Michael Woodford talks about how his journey as a salesman began when he was a child and how his career at Olympus came to an end when he, as President and CEO, uncovered huge fraud. His book, Exposure: from President to Whistleblower at Olympus, tells the full story. We also talk about his passion and commitment to saving lives through working with governments all over world to improve conditions for cyclists on roads.

As First Deputy Commissioner for NYC’s Office of Emergency Management, Christina is at the helm of coordinating the response to crises in one of the world’s largest cities. In this episode, she shares her motivations for pursuing a career in public service, a day in the life of an emergency manager, insights into some of the lesser known threats being prepared for as well as how she’s managed to juggle her own family commitments whilst being the first woman to hold this position.

Pippa Letchworth is a Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Imperial College NHS Trust, but her special interest in global maternal health and subsequent education and volunteer work has seen her career impact extend beyond multiple international borders. In this episode, Pippa talks about what motivated her to pursue this career path and lifts the lid on some of the real challenges associated with women giving birth in areas of conflict and countries with less access to medical...

Mike Jibson takes a break from performing in the successful West End production of Stranger Things for a chat with us about life as an actor. His passion began when he joined an Amateur Dramatics group as a teen and he has gone from strength to strength since then, including being a two time Olivier Award nominee. He talks about the need to be able to take rejection well, how to deal with stage fright and the importance of looking after yourself physically if you want to stay in the game.

In 2023, Maddy Warren - aka the Queen of Dialysis - celebrated 25 years of not just surviving but thriving by doing nocturnal home haemodialysis after being diagnosed with kidney failure as a teenager. In this episode, she shares the inside track on how she dealt with this devastating diagnosis at such a young age and how she has gone on to thrive in both fulfilling her career ambitions, whilst managing her health. She also shares her advice for those managing a chronic health condition in...

Nigel Wood joins us for a fascinating conversation about his career as an RAF fighter pilot, lead test pilot and NASA astronaut. He shares what training at NASA entails, the enormity of everything that came with preparing to be the first Britain in space and the culture at NASA, including its flaws, which contributed to the Challenger explosion. We talk about what it takes to have a career as a fighter pilot and astronaut, given the potential risks involved, how he built himself back up when...

Dr Genevieve von Lob is a Clinical Psychologist by training. She has always worked with young people and is now leading the charge on a new approach to parenting as a Concious Parenting Coach. In this episode, she shares key moments in her life that led her to wanting to help others, and what her focus areas are today. These include her work with Highly Sensitive People, which she goes on to explain, as well as the importance of us working on ourselves in order to be the best parents we can...

In this episode, we are joined by Matthew Westerman - a senior investment banker with a long career at both Goldman Sachs and then HSBC, who now runs his own investment business alongside his philanthropic work and board positions. We talk about the reputation of the investment banking industry, the 2008 global financial crisis, Matthew’s focus on inclusion and diversity, and what continues to motivate and drive him. He also gives some great career advice.

Candice Lake is a celebrity and portrait photographer, working with luxury brands such as Cartier and Jimmy Choo. Prior to this Candice was a model - appearing on catwalks for Louis Vuitton and Chanel as well as being the face of Versace and Ralph Lauren. In this episode, she talks about how her values have driven the decisions in her career which have led to some big and potentially risky career pivots. She tells us what it takes to be successful in her industry and how she continues to be...

James Uffindell - the founder and CEO of Bright Network - is a technology entrepreneur and one of the UK’s leading experts on the entry level talent market. He’s spent the last 20 years helping over one million students with their applications to both leading universities and global employers as well as being an expert on social mobility at the university level and the graduate job market amongst many other things. In this episode, James shares his motivations for pursuing a career as an...

In this, our final episode of season 1, we aim to demystify coaching. We talk about what it is, what it isn’t, the benefits of it, and how you go about finding the right coach for you. Coaching can be a life changing experience and we encourage all our listeners to consider when might be a good time for you all to engage with a coach. If anyone would like to contact us to explore coaching, we can both be found on LinkedIn as well as through our respective websites -...

In this episode, we answer some of the questions you have asked us throughout the series. We first tackle some which go back to the beginning of the season around people management. How do you manage a poor performer? And, what should you do as a manager when your client is rude to one of the team? We then explore how to work in a toxic environment before covering some themes which many of you asked about - increasing confidence at work, what to do when you feel stuck in a rut, and last but...

Imposter Syndrome is something many of us will experience in our lifetime. In this episode, with guest speaker Eyal Pavell - psychologist and now executive coach among other things - we talk about how it can make us feel and what our internal dialogue is telling us. Eyal shares some of the most common times we might experience Imposter Syndrome and also what impact it can have on us - both positive and negative. We cover some very helpful coping mechanisms - the most critical of which is that...

In this week’s episode we share thoughts on the important things to consider before deciding to resign from a role as well as how to resign and leave an organisation successfully. It’s not easy leaving a job, team and culture that you’ve worked in for a number of years to start afresh and re-establish yourself, so it’s worth taking the time to ensure that the decision to leave is the right one for you, you consider what options you have to de-risk the move itself and exit with your reputation...

There’s no denying the fact that networking can be extremely important in our overall career success but why do so many of us find it so awkward. In this week’s episode, we’re going to be looking at how to take back the control in any networking situation. We’ll step through some of the more challenging aspects of it and in turn share some practical tips on overcoming them so that you are well equipped to leave a strong lasting impression in any of your future endeavours and can approach it...

Getting candid with your manager about your career needs is not to be shied away from. In this week’s episode we’re going to be looking at how to have candid career conversations effectively. Whether you’re striving for promotion, just back from maternity and looking for more flexibility or keen to negotiate a pay rise - we’ll look at how to prepare and position yourself successfully in these more demanding career conversations along with the things to avoid.

Work often occupies a fair amount of our day, week, year … and so having a few trusted peers alongside us for the ride can totally transform the experience. In this episode, we talk about ways in which we can benefit from excellent peer relationships and how to go about taking some colleagues to this next level. We also talk about the flip side of the coin, which is where there is potential for competition and conflict with peers. This is often unavoidable but it doesn’t have to end in...

Gone are the days where we might hope to be in one job or organisation for our whole career. More often than not careers span multiple chapters and might see us change roles, industries or location as we look to grow in a professional capacity. In this week’s episode we’ll be looking at the range of opportunities growth might take from a career defining international assignment through to a lateral move or a stretch project and using our own experiences to share some of the ways to maximise...

Receiving feedback is a gift - it can have a huge impact on your career but also on you personally as it helps to expand your self awareness. Giving feedback is every manager’s responsibility. This week we talk about how best to provide, as well as receive, constructive feedback and in doing so we also talk about what best to avoid. We will share our own experiences as well as some practical pointers for you to use.

Having strong mentors and champions can be a critical part of your support network - helping you to navigate your career and make progress towards your career goals. This week we’ll be talking about mentors and champions - the difference between them, how you might find them and different approaches which contribute to you maintaining these relationships over the long term. We share our own experiences of working with mentors and champions and how helpful they have been, and continue to be,...

Being a manager can be one of the most memorable and rewarding aspects of your career, but can sometimes get overlooked in favour of other responsibilities. This week, we’ll be sharing a series of personal insights, reflections and lessons learned from our own experience of managing over the years - the highs and the lows - to help uncover what it takes to be an effective manager. From the noteworthy skills and attributes through to finding the courage to manage through uncertainty, we’ll be...

The relationship you have with your manager can have a fundamental impact on both your career progress and overall job satisfaction. In our first episode, we’ll be kickstarting our focus on career ownership by exploring ways in which you can develop strong and productive relationships with managers - including with bosses who may be more challenging to work with or new to an organisation. No matter what dynamic you may find yourself in, we have a number of practical ideas for you to consider...

Welcome to our podcast ‘What’s The Next Step?’ with Sarah Harper and Rachel Boyd. Join us for a series of weekly conversations where we will be discussing all things careers in Season 1 - the ups and downs, the highs and lows and helping you to take ownership of your own career development. Covering topics ranging from managing imposter syndrome to having candid career conversations and everything in between, we will be sharing personal stories as well as practical advice and tips from our...