Knowing You… because every person has a story worth knowing.

What happens when life changes beyond anything you could ever have imagined?

In this deeply moving episode, I sit down with Em Melrose, whose life was turned upside down during 2019 and 2020 when she experienced three significant losses, including the death of her husband and business partner.

Many people would understand if grief became the defining chapter of their lives.

Not Em.

Five years on, she describes that heartbreaking period as "the gift of grief"—not because she would ever choose it, but because of what it taught her about love, purpose, resilience and truly living.

Today, Em helps individuals and organisations understand grief, support others through loss and create healthier conversations around one of life's most universal experiences.

Our conversation explores:

• Living through unimaginable loss.
• Why grief isn't something to "get over".
• The lessons that transformed pain into purpose.
• Supporting people and workplaces to manage grief with compassion.
• Why Em genuinely considers her life to be blessed.

As always on Knowing You, we finish with four questions that reveal even more about the person behind the story.

Em shares:

• What a life lived well looks like: being kind, living with no regrets, looking after your body and finding ways to truly experience life.
• What she'd write for the next chapter of her life script.
• Who she'd choose to play her in a film.
• The one book she would never, ever lend out.

This is a conversation about loss, hope, courage and perspective.

Whether you've experienced grief yourself or want to better understand someone who has, Em's story is one that will stay with you long after the episode ends.

Because every person has a story worth knowing... ...and this one may just change how you think about living.

Your host Sarah Crippps

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcripps/

https://www.instagram.com/knowingyouwithsarah/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-melrose/

Our guest

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-melrose/

What does it take to build a successful business, become a present father, a sought-after speaker, and a mentor to the next generation all while defying every expectation set by your earliest results? Gafyn Stiff is living proof that your starting point is never your finishing line.

In our conversation Gafyn brings the kind of warmth, wit and wisdom that only comes from someone who has genuinely lived their values. He shares:

The A-Level Plot Twist

Glan Cleaning - 16 Years of Honest Graft

The Day That Changed Everything

Mentoring Young Entrepreneurs

The Bravest Thing He's Ever Done

His Actor Alter-Ego: Clive Owen

Episode Highlights

• Why failed exams can be the best thing that ever happens to you

• The link between losing someone you love and learning to truly live

• What authentic leadership in business actually looks like day to day

• 16 years running Glan Cleaning the real philosophy behind it

• The responsibility we have to the next generation of young entrepreneurs

• Three words that sum up a life at 55: Not Done Yet

Guest details:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gafynstiff/

Your host:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcripps/

https://www.instagram.com/knowingyouwithsarah/

https://www.instagram.com/bigbalancetheory/

This episode might just be the one that resets your entire perspective on life. Sharon Neville - known to many as Mad Frog – is one of those rare humans who radiates such genuine warmth, positivity, and energy that you come away wondering if you've been doing life slightly wrong.

I went into this conversation thinking of myself as a positive person. I came out the other side knowing I've got work to do.

The year that changed everything Sharon turns 50 this year, and it's no coincidence that age 21 feels like the hinge point of her life. She was 3.5 stone heavier, and something shifted. A love and passion for fitness was born and it never, ever waned.

Surviving cancer and choosing to compete Last year, Sharon faced a diagnosis and a mastectomy. This year, she's entering the Tenby Ironman in September. Not despite what happened but because of it. This is what IT IS HISTORY looks like in practice.

Brian – a father, a hero, a fingerprint Sharon is the eldest of three siblings. Her dad Brian raised all three of them solo from when she was just four years old. He passed away last year from cancer and in one of the most quietly devastating moments of this conversation, Sharon tells us what it was like to share her own cancer news with him while he was dying. His response was heartfelt, warm, and completely surprising.

Keeping him close Sharon and her brother snowboarded in Japan this year in his memory. There's an unexplainable moment involving a keyring bearing the name Brian – a life moment that can't be explained.

Her three words: IT IS HISTORY When you hear the context behind these three words, you'll understand why mindset really is everything. This is the moment to listen out for.

Your host:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcripps/

https://www.instagram.com/knowingyouwithsarah/

https://www.instagram.com/bigbalancetheory/

There are people who walk into your life and quietly make everything better. For me, Mick Green, affectionately known as "Beau Pere", thanks to our shared love of all things French, is exactly that person. My stepfather. My second dad, and one of the most positive, humble and genuinely inspiring human beings I know. At 80 years old, Mick is navigating three significant health challenges that have fundamentally reshaped the way he lives. And yet, when you sit with him, what strikes you most is not what he's lost but how grateful he is for what remains. In this conversation, we go deep. Mick shares his three words - Many Missed Opportunities. It's a phrase loaded with honesty and reflection, but as the conversation unfolds, something quietly shifts. Because alongside the missed opportunities, Mick begins to recognise the unexpected ones. The doors that opened sideways. The gifts that arrived in disguise. He admits something quietly courageous: he allows himself to cry once a month. Not as a sign of defeat, but as a release, a conscious act of emotional permission in a life otherwise defined by optimism. We talk about his passion for outer space, a lifelong love that hasn't dimmed a single watt. And if one dream could be granted? Mick would strap himself into a rocket, solo, and go. We find out exactly what he'd take to read and listen to on the journey. And then there's my mum. When Mick describes life with her, his happiest chapter, you feel it. A big softie at heart. This episode is about resilience without bitterness. About ageing with grace, curiosity and love.

Your host:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcripps/

https://www.instagram.com/knowingyouwithsarah/

https://www.instagram.com/bigbalancetheory/

Our producer:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenpirie/

https://www.instagram.com/karen.pirie/

The Backdrop This one's a little different. We recorded this conversation whilst summiting Skirrid in Wales, so yes, you may hear walkers, dogs, and the odd plane in the background. That felt entirely right for a conversation about the outdoors. Rachel is on a personal mission to touch 50 trig points, and for Sarah, this was another step in becoming more of a Welsh tourist than a Welsh resident!

Rachel's Three Words

Simplify - Stripping back the busyness and finding space to breathe. Less noise, more intention.

Connections - Rachel describes herself as an introvert and not a natural conversationalist. And yet, she's discovered the genuine joy that comes from starting a conversation with a stranger outdoors. A reminder that connection doesn't require extroversion just courage.

Outdoors - No surprise there. But what is surprising is just how deep the roots go…

Rachel's love of the outdoors was planted early. Her parents ran outdoor activities, and from around age eight, her weekends were spent on Dartmoor learning bushcraft, finding letterboxes, and earning badges for each new skill. Those proud moments shaped something that never left her.

What's beautiful is that her true purpose - using the outdoors to make a real difference for women - didn't fully reveal itself until her 40s. And yet, looking back, every step was leading here: waitressing, working in telecoms, rural transport. Each role quietly building the person who would one day create RJ Fitness.

It's never too late for the dream.

Threads Running Through This Conversation

• The power of small tweaks - never underestimate them
• Why doom scrolling is such an easy trap to fall into, and a brilliant alternative Rachel suggests
• How something unexpected or difficult can always, in time, turn out for the best
• The quiet joy of helping others - something Rachel has carried her whole life

Connect with Rachel & RJ Fitness

www.rjfitness.co.uk

email: [email protected]

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelnichollsworcs/

Instagram and Facebook - @rjfitnessandcoaching

Your host:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcripps/

https://www.instagram.com/knowingyouwithsarah/

https://www.instagram.com/bigbalancetheory/

What better way to mark a milestone birthday than sitting down for a proper conversation? In this special episode, Sarah grabs the opportunity to record her mum, Dianne, on her 80th birthday and what a story she has to tell.

Dianne's three words - mother, grandmother, great grandmother - say so much about a woman who has poured her life into the people she loves. She looks wonderful for her age and brings a warmth, humour and youthful energy to everything she does.

In this conversation, Sarah and Dianne explore what life looked like growing up in a very different Britain from the expectations placed on girls who attended a Secondary Modern school (where university simply wasn't seen as the path for you), to the quiet determination Dianne had to do "home work" so she could stay at home and raise her three children.

We also hear about Dianne's early working life and it's an insightful glimpse into a bygone era. She landed her first job in a shoe shop and clearly thrived, earning a promotion after just six weeks. But her mum had other ideas. Hairdressing was the dream she had for her daughter, and so Dianne took an apprenticeship an example of how the women in our lives shape not just who we are, but the paths we take.

But it's the more tender moments that came to the surface. Dianne lost her mum when she was just 16, and then, only 12 months later, her much loved grandma aged just 65. Losing both of them in such quick succession could have been devastating, but Dianne speaks movingly about the profound influence her grandma had on her - games of ludo, cards, and an abundance of love that clearly shaped the woman she became.

This is an episode about memory, resilience, the changing face of society, and what it means to carry the people you've loved forward into the next generation.

Your host:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcripps/

https://www.instagram.com/knowingyouwithsarah/

https://www.instagram.com/bigbalancetheory/

Our producer:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenpirie/

https://www.instagram.com/karen.pirie/

From personal loss to professional purpose, a deeply human conversation about time, leadership, and the power of seeing things differently.

In this episode of Knowing You, we begin with a light-hearted moment, exploring how even AI struggles to pronounce Welsh words correctly, before moving into a deeply human and powerful conversation.

We discuss the importance of face-to-face connection, particularly for those who are neurodiverse, and how an increasingly digital world can both support and challenge meaningful interaction.

Our guest shares three words that define his journey so far:

SISTER A profoundly moving account of losing his sister in her early 20s. This life-altering moment reshaped his perspective, teaching him not to waste time, not to take life for granted, and not to take it too seriously.

PHARMACY Following this loss, he reflects on how it changed his relationship with his career, taking his work more seriously and finding deeper meaning in it.

GENERATION Q A pivotal postgraduate programme that transformed his thinking. What were once dismissed as "fluffy skills" became the foundation of his career in Quality Improvement, opening his eyes to the power of continuous improvement and the untapped knowledge of frontline teams.

We explore:

• Why those closest to the work often hold the best insights
• His perspective on the next generation on navigating the pressures of social media while holding strong values around sustainability, balance, and adaptability
• The influence of his father, who reminded him not to take life too seriously
• The evolving conversation around mental health - progress we've made, and where we still need to build resilience and personal responsibility

A recurring theme throughout is energy and how he visibly lights up when talking about being outside:

• Outside the everyday way of thinking
• Outside in nature
• Outside in open, honest conversation

A powerful reminder that sometimes the biggest shifts come when we step beyond the familiar.

We end with his choice of actor to play his life story – Sean Bean.

Our guest:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgimson/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/auralapothecary/

Your host:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcripps/

https://www.instagram.com/knowingyouwithsarah/

https://www.instagram.com/bigbalancetheory/

Our producer:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenpirie/

https://www.instagram.com/karen.pirie/

In this episode of Knowing You, Sarah Cripps speaks with Sarah McDowell, co-host of the SEO Mindset Podcast a show that fills an important gap in the SEO world by exploring mental health, career development and personal growth in the industry.

Interestingly, digital marketing wasn't even a career path when Sarah was at school. With a background in performing arts and a degree in dance, she took a strategic step after university applying for a reception role at a digital marketing agency just to get a foot in the door.

Collaboration is a key theme throughout Sarah's work. Whether hosting podcasts, working with partners in the SEO industry, or running her digital marketing company, she thrives on bringing people together.

Some of Sarah's guiding beliefs include:

"You never want to lose love with what you're doing."

"If there's something new that scares you, just go for it."

She also gets a real buzz from supporting others in the industry:

"Lots of people come up with excuses and lack confidence and I love to be their cheerleader."

This episode is a reminder that careers don't always follow a straight line and sometimes the best opportunities come from simply getting your foot in the door and saying yes to something new.

The guest

https://Sarahmcdowell.co.uk

www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmcduk

www.instagram.com/sarahmcduk

Your host:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcripps/

https://www.instagram.com/knowingyouwithsarah/

https://www.instagram.com/bigbalancetheory/

Our producer:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenpirie/

https://www.instagram.com/karen.pirie/

What happens when a lifelong traveller decides to step behind the curtain of the travel industry?

In this episode of Knowing You, I'm joined by Susie Cottrell, a woman whose life has been shaped by curiosity, global adventure and a deep belief that experiences matter more than possessions.

After more than 15 years as a loyal client of Travel Counsellors, Susie made the leap two years ago to join the company herself - a decision that felt entirely natural after years of trusting the brand with her own travels.

But our conversation comes at an extraordinary moment. While we recorded, Susie had been working around the clock - unpaid and entirely driven by care for her clients - helping to repatriate travellers caught up in the disruption caused by the war in the Middle East and its ripple effects across global travel.

Travel, flexibility and perspective are deeply embedded in Susie's family life. Having lived and travelled across the world, they've learned to change direction at the spin of a coin. For them, home isn't bricks and mortar, it's wherever life and opportunity take them next.

Family values run through everything they do. Susie shares stories about her children's ambitions and the philosophy that guides them all:

Success isn't measured in wealth — it's measured in happiness.

(Although, she admits with a smile, one daughter does rather enjoy spending!)

We also talk about:

· Why Travel Counsellors felt like the obvious career move

· The reality of working in travel during global disruption

· Why experiences and the environment come before possessions

· Raising children with a global outlook

· The belief that their family hasn't lived in their final country yet

· And the actress Susie would love to play her in a film of her life (spoiler: the wardrobe would be everything)

Susie is also about to launch her own podcast, where she plans to share a refreshingly honest look at cities and countries around the world; the wonderful, the unexpected, and the realities behind the postcards.

One thing is clear: Susie is someone who has found the sweet spot where passion and purpose meet.

And the travel industry is better for it.

Your host:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcripps/

https://www.instagram.com/knowingyouwithsarah/

https://www.instagram.com/bigbalancetheory/

Our producer:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenpirie/

https://www.instagram.com/karen.pirie/

In this episode of Knowing You, I sit down with Lisa Hicks - self-described "Marmite" person, accidental innovator, engineer-minded problem solver, and founding CEO of SNOAP.

This conversation is alarmingly informative, passionate, enlightening and deeply warm.

What began as a moment of stillness during the chaos of COVID became an epiphany. A family of five, suddenly home together, started noticing just how much rubbish they produced especially plastic bottles of liquid "soap" gels.

With an engineering mindset and a refusal to accept "that's just how it is", Lisa reimagined the humble soap bar. The result? A dispenser that removes the slime, the mess, and yes - the "boys' hairs" - while keeping all the goodness of traditional bar soap. Practical innovation with purpose.

Lisa's journey took her to the den on Dragon's Den where all five dragons bid for a share of her business. But behind that pitch was real life throwing curveballs:

• A son mid A-levels
• A daughter mid GCSEs
• And the sudden death of her beloved 'best dad ever', her role model

"Until your back's against the wall, you don't know what you're capable of."

We also explore some uncomfortable truths:

• We are not as geared up for recycling as we think
• We are often greenwashed and brainwashed by botanical-looking packaging
• Feeling virtuous doesn't always mean we're making impact

Lisa speaks powerfully about clarity, how it comes in the quiet. She runs and walks in the woods because physical activity equals mental clarity.

Her family remain at the heart of SNOAP, involved in testing, naming, and challenging ideas. And despite the media narrative about the younger generation, all three of her children are pursuing careers rooted in purpose, not pounds.

If you care about sustainability, innovation, family, resilience or simply honest conversations about what it really takes to build something that matters this episode is for you.

Contact and additional information at:

Lisa Hicks:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-snoap/

https://snoap.com

https://www.instagram.com/stories/snoapuk/3843807391695803961/

Contact and additional information at:

Your host:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcripps/

https://www.instagram.com/knowingyouwithsarah/

https://www.instagram.com/bigbalancetheory/

Our producer:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenpirie/

https://www.instagram.com/karen.pirie/