Blaire Palmer is one of the UK's top leadership coaches, a best selling author and a keynote speaker. She works with organisations and individuals to help them drive real change in their businesses and create places where people can come and do their best work.

In this episode, Blaire talks to Nicola Sands about the many challenges of leadership in an ever-changing landscape as well as the incredible opportunities that are currently presenting themselves.

The world has changed so much in recent years that if we want to create a vibrant company where our people are solving complex problems, stepping up and taking ownership and giving us the edge in a tough market, we need to rethink what it means to lead today.

This insightful conversation explores how to engage and motivate people, how to improve retention, attract the right talent and confidently lead through change.

Blaire draws on her real experiences working with businesses across different sectors to present a new kind of leadership that is based on authentic human connection, trust, empowerment and continual innovation.

If leadership is part of your role, this is a conversation you won't want to miss!

You can purchase Blaire's book with this link https://amzn.to/4lE3NRp

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Produced by Applehead Media Creative Studios - develop your own video podcast with us:

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email - [email protected]

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00:00 Intro to Blaire Palmer

02:10 How I started my career

06:46 The people I work with

10:02 How leadership is changing

16:08 Working from home

20:20 The importance of connection

25:00 Stop thinking, just do

29:00 Women in male industries

33:30 Avoiding burnout

36:00 The new opportunities

39:00 Presenting yourself

43:31 Plans for the future

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Diane Watson is an award-winning entrepreneur, leading financial advisor and best selling-author.

In this episode, Diane talks about her own path to success and how sheer determination and focus took her from humble beginnings to tremendous success in a male dominated environment.

Diane has been a practising financial planner since 1994 and grown a successful business whilst balancing family life. She understands first hand the challenges and pitfalls of being a successful female leader and also how it can feel to to show up and shine at work feeling financially secure.

With an unshakable belief in empowering women to achieve financial independence, Diane has dedicated her career to guiding individuals towards a secure and prosperous future and opens up to Nicola about some of the main pitfalls to look out for.

Through her career, Diane has seen first hand far too many women abdicate responsibility for their finances to their partners. The realisation that many women were being severely impacted by their lack of knowledge or input into shaping their financial future was the catalyst to write her book, 'She Can Prosper' and to create a whole ecosystem of events and resources around it.

This episode is packed with value and insights and if you've been sleeping on your finances, you won't want to miss it. As Diane says, 'money is a cruel mistress' who needs constant attention. Learn how to take control of your finances and your future self will be forever grateful.

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Produced by Applehead Media Creative Studios - make your own video podcast with us:

www.appleheadmedia.co.uk

Follow Diane on Socials

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https://www.shecanprosper.com

https://www.youtube@SheCanProsper

Diane's book: "She Can Prosper" available on Amazon

00:00 Intro to Diane Watson

01:36 Starting out in finance

03:54 Career Path

05:39 Starting my own company in finance

09:40 Networking

10:40 Work life balance

13:33 Selling the business

15:51 Surround yourself with the right people

21:48 No longer the boss

26:10 The little things that add up with finance planning

30:08 Winning an award

30:40 Helping women with finances

38:30 Hopes for the future

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In this episode, Nicola is joined by Innovations and Growth Specialist Gillian Kavanagh. Gillian is an experienced entrepreneur who currently works for Innovate UK to help ambitious business owners who want to innovate and grow.

Gillian has a rich background when it comes to spotting talent in the business world and has helped the careers of some very well known entrepreneurs including Alexander McQueen and Jimmy Choo.

She is passionate about helping founders to flourish, protect and monetise their ideas and increase their revenues.

Gillian's work for Innovate UK enables her to support a wide range of businesses and entrepreneurs with access to funding, information and advice. In this interview, Gillian talks about her work helping business owners, how she believes these are THE most exciting times to be an entrepreneur and why you need to make sure you've taken some key actions to make sure you keep ownership of your ideas.

Disclaimer: All support information discussed in this podcast was accurate at the time of recording.

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LinkedIn - Nicola Sands

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Follow Gillian on Socials

LinkedIn - Gillian Kavanagh

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In this inspiring episode of  @SuccessMeansBusiness  Sands delves into he remarkable journey of Carole Nash OBE, a trailblazer in the motorcycle insurance industry. Known for her innovative approach and commitment to customer service, Carole has transformed the way motorcycle insurance is perceived and delivered.

The conversation explores Carole's early life and how it shaped her career path, the initial challenges she faced and the pivotal moments that led her to establish her own insurance company.

Carole shares the story behind the founding of Carole Nash Insurance, detailing the strategies she employed to build a brand synonymous with trust and reliability in motorcycle insurance.

This episode highlights Carole's innovative contributions to motorcycle insurance including unique policy offerings and customer engagement strategies that set her apart from competitors.

As an OBE recipient, Carole's impact extends beyond business and she talks about her contributions to the community and the world of music and theatre. Her work as a philanthropist underlines her core belief that success is not just measured by financial success but also by having a positive influence on the world around you.

This episode reflects on key takeaways from Carole's journey that aspiring entrepreneurs can apply in their own ventures. Her story serves as a powerful reminder that determination, innovation and a customer-first mindset are essential ingredients for success in an industry.

Join Nicola and Carol for this engaging conversation filled with valuable insights from one of the most influential figures in motorcycle insurance.

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In this episode, Nicola Sands meets Jess Paul - a dynamic professional actor and branding strategist who has taken the LinkedIn world by storm!

In just a few weeks she has amassed thousands of followers and continues to captivate audiences with her unique insights and engaging content. But Jess is more than just a LinkedIn sensation, she's a marketing powerhouse. Leveraging her unique background in showbusiness and PR, Jess helps CEOs and founders to craft their own personal brands that not only resonate by also create opportunities.

Her strategic approach combines the art of storytelling with cutting-edge marketing techniques making her an invaluable resource for anyone looking to elevate their brand presence.

Join us as we dive into Jess's journey, uncovering the secrets behind her rapid rise on social media and how she helps leaders shine in their industry.

Get ready for an inspiring conversation that will ignite your passion for personal branding!

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In this episode of  @SuccessMeansBusiness  Nicola Sands sits down with David Murray - a highly skilled negotiator who has agreed hundreds of media deals with the biggest sports federations in the world.

For 15 years David was Head Of Sports Rights at the BBC where he negotiated multi million pound deals with major sports rights holders like the Olympics, the Football Association and Formula One.

In recent years he has advised both sports federations and broadcasters on sports rights and strategy and he also works with Shoosmiths as a Broadcast and Negotiation Consultant.

David applies the many lessons he has learned over the years to teach negotiation at Liverpool University and VSI Executive Education as a private negotiation coach and advisor. He has written two books on the subject and he believes that negotiation skills should be taught in schools.

In this episode, David shares some incredible insights into the tried and tested methods he has used to seal multi million pound deals and explains how they can be applied in all areas of business and life.

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Welcome to another wisdom-packed episode of the @successmeansbusiness podcast with me, Nicola Sands.

This episode features the fabulous Rob Sethna - an Entrepreneur and Business Coach with 30 years experience in the Creative Sector.

After running his own successful businesses, Rob now works for Manchester Growth Company and has helped hundreds of creative businesses in the North West to grow and thrive.

I sat down with Rob to talk about all the challenges that creative entrepreneurs face when trying to scale their business. How do you get clients? How do you set your pricing? What are the most common mistakes?

Wherever you are on your business growth journey, Rob's advice is invaluable.

I hope you like it!

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Applehead Media (own business): appleheadmedia.co.uk

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Few detectives could claim to match Bob Taylor's incredible record. His 30 year career saw him head nearly 50 investigations where every killer, rapist and kidnapper he hunted ended up behind bars.

In this episode he tells Nicola Sands how this amazing legacy in the police force owes much to his dogged determination and ability to enter the minds of the criminals he tracked.

The high profile cases he worked on include arrogant killer Michael Sams, murderer of Julie Dart and kidnapper of Stephanie Slater who boasted that nobody could catch him.

Early in his career when he was a sergeant, he also worked on the Yorkshire Ripper case and recalls the chaos and bungling that delayed his capture.

Bob headed up the investigation into the murder of Wakefield mum Wendy Speakes and the forensic police work he oversaw on that case led to the capture and conviction of the brutal perpetrator.

This is a rare insight into the mindset of an exceptional detective who instinctively knew how to catch a killler.

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Ex footballer, Entrepreneur and TV Star Joe Sealey talks candidly to Nicola Sands about his life story, the huge challenges he's faced and his determination to overcome them.

Born into a family with a rich legacy in football, Joe is the son of Manchester United footballing legend Les Sealey.  

A talented footballer in his own right, Joe was signed by West Ham and a promising career beckoned until two devastating events changed the course of his life forever.

Over the years, Joe has battled addiction and mental health but a chance meeting in a nightclub saved him from personal destruction.

These days Joe is a businessman and a cast member on 'The Real Housewives of Cheshire' - a globally televised show seen in 36 countries.

Joe's experiences have given him a unique perspective on addiction and recovery as well as the worlds of football, business and TV. His story is one of resilience, determination and the importance of sharing the reality behind the glamour.

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Journalist Nicola Sands meets Dan Scott, one of the UK's leading eyewear stylists who styles people 'from the neck upwards'

Featured in the prestigious Financial Times (FT) Dan is quickly becoming a rising star in the optics industry. With a vision to shake up the world of eyewear styling, he is gaining recognition for his unique perspective and fresh ideas.

The former pop star's journey to success is nothing short of inspiring. Driven by a passion for stylish and functional eyewear, Dan has travelled the world to seek out the most stylish trends and refine his innovative approach.

As he continues to gain momentum in the industry, Dan Scott's transformative styling method is increasingly resonating with consumers looking for something beyond traditional eyewear options. His dedication to pushing boundaries and challenging norms is setting him apart as a visionary in the field of optics.

This episode will ensure you never buy glasses in the same way again! @successmeansbuisness

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