New old Uzbekistan | Joanna Lillis

The power of small states | Armen Sarkissian

America and China are trying to divide the world between them. Whether it’s tariffs, rare earths, or Ukraine, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping seem to think big states can do what they like and smaller ones should suffer what they must… Yet today’s guest – the former President of Armenia, Dr Armen Sarkissian – argues that there’s a lot they can learn from small states. As well as discussing this, he and Aaron touch on: * Why the world seems so chaotic * What leaders can do to overcome it * How he negotiated a peaceful end to unrest in Armenia They also talk about the importance of silence, Francis Fukuyama, why the Soviet Union still haunts us, and climate change. If you would like to buy The Small States Club, visit the strategyaaron Bookshop page [https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/guests-strategyaaron?new-list-page=true] And if you would like to support the podcast, purchase some of our new merch [https://strategyaaron.myshopify.com/]! Thanks for listening! Feel free to share!

To write is to think | Harry Ashbridge

There is growing concern about a literacy crisis. Rather than reading a book, more and more people are choosing to play video games, listen to podcasts, or watch something on their phones. But is this “crisis” overblown? We are actually producing and consuming written text more than ever before. What really matters, says Harry Ashbridge – former head of writing at Monzo and now Sunsave – is thinking about the words we use and their impact on others. On the show today, he and Aaron discuss: * How Harry integrated writing into Monzo's operations * Creating a "single voice" across large teams * The critical role of consistency and intentionality in branding They also delve into the pitfalls of cliches and historical analogies, the ethics of using AI in writing, and the need to rethink the term "Net Zero"... If you need any strategy consulting – or want to advertise on the show – email me@strategyaaron.com Other links: The strategyaaron Bookshop [https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/book-club-strategyaaron?new-list-page=true] The strategyaaron ⁠Bluesky⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/strategyaaron.bsky.social] | ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/strategyaaron/] Thanks for listening! Feel free to share!

Britain’s forgotten political masters | George Owers

Modern Britain was born in the late 1600s and early 1700s. The Bank of England was created, England and Scotland became a united kingdom, political parties as we know them were formed for the first time, and power was increasingly concentrated in the hands of the monarch’s chief minister. Yet the politicians responsible – Sidney Godolphin, Robert Harley, and the Junto lords – are almost completely forgotten. On the show today, Aaron talks to George Owers – author of The Rage of Party: How Whig Versus Tory Made Modern Britain – about these early masters of our politics. They also touch on culture wars, polarisation, and Sydney Sweeney... If you would like to buy The Rage of Party and support independent stores in the UK, check out the strategyaaron Bookshop page [https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/guests-strategyaaron?new-list-page=true]. If you need any strategy consulting – or want to advertise on the show – email me@strategyaaron.com

New old Uzbekistan | Joanna Lillis

Journalist Joanna Lillis was one of the first guests on strategyaaron. In fact, she agreed to do the show before it'd even launched. Today, she returns to talk about her new book 'Silk Mirage: Through the Looking Glass in Uzbekistan'. Joanna and Aaron explore: * Uzbekistan's pivotal role in Central Asia * The challenges posed by its authoritarian government * Why there's more to the country's people than the romance of the Silk Road They also discuss reporting on dictators, and if those in Central Asia feel emboldened by Trump's return. If you would like to pre-order Silk Mirage AND support independent stores in the UK, check out the strategyaaron Bookshop page [https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/guests-strategyaaron?new-list-page=true&ref=strategyaaron.ghost.io]

Europe's balancing act | Gesine Weber

Europe is economically powerful but geopolitically weak. Its leaders always seem to be on the backfoot if ever China, Russia, or America decide to pick a fight. But are things changing…? Today, foreign policy expert Gesine Weber [https://substack.com/profile/214231970-gesine-weber] returns to the show and puts recent Euro-news in a bigger strategic context. She and Aaron touch on: * Why things seem better for Europe * How its leaders have learnt to charm Trump * Whether they can do this and lessen their dependence on the U.S. Gesine and Aaron also discuss news exhaustion, the “axis of authoritarianism”, how Trump’s brain works – and Russia’s recent escalation of its hybrid war. Links: Gesine’s Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/gesineweber.bsky.social] | Substack [https://geopoliticaleurope.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips] The strategyaaron Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/strategyaaron.bsky.social] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/strategyaaron/] If you need any strategy consulting – or want to advertise on the show – email me@strategyaaron.com Thanks for listening! Feel free to share! To hear more, visit strategyaaron.substack.com [https://strategyaaron.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=show-notes-spotify-open-access]