescuing decommissioned firehoses from landfill sites, turning them into handbags, and going on to found her company Elvis and Kresse. But more importantly, we get a rare insight into her mindset, the moments that propelled her away from a conventional path and into a pirate's life, and why her 'why...
2021-04-1850 min
The High Performance Path Podcast#44 Breathing Techniques and Biohacking to HEAL the Body and Mind with Bill BurnettBill worked for many years in the ADF as a PTI and is an all round legend of a bloke. He currently refers to himself as a breath-work practitioner. We dive into different types of breath-work and how he has used them to heal injuries, a little bit about SARM's, a challenge that left him experiencing rhabdo, a new challenge for the future and sprinkled in is some self development. Basically he likes to push the boundaries of human performance and that's what I like to dissect and breakdown with people. So enjoy this one with Bill Burnett!
2021-03-091h 03
Curious Leadership with Dominic Monkhouse2020 Summit Special: Be More Pirate with Alex BarkerHere's a podcast treat to be enjoyed by the fire this festive season our second look back at the glorious sunny summit we hosted in September. Our bouns episodes are bringing you the wonderful live speeches in reverse running order so today you have the brilliant Alex Barker. Alex's invigorating talk is on the "Be More Pirate" movement that she is now spearheading following the almost unexpected excellence of Sam Conniff's original book "Be More Pirate". A book which, as Alex discusses inspired ordinary team members in a wide variety of companies and organisations to implement improved c...
2020-12-2625 min
Accidental GodsBreaking the Rules to save the world: How to be More Pirate, with Alex BarkerHow can we take the radical, renegade, rule-breaking, revolutionary ideals of the golden age of Pirates and transmute them to gold in our world? Alex Barker, author of 'How to be More Pirate' lays out the maps to the treasure of change. The concept of radical, renegade, revolutionary insurgency based on the model created in the Golden Age of Pirates was given wings by Sam Conniff's best selling book, BE MORE PIRATE. In the wake of its success, Sam needed to find ways to help the many people the book inspired. And for that he n...
2020-12-021h 01
The Being Human Podcast with Richard Atherton#132 How To Be More Pirate - with Sam Conniff and Alex Barker> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/
Sam Conniff Allende is back on the show. Last time Sam had just hoisted his Jolly Roger to the world in the form of his breakthrough bestseller 'Be More Pirate'. This week he's back on Being Human with his Right-Hand Pirate Alex Barker.
Alex joined Sam in 2019 to turn a book of culture-busting ideas into a movement.
Alex and Sam make a great double-act. Sam is the embodiment of the pirate spirit, whilst Alex is the anchor getting real change done in Navy-like corporates.
W...
2020-10-0952 min
Curious Leadership with Dominic MonkhouseE111 | How To Be More Pirate with Sam Conniff and Alex BarkerWhat did Steve Jobs and Blackbeard have in common? According to Sam Conniff, they were both pirates. Why would Sam know this? Because he wrote the bestselling book - Be More Pirate in 2018, and was amazed when it inspired a global movement. From Tate & Lyle to Mercedes Benz, financiers to farmers, CEOs to students, some of the biggest brands around the world, including our very own NHS, have taken heed of Sam’s message, created a pirate crew and rewritten the existing rules. Because that is what being a pirate is all about:Pirates don’...
2020-09-2945 min
DaysInternational Talk Like A Pirate Day - 19th September 2020Arrrr me hearties, it's International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Ian and Amanda get a whole new perspective on pirates from special guest Alex Barker from Be More Pirate. They talk about causing good trouble, challenging the status quo, and why we think pirates sound like that. Arrrr.Be More Pirate by Sam ConniffHow To: Be More Pirate by Alex Barker and Sam ConniffBe More Pirate website.Robert Newton on IMDB and playing Long John Silver in the 1950 movie version of Treasure Island.
2020-09-1941 min
Inside Ideas with Marc BuckleyBe More Pirate with Alex BarkerAlex Barker leads Be More Pirate, a global social movement and (anti) consultancy that began life as a book by social entrepreneur Sam Conniff. Since joining Sam she has fostered a network of thousands of individuals and organisations who have turned 'pirate' and are actively challenging the status quo in their work and lives. Within the movement she splits her time between writing, research, running workshops and growing the network.
But it was a long road to piracy. After studying middle east politics, Alex spent time travelling and working in the region, beginning her career in international dev...
2020-09-141h 24
Talks of our Time#01 Sam Conniff Allende | Author of Be More Pirate | A 21st Century Guide to Rule-BreakingSam Conniff Allende joins us for our maiden episode to discuss the power of youth, pirates, and how he became a rebel with a cause. You can watch all of Sam's talks on the links below: Nelson Mandela - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6U_QeIgepI Suli Breaks - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_ZmM7zPLyI Margaret Wheatley - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtaYNxp56gs John Lewis - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0DNg0FTvd8 Mhairi Black - https://www.youtube.com/watch...
2018-09-0247 min