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I’ve known Lee Thomas-Wragg since we joined the Radical Recruit team together back in mid-2020. Lee is such an energetic, empathetic, and passionate human-being, and I have immense respect for him and how he is a leading figure deeply immersed in advocating for LGBTQIA rights and workplace diversity.  Through this incredibly open conversation, Lee shares how, as an openly queer man living in London with his husband, he has had to overcome societal challenges and internal conflicts. He shares his experience of growing up, where he faced exclusion, bullying, and harassment, leading him to hide his true and authentic self, and he talks about how these experiences, and witnessing societal stigma, served to intensify his struggles with mental health.  Professional Journey and Shifts in Perspective We explore Lee’s professional journey and his focus on proving himself in a corporate world dominated by privilege and heteronormativity, and how his early career was driven by a desire to fit into a middle-class mould, resulting in financial success but personal dissatisfaction. We also discover how Lee's priorities shifted towards authenticity and empowerment, leading him to take on leadership roles that allowed him to support and inspire others. The Role of Allyship Importantly, we discuss the role of Allyship, and Lee advises to go beyond superficial support to active engagement; whether that’s speaking against untruths, championing marginalised voices, and being action-driven as opposed to the performative gestures on social media or in policy statements. Challenges in Corporate Inclusivity We delve into his experiences and opinions on policies and initiatives for diversity and inclusion, and how he has observed a disconnect between these efforts and their implementation in the corporate world. Lee acknowledges that there have been advances in gender diversity, other aspects, such as LGBTQIA inclusion, often aren’t as prioritised. Again, Lee emphasises the need for genuine representation and allyship, rather than tokenism, in the workplace. Changing Hearts and Minds Consulting Establishing Changing Hearts and Minds Consulting marks a change in Lee’s career and highlights his desire to quicken the pace and focus the direction of corporate inclusivity efforts. Through his consultancy, Lee talks about how he aims to foster real change through heart-centric approaches, combining his corporate savvy with a deep understanding of human empathy and diversity. Lee also shares how he plans to continue to advocate for visible signs of support, such as displaying rainbow flags, to create an inclusive atmosphere. He stresses that while this may seem a small gesture, it can significantly impact individuals who feel marginalised or underrepresented. Progression and Career Development within the LGBTQIA Community Lee plans to leverage his strengths in empathy, emotional intelligence, and corporate experience to make a tangible difference in the lives of LGBTQIA individuals and the broader community, and we delve into the challenges LGBTQIA individuals face in career progression and development, and he highlights the importance of succession planning and creating opportunities for LGBTQIA talents to advance in their careers. The Journey Ahead for the LGBTQIA Community One of Lee’s greatest strengths is his optimism, and he expresses hope for the future of the LGBTQIA community, emphasising the need for unity and support within the community itself. He called for those in privileged positions to amplify the voices of the more marginalised members and to fight for equal rights for all. Connect with Lee-Thomas-Wragg on LinkedIn here Learn more about Changing Hearts & Minds Consulting here

As the first guest on Season 2 of the podcast, I was really excited to delve into the career journey of Nick Brackenbury, the CEO of NearSt. Nick shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career path that led him to NearSt, and how his initial motivation was driven by a desire to maintain control over his destiny and work in an environment where creativity thrived, he said, "“I didn’t want to go down a route where I didn’t have control over my own destiny”. Reflecting on his stroke of luck in being at the right place at the right time - “I was lucky, being at the right place, at the right time, with the right set of interests” - Nick emphasises the importance of seizing opportunities aligned with your personal interests. A key turning point occurs as Nick decides to focus on digital creation over traditional advertising, highlighting the significance of carving a unique niche. Drawing from his experiences at Oglivy, Nick discusses the profound impact of good leadership on shaping his approach to working with people and subsequently running NearSt. As Nick shares the story of NearSt, he offers valuable insights in building MVPs, the challenge of bridging the gap between two worlds of attribution, and the combined feelings of frustration and engagement that can influence you when you're solving novel problems in the business landscape. I personally gained valuable insight from Nick's entrepreneurial journey, including the challenges of hiring in a startup, introducing the foundational elements of company culture, and his perspective on adapting the company's culture post-COVID, where he really emphasises the importance of being deliberate with time, both professionally and personally. A consistent theme in the conversation with Nick, is his fearlessness when faced with new and complex challenges; his motto of "back yourself" really resonates loudly, as offers his 3 key pieces of advise for aspiring Founders and Co-Founders. Connect with Nick Brackenbury on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickbrackenbury/ Check our more information about NearSt here: https://www.near.st/

"Human beings seek connection, they seek truth, and I think a lot of what leadership is, is about how to communicate truth in a way that galvanises people" - that was one of the standout moments in my conversation with Laurence Booth-Clibborn, Co-Founder of The Mothership. In our conversation, we delve into Laurence’s fascinating journey, his passion for exploration and his bold curiosity, and how these qualities have shaped his diverse career to date. As a self-described "classic insecure overachiever," Laurence discusses his dedication to growth and learning, we explore his entrepreneurial ambitions, we talk about the importance of embracing risk, and he he shares insights on overcoming scepticism, controlling nerves, and finding success on the bleeding edge. As Laurence says, "living on the bleeding edge, that's where you find real success." From his early experiences in music, including a transformative Choir of Clare College Cambridge tour, to his role as a leader in the tech startup space, Laurence shares how he values building a culture of togetherness and high performance and he offers advice to other Founders, about the value of 'good' and 'kind' money within the venture funding and investment space. Reflecting on the core themes throughout our conversation, it's clear that Laurence values building relationships, community and a culture of inclusion, and he mentions, "the thing I find most enjoyable is relationship building, it's a big part of my value system, keeping up with people, and always being someone to offer support and advice." The choice for the title of this podcast then became very easy because Laurence is telling us his story of "The Journey of a Leader who Values Relationships, Community & Culture". Connect with Laurence on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurence-booth-clibborn-a40391108/ Learn more about The Mothership here: https://www.themothership.ai/

Kat joined me on the Never Mind The Job Spec - The Podcast to talk about her social impact entrepreneurship and we start with a key statement that is very important to Kat and her mission - 'What we cannot imagine, cannot come into being'. The beauty of Kat is she will disrupt the norm, and she immediately flips-the-script and kickstarts the podcast by asking me a question which is really important, why? - Why do we do anything? When you know your why, it's a powerful space to be in from a mindset and action perspective. We talk about how she has had to persuade people to see value in her, even though she's been starting businesses since she was 11 years old; and we explore her journey to being a Social Impact Entrepreneur and she shares her knowledge and experiences.  It's so insightful to hear Kat talk about taking the longer route to clear a pathway for others to achieve their goals; her sense of responsibility to this approach is very inspirational. A statement Kat made that really resonated with me when we discussed fundamental system change was, 'every system that is inequitable or non-inclusive was intentional' - and with this in mind, it starts to reframe your view on the DEI space. Are companies this brave to really ask this question of themselves and their companies? I'm thankful to her for sharing this part of her personal life, because through sharing this experience, she really - and very powerfully illustrates the difference in experience of a black female in a largely white dominant workforce. Kat describes herself as black, woman, queer, half-blind and autistic, and we explore how people respond to how she identifies herself, and how this intersects with her work as a DEI consultant. We explore The Well Work's mission to teach black women and non-binary Founders how to fund their ideas, and the outcomes from this community routed company are incredible. This conversation was recorded back in April 2023 when Kat was travelling through the UK on her way back to the USA, as she was preparing to launch a new cohort for The Well Work, combined with a host of impactful initiatives, and I would encourage every listener to check her out Kat's profile and The Well Work website to see the powerful outcomes achieved so far. Check out Kat Gabrielle's LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katgabrielle/  Read more here about The Well Work and its mission: https://www.thewellwork.co/ 

I'm excited to share the first podcast of 2022 with such an inspirational guest, Amali de Alwis, CEO of Subak.  Amali and I first met when she was CEO of Code First Girls, the largest provider of free coding courses for women in the UK; the impact she had here saw her awarded her MBE in the New Year's Honors list 2019 for ‘Services to diversity and training in the Tech Industry’.  During our conversation, I learn about her experiences of Degree education and how she felt she'd "done the same degree twice", and she draws comparisons between the worlds of manufacturing and consumer product design.  Amali talks to the importance of creating spaces to think and reflect, identifying opportunities for continuous learning and the importance of apprenticeships which can help individuals prepare for the working world, where the pace of technology is accelerating.  Highlights of the conversation focuses on personal growth and continuous improvement (34:30), bringing thinkers together (38:00), measuring trust in business and adding a fiscal value on trust (41:00), innovation and company growth by hiring diverse talent (49:00), creating a culture where all cultures are welcome (50:40), building your own learning journey to be a better leader in a start-up (54:30), advising businesses around growth (1:05:00), and why she decided to join Subak, the world's first accelerator for climate not-for-profit (1:07:00).  You can connect with my guest here: Amali de Alwis, MBE If you enjoyed the podcast, you can stay updated on all future Never Mind the Job Spec podcasts on our Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn You can connect with me, Glenn Martin, on my website or via LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

My guests are Joel De Mowbray and Morgan Da Silva, together they make the founding team of Yes Make.    Yes Make believe in community empowerment through the construction of public spaces which inspire and are inspired by nature. Their process of ‘making’ in community spaces inadvertently fosters engagement from the community, from a place of curiosity rather than us giving unsolicited attention. They aim to mitigate the Climate Emergency, both locally and globally, by encouraging outdoor education and facilitating low carbon transport and renewable energy whilst promoting creativity and play for people of all ages.  Joel De Mowbray has six years of experience delivering public infrastructure projects from cycle superhighway 4 to liveable neighbourhoods with Greenwich and Lambeth councils. Joel has been woodworking and carving for the past 20 years. It is something that has run in his family for 4 generations and has culminated in the start of Yes Make. In 2020 Morgan completed his master’s degree in sustainable energy systems and the transition away from fossil fuels and its social impact. Since then, he has joined Yes Make so that he can put all his experience into the practical execution of mitigating the climate crisis in his home town of London through circular economy construction practice and facilitating renewable energy in community spaces I first met Joel and Morgan in a session on a Sustainable Accelerator Programme, where they were developing the Yes Make proposition, and exploring the use of technology in environmental impact. Since then, they have continued to evolve the business and create beautiful community spaces - check out their Instagram feed here 📽 Yes Make Instagram Our conversation starts with their thoughts on the future direction of Yes Make, how they met again after 10-years, and rekindled a friendship. The beauty of a conversation with Joel and Morgan, is that it can go anywhere! - we learn about Joel's rebellious streak, Morgan's time in a hippy commune and his visit to the  Hadron Collider, their vision and excitement about the spaces they are creating, and where robotics might have a place in the future of their business.  I am very thankful to have had this conversation with Joel and Morgan, and I thank them wholeheartedly for sharing their story and experiences. A truly AWESOME dynamic duo! You can connect with my guests here: Joel De Mowbray and Morgan Da Silva If you enjoyed the podcast, you can stay updated on all future Never Mind the Job Spec podcasts on our Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn You can connect with me, Glenn Martin, on my website or via LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

My guest is the one usually asking the probing and insightful questions, so it was my pleasure to host  Roderick Lambert and ask him about his career journey.  Roderick’s mission is to help high-performing human-beings create 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮, 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙮 and 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙛𝙪𝙡 lives…and with a dual-focus on the 5 Pillars of Health: improve Sleep, Movement, Nutrition, Hydration, Stress levels, he helps people find and live the ‘best version of themselves’. On the show we discuss Roderick’s early life and education focused on music and I discover he is a multi-instrumentalist amongst other musical talents… ...we discuss his thoughts and reflections on his own personal ambition, how his intrinsic confidence supported his decision-making when making bold career decisions that would open and end chapters of his life.  We discover his two Aha moments...  ...the first, when he realised he’d become numb to his corporate job and that it didn’t have purpose, and the second, when he started to question health guidelines and that the simple “eat less, move more” advice would lead him to irreversible health issues.  As we near the end of the conversation, we circle back on the subject of purpose and Roderick shares his theory on this subject and how we all have more choices -when it comes to our own  life’s purpose - than we realise! You can connect with my guest on LinkedIn here:  Roderick Lambert   If you enjoyed the podcast, you can stay updated on all future Never Mind the Job Spec podcasts on our Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn You can connect with me, Glenn Martin, on my website or via LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

My guest is Mag Leahy, Head of Delivery & Tutor for Leaders Who Coach™, and Associate Certified Coach (ACC), has also had a successful career as a Responsive Angular Web Developer and Team Lead, driving the growth and development of Global brands, startups, and scale-ups.  Mag and I met through a mutual friend, when we collaborated to create, deliver, and host an online event in 2020 called BC4Leaders - Decoding Leadership for a Changing World.  On the podcast, Mag shares her experience of navigating through a male-dominated tech industry, how she became a mentor and advocate for fellow female tech professionals and those with ambitions for a career in tech. She is very positive about her experiences, with stories of supportive colleagues, opportunities to share, collaborate, and learn, and she shares what it takes to lead in a very competitive development space.  As our conversation progresses, Mag shares her significant and life-changing battle with long-Covid, and this part of our conversation is very emotive for so many reasons - Mag shares how she realised that this was a longer-term illness, the journey she went on from a mental health perspective, how is shaped her thinking about her future, and she shares the support and help that has taken her to the very positive stage of her journey so far.  We close out with Mag's advice for anyone leading through change and how employers can support their employees in a post-pandemic world.  If you enjoyed the podcast, you can stay updated on all future Never Mind the Job Spec podcasts on our Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn You can connect with me, Glenn Martin, on my website or via LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

My guest is Ben Miller and he and I first met when collaborating on the virtual event, Decoding Leadership for a Changing World where we were both co-organisers and speakers back in June this year.  He joins me to chat about his journey from being a Digital Director at a world-renowned global business publication to his current role as a Cognitive Diversity Consultant and Mental Health Speaker.  We discuss Ben’s thoughts on education, how he frames personal and career success and how trusting your intuition can be really rewarding. You connect with my guest on LinkedIn here: Ben Miller If you enjoyed the podcast, you can stay updated on all future Never Mind the Job Spec podcasts on our Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn You can connect with me, Glenn Martin, on my website or via LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

My guest is Debi Easterday and she and I were first introduced by a mutual friend in the recruitment and talent acquisition community. Debi is a super-passionate recruitment professional and she is the Chief Human-to-Business (H2B) Matchmaker of her own business, H2B Consulting. Debi joins me to talk about her journey from a Degree in the Philosophy of Interdisciplinary Studies, to travelling around Europe with fellow musicians, to her first proper job which led to her discovering the recruitment and TA industry sector.  She shares her thoughts and philosophy about staying curious and always exploring new challenges, we discuss her thoughts on human connection, social impact and diversity and inclusion and she shares her approach to operating a values-based business. You can connect with my guest on LinkedIn here: Debi Easterday If you enjoyed the podcast, you can stay updated on all future Never Mind the Job Spec podcasts on our Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn You can connect with me, Glenn Martin, on my website or via LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

This week is a **Radical Recruit Takeover** of the podcast as I'm joined, as my co-host, by Emma Frievogel, Founder of Radical Recruit. We are joined by a VERY SPECIAL GUEST in the wonderful Deta Hedman. Deta joins us to talk about how she gained an interest in her sport, how she trains and her mindset to compete at such a top-level consistently and she shares her journey to the top of her sport with all the high's and lows' that a truly great sportsperson will inevitably face on the path to success. We explore her thoughts about winning and losing, her philosophy and approach to preparing for major tournaments, her joy of winning a major tournament after a 5-year hiatus from the game and how she balances a full-time job alongside being such a high-profile semi-professional sportsperson. Emma joins the podcast as Deta has agreed to partner with Radical Recruit to promote the social recruitment enterprise when she competes at the PDC World Darts Championships. If you'd like to connect with Emma on LinkedIn, click here: Emma Freivogel If you enjoyed the podcast, you can stay updated on all future Never Mind the Job Spec podcasts on our Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn You can connect with me, Glenn Martin, on my website or via LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

My guest is Emma Freivogel, Founder and CEO of Radical Recruit, a social recruitment consultancy with a values led approach to sourcing talent and represent those who are underrepresented and marginalised from the labour market.  In her own words, Radical Recruit exists to excite, agitate and shake shit up in both the recruitment sector and business community!  During our rollercoaster chat, I learn more about Emma as she talks about the catalyst behind her move from Australia to the UK, her experiences of the charity and care sector and she shares some emotive and insight stories about the people she met on her journey.  She candidly talks about how Radical Recruit was established and how one mighty leap of faith from a single investor has generated so many positive outcomes since she started her proof of concept in 2018.  She shares why she is on a mission to make meaningful change and have a long-lasting impact on the lives of the people and why businesses need educating about the challenges marginalised individuals have accessing the mainstream employment market because of labels like ‘ex-offender’, ‘former drug addict’ or ‘homeless’.  You can connect with my guest on LinkedIn here: Emma Freivogel  If you enjoyed the podcast, you can stay updated on all future Never Mind the Job Spec podcasts on our Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn You can connect with me, Glenn Martin, on my website or via LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter