What does it take to transform insight into business impact?

On this episode of The Ripple Impact, I’m joined by James Wycherley, Chief Executive of the Insights Management Academy, author of Transforming Insight and The Insight Leader’s Playbook, and a global authority on elevating insight teams.

We talk about:

🌊 Why insight must move beyond transactions into transformation

🌊 The politics of AI and why it could repeat the mistakes of big data

🌊 How storytelling, empathy and influence are the real job of insight leaders

🌊 Ripple moments that took James from Barclays to shaping insight worldwide

This is a masterclass for anyone in insights, marketing, or leadership.

🎥🎧 Watch or listen to the full episode now - and drop me a message, I’d love to hear your ripple story.

Laura Barber, founder of The Ripple Impact, helps founders build the strategic foundation that makes every marketing and communication investment work harder. We get your story straight before you spend another pound on marketing.

Laura Barber | Founder of The Ripple Impact | Brand Strategy | Founder Positioning | Consumer Insight | Story Clarity | Story First. Marketing Second.

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From a childhood lisp to boardrooms, Dr. Stefanie Teichmann’s story is proof that the ripples we least expect often shape the biggest waves in our lives.

Stefanie’s experience span global giants like Nike, Coca-Cola, Google and McKinsey.

In this episode of The Ripple Impact, Stefanie joins host Laura Barber to discuss:

✨ The moment she first heard her voice and broke down in tears

✨ The power of persistence in finding solutions (and mentors)

✨ Lessons from feedback - why timing, kindness and impact matter most

✨ Why leaders must own their story before others write it for them

✨ The visibility gap: why your work doesn’t speak for itself

This is a masterclass in resilience, leadership, presence and human connection.

🎥 Watch on YouTube or listen here on Spotify and don’t forget to subscribe

📩 Want to bring more storytelling and presence into your brand? Let’s work together at The Ripple Impact.

Laura Barber, founder of The Ripple Impact, helps founders build the strategic foundation that makes every marketing and communication investment work harder. We get your story straight before you spend another pound on marketing.

Laura Barber | Founder of The Ripple Impact | Brand Strategy | Founder Positioning | Consumer Insight | Story Clarity | Story First. Marketing Second.

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#TheRippleImpact #WaveMakers #LeadershipDevelopment #Branding #Leadership #Storytelling #ExecutivePresence

Natasha Hritzuk has shaped strategies at Microsoft, Warner Brothers Discovery, and General Mills - and in this episode of The Ripple Impact she shares how conviction, consumer truths, and bold research drive meaningful change.

We explore:

🌊 How insights teams earn a real seat at the table

🌊 The C-suite meeting that sparked chaos - and opportunity

🌊 Why consumer voices must guide creation, not just validation

🌊 The dangers of tunnel vision (“we’re not in the business of…”)

🌊 How conviction, empathy, and instinct fuel strategy and innovation

This is a must-listen for anyone in marketing, brand, or leadership who wants to see around corners, not get blindsided by them.

📩 Work with Laura at The Ripple Impact if you’re ready to elevate your brand storytelling.

Laura Barber, founder of The Ripple Impact, helps founders build the strategic foundation that makes every marketing and communication investment work harder. We get your story straight before you spend another pound on marketing.

Laura Barber | Founder of The Ripple Impact | Brand Strategy | Founder Positioning | Consumer Insight | Story Clarity | Story First. Marketing Second.

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#TheRippleImpact #WaveMakers #Marketing#Branding #Insights #Strategy

Laura Barber welcomes Deb Dasgupta, Global VP of Marketing at Absolut Vodka, for an honest conversation on storytelling, brand DNA and women in leadership on this week’s Ripple Impact podcast.

Listen in as we discuss:

✨ Why great brands live in culture, not just campaigns

✨ The roots of iconic branding

✨ Lessons from PepsiCo, Unilever and Lakmé

✨ Why diversity isn’t charity - it’s a growth strategy

✨ Her advice to Wave Makers

A must listen episode for anyone building brands, leading teams, or chasing bold dreams.

🌊 Inspired by this episode? I help founders and leaders uncover the human stories and brand strategies that spark real impact.

📩 Connect with Laura at The Ripple Impact and let’s create your next ripple.

Laura Barber, founder of The Ripple Impact, helps founders build the strategic foundation that makes every marketing and communication investment work harder. We get your story straight before you spend another pound on marketing.

Laura Barber | Founder of The Ripple Impact | Brand Strategy | Founder Positioning | Consumer Insight | Story Clarity | Story First. Marketing Second.

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#TheRippleImpact #WaveMakers #Marketing #Branding #Culture

Global insights leader Simon Pollock (Pringles, Häagen-Dazs, Kellogg’s) joins Laura Barber on The Ripple Impact to explore how covering shapes our careers, why psychological safety matters, and what true human leadership looks like.

From lessons with a Sri Lankan tea entrepreneur to building teams and influencing global boardrooms, Simon shares ripple moments of vulnerability, identity and growth that shaped his leadership style.

If you want to lead with courage, build inclusive cultures and create brands that truly connect, this episode is for you.

Perfect for founders, CMOs and leaders who want to build authentic brands and inclusive cultures.

👉 🎧 Subscribe for more ripple stories on leadership, marketing and brand building.

Laura Barber, founder of The Ripple Impact, helps founders build the strategic foundation that makes every marketing and communication investment work harder. We get your story straight before you spend another pound on marketing.

Laura Barber | Founder of The Ripple Impact | Brand Strategy | Founder Positioning | Consumer Insight | Story Clarity | Story First. Marketing Second.

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In this episode of The Ripple Impact, Laura Barber sits down with Philippa White - global thinker, founder of TIELeadership, and bestselling author of Return on Humanity.

Philippa reveals the extraordinary story of her uncle, Nelson Mandela’s doctor, and how his courage in apartheid South Africa ignited her mission to redefine leadership.

Expect raw stories of resilience, why empathy is a competitive advantage, and why leaders must embrace vulnerability to truly create ripples of change.

🎙️ Perfect for leaders, marketers, and anyone ready to lead differently.

🔔 Subscribe for more bold voices and wave maker guests.

✨ Chapters

00:00 Welcome

03:05 The moment that changed everything

10:40 Why sameness kills leadership

26:20 Leadership through discomfort

38:52 The power of “I don’t know”

46:38 Leaders have more power than they think

52:49 Advice for aspiring wave makers

Laura Barber, founder of The Ripple Impact, helps founders build the strategic foundation that makes every marketing and communication investment work harder. We get your story straight before you spend another pound on marketing.

Laura Barber | Founder of The Ripple Impact | Brand Strategy | Founder Positioning | Consumer Insight | Story Clarity | Story First. Marketing Second.

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Cultural thinker and bestselling author Annie Auerbach shares how brands can harness culture, collaboration and gut instinct to create ripple effects.

We talk about:

• Why the edges of culture spark the biggest shifts
• How to turn hidden tensions into contagious brand ideas
• The hard lessons from insights work that never reached consumers
• Why instinct is deep experience, not fluff
• The future of flexible working and collaboration

This is a conversation for anyone who wants to build braver brands, lead with empathy, and harness the power of culture to create real impact.

Laura Barber, founder of The Ripple Impact, helps founders build the strategic foundation that makes every marketing and communication investment work harder. We get your story straight before you spend another pound on marketing.

Laura Barber | Founder of The Ripple Impact | Brand Strategy | Founder Positioning | Consumer Insight | Story Clarity | Story First. Marketing Second.

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#TheRippleImpact #WaveMakers #Marketing#Branding #StarlingStrategy #AnnieAuerbach #Culture #Advertising

What happens when your world falls apart and you decide to build something beautiful from the pieces?

In this powerful episode, mindfulness coach, speaker and best-selling author Nina Purewal joins Laura Barber on The Ripple Impact to share her extraordinary journey from personal tragedy to purposeful living. From surviving trauma and loss to leaving corporate life to build a wellness business, Nina gets real about grief, growth and what it means to let that sh*t go.

We explore:

• Healing from trauma and the science of neuroplasticity
• The power of mindfulness and the observing mind
• How to flip the script on negative self-talk
• The ripple impact of vulnerable leadership
• Why mindfulness is a leadership skill

A must-listen for anyone navigating change, building a business, chasing purpose or just trying to quiet the mental noise, this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now and join the ripple movement by following and commenting, we’d love to hear from you!

Laura Barber, founder of The Ripple Impact, helps founders build the strategic foundation that makes every marketing and communication investment work harder. We get your story straight before you spend another pound on marketing.

Laura Barber | Founder of The Ripple Impact | Brand Strategy | Founder Positioning | Consumer Insight | Story Clarity | Story First. Marketing Second.

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#TheRippleImpact #WaveMakers #Healing #Mindfulness #Leadership #HumanBrands  #Purpose #Wellness #LetThatShitGo #TraumaRecovery #MentalHealth #Leadership #NinaPurewal

Can a face make or break your brand?

In this episode of The Ripple Impact, I’m joined by Adrianne Carter, global expert in body language, emotional intelligence, and the creator of Asset CQ. Known as "The Face Whisperer," Adrianne has worked with brands like Unilever and helped train AI to better read human emotions.

We explore:

· Why emotions—not features—drive consumer behaviour

· What brands get wrong about facial expressions

· The power of being authentically you (on stage and on screen)

· How understanding emotion can transform leadership, storytelling, and performance

💥 A must-listen for marketers, creatives, and anyone who wants to connect on a deeper level.

Laura Barber, founder of The Ripple Impact, helps founders build the strategic foundation that makes every marketing and communication investment work harder. We get your story straight before you spend another pound on marketing.

Laura Barber | Founder of The Ripple Impact | Brand Strategy | Founder Positioning | Consumer Insight | Story Clarity | Story First. Marketing Second.

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#TheRippleImpact #WaveMakers #Marketing#Branding #EmotionsMatter #Leadership #Psychology #AdrianneCarter #BodyLanguage #BodyLanguageExpert #BodyLanguageTips

Nick Graham has built brands, led global insights teams, and helped shift the way major companies think about people. But his most powerful stories? They’re the human ones.

In this episode of The Ripple Impact, Nick joins me, Laura Barber to unpack the leadership moments that changed everything, from a teacher’s words that helped him feel seen, to why qualitative pauses matter more than survey scores, and how air cover from a boss became a lesson in leading with trust.

If you care about:

· Psychological safety

· Inclusion that’s felt, not just said

· Making insights matter

· Becoming a more human leader

…this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen now to discover the ripple moments that create real change.

Laura Barber, founder of The Ripple Impact, helps founders build the strategic foundation that makes every marketing and communication investment work harder. We get your story straight before you spend another pound on marketing.

Laura Barber | Founder of The Ripple Impact | Brand Strategy | Founder Positioning | Consumer Insight | Story Clarity | Story First. Marketing Second.

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#TheRippleImpact #WaveMakers #Branding#Marketing #Leadership #Inclusion #EmotionalIntelligence