What if the only thing standing between you and being seen, heard and recognised is your clarity?

In this episode of Mad Influence, Helen Saul is joined by Rebecca Okamoto, a communication and clarity expert whose TEDx talk on how to introduce yourself has been watched around 2 million times. Rebecca works with what she calls “Lost Einsteins” - people whose thinking is valuable and original, but whose ideas fail to land because they struggle to explain their value in senior or executive settings.

Rebecca’s work is rooted in experience. Earlier in her corporate career at Procter & Gamble, she had the opportunity to pitch a game-changing leadership programme to a senior vice president. After delivering what she believed was a compelling presentation, the response was blunt: “God, I love your enthusiasm. I have no idea what you said.”

The programme went on to succeed, but the moment changed everything. Rebecca began studying attention, message flow and the science behind how people process information, developing what she now calls the 20-word approach - a way of introducing yourself or pitching an idea clearly in seconds, not minutes.

This conversation explores why intelligence alone is not enough, how clarity can transform how you are perceived at work, and why the most overlooked talent is often just misunderstood. Helen and Rebecca discuss attention spans, imposter syndrome, audience awareness, the psychology of persuasion and the power of a well-timed pivot point. They also reflect on what it feels like to finally be heard - and how learning to be clear can shift careers, confidence and opportunity.

Music written by Joseph McDade

Follow Rebecca

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaokamoto/

Website: www.20words.com/

Follow Helen Saul

LinkedIn:⁠ www.linkedin.com/in/helensaul/⁠

Follow Mad Influence

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@madinfluencepodInstagram: www.instagram.com/madinfluencepodTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@madinfluencepod

What does it take to build a successful agency without sacrificing culture, values or the people inside it?

In this episode of Mad Influence, Helen Saul is joined by Sinéad Gray, co-managing director of Kindred, a purpose-led PR and communications agency focused on campaigns that create positive change. Kindred has twice been named Agency of the Year at the Purpose Awards and works with organisations including BMW Mini, the Ministry of Justice and the British Heart Foundation.

Sinéad began her career at Kindred as an account executive in 2009 and has worked her way through almost every role in the business. Today, alongside her co-MD Sharon, she leads an agency built around a simple principle - no positive change, no pitch. That commitment has meant turning down significant amounts of potential revenue and reshaping the agency’s entire client portfolio over time.

As Sinéad puts it: “At some agencies, it’s a badge of honour that people will stay in the office until midnight or 2am the night before a pitch and you’re rewriting the work. That’s not how I want to work, it’s not how I want people here to work.”

This conversation explores agency culture, purpose paralysis and the growing fear of getting things wrong in a polarised world. Helen and Sinéad discuss the realities of the pitch process, why saying no can be a strategic advantage, how to assess what positive change really means, and the responsibility leaders have to create environments that are ambitious without being toxic. They also reflect on grief, perspective, coaching, and why meaningful work should never come at the expense of the people doing it.

Music written by Joseph McDade

Follow Sinead and Kindred

Instagram: www.instagram.com/sineadgray/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sineadgray/

Website: www.kindredagency.com/

Follow Helen Saul

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/helensaul/

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YouTube: www.youtube.com/@madinfluencepod

Instagram: www.instagram.com/madinfluencepod

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@madinfluencepod

What makes someone choose purpose over financial security, and keep taking action even when the path ahead isn’t clear?

In this episode of Mad Influence, Helen Saul is joined by Krish Patel, founder of Tales to Inspire, an organisation creating space for people to share real stories of resilience, challenge and change, particularly those whose voices aren’t always heard.

Krish’s journey to this work wasn’t planned or linear. After playing professional football in his teens and early twenties, a series of experiences living and playing abroad reshaped how he understood obstacles, purpose and community. What started as informal conversations with people sharing personal experiences grew into Tales to Inspire, now working across homelessness, migration, disability and youth leadership.

Alongside this, Krish has also founded StoryOak, capturing the life stories of parents and grandparents on film so families can preserve voices, memories and legacy for future generations. The idea was sparked by his own experience of loss and the realisation that we often know very little about the lives of those closest to us.

This conversation explores the power of storytelling to build empathy rather than judgement, the responsibility organisations have to take lived experience seriously, and why action matters more than waiting for certainty. Helen and Krish also discuss purpose-led work, the realities of entrepreneurship without glamour, the role of community in a fragmented world, and what it means to stay human in an increasingly tech-driven age.

Music written by Joseph McDade

Follow Tales To Inspire:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/talestoinspire/

YouTube:www.youtube.com/@talestoinspire

Facebook: www.facebook.com/talestoinspire/

Website: www.talestoinspire.com

Follow Helen Saul:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/helensaul/

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YouTube: www.youtube.com/@madinfluencepod

Instagram: www.instagram.com/madinfluencepod

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@madinfluencepod

What happens when recovery doesn’t come from reinvention, but from returning home and taking one careful step at a time?

Content note: This episode touches on themes of mental health, suicidal ideation, alcoholism, and recovery. You can find support for these topics at: www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk and www.thecalmzone.net

In this episode of Mad Influence, Helen Saul is joined by Harrison Ward, also known as Fell Foodie, a self-taught cook and speaker who found sobriety, purpose and connection by bringing food into the hills of the Lake District.

After a major breakdown in 2016, Harrison made the decision to get sober, leave city life behind and return to Cumbria. With borrowed boots and no long-term plan, he began hiking the fells close to home. What started as packed lunches in a rucksack slowly evolved into cooking thoughtful, restaurant-quality meals on a camping stove, and into a platform that has resonated with thousands of people seeking a more human and accessible relationship with the outdoors.

This conversation traces Harrison’s journey through addiction, recovery and grief, and explores how cooking, walking and time in nature became tools for rebuilding routine, self-trust and mental health. Helen and Harrison discuss the power of being a beginner, the role of friendship in moments of crisis, and why influence doesn’t need to be loud, aspirational or perfect to matter.

They also discuss accessibility in the outdoors, the risks of pedestal-building, imposter syndrome, and how brands and platforms can widen rather than narrow who feels welcome in natural spaces.

As Harrison puts it:“The insignificance of being in the mountains puts a lot of problems into perspective.”

Music written by Joseph McDade

Follow Harrison Ward:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/fellfoodie

Website: www.fellfoodie.co.uk

Follow Helen Saul:

LinkedIn:⁠ www.linkedin.com/in/helensaul/⁠

Follow Mad Influence:

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@madinfluencepod

Instagram: www.instagram.com/madinfluencepod

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@madinfluencepod/

What happens when the version of success you’ve spent decades chasing suddenly disappears, and you’re forced to rethink who you are, what matters and how you live?

In this episode of Mad Influence, Helen Saul is joined by Roderick Jefferson, a former corporate executive, speaker and author whose life and career were fundamentally reshaped after surviving a near-fatal stroke.

Before his stroke, Roderick had built what many would recognise as a conventional success story: senior leadership roles, constant travel and the external markers of achievement that come with high-pressure corporate life. But the experience forced an abrupt pause - and a reckoning. His recovery became the starting point for a deeper re-evaluation of identity, ambition and the personal cost of success.

As Roderick puts it: “I did corporate life way too much and way too well - to the point where it almost killed me.”

This conversation explores what happens when achievement is stripped back to its foundations. Helen and Roderick discuss identity after trauma, the addictive pull of status and validation, and the moment when work begins to crowd out family, health and joy. They talk about redefining success, the importance of slowing down before your body forces you to, and why influence is often found not in titles or reach, but in presence, kindness and everyday human connection.

Music written by Joseph McDade

Follow Roderick Jefferson:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/roderickjefferson/

Website: www.roderickjefferson.com

Instagram:www.instagram.com/roderick_j_associates/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@roderickjeffersonassociates

Follow Helen Saul:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/helensaul/

Follow Mad Influence:

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@madinfluencepod

Instagram: www.instagram.com/madinfluencepod

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@madinfluencepod/

What does it take to build brand and creative work that genuinely connects with culture - without defaulting to clout, pile-ons or empty critique?

In this episode of Mad Influence, Helen Saul is joined by Tamira Hamden and Victoria Montgomery, co-founders of Women in Brand, a global community supporting women working across brand, marketing and creativity.

Women in Brand was founded in response to a pattern Tami and Victoria kept seeing around them: talented women doing influential work, but not always feeling visible, confident or encouraged to take up space.

Coming from different routes into brand (from publishing to teaching and communications) - they’ve both gone on to lead teams, build major brand projects and create spaces that centre community, care and creative confidence.

As Tami puts it: “Inclusive spaces aren’t a nice to have. They’re the foundation for truly great creative work.”

This conversation explores culture, critique and community - from how brands engage (and sometimes misstep) with subcultures, to the emotional labour of translating brand work inside organisations, to the impact of public criticism and hot takes on creative confidence.

Helen, Tami and Victoria also discuss leadership, imposter syndrome, age and authority, and what it really means to use influence responsibly in an industry that shapes culture every day.

01:57 - Why Women in Brand began

08:34 - Culture, identity and creative collaboration

12:27 - Community as a leadership and brand strategy

18:43 - Confidence, authority and who gets heard in brand

23:57 - Age, leadership and finding your voice

34:56 - Criticism, LinkedIn pile-ons and creative harm

37:46 - What’s next for Women in Brand

42:05 - Influence, mentoring and moments that matter

Music written by Joseph McDade

Follow Mad Influence:

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@madinfluencepod

Instagram: www.instagram.com/madinfluencepod/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@madinfluencepod 

Follow Women In Brand:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-brand

Instagram: www.instagram.com/womeninbrand/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@womeninbrand

Website: www.womeninbrand.online/

Substack: womeninbrand.substack.com 

Follow Helen Saul:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/helensaul/

How does someone build a tech startup from scratch when the odds are stacked against them, and help thousands of other young people improve their access to opportunity across the UK?

In this episode of Mad Influence, Helen Saul is joined by Joe Seddon, Founder and CEO of Zero Gravity, a tech platform supporting students from low-opportunity backgrounds into top universities and high-impact careers.

Joe built Zero Gravity from his student bedroom with the last £200 of his student loan. Today, the platform has supported over 15,000 students into leading institutions and careers, deployed millions in scholarships, and partners with some of the UK’s biggest employers.

But Joe’s journey also reveals the personal trade-offs and identity questions that often come with social mobility.

As Joe puts it: “Everyone talks about imposter syndrome. What we don’t talk about enough is social mobility guilt.”

This conversation explores how Joe identifies talent early, why community and long-term support matter as much as access, and what it takes to build systems that level the playing field at scale. Helen and Joe also discuss employer partnerships, geographic mobility, and how AI could reshape opportunity for the next generation- for better or worse.

Key Moments:

02:42 What Zero Gravity does and who it’s for
07:36 The four factors that shape opportunity
11:16 Imposter syndrome vs social mobility guilt
18:23 Natalie’s story: Oxford, Tesco and a US law firm
25:59 Why opportunity is concentrated in London
36:43 Who gets to build startups (class and founders)
43:35 AI, education and the future of early careers
48:50 Final reflections

Music written by Joseph McDade

Follow Joe Seddon:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeseddon/

Website: www.zerogravity.co.uk

Follow Helen Saul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helensaul/

Follow Mad Influence:

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@madinfluencepod

Instagram: www.instagram.com/madinfluencepod/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@madinfluencepod

What does it take to build a personal brand that leads to real opportunity - not just visibility, but credibility, career momentum and influence?

In this episode of Mad Influence, Helen Saul is joined by Claudia Cardinali, Strategy Director at Great Influence, where she runs personal brands for founders, entrepreneurs and leadership teams, including leaders from brands such as Booking.com, Gousto and MyProtein.

Claudia is also a LinkedIn Top Voice and speaker. She first built her audience by openly talking about navigating a quarter-life crisis, and today advises leaders on personal branding strategy, creator-led thinking and employee advocacy. Her career has grown rapidly from freelance copywriter to director level through consistency and showing up publicly, and she’s now followed by tens of thousands of people for practical, experience-led advice.

As Claudia puts it: “If I was just starting my career now, I would not be making a CV. I would be thinking about how I create content on a platform.”

This conversation explores why showing up online often feels uncomfortable, how influence compounds over time, and what personal branding looks like in an AI-saturated world - particularly for founders, leaders and ambitious early- to mid-career professionals.

Chapters

00:00 Why showing up online feels uncomfortable

04:45 Strategy vs posting without direction

11:05 Authenticity, performance and being ‘real’ online

15:50 Criticism, outrage culture and leadership visibility

18:50 AI comments, bots and the future of connection

25:45 How personal brands drive hiring and inbound opportunity

35:10 The biggest barriers stopping people from showing up

41:53 Confidence, self-belief and career decisions

49:21 Influences, mentors and career-defining moments

52:00 The future of personal branding and reputation

Music written by Joseph McDade

Follow Claudia Cardinali:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ccardinali9/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@claudia___cardinali

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/claudiaccardinali/

Follow Helen Saul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helensaul/

Lauren Ashcroft, the founder of UltimateYou, joins Mad Influence to talk about how she launched a globally successful business in the middle of the pandemic, to help people realise their ambitions. We talk about her journey from being made redundant to creating a set of products that have been reviewed by Women’s Health as having ‘life-changing powers.’ We also discuss her U-turn from a planned career in law, how she dealt with the knockbacks of unemployment, and what she’s truly learnt from her first year in business. We chat about her successful Kickstarter campaign and which unexpected channel turned it viral. Lauren also tells me about the genuine highs and lows of being a founder, why she thinks living abroad is fundamental to personal development, and the differences between a growth and fixed mindset.

Where to find us:

Guest: linkedin.com/in/lauren-ashcroft/ @ultimateyouplanner on Instagram and TikTok

You can buy your own UltimateYou planner at uyplanner.com

Host: @madinfluencepod on Twitter and linkedin.com/in/helensaul/

Books we talked about:

Mindset by Carol Dweck

Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod

Key Topics:

Goal setting and direction

Fixed mindset vs growth mindset

The biggest mistakes made starting a business

The power of reading

Unemployment and surviving redundancy

Overcoming self-doubt

Morning routine

Being true to yourself

Overcoming your ego

Kickstarter campaigns

Getting funding to start a business

If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate and review us, as this will really help the podcast to grow.

This episode was recorded remotely with music by Joseph McDade

Katie Martell, speaker, writer, documentary maker, and marketing expert, joins Mad Influence to talk about what happens when social movements and brands collide. We talk about how Katie carved out her career by being brutally honest, and as ready to critique the marketing industry as to champion it. We talk about the difference between genuine allyship versus co-opting a movement for a brand’s own gain. We discuss which brands miss the point, and which ones do it well. We also talk about the power of consumer activism, why you should never reduce an important movement to a hashtag, and deliberate some real world examples of both barriers and opportunities for change.

If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate and review us, as this will really help the podcast to grow.

Key topics

Woke-washing

Consumer activism

Brands and purpose

LGBTQ+

Black Lives Matter

Feminism

Workers rights and facial recognition software

Allyship

Employee branding

Diversity and inclusion

Where to find us

Guest: linkedin.com/in/katiemartell/ @KatieMartell on Twitter and katie-martell.com

Host: @madinfluencepod on Twitter and linkedin.com/in/helensaul/

This episode was recorded remotely with music by Joseph McDade