The Crossroad

Our guest this week is Rachael Dean, an illustrator best known for bringing to life the beloved stories of Dame Jacqueline Wilson.

Rachael’s journey has been anything but straightforward. From long nights sketching in her childhood bedroom to being headhunted by Penguin Random House, her path has been shaped by persistence, family support, and a belief in manifestation. Within just a few years, she went from struggling freelance artist to illustrating for one of the UK’s most iconic children’s authors - a dream she unknowingly set in motion as a child herself. Rachael opens up about the realities of freelance life, from its unpredictability to the importance of resilience, savings, and diversifying income. She also shares how connection, both with children at events and through her own family, continues to inspire her creativity.

This is a conversation about art, self-belief, navigating crossroads, and the joy of creating stories that shape childhoods.

If you enjoyed this episode, please click follow. It means the world and allows us to keep creating. You can also follow us on Instagram ⁠@thecrossroadpod⁠.

And a big shout out to Prism Studios - the team behind the episode you are hearing today!

Hayley’s story is one of resilience and reinvention.

Originally on the path to midwifery, a rejection at university pushed her in a different direction. One that would eventually lead her to national television, festivals across the UK, and the launch of her own cake business and community projects.In this conversation, Hayley shares how baking became more than a career: a way to connect people, lift spirits, and create lasting memories.

From lockdown scrubs-making to food festivals, she talks about the lessons learned at life’s crossroads - resilience, kindness, and the joy of building something bigger than yourself. This is a conversation about determination, creativity, and why a slice of cake can sometimes mean so much more than just dessert!

If you enjoyed this episode, please click follow. It means the world and allows us to keep creating.

You can also follow us on Instagram ⁠@thecrossroadpod⁠

And a big shout out to Prism Studios - the team behind the episode you are hearing today!

Our guest this week is Bec Johnston, head of marketing at Wathall's - The Funeral Directors and founder of her own creative consultancy for independent funeral directors.

Bec’s story is not one of straight lines. At 22, a family tragedy changed her entire outlook on life and pulled her into the family business, a path she never imagined taking. Nine years later, she is at the forefront of reimagining what funerals can be: colourful, personal, and truly reflective of the lives we celebrate.

Bec shares how her creative vision and emotional openness are reshaping an industry often clouded in taboo. She also opens up about her own crossroads, stepping away from the family business to launch a new chapter supporting funeral directors nationwide. This is a conversation about grief, life, legacy and the power of talking openly about the one thing that affects us all: death.

If you enjoyed this episode, please click follow. It means the world and allows us to keep creating. You can also follow us on Instagram ⁠@thecrossroadpod⁠.

And a big shout out to Prism Studios — the team behind the episode you are hearing today!

This week’s guest is UK’s leading life coach, bestselling author, and mindset powerhouse Jacqueline Hurst.

Her story is not one of overnight success but one of deep transformation.From living in a squat and battling addiction, to becoming clean, sober, and building a 20-year career helping over 9,000 clients, Jacqueline shares the raw truth of what it takes to rebuild a life with purpose.

With her trademark warmth and grit, she unpacks the pivotal moments that shaped her into one of the most sought-after life coaches in the country.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, lost, or unsure of your next step, this is the episode that will remind you that rock bottom isn’t the end; it’s often the start!If you enjoyed this episode, please click follow. It means the world and allows us to keep creating!

You can also follow us on Instagram ⁠@thecrossroadpod⁠    

And a big shout-out to Prism Studios - the team behind the episode you’re hearing today!

Our guest this week is the brilliantly talented illustrator, author and creative force behind Murphy’s Sketches: Kerri Cunningham.

From growing up with a passion for art to navigating the twists and turns of motherhood, mental health, and running her own creative business, Kerri’s journey is as inspiring as it is honest. She shares openly about overcoming postnatal anxiety, supporting her son’s autism diagnosis, and the power of building a career from your kitchen table. This is a story of resilience, creativity, and finding your voice - one sketch at a time.

If you enjoyed this episode, please click follow. It means the world and allows us to keep creating! You can also follow us on Instagram ⁠@thecrossroadpod

You can also follow Kerri on Instagram ⁠@murphys_sketches

And a big shout-out to Prism Studios - the team behind the episode you’re hearing today!

Our guest this week is none other than international speaker, best selling author and High Performance Podcast Host: Professor Damian Hughes. With any crossroad, this one is not a tale of overnight success. Far from it. Damian takes us right back to a 14 year old lad, living in Manchester, with family roots and values that have shaped the person he has become today. An awe inspiring journey on the impact of growing up around high performance that will provide life lessons on how to face into challenge and become the best version of yourself.

If you would like to donate to an amazing cause, please follow the link to The School Coat Charity. Damian is a Trustee and discusses the power of this organisation during this episode:  https://theschoolcoatcharity.co.uk/about-us/ 

If you enjoyed this episode, please click follow. It means the world and allows us to keep creating! You can also follow us on Instagram @thecrossroadpod

This episode comes with a trigger warning regarding baby loss.

Loneliness and grief juxtaposed by an incredible fearlessness, resilience and inner strength; this week is a powerful and important conversation Rachel Aitken has with author and practising midwife, Sophie Martin – more popularly known to her huge network of followers as @the.infertile.midwife.

In this candid, emotional and raw conversation, Sophie shares with Rachel her journey from working in a busy London hospital for ten years – delivering thousands of healthy babies – whilst desperately wanting her own family. Sophie discusses her seven rounds of IVF treatment, which inspired her memoir: The Infertile Midwife. Sophie also speaks extensively about infertility, baby loss and to her four precious babies….to Cecil and Wilfred who never made it home; and to Percy and Jemima, who did.

What can we do to support a loved one going through fertility treatment? What is the right and the wrong things to say? Rachel asks the questions you may be worried to ask someone close to you in a similar position, so you don’t have to.

If you enjoyed this episode, please click follow – we have so many great guests like Sophie, you won’t want to miss out!

You can also follow us on Instagram @thecrossroadpod

How on earth does a lad from Edinburgh become a British Olympic athlete?! With accolades including three times world medallist, six times European medallist, 2021 Olympic finalist in Tokyo, 2022 Commonwealth Champion and 2018 bronze medallist; Rachel Aitken sits down with professional diver, James Heatley, to unveil the secrets behind achieving an Olympic career.

In this candid conversation, James opens up about the regime of training, his unique family link to the swimming pool and how his experience of the Tokyo Olympics was different to others.

James discusses how he is currently at his own crossroad, suffering from burnout and why he believes it effected the past three years prep into the recently Olympic games in Paris.

Our mind is suitably blown by the amount James has already achieved at such a young age and the current crossroad he faces. We of course had to lower the tone slightly and ask for the Olympic village tea when the competition is over…

If you enjoyed this episode, please click follow – we have so many great guests like James,

you wont want to miss out!

You can also follow us on Instagram @thecrossroadpod

Music track: Milkshake by Balynt
Source: ⁠⁠https://freetouse.com/music/⁠⁠

https://www.instagram.com/balyntmusic/https://spoti.fi/3trRrSkhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy7vyjdJTHm6M7zYHEXX21Qhttps://apple.co/3QIgbk1

Tenacious, fun, confident, raw, open and hilarious – this week, Rachel sits down with curve model, body confidence coach and content creator Sophie Hughes to talk how giving life saving surgery to Sophie’s 10 week old nephew changed her world over night.

Sophie shares her crossroad being completely unplanned, as she went from a size 6 super model to a size 16 curve model in the aftermath of surgery. She delves into how much she hated her new body and the steps she has taken to work on her own healing.

In the making of this episode, across from Rachel sits a very confident young woman, in the best place she’s ever been. However, Sophie is not shy to explain the road to recovery to get to the place she is now in today. Rachel and Sophie talk about how we can support the next generation of young people, what to say and what to do to empower body positivity. It is a conversation not to be missed and one that will leave you inspired and equipped to support the body confidence movement.

You can also follow us on Instagram @thecrossroadpod

Music track: Milkshake by Balynt

https://www.instagram.com/balyntmusic/https://spoti.fi/3trRrSkhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy7vyjdJTHm6M7zYHEXX21Qhttps://apple.co/3QIgbk1

Growing up in a space where you feel like you don’t fit in; feeling like a fish out of water around your own loved ones, Jaxon Feely opens up about transitioning from female to male over the course of the last three years…all the while still working in a male prison as an officer. Mind blown?!

This conversation is a reminder that we all carry wonderful complexities that make us unique, and despite appearances, preferences and differences, to experience life as your true authentic self – is the greatest privilege of all.

If you enjoyed this episode, please click follow – we have so many great guests like Jax, you won’t want to miss out!

You can also follow us on Instagram @thecrossroadpod

Music track: Milkshake by Balynt

https://www.instagram.com/balyntmusic/https://spoti.fi/3trRrSkhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy7vyjdJTHm6M7zYHEXX21Qhttps://apple.co/3QIgbk1