We Are PoWEr Podcast

Trigger Warning: Mentions of mental health and suicide

In this episode of the We Are Power Podcast, Simone Roche MBE sits down with Jodie Hill, Founder of Thrive Law, to explore her journey into law, her neurodivergence diagnosis and how she transformed personal challenges into powerful leadership.

Jodie shares how experiencing a mental breakdown became a turning point that reshaped not only her life, but the culture of the business she built. From embedding wellbeing into workplace DNA to navigating high-pressure environments and media appearances.

What you’ll hear:
• Jodie’s pathway into law and founding Thrive Law
• Receiving a neurodivergence diagnosis and the impact of masking
• ADHD triggers and creating environments that work for you
• Turning a mental breakdown into a mental breakthrough
• Celebrating wins and building a human-first business
• Mental health advice for founders and leaders
• Supporting teams through pressure and growth
• Navigating TV appearances and public visibility
• What it really means to have “A License to Thrive”

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

Trigger Warning: Themes of mental health and suicide

On this week's podcast episode we sit down with Kirsty Collin, Global Head of CRM at Gleeds, who talks about her path from undiagnosed ADHD and dyscalculia to global client listening leader and Lead of Women at Gleeds. Grief, burnout, boxing and everyday kindness shape Kirsty's story and ongoing resilience.

We dive into the love and loss of her partner Ben, the diary entry that changed how she shows up for strangers and the choice to tell her story so others feel less alone. She unpacks burnout that was misdiagnosed as depression and the practical moves that helped her.

What to Expect:
• Kirsty's ADHD and dyscalculia story
• Navigating grief and healing 
• Turning hardships into a positive 
• Burnout misdiagnosed and neurodivergent signals
• The effects of menopause with ADHD
• Launching Women at Gleeds and building ally culture
• Boxing wins, TV nerves, and showing up as yourself

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

On this week's episode with Matt Carroll, CEO at Nimble Approach, we explore how inclusive leadership, AI adoption and early-talent pathways create real outcomes in tech and consulting. 

Matt has advocacy at the forefront of his mind and has worked to collaborate to make the tech space a safe inclusive place for everyone. On this episode Matt shares how small, consistent actions can shift culture and the importance of taking ownership within your own career.

You'll hear:

• Why inclusive teams drive better outcomes
• Ai efficiency and how it can accelerate careers as well as the challenge's
• Ai in education and social mobility
• Apprenticeships and early talent pipeline
• Turning ideas into action with clear priorities and ownership
• Allyship versus advocacy
• Balancing work, health, and family to sustain pace

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

In this episode of the WeArePoWEr Podcast we talk with Vivify founder Russell Teale about turning idle school facilities into living community spaces, from choirs to junior football and why profit and purpose work better together. The journey runs from redundancy to scale, with lessons on traction, leadership, and values‑aligned investors.

Here's what you can expect to hear:

➡️founding Vivify during lockdown and backing values
➡️lessons from a startup and the meaning of traction
➡️shifting from gyms to school‑led community spaces
➡️how the model creates local jobs and revenue for schools
➡️scaling from founder‑led hustle to a 500‑person team
➡️long‑term vision to reach every school and beyond

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

In this episode of the WeArePoWEr Podcast, we’re joined by Asia Sharif, a Software Engineer, public speaker, mentor and all-round force of nature.

Asia shares the story behind the origin of her name, how identity has shaped her confidence and her honest experiences with imposter syndrome in tech. She reflects on building self-belief, navigating underrepresentation in engineering and the importance of mentorship in STEM, while also breaking down her path into coding and software engineering and how public speaking became a tool for impact and advocacy.

She also opens up about her battle with cancer, the challenges she faced and the mindset that helped her keep moving forward.

What to expect in this episode:

• The story and meaning behind Asia’s name
• Imposter syndrome & building self-belief
• Mentorship in STEM and engineering
• Coding, software engineering & tech careers
• Public speaking and confidence
• Asia’s cancer journey, resilience & recovery
• Awards, achievements & success

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

In this episode, we speak with Peter Jackson, Partner & Non-Executive Director at Hill Dickinson LLP, strategist, and proud Scouser, about a career shaped by graft, humour, resilience, and deep connection to the city of Liverpool. 

Peter shares how imposter syndrome, preparation, and the ability to communicate clearly became defining traits of his leadership, and why “doing the homework” still sits at the heart of how he approaches everything.

Peter talks candidly about decision-making, managing risk, influencing a partnership, and leading with values. He also reflects on reading at the Hillsborough memorial, the importance of humour even in tragedy, and the moment a routine medical check revealed he needed a quadruple bypass.

Peter’s story offers an honest, grounded look into leadership: the wins, the wobbles, and the non-negotiables that protect your wellbeing when the world gets loud.

You’ll hear:
 ➡️ Why preparation and curiosity formed the backbone of Peter’s leadership
 ➡️ How imposter syndrome motivated — rather than limited — his career
 ➡️ The inside story of Hill Dickinson’s naming rights at Everton’s new stadium
 ➡️ What reading at the Hillsborough memorial taught him about community and humanity
 ➡️ Why humour can carry you through crisis
 ➡️ How establishing “non-negotiables” protects leaders from burnout
 ➡️ The warning signs he missed before needing a quadruple bypass — and what he learned next

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

In this episode, we speak with Figen Murray OBE, psychotherapist, campaigner, and the driving force behind Martyn’s Law — about transforming unimaginable tragedy into national change. Figen shares how her son Martyn’s death in the Manchester Arena attack reshaped her life’s purpose and how determination, kindness, and what she calls her “mosquito mindset” helped move entirely new security legislation through Parliament.

Figen’s story, from studying counter-terrorism to spending weeks in the House of Commons and Lords as her work was scrutinised, reveals the reality of building a law from the ground up, the emotional toll of campaigning, and the power of human connection in driving forward change. 

We explore how she works with politicians, venue operators, security specialists, and schools to help make public spaces safer, and why she believes terrorism awareness is everyone’s responsibility.

You’ll hear:
 ➡️ How Figen initiated and led the campaign that created Martyn’s Law
 ➡️ Why venue security was previously optional — and how that is changing
 ➡️ How forgiveness, resilience, and kindness helped her continue the work
 ➡️ What she’s learned from speaking thousands of times across the UK and internationally
 ➡️ The tactics online radicalisers use to target young people
 ➡️ Why simple, everyday awareness and acts of kindness can strengthen communities

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

In this episode, we speak with Reshma Mahapacha, IBM strategist and author of The Second Brain, about the real skills that drive complex transformations: emotional intelligence, quiet leadership, and the ability to read a room. She shares how timing, perception, and cultural fluency shape multi-million-pound programmes and why letting results speak often creates the strongest influence.

Reshma’s global career brings a fresh and experienced perspective to consulting, communication, and leadership. We talk about the power of a well-timed pause, how to turn misinterpretation into clarity, and why success has seasons: of intensity, stillness, and deliberate pace.

You’ll hear:
➡️ Why The Second Brain centres on timing, precision, and perception
➡️ The shift from artificial intelligence to authentic intelligence
➡️ The impact of quiet leadership and letting results do the talking
➡️ Why success moves in seasons
➡️ How empathy strengthens AI policy, design, and outcomes
➡️ Ways AI can create jobs and support long-term skills growth

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

In this episode, we speak with our Northern PoWEr Women Awards 2025 Outstanding Entrepreneur winner, a self-taught coder who built her first products from a bedroom, grew a software platform during COVID, and later made a bold pivot into robotics when the market shifted. 

She shares what values-led growth looks like in real life, from backing small businesses to building an 80% women team, and why staying power matters more than hype.

We also talk honestly about the climate impact of AI, the realities of burnout, and how resilience and purpose guide the next stage of her leadership.

You’ll hear:
 ➡️ How a self-taught coder built, scaled, and pivoted with purpose
 ➡️ Why small businesses shaped her growth strategy during COVID
 ➡️ Her story to becoming an 'Outstanding Entrepreneur'
 ➡️ The hidden climate costs of AI and the need for practical guardrails
 ➡️ What burnout taught her about resilience, clarity, and staying in the game

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

This end-of-year special looks at what 2025 has really taught us across business, health, public services, and our wider Northern PoWEr Women community. 

We reflect on a full year of Northern PoWEr Women activity, from the Awards Roadshow , where Dr Penny stepped confidently into her new alter-ego, DJ Penny PoWEr, to reading 1,800 nominations that showed the scale of impact being created in every sector.

And as we close out the year, we’re already preparing for a major milestone: the 10th anniversary of the Northern PoWEr Women Awards on 12th March 2026!

This episode leaves you with one clear, practical takeaway: implementation intentions, a simple tool to help you follow through when motivation dips... plus a final send-off with Penny and Simone on the DJ decks.

In this episode:

• What this year’s 1,800 Award nominations revealed
• Behind the judging, the roadshow, and why celebration still matters
• Confidence from trying something new (including DJing!)
• A simple networking approach that saves time and energy
• The 10th anniversary Awards coming in March
• Implementation intentions and how to put them into practice
• How to take 2025’s lessons into 2026 with focus and momentum

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫