The Ezra Zaid Project

When a trio of ex-colleagues haven't caught up in a while, all bets are off! They explore the big questions: are aliens among us? UFOs are just a matter of fact now? What about cryptocurrency? And how would you sort out the climate crisis? Ezra catches up with old radio comrades Khoo Hsu Chuang and Julian Ng on a new segment: Cincai² Bocai.

When Madam Kim falls into a depression following her divorce, her young son Kee Whay wanted to become a doctor. His wish: to mend her broken heart. But as his own struggles with schizophrenia begin to emerge, their shared existence forces them to confront their relationship and what they mean to each other.

When Hidayah Hisham was nine, she was unable to make sense of her Dad’s disappearance. 17 years later, she confronts her own past when she films the story of Siti — a daughter fighting for her father’s freedom — in her documentary Ayahku, Dr. G.

Determined to transform his relationship with money, Ezra begins the conversation about personal finance. With Julian Ng, co-founder of robo-advisor Akru, they discuss how much money is enough for you to have a life you love, now and in the future? What conscious choices can you make to improve your station in life? Also, the merits of passive investing.

Pasi Sahlberg puts forth the case as to why play is an essential part of every child’s life. We discover the benefits of children and young people when they follow their own ideas and interests, in their own way, and for their own reasons. What's the most convincing evidence in favour of play? Also, a tribute to Sir Ken Robinson.

In this final episode of 2020, Ezra calls up a friend and finds out how the coronavirus affected his Christmas plans.

Takahara Suiko is the brainchild behind The Venopian Solitude, the genre-defying experimental electro-pop-nusantara indie band. In this episode, she reflects on the concept of “Hō-ren-sō” (報・連・相) from her time in Japan; how she brings that to the dynamics of being in a band and her personal relationships. What distinguishes the person and persona that is Takahara Suiko? The singer-songwriter spells out the cost of fame, the price it puts on expression and what we can make of ourselves.

Project Notes: where tips, thoughts and takeaways come together. This episode features Takahara Suiko (ep 003), bandleader of the Venopian Solitude, singer-songwriter, actor, writer (and now podcaster). She explores the nature of trust among bandmates, how it relates to ownership and performance within a band. Notable mentions: how to hack the musical process with shortcuts, the virtues of being lazy and how it breeds creativity.

Best-selling author (and now podcaster) Damian Hughes shares what it's like to be in the corner of a world boxing title fight. Also, what does it take to deliver a message that has maximum impact? How does storytelling help process complex information? He explains what tripwires are and how we can build it into our everyday lives.

On this bonus episode, Damian Hughes (ep 002) explains the common feature of high performers and explains the significance of the Dunning–Kruger effect. Notable mentions in the chat include: José Mourinho and the principle of the guided discovery, the evolution of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as Manchester United manager. Also, what Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano learnt from Warren Buffett in relation to leadership and culture.

Ezra reconnects with his ex-house master from school, John Hendry. In this episode, John discusses how the loss of a loved one can alter one's perspective on relationships. Committing his life as an educator for more than 50 years, John reflects on a defining moment that altered the direction of his future. We hear more about what does it mean to be kind; and that much like our ability to be proficient at anything else, kindness too requires practice.

On this bonus episode, John Hendry (ep 001) shares the 5 key elements of a quality relationship. The basic elements of a quality relationship are trust, forgiveness, integrity, hope (optimism), and compassion. And while they are important individually, together they in fact substantiate the relationship. Notable mentions in the chat include: the impact of the Treaty of Versailles on a young german soldier, Toula the dog and also rethinking what it means to "forgive".

This is hardly a trailer. At best, it's a friendly reminder. Every fortnight, join Ezra Zaid on a narrative journey as he trails the footprints of individuals navigating the prospect of discovery and adversity. The podcast hopes to feature unique stories and anecdotes often hidden in plain sight. Oh, and hopefully there will be lots of puns, lots of it. The Ezra Zaid Project debuts on November 12th.