Speaking Business Podcast

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Philip Hesketh who is an expert in the psychology of persuasion and influence. He combines a powerful mix of well researched persuasive techniques in buying, selling, persuading and influencing. He is best known for his 'can-use-today' techniques to be more influential. Philip is a psychology graduate from Newcastle University and a sales graduate from Proctor and Gamble. In 1986 he was creator, new business director, and managing partner of an advertising agency, Advertising Principles. He sold his interest in the business after 16 consecutive years of growth, with the agency billing 48 million pounds, and employing a 150 people. Recorded on: 19th April 2018 Show Notes: In this week’s show Philip Hesketh talks to us about how the sale of soap and shampoo inspired him to move into advertising, how he became a full time professional speaker and how he changed the weather in February. Philip explains the difference between negotiation and discounting and shares some of his

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Tony Hawks, who is a British author and comedian and best known for his appearances on shows like "QI", "Just a Minute", and "I'm Sorry, I Haven't a Clue". His bestselling books include "Round Ireland with a Fridge" which has sold nearly a million copies worldwide. He is not to be mixed up with Tony Hawk, the American skateboarder, who is not as funny as Tony. Recorded on: 5th April 2018   Show Notes: In this week’s show Tony Hawks tells us about his big hit with his band Morris Minor and the Majors and how through his music, his career in comedy began. He talks about the reason why he hitch-hiked round Ireland with a fridge and how that motivated him to write a bestselling book about it. Also, how he was able to open a care centre for kids with cerebral palsy in Moldova due to a silly bet and how he incorporates some of the lessons from his adventures into his corporate talks. Links: Morris Minor and The Majors – Stutter Rap video Tony Hawks Centre Maldova More about Ma

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Mark Pollock, an explorer, innovator, and collaborator. Even though he went blind in 1998, Mark has competed in ultra-endurance races and was the first blind person to race to the South Pole. He also won silver and bronze medals for rowing at the Commonwealth Games. In 2010, Mark was left paralyzed after falling from a second story window.  He is now exploring the frontiers of spinal cord injury recovery and is walking daily using bionic robotic legs. Through the Mark Pollock Trust he's on a mission to find a cure for paralysis. Mark is the subject of the acclaimed documentary Unbreakable. He's a Davos, Wired, EG and TED speaker and is the co-founder of the global running series called Run in the Dark. Recorded on: 4th April 2018 Show Notes: In this week’s show Mark talks about his incredible mission to find a cure for paralysis and why his drive for adventure took him to the South Pole and across the Gobi Desert. Mark shares his work with robotics is probably the most e

This is a special Bonus episode, a little extra treat especially for any speakers out there listening.  It is taken from a video chat I had with Neil Armstrong about Speaker Showreels - my go to expert on the subject. Neil Armstrong has been making films and TV programmes for over 33 years. He started his career as a Film Assistant at the BBC and worked his way up to become a highly respected and sought-after Series Producer and Director. Neil’s credits include ‘Alter Ego’ with Jon Culshaw, ‘Renford Rejects’, ‘The Miners “Location, Location, Location”, “House Doctor” for C5), and the “Teletubbies”. Neil has filmed all over the world writing, producing and directing for a great range of brands from Astra Zeneca, Barclays and UBS right through to L’Oreal, John Lewis, Microsoft and Tate&Lyle. He has also made Speaker Showreels for Roger Black, Sahar Hashemi, Sally Gunnell, Jamil Qureshi, Linda Yueh and Viv Creegor amongst others. He says and I quote “He is accomplished, experienced and unflappable, as well a

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Tim Reid. Tim spent over 20 years working with some of the world's most creative organizations including global ad agencies and innovation consultancies. Before having his first sitcom, Car Share, starring superstar comedian, Peter Kay, commissioned by the BBC. As an innovation expert, Tim has helped many clients from beer brands to broadcasters, confectioners to condom makers, reimagine the future and reinvent their businesses. As a coach, Tim has enabled hundreds of teams across the world to reignite their own creative potential to have bigger, better ideas. From his unique position as both the successful innovation consultant and comedy writer, Tim has drawn together a practical guide to applying the trade secrets used by top creative professionals, comedians and writers. Recorded on: 4th April 2018 Show Notes: In this week’s show Tim Reid talks about where the idea for the BAFTA award-winning TV sitcom Car Share came from. How his career path changed when he realised

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Neil Mullarkey.  Neil studied economics, social and political science at Cambridge University, where he was also president of the famous dramatic club, The Footlights. In 1985, he co-founded the London Comedy Store Players with Canadian-American comedian Mike Myers. Neil's credits include "Whose Line Is It Anyway", "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue", "Have I Got News for You", "QI", and two Austin Powers movies. Since 1999 he has been bringing theatre skills, in particular, improvisation, into the world of business. His work has taken him to 24 countries. Neil is currently a visiting lecturer at Cass Business School, City University. Neil's book, "Seven Steps to Improve Your People Skills," was published in October 2017. Recorded on: 15th March 2018 Show Notes: In this week’s show, Neil Mullarkey tells us why after studying economics he went into comedy where he met Mike Myres who introduced him to improvisation. Neil talks about the lessons that a business can take from the w

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Caspar Berry. After studying Economics at Cambridge, Caspar decided to put what he had learnt there into practice in a rather unique way. He moved to Las Vegas and became a professional poker player. He played poker for much of the next three years before finding himself as the poker adviser on the James Bond movie Casino Royale. Recorded on: 1st March 2018 Show Notes: In this week’s show, Caspar talks about some of the lessons that you can apply from poker to business.  How embracing uncertainty can help decision making. He tells us about working with Ant and Dec, getting Robert Webb and David Mitchell together and breaking the rules with Daniel Craig in Casino Royale. And much much more … Significant quotes: “The essence of poker is the essence of decision-making theory, investment theory and risk-reward analysis.”  Links: More about Maria Franzoni Ltd Connect with Maria on Linkedin Connect with Maria on FaceBook Next Week: Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Rohit Talwar a global futurist and award-winning speaker, who works with corporations and governments to help them explore, understand, and respond to the forces shaping our world. He has a particular focus on how we can harness emerging science and technology to ensure that these advances are used to unleash individual potential, and enable a very human future. Recorded on 23rd February 2018 Show Notes: In this week’s show, we will find out what a futurist actually is, why Rohit would like to have coffee with the oddly named drug dealer “the Penguin” and what could happen if machines took over the world. All this and more …. And yes Maria did say The Exterminator instead of The Terminator, don't write in! NB This was recorded before Stephen Hawking sadly passed away in March this year. Links: More about Maria Franzoni Ltd Connect with Maria on Linkedin Connect with Maria on FaceBook Significant quotes: “A great futurist really helps people get insights into the emerging

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Jack Milner. Jack works as a director, comedy writer, business facilitator, and speaker. He has over 20 years’ experience helping organisations and individuals articulate and memorably communicate their ideas. Jack says that skills learnt from the world of stand-up comedy and improvisation need fresh, natural and compelling communication, and can help audiences understand complex stories. As director for the West End, film and radio, Jack knows how to take often dry, technical information and render it clear and memorable, no matter who the audience. Recorded on: 15th February 2018 Show Notes:  In this week’s show, Jack talks to us about the similarities between working with executives and soap stars.  What you can learn from the comedy world that you can apply to speaking and how to deal with nerves. He tells us about his scary experience in Russia and why his wife bought him a book called ‘Dull Men of Great Britain’! Significant quotes: “The skills used in improvisatio

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Sir Clive Woodward, the World Cup winning head coach who led England's rugby players to World Cup glory in Australia in 2003. He himself is a former England international and British and Irish Lion. During Clive's tenure as head coach, England moved from number 6 in the world to be the number 1 ranked team, winning every trophy an England team could win. Clive was GB’s Director of Sport for the British Olympic Association.  He worked in close partnership with key stakeholders to support the national coaches and athletes at the Beijing and Vancouver Olympics. As well as to deliver team Britain's most successful Olympic Games at London 2012. Recorded on: 8th February 2018 Show Notes: In this week’s show Sir Clive Woodward talks to us about his career as England Rugby Coach, the Olympic Games, his international ski academy in France and about how he started his path of delivering speeches to businesses.  He also talks about why he won’t be doing Strictly Come Dancing anytim

This week Maria's guest on the show is Major General Patrick Marriott, who was a regular soldier for 36 years. During this time he served in approximately 30 countries and deployed in operations to Northern Ireland, Egypt and Israel, Bosnia, Kosovo and Macedonia, Iraq and Afghanistan.  Among other appointments, he commanded his regiment, the Queen's Royal Lancers, on operations in Bosnia and the 7th Armoured Brigade known as the Desert Rats in Iraq.  He was Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst before retiring in 2012.  Patrick now serves as a Reservist Major General, sharing the highest level of Service Complaints Board for the Army.  Recorded on: 7th February 2018 Show Notes: In this week’s show, Major General Patrick Marriott talks to us about his career in the military and how he learned his leadership skills.  Good leadership is still highly important to Patrick and this inspired him along with his love of the countryside to lead a trek for children coast to coast. He also talks about the bo

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Kevin Gaskell. Kevin has led the iconic brands, Porsche, Lamborghini, and BMW. After driving the turnaround at Porsche and leading five years of record growth at BMW, he was recognised as one of the UK's top 40 leaders. Kevin founded a dot com, Epyx Limited, which became the market leader in automotive e-commerce. As global CEO of the Eurotax Group, he led his team to integrate 30 companies and to create the world leader in automotive data. During his career of founding start-ups, driving turnarounds and leading major brands, he has built over £3 billion of shareholder value. He has led transformational growth at 14 companies and now acts as chairman of a number of growing businesses. Recorded on: 2nd February 2018 Show Notes: In this week’s show, Kevin tells us about why he turned down the opportunity to become a professional cricketer & how this decision helped him set out to help people become successful. He talks about the big corporates he has worked for, the bu

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Caspar Craven, entrepreneur and adventurer. Caspar believes in challenging conventional thinking on how leaders and teams become truly effective to create extraordinary results. Caspar has 30 years of experience in building teams to make things happen. Starting as an entrepreneur at the age of 14, he has built and led teams in global corporations, start-ups, struggling and high growth businesses, and on a trophy-winning world racing yacht. But his toughest challenge by far was building his family team to sail around the world with his wife and three children, then aged 9, 7, and 2. Recorded on: 25th January 2018 Show Notes: In this week’s show, Casper tells us about his first business at the age of 14 selling crabs by the sea, his amazing adventure sailing around the world with his family. What he discovered about home schooling his children and sharing the lessons he learned on his adventure that apply to the business world. All this and more… NB – no books were thrown

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Jamil Qureshi one of today's foremost practitioners of performance psychology and an expert in high performing teams and cultural change. Jamil has worked with a rich diversity of the most talented business and sports teams. In business, he has delivered management and leadership programmes at board level for Coca-Cola, Hewlett Packard, Emirates Airlines, SAP, and Cisco. In sport, he has helped six people get to number one in the world. In 2006, he was appointed as the first ever official psychologist to work with the European Ryder Cup team. They made history in winning by a record-equalling margin. He has also worked successfully with three English Premiership football clubs and the 2009 Ashes-winning cricketers. Jamil is one of the few external psychologists ever to have been allowed access to study astronauts in the 2008 NASA space programme. Recorded on: 18th January 2018 Show Notes: In this week’s show, Jamil explains how cricket got him into his passion, psycholog

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Penny Mallory who is one of the most successful women rally drivers, and was the first woman in the world to compete in a world rally car, the Formula 1 of rallying. As a motoring expert, she has presented many high-profile TV shows, including the hugely successful Channel 4 show, Driven, World Rally Championship, the Used Car Roadshow, Accident Black Spots, Discovery's Classic Car Club and The Roadshow. Penny is a qualified performance coach and is the author of the book Take Control of Your Life, where she uses her driving successes as analogies of how you can transform your life. Penny is also the creator of the innovative Malory Band, helping wearers to lose weight and keep it off forever. Recorded on: 12th January 2018 Show Notes: In this week’s show Penny tells us how from an early age she wanted to become a rally driver, how this lead her into presenting and why speaking is such a passion. She talks about her love for boxing and how techniques used by Muhammad Ali

This week Maria's guest on the show is Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, the world's leading champion of Project Management and Strategy Implementation. Antonio is the creator of concepts such as the Hierarchy of Purpose featured by Harvard Business Review, and the Project Revolution; which argues that Projects are the lingua franca of business and personal worlds from the C-suite to managing your career and relationships. Antonio's research and global impact in modern management have been recognized by Thinkers50 with the prestigious award "Ideas into Practice". He is also part of MG100 - Marshall Goldsmith's 100 coaches. Recorded on 20th December 2017 Show Notes: In this week's show we will find out how a Spaniard has ended up living in Belgium. Why Antonio doesn't consider technology, AI or big data to be the biggest disruptions in business today and all about Antonio's recent award from Thinkers50. All this and more … Significant quotes: "The most successful leaders are the ones who are able to say we're going to