Vanessa Vallely is someone who encompasses what true Leadership looks like and is often referred to as the ‘most well networked woman in the UK’. 

 

She grew up in a flat in Hackney with her mum, after her parents divorced while she was still a baby. Vanessa always had big dreams to work in the City from the skyline she could see from her bedroom window. From getting her first job in banking for NatWest fresh from school and being told ‘girls don’t work in banks’ and ‘you’d never get a job’, this gave her a real valuable lesson on resilience in her early career.

 

Vanessa believes it just takes one opportunity. When she returned from maternity leave, she saw a job opportunity for a PMO Manager, it was that one opportunity she says that led her up the corporate ladder that she’s flourished in for the last 25 years. She is an individual that believes in persistence and having a tenacity to get where you want to be as she puts it in her book, ‘Heels of Steel.’ Her next book is due to be released in 2022.

 

There came a point in Vanessa’s career where she started searching for her own purpose and wanted to make a real difference. Getting more women on boards, creating a voice for professional working women, having conversations about diversity within the workplace and wanting to make a difference for the younger generation. This passion and purpose led to her setting up her own networking organisation, WeAreTheCity in 2008, to help women progress in their careers. WeAreTheCity has a huge reach, with over 120,000 members! 

 

Her commitment to championing diversity & inclusion goes further than just gender. She received an OBE for Services to Women & the Economy in 2018, along with an impressive list of 22 awards for her work in finance, gender equality, entrepreneurship and charity. Vanessa is a former member of the GDS advisory board, Tech UK's Women's Council, CR-UK Women of Influence board. She has helped to raise over £1m for various charities and is also a regular speaker in schools. An accomplished global speaker and has delivered keynotes for over 600 global organisations both physically and virtually. Vanessa has been featured in over 75 news publications and is a regular guest on radio and TV.

 

www.wearethecity.com 

 

Vanessa’s book Heel’s to Steel: Surviving & Thriving in the Corporate World: Heels of Steel: Surviving & Thriving In The Corporate World: Surviving & Thriving in the Corporate World: Amazon.co.uk: Vallely, Vanessa: 9781909623118: Books

 

The Empowered Podcast from Curium Solutions is hosted by Andy Dawson and produced by Monkey Pants Productions. We’d love to hear from you. To contact us, email [email protected]

Kayam started his career in the Royal Air force as a medic, before moving on to specialise in languages, and working with various specialist units across a number of NATO countries.

During his 11 years of service, Kayam completed tours of Iraq and Afghanistan. As a British Muslim, Kayam experienced hostility and racism throughout his career in the military, but in the wake of 9/11 this extended to his home community too. 

After being medically discharged from the military in 2010 for PTSD, Kayam struggled to adjust to civilian life, at one point selling scratch cards for £6 an hour with Camelot. But it was a challenge from a cousin, coupled with Kayam’s grit and determination, that took him into the corporate world at the likes of BT and Tesco, where he achieved much success.

Kayam then went on to launch the award-winning Job OppO and OppO foundation – a community that helps former service men and women find employment and adapt back to normal civilian life. 

We talk to Kayam about the societal challenges with mental health, particularly in the military, and the importance of talking openly about how you are feeling.

We also explore how organisations can work with people with real lived experiences to help them understand about how to provide better support to their employees. 

This episode showed us the power of resilience and not being afraid to get knocked down, something Kayam has taken from his experience in the military and applied to his civilian career and OppO, all with a purpose of helping others. 

The Empowered Podcast from Curium Solutions is hosted by Andy Dawson and produced by Monkey Pants Productions. We’d love to hear from you. To contact us, email [email protected]

Job OppO: www.joboppo.co.uk 

OppO Foundation: www.theoppofoundation.com 

Samaritans: www.samaritans.org

Mind: www.mind.org.uk 

Jacqueline de Rojas, is a woman who has risen to the very top of her sector. She is president of TechUK, which represents 950 companies, chair of Digital Leaders, a board member of Rightmove, Costain and AO World, and is part of the government’s Digital Economy Council.

But it’s fair to say this impressive lady has had her fair share of obstacles along the way.  Growing up with challenges at home, Jacqueline threw herself into school as her escapism, eventually leading her to Germany, where she completed her degree in European Business. 

After a longed-for career as a newscaster for the BBC didn’t happen, Jacqueline landed a job in tech in the 1990’s, at this time very much a male dominated world. Once told “we simply don’t put women on the leadership team”, Jacqueline went on to work in leadership roles for many blue-chip companies, before moving on to portfolio career working as a Non-Exec Director.

Passionate about diversity and inclusion in all it’s forms, Jacqueline is a campaigner for increased cultural diversity in technology, and addressing the gender pay gap via her advisory positions at @TheYouthGroupHQ, @accelerate-Her and the @girlguiding association. Numerous awards and a CBE later, Jacqueline really is a leader with a difference. 

We talk to Jacqueline about leadership in the ever-advancing world of technology, and why curiosity is key. We also discuss the power of diversity and why having a diverse team leads to better business decisions. 

Jacqueline’s authentic style and genuine curiosity makes for a thought-provoking conversation that will leave listeners inspired and eager for more.

 

The Empowered Podcast from Curium Solutions is hosted by Andy Dawson and produced by Monkey Pants Productions. We’d love to hear from you. To contact us, email [email protected]

Ed Jackson is a former professional rugby player with a career spanning 10 years for teams including Bath, London Welsh, Wasps, and the Newport Gwent Dragons.

Weeks before his debut international game for Wales, Ed suffered a life changing accident which ended his rugby career and should have left him unable to walk. Defying all odds, Ed went on to become the first quadriplegic to hike up Mount Snowdon – just 1 year after his accident. 

Since then, Ed has gone on to co-found Millimetres2Mountains, a charity helping people who are facing mental health challenges as a resulting of encountering adversity in their lives, has become a broadcaster for Channel 4, as well and a speaker and mentor for spinal cord injury survivors, and has launched his own podcast, It’s Good to Walk, where Ed chats to guests about resilience and determination through difficult times. That’s not to mention the 89,056 steps he completed as a virtual ascent of Mt Everest during lockdown, raising money for Wings for Life charity and the NHS, all on his parents staircase.

We had a truly inspiring conversation about finding your WHY and understanding what gives you purpose. We discuss the impact of a negative mindset and the importance of perspective – Ed himself is proof that you can find a positive from any situation. 

We also talk about why doing the things you’re passionate about will lead to great outcomes, as well as taking yourself out of your comfort zone and believing the impossible will help you look at life differently. 

Ed brings humour and a light-hearted style without taking away from the seriousness of the subject. His positivity is awe inspiring and something everyone can take inspiration from. 

Ed’s book, Lucky, out in August, tells his story of how he overcame adversity and coped with massive change. We cannot wait to give it a read.

Millimetres2Mountains https://www.millimetres2mountains.org/ 

If you would like to pre-order Lucky you can do so here: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/lucky-ed-jackson?variant=32893302407246.

The Empowered Podcast from Curium Solutions is hosted by Andy Dawson and produced by Monkey Pants Productions. We’d love to hear from you. To contact us, email [email protected]

Welcome to The Empowered Podcast  by Curium Solutions. A personal development podcast which aims to inspire people through storytelling.    We believe that through the art of storytelling and sharing a personal lived experience, this can inspire and empower those around you.   In our first ever podcast series we listen to some inspiring leadership stories, lessons and learns as we ask ‘who has Empowered them?' on their journey.     The Empowered Podcast is brought to you by Curium Solutions.   We are a transformation company, helping organisations of all sizes realise more of their potential by implementing interventions that change them for the better. And stick.   For more info visit www.curiumsolutions.com or drop us an email at [email protected].