At the Coalface

In this episode, I sit down with Mariana Deluera, a geopolitical risk analyst whose life has been shaped by movement, adaptation, and the search for belonging.
Mariana reflects on growing up across five countries as the daughter of a Mexican diplomat. She shares what it was like to become repeatedly uprooted and re-rooted, and how returning to Mexico as a teenager left her feeling both at home and like a foreigner.
We talk about the influence of her mother and grandmother, two women whose very different life journeys shaped her outlook, as well as her path from immigration and asylum work into geopolitical analysis during the uncertainty of the COVID pandemic.
In the latter part of the conversation, Mariana reflects on how living between cultures influences the way she thinks about geopolitical risk today, the importance of staying open to different perspectives, and why adaptability matters in a rapidly changing world.
Recorded on 23 April 2026.
Connect with Mariana on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/mariana-deluera-aa9626142.
Instagram: @at.the.coalface
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In this episode, I sit down with Stephen Hunnewell, a former national security and irregular warfare practitioner whose career has spanned Special Operations, geopolitics, technology, and strategic competition.
Steve reflects on growing up in a single-parent household, the values that shaped him early on, and the impact 9/11 had on his generation. We talk about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the limits of overwhelming military force, and the mismatch between Western assumptions and local realities on the ground.
Drawing on years working alongside partners across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, Steve reflects on how America’s role in the world has changed, the growing importance of narratives in modern conflict, and how technology and social fragmentation are reshaping competition from Ukraine to elsewhere.
In the latter part of the conversation, Steve reflects on parenthood, family life, and what years focused abroad have taught him about service, community, and meaning at home.
Recorded on 22 April 2026.
Connect with Steve on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/hunnewellstephen/.
Instagram: @at.the.coalface
And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

Help us produce more episodes by becoming a supporter. Your subscription will go towards paying our hosting and production costs. Supporters get the opportunity to join behind the scenes during recordings, updates about the podcast, and my deep gratitude!
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In this episode, I sit down with Gian Jones, a real estate investor, community builder, and congressional candidate.
Gian reflects on growing up in the Rockaways in a single-parent household, taking on responsibility early as the oldest of three, and a childhood that was modest but grounded in strong family and community.
He shares how he found his way into real estate, first as a way to make money, and then as a career. He also speaks about early financial success, losing much of it, and what he learned from having to start again.
We talk about his early exposure to politics, and how it shaped his belief that public service requires financial independence.
Finally, Gian explains why he is running for Congress, what he believes government gets wrong about ordinary people, and what he hopes to change.
Recorded on 20 April 2026.
Connect with Gian on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/gian-a-jones-55713216.
Instagram: @at.the.coalface
And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

Help us produce more episodes by becoming a supporter. Your subscription will go towards paying our hosting and production costs. Supporters get the opportunity to join behind the scenes during recordings, updates about the podcast, and my deep gratitude!
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In this episode, I sit down with Daniel Freeman, a former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, entrepreneur, and community builder whose life has been shaped by movement, reinvention, and the search for belonging.
Daniel reflects on growing up in a military family, constantly adapting to new places while carrying a quiet sense of not fully fitting in. Over time, that same tension would shape his path through service, marriage, fatherhood, and a deeper journey of self-understanding. 
We talk about his 20 years in intelligence, what it revealed about how large systems really function, and why institutions so often drift away from the people they are meant to serve. 
Daniel also speaks candidly about leaving the military, hitting a personal low point, and the transformative role of therapy, recovery, and community in rebuilding his life. He shares how those experiences led him into entrepreneurship, where he now helps veterans build businesses with less risk while pursuing a broader mission around poverty, second chances, and access to meaningful mental health care. 
Recorded on 16 April 2026.
Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/danieljfree/.
Instagram: @at.the.coalface
And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

Help us produce more episodes by becoming a supporter. Your subscription will go towards paying our hosting and production costs. Supporters get the opportunity to join behind the scenes during recordings, updates about the podcast, and my deep gratitude!
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In this episode, I sit down with Barker Keith, whose career spans military service, law, and sovereign risk management.
Barker reflects on growing up in Venezuela, and how his early, idealised view of the United States was challenged by friends who saw the world less through ideology and more through national interests.
He shares formative experiences from his time in the U.S. Army, his transition into law and political risk insurance, and the complexities of structuring protection for international investments. Drawing on decades of experience, Barker offers a behind-the-scenes view of how nationalism shapes outcomes, and what it takes to navigate risk in a world driven less by rules and more by interests.
Recorded on 8 April 2026.
Connect with Barker on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/barker-keith-329b1b8.
Instagram: @at.the.coalface
And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

Help us produce more episodes by becoming a supporter. Your subscription will go towards paying our hosting and production costs. Supporters get the opportunity to join behind the scenes during recordings, updates about the podcast, and my deep gratitude!

Support the show