The NABS Podcast

Got a question for The NABS Podcast?Charlie Rudd is CEO of Publicis, and a huge NABS supporter - in fact, he was one of our Trustees for nearly ten years. Charlie's a big believer in the power of managers to 'detune' the pressure at work and feels a keen responsibility to watch out for others at work - something he's felt since losing a much-loved colleague to suicide in his early career.Charlie's full of clear and warm wisdom and this is a wonderful chat. Key takeaways:Looking out for each other matters - watch out for the signs if someone is withdrawing.Mental wellness isn't a one-size-fits all approach - work out what works for you.Flexibility makes a huge difference. Don't make it into an issue when it doesn't need to be one.ResourcesNABS Advice Line NABS Advice: Holding Conversations About SuicideNABS Stranger than Summer NABS Yay List Support the showWe are NABS. And we're here for you - for the great stuff, the tough stuff and everything in between. As an independent charity, we're set on advancing the mental wellness of our industry and helping everyone find their way forward - wherever they're starting from. 👋  Need a helping hand? We're right here. 🌻 Group workshops or in-house training? Sign up to our sessions. 🤝  Industry events or networking? Check out our calendar. 📞 Sounding board on promotions, redundancies, parental leave - life in general? Here's how we can help.MoreFind out how you can support NABSSign up to the NABS newsletterFollow NABS on LinkedInWatch NABS Talks on YouTube

Got a question for The NABS Podcast?Robbie Pringle is a business development director enjoying a successful career. Yet only a short while ago, Robbie was struggling after being made redundant. Robbie faced emotional and financial challenges, which he talks about movingly and clearly in this empathetic chat. His advice for anybody facing redundancy is insightful and practical - especially when he talks about how NABS helped him to gain a fresh perspective and get back on his feet to find work again. Key takeawaysRedundancy can bring a range of mental wellness challenges, from guilt to panic Find someone to talk to when you're job hunting, to ease the mental pressure so that you can think more clearly about your job searchNABS is a vital lifeline for people in our industry, full of practical support to help jobseekersResourcesNABS Advice Line NABS redundancy guide NABS Support Grants NABS Training  Support the showWe are NABS. And we're here for you - for the great stuff, the tough stuff and everything in between. As an independent charity, we're set on advancing the mental wellness of our industry and helping everyone find their way forward - wherever they're starting from. 👋  Need a helping hand? We're right here. 🌻 Group workshops or in-house training? Sign up to our sessions. 🤝  Industry events or networking? Check out our calendar. 📞 Sounding board on promotions, redundancies, parental leave - life in general? Here's how we can help.MoreFind out how you can support NABSSign up to the NABS newsletterFollow NABS on LinkedInWatch NABS Talks on YouTube

Got a question for The NABS Podcast?tw: grief and bereavementKathryn Jacob OBE is CEO of Pearl & Dean and one of adland’s most influential leaders. A committed NABS supporter and DEI advocate, Kathryn opens up about bereavement, leadership and the pressure to appear perfect at work.Kathryn and her team are currently processing the sad and sudden lost of a much-loved team member. In this vulnerable and supportive chat, Kathryn talks about supporting herself and others through this most difficult of times, and how they've called upon the NABS team to offer professional support.As with life, there's light and shade throughout this engaging chat, with Kathryn also getting real about smashing perfectionism at work, and why the industry needs to support NABS - including her favourite NABS memories.Key takeaways:Grief is personal and non-linear, so there is no single right way to support somebody through it.Leaders build trust when they acknowledge mistakes and let go of the expectation of perfection.Great teams share responsibility and support one another when somebody needs help.Mentioned in this episode:NABS grief support and workplace resourcesContact the NABS Advice Line and Support TeamExplore NABS workshops and trainingJoin the NABS Yay ListWalk and Talk for NABS 2027Support the showWe are NABS. And we're here for you - for the great stuff, the tough stuff and everything in between. As an independent charity, we're set on advancing the mental wellness of our industry and helping everyone find their way forward - wherever they're starting from. 👋  Need a helping hand? We're right here. 🌻 Group workshops or in-house training? Sign up to our sessions. 🤝  Industry events or networking? Check out our calendar. 📞 Sounding board on promotions, redundancies, parental leave - life in general? Here's how we can help.MoreFind out how you can support NABSSign up to the NABS newsletterFollow NABS on LinkedInWatch NABS Talks on YouTube

Got a question for The NABS Podcast?Sue Todd, NABS CEO guest hosts this special episode of the NABS Podcast together with two of our industry’s most influential leaders: Simon ‘Dags’ Daglish, deputy managing director of commercial sales at ITV and Vicky Radcliffe, chief investment officer at PHD.What does mental wellness in adland look like right now? Sue, Dags and Vicky discuss the challenges facing our industry, the impact of constant change, and what we can all do to better support each other. They also share their personal connection to NABS, recalling memorable moments and the NABS events that have brought our community together over the years.Key takeaways: Growth can come through adversity, but you don't have to go it aloneAs rapid technological change hits the industry, confidence-building is as important as skills-buildingThe ad industry has a special spirit of kindness and support that is vital for its future Active involvement in NABS can inspire and strengthen industry bondsNABS Yay ListNABS Advice LineNABS workshopsNABS Big Bash 2026NABS Stranger than Summer 2027Support the showWe are NABS. And we're here for you - for the great stuff, the tough stuff and everything in between. As an independent charity, we're set on advancing the mental wellness of our industry and helping everyone find their way forward - wherever they're starting from. 👋  Need a helping hand? We're right here. 🌻 Group workshops or in-house training? Sign up to our sessions. 🤝  Industry events or networking? Check out our calendar. 📞 Sounding board on promotions, redundancies, parental leave - life in general? Here's how we can help.MoreFind out how you can support NABSSign up to the NABS newsletterFollow NABS on LinkedInWatch NABS Talks on YouTube

Got a question for The NABS Podcast?Matthew Knight is a freelance strategist and founder of Leapers, an initiative that supports the mental health of freelancers. Matthew is a leader in this field and his award-winning work has supported more than 250,000 freelancers in the last decade, informing policymakers, communities and hirers. Also a single working parent, Matthew somehow found time in his schedule to guest on the NABS Podcast and we're so glad that he did. This is a brilliantly practical and heartfelt chat, with no-nonsense yet empathetic and essential advice for freelancers and hirers of freelancers alike.Key takeaways:Taking care of yourself ensures that you can continue to work - it's a critical piece of your wellbeingPractise the ABC of freelancing mental health: Active Awareness, Behaviours and Boundaries, and Community and Connection.Increasingly, people are turning to freelancing through circumstance, for example redundancy: this makes seeking out support even more important. Resources: Freelance support for freelancers: https://www.freelancing.support/Mental health support for freelancers: https://www.leapers.co/Resources for organisations/hirers: https://www.workwellwith.us/Freelance communities for parents: https://www.doingitforthekids.net/freelance-communities/NABS Advice Line: https://nabs.org.uk/get-help/Support the showWe are NABS. And we're here for you - for the great stuff, the tough stuff and everything in between. As an independent charity, we're set on advancing the mental wellness of our industry and helping everyone find their way forward - wherever they're starting from. 👋  Need a helping hand? We're right here. 🌻 Group workshops or in-house training? Sign up to our sessions. 🤝  Industry events or networking? Check out our calendar. 📞 Sounding board on promotions, redundancies, parental leave - life in general? Here's how we can help.MoreFind out how you can support NABSSign up to the NABS newsletterFollow NABS on LinkedInWatch NABS Talks on YouTube

Got a question for The NABS Podcast?From crisis to coach: overcoming late ADHD diagnosist/w: suicideAlan Stracey is an ICF-accredited ADHD coach who leads NABS workshops as well as running his own practice. Alan came to coaching after experiencing the darkest of times, following 20 years in a creative career. A late ADHD diagnosis empowered him to understand himself and drove him to help others in the same situation.Alan brings wisdom and lived experience to this heartfelt chat, along with his fabulously relaxing voice.Key takeaways:Knowing that you've survived the worst of times gives you the strength to handle future challengesADHDers receive more criticism than most people - try to focus on what you do well to transform your self-esteemGetting a diagnosis as an adult can be affirming and help to remove any sense of shame felt by the individualResources mentioned in this episode:NABS Advice LineNABS ADHD coachingAlan's LinkedIn post on ADHD and mental healthMore about AlanManual of MeAdult ADHD self-screening tool Support the showWe are NABS. And we're here for you - for the great stuff, the tough stuff and everything in between. As an independent charity, we're set on advancing the mental wellness of our industry and helping everyone find their way forward - wherever they're starting from. 👋  Need a helping hand? We're right here. 🌻 Group workshops or in-house training? Sign up to our sessions. 🤝  Industry events or networking? Check out our calendar. 📞 Sounding board on promotions, redundancies, parental leave - life in general? Here's how we can help.MoreFind out how you can support NABSSign up to the NABS newsletterFollow NABS on LinkedInWatch NABS Talks on YouTube

Got a question for The NABS Podcast?Xavier Rees is AMV Group CEO and one of our industry’s most formidable leaders. His track record in speaking out about mental wellness is as strong as his outstanding career history, demonstrating clearly how senior leaders can be vocal role models for supporting mental wellness.Xavier has spoken previously about supporting his family through challenging times. In this edition of the podcast, he takes a fresh look at how he supported himself while supported others, and vitally how he navigated a new role while assessing his work/life priorities.Xavier also speaks at length about his experiencing overseeing the recent FCB and AMV BBDO merger. With M&A a hot topic in adland right now, Xavier offers brilliant insights into how and why to act quickly to ensure teams feel welcomed, informed and understood.Key takeaways:The bigger the gap between the reality of your situation and the version you’re trying to portray, the greater the space for mental wellness issues to grow.Know the things that will help you to gain perspective, reduce anxiety and feel capable and make time for them to help you get through tough times.In times of change, for example M&A, what people want is transparency, clarity and an understanding of where things are heading.Resources:NABS Advice Line https://nabs.org.uk/get-help/NABS' TUPE guide https://nabs.org.uk/advice/tupe-guide/Support the showWe are NABS. And we're here for you - for the great stuff, the tough stuff and everything in between. As an independent charity, we're set on advancing the mental wellness of our industry and helping everyone find their way forward - wherever they're starting from. 👋  Need a helping hand? We're right here. 🌻 Group workshops or in-house training? Sign up to our sessions. 🤝  Industry events or networking? Check out our calendar. 📞 Sounding board on promotions, redundancies, parental leave - life in general? Here's how we can help.MoreFind out how you can support NABSSign up to the NABS newsletterFollow NABS on LinkedInWatch NABS Talks on YouTube

Got a question for The NABS Podcast?Rob Beevers is chief effectiveness and analytics officer at MG OMD. He’s also an ADHDer and hugely insightful about AI, especially on how it affects neurodivergent people – and how we can best use AI to create inclusive teams.Rob combines quick-fire thinking with humour and insight, making this a fascinating and non-stop conversation. Rob’s also one of our mentors on NABS’ Walk and Talk event this summer, so sign up and you could chat with Rob in person.Key takeaways:Societal structures often favour neurotypical people, but it’s time to consider that neurodivergence isn’t an accident – it’s evolved on purposeLate-diagnosed ADHD’ers, such as Rob, can struggle with complex emotions around diagnosis, especially if their children are also ADHDReasonable adjustments can very much help in the workplace, but workplaces also need to embrace a culture of inclusion where differences are celebrated and built into working practices AI can be used to tailor workflows that work with people’s needs to boost productivity and job satisfaction.Resources:Rob’s Substack NABS Advice Line NABS coaching NABS workshops NABS Walk and Talk Support the showWe are NABS. And we're here for you - for the great stuff, the tough stuff and everything in between. As an independent charity, we're set on advancing the mental wellness of our industry and helping everyone find their way forward - wherever they're starting from. 👋  Need a helping hand? We're right here. 🌻 Group workshops or in-house training? Sign up to our sessions. 🤝  Industry events or networking? Check out our calendar. 📞 Sounding board on promotions, redundancies, parental leave - life in general? Here's how we can help.MoreFind out how you can support NABSSign up to the NABS newsletterFollow NABS on LinkedInWatch NABS Talks on YouTube

Got a question for The NABS Podcast?James Cornish is SVP of international sales and partnerships at Vivo. He’s also a fitness enthusiast who turned his passion into a brilliant community fundraiser for NABS, bringing together people from across adland to compete in the ATHX Games fitness challenge to raise much-needed funds.In this inspirational chat, James – still recovering after undertaking his 24-hour fitness challenge – discusses the brilliant impact of fundraising, not just in terms of money raised, but also on the industry community who come together to take part.Key takeaways:Movement can help you to keep on top of your mental wellness, whether that’s CrossFit or taking a stroll.If you have a passion that you can turn into a fundraiser, other adlanders will want to join you.Tap into your contacts when you want to organise something – you’ll receive lots of help.ResourcesGot an idea for a community fundraiser for NABS?  Email our friendly team at: [email protected] x ATHX GamesNABS Stranger than SummerNABS Walk and TalkWhat's on at NABS?Support the showWe are NABS. And we're here for you - for the great stuff, the tough stuff and everything in between. As an independent charity, we're set on advancing the mental wellness of our industry and helping everyone find their way forward - wherever they're starting from. 👋  Need a helping hand? We're right here. 🌻 Group workshops or in-house training? Sign up to our sessions. 🤝  Industry events or networking? Check out our calendar. 📞 Sounding board on promotions, redundancies, parental leave - life in general? Here's how we can help.MoreFind out how you can support NABSSign up to the NABS newsletterFollow NABS on LinkedInWatch NABS Talks on YouTube

Got a question for The NABS Podcast?Charlotte Coughlan is managing partner at Leo UK and a mum to two young children. Which makes her super busy – yet impressively she’s still found the time and energy to create Parental Guidance, a mentoring scheme for working parents across adland.Charlotte is passionate about helping other working parents, having been through the mill herself.During Charlotte’s second maternity leave, she was unexpectedly made redundant when the agency she loved working for shut down. In shock, and robbed of the chance to enjoy her last mat leave, Charlotte spent the time juggling the demands of a newborn baby and a four-year-old with finding a new job.Happily, Charlotte is now working at Leo’s, where she founded an internal network, Parentland, to support fellow parents. Wanting to take this a step further, Charlotte has created Parental Guidance (love the name) to connect working parents across the industry for support, advice and cheerleading. In this episode, Charlotte shares:The crushing effects of losing a job during maternity leave – an all-too-common experienceWhat working parents can bring to their businessesHow mentoring can support parents’ mental wellnessResourcesParentlandParental GuidanceNABS Advice LineNABS Walk and TalkWho’s Your MommaSupport the showWe are NABS. And we're here for you - for the great stuff, the tough stuff and everything in between. As an independent charity, we're set on advancing the mental wellness of our industry and helping everyone find their way forward - wherever they're starting from. 👋  Need a helping hand? We're right here. 🌻 Group workshops or in-house training? Sign up to our sessions. 🤝  Industry events or networking? Check out our calendar. 📞 Sounding board on promotions, redundancies, parental leave - life in general? Here's how we can help.MoreFind out how you can support NABSSign up to the NABS newsletterFollow NABS on LinkedInWatch NABS Talks on YouTube