Spoke

👌🏼✌🙌🏼 A bit of a different one this week to close out Season 1 as I'm joined by...no-one! It's just me. I thought a nice way to close out season 1 would be to answer some of the questions from you, the audience. So I hope you enjoy this brief episode. I'm currently busy in the throes of planning Season 2 and already have 4 interviews booked for the coming weeks. Season 2 will most likely launch later in the year but I'll announce on Instagram closer to the time (www.instagram.com/spokepodcast).

Thanks for listening! Enjoy the final show of Season 1!

Please ensure you're subscribed to the show that way you'll never miss an episode. Additionally if you're enjoying the podcast it would mean the world to me if you could leave us a rating ⭐️ and review ✍️ on Apple Podcasts or wherever you happen to be listening!

⚡️🎙⚡️ Ben Mudge is in the hot seat as my guest this week. Ben is a Personal Trainer, Cystic Fibrosis advocate and Instagram legend (www.instagram.com/BenMudge_) from Northern Ireland. You might know Ben as the NI version of Thor because of his uncanny resemblance to the Avengers character.

In this show we talk about how Ben sort of unintentionally because an CF advocate and how he's now an inspiration to tens of thousands of people. Ben also shares about some of his self-confessed nerdy obsessions including warhammer and his detailed knowledge of the swords from Lord of the Rings.

If you're interested in connecting with Ben to find out more the best places to do that are on his instagram (@BenMudge_) or his website www.benmudge.com

🚨 During the show Ben mentions the importance of becoming an organ donor. Please, please take the time to research how to register for this in your country. A simple search for something like "register to be an organ donor in " should get you started. You could be saving lives! 🚨

Thanks for listening! Enjoy the show!

Please ensure you're subscribed to the show that way you'll never miss an episode. Additionally if you're enjoying the podcast it would mean the world to me if you could leave us a rating ⭐️ and review ✍️ on Apple Podcasts or wherever you happen to be listening!

🏝🚨⚡️ Kyle Gawley is my guest on the podcast this week. Kyle is the founder of Get Invited (ticketing and events company) and Get Started (business launchpad). Kyle currently lives and works as a digital nomad which means he travels the world while running his business from wherever the place has just touched down. When I catch up with Kyle he's been in Thailand for a few months and runs his businesses remotely from there.

In the episode we talk about what it's like being a digital nomad, how Kyle launched his business while still at University and some of the challenges he experienced along the way. Kyle shares some of the trials, tribulations and successes of what it means to be an entrepreneur.

If you're interested in knowing more about Get Started you can visit www.letsgetstarted.io

Kyle also has an incredibly rich blog with tonnes of great articles available at www.kylegawley.com. You can also connect with him on Twitter (www.twitter.com/kylegawley).

Thanks for listening! Enjoy the show!

Please ensure you're subscribed to the show that way you'll never miss an episode. Additionally if you're enjoying the podcast it would mean the world to me if you could leave us a rating ⭐️ and review ✍️ on Apple Podcasts or wherever you happen to be listening!

⚡️💯🚨 Christian Zeron from Theo & Harris is in the hot-seat this week. Theo & Harris is a luxury, vintage-watch dealer and watch content producer. You can check out all of Theo & Harris' watches on their website and you should for sure check out their YouTube channel. Christian started Theo & Harris instead of going to law school...much to his parents dismay. Since seeing his success they've come around to the idea a lot more and his dad Rolly even features in one of his regular video series, "Liquor Run".

In this episode you'll hear about why watches are more than just devices to tell the time. To Christian they're steeped in history, tradition and special memories. You'll also get a bit of insight on how Christian got around to founding Theo & Harris and learn a little something about watches!

You can connect with Christian personally on Instagram. You can of course also connect with Theo & Harris on Instagram and Youtube and check out their website for a beautifully curated selection of watches and accessories.

Enjoy!

Please ensure you're subscribed to the show that way you'll never miss an episode. Additionally if you're enjoying the podcast it would mean the world to me if you could leave us a rating ⭐️ and review ✍️ on Apple Podcasts or wherever you happen to be listening!

⚡️👌🏼🚨 Tony Macaulay takes time out from overseeing his life being turned into a legitimate musical to join me on the podcast this week. For those who don't know Tony, he is an author of 4 books which are memoirs documenting his experiences as a child and young adult growing up in North Belfast. In our conversation we talk about the series of events that led to Tony's first book, Paperboy, being turned into a muscial. We talk about some of Tony's most formative memories growing up and one of his personal heroes Gordon Wilson.

Whilst Tony is possibly best known for being an author and broadcaster he is also an internationally renowned leadership development practitioner and peacebuilder and a passionate advocate for suicide prevention. We cover all of this and more during our conversation.

You're not going to want to miss this one. You can pick Tony's book up in all good bookstores and in all the usual places online and I'd highly recommend it! You can also connect with Tony on Twitter (@tonymacaulay) and Instagram (@tony.macaulayauthor). If you can get tickets to his almost sold out show, Paperboy I'd also encourage it if the book is anything to go by!

Please ensure you're subscribed to the show that way you'll never miss an episode. Additionally if you're enjoying the podcast it would mean the world to me if you could leave us a rating ⭐️ and review ✍️ on Apple Podcasts or wherever you happen to be listening!

This week we're joined by Jess Janz. Jess is a creative currently residing in Toronto, Canada. Alongside being a talented singer/songwriter and poet, a number of months ago Jess along with her cofounder Ryan started a dinner series called Share Plates (@shareplatestoronto on Insta). Share Plates invites strangers to have dinner, drinks and conversations together. What's the catch? You're not allowed to talk about work...that's it! Share Plates invites people to go past the superficial and into the things that actually matter through a series of thought-provoking questions. Jess shares a little about what an evening at a Share Plates dinner is like.

If you haven't connected with Jess the best place to do that is on Instagram @jessjanz. You can also follow her poetry account (recommended!) @visitjessjanz. Aside from that Share Plates can be found @shareplatestoronto

Thanks for taking the time to listen. If you enjoyed the episode it would mean a lot if you could take the time to review it and leave a rating. As always you can connect with us on Instagram or Twitter @SpokePodcast

See you next week!

Matthew Thompson is in the hot-seat as our esteemed guest this week. For those of you who are familiar with Matthew you probably know him from Best of Belfast, which started out as an Instagram account dedicated to showing the hidden beauty in everyday Belfast. Since it's beginnings as an Instagram account it's sprouted wings and taken on a new life as a Podcast and a community that hosts regular gatherings, dragging people from the digital into the tangible. This is Matthew's first time being the interviewee and I'm glad he chose to share his experience with the Spoke community.

Matthew shares some of the stories involved in starting a community online and what it's like to try and take that community offline. He talks us through how he had 3 simple rules for his life:

1) Not getting married

2) Not going to university

3) Not living in Northern Ireland

...and how he has since reneged on each of these.

If you haven't connected with Matthew check him out on Instagram (@BestofBelfast) check out his podcast and website at (www.bestofbelfast.org). The whole premise of Best of Belfast podcast is to showcase and highlight local legends and Matthew does this perfectly. The episode he recommended you check out was his most recent (at time of recording) with Gavan Wall. My personal favourite is the live recorded episode with Dillon Osborne but they're all great!

Thanks for taking the time to listen! If you enjoyed the episode it would mean a lot if you could take the time to review the episode and as always you can follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

This week on the show I am joined by Lyra McKee (@lyramckee). Lyra is an award winning investigative journalist, an author who is working on two books due to be published in the next two years, a TEDx speaker (watch it here) and a winner of the Forbes 30 under 30 honour. Lyra and I discuss things like what investigative journalism is, some of the pieces she has investigated, her thoughts on the state of journalism and why some cases or issues don't get attention while others do. According to her granny Lyra was destined to be a writer but she didn't have the easiest ride to get there. Lyra struggled with reading and writing growing up and as a result of some inspirational people in her life and a tonne of internal fortitude she broke through and was rewarded with a two-book deal. Join me as I chat with Lyra McKee.

This week on the podcast we sit down with the wonderful Mel Wiggins (@melwiggins on twitter and insta). Mel is the founder of Assembly a community for creative women in Northern Ireland that holds a series of curated events series of curated events. She’s also the co-founder and project leader for Freedom Acts a charity focussed on working with those caught up in human trafficking. We talk a fair bit about that in this episode. As if that wasn’t enough Mel is also a prolific ethical living advocate and she helps others live more ethically too. She talks about ethical fashion, ethical living and sustainability on her blog and through her free e-course available here.

Introduction to my brand new podcast Spoke.

Spoke is all about deep conversations with interesting people about subjects that matter. Each week during season 1 we'll bring you a long-form interview with someone interesting and you can learn a little about what makes them tick.

Want to keep up to date with when we launch please subscribe and follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@spokepodcast). On our social channels we'll be posting teasers for our upcoming episodes and guests.