The Alternative Leader Podcast

Leadership, innovation and scaling a business are at the core of building companies that shape entire industries.

In this episode, Mari Williams is joined by Jamie Urquhart, co-founder of ARM Holdings, the company behind the chip architecture used in over 99% of the world’s smartphones.

Jamie shares his journey from engineer to building one of the most influential technology companies globally, reflecting on the leadership decisions, strategic thinking and personal challenges involved in scaling ARM from inception to IPO on NASDAQ and the London Stock Exchange.

He offers insight into what it takes to grow a business of global importance, from innovation and ecosystem building to navigating high-stakes decisions at scale.

Following his time at ARM, Jamie became an angel investor and later a Venture Partner at Pond Venture Partners, working with early-stage companies across semiconductors, communications, wireless and software.

This is a rare conversation about leadership, technology and building something that underpins the modern world.

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn:
 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-urquhart-5427084/

Find out more about Mari: www.mari-williams.com

Connect with Mari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariwilliams/

Gabriela Rosa is a world-renowned fertility specialist, author, and reproductive health educator. Gabriela is the founder and director of the Rosa Institute—an organization dedicated to helping couples create healthy babies, despite previous reproductive challenges. Since 2001 Gabriela and her team of clinicians blend evidence-based science into a holistic, supportive, and education-focused approach to fertility treatment. 

Her proven and effective methodology (shown to deliver a 78.8% live birth rate when other treatments have failed) is the underlying foundation of all of Gabriela’s signature programs. 

Gabriela and her team have now provided reproductive education and empowerment to over 140,000 couples in more than 110 countries worldwide. 

In 2021, Gabriela launched the TalkSex with Gabriela Rosa ™ podcast to educate and explore holistic conversations with other researchers and experts around desire, pleasure, and satisfaction, aiming to create a new path of self-discovery for those on and off the fertility journey.

Gabriela is a Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health awarded scholar where she pursued her Master’s in Public Health (Clinical Effectiveness) degree. 

Currently undertaking the Doctor of Public Health program at Harvard, Gabriela holds a Master of Science in Medicine (Reproductive Health and Human Genetics), a Bachelor of Health Science, and has been trained in numerous health disciplines, including naturopathy, nutrition, and botanical herbal medicine.

Gabriela’s latest book Fertility Breakthrough: Overcoming infertility and recurrent miscarriage when other treatments have failed, is available now in all quality booksellers.

For updates on Gabriela's latest initiatives, visit www.fertilitybreakthrough.com.

Social Media:

Instagram:

@fertilitybreakthrough: https://www.instagram.com/fertilitybreakthrough/

@gabrielarosafertility: https://www.instagram.com/gabrielarosafertility/

@dr.gabrielarosa: https://www.instagram.com/dr.gabrielarosa/

@gabrielarosa_talksex: https://www.instagram.com/gabrielarosa_talksex/ 

Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@naturalfertilitybreakthrou9897

Facebook:

Gabriela: https://www.facebook.com/FertilitySpecialistGabrielaRosa/

Fertility Breakthrough: https://www.facebook.com/rosainstitutefertilitybreakthrough

Tiktok:

·        https://www.tiktok.com/@gabrielarosafertility

X:

@gabrielarosa: https://x.com/gabrielarosa?s=21&t=lwWaCKsiAmQM1pGIsdMIzg

@talksexpodcast: https://x.com/talksexpodcast?s=21&t=lwWaCKsiAmQM1pGIsdMIzg

Roit is a trailblazing orchestra conductor and sought-after performance coach. 

With over two decades of experience leading world-class orchestras across Europe, Israel, and beyond, she has built a remarkable career that seamlessly integrates artistic excellence with transformative leadership development. As the founder of BHZ Consulting Group, Roit developed the MAESTRO Method,  a cutting-edge approach that applies the principles of orchestra conducting to the corporate world. Roit is celebrated as a conductor for her visionary programming, which blends classical masterpieces with world premieres by contemporary artists.  

Her collaborations with world-class soloists, choirs, and dancers have resulted in groundbreaking performances that captivate audiences of all kinds. Roit’s tenure as founder and music director of the Israeli Moshavot Chamber Orchestra highlighted her entrepreneurial spirit. 

Recognized for her achievements, Roit is the recipient of the prestigious 2nd Prize at the London Soloists Conducting Competition.  

Her career spans international stages and includes accolades for her ability to integrate cultural perspectives into her work, thanks to her deep connections within the Spanish and European music communities.  

Company website: www.bhz-group.com 

Personal website: www.roitfeldenkreis.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roit-feldenkreis/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roitfeldenkreis/ 

FB: https://www.facebook.com/roit.feldenkreis 

FB Conducting page: https://www.facebook.com/artistmentor/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@roitfeldenkreisconductor 

X (new account): https://x.com/RoitFeldenkreis 

Purpose, career direction and meaningful work are increasingly shaping how people think about leadership and long-term fulfilment.

In this episode, Anne Bailey, CEO and Co-founder of Form the Future, shares her journey from graduating from Harvard to navigating her own career uncertainty, which ultimately led her to build a not-for-profit organisation supporting young people into employment.

Anne reflects on the challenges of finding meaningful work, the role of mentorship and how self-limiting beliefs and societal expectations can shape career decisions. She offers a grounded perspective on building a purpose-driven career that creates real impact.

With a background in communications and experience running her own PR agency, Anne went on to found Form the Future after working on BT’s CSR education programme. Her work has since been recognised with the Cambridge Social Innovation Prize.

We also discuss the importance of connecting education with employment, the role of employers in supporting emerging talent and how individuals can get involved through mentoring and volunteering.

You can find Anne and Form the Future here:
 Website: www.formthefuture.org.uk

LinkedIn: (Anne Bailey)

Find out more about Mari: www.mari-williams.com

Connect with Mari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariwilliams/

Sustainable fashion, ethical business and entrepreneurship are increasingly shaping how brands are built and what they stand for.

Stacey Grant-Canham, founder of Black & Beech, shares her journey from a part-time side hustle during maternity leave to building a mission-driven fashion brand.

Inspired by personal experiences, including her father’s brain aneurysm, Stacey reflects on how integrity, feminism and sustainability became central to her work. She also speaks about her transition from academia into entrepreneurship, driven by a need for security, purpose and independence.

Black & Beech is built around ethical practices, using fashion as a form of expression and a platform for activism, while supporting positive change within the industry. Stacey discusses the realities of balancing profitability with values, the challenges of building a purpose-led business and her views on wider systemic change, including leadership and climate action.

This is a conversation about business, identity, values and creating impact through what you build.

You can follow Stacey on:
 Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Twitter

Find out more about Mari: www.mari-williams.com

Connect with Mari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariwilliams/

Perimenopause, women’s health and fitness play a significant role in both physical wellbeing and mindset, particularly for women navigating hormonal change.

Hannah Walker is a personal trainer and founder of Eton Fitness, where she works with women through her Empowered Female Programme, combining training, nutrition and education around hormones.

After experiencing first-hand how physical training can transform not only fitness but also mindset, Hannah built her business to support other women, particularly those going through perimenopause.

In this conversation, she shares the realities of starting her own business, the challenges she faced along the way and what she has learned through building something of her own.

This is a discussion about women’s health, hormones, confidence and the link between physical and mental wellbeing.

You can connect with Hannah on Instagram and Facebook

Find out more about Mari: www.mari-williams.com

Connect with Mari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariwilliams/

Gut health, the microbiome and physical wellbeing are increasingly linked to mental health, performance and long-term health outcomes.

In this episode, Goitseone Thamae shares her journey from selling fruit and vegetables as a child in Botswana to founding Evobiome, a company focused on improving health through the gut microbiome.

She speaks about her entrepreneurial path, the role of failure in shaping her mindset, and the personal health challenges that led her to focus on the microbiome, including fighting for her life in hospital with COVID and ongoing ill health.

Through her work, Goitseone explains why the gut microbiome is so important, how it affects both physical and mental health, and what practical steps people can take to improve it.

In this conversation, we also cover:
 • How early leadership experiences shape your career
 • What to do when you think you’ve failed
 • How to stop relying on antihistamines and omeprazole
 • Whether supplements are worth taking
 • Is kombucha sugary
 • How to fight a chest infection

You can find Goitseone here:
 LinkedIn

Find out more about Mari: www.mari-williams.com

Connect with Mari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariwilliams/

Breathwork, ADHD and emotional healing are increasingly being recognised as powerful tools for managing stress, improving performance and understanding ourselves more deeply.

In this episode, Mari Williams sits down with Lisa Sibley, a leading breathwork expert, to explore the connection between conscious breathing, neurodiversity and personal growth.

Lisa shares her journey of discovering her ADHD, and how breathwork became a transformative tool for emotional healing, stress regulation and clarity. She explains how conscious breathing can help clear emotional patterns, improve self-awareness and support both personal and professional development.

Working with individuals and corporate teams, Lisa combines ancient breathing practices with modern therapeutic approaches, helping clients unlock potential, reduce stress and create meaningful change. Her work focuses on the mind-body connection and has contributed to the growing global interest in breathwork and holistic wellbeing.

You can connect with Lisa here:
 LinkedIn: [add link]
 Instagram: [add link]

Find out more about Mari: www.mari-williams.com

Connect with Mari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariwilliams/

Financial independence, wealth building and money mindset are increasingly shaping how people think about work, life and long-term security.

Ken Okoroafor achieved financial freedom by the age of 34 and is co-founder of The Humble Penny, alongside his wife Mary. Together, they help individuals and families build wealth, achieve financial independence and create more choice in how they live and work.

In this conversation, Ken reflects on his childhood, the influence of his mother’s entrepreneurial mindset and the path that led him to financial independence. He shares practical insights on money, investing and the behaviours that underpin long-term financial success.

Ken and Mary are also authors of books on financial freedom and are widely recognised for their work in helping others take control of their finances.

This is a grounded and practical discussion about money, mindset and creating financial freedom.

You can find Ken here:
 The Humble Penny: https://thehumblepenny.com/about/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-okoroafor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehumblepenny/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumblePenny

Find out more about Mari: www.mari-williams.com

Connect with Mari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariwilliams/