I Shouldn't Say This, But

I Shouldn't Say This, But … this podcast has taught my more than I could have ever imagined. And this episode is going to be my last. At least for a while. When I started the podcast 4 years ago, I couldn't have imagined the journey it would take me on, the conversations it would generate or the relationships it would help me foster. Steven Bartlett had tasked me with creating a brand for myself, and I was determined to give it purpose beyond simply being a KPI. As I sat down to record this episode, I knew that goal had been achieved. So I hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane. And I hope it gives you an insight into why I do this, and I what I want to do next. As always, thank you for listening.

Natalie Wills is the Global Director of Marketing at Zalando and a fellow advocate for the power of social media for good. In this episode, we discuss: - The importance of authenticity online  - Why we are all influencers  - What we can learn from the way young people use social media  - The importance of leading with your values - Zalando's approach of casting diversity of influencer talent and talent whose values resonate with their own - The way social media is driving transparency in the real world Natalie: https://www.instagram.com/nattiw1/?hl=en https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliealisonwills/ Me: https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53 https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Matt and Giles founded Sculpd alongside their business partner Guy Vero at the peak of Lockdown, and have since sold over 100,000 at-home pottery kits. Beyond that, they've built partnerships with some of the most influential brands in the UK, including Bloom & Wild, Missoma and Papier. In this episode, we discuss: - The challenges that come with building a business in Lockdown
 - The role of social media in the formation of the Sculpd community
 - The importance of finding joy in your work
 Matt and Giles: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mattclements1 https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilesharrison2/?originalSubdomain=uk https://sculpd.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/sculpdit/?hl=en Me: https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53 https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Daisy is the person behind The Selfhood - who makes digital interactions feel more human and puts connectivity at the heart of content strategies for brands and their audiences. She birthed The Selfhood after noticing a huge gap in the market for business owners and creatives to understand social media and digital marketing in a fun, human and relatable way after spending years in the jargon filled world of ad agencies. In this episode we discuss: -The role of social media in creating change. -The balancing act of finding a space to rest as a content creator. -The importance of building community as people are desperate to feel part of something. Daisy: https://www.instagram.com/the_self_hood/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/daisy-morris-52742393/ https://www.theselfhood.com/about-the-founder Me: https://www.instagram.com/katyleeson/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53/ https://twitter.com/KatyLeeson

James Routledge co-founded Sanctus -  a purpose-driven organisation that supports employee mental health through proactive and preventative one-to-one coaching in the workplace.  He is also the author behind ‘Mental Health at Work' - a book filled with stories, learnings and guidance for anyone on their mental health in the workplace journey. In this episode, we discuss: * The culture of permission arising around mental health * Social media as a force for good in the mental health fight  * Why rest doesn't only mean sleep James: https://www.instagram.com/jamesroutledge_/ https://www.instagram.com/jdroutledge/ https://twitter.com/jd_routledge Sanctus: https://www.instagram.com/sanctus/ Me: https://www.instagram.com/katyleeson/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53/ https://twitter.com/KatyLeeson

Chloe Brotheridge is an Anxiety Hypnotherapist, Coach, Podcast Host and Author who is dedicated to helping women free themselves from anxiety.  In this episode, we discuss: - The importance of distinguishing your dream from the one's being pushed by other people - Tips for a more purposeful and positive social media experience - How we can combat our inner critics Chloe: https://www.instagram.com/chloebrotheridge/?hl=en https://twitter.com/CBrotheridge?s=20 https://calmer-you.com/free https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chloe-Brotheridge/e/B01MZEC2LL%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share Me: https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53 https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Gina is an activist, author and artist who uses her platforms to encourage real-world change. In this episode, we discuss: - The uncomfortable reality of activism - The intersection of social media and activism
 - The importance of setting work/life boundaries - The changes social media companies need to start making - Young people's relationship with social media Gina: https://www.instagram.com/ginamartin/?hl=en https://twitter.com/ginamartinuk?s=20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K_n-x-W7pY https://www.waterstones.com/book/be-the-change/gina-martin/9780751577891 Me: https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53 https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Jay Flynn founded the Virtual Pub Quiz back at the start of the pandemic, and is living proof of the power of social media to be used for good. In this episode, we discuss: - Jay's incredible journey from pub landlord to household name (and the social media mistake that started it all) - The challenges that have arisen as a result of digital stardom - The impact of the Virtual Pub Quiz on Jay's life - The positive potential of social media Jay: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLcSqjJWHJeDWD_SbdorBRw https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jays-Virtual-Pub-Quiz-Book/dp/1913406407 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jays-Virtual-Pub-Quiz-2/dp/1913406776/ref=pd_lpo_1?pd_rd_i=1913406776&psc=1 https://www.instagram.com/thevirtualpubquiz/?hl=en Me: https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53 https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Anna Codrea-Rado is a journalist, author and podcaster whose article ‘Do I have Productivity Dysmorphia?' has changed they way both I and so many others view our achievements. In this episode, we discuss:  * The impact social media is having on our view of success  * The importance of finding joy in our free time * The productivity dysmorphia trap And so, so much more. Anna: https://www.instagram.com/annacod/?hl=en https://twitter.com/annacod?s=20 https://www.linkedin.com/in/annacodrearado/?originalSubdomain=uk https://www.annacodrearado.com/podcast https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2021/09/10640493/what-is-productivity-dysmorphia https://linktr.ee/yourethebusiness Me: https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53 https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Ash is the Founder of personal branding agency Great Influence, and part of Social Chain's founding team. The man behind the personal brands of the likes of Steven Bartlett and Julian Hearn, his experience and knowledge of social media as a tool for good is second to none. In this episode, we discuss: - The value in personal branding
 - The social media shift we've seen over the past decade - The life shift that comes with taking on a leadership role
 Ash: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-jones-85363975/ https://greatinfluence.co.uk Me: https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53 https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Lucy Sheridan is the world's first and only comparison coach, using her work and the online community she has built to to empower others into live comparison free lives.  In this episode, we discuss: - The role social media plays in fuelling comparison culture - The importance of getting to know your values - Defining your own success - Why leaders need to be conscious of the energy they bring - How social media can be used to overcome comparison culture Lucy: https://www.instagram.com/lucysheridan/?hl=en http://www.proofcoaching.com/about-lucy https://www.amazon.co.uk/Comparison-Cure-Lucy-Sheridan/dp/1409191214 Me: https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53 https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Seyi Akiwowo is an absolute powerhouse. Through her charity Glitch, she is working hard to create a kinder, safer, more robust digital sphere. In turn, Seyi is empowering people to advocate for others whilst raising a generation of digital citizens who will carry these lessons into the future. In this episode, we discuss: - The online space as a continuation of our offline realities - The duty of care platforms owe to their users - The inadequacy of the Online Safety Bill - The concept of digital citizenship - The importance of digital self-care - Why we're all recovering dickheads Seyi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seyiakiwowo/ https://www.instagram.com/seyiakiwowo/?hl=en https://twitter.com/seyiakiwowo?s=20 https://seyiakiwowo.com https://glitchcharity.co.uk/about/ Me: https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53 https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

There's no social media presence more authentic than Gary Neville's. In this episode, we discuss: - The importance of Footballers having an authentic social media presence  - THAT Manchester United interview - His hopes for the digital world his daughters are growing up in - Where the curriculum is failing young people - Why the Glazer family are a threat to the soul of Football I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it. Gary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-neville-036502211/ https://twitter.com/GNev2?s=20 https://www.instagram.com/gneville2/ Me: https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53 https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Alex Holmes has dedicated his career to making both schools and the digital sphere a safe space for young people. Deputy CEO at the Diana Award and advisor to the likes of TikTok, Facebook, Twitter and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Alex's knowledge of social media and the issues facing young people today is second to none. In this episode, we discuss: - The power and legacy of young people today - What social media companies are doing to fight the rise in online abuse - and what they aren't - Whether the issue of online abuse is a digital problem or the continuation of a real-world problem - Why it's time to cancel, cancel culture Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abcholmes/ https://twitter.com/abcholmes?s=20 https://instagram.com/abcholmes?utm_medium=copy_link Me: https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53 https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Tiwalola Ogunlesi is using her platform to fight the generation cycle of low self-esteem, making sure that this generation of women and girls grow to be the most confident yet. In this episode, we discuss: - How to harness the power of you - Tips for improving your self-confidence, combatting imposter syndrome and getting to grips with your self-worth - How social media can be used to create communities of empowerment - Tiwa's business - Confident and Killing It Tiwa: https://instagram.com/tiwalowla?utm_medium=copy_link https://instagram.com/confidentandkillingit?utm_medium=copy_link http://confidentandkillingit.com/ig-cki https://open.spotify.com/show/20Brb9BbmjLAv7L3SpS4Hc?si=ATdhMh2oRaOHrqeZKpc_WQ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/confident-and-killing-it-podcast/id1509409221 Me: https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53 https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

I Shouldn't Say This, But … Season 5 is coming VERY soon. With each episode featuring a brand new guest, it's set to be our biggest and best yet! I can't wait to share the first one.

In this week's episode, I talk to the wonderful Elizabeth Ogabi about the realities of creating your own side hustle, the significance of long-term vision in setting work/life boundaries and her fantastic new book ‘Side Hustle in Progress: A Practical Guide to Kickstarting Your Business.' It was really interesting to get the other side of the debate when it comes to role side hustles play in the glamourisation of overwork and it was great to hear Elizabeth's perspective!

In this week's episode, I dive into the realities of leadership. I talk about the difficulties that come with leading a team through a pandemic, the silent struggle of perfection and the pressure I personally feel to deliver for my team. There is a false sense of expertise surrounding leadership roles and it is a huge contributing factor to the problems we face when we enter into them. It's time we talked openly about this.

In this week's episode, I speak to the brilliant Rachel Carrell, founder of Koru Kids. We have a really candid conversation about the realities of living with chronic pain and the desire people have to hide their struggles. We also dive into Rachel's fantastic business, looking at childcare as a people issue, not just a women's issue, in addition to the importance of setting boundaries when working on something you're passionate about.

In this week's episode, I dive into the positive side of social platforms. There are some obvious issues that need to be addressed across them all. Namely issues of trolling and abuse, which need to be dealt with quickly and with severity. But I'm not sure that it's productive to let these issues dominate the conversation. I explore the idea that to want to make social media a more positive place, we need to highlight all the good that it facilitates, as well diving into the ways in which we can teach young people to use it well.

In this week's episode, I speak to the fantastic Jamie Crummie; co-founder and director of the amazing Too Good To Go. We talk about everything from the value in detaching yourself from your ego when building a business and team, to the role of education in changing the culture of food waste in the UK and being proactive in your passions and the issues you wish to resolve. Jamie also shares some brilliant insights into what we can be doing to help reduce our own food waste.

In this week's episode, I take a look at the way our brains change as we move into adulthood, and the impact this has on our creativity. I talk about my own experience of this and the way this change is mirrored as we move up in our careers. I also raise some big questions, like can you move forward in your career without becoming a manager? Do we have to sacrifice our creativity as we move through the ranks?

In this week's episode, I speak to the fabulous Emma Heal; Managing Director of alcohol free brand, Lucky Saint. We talk about her incredible career history, the importance of fitting your own life jacket first and how Emma perceives the role of Managing Director. We also take a look at why “I'm not drinking tonight” is becoming a more accepted stance. Get £10 off your first order of any single case of 12 (or larger) at luckysaint.co with the code SOCIALCHAIN 

In this episode, I talk candidly about my experience with situational depression and the journey I've been on with anti-depressants. I discuss how it felt first being prescribed them, right through to how it feels now that I'm coming off them, as well as the importance of doing so effectively. The past two years have been hard, but I'm coming out the other side a much better person.

Cate Sevilla is my spirit animal. In this episode we talk about Cate's journey through huge companies, including Google, and how she came to write her incredible book, ‘How to Work Without Losing Your Mind'. We touch on the role that companies play in supporting us, and why it might not be what you think, alongside the right way to raise issues with your manager and what our work identities really mean. 

In this episode I talk to High Performance Expert & Psychiatrist, Dr T. We start this amazing conversation with WHY - why we’re both invested in preventing burnout and helping deal with crisis’. We also talk about how we both deal with being people pleasers but the positives this has brought to both our lives. Finally, we look at how restriction, change, uncertainty and threat can impact our emotions and the profound effect the past year has had on all of us. If you want some tips about how to move on from the past year, this is the episode for you. 

In this episode I speak to the wonderful Tessa Clarke from OLIO - an app that exists to prevent food waste by connecting people. We have a very honest conversation about what it was like raising millions in investment for the business as a woman, we explore how important having a diverse business is and what it’s really like being a startup founder with a family behind the scenes. Tessa also leaves us with some important advice. 

The office vs WFH debate continues. In this episode, I talk about which companies are in which camp when it comes to where and how they want to work. I also talk about what model we’re looking to implement at Social Chain but why, in reality, everyone’s working model should be different. We’re joined again by our podcast therapist, Karen, and we discuss the impact that WFH has truly had on our mental health and, for those that need it, how to switch back to office mode. 

If you're looking for some guidance on your own personal development, this is the episode for you. This week's podcast is with the amazing @Alice ter Haar and Alice shares an amazing realisation - what she thought she wanted wasn't ACTUALLY what she wanted, and how she built her business, Badass Unicorn, because of it. We unpack her career journey and why understanding your values is key to where you want to get in the future. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

There are over 100 million #goodvibes posts on Instagram alone. But how much positivity is too much? We’re often met with ‘everything will be fine’ and ‘it could be worse’ when we express feelings of sadness, but sometimes this has the opposite of a positive effect. Joined by our podcast therapist, Karen, we dive into the impact that toxic positivity can have on us and our mental health and exactly what we can do about it.

I’m rubbish at setting boundaries outside of work. Inside work, I find myself setting boundaries all the time. In this episode, I talk about why boundaries are so important in BOTH settings. I unpack the role that boundaries play in protecting our mental health and share my experiences and mishaps with setting boundaries for myself. Karen, our podcast therapist, also helps us to understand our boundaries when it comes to social media and exactly what to do if someone crosses our boundaries. 

Self-promotion. It’s not an easy thing to do. We all struggle with it. But how do we overcome that fear of putting ourselves out there? That’s exactly what we discuss in this episode. Stefanie has an impressive and interesting history and shares with us why she’s done with tiptoeing around talking about success. We cover everything from the reason why not everyone needs a side hustle, to understanding why our emotions are triggered when we someone else sharing their achievements online. If you’ve got the Fear of Sounding Stupid, this is the episode for you. 

This is an episode of self-reflection. I look back over the past year since the first lockdown began and talk about the whirlwind that’s happened since then. Everything from coping with living on my own, to hugging my mum for the first time. From lockdown relationships, to navigating a business through this absolute whirlwind of a year. I also speak to our podcast therapist, Karen, and she gives us some wonderful tips for those who might be feeling uncertain about how to adjust to life in the future. If you’re feeling a little anxious about what happens now, then this is the episode for you. 

This is an episode that you don’t want to miss. I am joined by one of the most interesting guests, Hector Hughes. Hector is co-founder of Unplugged, a business that’s focused entirely around digital detoxes at cabins in the countryside, allowing you to fall completely off the grid. No phones, no screens, no social media…In this episode, we talk all about a real range of topics. Everything from, what prompted Hector to do a 2-week silent retreat in the Himalayas to how we can promote a more unplugged workplace culture. We also hear the best Zoom tip I’ve heard in the past 12 months. If you’ve been struggling with screen time over the past few months, then this is an episode for you.

Those in leadership positions take on the responsibility of running a business and turning into a success, but often a large portion of hidden responsibility comes with it. One of the most prevalent topics at the moment is being an empathetic leader BUT who is there to help the ones who help others? I’ll be talking about my own experiences with this and having care as one of my core leadership values. Our podcast therapist Karen is also back this week, and she hits me with some real home truths.  If you're looking for some tips on how to look after yourself a little better as a leader, this episode is for you.

On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Harriet O’Regan - the Category Director at Arla Foods, the largest producer of dairy products in Scandinavia. We talk about everything from Harriet’s feelings towards working within the organic industry, to what it was like as the first working mom on the team at Arla and how she’s coped with homeschooling during lockdown. Harriet’s admission submission at the end of the episode is also one of the most sincere I think we’ve ever had. If you want to hear about an amazing career at a huge, global company and how to balance that with having dinner with the kids every night, then this is the episode for you. 

This week’s podcast episode is all about comparison - something I’m sure many of us have struggled with at some point in our lives. In this episode, I really wanted to uncover exactly why we do it and also how to stop it. I also talk about my own experience with comparison and about how it caused one of the most difficult periods of my life.  Our own podcast therapist, Karen, also talks us through a great exercise to help us stop comparing ourself to others and to understand exactly why we compare ourselves. If you’ve been struggling with comparison over lockdown, this episode is for you. 

This week we sit down with Laura from the UK’s leading independent store for kids, The Modern Nursery. We talk about everything from how Laura started the company when she fell pregnant after a successful career in high fashion, how important influencers have been to the success of the business, to navigating working from home whilst homeschooling at the same time. If you want to learn about an amazing female founder running a successful business, this episode is for you.

Compassion. Something we’ve all heard over and over again in the past few months. On this week’s episode, I wanted to explore compassion a little further. What actually is it? What are the benefits of doing it? How do we get better at it? What’s the importance of self-compassion? These are all questions we dig into this week. I’m also joined by a very special guest, my amazing therapist Karen who helps us explore these points from her expert opinion in a little more detail.

On this week's very special episode of I Shouldn't Say This But, I am joined by 2 great friends Kiera and Aimie from the amazing Feel Good Club.  Feel Good Club is a wonderful mental-health and wellbeing community that has recently opened a cafe based in the Northern Quarter in Manchester. I’ll be talking to them both about how they’ve gotten to where they are today, what it’s been like opening a business during a pandemic and some of the battles the world is now facing with mental health.  They also run an extremely popular Instagram page that provides lovely daily reminders for all their followers about coping with life in the day-to-day and this week they have even taken the streets of Manchester by storm with some amazing billboards to brighten up everyone’s week.  I had a great time recording this episode and I hope you all enjoy it just as much as I did. So without further ado, sit back, relax and enjoy this episode of I Shouldn't Say This, But.

We’re back with our first podcast of the year and we’re talking all things New Year’s resolutions; why we make them, why we break them but most importantly…how to keep them. We dive into some of the behavioural science behind how to turn our resolutions into habits, to make them stick. If you’re looking to make a real change this year, then this episode is for you. So without further ado, sit back, relax and enjoy this episode of I Shouldn’t Say This, But.

In the final podcast of 2020, we look back over Christmas ads from The Gravy Song, to Tesco’s No Naughty List and we see which brands have got it right and which have definitely got it wrong. After rating my favourite ads, we discuss the fact that Christmas is not easy for everyone. I talk about how I’m approaching this year and some of the ways we can help people who might be struggling. So without further ado, sit back, relax and enjoy this episode of I Shouldn’t Say This, But.

Ariana Grande. Mumford and Sons. Disclosure. Hozier. Dermot Kennedy. These are just some of the incredible artists that this week's guest has worked with to build their careers and best-selling music. Guillermo Ramos is the VP of Marketing at Island Records, one of the world's most famous labels. He tells me all about his amazing career, the importance of making your own luck and why he feels so privileged to call this his day job.  He reveals what it's like to work with music royalty, the artist development process and shares some invaluable advice for aspiring musicians. He also explains how COVID created creativity at Island Records, and and leaves us with one of the best admission submissions I've heard in a long time. I am so excited for you to hear this. Guillermo played a pivotal part in the achievements of so many world-class artists. There's so much value in this episode, I don't even have the word-count to tell you about everything we cover. You'll just have to listen instead. So without further ado, sit back, relax and enjoy this episode of I Shouldn't Say This, But.

I am a chronic procrastinator. I put things off. I avoid certain tasks. I distract myself on purpose. I struggle to complete work. And I know that I'm not alone. 1 in 5 people procrastinate at least once, every single day. So, on this week's episode of the podcast, I dive deep into all things procrastination. I look into what causes it, the impact of working from home and the different types of procrastinators. I also share some practical tips and tricks on how to avoid and overcome procrastination, that you can start applying to your life right now. Finally, and most importantly, I explore the idea that procrastination can be powerful, and that it isn't always a bad thing. This is something that rarely gets the discussion it deserves.  This episode is for anyone struggling with motivation or focus right now. After listening, you will see procrastination is a brand new light, and I really hope it helps. So without further ado, sit back, relax and enjoy this episode of I Shouldn't Say This, But.

This week, I am joined by fantastic Pippa Murray, Founder of Pip & Nut, the award-winning, fastest growing nut butter brand in the UK. Pip followed a career path that was far from traditional, going from anthropology, to theatre, to entrepreneurship - founding a business that started as an idea while preparing for a marathon. We discuss Pip & Nut’s outstanding growth over the years, with 2020 being their first profitable year thus far, in spite of Covid. We chat about their recognition as a B-corp business, balancing long term goals and short term wins, building culture, and the importance of user-generated content.  Pip also shares how her entrepreneurial streak came from her resilience and determination when growing up with dyslexia. This shaped her into the inspiring female leader she is today, having won a plethora of awards including Natwest Everywoman Award, and being listed in Forbes’ 30 under 30. Pip & Nut is such a fabulous business, emerging triumphant from what has been an incredibly tough year, and Pip’s passion for her brand is unrivalled. So without further ado, sit back, relax and enjoy this episode of, I Shouldn’t Say This, But.

Earlier this month, I shared a post on overworking and burnout, and it went viral. It exploded. So many people resonated with it. Equally, there were people that disagreed. It made me realise that clearly, this is a topic that needs to be discussed more. So, on this week's episode of the podcast I deep dive into all things burnout. I reveal the three types of burnout, why people overwork, my own experience of it, and some shocking statistics that you'll want to hear. I also give some practical tips on how to avoid overworking, and how to recover from burnout if it does creep up on you. Burnout will never be cool, and it's time we stopped glamourising and justifying overworking once and for all. So, without further ado, sit back, relax and enjoy this episode of I Shouldn't Say This, But.

This week, I am joined by the fantastic Yoann Pavy, VP of Marketing at Laced, the startup sneaker reselling platform taking Europe by storm. He’s had an enviable career, working for some of the world’s best-known brands, such as Depop and Deliveroo, both of which he joined at their very early stages. We chat about his switch from an engineering career to marketing, the importance of customer insight and social listening, and why brands need a paid and organic blend. We also discuss what it’s like to start a new job during the pandemic, and some incredible personal branding tips and tricks to help transform your career. This is without a doubt, one of the most valuable episodes I’ve recorded so far. So, without further ado, sit back, relax and enjoy this episode of I Shouldn’t Say This, But.

We could all do with a little happiness right now. So, if you're finding the second lockdown tough, this episode is for you.  This week, I dive deep into 4 super interesting happiness hacks, each vastly different from the other. From a Japanese concept for finding purpose, to setting happiness goals, to a scientific approach to feel-good brain chemicals, I share how I will (or won't) be applying each idea to my life right now, and how you can do the same.  The sole purpose of this episode? To help people. I'll be the first to admit the last few months have had a big impact on my mental health. But now, I'm going to be putting all of my energy into trying to make each day a little brighter, and I really hope that this episode allows you to do the same. So without further ado, sit back, relax and enjoy this episode of I Shouldn't Say This, But.

This week’s guest is the fantastic Rikke Rosenlund, Founder and CEO of BorrowMyDoggy - the canine Tinder taking the UK by storm, in a dog sitting market worth $1 billion.  I have a real personal connection to this brand. The first lockdown was an incredibly lonely period for me. I was struggling to find the motivation to leave the house, until I met Lottie, the gorgeous Cockapoo, through BorrowMyDoggy. She brought me back to life. Rikke lets me in on why she decided to start BorrowMyDoggy, the brilliant benefits of borrowing, and all the positive to come out of the platform during COVID, including some very touching stories from the BorrowMyDoggy community. We also chat about her experience as a female founder, what she thinks can be done to improve the prospects of female entrepreneurs, and the lessons she's learnt through lockdown.  I promise you that this episode will make you smile. So for some positivity during such a difficult time, sit back, relax and enjoy this episode of I Shouldn’t Say This, But.

BONUS BITESIZE EPISODE ALERT! October has been an eventful month, to say the least. So I've recorded an extra special episode, rounding up the good, the bad and the ugly of marketing campaigns this month.  I also share my thoughts on October's major social updates, including the infamous launch of LinkedIn Stories, a change in the landscape that has caused quite a stir.  Finally, I give my predictions on what I think this year's highly anticipated John Lewis Christmas ad could be.  In just 20 minutes, I go through everything worth knowing about social and marketing in October. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this bonus episode of I Shouldn't Say This, But.

This week, I am joined by Ollie Ratcliffe, Digital Communications Specialist at Bettys & Taylors, parent brand to the iconic Yorkshire Tea. Yorkshire Tea is one of my all-time favourite brands, so I was very excited to speak to Ollie about what it’s like working for Britain’s best brew (if you don’t agree, you’re wrong). We discuss Yorkshire Tea’s best marketing moments, including their new Toast and Jam brew, the social distancing teapot, and the controversial incident with Rishi Sunak. We also chat about how the brand flourished during COVID, the importance of social listening and communities, and humour as a strategy. Ollie dives deep into his past redundancy, the lack of guidance on today’s careers from schools and what he hates about the industry. This is probably one of the best podcast episodes yet. You do not want to miss it. So sit back, relax and enjoy this episode of I Shouldn’t Say This, But.