How do you go from foot messenger to founder of a cultural insights & strategy company?

And how do you keep your cool when you've been sent to interview Wu-Tang Clan?

Andy Crysell is a non-executive chair, creative consultant and founder of Crowd DNA.

In our conversation, we discuss:

• How delivering photographs to the world's biggest ad agencies kick-started his creative career
• The impact of acid house rave culture as a democratising force
• What it was like to be a freelance writer for publications including Mixmag, i-D, DJ Mag, The Face, Muzik and NME
• How benefits such as Jobseeker's Allowance were a lifeline for creatives
• What it feels like to transition from freelancer to founder

We also talk encouraging brands to view people as individuals - not walking cash pots - the need to open up insight and strategy careers to people from marginalised backgrounds and why the Museum of Youth Culture is addressing a pressing need to change pervasive narratives around young people.

To find out more about the Museum of Youth Culture, visit: https://www.museumofyouthculture.com/

To connect with Andy on LinkedIn, head to:   / andycrysell  

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How far can persistence, perseverance and politeness take you?

And how is it that a complaint about a party turns into a job offer?

Harry Corbett is a Director and Founder of Intelligence Forums; an organisation that aims to connect the regions of the UK through thoughtful discourse, debate, and a respect for counter views. In our conversation Harry shares:

* Why social mobility has become more difficult

* Experiencing meritocracy on the trading floor

* How the collapse of the Lehmann Brothers crystallised his worldview

* Why having nothing to lose can make you more open to opportunity

* How a chance meeting can change your life!

To find out more about Intelligence Forums, visit: https://www.intelligence-forums.com/

To connect with Harry, find him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrycorbett-if/

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What happens to a life when you have to leave home aged 16?

And how does it feel to experience homelessness as a mother with young children?

Flic McCann is a playwright who changed her life when she poured her pain onto the page. In our conversation we discuss:

• How it feels to move to another country and marry into a culture outside of your own as a young woman
• The impact of overt racism when raising your children
• Misconceptions around homelessness
• The common kinship and hardships faced by women around the world
• How to rebuild when you feel like you've hit rock bottom

This is a very powerful episode, and one in which Flic shares some of the prejudicial language she faced as the mother of children with mixed heritage.

If you'd like to watch Flic's work being performed, it will be on at the Boardwalk Theatre in Glasgow on April 27th 2024.

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How do you go from earning one GCSE to taking a science-based degree?

And how do you find the resilience to carry on when the promise of a professional footballing career is cut short?

Aynsley Fry is the founder of Gecko Fitness, an organisation which brings together fitness, performance, nutrition and clinical excellence via programmes tailored towards the precise needs of young people and elite athletes alike (and everyone in between!). In our conversation we discuss:

* How lack of sports provision in state schools (and over-exercising children in private schools) impact young people

* How he felt when he realised his football career was over

* What boxing prepared him for in the world of business

* Why a 12-week Personal Training course was a turning point

* How it felt to rock up at university in a BMW M3!

There's also reflections on appreciating university education more when the money's come out of your own pocket, and why it's not the end of the world if you don't ace your GCSEs.

To find out more about Gecko, visit: http://www.geckofitness.com/

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How far will a GCSE in Drama take you?

And how do you change educational policies that harm the area you grew up in?

Curtis James is a filmmaker, photographer, ethnographer and campaigner. As founder of Fieldwork, he uses ethnographic research to document working life. And as a Co-Founder of Class Divide, he's driving change that will positively impact the next generation of students.

In our conversation, we discuss:

* The impact of being young carers on the educational experiences of Curtis and his twin brother

* How individual teachers have the power to shape a life

* Securing a record deal and working alongside the likes of Dave Clarke and Paul Oakenfold

* Travelling the Caribbean producing radio shows for Heineken

* The action he's taking to change punitive educational policies

There's also reflections on navigating the worlds of local government and major corporates when you've come from a council estate, and how one Thatcherite policy actually ended up helping young people out.

To find out more about Class Divide, head to: https://www.classdivide.co.uk/

To connect with Curtis, you can find him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtisjames/

To learn about the Neolithic Cannibals project as part of Brighton Festival, head to: https://brightonfestival.org/whats-on/XXO-neolithic-cannibals-deep-listening-to-the-unheard/

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What does it mean to really grab life by the horns and follow your passion over tradition?

And how do you cope with a life-changing diagnosis?

Mark Webb is a multi-award winning public speaker and disability advocate with an incredible story to tell. In our conversation he shares:

• The value of being a 'ski bum' and what he learned from travel repping
• Why he dropped out of university off the back of job ad on a poster
• How he came to chaperone Michael Jackson at Disneyland Paris
• The events that led to his MS diagnosis and how his experiences with his employer and colleagues became the beginning of his speaking career
• The lessons we all need to learn as employers and colleagues when someone shares their diagnosis
• Why it's so important to be one of the Good Guys

We also discuss how Mark helped his CEO at Dixons to become the most followed FTSE 100 leader on Twitter (as was) without a scandal!

To follow more of Mark's work, head to: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-webb...

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How does where you grow up determine your future career prospects?

And what happens when you're in the top sets at school, but aren't encouraged to pursue higher education?

Pete Wallis is Co-Founder of True North Development, a training consultancy that specialises in Gallup Strengths and links its corporate work to providing free coaching to people from less advantaged backgrounds.

In our conversation, Pete shares:

• How growing up on a council estate limited his view of possible careers at an early age
• What the British Army has to offer young people in terms of education, trade and career opportunities
• The power of the Open University in making degree-level education more accessible and affordable
• How identifying your strengths and spending time in outdoor spaces can help people embrace their talents and overcome personal challenges
• Why soft skills training is so powerful in helping people from less advantaged backgrounds to be successful

Find out more at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truenorthdevelopment/

Connect with Pete: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petewallis/

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What does it take to protect and divert young people from crime and antisocial behaviour?

And how do you address the disadvantages and lack of opportunities that lead to young people believing they have no agency or choice?

Adam Ballard and Ben Eckett are the Directors of Gloves Not Gunz and Urban Yogis. Together, they are using a holistic approach to provide purpose, safety and belonging to young people at risk of harm by involvement in, or proximity to, criminal activity.

In our conversation, Adam and Ben share:

• Their experiences of education and how early brushes with the law and exclusion lead to moments of realisation
• Why the combination of mentoring, therapy, education, employability and community is key to helping vulnerable young people
• How sport can be the perfect entry point to empowering young people to positively shape their own futures
• The value in changing the perception of yoga as a pursuit for "white, middle-aged women"
• What Idris Elba was doing at their boxing club!

After seven years of careful, methodical building, Adam and Ben have created a series of services that are trusted by a number of London Boroughs and Violence Reduction Units to help vulnerable young people shape the futures they deserve. There will be some exciting news in March 2024 - to stay updated head to:

Gloves Not Gunz: https://glovesnotgunz.org/

Urban Yogis: https://urbanyogisuk.com/

To connect with Adam and Ben directly, you can find them both on LinkedIn:

Adam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-ballard-b7b418b7/

Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-eckett-481093130/

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How do we get more young women to take up trades?

And why are parents such a problem when it comes to showing children the value of blue collar careers?

Anna Moynihan is the Co-Founder of TaskHer - the award-winning (and only!) online booking platform that connects modern homeowners to a highly-skilled, proudly professional community of tradeswomen. In our conversation, Anna shares:

* Her career experiences in the world of film production and what it was like to work for MTV

* How redundancy led to a radical rethink

* Why we need more female plumbers, gas fitters and electricians

* What we can do to change attitudes towards trades

* How AI is going to help rather than hinder practical professions

We also talk about what it's like to run a business with your husband, the power of an all-female panel and living your best life with Westlife! To find out more about task her, head to: https://www.taskher.co.uk/

To connect with Anna, find her on LinkedIn here: (2) Anna (Hernandez) Moynihan | LinkedIn

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How do you put power into the hands of local communities to preserve and celebrate their culture?

And how hard is it to operate in the creative arts when you didn't go to university?

Keith Jeffrey began his career as a 19-year-old with a passion for music and a desire to deliver fantastic experiences to his de-industrialised community.

Today, he helps working-class professionals to thrive in professional environments where class and accent bias are used to hold people back.

In our conversation we discuss:

* The positive power of giving Government funding to teenagers

* The importance of preserving culture in working-class communities

* How it feels to be involved in some of the UK's foremost cultural projects when you've not been to the 'right' theatres

* Why class is still an issue

* How being honest about our backgrounds and experiences makes for a more balanced workplace

There's also some incredible insights and stories from Keith's own career including bringing Nirvana to the UK and providing a stage for David Bowie! Connect with Keith on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithjeffrey/

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