From LN-CC to Hearted: John Skelton on Extreme Success, Addiction & Rebuilding Life

This episode is personal.Maria Hvorostovsky sits down with the man who repaired her heart - Mr Toufan Bahrami, one of the world's leading cardiac surgeons and the only surgeon in the UK performing fully endoscopic mitral valve repair. With over 4,000 procedures and multiple world firsts, he is the surgeon other surgeons refer their patients to.What starts as a conversation about heart surgery becomes a masterclass in elite performance, calm under pressure, and what it truly means to lead in the highest-stakes environment imaginable.This episode is sponsored by CP+R - London's leading cardiac rehabilitation and performance recovery centre, supporting patients before and after heart surgery https://www.cpandr.co.uk/Find Mr Toufan BahramiHCA Healthcare http://bit.ly/4uHMxPs Guy’s And St Thomas’ Specialist Care https://bit.ly/43BUsC2London Mitral Clinic https://bit.ly/4dRfbq7 Follow host Maria Hvorostovsky:IG: https://www.instagram.com/anatomyofaleader/IG: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvorostovsky/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariahvorostovsky/Website: https://www.anatomyofaleader.com/Artwork and video by https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com/

You have 23 seconds before your doctor interrupts you — what do you say?If you’ve ever felt dismissed, rushed, or unsure how to explain your symptoms, this episode will change the way you speak so you’re actually heard.In this episode of Anatomy of a Leader, Maria Hvorostovsky sits down with Penny Parkes, author of How to Talk So Your Doctor Will Listen, to explore how patients can communicate clearly, prepare for appointments, describe symptoms, ask better questions, and advocate for themselves in a medical system that often doesn’t listen.Penny shares what she learned after decades as a patient navigating complex conditions, medical trauma, near-death experiences, and the reality of medical misogyny — offering practical tools for anyone who wants to feel more confident, prepared, and taken seriously by their doctor.--About Penny ParkesPenny Parkes is an author, health journalist, and long-term patient living with multiple rare and complex conditions. Her book How to Talk So Your Doctor Will Listen: Helping Your Doctor to Help You shares practical tools to help patients communicate effectively, advocate for themselves, and get better care.TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@how2talktoyourdoctorIG: https://www.instagram.com/how2talktoyourdoctor/ BUY Penny's book - https://amzn.to/4tPfU1r--Follow host Maria Hvorostovsky:IG: https://www.instagram.com/anatomyofaleader/IG: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvorostovsky/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariahvorostovsky/Website: https://www.anatomyofaleader.com/Artwork and video by https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com/

Two heart surgeons looked at the same heart and gave me opposite advice. One said plan surgery. The other said wait.At 42, in the best shape of my life, I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse with severe regurgitation. And suddenly I had to answer a question I never expected to face:👉 Do I operate now — or can I safely wait?This is Part 2 of my heart story.In this episode, I break down exactly how I chose my heart surgeon in London, what criteria I used, and what I learned navigating the NHS, private healthcare, and multiple surgical opinions.If you’ve been diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse, mitral regurgitation, or told you “might need surgery,” this episode is for you. In this episode:• What severe mitral valve prolapse actually means• Why two top surgeons gave completely opposite advice• The difference between repair vs replacement• Why “minimally invasive” doesn’t always mean what you think• The exact criteria I used to shortlist surgeons• How many surgeries is “enough”?• Why bedside manner mattered less to me than technical mastery• The red and green flags I noticed• What finally made my decision clearI’m not a doctor. This is not medical advice. This is my lived experience navigating high-stakes medical decisions as someone who researches leaders for a living.I’m a headhunter. I assess excellence for a living. Choosing a heart surgeon felt like the most important search of my life. And what I discovered about expertise, confidence, ego, craft, and decision-making surprised me.Follow Maria Hvorostovsky:IG: https://www.instagram.com/anatomyofaleader/IG: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvorostovsky/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariahvorostovsky/Website: https://www.anatomyofaleader.com/Artwork and video by https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com/If this helped you, subscribe and share it with someone navigating a diagnosis.

I never thought heart disease would be part of my story. At 42, in the best shape of my life, I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse and severe regurgitation. What started as a strange episode during a workout turned into months of fear, waiting, uncertainty, and eventually heart surgery. This is Part 1 of My Heart Story. In this episode of Anatomy of a Leader, I share what it was really like to be diagnosed with a heart condition at 42 — from early symptoms and medical tests to the emotional impact of living with uncertainty while raising young children and running a business. This is the beginning of a deeper series about fear, vulnerability, healing, and what happens when your body forces you to slow down and listen.This is not medical advice. This is my real story — shared in the hope that it helps someone feel less alone, recognise symptoms earlier, or feel brave enough to get checked.In this episode I talk about: – Mitral valve prolapse diagnosis – Heart palpitations and symptoms – ECG and echocardiogram experience – Waiting for cardiology appointments – Anxiety and fear after diagnosis – Exercising with a heart condition – Women’s heart health being underdiagnosed – Why “being strong” can make illness lonelierFollow Maria Hvorostovsky:IG: https://www.instagram.com/anatomyofaleader/IG: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvorostovsky/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariahvorostovsky/Website: https://www.anatomyofaleader.com/Artwork and video by https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com/💗 Follow for honest conversations about leadership, health, emotions and real life.

What happens when a kid who didn’t speak English and didn’t touch a computer until 15 goes on to lead some of the biggest AI and automation programmes in the world? Meet Danilo McGarry — a global AI expert, automation pioneer and digital transformation leader who has worked across organisations like Citigroup, UnitedHealth Group, Royal Bank of Canada and Alter Domus, helping companies redesign how work is done using artificial intelligence. From growing up in Brazil to becoming one of the most recognised voices in AI leadership, Danilo’s story is about resilience, obsession with learning, and refusing to accept how things have always been done. In this conversation, we go far beyond buzzwords. We talk about how AI is really being used inside companies, why culture matters more than technology, how automation is reshaping jobs and leadership, and what executives must understand if they want to survive the next decade. We also explore the human side of artificial intelligence — anxiety, burnout, biology, sleep, emotional intelligence, and what it actually means to stay human while machines become more powerful. This is not a hype conversation. This is about execution, responsibility, leadership under pressure, and building a future where AI amplifies people instead of replacing them.We Discuss:– Danilo McGarry on AI & Leadership– Danilo’s personal story: from Brazil to AI expert– Using automation to outperform humans in work– The chaotic banking story & leadership lessons– Why culture must lead AI adoption– The 5 pillars of AI transformation– The biggest myths about AI & singularity– How to manage anxiety in a rapidly changing world– The future of jobs, freelancing & gig economy– The future of hiring: beyond resumes– Why sleep, biology & humanity matter– Danilo’s final advice on execution with AIAbout Danilo McGarry: Danilo McGarry is a globally recognised AI expert, automation leader and digital transformation advisor, consistently ranked among the Top 20 Most Influential People in Artificial Intelligence worldwide. He has led large-scale AI and automation programmes across major organisations including Citigroup (Head of AI & Machine Learning), UnitedHealth Group (enterprise automation leadership), Royal Bank of Canada, JPMorgan, BNP Paribas and Alter Domus, delivering measurable business impact across finance, healthcare and enterprise technology.Danilo is also a Strategic Adviser on AI to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in the UK and a sought-after keynote speaker on AI, leadership, future of work and digital transformation. His work and insights have been featured in publications including WIRED, Financial Times, Bloomberg and Computer Weekly, and he advises governments and global companies on how to adopt AI ethically, practically and at scale.YT: https://www.youtube.com/@aimcgarryIG: https://www.instagram.com/aimcgarry/🎧 Listen now to a deep, practical conversation on AI on Anatomy of a Leader.Follow host Maria HvorostovskyIG: https://www.instagram.com/anatomyofaleader/IG: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvorostovsky/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariahvorostovsky/Website: https://www.anatomyofaleader.com/Artwork and video by https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com/

What happens when extreme ambition meets an unregulated nervous system?In this episode of Anatomy of a Leader, Maria sits down with John Skelton — co-founder of cult concept store LN-CC, former buyer at Selfridges and Harrods, and founder of mental health project Hearted — to explore what really happens behind high-performance careers.John shares how he rose fast inside the fashion industry, helped reshape menswear, tripled turnover at Harrods, and built one of London’s most influential retail concepts — while accumulating pressure, burnout, and emotional overload.This is a conversation about: Extreme talent. Extreme pressure. Identity collapse. Addiction as coping. And the slow, uncomfortable work of rebuilding capacity. Not a comeback story. A reconstruction story.Why This Conversation MattersWe live in a culture that rewards speed, output and visibility — while ignoring emotional capacity. John’s story exposes the hidden cost of that model. It’s about what happens when identity becomes fused with achievement. When performance replaces presence. When ambition outruns regulation. And when rebuilding becomes the real work.This episode is for anyone who has:Built success but felt empty. Burned out silently. Used work, substances or distraction to cope. Hit a personal breaking point. Or is rebuilding after collapse.About John SkeltonJohn Skelton is a fashion industry veteran, co-founder of LN-CC, former buyer at Selfridges and Harrods, and the founder of Hearted — a project focused on emotional recovery, mental health awareness and honest storytelling.IG: https://www.instagram.com/_h_e_a_r_t_e_d_/Follow host Maria HvorostovskyIG: https://www.instagram.com/anatomyofaleader/IG: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvorostovsky/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariahvorostovsky/Website: https://www.anatomyofaleader.com/Artwork and video by https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com/

After being made redundant with two young kids, Elizabeth Willetts couldn’t find a flexible, senior role, so she created one. She founded Investing in Women — a platform helping women find flexible, part-time and meaningful work. In this episode, Maria Hvorostovsky talks to Elizabeth about how recruitment is changing, why flexible working is the key to closing the gender pay gap, and why ‘you cannot be diverse and inclusive if you don’t embrace flexible work.’ We explore how flexibility creates better workplaces for everyone, the emotional cost of ‘doing it all,’ and what job sharing, part-time leadership, and hybrid work really look like in practice. We also discuss how women can build wealth while staying in the workforce — and hear Elizabeth’s most unpopular opinion about women’s careers.00:18 – Founding Investing in Women01:36 – The Myth of Flexibility When You Work for Yourself02:51 – How to Create Real Flexible Work Opportunities06:17 – Job Sharing: How It Actually Works08:28 – The Future of Work, AI & the Gig Economy14:48 – How Flexibility Can Close the Gender Pay Gap16:24 – Spotting Red Flags in Companies Before You Join24:48 – Flex: Building a Career Around Your Life25:30 – Why Knowing What You Want Is a Career Superpower30:07 – CVs & Cover Letters That Stand Out38:07 – LinkedIn Tips That Get You Hired44:22 – Will Recruiters Be Replaced by AI?54:48 – What’s Next for Investing in WomenAbout Elizabeth WillettsElizabeth Willetts is the Founder of Investing in Women, a UK-based recruitment platform and job board connecting employers with talented women and parents seeking flexible, part-time, and remote work. Elizabeth is a leading advocate for gender equality, flexible working, and closing the gender pay gap. Through Investing in Women, she’s reshaping the UK employment landscape by helping organisations attract, hire, and retain diverse talent while promoting careers that support modern family life and caregiving responsibilities.Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-willettsIG: https://www.instagram.com/investinginwomencareers/Website: https://investinginwomen.co.uk/Follow host Maria HvorostovskyIG: https://www.instagram.com/anatomyofaleader/IG: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvorostovsky/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariahvorostovsky/Website: https://www.anatomyofaleader.com/Artwork and video by https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com/📖 Be the first to get Anatomy of a Leader Diary: https://bit.ly/4qkvC3M

Join the waitlist get Anatomy of a Leader Diary: https://bit.ly/4qkvC3MHow did Jane Means go from wrapping gifts at her kitchen table to working with Chanel and Dior? In this episode of Anatomy of a Leader, host Maria Hvorostovsky speaks with the “Queen of Gift-Wrapping” about building a luxury business from scratch, going viral on social media, and creating sustainable designs for high-profile clients. Jane shares lessons on resilience, creativity, and success without stress.00:00 Intro00:13 Starting a Gift Wrapping Business02:12 Viral Success and Social Media Impact03:16 Challenges and Sustainable Gift Wrapping05:41 Wrapping for Celebrity & VIP Clients08:12 Maintaining Quality and Team Dynamics17:20 The Ultimate Gift Wrapping Challenge TV Show20:22 Navigating Tough Feedback with Kindness21:23 Family Dynamics and Gift Wrapping Humor22:08 The Art of Understated Gift Wrapping25:09 Sustainability in the Wrapping Industry27:33 Balancing Work and Personal Life30:12 The Journey of Hiring and Business Growth32:36 Reflecting on Positivity and Life Lessons33:33 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs37:10 Proving Doubters WrongJane MeansIG:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/janemeans⁠Pinterest: ⁠https://www.pinterest.co.uk/janemeans⁠ 🎁 Special Offer for Anatomy of a Leader viewers: Get 20% OFF your order at ⁠https://www.janemeans.com⁠⁠  with code MARIA at checkout.Follow Maria HvorostovskyIG: https://www.instagram.com/anatomyofaleader/IG: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvorostovsky/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariahvorostovsky/Website: https://www.anatomyofaleader.com/Artwork and video by https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com/ 📖 Become a founding member of Anatomy of a Leader Diary sign up here: https://bit.ly/4qkvC3M

On June 19th, 2025, my heart was stopped. And restarted. I had robotic heart surgery to repair a valve, but what it healed went far beyond the physical. This short video is about what breaks us open… and how we begin again.This is not just a story about surgery, it’s about identity, rebirth, and the quiet strength it takes to come back different.Regular programming will resume in September, as I gather strength and take time to rest and be with my family.Pre-order Anatomy of a Leader Diary here: https://stan.store/mariahvo/ 📖Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/anatomyofaleader ☕️FOLLOW ME:IG: https://www.instagram.com/anatomyofaleader/IG: https://www.instagram.com/mycareerwithmariaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maria_hvoWebsite: https://www.anatomyofaleader.com/

Pre-order Anatomy of a Leader Diary here: https://stan.store/mariahvo/ 📖Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/anatomyofaleader ☕️—-Work-life balance is a lie.In this episode, I open up about my recent health challenge - a heart condition called mitral valve prolapse - that forced me to completely rethink how I work, live, and lead. I share how the Anatomy of a Leader brand is evolving and what I’ve learned about slowing down, listening to your body, and making aligned decisions after two decades in executive search and leadership.If you’re navigating burnout, reinvention, career change, or leadership challenges, this episode is for you.—-Follow me:IG:   / mycareerwithmaria  LinkedIn:   / mariahvo  TikTok:   / maria_hvo  IG:   / anatomyofaleader  Website: https://www.anatomyofaleader.com/—-What’s inside:Why work-life balance is a mythHow my heart condition (MVP) changed everythingWhy I’m closing HVO SearchWhat’s next for Anatomy of a LeaderThe story behind the Anatomy of a Leader Diary - pre-order now! https://stan.store/mariahvo/How I’m applying lessons from Slow Productivity by Cal NewportBehind-the-scenes of creating this podcast with Felipe, my husbandA shoutout to Bill Bailey’s “Thoughtifier” show—-Resources mentioned:Anatomy of a Leader Diary: https://stan.store/mariahvo/Slow Productivity by Cal Newport: https://amzn.to/4kk1rpT Bill Bailey’s “Thoughtifier” trailer by Felipe Meggio:    • Bill Bailey Thoughtifier Show Intro  —-Thank you for watching and supporting! Please like, subscribe, and comment - I’d love to hear: 💬 What’s keeping you stuck in your career right now? 💬 What leadership topics do you want me to cover next?—-We breathe.We inhale and exhale.We work and we rest.We live and we lead.This is Anatomy of a Leader. Thank you for being here.