Island Influencers

This week my Island Influencer is a pretty rare find especially on the Isle of Man. Emma Lings is a furniture maker creating bespoke handcrafted furniture and naturally dyed textiles.

Emma explains that she has only just become self employed since returning to the island from Melbourne, Australia as the pandemic hit.

Throughout our conversation it became apparent that if Emma doesn't know it, she learns it. Emma isn't afraid to ask questions and shows great determination and hard work in everything she turns her hand to.

Do listen to Emma Lings amazing story in episode 81 of Island Influencers!

My Island Influencer this week is self-funded entrepreneur Jo Cutsforth, her desire in life is to make 'you and your people shine'.

Jo left her home in Warrington at the age of 17 with just £25 in her pocket and a desire to 'go off and do her own thing'. So she took a 'hop skip and a jump' one-way ticket to the Isle of Man.

Her story is one huge life lesson for us all. There is no doubt that Jo has suffered hardship, she talks of living at a homeless refuge with her two small children and only being able to start her career at the age of 32. However, Jo doesn't want people to feel sorry for her she says, "I'm not getting the violins out. I'm just telling you the story."

She just wants to encourage everyone to keep learning and get behind people and help them be valued. Jo's independence, resilience and positive attitude have helped her survive.

Do listen to this week's conversation with Jo Cutsforth in episode 80 of Island Influencers!

David Wilkinson has worked in the financial services market for 40 years, the last 30 of which have seen him and his family based on the Isle of Man.

He joined NFU Mutual in 2012 to lead the Isle of Man office going forward and personally provide and ensure the team continues to offer the highest level of service possible to new and existing clients alike for their personal and commercial queries.

He reminisces about life growing up in Singapore and the North East of England and shares how he ended up settling on the island and raising a family. David's great passions are football and golf.

Do listen to this week's conversation with David Wilkinson in episode 79 of Island Influencers!

This week I talked with one half of the husband and wife duo who founded the sparkling winery and bar here on the island - Foraging Vinters.

MaryBeth Coll is from the east coast of America, with a background in art school and law! She explains how she travelled a lot as a child with her father's job and then continued to do so after meeting her Australian husband, Ian, who was in the army.

She shares with us how finally settling on the Isle of Man helped them not only avoid hurricanes! but also fuel their idea to produce non-grape based varieties of sparkling wine, ciders, ginger beer and a range of rum. The island community has embraced the seaside winery, and it is a magical place to relax and unwind with a fantastic view, rain or shine!

Listen to MaryBeth Coll's enlightening life story in episode 78 of Island Influencers.

This week Sharon talks to Island Influencer Louise Whitelegg, Christian Aid Isle of Man, Co-ordinator aka "Mrs Marshmallow lady!"

Louise addresses her life, growing up in poverty and being the beneficiary of other people's kindness. She fought hard to get into university and gained an Environmental Health degree. In this week's episode, Louise provides a fascinating insight into the astounding work that she and her colleagues at Christian Aid do.

In episode 77 of Island Influencers we find out what makes Louise Whitelegg tick. She shares her wealth of experience and knowledge through wondrous stories, painting vivid pictures of her "harshest, awful, best and most brilliant" life experiences from exploring the world. She reminds us to push our personal and professional boundaries and not take anything for granted.

My Island Influencer this week is a voice you may recognise, Sam Turton, a reporter at Gef The Mongoose.

We talk from "the best office he has ever been in!" about life growing up, including his education journey. We debate the highs and lows of journalism, politics and his pandemic burnout.

Despite "unintentionally returning to live on the Isle of Man", Sam shares why he likes living on the Island and offers excellent advice on solving the challenges he believes the island is currently facing.

I think Sam's LinkedIn profile sums him up - I write things for my own amusement and the enjoyment of strangers.​ ​So do listen to this week's ​amusing ​conversation with Sam Turton in episode 76 of Island Influencers!

This week's Island Influencer Clara Isaac, director and founder of recyclecollect.im and onlinepayroll.im explains to Sharon how she and her husband, whilst both pursuing careers in finance, launched onlinepayroll.im (a cloud based payroll software) and recyclecollect.im (a kerbside recycling service with a modern twist).

This is a fantastic example of how an idea quickly became a rapidly growing, successful Isle of Man business. The day we recorded our conversation marks the 1st anniversary of recyclecollect!

Thousands of us want to recycle to help the environment, but not everyone is offered a kerbside recycling collection. 64% of us live in an area which does not provide kerbside recycling. We all love the Isle of Man and believe that as an island, we are responsible for recycling as much as possible to do our part to help save the planet.

Episode 75 of Island Influencers with Clara Isaac is a conversation not to be missed.

Content Warning: Please listen with care and be aware that there are discussions/true stories from sexual assault survivors (including the word rape).

Sharon's Island Influencer this week is Georgina Crebbin owner of Crebbinsdale Media Ltd, a small, independent production company situated in the Isle of Man.

Georgina tells me she has been creating things since she was very little, and made her first short film at thirteen years old. After that she began practicing photography, taking acting classes, and growing a keen interest in directing live theatre.

At eighteen, she realised that she could combine all of her passions in film, and so went to study Film Production at the University of Salford, where she met Reece. They graduated in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic and were struggling to thrive in Manchester. So they decided to move back to the Isle of Man and began developing their idea for a media company. And thus, Crebbinsdale Media was born!

Georgina has also written a brand new show, AFTER and is taking it, this summer, to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It is based on true stories about sexual assault, from interviewees across the Isle of Man and England, including her own experience that inspired her to write it. It will be performed by Manx actors and Georgina hopes it will help change perceptions of what sexual assault is really like.

So do listen to this week's conversation with Georgina Crebbin in episode 74 of Island Influencers!

Useful Links

Visit Crebbinsdale Media on their website or connect with them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

You can also connect with Georgina on Instagram

You can find Parker and Snell Company on Facebook

You can book tickets for 'After' through Kensington Arts, or on the Edinburgh Fringe website

The graphic novel that is recommended in this episode is called 'Maus'

Axe throwing is taking the world by storm and has been brought right to the heart of the Isle of Man by this week's Island Influencer Sean Moffatt.

Before axe throwing Sean was senior management at Barclays Wealth Management, and was at Lloyds Bank in various roles before that! So why an axe throwing business? Listen to this week's episode with Sean Moffatt to find out!

Here's episode 73 of Island Influencers!

My Island Influencer this week is Donna Thomas, the owner & founder of the Heavenly Beauty Empire.

Donna is one of six children who grew up on the island. She tragically lost her Dad when she was 15 years old and has worked incredibly hard to provide for her family ever since.

Heavenly Beauty is a family run business and has been established for over 11 years. She has made it her mission to make Heavenly Beauty a place of not only impeccable service but somewhere people feel part of her family.

She has recently added the beauty salon at Tynwald Mills to her business portfolio, it looks amazing.

Donna Thomas shares her wonderful life story in episode 72 of Island Influencers!