How to Be a Better Agile Delivery Lead | Real-World Lessons: Yasin Nathani

What does a Scrum Master actually do? And how can AI help Agile teams deliver better without losing the human side of the delivery process?In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast**, Jac sits down with Andy Brown, also known as Agile Andy, a pragmatic career Scrum Master specialising in helping cloud, platform and development teams deliver complex work.Andy shares his journey from the British Army and large corporate waterfall programmes into Agile delivery, explaining why he found a better fit working with teams that could turn ideas into working products quickly.We explore the realities of Scrum Mastery, including why development teams often struggle because of organisational blockers rather than individual performance, how to create psychological safety, and why pragmatic Scrum Masters should focus on helping teams deliver rather than policing frameworks.Andy also reveals how he built **Ask Andy**, a custom AI assistant connected to Jira, and how experimenting with AI tools helped him develop new technical skills, encourage collaboration and create more time for the human side of Scrum Mastery.Whether you're an experienced Scrum Master, Agile Coach, Delivery Manager, Product Manager or someone working in software delivery, this conversation is packed with practical insights you can take back to your team.▶︎We cover: * What a Scrum Master's first 90 days should look like* Why Agile delivery is about people, not just processes* Using AI and Jira to build custom Scrum Master tools* How to improve psychological safety in Agile teams* Running retrospectives that uncover real problems* Why team health checks don't always lead to meaningful change* The difference between pragmatic Scrum and Scrum theatre* Why delivery problems often originate outside the development team* Finding Scrum Master contracts and standing out in the market* Why the Scrum Master role remains relevant as AI evolves▶︎About AndyAndy Brown, known as Agile Andy, is a Northwest-based career Scrum Master helping teams deliver complex work through practical facilitation, collaboration and continuous improvement.▶︎Connect with Andy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agile-andy/?isSelfProfile=false ▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale now: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867▶︎Our Newsletter:https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups

Will AI replace UX designers? Or is the real challenge learning how to use AI without losing the human thinking that makes great products?In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, Jac is joined by Lee Jeffery, Design Lead, qualified Level 5 Coach and founder of NATA, a Manchester-based design and professional community.Lee shares his experience navigating the changing world of UX and product design, leading teams through AI adoption, and building communities that help people learn, connect and grow.We explore why AI-generated prototypes shouldn't automatically become the solution, how designers can maintain human-centred thinking, and why organisations need to create the right environment for experimentation.We also get into the power of communities of practice, authentic leadership, coaching, and what it takes to build a thriving professional community.▶︎In this episode:* Is AI going to replace UX designers?* How AI is changing product design and design workflows* Why AI-generated prototypes still need to be challenged* Keeping user needs at the centre of product development* Design operations and scaling AI adoption* Moving from designer to design leader* Building communities of practice that people actually want to join* Coaching, active listening and better one-to-ones* How professional communities support career development* Lessons from building NATA and organising a community conference ▶︎Find out more:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-jeffery/https://www.natter.community/ ▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale now: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867▶︎Our Newsletter:https://substack.com/@betweenthestandupsIf you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a comment and share it with someone navigating the changing world of product and design. ▶︎Chapters00:00 Welcome Lee Jeffery: Design Leadership & NATA Community01:57 From Web Developer to Design Leader03:30 How Communities Shape Design Teams04:32 Human-Centred Leadership & Managing Different People06:04 Will AI Replace UX Designers?06:42 How AI Is Changing the Design Profession07:13 AI Adoption: Experimentation vs Organisational Red Tape08:39 AI Prototypes, Product Briefs & Solution-First Thinking09:35 Why Designers Need to Understand AI Prompts10:52 Design Operations: The Hidden Challenge of Scaling AI11:40 Why User Needs Must Come Before AI Solutions12:05 Human Control, Trust & AI in Accounting Software14:05 What Design Leadership Actually Looks Like15:19 The Power of Professional Communities15:49 Building NATA: Manchester's Design Community17:12 Organising a Community-Led Design Conference18:00 Lessons from Running Events & Building Momentum19:10 NATACon: AI, Design & Human Thinking19:45 The North West Tech Community20:53 Introducing Design to the Next Generation22:59 Why NATA Is About More Than UX24:03 Personal Routines, Reflection & Switching Off27:25 Managing Volunteer Communities Without Burning Out29:15 How to Start a Community of Practice30:29 Should Communities of Practice Be Voluntary?31:43 AI Communities: Learning Together Through Change32:59 Why Human Thinking Still Matters in Design34:20 How Coaching Transformed Lee's Leadership35:27 Better One-to-Ones Through Coaching & Collaboration36:39 Building a Supportive Design Culture at Auto Trader37:53 Key Takeaways: Communities, Coaching & Career Growth39:11 Where to Find NATA and Get Involved39:56 Outro & Not Another Agile Conference

What does a fractional CTO actually do, and how is it different from being a contractor?In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, Jac sits down with Rob Fawcett to discuss AI strategy, AI compliance, technology leadership, product development, software delivery, and what it really takes to create value from technology.Rob shares his journey from project manager and operations leader to CTO, why he chose the fractional CTO model, and why he believes businesses increasingly need experienced technology leadership without necessarily needing a full-time CTO.We also get into the reality of AI adoption.The AI hype may be settling down, but organisations now face a different problem: how do they actually govern, manage and embed AI into their businesses?Rob explains how he turned an AI compliance framework into a SaaS product, why AI needs to be connected to real applications, and why technology should always be designed around the people who use it.And that's where the conversation moves into product and Agile.What's the difference between shipping software and creating value?Why should developers understand the people they're building for?Why do so many organisations spend thousands on values, principles and transformation programmes but struggle to speak to their actual customers?And why does Rob believe you should take the technology to the people rather than make the people adapt to the technology?We also talk about:• Fractional CTO vs contracting• AI strategy and AI governance• AI compliance• Building AI into products• SaaS product development• Product teams and customer empathy• Software delivery and creating value• Leadership lessons from good and bad bosses• Communicating strategy effectively• Digital transformation• User research and product discovery• Technology leadership• Keeping technology simple• Connecting strategy, outcomes and outputs• The difference between shipping and valueRob also shares two brilliant real-world examples: developing blood-tracking software where usability could literally become a matter of life and death, and a cruise company sending its team onto a ship to watch real customers use its app.▶︎Connect With Rob https://www.linkedin.com/in/rfawcett/https://thehumancto.co.ukhttps://www.quantisys.co.uk/https://aicompliance.uk/▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale.https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867..▶︎Our Newsletter:https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups⏱️ Chapters00:00 Meet Rob Fawcett03:22 From Contractor to Business Owner04:43 Fractional CTO vs Contractor05:49 What Does a Fractional CTO Actually Do?07:22 How to Become a CTO09:11 AI Strategy & AI Compliance10:35 Building AI Into Real Products12:31 Turning AI Compliance Into SaaS16:07 The AI Hype Is Over16:52 Lessons From Bad Leaders21:32 The Real Problem Behind Poor Communication29:21 Shipping Software vs Creating Value30:34 Why Product Teams Need Customer Empathy31:23 What Makes a Great Software Developer?34:59 The Blood Tracking Software Story36:42 Stop Making Humans Adapt to Technology37:12 What Product Teams Can Learn From Cruise Passengers38:03 Why Companies Overcomplicate Everything44:04 Rob's Quickfire Business Takes44:19 The Most Overused Business Phrase44:35 Take Technology to the People46:40 The One Thing Every Team Should Know47:18 Connecting Strategy, Outcomes, Outputs & Problems48:14 Where to Find RobIf you work in technology, product, Agile, project management, software delivery, digital transformation or technology leadership, this conversation is for you.

What happens when Agile scales?According to Agile transformation consultant Martin Schellert, the answer shouldn't be to simply add more process, more frameworks and more bureaucracy.In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, Martin joins us to talk about what happens when Agile transformations go wrong ,and why organisations often lose the things that made Agile teams effective in the first place.We get into some big Agile and product management questions:• Why does scaling Agile often mean scaling process?• Why is comparing team velocity between teams such a bad idea?• Do teams actually need story points or estimation?• What is an MVP really supposed to achieve?• How should leaders create genuine ownership in product teams?• What is "decision distance" and why does Martin call it a silent killer of agility?• Can you build Agile teams inside a traditional organisation?• How can you use AI without losing your own voice?• Why is so much LinkedIn content starting to sound exactly the same?• What is the most overlooked principle in the Agile Manifesto?• Why should Agile practitioners be pragmatic rather than dogmatic?Martin also shares how he got into Agile, how he prepares conference talks, how he uses AI as part of his workflow, and what he has learned from speaking at Agile conferences.One of the biggest themes throughout the conversation is simple. Agile isn't about following a framework perfectly.It's about finding the practices that work for your team, organisation, customers, culture and context.As Martin puts it: be pragmatic, never dogmatic.If you're interested in Agile transformation, product management, software delivery, Agile leadership, team performance, project management or better ways of working, there's plenty here to disagree with, steal and take back to your organisation.▶︎ Connect with Martinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/schellert/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtf8TKCQfB3siec1cDB1Log▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale.https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867▶︎Our Newsletter:https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups⏱️ Chapters00:00 Intro01:14 How Martin Got Into Agile Conferences02:22 Scaling Agile Without Scaling Process03:20 Creating Conference Talks Using AI05:12 How to Practice for a Conference Talk06:19 Does Speaking Generate Business?08:18 Martin's Journey Into Agile10:27 Why Agile Still Matters11:22 Do We Rely Too Much on the Agile Manifesto?13:18 Why Agile Should Evolve14:31 Finding the Root Cause of Agile Problems15:39 What Agile Problems Do Organisations Really Have?17:48 Why Comparing Team Velocity Is a Bad Idea18:40 Should Teams Stop Using Story Points?19:23 A Better Alternative to Story Points20:04 What an MVP Actually Means20:40 What Makes a Good MVP?21:37 Leadership and Agile Teams22:36 Building Agile Islands23:20 Creating Team Ownership24:24 When Empowerment Becomes a Poison Chalice25:12 Decision Distance: The Silent Killer of Agility26:12 What Agile Advice Doesn't Work?26:18 Is AI Killing Authenticity on LinkedIn?28:17 Using AI Without Losing Your Voice29:30 Stop Turning Everything Into a LinkedIn Business Lesson32:14 You Don't Have to Post 3 Times a Week33:08 ADHD, Business & Burnout34:48 Practical Productivity Strategies36:20 The Quickfire Agile Round37:28 What Should Every Team Stop Doing?37:41 Get Closer to Your Customers37:52 The Most Overlooked Agile Principle38:35 What Gives Martin Hope for Agile?39:05 Why Agile Certification Isn't Enough40:16 Why Organisations Still Need Agile40:48 Be Pragmatic, Never DogmaticSubscribe to Everyday Agile for conversations about Agile, product management, project management, software delivery, leadership, organisational change and the reality of making Agile work in the real world.

Diana Matei has spent 10+ years building and launching B2C and B2B products across e-commerce, fintech, marketplaces, and subscriptions. Work that's helped increase app downloads by 35%, boost app revenue by 15%, and take app ratings from 2 stars to 4.7 stars. In this episode, she breaks down how AI is reshaping product management, why brand often beats "the best product," and the retention framework she now builds with every client.We cover: ✅ Why AI is making tech a commodity, and what that means for product strategy ✅ The difference between lagging and leading metrics (and why most teams track the wrong ones) ✅ How to build a "metric tree" to connect daily work to revenue ✅ Her honest take on OKRs and how to stop them dying after week one ✅ The biggest agile/product myth: "build it, and they will come" ✅ Why post-purchase experience is the next big product battleground ✅ Her daily routines as a product consultant and founder of her own practiceIf you're a founder, product manager, or work in marketing or sales and want to understand how great product thinking drives retention and revenue, this conversation is for you.📌 Connect with Diana:https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-eugenia-matei/https://dmthepm.com/▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale.https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867▶︎Our Newsletter:https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on agile, product management, and building products people actually stick with.▶︎Chapters0:00 – Welcome & introducing Diana 0:12 – Diana's background: 10+ years across Tesco, fintech, marketplaces2:00 – The problem she's obsessed with: AI's impact on product management4:24 – Brand vs product: why the best product doesn't always win7:03 – Rolling out product frameworks without the jargon (200-year-old client)9:57 – The metrics teams measure that are actually unhelpful13:02 – Shipping fast vs creating real value16:12 – What is a "metric tree"?18:04 – Diana's honest take on OKRs20:26 – Habits that create momentum instead of one-off workshops23:40 – Why product managers get lost in the backlog26:08 – When the cheapest option wins (car insurance, commoditised markets)27:53 – Her theory: B2B is becoming B2C in disguise29:12 – The loyalty problem with new-customer-only offers34:26 – Biggest agile/product myth: "build it, and they will come"36:45 – Morning routines and habits that keep her thinking clearly38:44 – What going freelance actually feels like42:53 – Quickfire round: worst advice, overused phrases, hills to die on44:37 – What's next for Diana and her retention scorecard45:50 – Where to find and work with Diana

AI won't necessarily replace project managers, but it could completely change what the job looks like.In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, I sit down with Michael Gold to talk about AI, project management, Agile, vibe coding, product development and the future of professional services.Michael has built an AI-native Professional Services Automation (PSA) platform, Aria, using a combination of AI, vibe coding, Lovable and traditional software development.We get into the reality behind building an AI product, including what vibe coding can and can't do, why building a B2B product is different, how software engineers reacted to the code, and why human design and engineering expertise still matter.We also explore what AI means for project managers and delivery professionals.If AI can automate project plans, status reports, risk identification and other administrative work, what should project managers actually spend their time doing?Michael's answer is that the future isn't necessarily fewer project managers. It's project managers spending more time on clients, relationships, delivery and the things that actually require people skills.We also discuss:• What Professional Services Automation (PSA) actually means• AI-native project management software• Vibe coding and B2B software development• Building a product with Lovable• The limitations of AI coding tools• Product management without being a traditional product manager• Product validation and early user feedback• AI and project management• The changing role of Scrum Masters• Why Delivery Managers are becoming more common• People over process• The future of Agile and project delivery• The UK freelance project management market• IR35 and contracting• Why freelancers need to think like business owners• Building a consultancy alongside a SaaS startup▶︎Connect With Michael:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariafounder/▶︎Ariahttps://ariaplatform.app/▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale.https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867▶︎Our Newsletter:https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups▶︎Chapters00:00 – Building an AI-Native PSA Tool01:24 – From Vibe Coding to a Real Product02:20 – What Is Professional Services Automation?03:22 – How AI Is Changing PSA Software05:18 – AI Project Management and Automated Admin06:48 – What an AI Project Management Dashboard Looks Like08:18 – Can You Vibe Code a B2B Product?09:14 – How Vibe Coding Helps Product Development10:17 – Why AI Products Still Need Human Design11:22 – What Do Software Engineers Think About Vibe Coding?12:13 – The Limits of Lovable for Production Software13:22 – The Risks of Building on AI Platforms15:14 – Becoming a Product Manager Without Being One16:29 – How to Validate an AI Product Idea18:08 – PSA vs Project Management Software18:40 – Building a Startup While Running a Consultancy22:02 – Why Project Management Is Becoming Delivery23:41 – Will AI Replace Project Managers?24:48 – People Over Process in the AI Era26:50 – Scrum Masters vs Delivery Managers28:04 – The Problem With Calling Everything AI31:07 – The Reality of the UK Freelance Market and IR3532:02 – Why Freelancers Need to Find Their Own Clients34:36 – Could Freelancers Have Their Own Agents?36:39 – What's Next for the Startup?38:02 – Where to Find ARA and Gold Strategic DeliveryIf you work in project management, Agile, product, delivery, technology or professional services, this episode is worth a watch.Subscribe to Everyday Agile for more conversations about Agile, project management, product, technology, leadership and the reality of getting work delivered.

Agile doesn't become Agile just because you start calling things "sprints."In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, Jac sits down with Lou Matthews, founder of CultureCraft, to talk about company culture, Agile, product thinking, leadership, accountability and what actually helps organisations perform better.We get into some uncomfortable questions about modern Agile and leadership:• Why your "people problem" might actually be a systems problem• Why role clarity and decision rights matter for accountability• The difference between accountability and blame• Why leaders need to model accountability themselves• What psychological safety actually looks like in practice• Why calling something a "sprint" doesn't make it Agile• How Agile terminology can become performative• What MVP actually means — and why people often misunderstand it• How to prioritise when everything feels urgent• Using effort vs impact to make better prioritisation decisions• Turning hypotheses into observations and evidence• Why employee surveys aren't the solution on their own• How growing businesses can improve their systems and leadership capability• Why leaders need to stop being too involved in the workOne of the biggest themes running through the conversation is that many organisational problems are symptoms rather than root causes. What looks like a people problem can often come back to role clarity, decision-making, accountability, leadership capability or the systems surrounding the team.We also get into one of Lou's biggest Agile frustrations: the way words like "sprint" and "MVP" can be adopted without understanding the thinking and discipline behind them.▶︎About Lou Matthews Lou Matthews is the founder of CultureCraft, helping scaling businesses build culture as an operating system for predictable performance.▶︎Connect with Louhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lou-matthews-547654163/https://www.culturecraft.team/ ▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale.\https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867▶︎Our Newsletter:https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups ▶︎Chapters00:00 Intro: Lou Matthews on Culture, Agile & Leadership01:14 Building High-Performing Organisations02:24 How to Unlock Growth Through Company Culture03:25 Why Culture Should Be Treated Like a Product05:05 Building a Business and Scaling a Team06:30 From HR Network to Startup Founder07:40 What Building a Business Teaches You About Leadership09:05 The People Problem That Isn't Really a People Problem10:35 Role Clarity, Decision Rights & Accountability11:02 What Does Good Product Thinking Look Like?12:13 Why Employee Surveys Often Fail12:57 Product Thinking, Prioritisation & Effort vs Impact14:12 Two Things Every Growing Business Needs14:39 Automating Your Business Systems16:24 Building Leadership Capability in Growing Teams17:20 Accountability vs Blame: What's the Difference?19:21 Why Leaders Need to Model Accountability20:36 Psychological Safety in the Workplace22:46 The Problem With Performative Agile23:15 Why Calling Everything a "Sprint" Doesn't Make You Agile25:11 When Agile Becomes Just More Pressure27:12 The Problem With Misunderstanding MVP28:18 What Does MVP Actually Mean?29:45 How to Prioritise When Everything Feels Urgent30:43 What Is a Skip-Level Meeting?31:40 Turning Hypotheses Into Evidence32:40 Backcasting, Effort & Impact33:00 Using EOS to Prioritise and Stay Focused34:25 Productivity, Burnout & Running a Business35:59 Why External Accountability Matters37:20 Quickfire: The Most Overused Business Phrases38:40 One Thing Leaders Should Stop Doing39:20 How to Improve Your Company Culture40:23 Final Thoughts

We're doing something different this episode, you're meeting the other half of Everyday Agile. Naomi Parry-Hughes is my co-director (and my wife).In this episode we talk about:- How Naomi went from secondary school RE teacher to co-director of an agile consultancy.- The real story of day rate negotiations with agile/scrum contractors, and why they're always awkward.- What actually determines your day rate as a contractor .(hint: it's not what other people tell you they earn)- How to approach a renegotiation conversation pragmatically. - The biggest mistakes we've made with our associate/contractor model- Why invoicing on time matters more than contractors think- The inside story of Not Another Agile Conference, and why we ran it at a loss.If you're an agile coach, scrum master, product person, or contractor working in tech consultancy, or if you're thinking about going independent — this is the honest, unfiltered version of what running a small consultancy actually looks like. ▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale now: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867▶︎Our Newsletter:https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups▶︎Chapters00:00 — Running a Business With Your Wife01:04 — Why We’re Sharing the Behind-the-Scenes of Everyday Agile01:45 — How Naomi Became Co-Director of Everyday Agile02:13 — From Teacher to Consultancy Co-Director04:06 — Why Naomi Left Teaching05:15 — The Reality of Leaving Teaching09:59 — How Contracting Changed Our Financial Reality13:49 — Contractors, Day Rates and Money14:59 — How to Negotiate Contractor Day Rates17:41 — What Consultants Actually Do Behind the Scenes18:20 — How Consultancy Rates Are Set19:24 — Should You Ask for a Day Rate Increase?20:22 — Why Percentage Increases Matter21:05 — How to Justify a Contractor Rate Increase22:54 — Advice for Contractors Negotiating Rates24:12 — When NOT to Ask for a Pay Rise24:49 — Our Biggest Mistakes With Associates26:05 — Why Contracts Matter in Consultancy27:20 — When a Client Likes the Wrong Contractor28:02 — Why Reliability Beats a Big LinkedIn Profile28:58 — The Importance of Contractor Invoicing30:30 — Contractors: Remember You’re Running a Business32:51 — The Biggest Lesson for Contractors33:41 — Why Culture Fit Matters35:05 — Has Agile Content Become Too Polished?37:08 — Behind the Scenes of Not Another Agile Conference39:36 — An Introvert’s Experience at an Agile Conference41:24 — Why Customer Experience Matters at Events43:09 — Using Data and Budgets to Make Better Decisions44:04 — Why We Don’t Make Money From the Conference45:07 — Quick-Fire Business Questions48:07 — What We Love About Working Together49:37 — The Hardest Part of Having a Business Partner50:20 — Final Thoughts

Is AI making hiring less fair? Why are women leaving technology? And what does better leadership actually look like?In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, I sit down with Amanda Newman, one of the UK's leading advocates for women in technology.We discuss:✅ AI bias in recruitment✅ Why diversity of thought improves technology✅ Leadership lessons from 30 years in tech✅ Women in STEM and digital careers✅ Building inclusive technology organisations✅ The future of work in an AI-driven world✅ Social mobility and developing future talent✅ Why integrity matters more than everAmanda shares stories from IBM, Shell, Accenture and her new leadership role, along with practical advice for leaders, project managers, product professionals and anyone building modern technology organisations.Whether you're a Product Manager, Delivery Manager, Agile Coach, Scrum Master, Engineering Leader or CTO, this conversation explores how better leadership creates better technology.▶︎ Connect with Amanda.https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandanewman1/▶︎Our Newsletter:https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups▶︎Conference Tickets https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867▶︎Chapters 00:00 Introduction01:20 Amanda's new role driving growth across the North West03:40 From maths student to technology leader07:15 Building a 30-year career in technology10:20 Why Amanda became passionate about women in tech12:45 AI bias and why diversity matters16:30 Diversity of thought in technology teams17:35 Behaviours that quietly kill inclusion20:10 Standing up for yourself in leadership22:10 Why women are leaving tech23:15 Preparing young people for AI26:55 The problem with performative diversity28:20 Should organisations measure diversity?30:20 Hiring, CV bias and apprenticeships32:10 Education, STEM and business partnerships35:40 Buzzwords that should disappear36:30 Integrity as a leadership skill37:30 Protecting your energy as a leader38:30 Why Amanda is optimistic about the North West39:30 What's next for Amanda Newman40:45 Where to connect