Comms from the Shed: interviewing diverse voices on our present and the future.

Growing up in Taunton in Somerset, with 3 brothers, a Dad who was a Dairy Farmer and a Mum who was a Nurse, Sam White wasn't sure what he wanted to do as a career. Due to his dyslexia he considered joining the Army initially, due to a lack of confidence in continuing in the education system. However he went on to take a course in business studies at College, and following a chance meeting with a Head Chef locally - also a College lecturer - he got an apprenticeship. This was to be the first very small step, which led him on a culinary journey around the world. Sam is now the Head Chef at 45 Jermyn St. - Fortnum & Mason's renowned restaurant, where many of his heroes - some of them Michelin Star Chefs - now come to eat. This is his story.

The awkwardness of childhood, wanting to fit in as a teenager, being accepted and eventually finding herself. In part 2 of this interview Angela Hui charts the journey of her life through food, culture, and a wonderfully unique perspective from behind the counter of The Lucky Star Chinese Takeaway in rural Wales. Essential for foodies, food lovers and story-tellers alike.

Angela also reflects on racism, and tells Sam Bleazard that she's proud of where she grew up and loved the characters she grew up around. They also discuss losing the human connection and the fabric of community during Covid-19...and how the Chinese takeaway brought various walks of life together - being 'the after-party for the pub'.

Angela also discusses her favourite foodies, being unhinged on social media, and reveals just some of the projects she's been working on since the publication of her successful book Takeaway.

Angela Hui is an award-winning journalist, editor and author of Takeaway: Stories from a Childhood Behind the Counter. Her work has been published in gal-dem, Guardian, Financial Times, HuffPost, Independent, Lonely Planet, Refinery29, Vice, among others. She was the former editor at REKKI and food and drink editor at Time Out. Currently, she's freelance.

Love letter to Hospitality businesses? Teenage diary? Recipe book? In part 1 of this podcast, Angela talks to Sam Bleazard about the writing of Takeaway and what it was like growing up in rural Wales as a Chinese girl.

Photography courtesy of Kenneth Lam.

Sarah Lazenby has an in-depth knowledge of communication and employee engagement, having worked across multiple industries including healthcare, retail, financial services, IT, manufacturing, oil and gas, utilities, rail, telecoms and UK Government. She is a Fellow of the UK's Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC); an award-winning writer and editor; winner for Team of the Year in the Communique Awards 2021, and is a Member of the Board of Trustees for the Sussex Community Development Association (SCDA) - which runs community based projects aimed at addressing the needs of local people.

In this fascinating and funny interview she talks about her love of journalism, how her career began and some of the hilarious stories and experiences she's had along the way.

Sarah's depth of knowledge in communications at complex organisations; crisis and issues management; leadership coaching; commercial instincts; and social / digital media skills, have stood her in good stead throughout a colourful life and career. She's also passionate about integrating internal and external communications, to bring campaigns, brands and business strategies to life for everyone.

Sarah Lazenby has an in-depth knowledge of communication and employee engagement, having worked across multiple industries including healthcare, retail, financial services, IT, manufacturing, oil and gas, utilities, rail, telecoms and UK Government. She is a Fellow of the UK's Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC); an award-winning writer and editor; winner for Team of the Year in the Communique Awards 2021, and is a Member of the Board of Trustees for the Sussex Community Development Association (SCDA) - which runs community based projects aimed at addressing the needs of local people.

In this fascinating and funny interview she talks about her love of journalism, how her career began and some of the hilarious stories and experiences she's had along the way.

Sarah's depth of knowledge in communications at complex organisations; crisis and issues management; leadership coaching; commercial instincts; and social / digital media skills, have stood her in good stead throughout a colourful life and career. She's also passionate about integrating internal and external communications, to bring campaigns, brands and business strategies to life for everyone.

Join us for part 2 of our recruitment special podcast with LinkedIn Top Voice Vicki Marinker, where we talk about the suitability of Tik Tok for recruitment, and as newly discovered search engine. We also talk about her personal life, love of karaoke and her musical past. Tune in as Vicki shares more of her essential insights as we discuss the challenges of content creation online, and how it gets easier with time.

Are you looking for a job right now?

Are you thinking of changing career?

Listen in as I speak to the Candid Career Coach Vicki Marinker, about the jobs market in 2023 (following the resource crisis of 2022), AI CV tracking, being an influencer on LinkedIn and the importance of professional employees developing their Personal brand.

It took Vicki '15 years to be an overnight success' and has turned unhappiness - confessing to having been bullied, bored and burnt out it has taken her 23 years to apply all of her knowledge for the benefit of clients. Her advice - 'if you're unhappy move - you're not a tree! You can change and good things can come from that.'

We also discuss the importance of overcoming hard times, the challenge in showing vulnerability and why it's important to present yourself as a whole person - not just a successful one.

Join us in part 2 when we talk Tik Tok from a recruitment perspective, the importance of Employer Brand, finding your sense of purpose, some of Vicki's career highlights and a slightly mis-spent youth which led to a serious love for karaoke!

Something for the weekend? Come with us as we go behind the scenes after hours...for a lo-fi 20 minute chat with Mustafa Tumburi... about Bar culture, cocktails and sustainability in the drinks industry.

What is it like to start your own business as a communications consultant, going from just a start up, to an advising international business on best practice? Join us for this insightful conversation with Rachel Miller of All Things IC (internal communication), who talks about having the courage to take the leap, following 4 years of blogging and thinking about it, to a love of podcasting and maintaining a successful career as a working Mum. Not to mention a real passion for Lego mini figs!

Meet Cadu Gomes, originally from Sao Paulo in Brazil - who now lives in South East London with his young family.

Cadu made local people happy, with a new business venture which created a focal point for the local community during Covid-19.

Up until relatively recently (pre-pandemic) he was a graphic designer - working for drinks companies and brands such as Diageo, Guinness, Heineken and Strongbow.

Now he's the proud owner of the BR3 Brewery, a Tap Room in Beckenham - having discovered a love of the brewing process (working for those brands), he turned a new found skill into his profession.

Not only is he incredibly passionate about getting it right, with his design eye he has (perhaps unsurprisingly) also created a fantastic and successful brand.

His leap of faith was buying an old lawnmower shop (with some financial help) and with a new sense of purpose he started a business during a difficult period that turned out to be beneficial timing-wise.

Importantly he also sees himself as a vital part of a thriving local eco-system, with a Newsagent / local shop on one side of his business and a much loved Tapas restaurant on the other.

We're launching our latest episode of Comms from the Shed today (on Wednesday) because tonight is pizza night - when Van Dough will drive their delicious sourdough pizzas round and park nearby. Everybody wins, because they go really well with his delicious drinks, pale ales, stouts and fruit sours - which they only use the best ingredients for.

Tune in to hear about his journey pre, during and post pandemic.