What’s Your Work?

“We're people in a messy, complicated world, and most of us want to get some things done - how do we do that?” What’s it like to find the perfect place for you? Rich Watkins joins the podcast to talk about his unconventional route into some amazing work, as well as learning where and how he fitted in and the extraordinary contribution he was able to make. There’s also some discussion of his groundbreaking work with groups, what it means to function well as a group and how he supports teams working together. A must listen for anyone leaving school or university, or taking the next step in their career. Show Notes: Rich Watkins is the leader of Let's Go, a global network helping leaders and organisations make collaboration work - building skills in individuals, unlocking team potential and shaping the system so it supports collaboration. You can connect with him on LinkedIn @RichardDavidWatkins and with Let’s Go @LetsGoHQ. Further links for Rich include his website, the Let’s Go collaboration cards and Rich’s TEDx talk. Interested in the topic of integrity? Listen to our discussion with TikTok star Liv Pearsall. Want to find your fit? Try the FindMyWhy tool.  Audio mix by Hula & Co. Music. A transcript of this podcast is available to read here.

“If it doesn’t really stand by my mission, it’s not worth it to me…” What is it like to be a full time online content creator? We talked to TikTok and YouTube star Liv Pearsall to find out. Liv shared her definition of the role and her story so far, as well as her aspirations for the future and the importance of analytics and craft behind her content. But even for those of us who don’t aspire to create content online, there’s some fascinating insight into how, if we approach our work with a strong sense of our values and our purpose, it can create a kind of confidence that we can close the gap between where we are today and where we aspire to be. And from that place, some amazing results can be created. Liv Pearsall is a full-time comedy content creator with over 169 million likes on TikTok. You can find her on TikTok and Instagram @liv.pearsall. Want to watch the YouTube content Liv mentioned? Subscribe to her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/LivPearsall47 Interested in the topic of Integrity? We talked to Helen Guinness about it in a previous episode, which you can listen to here. Interested in building your confidence? Check out this article on our website to read more. Audio mix by Hula & Co. Music A transcript of this episode is available to read here.

“You know, it’s never going to get solved if you don’t bring it up. So just talk…” Mental health at work: are we talking about it? Kickstart graduate Ryan Casey joins the podcast to talk about his experience opening up on male mental health, speaking out and being the change you want to see in the world. He also talks about his time training with Darius through the Kickstart Scheme, which lifted him out of long-term unemployment and into his current career, as well as dealing with imposter syndrome and launching his own podcast. The future is bright with people like Ryan in our workplaces - spend an hour with him here. Show Notes: Ryan Casey is a graduate of the UK Kickstart Scheme and is currently working as Communications and Projects Assistant for A New Normal Ltd. He also co-hosts the Diversity on Screen podcast which can be found on Spotify. You can connect with him on LinkedIn @ Ryan Casey. The blog post that Ryan wrote which we discuss in the episode can be read here: https://www.anewnormal.co/post/stigma-surrounding-men-s-mental-health. Interested in hearing from young people on the Kickstart Scheme? We employed our whole team through the scheme last year, and featured them in several episodes of the podcast. Here’s one to get you started. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, there are many resources that can help, including this one from MIND: https://www.mind.org.uk/need-urgent-help/using-this-tool/ Audio mix by Hula & Co. Music. A transcript of this podcast is available to read here.

“If you’re in a crisis and you know you’ve got nothing left to lose, you become more decisive…” How do you start life in a Russian military unit and get to award winning entrepreneur in less than 30 years? Ekaterina Blake knows exactly what to do. She joins the podcast after winning the Young Professional of the Year Award to share her incredible journey, from dealing with school bullies to moving to the UK and ultimately starting her own successful business. Ekaterina also talks about pushing out of your comfort zone, going against the crowd and why you should never lie on your CV. The perfect listen for anyone facing challenges or starting a new adventure. Show Notes: Ekaterina Blake is the Founder and CEO of InspoHub, a creative agency specialising in Video Production and Live Broadcast. She is a passionate EDI advocate, mentor for creative young professionals and a hobbyist psychologist. Ekaterina recently won the Young Professional of the Year Award at the 2022 Dynamic Awards. You can connect with her on LinkedIn @EkaterinaBlake. Learn more about InspoHub by checking their Instagram and TikTok - @inspohub.io. Interested in the topic of overcoming adversity? A lot of our amazing podcast guests touch on it, but we particularly recommend our conversations with Gamal Turawa, Ian King and Alice Reeves. You can also read more about overcoming adversity on our website here. Want to listen to more on the creative industries? Get to know musician Alexandra Purpura in episode 2 and episode 3. Listen to What’s Your Work on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or watch the full episodes on YouTube. We also post clips and written content every week on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, as well as our website www.whatsyour.work. Audio mix by Hula & Co Music.

“Most people listening to this: there’s a huge amount to be grateful for…” What happens when we take a moment to connect with gratitude? That’s the question Darius and producer Harry are discussing this week, as well as expressing gratitude to the people in your life, taking power from vulnerability and noticing the things in your life that you already have. Sometimes What’s Your Work? is about making changes and trying new things. But what have you already got to draw on? And how can you share it? Darius is joined by producer (and writer of these show notes - thanks for reading!) Harry. You can connect with me on LinkedIn @Harry McMullen. Like this format? We previously recorded a conversation on the topic of New Beginnings which you can listen to here. Want to practice internal gratitude? Read our piece on connecting with what you’re already resolved about here. As we said in the podcast, thank you for listening to the What’s Your Work podcast. We’re grateful for every listen we get. If you want to connect with us, there are many ways to do so. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or watch the full episodes on YouTube. We also post clips and written content every week on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, as well as our website www.whatsyour.work. Audio mix by Hula & Co Music.

“That’s just the way it is, and I can’t be something I’m not” How joyful is your life? Alice Reeves joins the podcast to talk about audience-first marketing, as well as sharing her own journey with neurodiversity, starting her own business and owning who she really is - and how powerful that can be. It’s a wonderfully open and generous conversation, and if you’re interested in building an authentic and joyful working life for yourself - listen now. Alice Reeves is the Co-director and Founder of The Joyful - brand and marketing for movers, shakers, and change-makers. For everything from audience-led content marketing campaigns and SEO to community-focused social media, contact The Joyful here: https://wearethejoyful.com/contact/ The eating disorder charity mentioned in the podcast is Beat. If you need support or want to find out more, visit https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/. Interested in Alice’s story of changing careers? Check out Femi Bola’s story on the podcast here https://www.whatsyour.work/all-episodes/episode-18, and our podcast on New Beginnings here: https://www.whatsyour.work/all-episodes/episode-15. Are you feeling restless in your career? Read this article and connect with where you are in your journey: https://www.whatsyour.work/blog/change-your-life-right-now. Audio mix by Hula & Co Music.

“People think they have to know everything. And I don't think you can know everything” What would you do if you realised your calling was somewhere else entirely? If you’re Femi Bola MBE, you put your PhD in the bin and go pursue that calling. Femi joins the podcast for a fascinating conversation about her journey, as well as the mentors and relationships that changed her life and set her on her way. There’s also some great insight for young people feeling the pressure to know everything right away, sharing journeys and allyship in 2022. Show Notes: Femi Bola is an independent development consultant and former director with over 20 years experience tackling social inequality in relation to education, employment and training. You can connect with her on LinkedIn. Interested in the topic of self-trust? Listen to this podcast with Hazel Beckett. Want to connect with your own calling? Try reading this piece to get started. We want to hear from you! Write into the show by visiting our website: https://whatsyour.work/ Audio mix by Hula & Co Music.

“It's such a gift that I've cultivated, received everything, that it's just very clear I want to share that with others” Zeeger Scholten, founder of INJOY, joins the podcast to share his mission: to support people expanding consciousness and raising their quality of life. In the conversation he and Darius define consciousness, as well as taking a mindful quiet moment to check in on it. Zeeger also shares the story behind his recent viral story, as well as discussing the relationship between surrendering to what is and creating what will be. What does it mean to have a mission? How can we live that practically every day? Show Notes: Zeeger Scholten is the founder of INJOY, which works to connect teams and support well-being, development, and engagement of each member of your team. You can connect with him on LinkedIn @Zeeger Scholten. Zeeger’s viral post Want to connect with your own vision? We’ve written about that - read here. We want to hear from you! Write into the show by visiting our website: https://whatsyour.work/ Audio mix and edit by Hula & Co Music. A transcript of this episode is available to read here.

“What you're committed to is what's going to show up in your life” When we’re passionately connected to an idea, we’re called forth in a different way. That’s been the journey of International Transformation Coach Helen Guinness, who joins the podcast to talk about living with integrity, people pleasing, saying no, finding courage and being fierce. What are you committed to? Helen Guinness has been a pioneer in the field of Personal Development and Coaching for over 40 years. Previous projects include Four by Four Consulting, Vision for Action and The Hunger Project UK. You can find Helen at her website helenguiness.com. Helen previously shared her work with us on our website - read more here. Interested in the topic of Integrity? We discussed this further in a previous podcast with Tom Goodwin - listen here. We want to hear from you! Write into the show by visiting our website: https://whatsyour.work/ Audio mix and edit by Hula & Co Music. A transcript of this podcast is available to read here.

“Is it about you? Or what you’re creating?” What happens when we start something new? Darius is joined by producer Harry for a conversation around the energy of creation - be it a new job, career change, starting a venture or just a new chapter in your life. The two talk about being intentional from the beginning, the temptation to always “be in the story” and the relationship between “getting” and contributing. The podcast about who you are becoming asks, how do you start things? Show Notes: Darius is joined by producer (and writer of these show notes - thanks for reading!) Harry. You can connect with me on LinkedIn @Harry McMullen. Interested in the topic of new beginnings? Listen to our podcast on experimenting with a new habit, and read this article from us on resolutions. The video of Darius mentioned - Funny Interaction Between Kids Shovelling For Money We want to hear from you! Write into the show by visiting our website: https://whatsyour.work/ Audio mix and edit by Hula & Co Music. A transcript of this episode is available to read here.