The Next Chapter by Ellie Barker

Now are you ready to hold on tight, put on your comfies and
get ready to be taken all around the world?

It was all due to a chance conversation with her French
teacher at school that Anna Elshafei decided to study Chinese. Little did Anna
know this decision wouldn’t just take her to China but all around over the
glove, she’d marry an Egyptian and she would forever have a sense of adventure. 

Years later while working as a construction lawyer Anna
couldn’t find any slippers she wanted to wear when she was at home entertaining
friends and she didn’t want to wear heels (I mean who does?). So, using the
same sense of adventure and bravery Anna created her own. Her designs are now
sold all over and she’s excited to know where this new adventure will take her
next.

In this conversation we talk about what it’s really like to
start your own business when you have absolutely no idea what to do. Anna also
gives some really helpful and practical advice about how to begin a next
chapter if you’re stuck in a job you don’t like, but can’t afford to leave.

Anna is open, honest and incredibly supportive. She believes
life is just too short to be unhappy and she will encourage anyone to just take
that first step (especially if wearing fine slippers).

You can see Anna’s wonderful slippers at: https://shaffay.com/

And just in case you were wondering you can find me and my
books at: https://www.elliebarkerwrites.com/

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Gabriella Braun has more than twenty years of experience working as a therapist - not in a therapy room but in work places and staff rooms. She helps bosses and their teams understand how and why we are the way we are when we go into the office. She’s worked all over including at the British Library, RADA, the University of Cambridge and the NHS.

In this conversation we talk about her first chapter in education, what to do if you’ve got a tricky person at work you just can’t get on with and what you should do if you’re struggling when it comes to your career and have no idea what you want to do.

Gabriella is kind, thoughtful and wants people to be happy going to work. She believes it shouldn’t be a struggle and in this conversation she’ll ask you a question which will make you really think if you’re not enjoying what you do.

You can find out all about Gabriella and her book All That We Are at : https://www.gabriellabraun.co.uk/

 And just in case you’ve forgotten you can find me and my books at elliebarkerwrites.com

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Jake is the first professional sports person I’ve had on the podcast and I was fascinated to learn all the ins and outs of how you go from turning a passion like rugby into a career.  

And what a career he has had. Jake grew up in New Zealand and admits he didn’t really have a plan B. He just wanted to play the game he loved. He was captain for New Zealand under-20s before he moved to Ireland to become a full-time professional and then to Bristol.

He now owns Café Burra in Bristol with his lovely wife Adele and team-mate Luke Morahan. It’s been voted Bristol café of the year and they’ve opened a second one too.

We talk about what it’s like to walk out in front of a crowd of thousands and how he tackles his fears. How he copes when he doesn’t get the result he wants.  And we also discuss the importance of continual learning - it was only when he read a book about business that he realised rugby had already taught him enough to open his own.

(Plus, we also talk about Jake and Adele’s Next Next Chapter – becoming parents to the gorgeous baby Max.)

Jake is honest, open and humble. He gives his thoughts about parents and what he believes we can do to get the best out of our children when it comes from sport. Plus we talk about The Ugly Zone – and how if we can just push through it – that’s when the magic can really happen.

To learn more about Café Burra and their story click here: https://burrabristol.co.uk/

(PS. it’s one of our very favourites and this is not an ad!!)
And  just in case you were wondering you can find me and my books at elliebarkerwrites.com

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AJ Pearce loved using her imagination as a child but didn’t
ever think she could be an author. She worked in magazines before starting her
writing career and then everything changed forever when she found something on
eBay.

She then wrote the
brilliant book Dear Mrs Bird. It was a Richard and Judy pick and was short-listed for the British Book
Awards. It’s been translated into fifteen languages and was optioned for
television even before it was published. She’s since written two more in  wonderful Emmy Lake Chronicles including her
latest Mrs Porter’s calling

AJ talks openly about her own wobbles how her overnight
success was years in the making and how she believes Next Chapters aren’t just
about what you do, it’s also about the people you meet on the way. We discuss
perms, the real reason why she’s called AJ and she gives wonderful advice on
how we can all find our own voice. AJ is honest, funny and full of warmth and
wisdom – just like her wonderful books.

You can find out more about AJ and her books at: https://ajpearce.com/

And in just case you were wondering you can keep up to date
with me at https://www.elliebarkerwrites.com/

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(I loved this conversation so much I couldn’t wait until the next series.)

Renee Elliot has for a long time believed anything is possible. But she didn’t know what her own purpose was until she went to a health food store in Boston – her love of learning and passion for health led her to create the first organic supermarket in the UK – Planet Organic.

Renee went on to build a multi-million pound brand. She had no business experience and learned everything she needed to on the job.  In this conversation she talks about the twists and turns, the struggles and the wins in a story I’m sure you’ll agree is worthy of a Hollywood film. She has won many awards, was invited to meet the Queen and has helped so many live healthier lives.

And if that isn’t enough, Renee is now helping others to create their happiest lives too – passing on everything she’d wished she’d known when she was starting out. Her second company, Beluga Bean, is a business and life skills academy.

Renee believes we all have everything we need within us and when we can truly start being ourselves and letting go of fears, this is where the magic begins. She tells us how we can find self-belief, work out what our own passion is and she tells us why she’s holding her first ever retreat bringing women together.

You can get in touch with Renée at: [email protected]

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Welcome to the last episode of Series 8... but hold on tight! I’m so excited to bring you Christine’s story…. I’ve admired Christine from afar for such a long time.

Christine Talbot always loved books as a child but she had no idea then that this love for storytelling would take her to be one of Yorkshire’s most-loved journalists and presenters. Christine has worked in newspapers, the BBC and ITV. She’s presented lifestyle shows, was a pioneer presenter on one of the first health and lifestyle digital channels and for twenty years she sat next to Duncan Wood most nights at 6pm for ITV’s Calendar programme.  She’s covered some of Yorkshire’s biggest stories like the Hillsborough Inquiry. She’s interviewed Prime Ministers and was the first person to interview  a young Gareth Gates. (I know!)

It would have been so easy for Christine to stay doing the job she’d loved, but deep-down she knew she had another Next Chapter in her. So she took a deep breath, left the job she loved and made the leap to see where it would take her.

Christine is now writing, presenting, supporting mid-life women (yay) and learning more about herself by the day. We speak about all different next chapters – her TV debut (which is the best TV debut story I’ve ever heard), what it was like when she had to tell her own story following a diagnosis, and how her first job in news was in her airing cupboard.

At a time when I think it’s fair to say the media isn’t always regarded in the most positive of lights – Christine, I believe, is one of the best journalists we have.

You can find out all about Christine and her next adventures at: https://www.christinetalbot.com/

And just in case you were wondering – you can find me and my books at www.elliebarkerwrites.com (I’d love it if you kept in touch) x

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Fran Harkness lives in Easton and Bristol and for a long time was thinking there weren’t any little gift shops near her. She’d worked for years at The Folk House in the city as a Programme Manager, and she also knew how full the area was of talented artists and creators … so what did she do? She set up BAM.

BAM Bristol is a not-for-profit shop and space on a mission to support local artists and promote creativity in the community. She stocks mainly work of people living nearby and encourages everyone to tap into those creative juices by holding workshops. Any profits go back into the community.

Fran believes sometimes we just need to look a little closer to home. We talk about the importance of friends in Next Chapters, trusting our gut instincts and understanding we can’t always be good at everything. Fran is encouraging, honest and as joyous as all the colourful creations in her store.

You can look find out more about BAM and all its colourful creations: at https://bambristol.co.uk/

And just in case you were wondering you can find out about my uplifting, romantic and hopefully at times joyous books at elliebarkerwrites.com

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Hannah Martin was a single mum working as a copywriter when she thought she just couldn’t carry on as she was. She left her job and went freelance, but when she did, she noticed so many of her fabulous and talented friends were also struggling. Some had had huge jobs and were highly experienced but they were finding it almost impossible to have a fulfilling career which would also work around their children. She thought if they were struggling, then there were more than likely thousands, if not millions of women struggling too. So, she set up The Talented Ladies Club, an online magazine helping women with their businesses and careers.

Ten years later Hannah has over 100,000 monthly readers around the world. Her masterclasses, blogs and her Get Rich Slow podcast are all brilliant. (I’ve learned so much from her and I can’t recommend enough). Plus, she gives a percentage of all her profits to charity. Hannah believes it’s always worth having a go, even if it doesn’t work. She believes the lessons you learn will always take you to a better place than were you before. Hannah has built a thriving business all around her own family - a humble, honest and hugely talented lady encouraging other talented ladies to do the same… Now that really is magic.

To learn more about Hannah and the brilliant Talented Ladies Club go to: https://www.talentedladiesclub.com/

And just in case you were wondering – you can find me and my books at elliebarkerwrites.com. (I’d love to hear from you… go on.. I know you want to.) x

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Hold on tight – not only did you have the wonderful Milly Johnson last week… Get ready to meet one of the most brilliant, encouraging and wonderful women writing fiction today.

Katie was a mother looking after her 3 children and their dogs while her husband was away at sea, when she had that feeling as if something was missing, a bit like a missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle.

Katie started writing Mills and Boons novels, carving out moments while she was running her children’s bath. For 8 years she faced rejections, but she never gave up. Her writing may not have been right for Mills and Boon, but she did find an agent and publisher who loved her work.

Katie has just written her 30th novel. Her books have sold in their millions in the UK alone as well as all over the world. But what’s even more special about Katie is how supportive she is to other writers. She’s been the President of the Romantic Novelists Association for more than ten years and has helped so many aspiring authors as well as setting up the Katie Fforde Bursary scheme. Since recording this episode Katie has won the Lifetime Achievement Award for the RNA and it could not be more deserved.

We discuss Katie’s method-acting style of research, how going to a ballet school when she struggled to dance taught her resilience and the importance of finding her tribe (think Milly Johnson and Jill Mansell… I mean what a tribe). Katie has built a career from her passion – all around the family she adores in Gloucestershire. Plus, she gives some wonderful advice to help you do the same – whatever your missing piece of the puzzle may be.

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Hold on tight, lovely listeners because what a woman I have for you! 

Milly Johnson is the author of romantic fiction who has sold millions of copies of her books all over the world. She’s won numerous awards including Outstanding Achievement for the Romantic Novelists Association. But before all this she was a single mum, writing messages for greetings cards, working in Asda in Leeds and then working on her books through the night propped up - as she says - by Walkers Shortbread and Douwe Egberts coffee. It took Milly 15 years to find a publisher (fifteen!!)  but since then, her books have not only entertained they’ve addressed difficult issues, they’ve helped women break free and perhaps most importantly feel seen.

We talk about the sandwich generation, what happens if Keanu Reeves would knock at her door and the power of picking ourselves up and carrying on. Yes - Milly is one of my favourite authors and one of my biggest role models, but I think if you didn’t know Milly before this conversation you’ll agree what a special woman she is.

Her latest book Together Again is out now.

You can learn all about Milly and her fabulous books at https://millyjohnson.co.uk/

And just in case you were wondering – you can find me and my books (I’d love you to join my mailing list so I can send you some Next Chapter inspiration) www.elliebarkerwrites.com

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