Exploring the creativity of the human spirit with just five simple questions. Those questions give us a window to explore the journey and life story of people that look like they have it sorted.
Episodes
Thursday Nov 28, 2019
Wednesday Nov 20, 2019
Wednesday Nov 20, 2019
Life is always about stories; that is a foundation of this podcast; it was my desire to discover more about other peoples lives that lead me here.
Stories are the core of everything when you consider how much of your life is set around a narrative. Think of the news that is all about people or events in the world. When we catch up with friends, it is all about what is going in their life.
Look at politics that is people looking to lead through the narrative of a positive shared vision.
So why are stories so important to us?
In the blockbuster movies, it is the character progression that keeps it interesting. There is the mission or quest with the potential for success and the failure ever-present.
Now that is a subject for a podcast short because we are all on the mission. Onwards to my guest.
Dominica Roszko
My guest on today's programme was born in Poland and the seeds to her journey were planted when she was very young. Her grandma was a natural herbalist she had a big store cupboard full of things that would help or sooth pain or illness. The story is interesting as you will see how it travels in a circle as Dominica return to her routes.
Dominica came from an entrepreneurial family. it was natural for her to follow that career path.
It was a business journey that ended with a successful marketing business, but it nearly killed her — suffering from burnout and severe adrenal fatigue. She overcame this chronic illness with a vegan diet.
Today fully recovered and joins me on the programme as a qualified nutritionist, herbalist and vegan chef.
She's been running a plant-based nutrition practice for 5 years, where she works mainly with people interested in reducing their meat and dairy consumption.
Dominica is sharing her experience through regular workshops, courses and talks in the UK and Europe, where she teaches nutrition, herbal medicine and plant-based cooking and food preparation to the general public, chefs, restaurant managers and other companies.
All of that energy and passion that when into marketing other peoples projects, is now focused on her business and her passion.
She is an author and regular contributor to newspapers, magazines, online publications.
I hope you enjoy the conversation with Dominica Roszko
Sunday Oct 20, 2019
Sunday Oct 20, 2019
"I’m creating resilient kids because education is broken,”
These are the words of my guest Ashley Costello. She has worked in the field of Psychotherapy for over 20 years. It was a TEDx talk last year that brought Ashley to my attention education and children were a big part of my life for a few years..
My son went to a Steiner School and I became very involved, became a trustee and was the chair for a few years. I got to see the inside of education from both sides of the plate. Steiner education with all of its faults is a model for how education could be.
When my son moved into mainstream education I could really see the gap between the two worlds and felt the pain of both.
Hearing Ashley in her TEDx talk spoke to my desire for change.
On the programme, you will hear how Ashley’s interest in psychology stemmed from her A level studies. It was the possibility of helping people that called out to her.
I just knew it was about people and that is where my passion lead.
During her gap year, she went travelling in South America. We are taking serious travel as this was before mobile phones and sat-nav. It was the synchronicity of a missed phone call that set her life on a path.
It led to a course on counselling and eventually into her passion that is physiotherapy. She was one of the youngest people in training and subsequently in practice. She put her ability to excel in the field of therapy while so young was her travel experience.
Today Ashey is about supporting children in education she specialises in children and adolescents mental health.
As said I discovered Ashley when her TEDx talk “Is Education broken?” came up on my facebook feed.
She received so much feedback from that event that it encouraged her to start a new project “The resilient kid”.
It is a programme that looks to fill a gap for parents, teachers, heads, educationalists and everyone who feels as passionate about giving children the tools for a positive future.
I hope you enjoy the conversation with Ashley Costello
If you would like to get in touch with Ashley you will find her on Linkedin and facebook
Saturday Sep 07, 2019
Saturday Sep 07, 2019
On the show today is Ebonie Allard, it was lively because Ebonie is a misfit and a Maven with an amazing life story. Before she was 7 she has lived is a house truck on a commune, she went to a Steiner school. She is a podcast host, artists and a business coach.
her big mission is to help 100,000 Misfits know that they belong, live fully rounded, three-dimensional lives that are successful, FUN and self-governed.
This brings me nicely to that topic of self-development. The one clear message that comes through all of my guests is the drive for progression. This can come from two directions for some it will be the maintenance of what is, getting comfortable and starting to settle. This was me..
The other side is the madness of overwhelm, where a monster is created and the head can take no more. This was Ebonie
Both directions lead to dissatisfaction with life and a loss of purpose. It is my belief that we end up in these places because we are not taught how to avoid them.
Earlier this year I started with a project called Change Your World Every Day. The main feature of the project is daily coaching delivered at 7 am every weekday morning. Staring the day with positive input is a powerful anchor, the group is encouraged to contribute, give feedback and hold each other accountable.
It has been amazing to watch the participants grow and support others in their growth. If you are looking for something to support your journey I urge you to find something with daily support it makes such a difference.
On the subject of Change Your Worlds the normal price is £29.99 month but using the link below will get you 3 months for the price of 2. Check it out here and use the link below to claim the deal.
As you may have guessed from my description of Ebonie is a woman who has always moved fast and taken risks. She has lived in France, New Zealand Ireland and in various location in the UK, thought out all of these she has never had a proper job.
From selling homemade cards when she was 14, working in the film industry, starting one of the first virtual assistant companies to her current work as a coach, author and artist - she’s experienced huge successes, massive failures & everything in between. She's been self-employed, a freelancer, a business owner and an entrepreneur & shares that growth isn't linear.
For Ebonie, it is all about shifting consciousness so that we wake up and see life as it is. I hope you enjoy the conversation with Ebonie Allard.
Https://www.EbonieAllard.com Https://www.Misfit2maven.com Https://www.AdultingwithEbonie.com
Tuesday Aug 13, 2019
Tuesday Aug 13, 2019
My guest on the programme today is Jennifer Herndon, who went from a death-row attorney to Entrepreneur. Her career started straight from law school, as a criminal defence lawyer. She had a successful career for over 25 years, a significant part of that was defending people on death row.
Jennifer has always been passionate about helping people. In the legal world that was people who are termed indigent. A simple word that seems so lovely and yet it covers its true meaning. Which is people who are poor, destitute, penniless, or impoverished, the legal profession likes to sanitise words and the people in society that might be called less desirable.
These people cannot help themselves, and Jenniffer was there to support them, particularly those facing the ultimate penalty. She passionately believes the death penalty is morally wrong, and she fought for her clients for many years.
Her highest satisfaction, from her time as a defence lawyer, was being instrumental in a change of US law, how does it get better than that?
The legal career was about changing life and death decisions, and sadly, for many of her clients, those cards were not in their favour. Jennifer, she did not win those arguments; you will hear some of that story.
It is the kind of work that takes its toll, and while Jennifer never lost the passion for representing people. She began to feel part of the system, part of the process of execution. She was getting burnt out and looking to change. It came in that she as fired.
She moved out of the law into online marketing. Like all of us, she fell into all of the traps before she found her way.
We discuss the easy button as if it exists?
How to ride the storm
The show is her journey out of the laws and into a new life. Jennifer is a single mother of one and five adopted children some with unique needs, and she has created a life that works for and her family
Jennifer's gift is helping people the challenge was making it pay, and this is her story.
Wednesday Aug 07, 2019
Wednesday Aug 07, 2019
Who Are Your 5 people
This podcast is a short and about role models
There is a saying which seems to roll around the business and coaching world that your salary or your capacity for success is a combination of the 5 people that you associate with most.
Now there is some truth in this, what it seems to indicate is the people you associate with are most, will determine how you're going to end up or have you going to act and your level of success.
But I want to explore the idea that we can expand beyond the real world.
This podcast is just 9 minutes and explores the idea of role models, I'll be interested in your feedback.
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
I was very excited this week to have on the show Arthie Moore. She is a facilitator and leadership coach. But as with all of my guests she is so much more. I met Artie when she was the lead coach in a daily coaching group. ( change your World every day) She was delivering 30minute slots daily for 2 weeks.
She covered her take on life and communication techniques. It was clear to me in these daily live broadcasts that she has a passion and commitment to leadership skills and the empowerment of all.
I should say Arthie lives in South Africa and of Indian descent and while she has always faced issues of race, she has never let it fazes her. She can walk into any situation and expect the best and manage the room and achieve it. You cannot help but like her.
What was fascinating about this conversation is we explored how she grew up in a tight race-driven society. You did not cross the boundary of colour. This was in South Africa in the apartheid years.
The change happened when Nelson Mandella was elected president and Arthie turned 18. She was one of the first of a generation that went to a mixed-race University.
This podcast is not about race and diversity. It is about those experiences, the crucible that turned Arthie into the powerhouse that she is.
As the director of 2 international companies, she keynotes on communication and Motivational Speaker. She is an International Facilitator of the Celebrating Humanity Programmes, on Transformational Teambuilding, Diversity Training, Leadership Training and Team Conflict Resolution Strategies.
She has delivered these programmes across Africa, South Africa, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, the wider worlds USA, London and Hong Kong.
As you will hear on the show, she has a clarity of purpose, that is about inspiration and empowerment. It is about positively impacting the World, using the African principles of Leadership.
The most amazing part for me is that she started her journey at just 19 years old.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did
Saturday Jul 13, 2019
Saturday Jul 13, 2019
Welcome To Life Passion and Business. In our last programme with Zoe Cohen, we got to the unusual position where I recognise this show was going to run well beyond its regular length. I decided to split the program into two because the conversation is Zoe was rolling so well I did not want to break it. We spoke for one and a half hours, and this is part 2
To recap on part 1, I stopped at the point where Zoe had been arrested.
Zoe started her career Oxford University where she went to study life sciences; she went to work in the Health Service where she became the youngest executive director of a health trust in the NHS, at the age of 27.
She went on to serve in various companies at board level for over 9 years when she started a coaching practice which running for over ten years. It was the publication of the IPCC report that caused a shift in mindset.
It led to her involvement with Extinction rebellion, and she was arrested while demonstrating early this year, and she's currently awaiting the outcome of that process.
We have the career journey we are now looking at her success model.
I think Zoe is an example of how we are going to have to shift mindset in how we live on this planet. I appreciate that many be uncomfortable for some people. But the weather is changing; however, you look at it.
Zoe and people like her say we need to look at this and do something about it if we can.
I hope you enjoy the conversation with Zoe Cohen.
Monday Jul 08, 2019
Monday Jul 08, 2019
So welcome to the programme. My interview today is with Zoe Cohen; she is a management consultant and executive coach.
Zoe had the traditional success model education and career, was accepted into an Oxford University to study human sciences, and that lead her into the health profession.
Her career started in the health service in the UK and became the youngest board member of a health trust, going on to serve at board level in various companies for over nine years.
She started a management and coaching consultancy in 2009 and has been in that industry for over 10 years.
I invited her on to the show because she has had a significant change of mindset and shifted her focus; Zoe is now an active member of the Extinction Rebellion.
While it was a shift of thinking it was more of a return to her roots. As you will hear on the interview her the choice of university degree and the study of human sciences was one of those pivotal points. She could have been just as happy studying ecology and may have followed that career path.
The big shift for Zoe was the IPCC report last November and the growing realisation in what we are doing to the planet is unsustainable. And not enough was happening fast enough.
I wanted to explore Zoe's transition. Professional people like Zoe are changing their views on activism; they are standing up for what they see as wrong and demanding action, even if that means coming into conflict with the state.
Zoe was a management consultant and coach; now she is actively involved with Extinction rebellion; in fact, she was arrested in London during the last protests.
Our conversation flows and is funny sad dark and hopeful. Now I recognise that this podcast may be awkward for some people to hear. So I apologise in advance, Zoe Cohen passionately believes that humanity is on a trajectory towards extinction unless we do something. That something must be big and must be quick, time is running out.
There is more to this conversation that climate change
If you followed this podcast for any length of time, you would know my story, and how have struggled over the years in my relationship with consumption based businesses and the world of marketing. I stepped back from mainstream marketing 15 years ago, and I now choose to work with companies or people that are making a difference in the world.
Our current level of consumption is pushing this planet to the edge, and what's becoming increasingly clear, is we have to start making positive changes in lifestyle there is just not enough stuff to keep this up and we are sinking in stuff we are making.
As an example, there is a large manufacturing plant called Grangemouth in Scotland owned by INEOS they produce polyethylene, which is the primary material for plastic bags.
This one plant produce 1000KG every minute, that is over 1440 tonnes of plastic for bags every day. They are planning to put another plant next to it, which would do the same.
When you think of plastic bags, how many of them get recycled, how many of them end up buried in the ground. how many of them end up in the sea, killing fish and getting into the food chain.
That is just one material, one item. How many plastic things are there around you now, this moment. Where will they go when you have finished with them? Toothbrushes, pens, mobile phone cases, bags, suitcases presentation cases, the list goes on.
Where does it all go? That is the question that I have been asking for quite a while. There are options, it is possible to change it is called the circular economy, but it won't happen unless we are determined to make it happen.
Zoe Cohen is one of many people leading the change and demanding that our politicians start to face these difficult issues because of business, as usual, is not going to cut it any more.
I hope you enjoy the conversation with Zoe Cohen
This podcast is long because as we got into a big conversation, so it has been split, this is part 1 and part 2 will be out in a few days.
Sunday Jun 30, 2019
Sunday Jun 30, 2019
What can I say about a short cast other than they are short?
It was my birthday on Fridays so this is a Birthday weekend. Leading up to the weekend I have been quite reflective and the overriding decision is the next 4 years are going to be different.
I have a couple of offers on this podcast, one is for my marketing business and the second is for turbo coaching I have mentioned it before on the show. It is a powerful tool that you can use to drive through blocks and get stuff done.
Check out the website for details of both
Friday Jun 14, 2019
Friday Jun 14, 2019
On the show we have Deborah Ager she is a book coach. Like many of my guests, she is a LinkedIn connection. I saw a comment while reading one of her posts, it gave me cause to google her name. To my surprise, I discover that she has a Wikipedia page, just like a real celebrity. She will be my first guest ever on this show with a page on Wikipedia. Deborah is not a media celeb, she is, however, a published poet. So what is the life of a famous poet we will find out soon?
But before we go there here's one of my usual Segways. I was in a conversation this week about the challenge, and I may have mentioned this a few weeks ago as we looked at replacing the word struggle with challenge.
I would like you to consider the human need for the challenge.
It has struck me from all the conversations I've had over the last 18 months that there is a strong human desire to push against a boundary and to experience the challenge.
We may be reluctant to change but appreciate the progression when we do. Of course, there are times in our life when we need to sit back and take the breeze. But there is danger of getting stuck in that place where life becomes stale and boring. We all know people who hate the job but will not leave.
I know this one from personal experience, prior to starting This podcast I allowed myself my life to become small, and that led to a dark place. I wouldn't call it depression, but certainly a lacklustre for the journey.
I had lost my appreciation for life. It took the death of my father to recognise my downward spiral. This is the human condition are we destined to become dull and discontented if we stop pushing forward.
There is a popular exercise in most of the best self-help books.
"What would you do with your life if money was no object and you could not fail? "
I have asked this question of myself many times.
I don't actually know. I guess if money were no object, I would throw myself into the climate change crisis and find some way of making a difference.
But, I can still do that without money, and with that awareness, I am exploring our liability for climate change and considering how I might be part of the bigger picture.
I started this little segway looking at the challenge and whether we need it. The overriding opinion is yes, we do.
So what are you doing to challenge yourself?
Would love to hear from you.
Back to this week's guest the book coach that is Deborah Ager.
She is the founder of the Book Activation Method and has been writing professionally for over 20 years. As I said at the beginning there are published works of poetry.
Her writing started early, she wrote copy for the citrus industry. Her words sold a lot of grapefruit, and she discovered 57 ways to describe an orange. It was enough to put herself through graduate school at the University of Florida (for creative writing—what else?)
Before stepping out on her own, most of her employers discovered she could write. And entrusted her with the big proposals, the sales copy or the persuasive PowerPoint presentations.
She has the skills to persuading people to change how they see something
In the five years since she's helped dozens of business owners develop business-building books faster than they could alone. So far, she's collaborated on 22 books.
I hope you enjoy the conversation with Deborah Ager
Sunday May 26, 2019
Sunday May 26, 2019
On today's show, I have Sashka Hanna-Rappl, and she is a leading international Brand and business strategist for creative visionaries. She creates brands for some of the people with big imaginations.
But first, as always, this is my opportunity to do a little segway and go on a journey of my own.
So as you might know, I am part of the team for the Change Your World Everyday Coaching Project. This week we have been looking at happiness. It is quite amazing how few people in the world can say they are truly happy.
The fact remains at this time in the world; fewer people are dying through conflict violence than any other time. The majority of humanity is wealthier than it has been at any other time. Yet, happiness seems to be in short supply.
We are more connected through social media than at any other time, and that is just adding to the problem.
Part of the problem it seems as we've forgotten how to be happy, and much of that seems to caused by people looking outside of themselves for solutions to that problem.
Now, as a marketing guy, I am well aware. Because that is what we do, we find problems we find people's insecurities and weaknesses we play upon them.
Then, we get them to buy things based on those problems to make them feel better. That is the dark side of my profession.
That's what's fascinating for me about life passion and business and change your world, and a myriad or other change organisations.
Because when we get people into a place of being ok with themselves, they no longer look outside for happiness, they look within.
It is at that point that needs and desires and wants fall away.
What is your view experience of happiness?
How happy are? When where you truly happy?
If you have any views on happiness reach out and lets chat/
One more point before we get back to the show, the founder of change your world Suzy Beaumont. Had a birthday this week and as a birthday gift to her audience, she's given seven days free access to the Changer world every day project.
She has permitted me to share that access with you guys. So if you would like to try a daily coaching practice for seven days. Check out this podcast at the website life passion and business.com for the link. Or drop me a message and I will fix you up. This offer will expire on the 31st May so do be quick.
Back to the programme and Sashka Hanna-Rappl As I said to you she's a leading brand strategist. Did I mention is a speaker and entertainer with a singing dancing and acting career.
I suspect she uses all of those things in her approach to branding. She calls here process, using the soul to brand your business. Her methods are creative, wise, humorous and imaginative. She helps lifestyle entrepreneurs create and market their unforgettable brand. A brand that is tailored to the entrepreneur, rather than the profession. And to be understood in a crowded market.
This lady is a powerhouse, and you will hear it on the programme there is no holding her back, and it is no surprise that she's been featured in Forbes BuzzFeed and numerous online publications.
She was born and raised in South Africa resided in London for a while and currently lives in the Tyrolean Alps with her three children.
I hope you enjoy the conversation with Sashka Hanna-Rappl.
Sunday May 19, 2019
Sunday May 19, 2019
Thoughts on confidence, we all have the imposter syndrome, it never goes away. However, we can find evidence to keep us secure that we are on target and these fears are just that fears.
Friday May 10, 2019
Friday May 10, 2019
My guest on today's podcast is Georgina El Moshady she is a copywriter and has been the voice and ghostwriter behind some of the big product launches out there on the internet land.
Like many of my guests, this life was not part of the plan and has been a journey of discovery.
Last week saw the launch of the Change Your World Every Day. It is amazing to be part of the team that is bringing this project into the world. Seeing people step up to the possibility of change is such a privilege. It is also pushing me to evaluate my position.
The topic that came up for many of the group the recognition that life could be a struggle. Why is that so? My wife prefers to call these challenge as struggle feels so negative.
I have been considering this for a few days and have come to a different conclusion that struggle and challenge can be that same. It is a question of perspective.
Could there be a difference between facing a problem, which is taking on the challenge? Or being in the struggle as resistance to facing the challenge?
Challenge or struggle they are both obstacles on the path to our chosen destination.
What I notice is that even successful people experience their own challenges. But more than that they will often create them seek them out.
Why seek a challenge
I guess the question is, would life be worth doing if there is no resistance to doing it?
Think of all the best stories or films, it is about the hero on a journey. The characters go through a series of event meeting resistance on the path. Those challenges strengthen the resolve to build their character making them ready to meet the next big challenge.
If Luke Skywalker hopped on a spaceship somewhere and blew up the Death Star when the first 10 minutes, the Star Wars adventure would not have lasted for 11 films and counting.
The point is in order to live a good life. We need the challenge to keep it interesting. There needs to be some stretch and strain, the level of that depends on who you are, but it will grow as you grow.
For some, there is a desire to keep growing. have already mentioned successful people going out of their way to create challenge and obstacle. They have reached a point where every day needed something to keep it interesting.
Through these interviews, I have been allowed access to peoples life path and goals are just markers on the path. They are the points of momentary reward, but it is the journey between the goals that makes it all worthwhile.
That is enough for today, this conversation deserves its own podcast. If you have any thoughts on the get in touch, I would love to explore other opinions.
Back to my guest so I've known Georgina for a number of years we have been in similar groups together. I have seen her grow and develop moving out from behind the scenes and taking on a more proactive roll.
Over the last few months she has been expressing her own message, our conversation is the story of how her life moved in different directions.
Georgina El Morshdy has been a professional copywriter and content creator for over 7 years. She is known as the ‘Secret Voice’ behind a number of 7-figure brands. It is her ability to unlock the message that has helped many entrepreneurs establish their thought leadership through the written word.
She one of the writers for Copyblogger and Talk Business. She’s also ghost written articles that have featured on sites such as Entrepreneur.com and Forbes.
When not writing, Georgina is passionate about personal development, the inner journey, and fearless self-expression. She loves deep conversations, long walks in nature, spontaneity, and overseas adventures.
I hope you enjoy the conversation with Georgina El Moshady
https://www.facebook.com/GElmorshdy/
Sunday Apr 28, 2019
Sunday Apr 28, 2019
My guest on the programme is Jock Gibson; he is a farmer and butcher from Dallas, Forres in the North East of Scotland. My home town.
The launch of Change Your World Every Day
If you have listened to podcast 57 on fear and change, You will have heard my conversation with Suzy Beaumont. It was an unscheduled conversation that we decide to do as a Facebook live and it became a podcast.
We had been working together on the Change your world conference and the programme, and the conversation was rolling around that event.
The conference was a major success and brought together a room of amazing people all looking to make changes in their life. Including the wife as it happens.
I said at the time that there would be more, well that opportunity is now open to those beyond Scotland. Change Your World online launches in just a few days. Suzy in pulling in some amazing people and the process features daily actions that will take you forward. even if you are like me and struggle with the concept if goals as yet.
https://www.changeyourworld.me/CYW-Everyday
Check out change your worlds.me links on the life passion and business website.
Now lets get back to farming. and Jock Gibson
Unusually this conversation is not the result of a social media connection. When I arrived here 15 years ago, I became a consultant and did a stint with the local Enterprise company. Jock Gibson was one of my clients. I moved on from that contract, Jock and I kept in touch and have remained social media friends.
Together with his wife, Fiona, they farm beef cattle native to the Scottish Highlands and sell their produce through the family butchers shop Macbeth’s. They supply hotels and restaurants as well as private individuals up and down the country with an online shop. His business is vertical in that they see the process from start to finish.
Jock has become a man of the land. However originally he studied engineering at Manchester University and after completing a couple of years sailing, started work for a building services consultancy in Peterborough. That was not the path, so after another university degree and another engineering job in Glasgow, it was clear that was not the path. So Jock returned to Dallas to take on the family butchery business.
That is a story in itself..
My interest in getting Jock on the show has been his dedication and passion for his industry. He says that farming is the most exciting industry to be in at the moment as there is so much opportunity.
That opportunity came in 2015, after the death of his parents. He and Fiona took on the family farm and now live there with their three children.
Jock is active in the industry as a board member for Quality Meat Scotland, a director for the Farmer Jones Academy and on the steering committee for the Highlands & Islands Food and Drink Awards.
Our conversation is very different from previous guests. It is a hands-on hard job with some harsh realities. Agriculture like every business is facing enormous change. However, they are facing it at every level, with environmental concerns, regulations and political upheaval.
I also want Jock on the show as many of the previous guests have been virtual business or service providers. There is a story here of his family and his success and the challenges that he faces in a tight market.
While we managed to steer clear of Brexit sort of, it's almost impossible because it is such a significant issue in his life. It will affect pretty much everything that he does.
I hope you enjoy the conversation with Jock Gibson.