Pass It On by FUTURES Network

In this episode, Therese chats to Motorway CMO and Bumble veteran Naomi Walkland about the art of intentional career quitting. Breaking away from the narrative that quitting equals failure, Naomi shares her journey from PR to tech leadership, offering practical insights on how to build a personal board of advisors, trust your gut, and future-proof your career in an era of rapid change.

How do you create Work That Feeds You while balancing the challenges of running a business and staying true to your purpose and values?

In this episode, Sangeetha Mahadevan, Managing Partner, Omnicom Media, interviews Collette Philip, Founder of Brand by Me, exploring what it truly means to build and sustain work that feeds you emotionally, ethically, and mentally. This episode also highlights that while work that feeds you is rooted in driving meaningful impact, it must equally empower you to financially build the life you want for yourself and your family. As Brand by Me celebrates 10 years, Collette reflects on her journey and the conversation uncovers how purpose, values, entrepreneurship and impact can come together to shape a deeply fulfilling career.

This episode touches upon:

·Collette’s inspiring journey from working at large advertising agencies to founding her own purpose-driven brand consultancy, Brand by Me, followed by her clear focus on wanting to only work with brands that are doing good in the world

· How not seeing a career or role for yourself is a signal to build your own and to see setbacks not as barriers, but as stepping stones to forge a path that is authentically yours

·Purpose-led work often begins with recognising gaps and having the courage to create something different

·Practical tips on how not only to build work that feeds you but also to stay consistent in doing so without draining yourself

·The need for purpose led work to also be financially thriving and allowing you to build the life you want

·Importance of regular reflection and creative outlets outside of work to keep it sustainable and personally nourishing

This episode is sponsored by Spotify  and mixed by Oliver Steadman at Stone Street Productions.

Ever feel like everyone else got a handbook you didn't? Like there are invisible rules at work that no one actually tells you?

In this episode, Cristina Loaiza the host and Founder of FUTURES talks to Nicola Davy – a marketing leader who's navigated agency life, client side, scale-ups, corporates, and iconic brands like Jo Malone and The Cambridge Satchel Company – about the unspoken norms that shape success (and how to spot them before they trip you up.).

Nicola shares stories from her career transitions and opens up about:

• The invisible practices that were hardest to adjust to when moving between different organisations and sectors
• How to figure out if a company's hidden rules will help or hinder your growth
• What she wishes someone had told her earlier about navigating workplace cultures
• How she helps her teams become aware of unwritten expectations
• The lessons she's taking into her next chapter (including a peek at what's coming next)

If you've ever wondered why some people just seem to "get it" while others struggle to fit in or get ahead, this conversation will give you the tools to decode what's really going on – and decide which rules are worth following.

This episode is sponsored by Spotify and mixed by Oliver Steadman at Stone Street Productions.

Useful resources:

• Alex McCann, Still Wondering
• Stefanie Sword-Williams, Fuck Being Humble
• Mel Robbins, Let Them Theory

What if becoming a mother didn't diminish your creativity – but actually unlocked it?

In this episode, Jess MacIntyre sits down with Emma Baines, Global Head of Creative at Tony's Chocolonely and founder of Creative Motherhood, to explore how parenthood reshapes who we are and how we work.

Emma opens up about her journey – from 13 years in London's top agencies to global roles at HelloFresh and Tony's Chocolonely – and how becoming a mother completely changed her approach to leadership and creativity. Spoiler: it made her better at both.

They chat about:

• The shift that happens when you become a parent (and why it's actually a superpower)
• How motherhood influences the way you lead and create
• What the industry gets wrong about supporting mothers and carers – and what good looks like
• Why Emma started Creative Motherhood alongside her demanding day job
• The practical boundaries that help mothers thrive, not just survive

Whether you're a parent, thinking about it, or just curious about how life experiences shape leadership, this one's for you.

This episode was mixed by Oliver Steadman at Stone Street Productions and sponsored by Spotify.

We hear a lot about mentorship, but what if we could take this one stage further into sponsorship?

In this episode, FUTURES host Gina Hood talks to the brilliant Dinah Williams - an award-winning consultant and founder of Avenir Network, and Program Director of the Black Representation in Marketing Sponsorship Programme - to talk about how Dinah’s work is transforming how organisations think about equity, opportunity, and leadership.

You'll hear about...

1. Insight into why sponsorship is critical for women and underrepresented talent.
2. Inspiration from Dinah’s journey and the success of BRiM
3. Practical takeaways for building meaningful, sustainable career support networks

With special thanks as always to our sponsor Spotify.

Amelia Wrighton, CEO and Co-Founder of Suicide&Co talks to Zoe Aresti, Head of Marketing & Communications at Digital Cinema Media & Co-Head of Events for the FUTURES Network about the art of saying ‘no’ and setting boundaries to reclaim your wellbeing.

*Trigger Warning: Suicide*

They discuss:

-       The importance of setting boundaries to empower us in our personal and professional lives.

-       How to carve out time for self-care.

-       How to determine the right opportunities without saying “yes” to everything that comes your way.

This episode was mixed by Oliver Steadman at Stone Street Productions.

Matthew Hook, Co-Founder of LookUP & Strategic Consultant of Hook Strategy talks to Emma Saddleton, Client Partner & Co-Head of Events for the FUTURES Network about how finding fun and joy in our work is a crucial part of career success, not just an outcome.

They discuss:

• How enjoyment is the fuel to career success & the importance of topping it up
• How learning is key to building momentum and developing that enjoyment
• The importance of community and people around you to fuel this fire

This episode was mixed by Oliver Steadman at Stone Street Productions

Miranda Hipwell, CEO of adam&eveDDB, talks to Kathryn Gooding from FUTURES about how to find & own your style at work. 

As part of this conversation, Miranda & Kathryn cover: 

• Moments to look for (& create) in developing your style.
• As a leader, how to guide others in their own journeys.
• How life experiences are as important as career experiences.
• How individuals come together to create culture, & what you can do to influence it.

This podcast was mixed by Oli Steadman at Stone Street Productions.

Shelina Janmohamed, Director of Consumer Equality at Ogilvy UK talks to L:aura Vipond, FUTURES co-founder about identity. From polymaths to portfolio careers, how to be more than one thing and what does it mean for your personal brand. We cover being a carer, South Asian Heritage Month and holding an Open Iftar.

Links to the WPP Consumer Equality Report and Shelina's Global podcast, 'The Shelina Show', as mentioned.

This podcast was mixed by Oliver Steadman at Stone Street Productions.