The Bla Bla Bunker

Juwana Jenkins is one of Philadelphia’s finest exports, singer, songwriter & performer. She is renowned for her rich delivery and fiery presence as a headliner at international events and music festivals.

But Juwana also works as a mentor, coach and facilitator, guiding with humour and warmth, for transformational insights and development.  She collaborates with international Companies and top level managers and helps them to find those golden "Aha!" moments.

Juwana was a University professor in South Korea and her plan was always to go back home to the US, but she ended up in Prague in the Czech Republic and is still there 23 years later.

We talked about her childhood, how she went to Church every Sunday despite not being religious, how her father decided to shelter her and her sisters from racism, how her mom gave her a pepper spray when she had to go around her rough neighbourhood and where her love for music came from.

And as usual, a LOT more.

 

You can hear some of Juwana's music on the episode and on her webpage you can find details of her tour that starts in February 2022

 

https://www.juwanajenkins.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3L9LVWXODopcuddvfunmOK

https://www.instagram.com/juwanajenkins/

https://www.facebook.com/JuwanaJenkins

https://www.youtube.com/user/juwanajenkins

https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwanajenkins/

Radka Dohnalová is the founder and CEO of ATAIRU, a purpose-driven international education company, top 10 leadership development company in Europe, and no. 1 in the Czech Republic.  Atairu prepares leaders and organisations for the future by activating their authenticity and adaptability

 

Born just before the end of Communism in Europe, Radka saw nothing but opportunities and she was very focused on becoming something, building things and having a purpose.  

 

We discussed her path that led her to the UN food program in Rome, her time in McKinsey&Company which seems to give their people an amazing foundation for future business endeavours.

 

Radka told me how she broke the glass ceiling by being the first woman breastfeeding two children while at Harvard during her MBA studies. And as if that wasn't enough work then she also co-authored "The Authentic and Integrated Leadership Model" while at Harvard!

 

And of course we discussed what are the main challenges for businesses and leaders currently with Covid and multiple social and cultural changes that call for more diversity and inclusion.

 

And a bit more...

 

https://www.atairu.com/en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/radka-dohnalova-26398a14/

https://www.instagram.com/weareatairu/

https://www.facebook.com/AtairuAuthenticLeadership

 

The Bla Bla Bunker

https://www.facebook.com/Blablabunker

https://www.instagram.com/midlifecrisiswarrior/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/almar-hilmarsson-060bb22/

Joanna Sio is a linguist, a mother and a stand-up comedian from Hong Kong, China. She always wanted to leave Hong Kong and life took her to the cosmopolitan cities of Vancouver, Amsterdam, Singapore, Melbourne and eventually Olomouc! a city of 100.000 inhabitants in the east of the Czech Republic.

 

She visited my bunker and told me her story, how life was in Hong Kong while it was a colony of the UK, the class separation of foreigners vs locals and how Hong Kong has changed since China took control of it. We also discussed the Chinese mindset of thinking long term, Chinese Capitalism and if Chinese people are busy arguing about Pronouns as Westerners do nowadays.

 

And of course we discussed the comedy, what inspires her Chinese humour, what is off limits, how it is to be a woman in stand up and who gives more critical feedback on her stuff, women or men.

 

And a lot more...a lot

 

https://www.facebook.com/joannasiocomedian

https://www.instagram.com/joanna_sio/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYzAIGxQLg0

Isaac Starobin owns Dirty Dog Barbeque in Prague, a very popular place that sells traditional American barbeque food.

Born in Yonkers New York Isaac's plan was to become a lawyer but he found out that he liked his part time job in a "shitty" bar and grill more than he liked school so he changed course and went to culinary school and then on to work at a Michelin star restaurant in New York City where the love was tough, very tough.

 

He came to Prague for a holiday and got stuck like most expats do, started his business journey there where he ran a successful bar that he later sold. Only to venture on to open a restaurant which went bust and he was left with nothing but a grill and van...so he started a food truck operation taking his truck anywhere that he could find mouths to feed.  That eventually became Dirty Dog

 

Isaac does not love cooking, he loves the buzz, the action, the adrenaline and cooking dead meat of an animal on an open fire gives him a chance to connect with his inner caveman...

 

We went all over the place in our talks, hearing is believing.  

 

https://www.ddbbq.cz/en/home/

https://www.instagram.com/dirtydogbarbeque/

https://www.instagram.com/dirtydogisaac/

https://www.facebook.com/ddstreetfood

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/Blablabunker

https://www.instagram.com/theblablabunker/

https://www.youtube.com/theblablabunker

Ivak is a Turkish photographer and filmmaker in Prague who also works for a living in a "real job" as his mom told him he would have to do when he got interested in arts back home in Bursa in Turkey.

In this Part 2 out of 2 episodes we discussed how Turkey today is a melting pot of very diverse cultures of conservative religious groups vs then more liberal groups in and around the bigger cities in the western part of the country.  

 

Unless you have been to Istanbul you probably would not imagine that some of the biggest celebrities, actors and singers are openly gay.  And this is just one of the examples of the contrast in this society.  

 

We discussed Erdoğan the controversial president of Turkey, what he has done right, what he is doing wrong and where the real political power rests in the country.

 

And there is no talk about Turkey without the classic Kebab question being discussed...

 

Ivak's photos are here

https://www.instagram.com/monolumia/

https://www.ivak.org/

 

The Bunker

https://www.facebook.com/Blablabunker

https://www.instagram.com/thebunkerprague/

https://www.youtube.com/theblablabunker

Ivak is a Turkish photographer and filmmaker in Prague who also works for a living in a "real job" as his mom told him he would have to do when he got interested in arts back home in Bursa in Turkey. 

 

In this Part 1 out of 2 episodes, he told me about the Ottoman empire that stretched so far into Europe, The Middle East and Northern Africa that they called the Mediterranean sea their "lake".  What does such a glorious past do to a nation? 

 

We discussed how Ataturk changed and modernised Turkey and how that created a rift in the social fabric that still exists today.

 

And a lot more....

 

In Part 2 that is out in 4 days we discuss Turkey today, Erdogan, Gay and Trans people in Turkey and the classic kebab question that every Turk gets...

 

Ivak's photos are here

https://www.instagram.com/monolumia/

https://www.ivak.org/

 

The Bunker

https://www.facebook.com/Blablabunker

https://www.instagram.com/thebunkerprague/

https://www.youtube.com/theblablabunker

 

Who Shot JR?

 

JR Smith is a venture capitalist, he owns multiple startups, sits on boards of tech companies and has published books on cybersecurity and privacy. JR is also behind Adams Traktor, a music project formed to explore, expand, and in many ways bend the music genres that have influenced progressive modern music.  

 

JR told me about his family background, how he slacked at school and got into DJing and promoting that he spent 12 years doing.  During that time the Grunge was getting started in Seattle and he saw all the big names before they were big, Nirvana, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains etc.

 

When the mobile phones were catching on JR got into that industry in the US with zero knowledge but the right attitude and that eventually led him to come to Prague in 1997 to help build up mobile networks in over 10 countries.  

 

Then AVG the antivirus company knocked on the door with an opportunity that became a great success story as JR led that company to amazing astronomical growth and eventually a stock exchange listing on NASDAQ 8 years later.  Some of the shareholders of AVG got 800 times their investment over the period that JR led the business....a lot of people became very rich.  JR explained to me how one makes such success happen, how it is to fire people who do not dance along and what is key to success in his eyes.

 

After leaving AVG JR needed a new mountain to climb so he went back to his passion, music and started the Adams Traktor project where he had to start almost from scratch, learning guitar, learning to sing, learning to write songs and how to work in a studio.  

 

You hear Adams Traktor's  songs on the episode

 

https://www.adamstraktor.com/

https://soundcloud.com/user-263359563

https://www.instagram.com/adamstraktor/

https://www.facebook.com/AdamsTraktorMusic

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0bxkS8BDIInKRx9IyeukVx

 

https://www.facebook.com/bunkerprague

https://www.instagram.com/thebunkerprague/

 

Magdalena Vokáčová is the owner of Magdalena Vokacova (vokacova.com), Psychological Coach, Trainer, Consultant, Art Therapist and a writer.

Her ability is to look beneath the surface of things. And she can recognize and connect unexpected contexts, some people have even asked her if she is some sort of a fortune teller!

She visited my Bla Bla Bunker and we discussed her life, the loss of her father when she was 8, how that shaped her and got her into philosophy at a very young age. She set out to be an actress as a rebellious act to swim against the family tradition of helping others but found out she was better in the audience than on the stage...

A flight to Thailand led her to dedicate her career to coaching and she works with companies, individuals and couples on whatever issues they have.  She also trains other coaches and has worked internationally with brands such as Exxon, O2, KPMG and Nestlé.

We talked about what coaching is, for whom it is, who should consider it, what companies need from coaches, what couples need from coaches and a million other things!  We even did a breathing exercise...

https://vokacova.com/

https://www.facebook.com/vokacovamagdalena

 

https://www.instagram.com/magdalena.vokacova

 

Oliver McGillick's career is centered around the live music industry - producing shows with international & local artists of all sorts such as: Iggy pop, Sting, Kasabian, The Chemical Brothers, Massive Attack, Kraftwerk, and Tom Odell.

 

He was born in Australia where his mother had emigrated to from Communist Czech Republic.  Oliver got to experience both worlds, Australia and a fast evolving Czech Republic in its infancy after the Velvet Revolution that marked the end of communism in the country.

 

Oliver is one of the main people behind the freedom festival that is held every year in Prague to remind people  that freedom is invaluable, and what the communist regime did here until 89 was something that will mark the nation for years to come.  

 

Oliver is gay and told me how it was for him to come out, how he see's the gay community, what rights are missing and what is maybe going overboard.  We also discussed hyper correctness and political correctness and what impact that has on us as humans with instincts and needs.  

 

And we also planned my parade of white hetero sexual middle aged men.......

 

https://www.instagram.com/olivermcgillick/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCAK4nxNRIv4-4aUOR9dIKA/featured

Stories of family abuse are always tragic, nobody comes out of that unharmed.  

 

Kathlyn Chua is one of those victims.

 

Born and raised in Singapore, Katlyn was subject to mental and physical abuse from her father, she was bullied at school and the system failed her.  She ended up getting a restraining order on her father at the age of 21 and eventually moved from Singapore to Prague where she started her ongoing healing process.  

 

As a part of that she got into Tarot cards, Rune and Oracle deck readings and now helps other people identifying trauma, discovering their talents, making hard choices and career decisions etc.  Katlyn also connects with the dead, she can see past lives and feels things that most of us do not feel.

 

She told me her personal story, about Asian family culture, her past live as an inhabitant of the Northern world, feminism, dating and how her dead grandfather c0ckblocked her !

 

https://www.nuwatarot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/nuwatarot

https://www.instagram.com/nuwatarot/

 

https://www.facebook.com/bunkerprague

https://www.instagram.com/thebunkerprague/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM63nbcoT1v4M-C0p8REySA