Dr Orit Wolf is inimitable. As an international concert pianist, she unconventionally blends her passion for music with the world of business. For many years she has disrupted traditional thinking and practices with her unique approach to creativity and innovation. 

Orit isn't afraid to push her own limits. By the age of 23 she had already acquired three degrees, has gone on to win numerous international awards, and her TED talk "Play the Keynote of your Life" saw her bring music, leadership and innovation into action. And if she wasn't busy enough, Orit is now proud author of her poetry book Love in B minor and is currently authoring the book “The Language of the Creative Mind”. 

In this episode of Are you Sitting Uncomfortably? host Gemma Greaves and Orit explore her discomfort of mistakes on stage, being judged both professionally and personally, and the uncomfortable nature of disruption. 

Are You Sitting Uncomfortably? is a Fresh Air original production, in partnership with Nurture. 

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Mitch Oliver leads from the heart. With nearly 30 years experience in the consumer goods industry, she is responsible for shaping and communicating the Mars brand identity and vision. Mitch has a track record delivering some truly groundbreaking campaigns, she passionately believes that business can be both for profit and for good.

Mitch has won multiple awards over her career and in 2022 she was on Forbes Magazines, Editors list of ‘43 people changing advertising for the climate’. She also has several non-executive roles including Unstereotype Alliance, an initiative for UN Women that aims to eliminate harmful gender stereotypes - something Mitch cares deeply about. 

In this episode of Are You Sitting Uncomfortably? host Gemma Greaves and Mitch explore common misconceptions, the power of being yourself, and the importance of brands getting uncomfortable. 

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Helen Tupper is a trailblazer. As the co-founder and CEO of Amazing If, Helen has created a company with an ambition to make careers better for everyone. As if she wasn't busy enough, together with her business partner Sarah Ellis, she is the author of two Sunday Times bestsellers The Squiggly Career and You Coach You, with a third book on the way.

Helen is also the co-host of the UK’s number one careers podcast Squiggly Careers and was recently awarded a much-coveted place on the Ernst & Young entrepreneurial winning women programme.

In this episode, host Gemma Greaves and Helen discuss her uncomfortable feeling of stopping, how to process difficult conversations, and the power of forging your own path.

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Cheryl Calverley is a marketing and business powerhouse.  She cut her teeth in Unilever, working on some of the UK’s most iconic brands and went on to lead marketing roles in Birdseye and the AA. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Cheryl took the leap to general management as Chief Executive of Eve Sleep in May 2020. 

With a passion to help others, Cheryl is now co-founder of her own start up, The Den, a first-of-its-kind social club giving teenagers a real life alternative to screens.

In this episode of Are You Sitting Uncomfortably? host Gemma Greaves and Cheryl explore making uncomfortable leadership decisions, not conforming to business stereotypes, and why she wants teenagers to have real connections in a digital world.

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Eleanor Mills is formidable. A British journalist, broadcaster, campaigner, author, media consultant and multi award winning editor, she spent some 22 years with the Times Newspapers where she was at the helm as the editorial director of The Sunday Times and editor of its magazine until March 2020. After this, however, she found herself in a time of uncertainty from which she sought a new beginning. 

Eleanor is now the founder of Noon, an online media platform and community for women in their mid-life, or as Eleanor likes to call them, Queenagers. Created through her passion to change the narrative society tells about women in their mid-life, Noon is all about addressing the topics and concerns that other sites and publications shy away from. This is the age of opportunity, not the end. 

In this episode of Are You Sitting Uncomfortably? host Gemma Greaves and Eleanor explore embracing change, address the issue of gendered ageism in media and advertising and celebrate finding new beginnings in mid-life. 

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Collette Philip is a true changemaker. From driving equity to tackling injustice, Collette works with organisations to embed anti-racism with her multi award-winning brand and strategy consultancy, Brand By Me... And you know you're onto a winner if you're named “Small Business of 2021” by Lloyds Bank and The Times!

If that wasn't enough, Collette - along with seven other influential black women - recently launched Join Our Table in October 2023. A collective with a clear mission to celebrate Black women in the UK advertising and media industry and champion increased visibility throughout the sector.

In this episode of Are You Sitting Uncomfortably? host Gemma Greaves and Collette explore uncomfortable spaces, how discrimination is coded in language, and the power of being your true self.

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Best selling author of GOD and How Your Brain Is Wired, Crawford is quite possibly one of the most prominent behavioural change experts of our time. Co-founder of The Behavioural Architects, a multi award winning consultancy which works with some of the biggest companies and organisations around the world - he writes and lectures regularly on how new knowledge from the behavioural sciences can empower behavioural change and has had over 250 papers published.

Married to Cathy (a social researcher and co author of his latest book) and Dad to Harry and Maddie, it’s fair to say Crawford is known in both Marketing and academic circles for his very big brain and crucially - the ability to make you think and do differently. 

In this latest episode of Are You Sitting Uncomfortably? host Gemma Greaves and Crawford explore his unusual upbringing, the challenges of life on a tightrope, and embracing life's highs and lows. 

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Jeetendr Sehdev - affectionately known as Jay by his friends and family - is quite simply impeccable. From his beautifully tailored suits to his perfectly honed accent, he is someone that you can’t fail to notice and has a mind as sharp as his style. A New York Times best selling author of The Kim Kardashian Principle, celebrity brand expert, and UN Human Rights Ambassador, Jay believes in the power of being authentically yourself and using your platform to create change. 
 
In this latest episode of Are You Sitting Uncomfortably? host Gemma Greaves and Jay explore his experiences of being bullied at school, unapologetically pushing boundaries, uncovering the uncomfortable truth about modern slavery, and calling out a homophobic Prime Minister ( ...while dazzling on the red carpet, naturally). 

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Gail Porter is an absolute trailblazer. A proud Scot, TV Presenter, Writer, Broadcaster and now stand-up comedian, joining Are You Sitting Uncomfortably? fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe.

She is perhaps best known for shows such as Fully Booked and Top of the Pops, and that infamous image on the Houses of Parliament which she reflects on this special episode recorded in front of an audience. Today Gail is a role model to many, from her BAFTA-winning documentary Being Gail Porter where she shared her mental health journey, to being an advocate for many charities and good causes.

In this launch episode of series two of Are You Sitting Uncomfortably? host Gemma Greaves and Gail explore her experiences of living with anxiety, being incorrectly sectioned, and the uncomfortable truths of the TV industry.  

Listen and follow now to meet the incredible people who all have a story and who are all ready to sit uncomfortably.

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As Global Lead of IBM Garage, the unit that is revolutionising the work inside IBM and with its clients, Debbie Vavangas is a brilliant thought leader in the world of digital transformation. Having spent some 25 years in the organisation, Debbie is a relentless innovator and is on a mission to make a meaningful and authentic impact on businesses.

Regularly featured in women in tech and inspirational leader awards, she is a phenomenal trailblazer and brings her whole self to work and encourages everyone around her to do the same.

“But I think of the things that I've done as choices, not sacrifices. You can't have it all for sure. But, the things I have are the things I chose to have.”

In the tenth and final episode of Season One of Are You Sitting Uncomfortably? Host Gemma Greaves and Debbie discuss recruiting and retaining women in tech, the importance of diverse teams and why she’s uncomfortable with being comfortable.

Tell Gemma & the Fresh Air team your story at [email protected].

Listen and follow now to meet the incredible people who all have a story and who are all ready to sit uncomfortably.

This is a Fresh Air Production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Clara Kavanagh.

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