GillHB & Friends

Jamie left school with a CSE Grade 1 in woodwork and went out to work. He tells Gill his story of how he became a highly skilled, self employed craftsman running his own business. Not only does he make cabinets but everything from church fonts and crocodiles to briquettes from the sawdust off his workshop floor - one of his most watched videos on YouTube! Jamie explains why he doesn't have a website but how he's using social media as part of his long term retirement plan.

Gill first met Dora when she came to her as a client, unhappy in her sales role and and wanting to explore possible options. Her passion was in nutrition, health and wellbeing and she knew she wanted to help people but wasn't entirely what to do. Roll forward a few years and after a miscarriage Dora knew exactly what she wanted to specialise in, she is now a fertility coach helping and educating women about their own fertility journey.

Tessa knew nothing about plant pests when after having twins she decided she needed a different career and bought an organic / biological pest control business. She applied her existing skill set to the new business. Gill finds out what a nematode is, how to get rid of those pesky little flies on her indoor plants and that there is a lot you can do in the autumn / early spring to control any pest infestation before you even think of planting your veg or flowers!

Gill and Alex explore the various connections between a person's gut health, mental health and taking the role of personal responsibility. Alex shares a lot of information, research and personal experience of working with clients in this area. They also discuss the research and use of 'psychedelics / magic mushrooms' (illegal in the UK) used in various places around the world as a controlled therapy.

Pete explains how trying to replace a broken bowl ended up with him and his wife Di starting a new business selling ceramic fish, bought from Sicily, alongside their current careers. Gill and Pete chat about the challenges of starting a new business as well as the benefits and how it is possible to change careers mid-life especially when you develop a 'portfolio' career mindset in today's world.

Gill chats to songwriting royalty, Roger Greenaway (of Cook and Greenaway fame) about how he became a singer and songwriter of so many global hits in the 60's and 70's. Writing hits for The Drifters, Blue Mink, The Fortunes, to name a few and for adverts including the Coca-Cola ad that became the huge hit "I'd like to teach the world to sing". He's been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and awarded the OBE for his services to the music industry. Roger explains how the music industry was very different then to today.

Lucy felt she had to speak out on LinkedIn about what she sees as the unacceptable behaviour of journalists after reading an article in a popular newspaper. Gill and Lucy discuss what has become acceptable and normalised both in the way things are reported and the way in which people react to it. Is it bullying or is this the modern form of a base human instinct we need to satisfy?

Sheila grew up in a large family and only every wanted to be a Mum, unfortunately, for some undiagnosed reason, she and her husband were unable to have children. Sheila talks openly about the dark times she experienced emotionally before embarking on the adoption process to become a Mum of 3. And how that personal journey also lead to her training as counsellor specialising in bereavement for a while before setting up her own practice in Orpington, Kent.

Katie admits she seems to like to do things the hard way! She had always wondered about running her own business but never believed it was possible. Like many people along came covid and redundancy which gave her the push to think more seriously about it and take the leap. Having taken the leap she then discovered that she pregnant. Gill finds out the challenges she faced growing a new business and having a new baby!

Gill chats to Sam about how she has time to prepare and cook a different meal everyday on social media especially as she has a very different full time job! They work out, whilst chatting, how the skills and discipline needed for Sam's career is actually very much part of her cooking and who she is. Plenty of laughs in this podcast but how did they go from chatting about cooking to having a wee?!