THE SLOW DOWN – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Welcome to The Slow Down.

A new podcast helping you re-define success and growth for yourself, with a little help from others.

Here is a taste of what's to come in Season 1 featuring Sharmadean Reid MBE, Olivia Rubin, Abadesi Osunsade, Sarah Ann Macklin, Solomon Oyemade, Ellie Dixon, Alexia de Broglie and Matt Klein.

Abadesi Osunsade is an entrepreneur, author, and advocate for diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.

She is founder and CEO of Hustle Crew, a career advancement community, and the co-host of popular tech podcast Techish. Previously, Abadesi held roles at Amazon, Google, and Product Hunt as well as being Brandwatch's first ever Global Vice President of Community & Belonging. A child of immigrants, like me, we talk about where our definitions of success start and how they manifest in us as adults.

After years feeling cycles of burnout in tech, Abadesi is now learning to listen to her body, how to say no and that the only opinion that matters is her own.

In this episode we cover: 

• The immigrant child’s experience 

• Why “Startups are fueled by the energy of youth”

• How we internalise capitalism 

• The added labour of being the only black woman in the room

• Does being busy make you feel worthy? 

• What does it mean to have enough? 

• How to practice slowing down 

Mentions: 

The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron 

The Social Network (2010) film by David Fincher 

Guardian Article featuring Abadesi:  https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/apr/02/soft-life-why-millennials-are-quitting-the-rat-race

Cory Muscara https://www.instagram.com/corymuscara/

Tricia Hersey and The Nap Ministry  https://www.instagram.com/thenapministry/?hl=en

Dr Nedra Glover Tawwab - How to Set Boundaries, Find Peace https://www.instagram.com/nedratawwab/?hl=en

Hidden Figures (2017) film by Theodore Melfi

The Woman King (2022) film by Gina Prince-Bythewood

Abadesi’s Links:

www.linkedin.com/in/abadesi/

https://www.instagram.com/abadesi/?hl=en
www.hustlecrew.co 

Ellie Dixon is an indie-pop musician and songwriter from Cambridge known for her witty, self-aware lyrics and creative production techniques. Starting her career by crafting music from her bedroom studio, merging pop, jazz, rap, and R&B, she amassed over a million followers on Tiktok through duets, remixes, covers and now her own body of work.

Her most recent work includes the EP In Case of Emergency (2023) and singles "Big Lizard Energy" and "Renaissance" (2024). In addition to her musical talent, Ellie is known for her hands-on approach to all aspects of her craft, including directing and producing her music videos. 

In this episode we cover: 

• Piano lessons to music-making

• Playing at Glastonbury on your own terms 

• When the label drops you - build your own label 

• What to do after burnout 

• In defence of rest 

  
  

Mentions:

Music Youtubers: Walk of the Earth, Pentatonix, Dodie

Musical influences: Katie Tunstall, Adele, Bill Bailey, Tim Minchin, Fight of the Concords, My Chemical Romance, Easy Life, Remi Wolf, Hippocampus, Anderson .Paak, Doja Cat

The Bird Cage (1996) film by Mike Nichols

Links: 

https://www.elliedixonmusic.com

https://www.instagram.com/elliedixonmusic

https://www.tiktok.com/@elliedixonmusic?lang=en

Matt Klein is an award-winning cultural theorist, strategist, and writer renowned for his insights into societal trends and digital culture.

His present role is Head of Foresight at Reddit and running his award-winning publication ZINE (which you should subscribe to!). As a sought-after speaker and consultant, Matt collaborates with brands, the UN, investors, philanthropists and press to navigate the complexities of the modern world. I speak to him on if slowing down, and re-defining our careers for ourselves is a macro-movement in the zeitgeist. 

In this episode we cover: 

Lazy Girl Jobs and the Great Resignation

Our mass desire to renegotiate our time back at work

How social media makes our public image always-on  

How to fend off the hungry content monster 

How capitalism sells you wellness 

How spending a day with a child can help you slow down 

Mentions:

The Century of the Self (2002) Documentary by Adam Curtis

Future Shock, Alvin Toffler 

Theory of Self-Preservation, Irving Goffman 

Big Brothers, Big Sisters: https://www.bbbs.org/

Team Human, Douglas Rushkoff 

Links: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kleinkleinklein/

KleinKleinKlein.com

Alexia de Broglie is the co-founder of Your Juno, a financial education platform that helps women reach their financial goals. She started Your Juno with her sister at the age of 24 and raised over $2.5m in investment. In the last three years, Juno has supported 150,000 women in increasing their personal combined wealth by an estimated £600 million. Alexia has also been a guest editor at the Financial Times, named Forbes 30 under 30, ex-McKinsey & PwC, and featured for her work in Vogue, BBC, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan, amongst others. Re-imagining her life now after a failed sale of her business, Alexia is exploring different ways of living, community-building and slowing down. 

In this episode we cover: 

• Seeking your father’s admiration 

• Study drugs and doing it all

• How that first big setback feels 

• ISTA, love and travel on a journey of change  

• Re-building the mind-body connection 

• What you do with your privilege is what matters

• The role money plays in the loss of community 

  
  

Mentions:

Charles Eisenstein

The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker

International School of Temple Arts (ISTA) 

Links: 

https://www.yourjuno.co/

Solomon Oyemade was a Location Manager and connector in East London whose curiosity and intuition took him to Sweden where he ran the kitchen in an African Drum School for 9 months and started to find his place at the intersection of creativity and social impact.

After house-sitting in Costa Rica, California, Mexico, Portugal and Spain he nomadically built Curated Funding, an online library that gives creatives and social entrepreneurs access to an archive of active awards, grants, and funding initiatives. Solomon is currently the Special Projects Manager at Shoreditch Arts Club - programming events that celebrate diversity and grassroots creativity. Solomon’s journey is not the typical one which is why his perspectives and stories are so refreshing. 

In this episode we cover: 

• Using your phone as a mailbox 

• Anchors rather than titles 

• Monastic experiences and being alone 

• Being an experimenter 

• Grief as a great equalizer 

• What pervasive belief are you railing against today?

• The lens of gratitude is not about perfection 

• Who are you when social expectation is removed? 

Mentions: 

Newham Youth Parliament 

WorkAway

Fela Kuti

Fresh, (1994) film by Boaz Yakin

Links: 

https://www.instagram.com/solomonthefounder/ 

https://shoreditchartsclub.com/

Olivia Rubin is a celebrated British fashion designer known for her vibrant, feminine and joyful designs. Reviving her eponymous brand as a mum of two in 2018, Olivia rocketed to success. Within a year, the brand was stocked in Selfridges and Saks New York. Within three she had a store on Marylebone High Street and was presenting at London Fashion. Then there was a kids collection and collaborations with Elemis, sofa.com, Liberty and more.

Her signature rainbow patterns and commitment to creating inclusive, size-diverse collections made her a favourite among celebrities and fashion enthusiasts alike. But in the last year, Olivia has decided to slow down - on the unsustainable pace of seasonal collections, on scaling so big she loses control and in her busy personal life too. 

In this episode we cover: 

• How regaining control increases your enjoyment 

• Celebrating the small wins

• Allowing space for yourself postpartum 

• Finding the joy in dressing 

  
  

Mentions:

Miuccia Prada’s 90s shows 

One of Olivia’s many posts that I reference on slowing down:  ⁠https://www.instagram.com/p/DCHkY6iMEGH/?img_index=1⁠

Links: 

https://oliviarubinlondon.com 

https://www.instagram.com/oliviarubin/

Sharmadean Reid MBE, is a British entrepreneur, author, and cultural innovator best known for founding WAH Nails, a nail salon that redefined beauty culture in London, and The Stack World, a platform empowering women through networking and business tools. Sharmadean's new book, New Methods for Women: A Manifesto for Independence, features 49 essays that provide actionable advice and personal insights on navigating life, work, relationships, and personal growth. Drawing from her own experiences as an entrepreneur, leader, and co-parent, Sharmadean offers readers practical tools to thrive while advocating for systemic change to better support women's empowerment​. 

In this episode we cover: 

• How to be a contributor to your city 

• The difference between founding and entrepreneurship 

• How praise can reinforce negative behaviours 

• Finding a career that gives you pleasure 

• Why two baths a day is true luxury 

• Equity: the next wave of feminism 

• How to centre yourself every day 

• Bringing the healing home

  
  

Mentions:

Street Haunting: A London Adventure (1927) by Virginia Woolf 

New Methods for Women (2024) by Sharmadean Reid 

Boomerang (1992) Film by Reginald Hudlin 

Links: 

https://www.instagram.com/sharmadeanreid
https://www.newmethodsforwomen.com/

Sarah Ann Macklin is a British nutritionist, model, and mental health advocate, known for blending science and compassion in her work. After a successful modeling career, she transitioned into the field of nutrition, earning a first-class degree in Human Nutrition. Her personal experiences, including being diagnosed with dyslexia during her studies, inspired her to explore how nutrition supports mental health and conditions like ADHD and autism. She also hosts the popular podcast Live Well, Be Well, which focuses on evidence-based nutrition and mental health strategies. Sarah has spoken internationally, including at the European Parliament, and contributes to publications such as Women’s Health and Harper’s Bazaar.

In this episode we cover: 

• What happens when we are told we are successful at a very young age 

• What being hospitalized by burnout means 

• Relearning self-compassion 

• True success is when you overcome something huge in yourself 

• Discipline and the myth of work-life balance 

• Wellness culture’s latest trends and traps 

• Why wellbeing starts with the mind 

Links: 

https://sarahannmacklin.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin

Marine Tanguy was the youngest gallery manager in Europe before founding MTArt Agency, the first talent agency dedicated to visual artists. They represent top visual artists and integrates their art into various contexts, from digital platforms to public art projects. She is also the author of her new book The Visual Detox - challenging the dominance of commercial imagery in public spaces.

In this episode we cover: 

At 21 Marine was the manager of Steve Lazarides Gallery (Banksy and other street art)

Marine’ gallery she opened at 23 was called De Re Gallery (named after the island she came from in France) on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles

Marine was mentored by Michael Ovitz , co-founder of CAA

Tineye.com - reverse image search 

BBC Verify

Pina (2012) documentary by Wim Wenders on choreographer Pina Bausch

Links: 

https://www.instagram.com/marinetanguyart/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marine-tanguy-303b4a103/  

https://www.instagram.com/mtartagency/