Speaking Business Podcast

My guest this week is as adept at captivating an audience of thousands as he is at quietly amazing and amusing an intimate gathering of close friends. His impressive skill and charming good humour make him an extremely memorable, engaging, diverse and popular performer. He has entertained internationally and appeared on numerous prestigious television programmes including Penn and Teller: Fool Us, and he did fool them. Please welcome my guest, a Man You Can’t Keep Out of Your Mind - Graham Jolley. Bio Graham Jolley is one of the UK’s most talented and versatile magical performers, entertaining audiences with his unique style and amazing mind reading capabilities. Having performed at a huge number of corporate events, private dinners, conferences and on national television, his most recent being The One Show, Graham’s act adapts perfectly to any environment. A psychological entertainer, Graham is able to perform any number of astonishing feats, baffling and thrilling his audience in equal measure. His work has

My guest this week is a former NHS Mental Health Lead and one of the country’s leading psychotherapists, with over 25 years’ experience in physical and mental health sectors. He is the author of The Sunday Times Best-selling book ‘Ten to Zen’.  His second book ‘Ten Times Happier’ which was published in May 2020.  In his latest book he shares his unparalleled insight into what brings happiness and calm into people’s lives. His experiences have provided him with the necessary skills to analyse any mental, emotional or stress related issue with the utmost efficiency. I am delighted to have with me today psychotherapist and best-selling author Owen O’Kane Bio Owen O’Kane is a psychotherapist and author of the globally acclaimed book, ‘Ten To Zen’, along with the follow up ‘Ten Times Happier’. Owen grew up in Northern Ireland during ‘The Troubles,’ which was the perfect training ground for understanding the anxious mind due to the conflict and fear that existed in the region. As a former palliative care nurse, Owe

With me today I have a comedian, business leader, writer and entrepreneur.  She has held senior management positions at some of the biggest media companies in the world, including 10-years as Senior Vice President at the US studio giant Viacom, where she oversaw a multi-million-dollar budget for brands including Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount. While working for Comedy Central, on the road with the late, great Joan Rivers, she was nudged into the sphere of performance. On top of all this she holds a Masters in Neuro Linguistic Programming and has worked for many years, alongside her not inconsiderable day jobs, as a sought-after Executive Coach to the great and the good in industry, public life and politics. Please welcome comedian, writer and businesswoman Cally Beaton.  Bio Cally Beaton is a comedian, writer, speaker and business mentor.  Of the rising stars on the circuit today, few can boast the journey into comedy that Cally Beaton can. Cally is a natural storyteller full of intelligent, d

My guest today has a staggering 11 World and European Championship medals, she’s a 2 times Olympian, an MBE, an Executive Coach and an Entrepreneur. She is a woman who persevered and succeeded despite the odds, who achieved when others said she couldn’t. When she talks to us today about overcoming adversity, leadership and high performance, she’s doing it from personal experience. She draws on the lessons she has learnt along her journey as an Olympian, world champion and expert in the field of resilience and leadership and is on a mission to infuse the business world with the secrets of sporting success. Please welcome my guest this week – Marathon Kayaker Anna Hemmings MBE Bio Anna Hemmings is Britain’s most successful female marathon kayaker with a staggering eleven World and European Championship medals, 9 of them gold.  By the age of 24 she had been World Champion 3 times and competed at the Olympic Games.  In 2010 she was awarded an MBE for her services to sport. Anna achieved this success against all t

My guest has spent over 30 years developing the ADAPTAGILITY high Performance methodology, a synthesis of Agility, Adaptability, Resilience and Balance. His ADAPTAGILITY High Performance Framework, and Digital Diagnostic tool, provides a proven approach, and deep insights, to activating, and optimising, sustainable higher performance. This helps organisations to achieve eXponential impact, amazing growth, and outstanding results, in the mega-waves of change, challenge, uncertainty and opportunity. I’m going to ask him to share some of methodologies he is applying to create thriving revolutionary workplaces. Please welcome Tony Dovale. Bio Tony Dovale is founder and CEO of Life Masters. He’s the Business Soul Surgeon, and the #BulletProof Growth-Optimised Mindset Guy. Tony enables meaningful success with his #Mind-Grow-Tainment, and SWIFT Action with FIERCE Focus approach.   Tony helps people, teams, leaders, and companies, to win through wellness, and achieve exponential impacts and high-performance results i

Our guest today is an import – he is an American living here in England! Before coming here, he founded and scaled three software companies where he lived in California.  He has authored a number of best-selling leadership books, writes for entrepreneur.com, and advises companies like Microsoft, Salesforce, Stanford University, and PwC on leadership.   I’m really happy to welcome one of the tallest people I’ve ever met, Mr. R. Michael Anderson Bio Michael Anderson’s business successes include starting, growing, and selling three enterprise software companies, some of which landed on the Inc. 500|5000 list of Fastest Growing Companies and won Best Places to Work in San Diego, California. Despite these achievements, for a time Michael felt unfulfilled; hard drugs, divorce, depression, and lawsuits brought him to a low point. A quest for change led him to earn his master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica. Now he is devoted to teaching others the tools that transformed his own l

As consumers we are becoming increasingly cynical about who we buy from, we want authenticity, meaningful connections and a great experience. My guest this week is a business psychologist of global renown, currently a lecturer at University College London – he was the first person to establish the field of consumer psychology in the UK. He uses psychology to work out what consumers want and to help companies build solutions that are long lasting and more absorbing.  Today I’m hoping he will help us to understand how people connect with brands and services and crucially why.  Please welcome consumer and business psychologist Dr. Dimitrios Tsivrikos Bio Dr Dimitrios Tsivrikos is a Consumer and Business Psychologist at University College London (UCL). His research, teaching and consultancy work specialises in Business, Consumer/Branding and Occupational Psychology with a specialist interest in the contribution of social identity and group membership to a range of organisational processes, such as leadership, com

My guest was a professional footballer for nearly 20 years playing for clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, Burnley and Norwich City, whilst gaining 40 Caps internationally for Northern Ireland.  He made over 300 appearances and was a key member of 2 Championship winning teams and rose to the pinnacle of English football. He is also a published Author and recently finished his studies which means he is the first person in history to play in the Premier League and qualify with a Masters in Sport Psychology. My guest this week will share what you can learn from the most ruthless and competitive industry on the planet! Please welcome, Paul McVeigh. Bio Paul McVeigh is a Premier League football player and an expert in elite performance. Paul’s credibility comes from the unique combination of reaching the pinnacle of elite sport as well as being the first Premier League footballer to qualify with a Master’s degree in Psychology. Paul McVeigh specialises in implementing the psychology required to elevate the performanc

My guest this week says that “If all the world’s a stage” the greatest role you ever get to play is yourself.   She applies the principles of ‘Great Performance’ from her 25 years’ experience in the world of theatre to ‘Great Performance’ on the business stage. She connects leaders with the energy of inspiration that great performances give us - to feel more alive, more courageous, more optimistic and more galvanised. Using key principles from her book about performing greatly as yourself she ignites leaders to pull back the safety curtain of corporate conformity and step into the spotlight of their fullest authentic presence and unique voice. Her global clients describe her as a transformational energy conductor who offers an irresistible invitation to shine in every role they play. I’m very much looking forward to chatting to International presence coach, speaker and bestselling author of Performing As YOU, Diana Theodores Bio Dr Diana Theodores is a Presence and Performance Specialist, high energy speaker

My guest this week began his career as a professional actor, before training as a director at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He’s worked with some of the UK’s most well-known actors, appearing on the London stage, BBC period dramas and most famously played Virgil Tracy in the Hollywood film adaptation of Thunderbirds. He now empowers businesses, sales teams and leaders to increase the impact of their communication and perform at their best under pressure. Drawing on his extensive experience on stage and screen, he shares the tools and techniques used by the world’s best actors to help his audience unlock their own star performances. Please give a warm welcome to communication and leadership specialist Dominic Colenso. Bio By the time he was 26 Dominic Colenso had flown a spaceship, lost one million dollars and been fired by Simon Cowell. A former Hollywood actor, theatre director and teacher at the Royal Academy Of Dramatic Art, he now empowers businesses, sales teams and leaders to increase the

My guest this week specialises in helping clients to harness the power of the virtual platform to grow their credibility, visibility and reputation.  Using his years of experience in broadcasting his mission is to encourage leaders to improve their credibility by throwing away many of their traditional communication methods and embrace this opportunity with visual technology to raise engagement across their organisations. He says ‘It’s totally not complicated to motivate teams to make the new world of Zoom, Skype and Teams really interesting and effective. All it takes is some simple skills, proven techniques, and insider tips, which has impact and influence on an audience even though they are not in the same room." My special guest today is the professional broadcaster, Jon Hammond. Bio Reputations, both organisational and personal are precious commodities, especially in times of pressure and stress. Jon Hammond has been preserving, enhancing and protecting the reputations of major organisations and leaders

My guest this week is an expert in the field of conflict resolution, a trained mediator and facilitator.  She is the Chair of the Board of Management of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is a former director and board member of the Civil Mediation Council of England and Wales. She helps organisations in times of change, challenge and crisis to stay ahead of the curve in transforming conflict into collaboration saving the cost and time of formal disputes or litigation and damaged relationships and reputation. Author of 2 popular books “How To Beat Bedlam In The Boardroom And Boredom In The Bedroom” and “The Authority Guide To Conflict Resolution”, she has spoken at the United Nations, The White House and the European Commission. Please give a warm welcome to my guest this week, Corporate Peacemaker Jane Gunn.  Bio Jane Gunn is an expert in the field of conflict resolution, a trained mediator and facilitator, known to her clients as “The Barefoot Mediator”. She is the Chair of the Board of Management o

My guest this week is also known as The Pitch Whisperer, and shares the lessons learned from his award-winning sales career at Conde Nast. Through his “Better Selling Through Storytelling,” sessions he shows companies’ sales teams how to become irresistible so they are magnetic to their ideal clients.  He has a best-selling book by the same name and is also the host of “The Successful Pitch” podcast, which is heard in over 60 countries. He has been interviewed by Larry King and appeared on TV as an expert on “How to Ask for What You Want And Get A Yes.” Please welcome my guest this week all the way from Austin, USA with hopefully with his King Charles spaniel Pepe, my guest is, John Livesay. Bio John Livesay is a sales expert and keynote speaker on sales, marketing, negotiation and persuasion who helps salespeople become magnetic storytellers with the ability to make irresistible offers to their ideal clients. John has captivated audiences in settings including Fortune 500 companies like Honeywell, Coca Cola

My guest this week has been called a world authority on remote teams.  She is an expert in Virtual and Hybrid Leadership and is the author of the best-selling book ‘Virtual Leadership: Practical Strategies for Getting the Best Out of Virtual Work and Virtual Teams’.  Her experience of virtual and hybrid teams began when 9/11 forced her to run a major programme virtually. More recently she set up her consultancy, Making Projects Work supporting leaders grappling with the challenges of our virtual and hybrid world, to enhance collaboration across dispersed teams. My guest this week literally wrote the book on virtual, please welcome Doctor Penny Pullan.  Bio Dr Penny Pullan is a thought leader in the field of virtual leadership, specialising in complex change projects involving virtual teams. She is a director of Making Projects Work. She works with people in multinational organisations who are grappling with tricky projects: uncertain, with ambiguous requirements, stakeholders who need to be engaged and virtua

Even before this global disruption wreaked havoc on all our lives, my guest this week had been studying, writing and speaking on the topic of resiliency … a topic area that has fascinated her for decades.   Since 1980, she has helped organisations and individuals transform the life of their business and the business of their life through conversations that matter and connections that count. She believes that resiliency is a critical life skill and one that requires the energy of connections. She has been selected to be part of the Thought Leaders Network, in the company of Sheryl Sandberg, Brene Brown and Marshall Goldsmith. Please welcome Chief Energy Officer and founder of the consulting firm, McDargh Communications and The Resiliency Group.  Eileen McDargh. Bio Eileen McDargh is energy without hype. A Connector who joins head and heart to create action.  Instead of giving lectures Eileen teaches and tells stories.  She speaks with humility and humour in place of pride and pretence. Eileen McDargh is founde

My guest this week is a management thinker and a leader of the new world order. He is an award-winning entrepreneur, venture capitalist, best-selling author and a 2-time Emmy nominated media visionary. He has helped raise hundreds of millions in capital for start-up companies as well as taking a company to a 6 Billion market cap IPO. Currently, he is the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Creative Labs, a joint venture with CAA (Creative Artists Agency in LA), the largest sports and entertainment agency in the world, often called “Hollywood’s Secret Society”. He oversees the building of new ventures for some of the most well-known celebrities and political leaders in the world. Please welcome my guest, Leonard Brody. Bio Leonard Brody was called “a controversial leader of the new world order”. He is an award winning entrepreneur, venture capitalist, best-selling author and a 2-time Emmy nominated media visionary. He has helped in raising millions of dollars for start-up companies, been through one of the la

My guest this week is a broadcaster, honeybee farmer, award-winning author and Behaviour Expert. He is known for his energy, humour and passion. Growing up in the countryside, he discovered his love for nature and the environment early in life. In 2017, he moved to a small decommissioned farm, turning it into the world’s first certified Carbon Neutral honey farm, home to the native British honeybee. He is a regular on television and radio, including his own show for ITV1. He works with businesses worldwide as a Behaviour Insight Advisor and has carved a reputation for delivering keynote presentations and workshops at conferences for some of the world’s most recognisable brands. Please welcome Jez Rose. Bio Jez Rose is a broadcaster, honeybee farmer, award-winning writer and keynote speaker, known for his energy, humour and passion. Growing up in the countryside, Jez Rose discovered his passion for nature and the environment early in life. In 2017, he moved to a small decommissioned farm on the Cambridgeshire/

My guest this week has been obsessed with high performance for over twenty years.  He’s been looking for answers to questions such as: What differentiates high performers from good performers? What helps one person to achieve great results when another is merely average? What skyrockets one team to be more motivated, more productive and make more sales when another wallows in mediocrity? The answers to these questions inspired him to create his #IAM10 methodology for high performance and today I’m going to be asking him to share those answers and some insights and strategies that we can all use to be more, do more and have more. My guest is IAM10 creator Gavin Ingham. Bio What differentiates high performers from good performers? For the last two decades, this is the question that has driven Gavin Ingham to develop the #IAM10 high performance methodology for helping leaders to build high performing teams that fulfil their potential, improve motivation and focus, increase productivity, embrace change and grow s

My guest this week is a futurist and scenario thinker who featured the pandemic in 4 out of his 5 books.  He is probably best known as a maker of highly provocative maps and data visualisations intended to stimulate deep debate. The Financial Times called these maps “Brave”, while Business Insider said they might “Blow your mind”.  He has worked with the Tech Foresight Practice at Imperial College London and is currently their Futurist-in-Residence at the Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication. His next book, You are Not Busy, will examine our preoccupation with work and what might happen to our minds if we deleted some easy conveniences or occupied ourselves with a few things that were desirably difficult. Please welcome best-selling author, futurist and scenario thinker Richard Watson Bio Richard Watson is a futurist speaker, author and scenario thinker who helps organisations to think further ahead, especially about emerging growth opportunities and risks. However, he is probably best known as a m

My guest today is an International Talent Development expert, Speaker and Author, who specialises in Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace. Her programmes have won the ATD Gold Award for Excellence in Training, and, she has a Leadership programme listed as one of the top 5 Leadership Programmes in the world by HR.com.  Currently she is a sought-after expert in leading and working in this new COVID reality. But she has a shocking past, which I am going to ask her to share with us today.  It’s a story that could be the plot to a Tarantino movie, one that she has only just recently begun sharing with the world. Please welcome author and entrepreneur Susan Armstrong. Bio Inspiring, entertaining and educating, Susan Armstrong has been changing people’s lives for nearly 30 years, starting with her own. In the last 20+ years Susan has spoken in over 40 countries, developed and trained over 500 workshops and helped over 150,000 people around the world transform their personal and professional lives. Her clients inc