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Random meetings are dancing lessons from God - a conversation with Sir Tim Smit, Co‑Founder of the Eden Project
Episode 124th September 2025 • Leaders in Conversation with Anni Townend • Anni Townend
00:00:00 00:39:01

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE

I had the joy of meeting Tim when he came to speak on the Marketing Leaders Programme some years ago.  I had previously heard about his amazing adventures with the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project in Cornwall, the UK, from a mutual friend.

I then had the pleasure of meeting again at Anthropy 25 which was hosted at the Eden Project, a gathering of leaders and organisations to inspire and learn through meaningful collaboration, human kindness and unbound leadership.

In our conversation Tim offers valuable insights into:

  • Losing your fear of being disliked
  • Daring to dream
  • Enjoying provocation
  • Knowing your weaknesses

Tim’s Key Encouragements to Leaders:

  1. Dare to have your dreams and then deliver on them or give them up and do something else.
  2. Defeat the look in people's eyes or the tone in people's voices, which says, this isn't for the likes of you.
  3. Embrace those dancing lessons from God, these random meetings, and you'll be amazed at how your life changes.
  4. Always hire people that are better than you and tell them how much better than you they are.

To find out more about Anthropy 2026 go to anthropy.uk, the Anthropy Charter is made up of Human Kindness, Meaningful Collaboration and Unbound Leadership.

To read about, and visit Heligan, heligan.com

To read about Eden Project edenproject.com and to learn about other Eden Projects including Eden Morecambe all reconnecting people with nature, and all that we can learn and with nature.

To listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend go to my website, www.annitownend.com

A big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast.

To contact me Anni Townend do email me on anni@annitownend.com visit my website www.annitownend.com, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn. To find out more about Collaboration Equation, co-founded by Lucy Kidd and I, go to www.collaborationequation.com I look forward to connecting with you, thank you for listening.

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