In this episode, your hosts, Lisa and Islay, are joined by Chris Pollard to reflect on the stories shared by our storytellers throughout the year. We look back on some key themes by playing a hashtag game.

Join us as we revisit stories that left their marks on our listeners and us. Each storyteller makes us feel a roller coaster of emotions as they share their lessons learnt.  The twist for this episode is to think about which hashtags best relate to which story.

As we sum up, we decided to share our positive hashtags for 2023. Chris chose #community #volunteer and #helpothers, while Lisa looks forward to a #hopeful year ahead. Lastly, Islay left us with a #takeaction cue to #startsmall and an affirmation #icaniwill.

Thank you for joining us this year, and we hope you will join us when we return in 2023.

Gifted with persuasion and entrepreneurial skills at a young age, Jemma shares the story of how she transitioned from being an employee to creating a business of her own. With encouragement from the people around her - who motivated and inspired her - she let go of her doubts and created something for herself.

In this month's episode, we meet with Jemma Fairclough-Haynes, CEO of the global award-winning business Orchard Employment Law. With over a decade of experience in Employment Law, Jemma has represented businesses of various sizes in employment tribunals across the UK in many different types of claims. Aside from that, Jemma is also the Federation of Small Business (FSB) Area Leader for Kent and Medway and governor at a local school.

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay discuss the importance of being a leader while starting a new team and understanding your value when starting a business. We also discuss the importance of family in building a business mindset.

Jemma's website is https://www.orchardemploymentlaw.co.uk/  and you can connect with her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jemmafairclough-haynes/

Kimi Crochets: https://www.instagram.com/kimi_krochets/

"I was 50, wasn't ready to be old," is how this month’s storyteller Alice Yeates starts her story. From being a nurse to becoming the patient herself, suffering a period of life-threatening illness, and working hard to restore her health, Alice knew that her calling is in Nutritional Therapy, and to help others.

In this month's episode, we meet with Alice Yeates, a diabetes specialist, and nutritional therapist. Her goal is to help people develop healthier lifestyles and overcome chronic illnesses as they age.

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay discuss the importance of focusing on one's health instead of age and making small changes to create a big difference. We also discuss types of diabetes and tips on managing and identifying symptoms of Type II diabetes.

Alice's website is https://www.aliceyeatesnutrition.co.uk

Connect with her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-yeates-55831962/

“It doesn’t matter what people say, what matters is what you believe,” says our storyteller this month. This belief helped her rise above her fears, break free from a toxic relationship and carve out a new life for herself and her daughter. With only a big dream to hold onto, no money, no qualification, and no support - she paved her way to becoming who she is now.

In this month's episode, we meet Amba Kali, a fifth-generation Vedic tantric healer, coach, mentor, and priestess from India. She is a master of energy flow and specializes in clearing energetic blocks, karma, emotional trauma, and mental obstacles.

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay discuss the importance of believing and having faith in yourself. We also discuss overcoming traumas and finding solutions for one's problems.

Amba’s website is https://www.azhagiwellness.com/, and you can connect with her via email at [email protected]. 

“The cream will always rise to the top”, says this month's guest, filmmaker and story consultant, Hax, He shares how being surrounded by amazing stories as a child instilled a deep curiosity, which later turned into a passion for storytelling through photography and filmmaking.

For Hax, purpose is everything. He combines his fondness for motorbikes and telling stories. He looks for interesting people, places and things, and learns their stories. The American flag in Romney Marsh caught his attention and is the moving story Hax shares with us (among others).

In our discussion, co-hosts Lisa and Islay discuss the importance of telling stories in business, the recipe for creating videos which resonate with the audience, and of keeping history alive.

Hax is the owner and CEO of Prisma Broadcast Limited, a communications agency which works with organizations to help them tell their brand stories www.prismabroadcast.com

Connect with Hax on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/haxfilmmaker/

You can watch Hax’s video about Lieutenant William H. Johnson at www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJYoJtCKrwI Don’t forget to subscribe to his channel!

“Living your purpose is the first step to creating an impact” believes Martin White, a business entrepreneur and founder of Green Business Hub, and host of the business radio show Biz Connect.

In this episode, Martin described how his early marketing career “ as a suit” helped him grow the Green Business Hub, whose mission is to inform and encourage companies to adopt more sustainable practices and choices.

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay discuss the significance and the role of passion, purpose, mindset, and small steps in starting something big like having your own business, or in Martin's case, a company that aims to create a sustainable future for the business world.

We also discuss Earth Overshoot Day on July 28, how organizations can reduce their carbon footprints, and how every individual has the power to better their homes, businesses, and communities by making even the most minor action.

This episode is packed with tips, takeaways and key learnings.

Martin’s website is https://greenbusinesshub.eco/ and you can connect with him on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinpaulwhite/.

Earth Overshoot Day 28th July at https://www.overshootday.org

Looking back to a terrifying work situation that still haunts her to date, Katrina learned to self-protect and grow up more resilient than her younger self 16 years ago.

In this month's episode, we meet with Katrina Festorazzi, founder of Fast2Foto Commercial Photography based in Medway, Kent, who has a background in law. 

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay discuss the importance of evidence and logical thinking in difficult situations. We also discuss navigating the way out of a difficult situation, full of red flags that cause panic and anxiety, especially for young professionals.

This episode is packed with tips, takeaways, and key learnings.

Connect with Katrina on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-festorazzi-950504103/.

Fast2Foto is a commercial photography and videography service that works with small, medium, and large businesses, helping them with their visuals https://www.fast2foto.co.uk/ 

How a box of old letters and memorabilia opens up a door to unlocking her mum's sorrowful, and plaintive past, and what we resist, persists.

In this month’s episode, we meet Hilary Lees, a Leadership Coach, and Trainer who specializes in helping leaders build their resilience and their soft people skills to create mentally healthy workplace cultures where both people and performance flourish.

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay discuss how saboteurs arise as a child and resilience develops throughout the years. We also discuss mental health, and how issues experienced as a child affects one's behaviour into adulthood.

This episode is packed with tips, takeaways and key learnings.

Hilary’s website iswww.theresilienceconsultancy.com and you can connect with her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilaryleescpcc/

In this episode, our storyteller Jay Sahota shares a very personal experience about being bullied in the workplace. He talks candidly about how it affected him at the time, what he learned about himself, and how this experience shapes the values he brings into his own company today.

Jay is the senior partner of Jarmans Solicitors. He read law at Cambridge and trained with Allen & Overy before spending several years at city firms as a commercial litigation lawyer.

Hosts Lisa and Islay, learned that no matter who you are or what you do, bullies will always find their way to get into your mind. Through the discussion, we share some tips on how to rebuild and look after yourself if you experience bullying in the workplace.

This episode is a touching story, packed with lessons, tips, and key learnings.

Jay can be found on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/jaysahota

You can also reach him via email at [email protected]

Or check out Jarmans Solicitors’ website at jarmanssolicitors.co.uk

How a single journey outward with one suitcase led to a return journey for four, plus a 40ft container and a car…

In this month’s episode we meet Linda Garcia, an internationally experienced productivity specialist. Linda shares her experiences of working abroad in Chile, as well as Eastern Europe and South Africa.

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay consider how different cultures around the world vary in their working practices and productivity.  We also discuss which KPIs should be used to measure productivity, homeworking and office working, and much more.

This episode is packed with tips, takeaways and key learnings.

Linda Garcia can be found here: https://www.alluxi.co.uk 

The scorecard, a quick and free way to uncover the hidden opportunity in your business, can be found here Alluxi Business Success Scorecard –