Island Influencers

Welcome to another episode of Island Influencers! This week, I have the privilege of featuring Jackie Betteridge, the remarkable CEO of Crossroads, the largest Third Sector organisation on the Isle of Man. When Jackie took the helm at Crossroads, it was a small organisation, but under her leadership, the workforce has grown by an astounding 500%, and the number of volunteers has increased by 100%.

Crossroads is an organisation dedicated to caring for carers, working with families and individuals of all ages. They deliver an impressive 160,000 care hours per year, a testament to their commitment to supporting the community. The work undertaken by Crossroads is both complex and rewarding, addressing the diverse needs of those they serve.

Jackie's passions extend beyond her professional role; her tight-knit family holds a special place in her heart.

Jackie Betteridge and I delve into the services provided by Crossroads in episode 91, sharing insights into their operations and future plans. From what she reveals, it's evident that her dedication to helping the Isle of Man community is unwavering, and her purpose shines through in everything she does.

Join us as we learn from Jackie Betteridge's incredible journey and gain a deeper understanding of Crossroads' invaluable contributions to the Isle of Man community.

Welcome to this week's episode of Island Influencers. I am excited to introduce you to Sacha Horsthuis, a dynamic marketeer and a keen sportswoman.

Although Manx born, Sacha spent most of her childhood and adolescence in beautiful North Yorkshire in the UK and lived briefly in Saudi Arabia. Sacha returned to the Isle of Man 9 years ago.

Sacha and her husband Mark co-own Cycle 360, the Island's first combined cafe-bike shop and unique events space. Attracting roughly 500 customers every-day through its stand-out timeless brick work, convenience and warm, thought-out interior, Cycle 360 is undoubtedly the busiest and most vibrant daytime venue on the Isle of Man. It has been a staple to so many since its doors opened in 2018.

Sacha's role, in particular, was to create a brand, to attract global bike brands to the brand-new bike shop and, importantly, to attract talented people to work for the company.

In episode 90, Sacha shares her journey as a working mother and a "marketing fanatic" who is driven, ambitious, and a self-proclaimed perfectionist. She talks about her mission to constantly absorb knowledge, step outside her comfort zone, and innovate to continue growing professionally.

Finally, when I interviewed Sacha, she was still 29. So join me in wishing her a very happy 30th birthday as we dive into this week's conversation with Sacha Horsthuis, whose abundant positivity shines through in everything she does.

Natasha Brown is the owner and one of the teachers at Swing in the Isle. She describes herself as an "Essex girl by birth", admitting money was tight growing up with her twin siblings on a council estate.

Natasha met her husband, Craig, thanks to ballroom dancing at Cambridge University. As a former primary school headteacher, she describes herself as "a lifelong learner" Natasha knew from a young age she wanted to be a teacher "and make a difference."

Learning about swing dance and how Natasha's two passions (teaching and dance) came together was marvellous. Here is an idea… Instead of setting up a new TV subscription, why not set up a Swing dance subscription instead?

I'll let Natasha Brown persuade you herself in episode 89 of Island Influencers. Enjoy!

My guest this week is Joff Whitten, an intelligent and creative education leader with over 25 years of experience working in cultural and learning settings.

Joff has managed and delivered a diverse and exciting range of successful learning and engagement projects working with organisations of varying sizes, supporting those with little opportunity, especially children and young people, to find the joy and opportunity they need to reach a place of success.

He is the Chief Executive Officer at the Children's Centre (Isle of Man), an entirely independent Manx charity turning difficult life experiences into brighter futures for children, young people and their families. They are based on a farm located just outside of Douglas, offering all sorts of amazing things to the people they work with. Joff is responsible for driving forward a new chapter for the charity, creating and delivering long-term strategies and placing the charity in the hearts and minds of everyone on the island.

Joff, who is also a talented musician and artist, says he tries his hardest "to get the best out of people every day."

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Joff Whitten in episode 88 of Island Influencers.

"Due to a technical issue in the studio, on this occasion, we could not capture every one of Joff's answers to my usual questions to the standard that we at Island Influencers would feel comfortable putting out. That said, we did manage to learn about the journey that Joff's life took, taking him to where he is today. So please enjoy!"

Angela Clucas, the owner of Next Level Nutrition Isle of Man, is a university-qualified nutritionist with over six years of experience coaching people to achieve their weight and health goals.

She is passionate about helping people regain control of their health and happiness by prioritising their needs so they can feel in control.

Angela is friendly, non-judgemental, and passionate about helping people make life-long changes.

Angela describes her life story to me:

"I like to make some pretty bold changes, and I have never been afraid of change... it has been a bit of a journey in getting to where I am now."

So here is Angela Clucas' journey, in her own words, in Episode 87 of Island Influencers.

Micky Swindale is well-known in the Isle of Man's business community. She was the 1st female President of the Chamber of Commerce and 1st female partner at KPMG here on the island.

Micky has been a champion for inclusion and diversity, particularly gender diversity. A keen sportswoman, the opportunity to help drive diversity in sports attracted her to get involved (as Vice President) with the Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association.

Micky is from the Isle of Man and has always thought of herself as someone from the island. However, she was born and brought up in Nigeria until she was 19. Micky shares her wisdom and life story from her alternative education, life in Manchester, Gibraltar, and participating in triathlons with me! Plus her plans for the future.

So what makes Micky Swindale tick? You can find out in episode 86 of Island Influencers; please enjoy.

In a time of unprecedented global challenges, now more than ever, there is a demand for a shift in how we connect to and interact with our living planet. My Island Influencer this week, Rowan Henthorn, is the owner of Make Good Limited, a new environmental consultancy and lifestyle brand that "helps businesses and communities find practical and enjoyable ways to reduce their environmental impact, whilst connecting with, and caring for the natural world."

"Local girl" Rowan grew up south of the island and then went away to study Ocean Science at Plymouth University. She has also travelled and worked around Australia and Indonesia.

Rowan has helped to bring in the single-use plastic legislation to the Isle of Man, has sailed across The Pacific with a group of 13 other women, and educated me on marine megafauna and much more!

You can learn more too by listening to Rowan Henthorn in episode 85 of Island Influencers.

This week's Island Influencer is Jamie Lewis, Founder at COURTESY, helping hospitality brands build, transform and communicate.

In addition, Jamie is the Managing Director of Extra Fancy, Co-Founder of Table of Two and Director & Trustee of Isle of Pride.

Jamie grew up in Chesterfield during the "new Labour years" with a big focus on education and a big focus on getting people from disadvantaged backgrounds into University. He went to Sheffield University, admitting he "burnt the wick at both ends", working 20-30 hours a week and partying, Jamie still graduated with a 1st degree in sociology and politics.

Although he was (and still is) fascinated by politics and what is happening in the world, most of Jamie's experience is in the hospitality industry. Jamie has created businesses today steeped in values learnt through working for McDonald's and Disney in his teens and twenties.

Like many of my Island Influencers, Jamie thought he would come to the Isle of Man for a few months and ended up settling here!

I particularly enjoyed his chicken nugget – Usain Bolt at the Beijing Olympics, yarn…

Here is my conversation with Jamie Lewis in episode 84* of Island Influencers.

Apologies for the sound quality throughout Jamie's episode. Jamie is a very busy man, and I had been trying to chat with him for a long time, the easiest way to arrange this sooner rather than later was over Zoom. Unfortunately, the sound quality is a little different from what you'd expect from the Island Influencers podcast, however, it is not an episode to be missed.

This week's Island Influencer Shelley Langan-Newton grew up in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, where she passed her 11 plus one year early. She moved to the Isle of Man when her son (now 18) was six years old.

Shelley admits that she has a going-with-the-flow philosophy which has permeated throughout her career, describing herself as "a strategic, organised, and collaborative executive leader with a passion for empowering people, clients, and partners to achieve their potential."

Her LinkedIn profile reads, "Building kinder organisations to grow with conscience and purpose in the digital world."

This really intrigued me. So I want you now to know what I do about who Shelley is and how she got to where she is today and then share it with you.

So here's my conversation with Shelley Langan-Newton in episode 83 of Island Influencers!

Kicking off season 4 and our first podcast episode of 2023 is Island Influencer Tracey Brodie, Belief Coding® Trainer & Coach.

Tracey Brodie grew up in North Wales, her Dad died when she was just 14. From 16, Tracey trained and worked as a beauty therapist for many years, before obtaining a teaching degree and teaching beauty.

Her husband Tom's job enticed them to the Isle of Man and although they were initially only coming for two years they have stayed for over 20, raising three children on the island. I can say that Tracey "arrived here with bells on."

In episode 82, Tracey explains how belief coding changed and saved her life forever. She admits that she was "lost and broken" a year ago and how at 51 she has become her own best friend. Starting out trying to heal herself, and then, along the way, she realised she had a "superpower" to gift to others. It is glaringly obvious that making people happy makes Tracey happy.

This week's conversation with Tracey Brodie will get you thinking and inspire you to turn the mirror on yourself and try to live your best life every day.