The Purpose-Led Leadership Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Is your sales approach costing you deals? Are you too soft on prospects when you should be closing?

In this episode, I sit down with Benjamin Dennehy—dubbed the UK’s Most Hated Salesperson—to strip away the fluff and expose what truly works in sales and recruitment. Love him or hate him, Benjamin’s approach is bold, direct, and brutally effective.

We dive into Benjamin’s past and how he became the character he is today. He shares incredible insights into what to say in sales meetings, how to close, and strip away those prospects that aren’t right for you.

His magic trick is getting the room when people don’t even know his name or what he does - and selling.

If you’re in sales, recruitment, or business development, this episode will challenge everything you think you know about selling.

Ready for a sales reality check? Tune in now!

“I don't think you should be yourself in sales.” – Benjamin Dennehy

You'll hear about:

✅ The psychology behind closing deals—why most people get it wrong ✅ Cold calling secrets that actually work (if you have the guts to use them) ✅ The art of questioning—how to control the conversation and qualify leads fast ✅ Recruitment sales tactics that separate amateurs from the pros ✅ Why personal branding and LinkedIn are game-changers in today’s market

Benjamin’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamindennehy/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/UKsMostHatedSalesTrainer

UK’s most hated sales trainer - https://www.uksmosthatedsalestrainer.com/

Sales Matrix Courses - https://www.salesmatrixcourses.com/free/10-reasons-prospecting-course

My resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w

Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

Pre-order my new book - https://access.basemindset.com/pre-order

What does it take to build and scale a thriving recruitment business?

Emotional intelligence, effective communication and a singular vision all play a key role.

In this episode, I am joined by Alex Elliott, founder of Liquid Personnel, to uncover the key principles that drive high-performing recruitment teams. From hiring standards and team dynamics to navigating the emotional challenges of selling a business, Alex shares his journey and hard-earned insights.

Whether you're a recruitment professional, business owner, or aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways to help you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.

Tune in now and take your recruitment game to the next level!

“The best culture for me is winning.” – Alex Elliott

You'll hear about:

• Effective communication is key in recruitment processes.
• Alex’s journey to build, scale and sell Liquid Personnel
• There's so much luck involved in life.
• Hiring standards should focus on competencies, not just numbers.
• The future of the recruitment industry

Alex’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexelliott123/

Telent Analytics - https://www.talentanalytics.co.uk/

Phase 6 Advisory - https://www.linkedin.com/company/phase-6-advisory/

My resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w

Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

Pre-order my new book - https://access.basemindset.com/pre-order

You have the power to create your own story.

No matter what anyone else says or believes, you can achieve the life you want.

My guest in this episode, Meena Adnani, grew up in Indonesia and always knew she needed to break from the traditional role women played in her life experience.

Little did she know that this journey would take her to professional and financial success only to lose it all. Despite that loss, which she shares all about, she went on to build back to a 7-figure business.

Meena talks about how she managed to achieve this and why her resilience and mindset were her greatest assets in being able to do so.

“I’ll never allow anyone to tell me what’s not possible” – Meena Adnani

You'll hear about:

00:43 - An introduction to Meena

02:04 - Meena's journey since school

08:42 - Meena on losing her wealth

12:35 - Being able to prove people wrong

20:27 - How her parental relationships built her resilience

29:31 - You have to believe anything is possible

34:05 - How Meena reached 7-figures

39:29 - People buy from people

45:18 - What Meena is doing for her personal growth

53:49 - Healing is ongoing

Meena’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/meena-kumari-adnani/

The Empowered Woman Academy - https://www.strongandshine.com/empowered-woman-academy-2024

Strong And Shine - https://www.strongandshine.com/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/STRONGANDSHINE

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@meena.adnani

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/meenaadnani/

My resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w

Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

Nothing works unless you do.

Your family, your relationships, your business.

That’s why you need to look after yourself first to be able to best serve those around you.

In this episode I am joined by Nat Berman, who has lived by this rule in all areas of his life. He shares his views on the LinkedIn landscape after having built a successful personal brand from the platform.

He also discusses why finding the right people is important but not an easy process, and how this can impact your online presence as well as real world connections. Nat also shares how anxiety has affected him throughout his life and what has worked for him to manage it.

“Look out for number 1 otherwise you’re way less useful to other people” – Nat Berman

You'll hear about:

01:03 - An introduction to Nat

02:21 - Nat's view of the LinkedIn landscape

05:51 - The importance of personal in personal brand         

09:57 - Nat's journey since school

14:17 - Nat's version of coaching

18:20 - Nat on family and relationships

20:01 - Nat on enhancing your mental health

22:44 - Where did Nat's anxiety stem from?

24:52 - What is purpose to Nat?

29:04 - Finding the right people

34:43 - Nat on manifestation

39:14 - The misconception of grinding          

42:07 - Nat on the algorithm

45:48 - Nat's advice to build a personal brand          

49:03 - Nat's worst anxiety

Nat’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanielberman/

Website - https://natberman.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/realnatberman/

X - https://twitter.com/natberman79

Nat’s free brand built guide - https://newsletter.natberman.com/

My resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w

Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

Construction is a man’s game, right?.....Wrong

There are still industries that have preconceptions about whether men or women are best suited to work in them. And construction is one of them.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

My guest in this episode is Kelly Cartwright, the company owner of Core Recruiter, showing the world that women can not only work in construction but be award winning leaders.

Kelly shares her experiences as a woman in the industry and the challenges she has faced. She talks about what purpose is to her, and the importance of showing vulnerability. She also tells all about the dress the dress that got her so much recognition but also feeling sof overwhelm as a result.

“Just because I am female doesn’t mean I’m at a disadvantage” – Kelly Cartwright

You'll hear about:

01:01 - An introduction to Kelly

01:39 - Kelly on her awards & that dress

04:19 - Why Kelly does what she does

08:39 - Kelly's journey since school

14:34 - Kelly's thoughts on social media

20:44 - Has Kelly changed as her business has grown?

26:42 - Has Kelly had harsh lessons along the way?

31:23 - What does the future hold for Kelly?

35:46 - Is there a place for showing vulnerability?

44:58 - Kelly on purpose

51:37 - Kelly's advice on understanding what's important                           

Kelly’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-cartwright-%F0%9F%A6%BA-8542202b/

Core Recruiter - https://www.corerecruiter.co.uk/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kellycartwright_/

My resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w

Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

One life event can change everything for better or worse.

It took my guest, Rob Sharp, 18 years to begin to face being sexually assaulted. In that time he turned to drugs, which took over his life. The relationships with his family broke down and have never recovered.

This is a story of pain but also of owning your life choices and facing your past.

You’ll hear Rob share the hardest of things from his childhood through to the present day. How climbing Kilimanjaro became more that just getting to the top of a mountain and what positives Rob has taken from everything that has happened to him.

This is an incredible episode and as a warning it does contain references to suicide and sexual assault.

“The longer, the deeper, the darker it got, it was killing my head” – Rob Sharp

You'll hear about:

00:00 - Start

01:49 - Rob's journey since school

02:58 - Violence in Rob's childhood

06:59 - How has Rob's childhood affected his life

10:00 - Rob's life changed after being sexually assaulted     

14:16 - What's the point in me being in the world?

21:00 - Why Rob chose to make amends                              

25:56 - How Rob felt when family knew about the assault

29:31 - Rob on using drugs as a coping mechanism

35:49 - What was the turning point for Rob

42:05 - The positives that have come out of the horror

45:20 - What can makes things more difficult for a man?

47:21 - What Kilimanjaro meant to Rob

51:34 - What role has Amy played in Rob's life?

56:53 - How does Rob feel about his family?

03:29 - What makes Rob's business different?

Rob’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-sharp-a9530142/

Orca Pay Group - https://orcapaygroup.co.uk/

My resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w

Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

3 generations of recruiters come together and delve into what it takes to be successful in the recruitment industry.

In this episode I am joined by Harry Portch, one of the UK’s youngest recruitment agency owners and Dominic Joyce with over 10 years experience working in recruitment, talent acquisition across agency, RPO and in-house.

We get into the nitty gritty of what recruitment consultants get wrong, right and everything in between. From building the right culture in the modern recruitment industry to our views on LinkedIn and personal branding.

This is a must listen for recruiters at any stage of their careers.

“What if it’s a lot bigger than you could ever imagine? Go for it” – Harry Portch

You'll hear about:

00:00 – Start

01:06 - An introduction to Harry's life since school  

06:01 - How Harry secures well known clients

09:34 - What makes a successful recruitment consultant?

16:11 - How Harry will cope with leadership

19:56 - What's annoying about recruitment consultants?

26:17 - What should recruitment consultants be doing?

34:57 - Funny recruitment stories

38:08 - How to create the right culture?

42:27 - Thoughts on the LinkedIn Landscape

50:06 - Using personal branding agencies

56:21 - Men's health and wellbeing

Dominic’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominic-joyce/

Harry’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/harryportch/

HM Staffing - https://hmstaffing.co.uk/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hmstaffing/

HM Staffing LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/hmstaffing/

Listen to Harry’s Podcast The Spike - https://podcasts.apple.com/bh/podcast/the-spike-podcast/id1555127158

My resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w

Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

Eating disorders take over your whole life.

It affects everything from relationships, to who you are and how you show up in the world.

This was life as a young adult for my guest, Melissa Matson. She was always counting calories and believed that waking up in pain was a good thing. Now she’s through the other side and in a place where she uses this experience to ensure she lives a life full of self-kindness.

In this episode she shares all about life with anorexia, how she lost who she was after having kids and how she has now reclaimed that. She delves into her purpose of working as a brand strategist and why focusing on metrics is never the right approach.

“There comes a point that you’ve got to stop pretending to be the thing you think you should be” – Melissa Matson

You'll hear about:

00:00 – Start

00:46 - An introduction to Melissa

04:12 - Who is the real Melissa?

10:24 - Was Melissa a self-made resilient person?

15:37 - Melissa's life with an eating disorder

20:11 - What therapy taught Melissa

23:52 - Melissa's life outside of social media

27:57 – Melissa’s thoughts on social media metrics

30:30 - Losing who she was after having kids

40:53 - What would Melissa change about her life?

46:35 - What does Melissa want to be remembered for?

51:54 - What does the future look like?

Meilssa’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamatson-brandstrategist/

Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@themelissamatson

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/embrbrandagency/

Embr Brand Agency - https://www.embrbrandagency.com/

My resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w

Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

Trauma is a part of many people’s lives, but not many are able to use it to then help others overcome theirs.

My guest in this episode is a very special friend, Nick Raeburn. He only started to work on his own childhood traumas late on in life and it has changed who he is and how he shows up in the world.

He gets raw and talks about his experience being abused by a family member as a child, and the impact this has had on the relationships in his life. He also delves into the ways this has shaped how he works with clients to support them to show up as their real selves.

This one is not to be missed.

“I think about how what I’ve been through helps other people” – Nick Raeburn

You'll hear about:

00:56 - An introduction to Nick

02:37 - How has sexual abuse affected Nick?

06:14 - Why having children changed Nick

08:49 - The reasons Nick shares his story

14:34 - Trapping a monster in a cage

19:40 - What impact has Nick's wife had on his life?

22:54 - What Nick thinks it takes to be a man

27:04 - Nick's advice to men that are struggling       

30:13 - The good, bad and ugly of LinkedIn

36:11 - Nick on accessing his 'little boy' energy

39:24 - What scares Nick now?

43:21 - How important is purpose to Nick

48:06 - The impact Nick's parents had on him

Nick’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thatsocialnerd/

Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thatsocialnerd

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@thatsocialnerd

That Social Nerd Website - https://zaap.bio/thatsocialnerd

My resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w

Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

What does great recruitment look like?

Well, this episode with Charlotte Smith is a no holds barred break down of all things recruitment.

Charlotte is a Recruitment Director who champions the industry and comes from a family full of recruiters. We talk about why emotional intelligence is a recruiter’s superpower and how to get the culture piece in organisations right.

We also go deep into 180 recruitment and why data is king in order become great in this industry.

If you want to know what it takes to be a great in this industry this episode is not to be missed.

“We find people jobs, we don’t do a terrible thing ” – Charlotte Smith

You'll hear about:

00:56 - Charlotte's recruitment background

03:45 - Why recruiters should be proud of what they do     

08:10 - Why you need to understand emotional intelligence           

11:22 - How to get the culture piece right?

16:54 - Why specialist is Charlotte's least favourite word

24:56 - The importance of the follow up       

27:33 - How Charlotte measures performance         

31:27 - Is 2024 going to be better than 2023?          

35:03 - What data does Charlotte look at?

43:28 - What does lazy management look like?

45:56 - Charlotte's view on 180 recruitment

49:21 - Why are recruitment companies poor recruiters?

Charlotte’s resources:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/deakinsmith/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/all_things_recruitment/

My resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w

Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/