Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Beyond Business

What happens when success no longer feels successful?

In this episode of Beyond Business, Josh sits down with Charles McLachlan, a pioneer in helping senior corporate leaders escape high-paying but unfulfilling careers and transition into work that offers freedom, joy, and long-term sustainability.

Charles shares why the traditional corporate promise is broken, how senior leaders often become trapped by “golden handcuffs,” and why the future of work belongs to wisdom workers—experienced leaders who bring insight, perspective, and presence rather than grinding 60-hour weeks.

They explore:

• Why corporate life can mirror unhealthy dependency cycles
• The rise of portfolio careers and part-time executive leadership
• The mindset shifts required to move from employee to value creator
• Why fulfillment, not status, is the real measure of success
• How leaders over 50 can build meaningful, well-paid work into their 70s

This is a powerful conversation for executives, founders, and ambitious professionals questioning whether the traditional career path is really worth it anymore.

Mo Kanjilal — founder of Edge of Difference, TEDx speaker, author and inclusion strategist working with tech and gaming teams.

Mo breaks down the uncomfortable truth:
most companies say they want inclusion, but their systems aren’t built for it.

We talk about:

• Why “DEI” as a buzzword shuts people down
• How to build inclusion into hiring, leadership and everyday behaviour
• Why measurement, consistency and long-term programs matter more than workshops
• The risk of AI amplifying bias when the teams building it lack diversity
• What tech and gaming companies keep getting wrong
• The real stories — including grassroots football — that show inclusion done well
• Why the next generation will force leaders to change, whether they want to or not

Practical, challenging and full of insights leaders can apply immediately.

Words matter. In this episode I sit down with Cathy Harris, founder of memo, to unpack why editorial quality is a business advantage — not a nicety. Cathy left the classroom to build a specialist proofreading, editing and training service that helps organisations communicate with clarity, protect reputation, and convert ideas into action.

We talk about how teams can get consistent voice across channels, why AI tools increase the need (not reduce) human editing, and the simple processes that stop sloppy copy from costing time and trust. If you send emails, proposals, or reports for a living, this conversation will change how you think about every sentence you publish.

Mike Christian calls himself an “outrepreneur” — someone who parachutes into founder-led businesses to bring calm, clarity, and profitability.

In this episode, Mike shares how uncertainty is the ultimate test of leadership, why simplicity always beats clever, and how to turn chaos into a repeatable system that actually gives you your life back.

We talk about:

• The power of a one-page plan.
• How to find your 80/20 lever and apply the Minimum Effective Dose.
• Why founders must fix people and process before chasing more revenue.
• The parallels between running a business and running a family.

If you’re a founder who’s built something great but feels constantly underwater, this one’s for you.

In this episode, I sit down with Pete Colby, founder of Pragmatism (UK) and an expert in workplace mediation — helping businesses turn conflict into collaboration.

We unpack:

• Why traditional HR approaches often make conflicts worse, not better
• How to spot early warning signs before relationships fracture
• What mediation really looks like — and how it saves companies time, trust, and turnover
• The emotional intelligence leaders need to handle difficult conversations effectively

Pete shares real stories of rebuilding teams, lessons from years of conflict resolution, and how genuine listening can transform any organization.

If you lead people, manage teams, or want to create a workplace where conversations replace confrontation — this episode is for you.

Writing a book isn’t just about getting words on a page — it’s about clarity, confidence, and creating real impact.

In this episode, I sit down with Lucy McCarraher, founder of BookMagic AI, to explore how authors can use artificial intelligence to enhance their creativity, not replace it. Lucy has mentored over 1,000 experts, entrepreneurs, and business leaders, helping them turn ideas into bestselling business books — and now she’s bringing AI into that journey.

We unpack how to structure your story, build credibility through authorship, and strike the right balance between human authenticity and smart technology.

🎧 Listen now to discover how AI can help you write with purpose, not pressure.

The music industry is built on creativity — but behind every great song, there’s a business that needs protecting.

In this episode, we sit down with Stacey Haber, founder of The Music Firm and long-time advocate for artists, to explore how creators can safeguard their work without losing their spark. Stacey shares why contracts don’t have to be scary, how to navigate the business side of music, and what it really takes to build a sustainable career in a shifting industry.

Whether you’re a musician, entrepreneur, or creative of any kind, Stacey’s wisdom will inspire you to value your work, protect your future, and take ownership of your journey.

Leadership isn’t just about success — it’s about resilience, reinvention, and impact. In this episode, we sit down with Geeta Sidhu-Robb, CEO of W-Corp, to explore how she’s building a global community where women lead with purpose and power.

Geeta shares what it really takes to bounce back from setbacks, why reinvention is the secret weapon of great leaders, and how W-Corp is redefining the future of leadership.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, executive, or just curious about what drives high performers, this conversation will inspire you to step into your own leadership with confidence.

Confidence and character never go out of style. In this episode, we explore the mission of The British School of Excellence, a unique organisation teaching etiquette, life skills, and presence to students of all ages.

From children learning respect and kindness, to professionals refining their polish for the global stage, this conversation unpacks why etiquette is far more than “good manners.” It’s about unlocking confidence, building stronger connections, and opening doors to global opportunities.

If you’ve ever wondered how presence and polish can change a life — this episode shows you exactly why it matters more than ever.

What if the key to performance isn’t working harder — but working with your brain? In this episode, we sit down with Andrew from Action Your Potential, the organisation behind the #NeuroNinja movement.

Andrew shares how neuroscience can transform the way we live, learn, and work — from daily habits that boost wellbeing to strategies schools and businesses can use to unlock human potential.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, distracted, or burned out, this conversation will give you practical tools to help your brain work for you, not against you.

Public speaking isn’t just about confidence — it’s about connection. In this episode, we sit down with Elliot Kay, founder of Speaker Express, to explore how anyone can go from stage fright to stage presence. Elliot shares what makes a speaker unforgettable, why storytelling is the ultimate business tool, and how leaders can communicate with clarity in a noisy world.

Whether you’re pitching, presenting, or leading a team, this conversation is packed with insights to help you speak so people actually listen.

In this episode, I sit down with Andy Burden, Executive & Artistic Director of the legendary Natural Theatre Company — one of the world’s oldest interactive theatre companies, founded in 1970.

I came into this conversation knowing nothing about the theatre world… and left with an entirely new level of respect for the craft, the business model, and the leadership behind it.

We talk about:

• How Andy saved a 50-year-old organisation after losing all Arts Council funding
• Why everything they do — heritage shows, immersive experiences, school workshops, corporate training — is the same core skill wrapped differently
• What actually makes theatre impactful (it’s not the metrics you think)
• Why change feels exciting and terrifying at the same time
• The biggest misconception about working in the arts
• What corporate teams learn from immersive theatre without even realising it
• How they measure success through resonance, emotion & repeat clients — not vanity numbers
• And the surprising challenges of leading a creative organisation through crises, reviews, and reinvention

This one is full of insights on leadership, value, decision-making, and human communication — all told through the lens of someone who has rebuilt a historic organisation while preserving its DNA.

If you work with people, lead teams, or simply enjoy hearing how niche industries survive and evolve… you’ll love this episode.

In this episode of Beyond Business, Josh sits down with Kirk Kinnell — one of the UK’s most experienced hostage negotiators and a global advisor on high-stakes conflict resolution. With 30 years in armed policing, counter-terror operations, and crisis negotiations, Kirk has handled conversations that 99% of people will never experience — conversations where a single wrong word can cost a life.

Now working with global corporations, governments, and humanitarian organisations, Kirk brings the psychology, neuroscience, and discipline of hostage negotiation into the world of business. From contract disputes to billion-pound deals, his team helps leaders think clearly under pressure, shift the balance of power, and create outcomes where both sides walk away feeling understood.

In this powerful conversation, Kirk reveals what business people can learn from crisis situations, why empathy is the strongest negotiation tool on earth, how pressure paralyzes people (and how to prevent it), and why authenticity beats tactics every time. Whether you're closing deals, managing relationships, or leading teams — this episode will upgrade the way you communicate forever.

In this episode of Beyond Business, Josh sits down with Roxanne Taku and Joana Rocha — co-founders of Tech Talk and ResLink,

two platforms transforming how people enter the tech world and how companies find real talent.

Roxanne and Joana have helped more than 300 people land roles across startups and big tech, without relying on coding backgrounds. Their one-to-one coaching has an 85% success rate, and their new product, ResLink, is putting the human element back into a hiring world dominated by AI.

We dive deep into:

• Why hiring is fundamentally broken today
• The rise of “AI vs AI” applications
• How video resumes are outperforming traditional CVs
• The mindset behind breaking limiting beliefs
• What it really takes to pivot into tech
• Their founder journey building a SaaS product from scratch
• Why soft skills will always matter

If you're exploring tech careers, building your personal brand, or launching something from scratch — this conversation delivers clarity, strategy, and real inspiration.

In this powerful episode of Beyond Business, I sit down with personal branding coach and mindset mentor Kian Richards for a deep dive into the psychology of success, fear, discipline and purpose.

From escaping the 9–5, to stepping out of your comfort zone, to finding your true “why,” this episode breaks down the real internal battles entrepreneurs face when chasing big goals — and how to overcome them.

Kian shares raw stories from his upbringing, the mindset shift that changed his life, and the frameworks he uses to coach young founders into becoming leaders of both their business and themselves.

If you struggle with self-image, discipline, fear of failure, overwhelm, or inconsistency — this conversation might genuinely change the trajectory of your life.

This week on Beyond Business, Lucia Tanner — founder of Emmeline Consultancy — about what it really takes to build people-first organisations.

From helping a tech company grow from 70 to 1,200 employees to launching her own consultancy, Lucia has seen how empathy, culture, and leadership shape the success of any business.

She shares her honest take on:
-- Balancing business growth with human connection
- Starting her own HR consultancy
- Why trusting your instincts and values always pays off

A brilliant reminder that “soft skills” are actually the strongest ones.

In this episode of Beyond Business, we sit down with Deborah Mannis-Gardner, the world-renowned “Queen of Sample Clearance.”

Deborah has worked with some of the biggest names in music — from Drake, Jay-Z, and Tyler, the Creator to Beyoncé and Rockstar Games (yes, GTA VI!).

She opens up about:
🎶 The evolution of sample clearance from the 1990s to 2025
💡 How AI is reshaping the ethics of music and copyright
💼 Building a business on loyalty, family values, and respect
🌍 Working on everything from To Pimp a Butterfly to Grand Theft Auto 6
❤️ Why people — not numbers — are what truly matter in business

If you care about music, creativity, and the future of technology in the arts, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

We’re often asked: how do you rewire a mind to do more, feel better, and sustain impact?

In this episode, I speak with David Amor, founder of EnsoBrain, neuroscience coach, TEDx speaker and someone who believes sustainable success starts in the brain, not the hustle.

We dig into client stories, frameworks for mental clarity, and the future frontier of brain performance. If you’re chasing output but your mind feels misaligned — this is for you.

HR shouldn’t just manage policies — it should power performance.

In this episode, Claire Vane, founder of Integrated Resources Ltd, shares how she helps organisations design people strategies that deliver measurable business results. We talk about leadership communication, culture design, and what it takes to make HR truly integrated into the business — not just the admin.

A must-listen for anyone building teams, leading change, or redefining what modern HR can be.

In this episode of Beyond Business, Josh sits down with Davide Pagnotta, CEO of Wise Humanity and creator of Hubie, an AI-powered emotional intelligence coach for individuals and teams.

Davide’s journey spans physics, corporate leadership, company collapse, and ultimately building a platform designed to solve one of the biggest silent problems in modern work: emotional friction.

We unpack:

• Why companies fail when people don’t feel safe asking for help
• How workplace culture shapes performance more than strategy
• The difference between individual failure and system failure
• Why emotional intelligence isn’t “soft” — it’s structural
• How micro-habits create lasting behavioral change
• And why everyone is doing the best they can with the tools they have

Davide also shares the personal story that shaped his philosophy — from growing up with zero emotional filters to developing radical empathy as a leadership superpower.

If you’re a founder, leader, or operator who wants better performance without burning people out, this conversation will rewire how you think about work, teams, and yourself.

In this episode of Beyond Business, Josh sits down with Tom Bodell, founder of Elevation Station, to explore what really happens when you strip away job titles, corporate safety nets, and excuses.

Tom shares how working for yourself exposes the parts of your personality you can hide in corporate life — and why emotional intelligence, self-honesty, and purpose are non-negotiable if you want to grow as a professional and a human being.

They discuss:

• Why personal development starts with managing yourself
• Emotional intelligence as a learned skill, not a buzzword
• How trainers and leaders should take responsibility for attention
• The danger of ego-driven “self-help” advice
• Purpose, identity, and asking better questions
• Why people can’t be “fixed” — only helped, if they want it

This is a long-form, honest conversation about purpose over tactics, growth over performance, and why becoming the right person matters more than chasing the next system.

In this episode of Beyond Business, Josh sits down with Hector and Tommy, founders of Mera, a company rethinking what “team building” actually means.

Forget forced fun, trust falls, and pub-heavy offsites. Mera uses nature, shared hardship, and psychology-backed reflection to build real trust, deeper communication, and stronger teams — especially in a remote-first world.

We explore:

• Why nature is the ultimate equaliser (no job titles in the mountains)
• How shared discomfort creates bonds Zoom never can
• The psychology behind trust, connection, and performance
• Why team connection should be a core business investment, not a “nice to have”
• The misconception that team building is just a fun day out
• How long-term, repeat experiences outperform one-off offsites

If you care about performance, retention, culture, and building teams that actually work — this conversation will change how you think about business.