Guest Bio

Robert Berkeley is the CEO of EKCS Group and a seasoned entrepreneur with decades of experience building and leading businesses across technology, creative production and marketing operations. His career has been driven by curiosity, calculated risk-taking and a belief that the best opportunities often come from taking the less obvious path.

EKCS Group Bio

EKCS Group is a global provider of outsourced, technology-enabled creative production and marketing support services. With more than 500 people worldwide, the business supports brands, agencies and creative teams around the clock.

Chapters

0:00 Robert Berkeley on 20+ Years in Business

1:25 Meet Robert Berkeley, CEO of EKCS

1:55 Robert’s First Job and Early Career

3:42 Why Robert Chose the Lower-Paying Job

6:07 How a Credit Card Bill Sparked His Entrepreneurial Journey

9:24 Turning Curiosity Into Career Opportunities

11:07 Taking the Leap and Starting a Business

12:30 Robert’s Advice for Becoming a Better Networker

15:09 Why Curiosity Is Your Networking Superpower

16:26 Inside EKCS and What the Business Does

18:27 What 20+ Years in Business Taught Robert

18:44 Why Entrepreneurs Shouldn’t Chase the Money

20:45 Robert’s Biggest Lesson About Leadership

21:18 The Invisible Secret Behind Robert’s Success

22:26 What Gets Robert Out of Bed Every Morning

23:37 Robert’s Final Advice for Success

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you're struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you're struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

About Suzanne

Suzanne Speak is Managing Director for UK & Ireland at Radisson Hotel Group, with 30 years of experience in hospitality. From her first job at 13 to leading across the UK and Ireland, Suzanne is passionate about people, networking and creating career opportunities for the next generation.

Radisson Hotel Group

Radisson Hotel Group is an international hospitality group with hotels and career opportunities across a wide range of disciplines, from hotel operations to finance, legal, marketing and sustainability. The group focuses on memorable guest experiences while developing talent and creating opportunities for people to build long-term careers in hospitality.

Chapters

0:00 Meet Suzanne Speak

1:13 Suzanne’s Journey into Hospitality

1:46 Building a Strong Work Ethic from a Young Age

3:54 Why Networking Is Essential for Career Success

5:18 The Importance of Being Authentic

7:08 The Sacrifices Behind a 30 Year Hospitality Career

9:10 Why Hotels Offer More Careers Than You Think

10:37 Suzanne’s Journey to Radisson Hotel Group

12:13 What Does a Managing Director Actually Do?

13:08 Building a People First Company Culture

13:54 Why Suzanne Became a Managing Director

14:31 Learning from Difficult Leaders and Experiences

15:16 Suzanne’s Advice for Young People Looking for Work

16:49 What Suzanne Would Tell Her 18 Year Old Self

17:33 The One Skill Suzanne Would Never Give Up

18:27 Suzanne’s Duvet Flip

19:32 The Quote That Perfectly Defines Suzanne’s Career

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you're struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you're struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Episode Guest

Julia Klein is Director of Performance Marketing at Compare the Market, where she leads the teams responsible for driving digital customer acquisition across paid media, search, SEO and content. Originally from Germany, Julia has built an international career by combining analytical thinking, curiosity and people-first leadership.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

1:25 Meeting Julia Klein

2:00 Julia's first job in Germany

2:52 The communication skills every career needs

5:13 Why every job teaches transferable skills

6:39 Moving from Germany to the USA and Scotland

8:00 Changing career plans from law to business

10:24 Why Julia chose marketing over consultancy

11:44 The confidence to apply before you're ready

12:48 Falling in love with performance marketing

13:26 What paid search actually is

14:06 Do you need to be good at maths?

15:13 Career advice for aspiring marketers

15:50 What is a T-shaped marketer?

17:13 How AI is changing marketing forever

19:47 Becoming Director of Performance Marketing

20:20 Leading high-performing marketing teams

22:19 Win or bin: Julia's leadership mindset

22:33 Why Compare the Market stands out

23:49 Julia's Duvet Flip

24:27 Final thoughts

Episode Partners

📊 Compare the Market

Discover how you can make a difference at Compare the Market, the company behind one of the UK’s most popular comparison sites. From tech and data to marketing and operations, they’re on a mission to simplify decisions for millions.

https://bit.ly/4i53Svj

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you’re struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you’re struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

About Kate

Kate Hayward is the UK Managing Director at Xero, where she leads the company's mission to empower small businesses, accountants and bookkeepers through technology. Passionate about entrepreneurship, financial education and inclusive leadership, Kate is a strong advocate for helping people realise their potential regardless of their background.

About Xero

Xero is a global cloud accounting platform that helps small businesses, accountants and bookkeepers manage their finances more efficiently. Its software and educational resources are designed to simplify business finances and support sustainable growth.

Chapters

0:00 Introduction

1:15 Kate's first job and the power of asking for feedback

2:42 Why you should build your own network

3:24 How to build a network when you know nobody

4:27 What "putting into your network" really means

5:34 How to demonstrate effort on your CV

6:25 Growing up with a self-employed dad

7:02 Perfectionism, resilience and believing anything is possible

8:46 Introversion, imposter syndrome and earning your place

9:57 Kate's journey to becoming UK Managing Director at Xero

11:15 Why you can't do it all and why that's okay

12:33 Dyslexia, AI and turning challenges into strengths

14:09 Why small businesses are struggling right now

15:49 Who teaches you to be an entrepreneur?

17:06 The one financial skill every business owner needs

18:02 What Xero does and supporting 1.3 million UK businesses

20:06 Breaking down barriers to entrepreneurship

20:49 Would Kate ever become an entrepreneur?

21:39 The quote that defines Kate's leadership

23:29 Kate's invisible success

24:13 Kate's Duvet Flip

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you're struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you're struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Episode Guest

Jeff Cleaven is a Field Service Technician at Virgin Media O2, helping customers across London stay connected by installing, maintaining and troubleshooting broadband, TV and phone services. Originally from South Africa, Jeff brings a people-first approach, a passion for learning and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Episode Partner

This episode is part of My Duvet Flip's Choose Customer series, produced in partnership with Virgin Media O2. Virgin Media O2 is one of the UK's largest and most recognisable connectivity brands, delivering mobile, broadband, TV and business services to millions of customers across the country.

Chapters

0:00 Introduction

1:28 Meeting Jeff Cleaven

2:48 Jeff's first job teaching children to swim

4:22 Why Jeff walked away from becoming a pilot

5:20 Changing careers and taking risks

6:05 Jeff's advice for anyone starting their career

7:06 Finding mentors by showing up

8:19 A day in the life of a Virgin Media O2 Field Service Technician

9:34 Installing broadband and solving customer problems

11:04 How every career taught Jeff something valuable

12:13 Why customer experience matters more than ever

13:46 How to deliver exceptional customer service

16:32 The technical skills behind the role

17:30 Dealing with difficult customers

20:12 Lessons from protecting wildlife in South Africa

22:10 Becoming a Field Service Technician at Virgin Media O2

23:01 Career opportunities and apprenticeships at Virgin Media O2

25:01 Learning, training and support at Virgin Media O2

26:27 Jeff's Duvet Flip

27:42 Final thoughts

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counselling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support. Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you're struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you're struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Episode Guest

Dominic Burrows is an Executive Team Manager at Virgin Media O2, leading teams that resolve complex customer issues while developing future leaders. He is passionate about customer trust, resilience and helping people grow through great leadership.

Episode Partner

This episode is part of My Duvet Flip's Choose Customer series, produced in partnership with Virgin Media O2. Virgin Media O2 is one of the UK's largest and most recognisable connectivity brands, delivering mobile, broadband, TV and business services to millions of customers across the country.

Chapters

0:00 Why I Wanted to Be a Millionaire

1:29 Introduction

2:37 Studying Marketing and Landing My First Sales Job

4:22 Why Money Isn't Everything

5:08 The #1 Skill You Need in Sales

5:59 Starting at Virgin Media O2

6:42 Why Customer Service Builds Great Leaders

7:59 What It's Really Like Managing Customer Complaints

9:03 How to Build Customer Trust

9:51 How I Got Promoted to Team Manager

10:49 What Makes a Great Leader?

11:50 The Book Challenge

12:19 Going Above and Beyond for Customers

14:35 Skills You Need to Succeed in Customer Service

15:22 Why I Chose a Career in Telecoms

16:12 Why Telecoms Is a Great Industry to Join

17:20 What Customer Trust Really Means

18:01 Helping Hundreds of Customers

19:56 Staying Positive When Every Day Brings Complaints

20:43 Why Every Complaint Is an Opportunity

21:05 My Duvet Flip

22:02 Final Thoughts

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counselling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support. Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you're struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you're struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Episode Guest:

Samreen Khan is a Store Leader at Virgin Media O2 with over seven years' experience in telecommunications, progressing from sales into leadership. She is passionate about developing people, coaching high-performing teams, and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Episode Partner:

This episode is part of My Duvet Flip's Choose Customer series, produced in partnership with Virgin Media O2. Virgin Media O2 is one of the UK's largest and most recognisable connectivity brands, delivering mobile, broadband, TV and business services to millions of customers across the country.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

2:42 Meet Samreen: From Student to Store Leader

3:22 Starting Work at 18 and Finding an Unexpected Career

4:32 Why Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone Matters

5:59 Learning to Deal with Customers Every Day

7:15 Building Resilience While Living with Anxiety

8:28 Why Great Customer Service Is About How People Feel

9:50 Falling Into a Career in Telecoms

11:04 The Skills Every Young Person Needs at Work

12:15 The Family Story That Built Samreen's Drive

13:28 The Book That Changed Samreen's Perspective on Failure

14:47 Turning the Region's Worst Store into One of the Best

16:18 Leading a Team Through Consistency

18:17 Why Caring About People Makes You a Better Leader

20:10 Why Samreen Loves Working at Virgin Media O2

21:11 Helping Young Team Members Grow

22:11 Career Progression at Virgin Media O2

23:13 Samreen's Duvet Flip

24:25 Final Thoughts

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counselling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support. Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you're struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you're struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

About Guest

Sam Collier is the Chief Operating Officer at Achieve Together, one of the UK's leading social care providers. Having started his career as a support worker, Sam has spent more than 25 years championing high-quality care and creating opportunities for people to live their best lives.

About Achieve Together

Achieve Together supports people with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, and complex health conditions to live independently in their communities. With more than 6,500 employees across England and Wales, the organisation helps people lead ordinary lives in ordinary homes with the right support.

Chapters

0:00 Introduction

2:06 Sam's First Jobs and Early Lessons

3:09 Why Social Care Became Sam's Purpose

5:32 Sam's Advice for Anyone Considering Social Care

7:46 How to Be Your Authentic Self in Interviews

9:42 How Values Evolve Throughout Your Career

11:02 Why Social Care Is a Professional Industry

12:42 Young Sam Never Planned to Become a COO

15:07 Inside Achieve Together and Its Mission

17:07 What a Group COO Actually Does

18:26 How Sam Manages 6,500 Employees

19:34 The Skills Needed to Become a COO

21:45 What Sam Loves Most About Leadership

23:19 Opportunities Across Achieve Together

24:53 Apprenticeships and Career Progression

26:35 How AI Is Transforming Social Care

28:22 Sam's Invisible Success: Never Give Up

29:46 Sam's Duvet Flip

Episode Partners:

Compare the Market Discover how you can make a difference at Compare the Market, the company behind one of the UK's most popular comparison sites. From tech and data to marketing and operations, they're on a mission to simplify decisions for millions.

https://bit.ly/4i53Svj

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you're struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you're struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Episode Guest

Josephine Parmee is Head of Social Equity at Virgin Media O2, where she leads initiatives focused on digital inclusion, online safety, and helping people thrive in an increasingly connected world. With a background spanning human rights, consumer rights, and social impact, she is passionate about using business as a force for positive societal change.

Episode Partner

This episode is part of My Duvet Flip's Choose Customer series, produced in partnership with Virgin Media O2. Virgin Media O2 is one of the UK's largest and most recognisable connectivity brands, delivering mobile, broadband, TV and business services to millions of customers across the country.

Chapters

0:00 Introduction

2:04 Meeting Josephine Parmee

3:18 How Josephine's Career Started

4:50 Advice for Speaking to Senior Leaders

5:58 14 Years in Human Rights and Social Impact

7:28 Adapting to New Organisations and Roles

9:02 The Skills Needed to Influence Change

11:43 What Does a Head of Social Equity Do?

13:07 Why Digital Inclusion Matters

13:44 The Reality of Digital Poverty in the UK

15:13 Tackling Digital Wellbeing and Online Safety

16:25 How Virgin Media O2 Supports Digital Wellbeing

19:31 Connecting People to What Matters Most

21:38 Why Josephine Chose Telecoms

22:20 The Side Project That Changed Her Career

23:55 Why You Should Create Opportunities Outside Work

25:31 Finding a Career in Digital Consumer Rights

26:29 What Virgin Media O2 Taught Josephine About Trust

27:30 Why Career Paths Are Never Linear

28:04 The Power of Following Your Passion

29:22 Josephine's Duvet Flip

30:40 Final Reflections on Digital Inclusion

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counselling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support. Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you're struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you're struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Episode Guest

Rachel Riley is an English television presenter. She co-presents the Channel 4 daytime puzzle show Countdown and its comedy spin-off 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. She is a mathematics graduate.

Episode Timestamps:

00:00 The #1 Predictor of Success

00:25 Meet Rachel Riley

02:11 Rachel's First Job Paid £25 a Week

04:14 Why Rachel Has Never Been Able to Waste Money

05:01 From Oxford Maths to the Financial Crisis

06:39 How Rachel Accidentally Got the Countdown Job

08:23 Rachel Ate One Shreddy Before Her Interview

09:54 The Call That Changed Rachel's Life

11:44 How Rachel Spots Good People

13:26 How Rachel Stayed Grounded on TV

15:07 Why Rachel Believes Everyone Has Imposter Syndrome

16:37 The CBT Lesson That Changed Rachel's Life

18:16 What 250 Stages Taught Rachel About Confidence

19:51 Why Rachel Thinks Learning to Fail Matters

21:05 Rachel's Obsession With Puzzles & Numbers

22:12 Why Rachel Wants More Girls in STEM

23:08 Why Rachel Believes Numeracy Changes Lives

25:59 Encouragement Comes Before Confidence

27:01 Rachel's Growth Mindset Formula

28:43 Rachel on AI, Technology & Future Careers

29:06 The Film Rachel Thinks Every Young Girl Should Watch

31:06 The Teacher Who Believed in Rachel

32:43 Why Rachel Supports National Numeracy

34:50 Rachel's Best Money Advice

37:03 Why Schools Don't Teach Real-Life Money Skills

38:49 Rachel's Invisible Success Habit

39:38 Rachel's Take on "Fake It Till You Make It"

41:16 What Gets Rachel Out of Bed Every Morning

42:15 Final Thoughts

Episode Partners

📊 Compare the Market

Discover how you can make a difference at Compare the Market, the company behind one of the UK’s most popular comparison sites. From tech and data to marketing and operations, they’re on a mission to simplify decisions for millions.

https://bit.ly/4i53Svj

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you’re struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you’re struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/