The Alternative Leader Podcast
Episodes
37 episodes
Building ARM and scaling a global tech company | Jamie Urquhart on leadership and innovation
Leadership, innovation and scaling a business are at the core of building companies that shape entire industries.In this episode, Mari Williams is joined by Jamie Urquhart, co-founder of ARM Holdings, the company behind the chip architec...
From Harvard to career uncertainty | Anne Bailey on purpose and meaningful work
Purpose, career direction and meaningful work are increasingly shaping how people think about leadership and long-term fulfilment.In this episode, Anne Bailey, CEO and Co-founder of Form the Future, shares her journey from graduating fro...
Sustainable fashion, feminism and entrepreneurship | Stacey Grant-Canham
Sustainable fashion, ethical business and entrepreneurship are increasingly shaping how brands are built and what they stand for.Stacey Grant-Canham, founder of Black & Beech, shares her journey from a part-time side hustle during ma...
Perimenopause, fitness and women’s health | Hannah Walker on hormones and mindset
Perimenopause, women’s health and fitness play a significant role in both physical wellbeing and mindset, particularly for women navigating hormonal change.Hannah Walker is a personal trainer and founder of Eton Fitness, where she works ...
Gut health, microbiome and entrepreneurship | Goitseone Thamae on health and leadership
Gut health, the microbiome and physical wellbeing are increasingly linked to mental health, performance and long-term health outcomes.In this episode, Goitseone Thamae shares her journey from selling fruit and vegetables as a child in Bo...
Public speaking, confidence and leadership communication | Julia Caddick
Public speaking, confidence and leadership communication are central to how we show up, influence others and progress in our careers.Julia Caddick, voice and presentation coach, shares her journey from a love of music and performance i...
Breathwork, ADHD and emotional healing | Lisa Sibley on stress and performance
Breathwork, ADHD and emotional healing are increasingly being recognised as powerful tools for managing stress, improving performance and understanding ourselves more deeply.In this episode, Mari Williams sits down with Lisa Sibley, a le...
Financial independence and building wealth | Ken Okoroafor on money, mindset and freedom
Financial independence, wealth building and money mindset are increasingly shaping how people think about work, life and long-term security.Ken Okoroafor achieved financial freedom by the age of 34 and is co-founder of The Humble Penny, ...
From the RAF to leadership across industries | Michelle Child on challenge, authority and change
Leadership, authority and career transitions often require challenging assumptions and stepping into new environments.With a background in aeronautics, avionics and optoelectronics, Michelle Child has spent her career questioning stereot...
Emotional intelligence and leadership for young people | Corey Gaidzionis
Emotional intelligence and leadership development are starting earlier, shaping how the next generation understands themselves and others.Corey Gaidzionis is the founder of Big Emotions Academy, focused on helping young people develop em...
Modern warfare, leadership and decision-making | John Spencer on military experience
Leadership, decision-making and human connection are tested at the highest level in military environments.John Spencer is an urban warfare expert, military leader, author and professor, with 25 years of service in the US military. He now...
Anxiety, depression and building a business | Joel Stone on marketing and mindset
Anxiety, depression and mental health can shape how people build businesses, make decisions and lead their lives. Content warning: Please note this episode discusses suicide Joel Stone is the founder of marke...
Chronic pain, weight loss and performance | Brendan Turner on recovery and health
Chronic pain, physical performance and long-term health are often more connected than people realise, particularly for leaders and professionals under pressure.Brendan Turner is a Personal Trainer and Human Biomechanics Specialist who wo...
Leadership, identity and life experiences | Emma on the Balkans, loss and perspective
Leadership and identity are often shaped through life experiences, loss and the environments we move through.Emma shares her journey from working in post-conflict cultural conservation in the Balkans, where the work extended far beyond p...
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Policing, PTSD and life after trauma | Gareth Squance
PTSD, trauma and mental health can have a lasting impact on those working in high-pressure roles such as policing.Gareth joined the police at a young age, with his life shaped by years in the force, including two near-death experiences t...
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Building a global community on LinkedIn | Anna McAfee on connection and growth
LinkedIn, community building and authentic connections are becoming central to how individuals and businesses grow.Anna McAfee is a LinkedIn trainer, community strategist and author, known for creating the #LinkedInLocal movement, which ...
Remote working, burnout and leadership without a team | Nola Simon
Remote working, burnout and leadership are often more complex than they first appear.In 2010, Nola applied for a leadership programme but was refused because she needed additional support around learning and childcare, with long commutes...
ADHD in women and the ‘good girl’ pattern | Michelle Minnikin
ADHD, identity and behaviour patterns often shape how people experience work, relationships and leadership.Michelle grew up as an army child, moving frequently before choosing to go to boarding school, where she thrived on structure and ...
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Leadership behaviour and psychological safety | Terry on trust and team culture
Leadership, behaviour and psychological safety play a central role in how teams perform and communicate.Terry is a senior leader who believes strongly that leaders need to understand the impact of their behaviour on others. He finds it d...
From council house to MD | Phil Jones on leadership, resilience and non-academic success
Leadership, resilience and career progression do not always follow a traditional path.Phil Jones, Managing Director of Brother UK, shares his journey from growing up in a council house to leading a major organisation, having bypassed uni...
From homelessness at 15 to CEO | Tammy on abuse, resilience and leadership
Content warning: This episode includes themes of abuse and suicide (no detail). Leadership, resilience and overcoming adversity are often shaped long before someone steps into a role.Tammy came out of an abusive childh...
Heart attack at 45, burnout and leadership stress | Esther Stanhope
Leadership stress, burnout and performance under pressure can have real consequences.After a heart attack at 45, Esther reflects on her workaholic personality. Did it begin when her father died when she was five, or does she simply love ...
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Parenting, leadership and flexible working | Sophie on co-founding Roleshare
Sophie, co-founder of Roleshare, shares her journey from California to London and how she built a business focused on flexible working and diverse teams.We explore leadership, parenting and the reality of balancing professional res...
Parenting, career pause and leadership under pressure | Ian’s story
Ian shares how the birth of his daughter, following an emergency caesarean and a rare chromosome deletion diagnosis, reshaped both his life and leadership.We explore how these experiences influenced his thinking, including putting his ca...
From rural Cambridge to Alzheimer’s Research UK | Lucy on resilience, dyslexia and leadership
Lucy shares her journey from growing up on a farm in rural Cambridge to becoming Director of Supporter-Led Funding at Alzheimer’s Research UK.We explore how early experiences, including a mother with rheumatoid arthritis, a husband livin...
