Mindset Booster

Why do we hesitate even when we know exactly what to do?
Harvard-trained psychiatrist and brain researcher Dr. Srini Pillay joins Umar Hameed to explore the neuroscience behind confidence, creativity, imposter syndrome, and meaningful change.
You’ll discover why unfocused time can unlock better leadership, how expectations shape the brain, and why fear of success may keep talented people stuck. Dr. Pillay also shares CIRCA, a practical five-step method for calming overwhelm, shifting attention, and moving forward:
• Chunk it down
• Ignore mental chatter
• Reality-check your thoughts
• Check what you can control
• Aim your attention toward the solution
This thought-provoking conversation will help you understand how your beliefs shape your reality, and how to become a creator within chaos.

In this episode of the Mindset Boosters Podcast, Umar sits down with venture capitalist and entrepreneur Shambhavi Mishra for a wide-ranging conversation about building bigger, thinking differently, and staying human in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Shambhavi’s message is simple:
Be uncomfortably ambitious. Think bigger. Be useful. And don’t lose the human connection.
In this episode:
Why Canada needs more entrepreneurial ambition
What founders can learn from India, the U.S., and global markets
The role of honesty and courage in leadership
How to build trust and stronger networks
Why people still invest in people
How AI can improve productivity without replacing human connection
Why the next generation needs both IQ and EQ

Stop Playing Small: Mindset, AI, and Ambition is a conversation about leadership, entrepreneurship, technology, and what it takes to build something meaningful.

What does it take to keep reinventing yourself from medicine to machine learning, to Microsoft, to building technology that could transform healthcare around the world?

In this episode of the Mindset Boosters Podcast, Umar Hameed sits down with Dr. Khan Siddiqui, founder and CEO of Hoppr, for a fascinating conversation about innovation, resilience, leadership, and the future of AI.
They explore:
• Why “If you don’t try, the answer is no” became a guiding philosophy
• How Khan thinks about risk, persistence, and probability
• Why first-principles thinking leads to breakthrough innovation
• The difference between product-market fit and a broken sales strategy
• Why trust is the foundation of high-performing teams
• How leaders can give people the confidence to take on challenges they’ve never faced before
• What AI means for the future of healthcare, leadership, and human connection
This is a conversation about much more than technology.
It’s about curiosity, courage, trust and the mindset required to solve problems that other people assume can’t be solved.

In this episode of the Mindset Boosters Podcast, Umar Hameed speaks with leadership coach, former Royal Air Force pilot, and author Will Steel about resilience, authentic leadership, team alignment, and overcoming limiting beliefs.
Will shares how his upbringing in Northern England, military experience, and years leading transformational leadership programs shaped his philosophy on vision, trust, accountability, and high-performance teams.
We discussed:
Building resilience and mental toughness
Leadership and organizational culture
How limiting beliefs sabotage performance
Creating a compelling vision for teams and companies
Trust, integrity, and accountability in leadership
Why alignment matters more than talent
Lessons from the Royal Air Force and Landmark Forum
How authentic leadership transforms organizations
Will also discusses his book, Free to Lead: Unleash Your Hidden Leadership Genius, and explains how leaders can remove internal barriers, inspire teams, and create organizations people genuinely want to be part of.
This episode is packed with insights for entrepreneurs, executives, founders, sales leaders, and anyone committed to personal growth and transformational leadership.

In this episode of the Mindset Boosters Podcast, Umar Hameed speaks with Don Campbell, COO of the Touch Pad Pro Foundation, about resilience, accessibility, disability inclusion, and Braille innovation.
After surviving a devastating car accident at 19, Don transformed adversity into purpose and dedicated his career to improving accessibility for people with disabilities.
We discussed:
Overcoming trauma and rebuilding mindset
Accessibility and inclusive design
Braille literacy challenges worldwide
The future of AI and assistive technology
How the Braille Doodle is helping blind and low-vision learners
Why accessible products benefit everyone
This episode is a powerful conversation about turning obstacles into impact and building a more inclusive world.