The Phoenix Conversations

What happens when the dream you’ve had since childhood no longer feels like the life you actually want?

I’m joined by Tash Rebuck, founder of the Good Sales Company, whose first love was acting. But a simple search for careers that suited an actor sent her down an entirely different path, and eventually towards building a business of her own.

We talk about rejection, entrepreneurship, ADHD and finding a way to sell without manipulation or aggressive tactics.

Tash’s story is a wonderful reminder that reinvention doesn’t necessarily mean leaving your old self behind. Sometimes those earlier dreams, skills and experiences are exactly what prepare you for your next stage.

Highlights:

(06:25) - When your childhood dream is acting, but Dad has one very sensible condition

(10:00) - The Google search that completely changed the direction of Tash’s life

(12:41) - Giving up the big dream without feeling like you’ve failed

(21:35) - The volunteering project that sparked a whole new business idea

(24:27) - Losing her job and starting a business on the very same day

(34:05) - Reinventing yourself? Go for it, but you really don’t have to rush

Connect with Tash:

Website https://thegoodsalescompany.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tashrebuck/

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

Connect with Lucy:

Website - https://bookmagic.ai

TikTok - @lucymccarra 

Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/

What if reinvention isn’t one dramatic moment, but something we’re doing throughout our lives?

I’m joined by bestselling author and leadership coach Julian Lighton, whose own career has taken him from Oxford and advertising to Silicon Valley, global businesses and, eventually, coaching some of the world’s top executives.

We talk about curiosity, learning from successful people and having the confidence to change direction when something no longer fits.

Julian also shares what decades spent observing leaders have taught him about success, why knowing what you actually want matters so much, and how reinvention can be less about starting again and more about continually becoming.

Highlights:

(07:55) - From model student to Oxford mischief, was this Julian’s first reinvention?

(14:37) - What if you’re not reinventing occasionally, but constantly?

(19:59) - How curiosity took Julian from London to the heart of Silicon Valley

(31:18) - From adviser to operator to coach, and a rather brilliant fishing metaphor

(37:15) - Why today’s leaders need more than an impressive online persona

(40:44) - The question behind every successful reinvention: what do you actually want?

Connect with Lucy:

Website - https://bookmagic.ai

TikTok - @lucymccarra 

Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/

In this episode, I’m joined by Suman Randhawa, Chief Commercial Officer at ATOMIC, award-winning sales consultant, keynote speaker and author.

With 30 years of sales experience, Suman has led teams at The Mirror, FHM, Heat magazine and Harrods, and now helps founder-led businesses turn audiences into customers.

We talk about redundancy, reinvention, resilience and the career shifts that eventually led Suman to build work around her strengths.

It’s a conversation about recognising when it’s time for change, investing in your growth and creating a career that fits who you’ve become.

Highlights:

(10:10) - How a recession unexpectedly led Suman into a career in sales

(15:03) - Why redundancy at 40 felt like rejection rather than simply a career change

(18:54) - Starting again at Harrods and adjusting to being outside her comfort zone

(22:32) - How studying for a marketing diploma taught Suman far more than marketing

(28:41) - Why losing her dad changed the way she thought about work, life and legacy

(32:56) - The decision to leave corporate life and build a career with no ceiling

Connect with Lucy:

Website - https://bookmagic.ai

TikTok - @lucymccarra 

Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/

In this episode, I’m joined by Ben Price for a fascinating conversation about identity, masculinity and the beliefs we absorb without even realising it.

Ben shares how childhood, military life and the world of entrepreneurship each shaped his sense of who he thought he had to be.

We talk about the cost of self-sacrifice, the pressure to perform success, and what changed when Ben found a mentor who helped him understand himself in a completely different way.

It’s a conversation about healing old beliefs, rediscovering your strengths, and finding a way to lead that feels grounded, honest and genuinely your own.

Highlights:

(03:59) - How criticism in childhood taught Ben to stay small and hold back his voice

(07:32) - What interviewing a suicide bomber in Afghanistan later taught him about indoctrination

(12:51) - How military life stripped away individuality while building resilience

(18:39) - The entrepreneurial messages that pushed Ben towards burnout and debt

(24:57) - Meeting the mentor who completely changed his understanding of masculinity and leadership

(28:34) - The three stages Ben now uses to help founders reconnect with who they really are

Connect with Ben:

www.initiators.co.uk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachbenprice/

Connect with Lucy:

Website - https://bookmagic.ai

TikTok - @lucymccarra 

Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Jacalyn Kerbeck, founder of USA GLOBAL TV and Radio, executive coach and internationally known listening mentor.

We talk about the many reinventions that have shaped her life, from growing up in an entrepreneurial family and building a successful corporate career to stepping away and creating something completely different.

Jacalyn also shares how living with ulcerative colitis influenced her choices, why listening has become central to her work, and how the pandemic unexpectedly opened the door to broadcasting and global media.

This is a conversation about resilience, self-reliance, change and finding ways to use your experience in service of something bigger.

Highlights:

(03:00) - The childhood lessons that shaped Jacalyn’s work ethic and independence

(08:04) - How a painful experience at university changed the way she saw herself

(10:16) - The advice from her father that stayed with her for life

(15:36) - When chronic illness became the signal that something in her career had to change

(22:18) - The accidental beginnings of a global TV and radio business

(28:05) - Acknowledge what you feel, then ask yourself what the next step is

Connect with Dr. Jacalyn:

DR. JACALYN®

https://drjacalyn.com/

USA GLOBAL TV® & RADIO

https://usaglobaltv.com/

USA GLOBAL TV® & RADIO — YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/usaglobaltv

DR. JACALYN® — YouTube

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

DR. JACALYN KERBECK — LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacalyn-kerbeck-mba-dba-dr-jacalyn/

USA GLOBAL TV® & RADIO — LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/usa-global-tv-radio/

DR. JACALYN® — Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/drjacalyn/

USA GLOBAL TV® & RADIO — Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/usaglobaltv/

Connect with Lucy:

Website - https://bookmagic.ai

TikTok - @lucymccarra 

Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/

In this episode, I’m joined by Geoff Sober, coach, entrepreneur and lifelong learner, to talk about the many reinventions that have shaped his life.

Geoff tells us how watching his father turn down opportunities through fear of failure influenced his own determination to say yes, take risks and keep moving towards something bigger.

We also talk about teaching, business, property, coaching and the setbacks that unexpectedly became turning points.

Geoff shares why he believes unfulfilled potential deserves to be taken seriously, how failure can create growth, and why sometimes the thing that feels like everything falling apart is actually the beginning of your next chapter.

Highlights:

(02:18) - How childhood labels can quietly shape the identity we carry into adulthood

(07:37) - Watching fear of failure up close, and deciding to live differently

(15:31) - The football injury that destroyed one plan and opened the door to another

(20:36) - From award-winning business to liquidation, and why Geoff now sees it as a gift

(25:15) - The client who went from empty nest to running the Status Quo fan club

(32:37) - If the same idea keeps calling you, maybe it is time to stop ignoring it

Connect with Lucy:

Website - https://bookmagic.ai

TikTok - @lucymccarra 

Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/

In this episode, I’m joined by Sarah Piddington, health and safety consultant and founder of Safe and Well Together.

Sarah shares how a traumatic childhood, a near-death experience in her early twenties and a move from Australia to London became the catalyst for a completely new chapter in her life.

We also talk about reinventing her career, building a business around a more human approach to health and safety, and why listening, curiosity and well-being matter so much in the workplace.

Sarah also shares what she has learned about boundaries, self-worth and letting go of responsibility for other people’s approval.

Highlights:

(02:30) - How a difficult childhood shaped Sarah’s resilience and instinct to advocate for others

(05:10) - The near-death experience that made her decide she could not keep living the same way

(12:02) - The unexpected career move that took Sarah into health and safety

(17:44) - Why neuroscience and psychology completely changed the way she approached her work

(23:18) - Starting her own business and choosing clients who genuinely cared about people

(31:38) - The boundaries that helped Sarah stop carrying responsibility that was never hers

Connect with Sarah:

www.safeandwelltogether.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahpiddington/

https://www.instagram.com/sarahpiddington/

Connect with Lucy:

Website - https://bookmagic.ai

TikTok - @lucymccarra 

Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/

In this episode, I’m joined by Daniel Acutt, founder of profiletest.ai, whose career has taken him from South Africa to Switzerland, hospitality, entrepreneurship, sales, behavioural profiling and now AI.

Daniel shares the turning points that shaped his journey, including career setbacks, starting again from scratch and learning to follow opportunities without always knowing exactly where they would lead.

We also talk about building businesses, the lessons that come from expensive mistakes, and how behavioural profiling can help people make better decisions.

Daniel explains why he believes AI should support human thinking rather than replace it, and why staying curious, grounded and connected to who you really are matters more than ever.

Highlights:

(01:56) - From a ‘terrible child’ to a career built around people, possibility and reinvention

(06:36) - The moment Daniel realised nobody knew who he was, so he could become whoever he wanted

(10:02) - Going from top student to career roadblock, and having to start all over again

(18:02) - The opportunity that turned into eight years of fast-tracked entrepreneurial learning

(25:43) - The expensive business lesson: hire people who say ‘I’ll figure it out’

(31:47) - Why Daniel believes using AI to think for you could make you less capable of thinking for yourself

Contact Daniel here:

https://profiletest.ai

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielacutt

https://www.instagram.com/dannyacutt

Connect with Lucy:

Website - https://bookmagic.ai

TikTok - @lucymccarra 

Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/

In this episode, I’m joined by Andrea McLean, a high-profile British broadcaster, multiple Sunday Times bestselling author and TV favourite, best known for 13 years on Loose Women and 11 years on GMTV.

Andrea shares the story behind some of her biggest reinventions, from building a 24-year television career and interviewing stars including Oprah Winfrey, Beyoncé and Ariana Grande, to leaving TV, launching a women’s personal growth business, losing it during the pandemic and starting again in Spain with her husband and dog.

We also talk about Andrea’s latest book, Shameless, the identity shifts that come with failure and change, and what she has learned about resilience, recovery and beginning again when life takes an unexpected turn.

Highlights:

(02:57) - How growing up around brave decisions made reinvention feel like part of Andrea’s DNA

(08:12) - Her default response to life’s body blows, absorb it, work out what’s happening and make a plan

(13:27) - Accidentally applying to be a weather presenter and somehow ending up on television

(19:28) - The ‘don’t let them smell the fear’ approach to learning live TV on the job

(30:15) - Losing the business, losing the home and creating something new while recovering from long COVID

(41:04) - Andrea’s advice when life feels too big: pull back, zoom out and remember this isn’t all there is

Connect with Andrea:

https://andreamclean.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreamcleanspeaks/

https://www.facebook.com/officialandreamclean/

https://www.instagram.com/andreamclean1/

https://x.com/andrea_mclean

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shameless-Finding-Freedom-Resilience-Through/dp/0241762812/

Connect with Lucy:

Website - https://bookmagic.ai

TikTok - @lucymccarra 

Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/

I’m joined by Francis Rodino, AI growth architect, author and founder of the Leads Machine framework.

After more than 20 years in digital marketing, including work with the BBC and PlayStation, Francis left corporate life to help service businesses build more predictable sales systems.

Francis shares how creativity, technology, entrepreneurship and personal development have shaped his journey, including the mindset shifts that helped him leave corporate life behind.

We also get into AI, the danger of outsourcing too much of our thinking, and why noticing that quiet feeling of “something isn’t right” can be the beginning of a completely new chapter.

Highlights:

(03:53) - Growing up between cultures and learning to live with a shifting sense of identity

(12:43) - Why being good at getting things done does not always fit corporate politics

(22:58) - How AI can help us work faster, but also miss the mark faster

(25:43) - The corporate role that finally pushed Francis towards entrepreneurship

(29:18) - Unlearning decades of conditioning and expanding what felt possible

(37:39) - Why that nagging feeling of dissatisfaction is worth paying attention to

Connect with Francis:

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/francisrodino

Connect with Lucy:

Website - https://bookmagic.ai

TikTok - @lucymccarra 

Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/