Once a year, 100 attendees, 40 volunteers, and 19 speakers gather on the west coast of Wales in an old cow shed converted into a ‘Lecture Barn’, sharing stories of creativity, entrepreneurship, belonging, and doing.
Held at an old dairy farm overlooking the River Teifi and the Irish Sea, David and Clare Hieatt, alongside the team at Do Wales, have transformed this site from a place that once grew food and reared cattle into a haven for growing ideas and igniting ambition. This four-day event leaves an indelible mark on its attendees, acting as a turning point that inspires them to go out and DO.
Enviral’s marketing manager, Bonnie Middleton, headed west to attend this year’s Do Lectures. She shares her insights below.
Over the four days, 19 incredible speakers shared ideas, wisdom and lessons that opened minds and even cracked open hearts. They told stories of grief and loss, of community and belonging, of purpose and passion.
Continue reading to discover the impactful lessons from a handful of this year’s speakers:
Peter Castagnetti
To kick off this year’s talks, we heard from Peter Castagnetti, who shared his journey of harnessing the power of storytelling and documentary filmmaking to humanise and communicate complex ideas. With over 20 years of experience as a commercial director and director of photography for global brands like YETI, Amazon, and Lululemon, Peter uses video to foster connection and ignite curiosity. Peter’s dedication to human connection is evident in his recent work, “The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping“. In this docu-series, Peter uses the power of stories to touch the soul. Peter finds the special moments that unfold before our eyes and captures those moments. The mantra that Peter lives each day by is ‘If something is scary, it means it matters, don’t f*ck it up’.
Amardeep Parmar
Amardeep Parmar is the co-founder of The BAE HQ, the leading community for British Asian entrepreneurs, which aims to inspire, connect, and scale members. Amardeep shares how he transitioned from a tech consultant to a writer and podcast host. He talks about the fluidity of purpose and how your purpose can change over the years; things change around us, so we must too. Amardeep asks us to consider who we are today and how we have changed over time. The stories we tell others are not only about what we include but also what we choose to exclude. For instance, ‘unintentional skills’ acquired from side projects or hobbies, often left off a C.V. hold significant value. Similarly, the life struggles we endure build resilience. Amardeep challenges us to integrate these diverse experiences to create something extraordinary.
Katherine Templar Lewis
Katherine works at the intersection of neuroscience, creativity and change. She is a human and cognitive scientist and her work brings scientists and creatives together to solve the complex and very human challenges we face today. Katherine explains how the Reticular Activating System (RAS) works, explaining that although 11 million pieces of information bombard our brain and body every second, we can consciously process only 40 of them. By directing our focus, we can choose what these 40 pieces of information are.
Katherine emphasises that where we focus our attention is within our control. Simple tools such as intention lists, gratitude lists, and vision boards can help cultivate a positive awareness of the things we care about. These simple practices, integrated into daily life, can enhance non-conscious awareness and effectively train the RAS. She highlights the intersection of neuroscience and Buddhism through the concept of awareness and flow, emphasising the power of mindful attention.
We all have the ability to train our brains and can choose where we focus our energy. Through neuroplasticity, we can strengthen and deepen the neural pathways that govern our attention. While it requires effort, similar to a HIIT workout the rewards of building these pathways are immense.
Alex M H Smith
Alex begins his talk by admitting he isn’t a doer but someone who advises doers. As a strategy consultant, he leverages his unconventional background to show how simple, exciting, and fun strategy can be. Alex shares with us his ‘No Bullsh*t Strategy Manifesto,’ highlighting key principles:
- Don’t look for insights; you’ll never find them. Instead, look for secrets.
- The right idea, when it comes, will demand no proof. It will only demand action.
- When you do act, act decisively. Go all the way and then keep going.
- If you want to say you’re different, do something different.
Alex’s approach demystifies strategy, making it accessible and engaging. You can learn more of Alex’s ‘strategy secrets’ over on his LinkedIn.
Rachel G. Barnard
Rachel shared her story and the stories of the 1,400 young people she has supported. As an arts and justice leader, Rachel founded Young New Yorkers (YNY), an arts-based alternative to incarceration in New York. YNY’s mission is to transform the criminal legal system through the creative voices of young New Yorkers. Rachel explains that the binary of right and wrong doesn’t deliver truth; it breaks justice. Joyful disruption awakens us, and play can help bridge divides. YNY’s programs apply these principles, pouring beauty into the criminal justice system and diverting young people from prisons toward their full potential. YNY remains the only citywide provider of arts-based diversion programs.
Photo Credit: Do Lectures / Jim Marsden
All of the talks are published online and are free to watch over on the Do Lectures website.