When your big brother becomes a professional footballer, admiration can take many forms. For Steve Shaw, it grew into a lifelong respect for habits, humility, and hard work that separate raw talent from true brilliance.

In this episode of The Brilliant Humans Podcast, Steve reflects on the powerful lessons he learned from his brother Paul Shaw - lessons forged through nearly two decades in professional football with clubs including Arsenal, Millwall, and Gillingham. From the discipline behind a 19-year career to the resilience needed to stay grounded under pressure, Steve shares how those same principles now guide his own approach to business, leadership, and family.

A thoughtful and inspiring conversation about persistence, character, and what it really means to pursue excellence on and off the pitch.

In this deeply moving episode of The Brilliant Humans Podcast, Jonathan is joined by Ryan Curtis-Johnson - a proud, gay, neurodivergent dad, and Chief Communications Officer at The Valuable 500.

Ryan opens up about his brilliant human: his mum, Ann.
A formidable, outspoken woman who never let her MS diagnosis define her, Ann showed strength, compassion, and fierce love throughout her life, especially when Ryan came out as gay in the early 2000s.

Together, Jonathan and Ryan explore how resilience, acceptance, and advocacy can ripple through generations and how love, when it’s loud and unwavering, can change everything.

A conversation about disability, pride, parenting, and the power of a mother’s belief in who you are...long before you believe it yourself.

In this episode of The Brilliant Humans Podcast, Jonathan Griffiths speaks with Sasha Gorbatenko, a runner, TEDx speaker, champion of women in technology, and platinum-tier facilitator of Google’s I Am Remarkable programme.

Sasha shares the story of her Brilliant Human, Irina, a formidable journalism teacher whose lessons went far beyond writing. Through discipline, curiosity, and compassion disguised as toughness, Irina transformed shy young students into fearless, independent thinkers.

Nearly 20 years after Irina’s passing, her impact still shapes how Sasha lives, leads, and inspires others. It’s a moving reminder that real teachers don’t just teach skills, they teach us how to be human.