AI isn’t just for big tech — it’s changing how entrepreneurs build, scale, and lead.

James Poulter (JP) — a leading speaker and expert in artificial intelligence, innovation, and digital transformation — joins Rach Ivers for a conversation packed with clarity and practical insight. As Head of AI & Innovation at House 337 and founder of Vixen Labs (acquired 2023), JP brings over 15 years experience helping organisations navigate technological change, including leading Emerging Platforms at LEGO.

You’ll hear:

■ How to use AI as a creative thought partner

■ Lessons from selling Vixen Labs and leading through cultural change

■ Why human-centred leadership matters in an AI-driven world

Whether you’re bootstrapping a business, scaling a team, or trying to lead wisely in the digital age, this episode will sharpen how you think, lead, and build.

🎧 Follow The SHiFT with Rach Ivers for more leadership conversations like this: https://open.spotify.com/show/1peX9mLv1S9NRyxtcvY4r5⁠

🔗 To connect with James: https://www.jamespoulter.co.uk/

Dan Maudhub — Brand Strategist, Entrepreneur, Founder of Wonderful Group — joins Rach Ivers for a rich conversation on leadership that begins with a surprising moment that defined his leadership at home and work.

From growing a values-led B-Corp Agency to coaching rugby, Dan opens up about why building rhythm and reframing failure have become essential practices + what it means to lead with identity, presence, and intentionality.

Tune in for:

■ The rhythms that protect ambition and balance

■ The biggest growth points in his life

■ Distinguishing between hard and soft failure.

Whether you’re scaling a business, or trying to lead with more impact—at work and home, this one’s for you.

🎧 Follow 'The SHiFT with Rach Ivers' for more leadership conversations like this.

🔗 Know someone navigating leadership at home and work? Share this episode with them: https://open.spotify.com/show/1peX9mLv1S9NRyxtcvY4r5?si=328621fd3da4446a 

Join us for the next Wonderful Summit (Bradford & London) where Entrepreneurs meet to be equipped (and meet their next investor, mentor, co-founder): https://wonderfulsummit⁠

Laura Mears — Female pioneer voice and Business Owner — joins Rach for a conversation that gets right to the heart of what makes leadership sustainable.

Drawing on her experience leading in education and business, Laura shares the moment she discovered her tendency to over-function for others — and the tools that helped her shift into healthier, more empowering ways of leading. From her early influences in sport to the power of the drama triangle and the support-challenge matrix, this chat is packed with clarity, self-awareness, and strategic thinking.

You’ll hear:

■ How to build influence through boundaries

■ What basketball and business have in common

■ Why thinkers in leadership need emotional intelligence

■ Lessons from working with founders and heads of schools

Whether you’re pioneering something new or leading through complexity, this episode will sharpen how you think, lead, and relate.

🎧 Follow The SHiFT with Rach Ivers for more leadership conversations like this.

👉 Follow Laura’s blog here: https://www.salmonswimming.com/blog/

🔗 Know someone building something purposeful? Share this link with them: https://open.spotify.com/show/1peX9mLv1S9NRyxtcvY4r5

Innovation isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a business strategy and Jeremy shares how in this insightful episode of The SHiFT with Rach Ivers.

Dive in as we go beyond the corporate comfort zone to explore what it really takes to win work, scale ideas, and lead with entrepreneurial purpose.

Jeremy Basset — Founder of an innovation consultancy working with over a third of the FTSE100 — shares hard-won insights on leadership, entrepreneurship, and creating high-trust, agile teams. From navigating the shift from corporate life leading Unilever innovation Foundry to Startup reality, to the art of business development and the future role of AI, this episode is packed with practical takeaways.

We also explore pivotal leadership moments, the power of psychological safety, and how to build partnerships that last.

Key Themes:
■ The mindset shift from corporate to founder
■ What true innovation looks like
■ Tips for building agile, high-trust teams
■ Lessons from working with global brands
■ Why business development is more art than science

🎧 Follow this Podcast for more episodes of conversations with leaders who are changing the game through how they lead.

🔗Connect with Rach Ivers (Leadership Coach): linkedin.com/in/rachel-ivers-2291847/ 🕊️Know other entrepreneurs or leaders? Pass it on!🔷 Connect with Jeremy's AI Startup - SuperBenji: https://www.superbenji.ai/ (get a free sales lead, its actually really helpful!)

In this episode of The SHiFT with Rach Ivers, I’m joined by Zeph Chukwudum — Director at Microsoft and Founder and Co-chair of EMBRACE. Zeph shares key moments from his career journey and how mentorship created pivotal breakthroughs along the way. As a leader in digital transformation, a trusted advisor on Microsoft’s Diversity & Inclusion strategy, and Board Member in skills and education, Zeph brings a unique perspective on leadership and impact.

We explore:

• Accessing Creativity in a demanding corporate environment

• How self-awareness shapes effective decision-making

• What authentic leadership looks like

• Intentional strategies for personal and professional life

Whether you're a corporate leader, a creative professional, or someone seeking purpose in your career, this conversation will inspire and equip you.

🔗 Connect with Rachel: linkedin.com/in/rachel-ivers-2291847

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Share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Tolu shares honestly about his 12-year leadership journey at Sky and beyond, offering honest reflections on the pivotal moments and people that shaped his path. He and Rach explore the importance of emotional intelligence, humility, and mentorship—along with the impact of apprenticeship and learning from inspiring corporate leaders. Tolu also draws from his experience as a semi-pro basketball player, highlighting lessons in resilience, hard work, and collaboration.

The conversation dives into the balance between personal life and professional ambition, addressing burnout, the value of recharging, and what it really means to empower others and lead with purpose.

👉 Listen now to rediscover what’s possible when you share the spotlight, make time to apprentice and lead with resilience .

👉 Linked-In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-ivers-2291847/⁠

Lord Andrew Mawson OBE is one of the UK’s leading Social Entrepreneurs — and in this fascinating episode, he shares how real, lasting change and regeneration starts with people, not policies.

From growing up in Bradford to becoming a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, Andrew recounts his critical leadership moments — including living among addicts in Kingston, pioneering the Bromley by Bow Centre, and playing a key role in bringing the 2012 Olympics to East London.

We unpack the power of “loitering with intent,” the failure of top-down bureaucracy, and why building truly mixed communities — where business, beauty, and belief intersect — is the future of social impact. Andrew also shares how his work on social prescribing earned him the prestigious Albert Medal, and reflects on what churches, governments, and entrepreneurs must learn to create sustainable change.

You’ll learn:

• Why bureaucracy often fails where people succeed

• How to scale purpose-driven work without losing its soul

• The business principles communities and churches need to rediscover

• Why beauty, detail, and persistence matter in systems change

• What “loitering with intent” can unlock in your leadership

👉 Listen now to rediscover what’s possible when you build with heart, stay the course, and get curious about the people right in front of you.

👉 Linked-In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-ivers-2291847/⁠

👉 Visit ⁠www.amawsonpartnerships.com⁠ to learn about Andrew’s work