Dees Talk

Behind the Hits: Unlocking the Music Industry's Secrets: ft John Wpolf from A-list Management

🔹 Behind the Hits: Unlocking the Music Industry's Secrets 💰
Ever wondered how artists really make it, who gets paid what, and how the industry is changing with AI and TikTok?
In this episode of Dees Talk, I sit down with John Woolf, a seasoned music manager from A-list Management. John pulls back the curtain on his incredible journey through the music industry, from DJing and producing to managing top artists and building a rights-focused business. He even brought along a special guest for her podcast debut – his dog, Layla! 🐾
🎙️ Welcome to Dees Talk! This is a podcast where I explore ideas, innovations, and game-changing concepts that impact our future.
 
🔥 Topics we discuss:
✔️ John’s Journey: From DJing to A-list Management.
✔️ The 20% Rule: How artist managers really get paid (and what sunset clauses mean for artists).
✔️ Master Rights vs. Publishing 💸: Who owns the music and how does Spotify's £4000 per million streams get divided?
✔️ Indie Deals vs. Major Labels: Navigating advances, royalties, and recoupment.
✔️ Wiley's "Wearing My Rolex" Hit: John’s first major success and the steep learning curve.
✔️ The Ed Sheeran "Miss": Why John initially overlooked a future global superstar.
✔️ Chasing Hits vs. Authentic Artistry: Lessons in building a lasting career.
✔️ Why Owning Your Music Rights is CRUCIAL for artists.
✔️ AI in Music 🤖: Threat or creative partner? Copyright battles and voice mimicking.
✔️ TikTok's Power 📱: How the platform creates global hits and democratizes music.
✔️ The Dark Side of Fame: Artist well-being, drugs, alcohol, and sustainability in the industry.
✔️ Advice for Aspiring Artists 🚀: When to seek a manager and how to break through.
✔️ Global Game: The future of A-list Management, focusing on LA and emerging markets like India.
📌 FOLLOW ME & STAY CONNECTED:
👉 X/Twitter: www.x.com/deestalkpodcast
👉 Facebook: www.facebook.com/deestalkpodcast
👉 Instagram: www.instagram.com/deestalkpodcast
👉 TikTok: www.tiktok.com/deestalkpodcast
👉 Website: www.deestalk.com
👉 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/deestalkpodcast
📌 Guest: John Woolf from A-list Management: www.instagram.com/john_woolf/
🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into the music industry, creativity, and game-changing careers!
 
🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts → @deestalkpodcast
#MusicIndustry #ArtistManagement #MusicBusiness #MusicRights #Spotify #TikTokMusic #AIinMusic #RecordDeals #Publishing #Songwriting #DesTalkPodcast #JohnWoolf #AlistManagement

From Sex Education to Indie Stardom: ft Chaneil Kular on Growth, Grit & Breaking Boundaries

In this powerful episode of Dees Talk, we sit down with Chaneil Kular, the rising star best known for his breakout role in Netflix’s Sex Education. Chaneil opens up about how that ensemble coming-of-age hit shaped him as a young actor and contrasts it with his emotionally intense performance in Accused—a dark, high-stakes drama that pushed him to his physical and emotional limits.
We explore Chaneil’s evolving craft, including his role as the emotionally charged antagonist in the upcoming short film Find My, and his deeper involvement behind the camera as a producer. The episode also dives into his reflections on identity, cultural heritage, and how storytelling can reveal truths about race, masculinity, and modern fatherhood.
Joining the conversation are writer-director Ed Whelan and producer Luke Taylor, the creative duo behind Rider and Find My. Together, they share the journey of turning a powerful idea into an acclaimed short film, the gritty realities of indie filmmaking in the UK, and how they’re shaping Find My into a heartfelt, cinematic exploration of family, legacy, and purpose.
🔥 Highlights in This Episode:✔️ How Sex Education gave Chaneil his foundation — and why Accused redefined his limits✔️ Inside the making of Rider — a story born from a single encounter on a London street✔️ Why Find My tackles masculinity, fame, and fractured fatherhood in the digital age✔️ The role of racial and immigrant narratives in modern short films✔️ How indie teams navigate budget cuts, creative freedom, and future ambitions✔️ Why short films matter—and how they’re launching the next generation of storytellers
Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker, a fan of Chaneil’s work, or just love hearing what happens behind the scenes, this episode is packed with honest insights, creative chemistry, and raw emotion.
📌 FOLLOW ME & STAY CONNECTED:
👉 X/Twitter: www.x.com/deestalkpodcast👉 Facebook: www.facebook.com/deestalkpodcast👉 Instagram: www.instagram.com/deestalkpodcast👉 TikTok: www.tiktok.com/deestalkpodcast👉 Website: www.deestalk.com👉 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/deestalkpodcast
🔔 Subscribe for More Deep Dives Into Film, Creativity & Culture🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts → @deestalkpodcast
#ChaneilKular #SexEducation #Accused #FindMyFilm #IndieFilm #BehindTheScenes #ShortFilms #BritishCinema #Masculinity #CreativeProcess #DeesTalkPodcast

Channeling Higher Realms: Healing, Angels & Quantum Reality (ft Janet Schmidt)

🚀 Unlock the Secrets of the Mind & Beyond! ✨
In this mind-expanding episode of Dees Talk, I sit down with Janet Schmidt, a renowned healer known as The Healer’s Healer and The Healer’s Assistant. Janet shares her profound experiences with angels, higher beings, quantum jumping, epigenetics, and the power of reprogramming the subconscious mind to unlock hidden potential.
🧠🌌 Are we trapped in generational patterns? Can we shift realities through thought alone? What role do angels, guides, and higher consciousness play in our daily lives?
Join us as we explore the mysteries of the mind, reality, and the universe—from channeled messages and past lives to practical techniques you can use to reshape your destiny.
🔥 TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Welcome to Dees Talk! Meet Janet Schmidt 0:38 - Seeing angels as a child & shutting it down 2:53 - Reawakening to spiritual experiences 5:00 - Paranormal events & becoming a healer 8:36 - Breaking generational patterns & reprogramming the mind 12:42 - Angels vs. spirits: Making a choice in channeling 20:39 - Automatic writing & messages from the higher self 24:16 - Are we disconnected from our true selves? 30:12 - Science meets spirituality: Epigenetics, energy, & programming 42:29 - Accessing the Akashic Records & divine wisdom 47:04 - Reincarnation & past lives: Lessons we carry 55:35 - The power of perspective & shifting realities 1:18:03 - Quantum jumping & multiverse navigation 1:21:03 - Final thoughts: Unlocking your full potential
📌 FOLLOW ME & STAY CONNECTED: 👉 X/Twitter: www.x.com/deestalkpodcast 👉 Facebook: www.facebook.com/deestalkpodcast 👉 Instagram: www.instagram.com/deestalkpodcast 👉 TikTok: www.tiktok.com/deestalkpodcast 👉 Website: www.deestalk.com 👉 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/deestalkpodcast
🔮 Connect with Janet Schmidt: 🌎 Website: www.janetelaineschmidt.com 📸 Instagram: www.instagram.com/janetelaineschmidt

Billion-Dollar Deals and Advising on Princess Diana’s Wealth (ft. Nigel O’Sullivan)

📢 In this episode of Dees Talk, I sit down with Nigel O’Sullivan—investment banker, former Goldman Sachs partner, and one-time financial advisor to Princess Diana. Nigel pulls back the curtain on the finance world, sharing jaw-dropping stories about billion-dollar deals, and the intense work ethic involved.
He opens up about the pressure of staying in the closet at Goldman Sachs, how being gay affected his career, and the personal tragedy of losing his long-term partner while working abroad—without being able to grieve openly. This is a must-watch episode for anyone interested in finance, resilience, and breaking barriers.
🔹 Topics We Cover in This Episode: 00:00 - Welcome to Dees Talk with Nigel O’Sullivan 00:49 - Nigel’s Family History & Growing Up in a Catholic-Protestant Household 04:25 - Caring for Elderly Parents: The Financial Reality of Aging 07:24 - How a Competitive Childhood Led Nigel to Finance 11:41 - How Princess Diana Chose Nigel to Manage Her Wealth 👑 17:44 - Diana’s Secret Investment Meetings & Private Jokes 😂 20:00 - What People Misunderstood About Diana’s Intelligence 24:45 - What It Takes to Become a Partner at Goldman Sachs 💼 26:31 - Inside Goldman Sachs’ Billion-Dollar Deals 💰 30:30 - The Cutthroat Culture of Investment Banking 34:03 - Why Nigel Left Goldman Sachs After 17 Years 36:19 - Is Remote Work Killing Productivity? 39:11 - Nigel sets up Mayfair Capital, his own Investment Bank 41:13 - The $100 Billion Energy Grid Investment Opportunity ⚡ 45:00 - Nigel’s arranged marriage and surrogacy deal 46:06 - Nigel’s Childhood Trauma & Its Impact on His Life 💔 49:07 - Diversity in Finance: Then vs. Now 50:29 - How Discrimination in Finance Kept Gay Professionals from Succeeding 🌈 56:28 - The Personal Tragedy He Kept Secret for 33 Years 💔 1:02:56 - The Tragedy I Had to Keep Secret: Losing My Partner While Traveling 1:05:44 - The Secret Marriage That Cost Him Millions 1:09:57 - Insisting on pre-nup agreements for the clients of Mayfair Capital 1:12:05 - Exodus of wealthy clients leaving UK for Monte Carlo 1:12:55 - The Battle for Manchester United & The Glazers’ Strategy 1:18:18 - Bitcoin to $1 Million? The Future of Crypto 🚀 1:27:02 Trump, Elon Musk & Political Power Moves 🏛️
📌 FOLLOW ME & STAY CONNECTED: 👉 X/Twitter: www.x.com/deestalkpodcast 👉 Facebook: www.facebook.com/deestalkpodcast 👉 Instagram: www.instagram.com/deestalkpodcast 👉 TikTok: www.tiktok.com/deestalkpodcast 👉 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/deestalkpodcast 👉 Website: www.deestalk.com
📌 Nigel's company, Mayfair Capital: 🌎 Website: www.mayfair-capital.co.uk

The Food Industry is LYING to You! (ft. Simon Evill & Christopher Ramsay)

🔹 The food industry doesn’t want you to know this… What if the food we eat today has lost most of its nutrients? Could modern farming be making us sicker while damaging the planet? In this episode, I sit down with Simon Evill & Christopher Ramsay, co-founders of Pelican AG, a venture capital firm investing in the future of sustainable food.
We dive deep into how industrial farming has depleted our soil, how supermarkets mislead consumers, and why regenerative agriculture could be the key to fixing our broken food system. 🚜🌱
🎙️ Welcome to Dees Talk! This is a podcast where I explore ideas, innovations, and game-changing concepts that impact our future.
🔥 Topics we discuss: ✔️ Why supermarket food has lost its nutrients – How modern farming is ruining our food quality. ✔️ Regenerative vs. Industrial Farming – What’s the difference, and why does it matter? ✔️ The shocking truth about food labels – Why your “organic” produce might not be what you think. ✔️ The soil health crisis – Why we may only have 60 harvests left before a global food collapse. ✔️ How our food affects our brain & gut health – The hidden connection between nutrition and mental well-being. ✔️ How regenerative farming can fight climate change – Why soil could be the biggest lever for cooling the planet. ✔️ The struggles of small farmers – Why most farmers are trapped in a broken system. ✔️ How AI & tech are revolutionising agriculture – The startups building the future of food.
📌 FOLLOW ME & STAY CONNECTED: 👉 X/Twitter: www.x.com/deestalkpodcast 👉 Facebook: www.facebook.com/deestalkpodcast 👉 Instagram: www.instagram.com/deestalkpodcast 👉 TikTok: www.tiktok.com/deestalkpodcast 👉 Website: www.deestalk.com 👉 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/deestalkpodcast
📌 Follow Simon Evill & Christopher Ramsay Here: 🌎 Website: www.pelicanag.com 🔗 Simon’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/simonevill/ 🔗 Christopher’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-ramsay-5116bb24/