{"podcast":{"title":"First Principles","slug":"first-principles-7708985","podcast_index_feed_id":7708985,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN4765221373","website_url":null,"image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/06eebd2a-0779-11f1-826e-37926ac18342/image/fca7c8febd1441fc3b0d54084418b06d.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Adrian Wells","episode_count":426,"summary":"First Principles isn't another business podcast recycling the same startup stories. Adrian Wells takes the fundamentals that actually matter and breaks them down like you're having coffee with the smartest professor you ever had. Wells spent twelve years teaching philosophy and critical thinking before ditching the lecture hall for the microphone. Turns out, the same principles that help you think clearly about ancient Greek ethics also work pretty well for modern business decisions. Who knew? Every episode strips away the latest trends and buzzwords to focus on the core ideas that don't change. How to actually evaluate evidence when everyone's throwing around statistics. Why most \"revolutionary\" business advice is just old wine in new bottles. The thinking patterns that separate smart decisions from lucky guesses. You won't get hyped-up success stories or flavor-of-the-month strategies. Instead, you'll learn how to think through problems the way philosophers have for centuries, applied to the stuff that matters in your work and life right now. Multiple new episodes drop daily, so there's always something fresh when you need it. Follow now if you're ready to think better, not just…","last_synced_at":"2026-09-20T02:18:54.580675+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985"},"episode":{"title":"Why Matt Hancock Says His Biggest Pandemic Mistake Wasn't the Affair","slug":"why-matt-hancock-says-his-biggest-pandemic-mistake-wasn-t-the-affair","published_at":"2026-07-27T15:03:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/why-matt-hancock-says-his-biggest-pandemic-mistake-wasn-t-the-affair","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN7622972126.mp3?updated=1776257505","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN7622972126.mp3?updated=1776257505","summary":"Matt Hancock made hundreds of life-or-death decisions during COVID. But he says his biggest pandemic mistake wasn't the affair that ended his career. In this episode, Adrian Wells sits down with the former UK Health Secretary to unpack what really happened behind closed doors during Britain's darkest months. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why Hancock believes his greatest failure had nothing to do with the CCTV footage that destroyed his reputation • The childhood poverty that shaped his approach to crisis leadership (his family couldn't even afford basic necessities) • How he processed making vaccine procurement decisions that affected millions while cameras watched his every move • What it actually feels like when your personal scandal breaks while you're still managing a national emergency 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth, especially those curious about leadership under impossible pressure. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the man behind the headlines [01:45] Hancock's childhood shaped his crisis mindset [03:30] The real mistake that haunts him most [05:15] Making decisions when every choice has consequences [07:30] The day the affair footage leaked [09:45] What he'd tell his younger self about leadership [11:30] Key lessons for handling your own impossible situations You don't have to agree with his politics to learn from his experience. This is what happens when someone with real power faces real consequences, and what that teaches us about making hard choices when everything's on the line. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: Matt Hancock, pandemic leadership, political sc…","meta_description":"Matt Hancock made hundreds of life-or-death decisions during COVID. But he says his biggest pandemic mistake wasn't the affair that ended his career. In t…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":790,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/first-principles-7708985/episodes/why-matt-hancock-says-his-biggest-pandemic-mistake-wasn-t-the-affair/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/why-matt-hancock-says-his-biggest-pandemic-mistake-wasn-t-the-affair.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}