Power Done Differently

You know how leftovers can sometimes be the best bit of a gutsy meal? Well, it’s the same with podcasts - there’s always rich pickings cut in the editing process, and they’re just too good not to share. I simply had to make a bite-sized episode from some of the best bits I cut from my interview with Tessy Anthony de Nassau, UNAIDS Ambassador, Co-Founder of the new feminist clothing line, Human Highness, and (of course) former Princess of Luxembourg. Tessy gave such an honest and candid interview, back during the ‘Tell It Like It Is’ days of the podcast, I couldn’t cram it all into the first one! So stick the kettle on and enjoy 16 minutes of discovering how Tessy learned to play with her children, the logistics of launching free summer schools in Sierra Leone, Uganda and India, and delve further into her research on psychedelic medical treatments - there’s so much more to Tessy than meets the eyes.

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Find out more about Tessy at: www.tessydenassau.com

Joining me on this week’s Power Done Differently is Naomi Smith, CEO of the pro-Europe campaign group Best for Britain, and co-host of one of my favourite podcasts, ‎OH GOD, WHAT NOW? Naomi has been up close on some of the most significant political failures in the UK over the last decade. She was one of the few who predicted that the last election would end badly for Remainers, but when she tried to warn them, she was shouted down by MPs. So of course we talk about Brexit, the Labour Party and the Lib Dem's, but we also talk about so much more. Naomi gets candid about growing up in Northern Ireland during the troubles, what that can teach us about a post Brexit/Trump world, and how the racial harassment of a classmate by a teacher exposed her to how power can corrupt, and how abusers will use that power. We explore the role big tech has in the radicalisation of young men and directing violence towards women, alongside why most politicians don’t have the real life experience to be good leaders. While Naomi claims she has no interest in running for office again, I can’t help but feel politics would be all the better for having more women like Naomi Smith in power.

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Keep the UK working with the world at: www.bestforbritain.org 

Diving right into the controversial topics, renowned biologist, fertility expert, and former Utah State Science Advisor, Dr Carol Curchoe joins me to talk about everything from abortion terminology and vaccine denialism to the challenges of STEM cell research in the US. A high school dropout with a complicated family background, Dr Curchoe didn’t take the usual path to becoming a distinguished scientist and successful start-up entrepreneur. She managed to break the cycle of poverty and become the first in her family to go to college, gaining her GED and working part time as a waitress - something she says should be akin to national service! In this week’s Power Done Differently episode, Dr Curchoe and I delve into her journey from smoking cigarettes in the high school car park to founding ART Compass, a successful startup which modernises the technology IVF labs use for automating data and improving patient care. We also  discuss the importance of mentors, not fitting stereotypes, and the Handmaid's Tale-esque politicization of science education across America. Dr Curchoe is a passionate advocate for taking the pain out of IVF, and that compassion and candour for one of the hardest experiences women will go through really stands out in the interview, so press download and listen now.

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Explore Dr Curchoe's life changing work at: www.artcompass.io 

It feels like the entire world is talking about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, whether they watched the Oprah interview or not, and while I'm not one for royal gossip, I am interested in what it can tell us about discussions of power and the ways in which women in the public eye are portrayed for trying to do things differently. In watching the media coverage, it was the same age old stories being told: It was Meghan who was the 'temptress,' it was Meghan who took Harry away from his family, and quite frankly a lot of other incredibly sexist comments. It was incredibly tiring, and I couldn't help but feel like if we are interested in promoting a more inclusive and caring form of power, this was a teachable moment. Joining me to dissect the rabbit hole that is the British Royal Family is one of my previous guests, Comedian and Copywriter Rachael Amesbury, back by popular demand and because even when discussing serious topics, we  still need the occasional laugh. 

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You don’t need to figure out everything on your own, that’s the message of this week’s Power Done Differently guest, Kristy Wallace. Kristy is a former investment banker, turned startup executive, who is now CEO of Ellevate Network, the world’s largest professional network for women, alongside serving as host of the Ellevate Podcast: Conversations with Women Changing the Face of Business. In the episode, Kristy and I talk about why communities are so important for accelerating the progress of women in power, how adding more diverse voices to the table isn’t an attack on white middle-aged men, and the fact that it really is the conversations that happen when you're not in the room that are most important for opening doors in your career. Kristy also opens up about how to fire someone with kindness, why leaders should be taking a big step toward creating a culture where all types of people can succeed, and much more. An absolute must-listen, which will both empower and inform. Download now.

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Find your community at: www.ellevatenetwork.com 

This week’s Power Done Differently guest is on a mission to get people drinking better, and talking more. Former ad executive, turned entrepreneur, Dee Charlemagne is Co-Founder of AVEC Drinks, a line of premium, better for you mixers that bring 21st century values to a market still mostly stuck in the past. A first generation American, born and raised in the Bronx, Dee delves into the importance of intersectional identity as a black female founder, how she awkwardly fits between two very different worlds, and the privilege that is for entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams while still paying the rent each month. Dee and I also discuss how AVEC is bringing people together during the pandemic and the shocking statistic that only 40 black female founders have ever raised more than $1 million in Venture Capital funding in the US. With AVEC having already created a buzz on the drinks scene since its launch last year, being named a product to watch by the New York Times’ drinks critic Florence Fabricant, my money would be on adding Dee to that list quite soon. So pour yourself a stiff one and sit back and enjoy this week’s Power Done Differently episode.

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Drink better at: www.avecdrinks.com 

Imagine being told you only had five years to live unless you ditched your high-stress lifestyle ASAP. Well, that’s exactly what happened to high-flying entrepreneur and former tech marketing exec Jennifer LeBlanc. Jenn is the Founder and CEO of Palo Alto-based ThinkResults Marketing, ranked as the 10th fastest growing private company in Silicon Valley in 2017, alongside serving as Founder of the Changing Tides movement, a platform which helps women in business get the investment they need, and author of two best selling books. On this week’s Power Done Differently, Jenn candidly discusses the devastating effects of her divorce and its lingering after-effects on her personal and professional life, how she emptied every bank account she had during the 2008 banking crisis to save her business and support her staff, and her unwavering drive to push capital into the hands of female founders. She also reveals the moment she realised she’d been running on empty, and gets frank about why all women should start talking about money far sooner than we actually do. A must-listen for anyone invested in closing the gender-gaps in startup culture.

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Find out more about Jennifer and all she does: www.jennifersleblanc.com 

Quite the opposite of many of my Power Done Differently guests, Divya Gugnani never had huge aspirations growing up. Instead, all she wanted was to be a mid-level lawyer living in suburban utopia; white picket fence and all. But 60+ investments and a talent for co-founding successful start-ups are proof of her ‘accidental’ entrepreneurial story, and she’s not building that picket fence anytime soon. Listen as Divya shares her journey from proudly working 80 hour weeks at Goldman Sachs to hosting a cooking show on NBC, selling her e-commerce business to QVC for millions and co-founding Wander Beauty, a cosmetic company that specialise in multi-purpose beauty products for women constantly on the go. Divya also opens up about the personal pain points behind launching Wander, why she’s slow to hire and quick to fire, and how taking investment can be like a marriage without divorce. Honest and down to earth, Divya’s episode is well worth a download for anyone who doubts their own risk-taking abilities. You too can achieve great things.

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Save some time on your morning routine: www.wanderbeauty.com

Deliberate, brazen and direct, Anna Soubry is one of the most outspoken figures in UK politics, and yet she’s also someone who refuses to get her fingers dirty in the cesspits of populist extremism. In this week’s Power Done Differently episode, the former barrister, journalist, MP and Government Minister joins me as we dissect the decline, and tribalisation, of the Liberal Democrat party, the Remain side’s failure to use emotion when campaigning for a second EU referendum, and why women in political offices are both criminally underrepresented, and then over-scrutinised. Anna also shares her experience of abuse, harassment and death threats in the wake of fellow MP Jo Cox’s murder. Unapologetic yet empathetic throughout, Anna showcases a brand of political leader who we’ve not seen much of in recent years. It makes you wonder, where have all the good ones gone? An antidote to our polarised political climate, listen now for a much-needed dose of sensibility and reason.

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Everybody watches porn. Nobody talks about watching porn. Former BBH America Chair Cindy Gallop is adamant that this needs to change, and since her 2009 Ted Talk on socialising sex went viral, she’s been driving the discourse on that area we’re all the “most f*cked up” about. The Founder of the world’s first crowdsourced social sex platform, Make Love Not Porn, Cindy is a fierce advocate for everyone knowing the difference between sex and porn. In this week’s Power Done Differently episode, Cindy and I delve into the desperate need for equal representation in the creative direction of pornography, the toxic monopoly of sites like Pornhub, and her own struggles in getting investment due to society's love / hate relationship with ‘adult content’.  Assertive, ardent and extraordinarily engaging, this episode should be required listening for anyone who watches porn (ok, that’s practically everyone) or has a vested interest in their own sexual self worth (er, yep, should be practically everyone too). Listen now.

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Discover Cindy: www.cindygallop.com 
Join the social sex revolution: www.makelovenotporn.tv