We’ve all heard the phrase: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. But how true is it in leadership and life?

In this episode, Tom explores the importance of first impressions. From the subtle, instinctive signals people read in those opening seconds, to the deeper trust that only grows over time, he challenges whether we place too much weight on the moment, and not enough on the relationship.

You’ll discover:

Why presence is the real currency of leadership.

How authenticity creates lasting influence.

Practical tools to ground yourself, shift your energy, and connect more deeply.

Through stories, neuroscience insights, and coaching examples, Tom unpacks what it means to show up with clarity and intention.

So, what impression are you making today?

In this episode of Tom's Life Lab, we welcomed leadership expert and founder of Fenton Place, Lee Rogers.

Lee shared his personal weight loss story, the inspiration behind his 'Fit Over 40' campaign, and how this evolved into the 'Fitter4Forties' Instagram channel he runs today.

He explained how he developed the '5 P Model' (Purpose, Plan, Prepare, Perform and Pursue), a goal setting framework he uses regularly, not just on his fitness journey but in his business too.

Lee discussed real life examples of how he uses purpose to sustain performance, citing how his family are the main motivators behind his drive to take care of his health.

If you need an energy and motivation boost, this is a must listen!

Connect with Lee on LinkedIn.

Follow the Fitter4Forties Instagram channel.

Listen to the Leadership Actually podcast.

Visit the Fenton Place website.

In this Tom's Life Lab episode, Tom explores the myth of finished. This idea that we'll be enough when we're confident, clear and finally 'get there'.

When we cling to the myth of arrival, we increase pressure on ourselves. We chase certificates, titles and clarity as if there is a 'final' version of ourselves, but the reality is there is rarely a finished product. 

Growth doesn't stop as you work your way up, and by embracing uncertainty, you open yourself up to learning and evolving. 

Listen to the episode to find out how to stop tying your worth to being finished, and welcome a mindset of continued growth.

Welcome to this week's episode of Tom's Life Lab, where Tom discusses how to manage a challenging relationship.

Whether it's with a colleague, boss or family member, if you've ever found yourself thinking, "I just have to live with this" when a person seems unreachable, immovable or uninterested, this is for you. 

Whilst it might feel easier to believe you've done all you can, this isn't always true. Influence starts with self-awareness of what you're bringing to the conversation, and what you expect in return.

Focusing on being right over curious? Acting defensively, not open-minded? You could be sending signals that create tension, disappointment or resentment. 

In the episode, Tom reveals the levers you have control over, including your tone, timing and assumptions, that could shift the dynamic for the better. Listen now and share it with anyone you know who is navigating a tough relationship.

This week's episode of Tom's Life Lab is for anyone who has ever felt like they know they're good at what they do, but they've struggled to get it across to others.

You've put in the work, earned your insight and built your capability, but some of those around you just don't get it or, worse, they ignore or reject it. The gap between knowing what you can bring, versus what others are seeing, is identity-shaking. 

If your identity is wound around being capable, then when your competence is met with rejection it can encourage feelings of doubt and have you questioning yourself.

Listen to this episode for tips on how to untangle this identity knot, and for an experiment you can try over the coming week.

Welcome back to the Life Lab, where we experiment with life, work, and all the weird and wonderful stuff in between. In today’s episode, we explore how meaning shows up not in the grand gestures or big milestones, but in the small, quiet moments of life, the ones that often go unnoticed.

From late-night sunsets to Lego towers that keep falling over, we look at how to find joy, connection, and purpose in the everyday. We also take this into the world of work, reflecting on the moments that bond teams, build trust, and remind us we’re human, especially in the middle of the mess.

Plus, there’s a simple experiment you can try this week to uncover the meaningful moments hiding in plain sight.

Because maybe, just maybe, these are the golden days.

In this episode of Tom’s Life Lab, Tom explores a truth every leader wrestles with but few talk about openly: how we show up during times of change. When uncertainty strikes, the instinct can be to pull back, go quiet, or try to “fix it all” behind the scenes. But real leadership isn’t about perfection, it’s about presence.

Tom shares why leaning in (not withdrawing) is the most powerful move a leader can make when their team is navigating challenge. Drawing from personal experience and coaching insight, he introduces the idea of the leader as a bridge, not a lighthouse. He offers practical micro-moves that build trust, clarity, and connection in uncertain times.

Plus, you’ll get this week’s Life Lab Challenge, a simple three-check-in experiment to deepen your leadership presence and spark more meaningful conversations.

Whether you're holding space for others or needing a moment to reflect on your own leadership energy, this episode will help you pause, reset, and lean into the discomfort with intention.

Everyone loves a shiny beginning or a big finish. But what about the bit in the middle? The slog. The self-doubt. The “why did I even start this?” phase.

In this episode of Tom’s Life Lab, we’re talking about the hard yards in the middle, where motivation fades, support dries up, and the grind gets real. Tom shares his own mid-journey wobbles (yep, even with this podcast) and why we need to normalise supporting ourselves and each other during the invisible stretch and through the unglamorous bits.

Whether you’re knee-deep in a big goal, supporting someone else who is, or just quietly turning up for day 47 of “still trying,” we see you. Kudos for keeping going. If you need it, here’s your reminder: the middle miles matter. It’s the messy middle, the unseen effort, that makes the finish line possible. Your perseverance might be quiet, relenting and feel like a grind, but if you're still going, you're still growing. 

So, what happens after the beginner's hype and before the big finish? It’s that long, unseen, unglamorous, often overlooked middle, the bit where doubt creeps in and support fades. And that’s exactly when we need to show up for each other, offering steady encouragement that says: I see you, I’m with you, and I haven’t stopped believing in you.

In this podcast episode, Tom is making the case for asking "stupid" questions.

He explains how holding back is often the worst choice, as when we don't ask, we stay confused. By querying, we learn, and so do those around us.

Listen to the episode to understand:

It's a short episode, packed with actionable insight for you to practice immediately.

In this uplifting episode of Tom’s Life Lab, Tom Emery is joined by empowerment coach Raquel Braganza for a conversation about joy, what it really means, how we can cultivate more of it, and why it matters.

Raquel offers a refreshing take on joy as something we actively pursue, rather than something that simply happens to us. Together, she and Tom explore how joy can coexist with other emotions like sadness, how expectations can sabotage our happiness, and why it's so important to build a personal 'menu of joys' to access in different emotional states.

Listeners will be inspired by Raquel’s “treasure hunter” of joy approach, seeing it not as a fleeting feeling but as a daily practice that brings us back to ourselves. Whether it’s through rituals, nature, music or mindfulness, she invites us to notice and name joy in the smallest moments.

This is a conversation for anyone looking to shift their perspective, reconnect with what lights them up, and build emotional resilience in a practical, empowering way.

Raquel offered our listeners a free gift, which you can access here: https://poweredbyjoy.coach/ 

Connect with Raquel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raquel-braganza-8b648215b/ 

and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raquelbraganza_lifecoach/?hl=en