In this episode of the Shine Bright Academy Podcast, I speak with Cindy Gallop, a brand and business innovator, consultant, coach and keynote speaker. Mainly she is the visionary founder of MakeLoveNotPorn, the world's first user-generated, human-curated social sex video sharing platform. 

Cindy shares her journey from a successful career in advertising to pioneering sex tech, emphasising serendipity over strict planning, and advocating for women empowerment. 

She discusses the importance of real-world sex education, the challenges of running a disruptive business, and the personal philosophy that has driven her success. 

Cindy also offers insights into leveraging LinkedIn for business growth and encourages a rethinking of aspirational culture. 

This is sexy! Have a listen: 

00:59 Cindy Gallup's Career Shift: From Advertising to Entrepreneurship

05:00 The Birth of Make Love Not Porn

09:12 Empowering Women Through Entrepreneurship

18:42 Reinventing Aspirational Culture and Promoting Consent

25:31 Learning from Experience

26:01 Navigating Diverse Career Paths

26:28 Challenges in Building Make Love Not Porn

28:00 Changing the World with Sex Tech

31:02 The Power of Community and Resilience

33:38 Reflections on Early Life and Entrepreneurship

34:48 The Importance of Personal Happiness

40:49 Balancing Work and Personal Life

43:42 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Connect with Cindy: 

Website: https://cindygallop.com/  / https://makelovenotporn.tv/ 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindygallop/

Substack:  https://dearcindy.substack.com/ 

If you want to be part of the podcast please apply here: [email protected] 

Website: www.theshinebrightacademy.com 

Instagram HERE 

In this episode of the Shine Bright Academy podcast, We welcome Polly Lavarello, a business mentor, evergreen marketing expert, and growth strategist, who shares her remarkable journey of resilience and determination. 

After significant life changes, including a divorce and moving back to the UK with two young children, Polly established her own marketing agency and coaching business. 

Specialising in Facebook ads and combining mindset work with effective marketing strategies, she has empowered countless women entrepreneurs. 

Polly discusses the importance of mindset, overcoming obstacles, leveraging social media, and the significance of establishing a profitable niche. 

Engaging and insightful, this episode is filled with valuable advice and personal anecdotes that can inspire aspiring entrepreneurs to achieve their business goals.

00:00 Introduction to Shine Bright Academy Podcast

00:10 Polly’s Inspirational Journey

02:17 Overcoming Adversity and Building a Business

04:26 Accidental Entrepreneur: From Parenting Magazine to Marketing Agency

07:15 The Importance of Mindset in Achieving Success

10:35 Focusing on Women Entrepreneurs

12:52 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

16:50 Identifying a Profitable Niche

19:37 Balancing Personal Passion and Business Needs

22:09 Rediscovering My True Calling

22:50 Balancing Profitability and Passion

23:46 Consistency in Marketing Strategies

23:59 Leveraging Social Media Effectively

26:01 Navigating Obstacles and Setbacks

32:17 Balancing Business Success and Personal Freedom

35:48 Parting Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

37:43 Missed Opportunities in Business

Connect with Polly:

Website: https://pollylavarello.com/ 

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

Listen to her podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6CzOHhMgiJgYolJkkdsdtG?si=c3abc1f7fe5045cf

Connect with Elodie:

[email protected]

www.theshinebrightacademy.com

Instagram

I am super excited to share with you my amazing conversation with Sarah Farmer! 

Sarah is the founding director of EMR Consulting, a coach, a mentor, a facilitator and a constant. But she is also a mum of 2 wonderful children! 

She specialises in empowering her clients to build self awareness, confidence, leadership and business skills to achieve their true potential. 

She is an expert in the impostor syndrome and she has just launched a book Leader Unleashed on how to become one of the most highly valued members of the executive team in your first 90 days. 

I really enjoyed the authentic, raw, unfiltered discussion! 

We talked about: 

Sarah’s quotes: 

“ Everything I did has taken me to where I am today” 

“ I always thought I was strong but I did it the wrong way” 

“ I remember the power of walking away and feeling like I am never going to let this happen again!” 

“You can’t be performing, making decisions, or communicating when you are feeling the fog.” 

“Understand what is driving your mindset and how you make decisions is vital.” 

“You don’t have to be perfect 100% just be aware.” 

“We are so governed to avoid pain rather than exploring pleasure, we don’t realise what we like.” 

“If we don’t know our purpose, why we are doing what we do, it’s so easy to get derailed.”

“If you are not gaining joy from what you do you are in the wrong job” 

“You can’t tell people what they want - you have to help them see what they are missing.” 

“ What if we just stop making it about us winning business and just about understanding what people need.” 

“Dream big and just do it!” 

“What do you want to be when you grow up? Age is just a number” 

Connect with Sarah Farmer: 

Website: https://www.emr-consulting.co.uk/ 

Connect: https://www.instagram.com/sarahfarmerexeccoach/ 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-farmer-coach/ 

Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Leader-Unleashed-Become-members-executive-ebook/dp/B0BYKBSRVW 

Connect with Elodie 

[email protected] 

https://www.theshinebrightacademy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/elodie_leadership_coach/

Want to be a guest on the podcast send me an email: ⁠[email protected]⁠ 

I am super excited to share with you my amazing conversation with Emma Sexton. 

Not only Emma helps creative leaders into the C-Suite but she also advises on branding. 

She is also the founder of the Inside out community for in-house creative leaders and creative expert in-residence at King’s College London and Imperial College London, within the entrepreneurial institute. 

The discussion was amazing, learning about Emma’s entrepreneurial journey, the test and learn experiments and the importance of emotional intelligence when running your own business was fascinating and inspiring! 

We talked about: 

Emma’s quotes: 

“Nothing prepares you to run a business that actually running a business.” 

“Creative problem is a big skill when I owned my own business” 

“Reframe failures, when you step into the unknown.” 

“Everything I have learnt today is from testing and learning experiment, failing fast, without spending too much money!” 

“The wrong time is to keep delaying things” 

“Working is creation, a place where I create”

Connect with Emma: 

Website:https://www.emmasexton.com/ 

Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmasexton/ 

Connect with Elodie 

[email protected] 

https://www.theshinebrightacademy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/elodie_neuro_coach/

I am super excited to share with you my amazing conversation with Natalia Ramsden. 

Natalia is the founder of SOFOS Associates, a business psychologist and a management consultant. She launched the first London premium personal cognitive optimisation clinic working with individuals to leverage the full power of their brain. 

The discussion was fascinating - especially after studying Neuroscience Coaching, understand how you can develop your cognitive ability and change your behaviour for positive outcome is key to your success. 

We talked about: 

Natalia’s quotes: 

“ We are at a fascinating cross road, knowing that we can change our brain for the better.” 

“ We went beyond prevention, to go to enhancement. Revolutionary!” 

“ There is not just one part of my role that is cognitively too hard for me to grasp, the hardest thing is to spread myself across multiple demands.” 

“Being at the forefront of something that is pioneering is so inspiring” 

“Tracking the change of clients is hugely inspiring” 

“The brain is what enables you to run your marathon or repair quickly if you have an injury” 

“ You shouldn’t wake up in the morning and feel tired in an hour or two - something is not working as well as it could” 

“Find something you are passionate about and you enjoy.” 

“The brain is dynamic and changes throughout your life” 

Connect with Natalia: 

Website: https://sofosassociates.com

Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalia-ramsden/

Discover :

Muse - headband meditation - sleep meditation 

Connect with Elodie 

[email protected] 

https://www.theshinebrightacademy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/theshinebrightacademy/

Today we are talking with Personal Brand Strategist and Brand Photographer Petra Gatto.

Petra is also a wife, mother of 2 beautiful boys, daughter, friend and more! She used to run a successful destination wedding agency.

She is an advocate when it comes to empowering women to share their story and follow their dreams.

We discussed :

Connect with Petra:

Website: www.petragatto.com

Connect on social media: @petra_gatto

https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-gatek-6029a314/?originalSubdomain=uk

Discover : Be More Audrey Club - https://www.audreyonline.co.uk/ 

Connect with Elodie

Email: [email protected]

https://www.theshinebrightacademy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/theshinebrightacademy/

Petra’s Full Bio:

Petra Gatto is Personal Brand Strategist and Brand Photographer based in London and in Prague. Her passion & talent to bring out the best in female entrepreneurs evokes a powerful personal branding presence that amplifies their purpose and business. Petra’s extensive marketing & branding expertise provides clear steps to help them elevate their visibility & success. She empowers them to show up authentically, sharing their story with brand photos that create a deeper human connection with their audience.

Petra has combined her formal marketing degree with her passion for photography plus nearly twenty years as an entrepreneur to teach others how to build a brand with purpose and integrity.

I am super excited to share with you my amazing conversation with Julia Darlington.

Julia has over 30 years’ experience leading and growing global businesses in the fashion retail space. She is also a business coach, mentor and consultant, helping leaders to make big change in their life and scale their business.

I really enjoyed our discussion filled with inspiration and excitement! 

We talked about:

Julia’s quotes:

“ Your coach is your soul sister, she goes on the journey with you, who support you and hold you accountable.”

“My mum always told me to reach for the stars and strive for the top-if you don't reach them, you'll get a lot higher than if you only set out to reach the tops of the trees.”

“Step up in the mad world we live in”

“I love adventure, change and challenge”

“We have been conditioned to believe that the only measure of success is how much money we make.”

“There's no such thing as failure, only growth and learning.”

“We are bloody marvellous, the world needs our feminine approach”

Connect with Julia:

Website: https://www.juliadarlington.com

Connect: https://www.instagram.com/jjdarlington/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-darlington-a9a2572a/?originalSubdomain=uk

Discover : The Allbright member’s club

https://www.allbrightcollective.com/

Connect with Elodie

[email protected]

https://www.theshinebrightacademy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/theshinebrightacademy/

Today we are talking with Creative Consultant Coach Emma Case.

She is also the founder of this amazing idea she launched: Women beyond the box which is a platform focused on amplifying the voices of Neurodivergent Women.

Emma used to work as a creative within luxury fashion before launching her own coaching business and developing specific programs for women.

We talked about:

Emma Case quotes:

“What makes a difference is your environment”

“A burn out can be a reset”

“Something magical happens when you accept yourself radically”

Connect with Emma:

Connect: Instagram Twitter

Visit: www.womenbeyondthebox.com

Newsletter: Sign Up Here

Stay in touch with The Shine Bright Academy: 

Visit: https://www.theshinebrightacademy.com/ 

Connect: https://www.instagram.com/theshinebrightacademy/

I am so excited to bring you this incredible interview. 

After 15 years in HR and leadership roles for global consumer brands, Lara Cullen spread her wings to do things her way. In 2019 she founded The People Person Ltd, a coaching and development consultancy for companies and individuals with big dreams, big hearts and rebellious souls.

Half-Irish, half-Spanish and adopted Londoner, Lara now excels as an executive and personal coach, speaker and facilitator. Her renowned warmth, energy and insight has led her to become a sought after and trusted coach to individuals, celebrities, leaders and professionals in the UK and overseas. She also works with organisations that are (or aspire to be) kind, brave and brilliant, helping them bring out the best in their people and do great things.

In October 2021 Lara published her first book How to be a People Person: Be Kind. Be Brave. Be Brilliant which you can by on Amazon. She hopes it will make the world a better place.

We discussed:

Links: