Explore every episode of the podcast Smashing The Ceiling
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
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| Annabelle Buckland - on audio obsessions and an adult diagnosis of ADHD | 05 Apr 2023 | 00:51:31 | |
My guest today is a woman I met a couple of years ago whilst wearing a delicious pair of sequinned dungarees and accepting an award at the International Women’s Podcast Awards. Her name is Annabelle Buckland, and she’s an radio host, podcast producer and general audio whizzo. She also has ADHD. We’ve discussed a lot of things on this podcast over the last 5 years, but the impact of an adult diagnosis of ADHD on career and working life is one that so far we haven’t touched on, so I’m pleased that we’re diving into that today. If you need more information or are affected by anything you’ve heard today, I’ve popped plenty of links in the show notes with information and support. Above all though, Buckers is hilarious and thoughtful, and an amazing interviewee. We talked about her early obsession with dental hygiene, why going touni isn’t always a dream choice and about the progression of women in audio. Enjoy this one. Useful links Buckers' website Follow her and Decibelle Creative on Instagram Listen to Buckers' podcast with Fleur Emery on ADHD, The Spin Off The ADHD UK website is here which has lots of useful links and resources October is ADHD Awareness Month and there's more info on that here Music Provided by ZakharValaha, AleXZavesa, Coma-Media SergeQuadrado JuliusH, Lesfm and lemonmusicstudio from | |||
| Jia Wertz - from Forbes and fashion to film-making and fighting for freedom | 20 Mar 2023 | 00:43:54 | |
My guest today has gone from shy wallflower to recipient of international film awards and a column in Forbes. Jia Wertz is a filmmaker, entrepreneur, podcaster, activist and writer, who, like many of our guests, has had a working life with some unexpected twists and turns. Jia had a super successful career in the fashion industry when she first heard the podcast Serial back in 2014. She was moved to do what she could to help Adnan Syed, the protagonist of the series, who was sentenced at the age of 17 for the murder of Hae Min Lee, a crime he always denied. Jia became actively involved in Adnan’s case, and at the same time, made the decision to quit her career in fashion and go to film school at the age of 40 having recently given birth to her son. Jia was subsequently inspired to make her first documentary film, Conviction, about the wrongful conviction of Jeffrey Deskovic, which won multiple awards and opened Jia’s career up in ways she never expected. Since we recorded this podcast, Adnan Syed has been released from prison and the charges against him dropped. You can read more about the case here. Useful links Jia's website Follow Jia on Instagram Follow Jia on Twitter Watch the trailer for Conviction on YouTube Watch Conviction on Amazon Prime Music Provided by ZakharValaha, AleXZavesa, Coma-Media SergeQuadrado | |||
| Siobhan Daniels - from nursing to broadcast journalism to pro-age campaigning, and life in a campervan | 05 Nov 2021 | 00:49:27 | |
Siobhan Daniels grew up in a care home as one of eight children amongst the elderly people her family looked after. She's subsequently had an incredibly varied and colourful life, first working as a nurse in the NHS before joining the BBC as a trainee in broadcast journalism. Siobhan spent 30 years as a presenter, reporter and producer at the BBC, before selling her property and setting off on a new round of adventures in her camper van! She's now a freelance broadcaster and journalist, and a pro-age campaigner. Since the age of 50 she's run two marathons, and is currently writing a book. Siobhan is a huge advocate of supporting women through the menopause in the workplace, and talks about all this and more in this chat. She's a total delight, and great fun. Enjoy. Trigger warning: This episode contains references to parental abuse Useful Links Siobhan's website: https://www.shuvonshuvoff.co.uk Siobhan in the news: https://www.shuvonshuvoff.co.uk/features Follow Siobhan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shuvonshuvoff/ And Twitter! https://twitter.com/SiobhanDaniels | |||
| Vicki Prais - on international human rights and a lifetime of advocating for others | 21 Oct 2021 | 00:38:24 | |
When you think about human rights, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe it's the treatment of prisoners overseas, or working conditions and pay in a place of employment, or freedom of speech, or the right of an individual to live freely and safely in whatever manner they choose? Maybe it's a multitude of other things, because the subject of human rights is broad and deep. It's also vitally important. My guest today is Vicki Prais, a human rights lawyer and consultant, podcaster and writer. We love women with adventurous and challenging careers on this podcast, and Vicki has that in spades. She's worked for the UN in Kosovo, Amnesty International, Penal Reform International and the British Government. She's worked in Ukraine, Russia and Armenia, and consulted on cases involving Guantanamo Bay. "We are all experts in our own little niches" she says. Vicki Prais, welcome to Smashing The Ceiling. Useful Links Vicki's Website: https://vickiprais.com Connect with Vicki on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicki-prais-5862151/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/vickiprais?lang=en | |||
| Kirsten and Aiyven Mbawa - on the power of imagination, and teen entrepreneurship | 07 Oct 2021 | 00:32:26 | |
To open Season 4, I’ve got two guests with me with this week, and if you’re looking for inspiring women in your life, then these two are it. Kirsten and Aiyven Mbawa are sisters from Northampton, England and they’re 13 and 12 years old respectively. Nothing unusual there. What is unusual is that both Kirsten and Aiyven are published authors and business owners. Their love of reading has driven everything they’ve done so far, and you’ll hear in this chat the effect on their lives that they both attribute to books. Their company, Mbawa Books, produces monthly subscription boxes for teens containing diverse titles with relatable, representative heroes from a wide range of authors, as well as stories written by Kirsten and Aiyven themselves. Their output is prolific, and having tasted success with their first books, which they self-published but subsequently got onto the shelves of Waterstones through their hard work and tenacity, they are well on their way with their next novels. Kirsten and Aiyven are the face of their brand. They have help from their mum, Ndah, but have themselves appeared on Steph’s Packed Lunch on Channel 4 and in various local and national press. Kirsten confidently told me she wants to be prime minister, and I just wouldn’t put anything past these two. Useful Links Mbawa Books Website: https://www.mbawabooks.co.uk Subscribe to Kirsten and Aiyven's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1-zobH5aogUrGF02gIW3lw Follow Mbawa Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbawabooks/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mbawabooks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mbawabooks/ | |||
| Tigz Rice - on burlesque, boudoir and her unique photography career | 19 Aug 2021 | 00:42:06 | |
To many people, the world of burlesque may seem distant, mysterious and unknown. You might have heard of Dita von Teese, but how much do you know about the art of it, the glamour, and the people, who are, by all accounts, a brilliant bunch of welcoming human beings? My guest today is Tigz Rice, who combines her career as a burlesque and boudoir photographer with an ambition to leave her mark on the world creatively. She has shot for Cosmopolitan, and produced work that the HuffPost described as the 'most diverse lingerie shoot of its time'. But like many of my guests, she didn't expect to end up where she is. Tigz harboured a strong desire to be a forensic pathologist, and it was circumstances that led her to art college, then into photography. She's an amazing advocate for people celebrating their bodies, taking pride and joy in what society may view as physical flaws, but often actually are a sign of strength and resilience. She is storyteller of the highest order, and I hope you enjoy this conversation about her life and career. Useful Links Tigz's websites: https://www.tigzrice.com and https://brandingbytigz.com Follow Tigz on Instagram at @tigzrice and @brandingbytigz Our website, with details of the International Women's Podcast Awards - www.skylarkcollective.co.uk Follow us on Instagram - www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk | |||
| Hannah Roper - on life as a country musician, teacher, policeman and survivor | 06 Aug 2021 | 00:54:19 | |
Hannah Roper is an incredible woman with a varied career forged out of a combination of inspiration and necessity. Not many people can say that they've worked as a teacher, a policeman, a country music singer and an entrepreneur. Hannah has worked in both primary and secondary education, founded a country music festival, been on the beat and with suspects, and released several successful albums. In the midst of all of that, she's also survived domestic abuse and harassment at the hands of her ex-husband, also a police officer. Her life and career are quite extraordinary. It has certainly not always been an easy ride for Hannah, and as a survivor of domestic abuse there was a time where confidence and self-esteem were not the norm. She spent many years rediscovering herself, in the process finding her love for entrepreneurship and developing skills in business, branding, marketing and web design. After launching her company The Female Creative in 2020, she was named in Yahoo Finance as one of their Top Ten Business Start up Coaches in 2021. Hannah also recently launched her podcast, The Female Creative Talks earlier this year, which is well worth a listen! Please note this podcast contains references to domestic abuse and coercive control. If you need further help or advice, Women's Aid and Refuge are always available. Useful Links The Female Creative website: https://www.thefemalecreative.co.uk Find Hannah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefemalecreative/ Follow Hannah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_femalecreative/ Listen to Hannah's podcast: https://www.thefemalecreative.co.uk/podcast Our website, with details of the International Women's Podcast Awards - www.skylarkcollective.co.uk Follow us on Instagram - www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk | |||
| Elizabeth Ogabi - on becoming a changemaker and progressing your side hustle | 22 Jul 2021 | 00:42:06 | |
We hear so much about side hustles and entrepreneurship and it seems that every second person on social media is starting a successful new business and scaling it to 7 figures from their kitchen table. But if you've had an idea, how do you get started? How do you balance your day job and the need to earn a living with launching a new venture? What's the best way to go about that, and why does it seem so damn easy for other people when you're finding it pretty hard? If these questions have ever popped into your head, then this episode is for you. Elizabeth Ogabi has balanced life in the corporate world with founding and progressing multiple businesses, both in London and Lagos, Nigeria. She's worked in communications for some of the world's most successful companies, whilst also being an inspirational entrepreneur. Liz is a huge supporter of women in business, and always knew she wanted to make a positive change in the world. In 2016 she founded For Working Ladies, a digital media platform focused on equipping women with the information and tools they need to start a successful business. Most recently, she co-founded Leicour.com a community network focused on accelerating women within organisations into leadership roles. Whether it’s starting a side hustle, breaking through the corporate glass ceiling or pursuing full-time entrepreneurship, her ultimate goal is focused on the advancement and economic empowerment of women. Her new book, Side Hustle in Progress, is a brilliant practical guide to kickstarting your business, and is well worth a read if you're starting something new this year. She also has a successful podcast, How I Made It Happen, and we chatted a little about podcasting later in the interview. This conversation is packed full of entrepreneurial and business wisdom. Enjoy. Useful Links Order Liz's book Side Hustle in Progress from Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/side-hustle-in-progress/elizabeth-ogabi//9780008455002 For Working Ladies website: https://forworkingladies.com Find Liz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizogabi/?originalSubdomain=uk Follow Liz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethogabi/ Our website, with details of the International Women's Podcast Awards - www.skylarkcollective.co.uk Follow us on Instagram - www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk | |||
| Nikki Trott - on conscious business, the value of service and selling umbrellas | 09 Jul 2021 | 00:48:30 | |
Have you ever had a moment when you met someone for the first time, but you felt like you'd known them your entire life? It's a weird and rare but wonderful thing. I had that feeling when I chatted to Nikki Trott prior to this interview, and I knew I had to have her on the show. Nikki is an entrepreneur, podcaster and coach on a mission with her company, Conscious Accelerator. That mission is to help entrepreneurs with a real purpose in their business to thrive. She believes that purpose and profit don't have to be mutually exclusive (something I wholeheartedly agree with) and that business can be ethical, meaningful and financially successful all at the same time. But she started her working life singing in a choir and working in Topshop during her teenage years, before beginning her career post-university at a tech startup. She's had huge experience in business development, branding and the tech sector, and has done a variety of different and roles that have led her to where she is today. We talked in this interview about how experience in retail and service early in Nikki's career shaped her attitudes going forwards, why 'success' isn't always what it seems, and how the realisation that her personal values and professional life were poles apart led to some pretty significant changes. Useful Links Nikki's website: https://www.nikkitrott.com Find Nikki on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkitrott/ Follow Nikki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkitrott/ Our website, with details of the International Women's Podcast Awards - www.skylarkcollective.co.uk Follow us on Instagram - www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk | |||
| Victoria Jenkins - on life as an adaptive designer, disability advocate and unexpected entrepreneurship | 24 Jun 2021 | 00:53:36 | |
My guest this week is an incredible woman, whose life and career were turned upside down by circumstances. We talk often on this podcast about how circumstances shape the careers of women, but in the case of Victoria Jenkins, the circumstances were becoming disabled in her mid twenties. Before becoming ill, Victoria was forging a successful career as a garment technologist, working for the likes of Sweaty Betty, Jack Wills and Victoria Beckham no less. She was doing well, and that’s an understatement. But at the age of 26, her life turned upside down - I’ll let her tell you her story in the podcast, but suffice to say, she ended up founding her own fashion company, Unhidden, to cater to people requiring adaptive clothing that’s stylish, beautifully made and affordable. Victoria is now an entrepreneur, business owner, disability advocate and brand ambassador for Models of Disability. She’s a tour de force, and I’d urge you pop out and buy her book The Little Book of Ableism. We started, as ever, talking about her early life as one of six kids. Useful Links Victoria's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoria_is_unhidden/ Unhidden Clothing Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unhidden_clothing/ Find Victoria on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-jenkins-812b7027/ Victoria's website: https://www.victoriaann.online Unhidden Clothing website: https://unhiddenclothing.com Our website, with details of the International Women's Podcast Awards - www.skylarkcollective.co.uk Check us out on Instagram - www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk
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| Mira Patel - on learning the value of hard work, and why teenagers need a helping hand | 17 Jun 2021 | 00:42:12 | |
We've often talked on this podcast about how our upbringing shapes our attitudes to work, ambition and success. Mira Patel's parents ran a newsagent, and she started working in the shop at an early age, before forging a successful career in HR. She understands the value of hard work and determination in building a business. She stepped away the HR world to train in neurolinguistic programming, and she founded her company, Prana Coaching in 2019. She now specialises in coaching young people through their teenage years, equipping them with the tools and skills they need to navigate the modern world. Mira is one of the most accomplished women I know, seamlessly managing her business, motherhood, a house build, fundraising challenges galore and organising huge events for the Gujarati Cultural Society in Brighton. She's quite the tour de force, and one of the kindest people you could hope to meet. Useful Links Mira's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prana_coaching/ Mira's website: https://www.pranacoaching.co.uk Our website, with details of the International Women's Podcast Awards - www.skylarkcollective.co.uk Check us out on Instagram - www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk
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| Imogen Tinkler - on foraging, fairytales and altered career aspirations | 11 Jun 2021 | 00:52:28 | |
When you're in a box career-wise, it can be hard to get out of it. Sometimes it's pressure from others, or from society that keeps you in that box, or sometimes it's your own internal monologue telling you that you can't do anything else. Sometimes, life events send you on a different path. Imogen Tinkler is a total inspiration in this area. After an adventurous childhood in Pakistan, and studying Russian with politics at uni, Imogen thought she was going to be a lawyer. After losing her mother, she re-considered her priorities, and subsequently forged a successful career in the charities and non-for-profit sector, becoming a director at the age of 31 and working with David Cameron and Gordon Brown. After her dad became ill, Imogen re-invented herself again though, quitting her job and starting a food business Bangers and Balls with her husband Duncan. Imogen and Duncan are aiming to start a revolution from your kitchen table. They began with pop-up restaurants, but now take foraging expeditions, telling the tales of food surrounding you in the natural world and have written a new book, Foraging Fairytales, which has just gone straight into the Amazon Top 10. As well as being a successful businesswoman and master marketeer, Imogen is also a keen wild swimmer with a love of the ocean and being in water, and she tells me about how swimming saved her after the loss of her 8 week old baby daughter in the midst of the pandemic last year. Her positivity and infectious enthusiasm despite everything she's encountered made me just want to be her friend and move to Kent immediately to join her gang of swimmers. As a trigger warning, we do discuss grief and loss in this podcast, but listen in if you can for warmth, energy and lots of great advice from Imogen. Useful links: Bangers and Balls website: https://bangersandballs.co Bangers and Balls Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bangersandballs/ Imogen's Girls Gone Wild swimming page: https://www.instagram.com/girlsgonewildswimming/ The Government's Kickstart Scheme that Imogen mentioned: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/kickstart-scheme | |||
| Samantha Baines, Part 2 - on starring in Magic Mike Live with Channing Tatum and accidentally writing a children's book | 06 Mar 2023 | 00:41:01 | |
This is Part Two of my chat with Sam Baines, my first guest for Season 6 of the podcast, and a woman that I’ve know for a few years after she was shortlisted at the inaugural International Women’s Podcast Awards back in 2021. It’s fitting that she’s first this season, because she’s been the first woman to do a few other things too. Sam is an award-winning comedian, podcaster, author, actor, broadcaster and general legend. In 2014 she won the Funny Women Awards, and subsequently went on to scoop of the 2015 ‘What the Frock’ Best Newcomer Award. But that’s not all. As an adult, Sam experienced hearing loss, and is now a deaf activist, hearing aid wearer, and an ambassador for the RNID. She’s written two children’s books, Harriet Versus The Galaxy and The Night The Moon Went Out, and she tells me in this conversation about how she got her first book deal (spoiler alert: she wrote it without an official offer). Her new book, Living With Hearing Loss and Deafness, is available to pre-order now. As well as all this, she’s got an award-winning podcast, The Divorce Social, discussing, surprise, surprise, divorce, and her acting credits include The Crown, Call the Midwife, and Magic Mike Live in the West End. There is nothing this woman can’t do. We covered SO much ground in this chat, which was recorded aaaages ago live at The Podcast Show - basically I had to give myself a good kick up the arse to get the podcast moving again in 2023, so that’s entirely on me. There was so much good stuff that I cut it in two. This is part two. Enjoy. Useful links Sam's website Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on Twitter Follow Sam on YouTube Music Provided by ZakharValaha, AleXZavesa, | |||
| Anita Whittaker - on sex positive parenting, and life as a pirate DJ | 27 May 2021 | 00:52:49 | |
Here’s a question for you. Would you describe your mum as sex positive? My guest today, Anita Whittaker, garnered the term “the sex positive mum you all wish you had” after appearing in Channel 4 show ‘Mums Make Porn’. This happened after a television company read her original blog, Only Boys and A Tomboy, describing her family life in Harlesden in London with her 4 sons and husband Johann. Anita is an award-winning mentor, speaker, journalist and community liason. She’s run children’s nurseries, been a DJ on pirate radio, had a super successful blog and Instagram account, and worked in education for 17 years, including stints on the board of charities and other organisations. Anita is a raconteur in the truest sense of the word, and it’s no great surprise that she now has her own successful podcast, Anita Whittaker and Friends. This podcast is all about women with unusual and interesting careers and lives, and she certainly fits that bill. This interview is full of rich stories, laughter and vivid descriptions of both London and the Caribbean, and I LOVED it. Useful Links Only Boys And A Tomboy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onlyboysandatomboy/ Anita's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_anitawhittaker/ Listen to 'Anita Whittaker and Friends' on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Lv1Ou2EP4rvnjN5CskX9f Our website, with details of the International Women's Podcast Awards - www.skylarkcollective.co.uk Check us out on Instagram - www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk
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| Monique Hodgson - on a glittering international career, and her mission to redefine motherhood | 20 May 2021 | 00:38:24 | |
Sometimes you meet someone whose energy, creativity, and drive just blows you away, and Monique Hodgson is one of those people. Monique is a Latin American trailblazer, on a mission to redefine motherhood through her company, Mumble Forum. Monique established in 2019 as a platform to unite women through motherhood with the objective of creating social change, collectively and individually. She says that mothers are underestimated, undervalued and under-utilised, and that the world is suffering both metaphorically and economically because of this. Monique is from Panama, and after moving alone to Milan at the age of 18 to study in the fashion capital of the world, she found herself in London working in the ambassadorial service at the Panamanian embassy. Her work has stretched from fashion, to international politics and commerce to luxury branding and events. We talked a lot in this interview about strong women - being them, raising them and inspiring them, and how Monique’s ambition to change the perception of motherhood drives everything she does at Mumble. Useful Links Mumble Forum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mumbleforum/ Monique's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monique_vega/ Listen to 'Ladies of Mumble' on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3gN2YcLrO0QgF5hE6aZs5M v Our website, with details of the International Women's Podcast Awards - www.skylarkcollective.co.uk Check us out on Instagram - www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk
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| Amanda Ogen - on making it in Hollywood, and why persistence pays off | 13 May 2021 | 00:47:09 | |
If like me, you had a misspent youth watching as much Friends, Sex and the City and The O.C. as you could, you’ll probably love today’s guest, Amanda Ogen. Amanda was obsessed with film and TV from a young age and despite being from New Jersey, couldn’t wait to move to Hollywood. After interning at Nickelodeon, she is now a freelance casting agent, and has worked on shows with Netflix, Fox, Facebook and Buzzfeed. Amanda also hosts a hit podcast, ‘How Did I Get This Far?’, which takes a lighthearted look at some of basic life skills that you might regret never acquiring. Her show charted on the Apple podcast charts earlier this year, and has featured guests talking about everything from changing a tyre, to doing your taxes, to defending yourself with MMA skills. Amanda is, quite frankly, hilarious. In this conversation we talked about sororities in American university, the phrase ‘the dog’s bollocks’, why it pays to be persistent, and the value of speaking up, even if you’re not sure you really should. Oh, and in case you're wondering, here's a video of the cha cha slide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZv62ShoStY Useful Links Amanda's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaogen/ Listen to 'How Did I Get This Far?' on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xuqBvUoqQdnqr1N59SqwM Our website, with details of the International Women's Podcast Awards - www.skylarkcollective.co.uk Check us out on Instagram - www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk
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| Iffat Gill - on creating meaningful social change through digital entrepreneurship | 06 May 2021 | 00:45:31 | |
Some people take half a lifetime to discover their passion, but others know their calling from an early age. Iffat Gill was only 25 when she was first invited to speak at a UN Conference, after founding her first not-for-profit in Pakistan at the age of 22. Iffat grew up in Libya and received her education there with the strong encouragement of her family, but when she returned back to her home nation of Pakistan, she realised the need for community education in the effort to empower women. Iffat began with a local skills centre, teaching women the practical aspects of running a small business, but soon realised that her future lay in tech. She has gone on to found Code To Change, a diversity non-profit to upskill and re-skill under-represented groups, and Digital Starling, a new AI enabled female talent marketplace supporting digital freelancers and founders. In 2020, Iffat was nominated for the UNESCO Prize for her work in women and girls’ education, and she is world-renowned for her expertise in digital skills advocacy and internet governance. Useful Links Iffat's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irgill2021/ Connect with Iffat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iffatgill/ Medium article about Digital Starling: https://medium.com/@womeninai_nl/the-story-of-digital-starling-c738ba23b486 Our website, with details of the International Women's Podcast Awards - www.skylarkcollective.co.uk Check us out on Instagram - www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk | |||
| Kristine Kilty - on a life in fashion, and receiving career advice from Gwen Stefani | 29 Apr 2021 | 00:48:22 | |
They say you should never meet your heroes, but what if you do, and it turns out to be amazing? In the case of Kristine Kilty, she met her style icon, Gwen Stefani, whilst working at Vivienne Westwood in London, and her career trajectory altered irrevocably from there. Kristine is a fashion stylist and creative director, co-ordinating shoots for some of the world's biggest fashion magazines. She trained at Central St. Martins College before working for the likes of Alexander McQueen during her illustrious career to this point. Her fashion consultancy business, The Fierce Group, was founded in 2020 in the height of the pandemic, and she was featured in Vogue last year discussing novel ways of working in the fashion industry during Covid. If you're into fashion, or you know anyone that is, this is the episode for you! Useful links https://www.kristinekilty.co.uk https://www.fierce-group.com/home/services https://www.voguebusiness.com/fashion/fashion-photographers-and-creatives-face-uncertain-futures Our website, with details of the International Women's Podcast Awards - www.skylarkcollective.co.uk Check us out on Instagram - www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk | |||
| Veronica Bolton Smith - on why Africa has always been her inspiration | 22 Apr 2021 | 00:52:09 | |
We are BACK! Season 3 is here, and my first guest this season is Veronica Bolton Smith who, spoiler alert, is a dear friend and a total inspiration. Ronnie is a powerhouse, and her career has been so varied and interesting that I can’t wait for you to hear her story. She started work in the House of Commons at the age of 22, working for various MPs including Theresa May and John Bercow, before heading out to Kenya to become the managing director of a company of 300 people at the age of 25. She has subsequently worked in both the public and private sectors, and has huge experience in international development, investment and renewable energy. She is now the COO of Invest Africa, and sits on the board of Akojo Marketplace, a fashion and homewares company. Most of all, Ronnie is fantastic fun and really knows how to tell a story. She’s also a fabulous singer but I couldn’t quite work that into the podcast recording this time around. Next time! Useful links Our website, with details of the International Women's Podcast Awards - www.skylarkcollective.co.uk Check us out on Instagram - www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk Find Ronnie on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronicaboltonsmith/ Akojo Marketplace - https://akojomarket.com
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| Season 3 Trailer | 22 Apr 2021 | 00:01:58 | |
We've been away for a while, but we are back! This week marks the start of Season 3! We’ve been on a long hiatus since Season 2 as I moved house (again), contemplated what I was doing with my life (again) and well, there was a global pandemic. Who would have thought that was going to happen. I was furloughed for a while last year and had a long time then to think about where I wanted to take the podcast and my career, and since we last spoke, I’ve founded a new business, the Skylark Collective, to champion women in podcasting. But if I’ve got a podcasting-focused business, I also need a podcast right? And I’m so fortunate to have had such lovely feedback about our previous guests and the stories we’ve told here on Smashing The Ceiling that I just felt there’s a lot of life in this show. A lot of podcast don’t continue after one or two seasons - they call it pod fade apparently - but that’s not us. We’re going to be bringing you the stories of more amazing women over the next few months and I can’t wait. I've got some fantastic guests lined up and we are starting this week with Veronica Bolton Smith, one of my favourite people in the world right now, and an absolutely business inspiration. Episode drops on Thursday! | |||
| A little update... | 27 Nov 2020 | 00:02:38 | |
Hello hello hello! I realise it’s been a while since you’ve heard from me, so I thought I’d slide into your ears with a little update. First things first. If you’re from the vet world and you’ve been listening to Borborygmi here - good news! It turns out mixing your genres isn’t a smart idea, so Borborygmi has now moved to its very own channel and we’ve got a new season starting next week. Just search Borborygmi: Noises From The Veterinary World wherever you get your podcasts, and you’ll find us. And what of Smashing The Ceiling I hear you ask? When do we get to hear the stories of more amazing women with inspiring and unusual careers? Well, Season 3 will be back in 2021 - yes, I know that’s aaaaages since Season 2 finished but despite the global circumstances, it’s been a busy year with exciting consequences. Drumroll please... I’m on the verge of launching a new venture for women in podcasting, which is called The Skylark Collective. The Collective will be a membership organisation for all women in the podcasting industry, whether you’re a host, producer, editor, writer or anything in between. We’re aiming to lift the voices of our members through connection, collaboration and celebration. We’ll have monthly events based around the themes of Success, featuring conversations with women who’ve been there, done it and got the millions of downloads, Skills, allowing your to uplevel your offering and take your podcast to the next level, and Social, because if there’s one thing we’ve realised in 2020, it’s that we all need each other more than we thought. Community is queen. There’ll also be a bursary fund offered to women with great ideas that need a hand to get going, and an annual awards ceremony kicking off in September 2021 to celebrate the achievements of women in podcasting worldwide. Our website is in progress, but the socials are up and running on Insta and Twitter so do give us a follow and look out for content there! Smashing The Ceiling will now become the official podcast of The Skylark Collective, and we’ll be showcasing more amazing women with fabulous careers...and a podcast too. So watch this space - we’ll let you know when we’re ready to roll!
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| Kerrie Hedley on women in veterinary leadership | 03 Jul 2020 | 00:40:04 | |
Today’s episode is a special collaboration for Smashing The Ceiling, as I’ve produced this conversation in partnership with Veterinary Woman, a platform to help and inspire women to develop the confidence to overcome challenges and follow their passions. They want to encourage women to be at the forefront of clinical practice, specialisation, professional bodies, corporates, education, research, industry, government - to have female leaders in every area of veterinary influence. And so my special guest today is a women who embodies all the qualities that both Veterinary Woman and Smashing The Ceiling love to share with others. Kerrie Hedley is now the chief operating officer of XL Vets, reaching executive level after only 4 years at the company. Kerrie graduated from the RVC in 2011 and started in equine practice in the North East. As you’ll hear, she developed a love of business quite early and has since completed both a certificate in Veterinary Business Management and an MBA during her career so far. Her MBA dissertation was on women in veterinary leadership, and we talk quite a lot about this later in the episode, particularly the facilitators and barriers to women progressing in the profession. It was such a joy to talk to Kerrie - she is very humble about her progress but the reality she is that she has a big job and she is now using her position to lift up others women in the profession, which is really what it’s all about. | |||
| Emma Mosey - from writing novels to donning her wellies | 22 Oct 2019 | 00:37:06 | |
Today is our 50th episode! I am also SO pleased that for this milestone I’m joined by a woman that I am honoured to call a friend, someone that I’ve known for a very long time and whose career has taken a number of twists and turns, with huge success along the way. Emma Mosey grew up in Cheshire and considered herself a country girl, although as she herself would tell you, that might be slightly open to debate. After studying English at the University of Edinburgh and a Masters in creative writing at Royal Holloway in London, her first novel, How To Be A Good Wife, was published in 2013 to significant critical acclaim, including from Dame Hilary Mantel who regarded it as “an accomplished debut from a writer who shows insight and emotional power”. But since the publication of her second novel, The Last Photograph, in 2016, Emma's career has taken a very distinct swerve. Having never been a what she refers to as a ‘real’ farm before meeting her in-laws, and unused to the vagaries of a life in the agricultural sector, Em has now - for the time being at least - put down her pen and donned her wellies. She is now the co-owner of a free range poultry farm, where her 6,000 hens lay eggs to be sold in the farm shop, Minskip, she runs with Ben, and will soon be cooked into dishes in the first egg-centred restaurant on an egg-producing farm. It's been quite the fortnight for her too - last week she and her team won three awards, including Best Rural Retail Business and Best Farm Shop, and this week she spoke at the Women in Farming Conference on her transition to farming life. Where to find Emma: Website - https://minskipfarmshop.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/minskipfarmshop/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/minskipfarmshop/ Emma writes under her maiden name, Emma Chapman, and you can find her work here: http://emmajchapman.com Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smashingtheceiling/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/smashingceiling Facebook: www.facebook.com/smashingtheceiling LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| Samantha Baines, Part 1 - on life as a comedian, becoming a deaf activist and the secret bit of Heathrow airport | 20 Feb 2023 | 00:42:25 | |
We're back for Season 6! My first guest is a woman that I’ve know for a few years after she was shortlisted at the inaugural International Women’s Podcast Awards back in 2021. Her name is Samantha Baines, and it’s fitting that she’s first this season, because she’s been the first woman to do a few other things too. Sam is an award-winning comedian, podcaster, author, actor, broadcaster and general legend. In 2014 she won the Funny Women Awards, and subsequently went on to scoop of the 2015 ‘What the Frock’ Best Newcomer Award. Sam was the first ever woman to reach the finals of the UK Pun Championships, and we speak extensively in this interview about being a woman in comedy, and her experiences in the early days. But that’s not all. As an adult, Sam experienced hearing loss, and is now a deaf activist, hearing aid wearer, and an ambassador for the RNID. She’s written two children’s books, Harriet Versus The Galaxy and The Night The Moon Went Out, and her new book, Living With Hearing Loss and Deafness, is available to pre-order now. As well as all this, she’s got an award-winning podcast, The Divorce Social, discussing, surprise, surprise, divorce, and her acting credits include The Crown, Call the Midwife, and Magic Mike Live in the West End. There is nothing this woman can’t do. We covered SO much ground in this chat, which was recorded aaaages ago live at The Podcast Show - basically I had to give myself a good kick up the arse to get the podcast moving again in 2023, so that’s entirely on me. There was so much good stuff that I cut it in two. This is part one. Enjoy. Useful links Sam's website Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on Twitter Follow Sam on YouTube Music Provided by ZakharValaha, AleXZavesa, | |||
| Kelly Pollock - on action, activism and politics | 13 Oct 2019 | 00:49:13 | |
Imagine if your Instagram bio read, "First of her name, smasher of the patriarchy, mother of sons, leader of committees, warrior for social justice, dweller by the water, knitter of hats, Master of Religious Studies". WHAT AN INTRO! Today we're talking to Kelly Pollock, she of the amazing bio, and we'll be discussing her work in politics, what made her take action and get involved (spoiler: It was Trump) and plenty about the upcoming American presidential election. Kelly is the Associate Dean of Students at the University of Chicago in the Division of Social Sciences, but on top of that, is a Democratic Party activist and host of Two Broads Talking Politics, a massively influential podcast which aims to discuss the current state of US politics, champion women in all aspects of politics and shine a light on what others can do to help. Kelly started out by knitting pussy hats for the Women's March, and she's now got nearly 30,000 Twitter followers, so she knows a thing or two about growing a following. We also talked about anxiety, pressure, fashion in politics and loads more - she's a fascinating woman! Where to find Kelly: Website - https://twobroadstalkingpolitics.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/TwoBroadsTalk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TwoBroadsTalk/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqRBBEsItifWwqRiesz7cSg LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/two-broads-talking-politics/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/twobroadstalkingpolitics/ David Fleischer's TED Talk on Deep Canvassing - https://www.ted.com/talks/david_fleischer_how_to_fight_prejudice_through_policy_conversations
Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor Facebook: www.facebook.com/smashingtheceiling LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| Career Skills - Networking | 29 Sep 2019 | 00:20:50 | |
We're back on career skills this week, and today we are talking about NETWORKING. Love it or loathe it, building your network is key to building your career. For most of us, the word networking brings to mind excruciating post-work events with people you don’t know standing around in ones and twos looking awkward. But fear not! This episode will have plenty of tips and advice to help you feel more confident in approaching others that can help you, and how to build strong rapport with those you meet. Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| Lilach Saperstein - cardiology? radiology? No, audiology! | 22 Sep 2019 | 00:38:18 | |
The sound of a child's laughter, the waves crashing on the shore, the birds in the trees in the morning - there are so many sounds in our every day lives that we take completely for granted. We go to the dentist to have our teeth checked, and to the optician to have our eyes looked at, but when was the last time you thought about your ears? I'd hazard a guess you've never even thought about your hearing, as it's just...there. But what would it be like if you suddenly lost your hearing? Dr. Lilach Saperstein is an audiologist, whose role involves diagnosing and assisting those with hearing loss, whether that's babies in the ICU, older people, trauma patients or children in schools - the role of an audiologist is SO varied. We discussed Lilach's career so far, the future of technology in treating hearing loss, the role of empathetic communication in medicine and much more besides.
Where to find Lilach: Website - https://allaboutaudiology.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/allaboutaudiologypodcast/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilach-saperstein-774047bb/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lilachsapersteinaud/
Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/ | |||
| Gloria Mitchell - from homelessness to a Stanford MBA | 15 Sep 2019 | 00:40:54 | |
Gloria Mitchell is an audacious woman. From bluntly telling the owner of a night school that she was homeless and needed help, to going on her first business trip in a limousine whilst living in her own car, Gloria’s story is one of twists and turns on her route to success. Adopted as a little girl by an abusive and manipulative woman, Gloria eventually escaped, and after surviving homelessness twice, completed an MBA from Stanford, one of the most prestigious programmes in the world. Now, as a performance and crisis coach for entrepreneurs and public figures, she helps others to deal with the pressures and strains of life at the very top. Where to find Gloria: Website - https://gloriamitchell.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gloria.mitchell Twitter - https://twitter.com/gloriamitchell LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriamitchell/ Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| Josephine Anselin - on making your career an adventure | 08 Sep 2019 | 00:52:02 | |
Josephine Anselin has a true spirit of adventure. After a childhood spent in multiple countries, her adult life has taken her from her home in Luxembourg to the oil rigs of the North Sea, the wilds of New Zealand and the islands of Indonesia. I chatted to her about her career as an engineer in oil and gas, quitting to follow her passion for adventure, completing an MBA in Spain from her home in Jakarta, and how she has now launched her new strategy consulting business, the Outventure Hub, to help others in the adventure world to succeed in pursuing their dreams.
Where to find Josephine: Website - https://outventurehub.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/josephineanselin/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/outventurehub/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/outventurehub LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephine-anselin/ Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| Starting a new chapter with some self-reflection | 01 Sep 2019 | 00:21:48 | |
We are BACK for Season 2! Welcome to a new series of Smashing The Ceiling, where today we are looking forwards by looking back, and kicking off the season with an episode on self-reflection. It's easy to scoff at the idea of sitting down and pondering your life, your mistakes and your epic successes, but increasing evidence shows that those that reflect on their performance at work are more likely to go further. Do you want success and happiness in your working life? Of course you do. So have a listen and let me know what you think. I mention in this episode about using the 'Wheel of Life' as part of self-reflection and you can find more info on this here | |||
| Season 2 - a sneaky little trailer... | 16 Aug 2019 | 00:01:10 | |
The eagle-eared amongst you may have noticed that the podcast has been on a little summer holiday...but put it in your diaries, we will be back on Sunday 1st September! #podcast #shepodcasts #summerholiday #weareback #backinthegame | |||
| Jen Kneale - on saving lives at sea and kayaking with sharks | 03 Jun 2019 | 00:40:34 | |
Jen Kneale has an affinity with the sea that stems from a lifetime spent on the ocean. It’s no exaggeration to say that a love of the sea runs in her veins: like her father and grandfather before her she is now a coxswain - or captain - of the lifeboat on the Isle of Man. Jen was the first female coxswain in the island - the original home of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution - and only the 4th nationwide. Jen is also a successful businesswoman, having set up her own sailing school at the age of 25, a coach and an international sailor, representing Great Britain in the Laser class. She runs an annual This Girl Can sailing weekend aimed at getting women and girls to try sailing, and is passionate about continuing to increase opportunities across the lifeboats and beyond. In 2017, on her second crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, Jen taught herself celestial navigation, the art and science of navigating via the sun, the moon and the stars, as they did in the days of Captain Cook and Christopher Columbus. She is certainly a woman of many talents… Where to find Jen and the RNLI: Jen's website - http://www.7thwave-iom.com/activities-courses/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/7thwaveiom/ RNLI website - https://rnli.org RNLI Twitter - https://twitter.com/RNLI RNLI YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/officialrnli RNLI Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rnli/ Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| Madeleine Black - a survivor's story of a hopeful future | 26 May 2019 | 00:35:15 | |
My guest today is Madeleine Black, a true survivor, whose story offers hope to those who have also suffered at the hands of others. We are not, she says, defined by what knocks us down - we are instead defined by how we get back up. After being gang-raped at the age of 13, and raped on three further occasions before her 18th birthday, she has gone on to become a successful psychotherapist, writer, speaker, wife and mother. Her powerful memoir, Unbroken, tells of her recovery from adversity, her desire to choose forgiveness and actively seek redemption. Her desire to understand why the young men who raped her had chosen that path, what affected their lives and their decisions has led her to be part of the Forgiveness Project, a unique worldwide project that collates the powerful stories of those whose lives have been affected by violence, terrorism and trauma, but who have learned how to forgive in order to move on in their own lives. Since giving her first public talk in 2015, Madeleine has appeared on Radio 4 with Trevor MacDonald, BBC Radio 5 and BBC Radio Scotland. She appeared in Dispatches on Channel 4 and most recently, has been selected to do a TEDx talk in Glasgow later this year. You can buy Madeleine's book here! Where to find Madeleine: Website - https://madeleineblack.co.uk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MadeleineBlackUnbroken/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/madblack65 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeleine-black-33799910a/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/madblack65/ Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| Ash Fox - on being a part of 1,500 marriage proposals | 19 May 2019 | 00:46:49 | |
Ash Fox is someone with a rare joie de vivre and enthusiasm for life, whose joy is infectious and whose presence makes you feel good. She is also a grafter, and today tells me the story of how she became New York's first and most successful proposal planner and photographer. Ash herself admits she is not a 'wedding gal', but the thrill of fulfilling people's dreams for their proposal has meant she has now witnessed over 1500 couples saying 'Yes'...and there hasn't been a 'no' yet! But Ash has built her business through sheer hard work, and we discussed in detail what it was like graduating college as an art major immediately after the crash, how taking every opportunity that came her way led her to become first a nightclub dancer, then a photographer, and how her lowest ebb inspired her to start her current business. Where to find Ash: Website: https://www.ashfoxphotography.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3kh66VKRdGgXrATLtj8jFA Twitter: https://twitter.com/ashfoxstyle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashfoxproposals/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshFoxPhotography/ Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| Season 6 Trailer | 13 Feb 2023 | 00:01:08 | |
We’ve been away for a little while, but we are back! I’m Naomi Mellor, and I’m delighted to let you know that there’s a new season of Smashing The Ceiling just around the corner, with all sorts of delights awaiting you. In this podcast we chat to women with unusual, interesting and inspiring careers, and we’re kicking off Season 6 with comedian, author, actor, podcaster and deaf activist Samantha Baines, one of the funniest women I have ever met. My chat with Sam ranged from meeting Channing Tatum whilst working in an art gallery at Heathrow Airport, to becoming a writer of children’s books with a hearing-aid-wearing protagonist, with a lot of twists, and laughs along the way. Later in the series there’ll be conversations around major career changes, building a career as a documentary maker, how a diagnosis of ADHD affects your working life, and more. Follow us now for more, and if you’ve ever enjoyed an episode of Smashing The Ceiling previously, why not leave us a review. You know you want to. Check us out at Everybody Media Don't forget there's also the International Women's Podcast Awards! | |||
| Career Skills - Listening | 12 May 2019 | 00:20:13 | |
Today we’re kicking on with the third episode of our series on career skills for the workplace, which are being slotted around our fabulous guests in 2019. I thought it would be useful to look at a few different areas that might help you at work this year, and explore a little about why they’re important and how you can develop these skills. We’ve looked at negotiation and conflict resolution so far and those episodes are still available if you want to go back and download them, but today we are talking about LISTENING. Listening is one of the most under-rated workplace skills, but also one of the most essential. Everyone wants to feel heard, that their ideas are being considered, and that their input is valuable, but if everyone is talking and nobody is listening then as a team, you’re going nowhere fast. Want to be be a better listener? Listen in for more! Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| Jane Green - on how looking up at the stars brought her new opportunities | 05 May 2019 | 00:52:02 | |
Jane Green is someone with many a story to tell, from being head-hunted to the Foreign Office aged 18, to spending years on the high seas in the merchant Navy, to becoming one of the UK’s most successful and prominent female astronomers. Jane is a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, who worked previously with the late great Sir Patrick Moore, and was invited be the inaugural speaker for the Sir Patrick Moore memorial lecture. She has written a bestselling book, appeared on BBC Two’s Stargazing Live, and recently co-hosted a phenomenally successful theatre show entitled Tour of the Universe, with the presenters of the BBC’s The Sky At Night. Jane’s passion is making astronomy your passion, from getting outside to look at the night sky, to explaining complex scientific theories about the planets, our solar system and the universe. The scale of it all may seem a little overwhelming, but Jane delights in simplifying the mind-blowing concepts of the earth and beyond for everyone’s enjoyment. “Look up, live it, love it”, she says - listen to our conversation to hear more about her work!
Where to find Jane: - Website: https://www.janegreenastronomy.co.uk - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-a-green-fras-42692757/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/BigUpSpaceJane - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaneGreenAstronomer
Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| Goli Kalkhoran - on leaving the law for life as an entrepreneur | 28 Apr 2019 | 00:41:22 | |
My guest this week, Goli Kalkhoran, was one of those people with what looked like the 'perfect' career path: excellent grades at school and university, a smooth path to law school, a great first job in a corporate law firm and a steady progression to be a public prosecutor. But what happens when your dream job isn't your dream job? And how easy is it to quit a 'successful' professional career to chase your dream of doing something more fulfilling? Goli talked to Naomi about the pressure of student debt in the US, her career, the difficult decision she made to leave the law, and how she built a new business as an entrepreneur from a standing start. Goli is also the host and producer of Lessons From A Quitter, a podcast that tells the stories of others who have left the corporate world to pursue their dreams. She shares some of the lessons she's learned from that project in this episode - if you want to check out her podcast, the links are below! Where to find Goli: - Website: http://www.lessonsfromaquitter.com/ - Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lessons-from-a-quitter/id1412305413 - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/golikalkhoran/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/ | |||
| Freda Yuan - on how coffee changed her life | 21 Apr 2019 | 00:47:48 | |
Freda Yuan lives for coffee: the aroma, the taste, the experience and the benefits it brings in life. Her job title is 'Head of Coffee' at Origin Coffee Roasters, day-to-day she oversees procurement of coffee - including green coffee - from a variety of countries, and holds responsibility for product development and quality control. This involves tasting a LOT of coffee, and as a result, Freda is also an award-winning coffee taster. In 2017 she placed 3rd in the World Cup Taster Championship, and women the British title in 2018. Wondering how you win a coffee tasting competition? Listen in the hear more.... But coffee has done more for Freda than merely provide her with a very successful career and the opportunity to travel to some of the world's most beautiful places. It has also helped her recover and rehabilitate herself from a dark place of depression, anxiety and disordered eating. She tells this story as well today, and offers hope to others through her recovery. Where to find Freda: - Website: https://www.fredayuan.com - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imfreda/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/freda-yuan-b2393a48/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imfreda/ For more information and support on eating disorders and depression, try these websites, or consider talking to your doctor: Beat - https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk NHS - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/eating-disorders/ Mind - https://www.mind.org.uk Sane - http://www.sane.org.uk Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| Jerri Williams - on life in the FBI | 14 Apr 2019 | 00:56:31 | |
For most of us, our experience of FBI agents comes only through box sets and movies, and we have no idea what life is really like on the inside of one of the world's most famous government agencies. One person who does is Jerri Williams, who served for 26 years as a special agent in the in the FBI. During most of her Bureau career Jerri worked on major economic fraud investigations, but also worked robbery and drugs cases during her career. At the time she joined the FBI, there were few women at the organisation, and even fewer women of colour. We discuss the ups and downs of a career in the investigative services, her second career as an author and podcaster, and the clichés and misconceptions about the FBI propagated in film and television! Where to find Jerri: - Website: https://jerriwilliams.com - Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fbi-retired-case-file-review/id1082012464?mt=2 - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerriwilliams1/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerriwilliamsauthor/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/JerriWilliams1 - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JerriWilliamsAuthor
Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| 35. Bonus - The 5 D's of Achieving Your 'Thing' | 09 Apr 2019 | 00:17:10 | |
This week's episode is about taking on adventures in life, whether personal or professional, & how to achieve your goals. It doesn't really matter what your 'Thing' is, but if there's a goal you want to achieve or a challenge you want to complete in 2019, then this is the podcast for you. Naomi discusses the 5 D's of achieving your 'Thing' following her recent completion of a big personal challenge, incorporating advice from others who've achieved their goals and hints & tips to help you on your journey. Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| 34. Sarah Swan - on healing the disordered mind | 31 Mar 2019 | 01:02:46 | |
Imagine trying to live your life with the person you dislike the most standing at your shoulder the whole time. Imagine the cruellest things they ever said to you, the way it made you feel, and how the stress associated with that impacted your happiness, your productivity and your life. What if you could never shake that voice off, or escape from the clutches of their control? Sarah Swan is a senior clinical psychologist that specialises in helping people suffering from psychosis and related mental health disorders. Her patients are often terrified, misunderstood and ostracised by those with little compassion or understanding about the symptoms involved and before talking to her, I would freely admit that this was an area I knew little about. Sarah’s research has previously focused on schizophrenia, the links between post-traumatic stress and psychosis and the impact of chronic use of cannabis on mental health. Sarah also works to try and improve diversity within psychology - as a mixed race woman herself she is keen to encourage others to enter the field, and visits schools to promote psychology as a career. What a woman! Useful links: British Psychological Society - If you're interested in a career in psychology then check out their website here: https://www.bps.org.uk/public/become-psychologist National Careers Service - Loads of useful information here: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/clinical-psychologist Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| 33. Career Skills - Conflict Resolution | 17 Mar 2019 | 00:23:18 | |
Today we’re into the second episode of our new series on career skills to help you in the workplace. These podcasts are here to help you progress your career, and will be periodically slotted in between our fantastic guests over the next few months. This series was inspired by discussions with a friend about pay, hence the first episode was on negotiation. Today's podcast follows a conversation with another friend who has had a tricky time at work with a colleague of late: this month we are discussing CONFLICT RESOLUTION. Conflict is inevitable in every workplace, but it's how you deal with it that marks you out both as a leader or a team member. I'll be talking about strategies to manage conflict within a team that you manage, and what to do if you find yourself in a conflict situation. I mention Mike Myatt in this episode and his writings on conflict can be found here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemyatt/2012/02/22/5-keys-to-dealing-with-workplace-conflict/#7f18bfcc1e95 Other useful resources can be found here: Good luck! Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| 32. Kate Healy - on the psychology and practicality of money | 10 Mar 2019 | 00:40:21 | |
Kate Healy has, she says, always been interested in money: how people use it, why some people squander it, why others are obsessed with it and how some use a little to produce a lot. Money still carries a stigma, a taboo around it that she would love to help break down, and to encourage more women to take responsibility for their finances, to understand money and what they can do with it, and to promote a career in finance as being a worthwhile and interesting one. Kate's day job is as the Managing Director, Generation Next, focused on advocacy for sustainability issues facing the RIA industry. Healy leads TD Ameritrade Institutional’s NextGen and Women's Leadership Initiatives, which support the future of the profession through programs designed to raise visibility, provide support and resources to guide professional development of the next generation of advisors. She is a member of the company’s Diversity & Inclusion committee. In 2016, Investment Advisor magazine named Healy as one of the industry’s 25 most influential people. She is passionate about diversity, and also recognises the need to recruit millennials into the sector. If you've never thought about a career in the financial services industry, this is a good introduction - there are many upsides that aren't often talked about! Where to find Kate: - Website: https://www.tdainstitutional.com/why-ria/people.html - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateehealy/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/KateHealy_TDA Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| 31. Jaclyn Whittal - storm chaser, meteorologist and musician | 03 Mar 2019 | 01:02:28 | |
Jaclyn Whittal is the kind of woman we love on this podcast: she is brave, fearless and she says 'Yes' to almost every opportunity that comes her way in life. This approach has led her down a winding career path involving Shania Twain and a role as Sandy in the German version of Grease, to her current work in television, where she can be found daily on the Weather Network in North America as a meteorologist, and on Amazon Prime as part of the team presenting Storm Hunters, a show telling the stories of storm chasers in North America. Yes, you read that right - like Helen Hunt in Twister (iconic 90's movie) - Jaclyn is a storm chaser, and spends her time following tornados, hurricanes and other severe weather systems. But Jaclyn started her professional life as a singer and musician, performing in large musical theatre productions, writing music and releasing two rock albums, but when nearing the age of 30, decided there was something more out there for her. As a self-confessed "weather nerd" who was keen on a career in the media, she enrolled in a part-time Masters in meteorology and her career has sky-rocketed from there. Jaclyn believes, she says, that everyone has three good careers in them. First musician, then storm chaser...listen in to see what she thinks could be next! | |||
| Justine Nagaur - on holistic care, spiritual healing and recovering from chronic pain | 08 Apr 2022 | 00:38:59 | |
If you’re into meditation and healing, you may know what a Tibetan sound bowl is. If not, you’ve got a treat in store, as we’ll be digging deep into the world of holistic health in this episode. My guest today is Justine Nagaur, a spiritual healer, teacher, mentor, and creator of bespoke crystal malas. I met Justine a couple of years ago, and she’s one of those rare people with a degree of warmth, insight, intuition and care for others that is incredibly striking. But like many of my guests, Justine’s career is multi-layered, with twists and turns along the way. She went to finishing school, and we chat about that, she ran a very successful company in private members’ clubs and she’s worked in social media along the way, before starting her current business, Aurora Facets Transformational Healing after a long period of chronic illness. She is the queen of the pivot you might say. Useful links Justine's website: https://aurorafacets.com Justine's LinkedIn profile: https://www.instagram.com/justinenagaur/ Follow Justine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justinenagaur/ Follow Justine on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aurorafacets Music Provided by ZakharValaha, AleXZavesa, Coma-Media SergeQuadrado JuliusH, Lesfm and lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay | |||
| 30. Gabby Edlin - on the fight against period poverty | 24 Feb 2019 | 00:50:23 | |
The word ‘powerhouse’ is much overused these days, but it certainly applies to Gabby Edlin in the context of periods. She is a tour de force in the fight against period poverty as founder and CEO of Bloody Good Period, an enterprise that provides menstrual products for asylum seekers in the UK, and campaigns to change the conversation around women’s health and menstruation. Gabby’s career trajectory to date is an interesting and inspiring one, and if we’re talking about forcing opening a door where only a chink of light shows, then she is the boss. Brought up in Manchester in a Jewish family, Gabby’s passion for social justice and women’s issues began early. In the interests of full disclosure, I should probably say that Gabby and I went to school together - I’m a couple of years older than her, and she is MUCH more creative than me, but we were both inspired by our favourite English teacher and share a deep love of our home city. In this episode we discuss: - Gabby's early desire to be a fashion designer, her love of photography and how she pursued this via a Fine Art foundation course - Realising that photography was not for her, and switching to an academic degree in English Literature, History of Art and Fine Art despite not possessing the qualifications she needed - Working in museums and galleries, applying for her Masters degree and crowd-funding her studies before being awarded a scholarship - The idea for Bloody Good Period, working with asylum seekers at drop-in centres and what she has learned so far - The future of women's health, political policy around periods and education in the sphere Where to find Gabby and Bloody Good Period: - Website: https://www.bloodygoodperiod.com - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloodygoodperiod/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shereenkassam/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/bloodygood__ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloodygoodperiod/ - Gabby's Masters: https://www.arts.ac.uk/subjects/business-and-management-and-science/postgraduate/ma-applied-imagination-in-the-creative-industries-csm Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskylarkcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomiemellor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| 29. Shereen Kassam - the corporate/comedy combination | 09 Feb 2019 | 00:32:46 | |
Shereen Kassam defines herself as a corporate America addict, stand-up comedy lover, speaker of all things fun, podcasting enthusiast, improv teacher and shoe junkie. What a list! Shereen's dad wanted her to be a doctor, but she couldn't cope with the blood so instead, after her degree at Brown University, she became a strategy consultant, and now works in-house for Disney in Florida, where she grew up. Shereen was a shy child, but tried stand-up for the first time after reluctantly escorting her drunk housemate to a comedy club. It's fair to say she's progressed quickly, winning multiple awards with her show, Funny Brown Girl, and performing worldwide from New York to Saigon. Shereen draws on her relationship with her South Asian Muslim parents, and is not afraid to mine material that others might be nervous of tackling. She is an honest, hilarious podcast guest and it was such a pleasure to chat to her! In this episode we discuss: - Shereen's early life and how her career choices were shaped by conversations with her parents - Her career in strategy consulting and how her corporate life offers an unexpected degree of creativity - How she unexpectedly found stand up comedy and discovered the joy of being on stage - Her podcast, Creative Breakthrough, and the pleasure and satisfaction she draws from that - Her future aspirations for her career, succeeding in her goals and her aims in comedy Where to find Shereen: - The Funny Brown Girl website: https://funnybrowngirl.com - The Creative Breakthrough podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-breakthrough-jumpstart-your-creative-career/id1437082823 - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnybrowngirl/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shereenkassam/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/funnybrowngirl - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FunnyBrownGirl/ - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/shereenkassam
Follow us for more: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smashingtheceiling/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/smashingceiling - Facebook: www.facebook.com/smashingtheceiling - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-mellor-171550150/
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| 28. Kathryn Nicolai - yoga, sleep and bedtime stories | 03 Feb 2019 | 00:36:01 | |
This week’s guest, Kathryn Nicolai, has a voice that soothes the soul, and since her podcast, Nothing Much Happens, launched in April 2018, she has gently encouraged more than two million people to snuggle into their duvet and fall asleep. When we were little, if you were lucky, I bet someone read to you to see you off to sleep, but remarkably, at some point we forget the pleasure that used to bring us, meaning that bedtime stories for adults are just not a ‘thing’, or they weren’t until now. There clearly is a need though, as Kathryn’s podcast has become an international sensation. But before Nothing Much Happens, Kathryn was - and still is - a yoga instructor, and owns her own studio in Michigan. So today’s episode covers two areas really - firstly, how Kathryn found solace in yoga at a difficult time in her life, and how she started her own business at a relatively young age; secondly how the simple, perfect idea of bedtime stories for adults took shape in the form of Nothing Much Happens, and how trusting your gut can lead you down paths you never expected.
In this episode we discuss: - Kathryn's early life and her desire to be a writer from a young age - Studying Italian and Spanish at school and university, and never using either of them in her professional life! - How she found yoga as a respite from injury, exhaustion, anxiety and an eating disorder - Her early yoga teachers and the mentors she had in her yoga career - The growth of the yoga industry and how Kathryn has kept her business constant in a time of shifting trends - Starting a business at 25, and why a lack of fear means starting a business at a young age can be a positive move - How a good idea comes from having a lot of ideas, and moving forward with them if you think that's the right thing to do - Goat yoga! - The rise of women in yoga, including as teachers, from an ancient tradition of male leaders, and building a feminist angle into her yoga business - Where the idea for Nothing Much Happens came from and she went about launching the podcast - Finding a need, and filling it with something quality to build a successful business - Her evening pre-sleep routine - Whether the stories are autobiographical and where the ideas come from - The science of sleep - What's next for her - the book deal is on the horizon! Where to find Kathryn: - The Nothing Much Happens website: https://www.nothingmuchhappens.com - Nothing Much Happens podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/nothing-much-happens-bedtime-stories-for-grown-ups/id1378040733?mt=2 - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nothingmuchhappenspodcast/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nothingmuchhappenspodcast/ Follow us for more: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smashingtheceiling/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/smashingceiling - Facebook: www.facebook.com/smashingtheceiling | |||
| 27. Anna Lundberg - on quitting "success" to pursue your passions | 27 Jan 2019 | 00:43:22 | |
Here at Smashing the Ceiling we love to showcase the careers of women who have taken the road less travelled, and there's so much to discuss on that front with today's guest, Anna Lundberg, a woman who has always forged her own path. She freely admits that she has always been one to keep her options open, choosing the International Baccalaureat instead of 'A' levels, Philosphy, Politics and Economics at uni, and a Masters in Political Science, International Law and International Economics. Her quest to work for the UN didn't quite pan out, and she started her career with Proctor and Gamble, where she spent 7 years, initially in brand management and then the brave new world of digital marketing. Digital marketing was barely a thing when Anna started at the company in 2007 but taking a leap into a new world led her to places she wouldn't have expected. However, whilst on sabbatical in 2013, she decided there was more out there with her name on. She established her own digital marketing agency in 2014, and whilst freelancing between international jaunts, she took a coaching course in 6 months that was meant to take 2 years. She now runs One Step Outside, a personal coaching and training companies for ambitious individuals and teams who want to make a difference without sacrificing their health and relationships to do so - so tune in to hear more!
In this episode we discuss:
Where to find Anna:
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