Hey Weirdos!

I'm thrilled to welcome the face and wisdom behind 'With Love Shell', Shell Johnson, the De-influencer we all know and love on Instagram, as she disrupts the scroll with relatable doses of humbling and reassuring reality.

Shell is an advocate for authenticity online, risking her own vulnerability to help us all feel more normal. From real skin and lifestyle to real thoughts and feelings, she makes content to help us all feel less alone when we scroll through AI, filters & highlight reels online.

She is a mum who has recently quit her job, hoping to make enough of an income from social media to keep her daughter at home with her.

In this vulnerable and honest chat, Shell and I discuss the impact of filters and Ai, sharing personal anecdotes and our fears and worries for the future. 

We also discuss De-influencing and Shell’s incredible mission to balance out the filtered fakery on the gram with real life reminders that we’re all textured humans with visible pores and overflowing laundry baskets! 

We cover SO many topics in this meaty episode, such as:

• Body image
• Overconsumption 
• The power social media has on us
• Self love, self acceptance and self perception
• Competing with a fake version of yourself
• Our responsibility as parents in the Ai world
• All things Ai - Ai bias, Ai content, Ai influencers and even Ai from beyond the grave!

This is a truly thought provoking episode and hopefully it’s going to make you think twice about using Chat GPT as your PA, and embracing a wholesome, human life. 

We would love to hear your thoughts on this very topical topic!

Reach out to us on @workitweirdo on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/workitweirdo/

CONNECT WITH SHELL

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/withloveshell/

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Ai from beyond the grave - https://www.npr.org/2025/05/07/g-s1-64640/ai-impact-statement-murder-victim
• Shell's scary scream from her Ai self - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFa7i-VOwiP/
• Lorde at The Met Gala - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-14681379/Lorde-wardrobe-malfunction-stuck-Met-Gala.html

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Hey Weirdos! I'm super excited to share this month's amazing guest with you. A creator I admired from afar who has now joined me on the mic to chat all things travel, content creation and personal growth. Our Professional Weirdo is the adorable Jack Forrest-Rickard.

Jack is the driving force behind JFR.PRODUCTIONS, a brand that started with travel and lifestyle vlogs but has since grown into something much deeper. Through their YouTube channel, they capture adventures both at home and away, always with a message of positivity, but behind the scenes, their story is one of resilience. After surviving a hit-and-run accident that left them battling PTSD, Jack made it his mission to find happiness even in the toughest moments. His brand, STAY HAPPY, isn’t just a slogan, it’s a mindset, born from his own personal struggles that left him rebuilding from the ground up. From sharing travel experiences to launching his own STAY HAPPY merchandise, they’ve built a platform that encourages people to hold onto joy, no matter what life throws their way.

In this warm + engaging episode we discuss:

• The journey from a teenage YouTubing Millennial to a Content Creator
• Becoming a Creator in your 30s
• Building a personal brand
• Dealing with trolls and negativity
• Travel vlogging as escapism and part of the new buyer journey
• Getting recognised in public!
• Turning tragedy to triumph through the creation of his brand Stay Happy
• Kit and equipment for a creator
• The accountability and structure of content creation
• Competing with yourself
• The struggle with showing both positive and negative content

This chat was everything I hoped it would be, and more. Jack is such a sunshine soul and I'm sure he will have gained another subscriber in you after you've finished listening.

You can find more about him, here...

JACK'S LINKS

JFR Productions YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@jfr.productions

JFR Productions Instagram - instagram.com/jfr.productions

JFR Productions Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1182977798933577

Stay Happy Online Store - https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/stay-happy-store

The PTSD video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2woca1BL0I

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Hey Weirdos!

This month's guest is Rapper, Podcaster and Show Host, Creeper Crisis. A great guy full of insight and wisdom, whose passion for sharing his story and his voice is clear. Having started on underground radio and YouTube in his teens, he's grown to releasing his own incredible music and interviewing stars in the industry as well as hosting his Hot Seat Game Show.

It was a true joy to connect with him and share his energy and learn more about his roots and what influenced his music and his lifestyle, which challenges the typical stereotypes of rap culture. We are all about doing things different at Work it Weirdo and Creeper Crisis is definitely a Maverick in his field, staying firmly in his own lane and putting his message out there to the world.

Some of the topics we discuss include:

• How he came up with his name
• The impact of phone culture on society
• Storytelling in music
• Growing up as a Millennial
• Childhood influences and support
• Views v Reviews
• Authenticity in the digital age
• The Hot Seat
• Self love and growth

Such a wisdom-packed meaty chat, covering so many topics - you will definitely take a fresh perspective after listening to this episode. Make sure you check out his music too and listen to Drug Talk for those amazing lyrics we discuss in the chat.

As always, join me over on Instagram www.instagram.com/workitweirdo and please do review the podcast and share with your friends as we spread the message that it's cool to be weird!

CREEPER CRISIS LINKS

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/7n7ie8HrIwKhl6aLnO5vEe

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@creepercrisis

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/creepercrisis/?hl=en

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Hey Weirdos! We love shining a spotlight, here at Work it Weirdo, on people with the most niche, passion-fuelled jobs, and this month's Professional Weirdo is exactly that! Sarah Spreadbury, founder of Wedding Day Dog Nanny, is passionate about making sure your beloved dog enjoys your wedding day just as much as you do! Yes, it's her real job!

In this episode we discuss:

• Niching - no matter how weird or specific!
• Owning your specific zone of genius and being seen as the go-to in your area
• Naming your business
• Outsourcing to grow
• Scaling and expanding your team
• The challenges of a marketing in the Wedding Industry with an ever-renewing audience
• The impact of Covid on her 2019-launched biz
• As well as navigating the challenges of marketing something people may not know exists

Please welcome your dog's new best friend and wedding-day hero, Sarah, to Work it Weirdo!

Sarah's Links:

Website - https://www.weddingdaydognanny.co.uk/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/weddingdaydognanny/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wddognanny/

If you aren't already, please go give us a follow on Instagram, @workitweirdo and please share with your friends!

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Hey Weirdos! Kicking things off after a little break for the school holidays, we are back with the amazing Emelye Parker from Bean. Em is Queen of all things pink and owner of independent & quirky shop Bean and plant-based cocktail bar The Black Cat - both in Falmouth in Cornwall. She's a big fan of all things fun, colourful and gay, and she is an absolute poster girl for being authentic and running a business that is true to you, to the core.

I've wanted to get Emelye on the podcast for ages to talk about the insane negative 1* Google review her shop received, and how she turned it into the best publicity opportunity, including press, merch and a cult following that came to support and strengthen the brand and community she has so amazingly built. This is a true testament to the 'all publicity is good publicity' mantra, and shows that by those who are clearly NOT your customer speaking up, it brings forth tenfold those who are.

As well as this juicy tale turned success story, Em shares how she built the brand, supports and stocks artists and creatives that align with her values and how she uses her storefront as a political and social lighthouse to beam out her messages and beliefs and stand true to the causes and organisations that she believes in. We discuss how activism and personal beliefs can exist in your business, both online and IRL.

We also discuss how to un-beige your life and business, how to stay true to your niche and how neurodiversity plays a part in business planning.

There's also plenty of hun culture references, lots of pink and a large dollop of authenticity, sprinkled with more pink!

Thanks so much Emelye for being our fabulous Professional Weirdo!

EM'S LINKS

Bean Instagram - www.instagram.com/beanfalmouth

Bean Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@beanfalmouth?_t=ZN-8uIoqWtnbMo&_r=1

The Black Cat Instagram - www.instagram.com/theblackcatfalmouth

About THAT Google review - https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/23858594.bean-hive-sea-falmouth-one-star-google-review/

MENTIONED

Hey Hun it's Nicole - www.instagram.com/heyhunitsnicole

Victoria Essie Studio - www.instagram.com/shopvictoriaessie

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Hey Weirdos! This week's Professional Weirdo is the incredible Lucy Cox, co-founder of the multi-award-winning international training company The Academe, whose mission is very simple; to help people see how capable they already are.

Whether that is in relation to leading teams, building business, shifting careers, navigating neurodivergence, or simply getting out of bed in the morning, Lucy shares fascinating insights into the human brain, unites teams on shared human experiences and provides practical advice on how to get the best from ourselves.

Outside of work, Lucy is an ADHD mum of two AuDHD children and is no stranger to the ups and downs of juggling work and home, self-confidence and entrepreneurship. She is a chronic over-sharer, creative problem-solver and most importantly, a weirdo!

In this awesome episode Lucy shares her own personal journey, from inventing a product with his business partner sister, taking it to Dragon's Den with babies in tow and crowd funding £11,000 in mere days. Such a fun and inspiring story - I could listen to Lucy talk all day.

Lucy also talks about the importance of acceptance and individual needs in the workplace and as solopreneurs and takes us through all the fab work the Academe do to maximise people potential.

We also chat about the struggles and super powers of neurodiversity and harnessing that in business and life.

Thanks so much Lucy for being this week's weirdo!

LUCY'S LINKS:

The Academe - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/the.academe/

The Academe - Website - https://theacademe.co.uk/

Halto - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thehalto/

Halto - Website - https://myhalto.com/

Linkedin

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

The Dose Effect - https://amzn.eu/d/inGI7Uc

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Hey Weirdos! Welcome back to a (slightly later than billed) solo episode where I talk about my recent ADHD diagnosis, how I discovered I was Neurodiverse, who has helped me along the way and why I believe raising awareness is important. I also chat about how the podcast will change (spoiler: it won't!) how my condition has been my superpower, and how my diagnosis is affecting me going forward.

This is quite a personal and raw one for me guys, so I'd love to connect with you if it resonated. Please reach out on Instagram @workitweirdo and share your experiences with your journey, ask me any questions, and let me know what you thought of the episode?

Follow us on IG - www.instagram.com/workitweirdo

www.workitweirdo.co.uk

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Hey Weirdos! This week's Professional Weirdo is Paul Fenton, the founder of Big Friendly Giants. Paul shares his unique career journey, from his early days in rugby and media to his current focus on storytelling and supporting business through innovative media solutions. He discusses the importance of personal growth, the influence of his family and coaches, and how his faith shapes his approach to business. The conversation touches on the need for transparency, creativity, and strong values in business, as well as the significance of creating multiple touch points for effective marketing. Not only do we hear Paul's varied and exciting journey but we also look at how you can improve your business messaging and ethos. Paul believes mistakes and failures are opportunities for growth and shares his own wisdom and stories to inspire and get some lightbulb moments in this interesting hour long episode.

DISCLAIMER

Please bear with us on the audio this week as we have switched to a new provider and there are a few tiny split second glitches throughout. Please bear with it as it's still a great episode and we are ironing out the hitches ready for next week's episode!

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Paul Fenton and Cornwall Life

02:27 Paul's Journey from Wigan to Cornwall

04:34 Career Beginnings: Rugby and Commentary

09:51 Influences and Personal Development

15:41 The Role of Confidence and Upbringing

21:26 The Impact of Mentorship and Support

26:58 The Birth of Big Friendly Giants

30:10 Setting Standards in Business

34:12 The Power of Digital Storytelling

37:50 Engaging Through Personal Narratives

40:37 Integrating Digital and Real-World Experiences

45:47 Transformative Community Impact

58:46 Faith as a Foundation for Purpose

HOW TO CONNECT WITH PAUL

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-fenton-9b4088108/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bfg_mobiledigiboard/

If you've enjoyed this episode, please rate, review or share to your socials. Don't forget to tag @workitweirdo and give us a follow on Instagram.

Www.workitweirdo.co.uk

Let's get weird!

Cassie

x

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Hey Weirdos! You may want to grab the Kleenex for this one (other tissue brands are available!) as we hear the most incredible and uplifting story of hope, intuition and the true power of mindset with Mary Tomlinson, creator of Mary Ellen.

Mary is a mindset-obsessed custom and cremation handmade jeweller who loves spreading love, positivity, health and inspiring others through her own health journey.

In this inspirational episode, Mary shares how she went from Banking to Biz Babe, How she mastered the power of Mindset to achieve her dream career, and how her intuition LITERALLY saved her life.

As well as listening to Mary's unbelievable business journey, setting up Cremation jewellery business, Mary Ellen, she also shares her dramatic Blood Cancer diagnosis story, and how her positive mindset has got her through this life-changing time.

We also cover some meaty and oh-so-relatable topics such as:

• Staying true to yourself
• Finding your niche
• Being YOU in a saturated market
• Blocking out the negative opinions and sniggers of others
• Customer impact and the power of reviews
• Self-sabotage and getting out of your own way
• Balancing Motherhood
• Tuning into and changing your inner voice

Mary is a truly phenomenal woman with a burning passion, a sunshine spirit and a pure heart who is proof we can live our dream authentic life, no matter what curveballs life throws our way. What an inspiration!

MARY'S LINKS:

Website - https://maryellen.co.uk/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/maryellent22/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p/Mary-Ellen-100087881774551/

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Noor Hibbert - https://www.thisisyourdream.com/

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Hey Weirdos! We are kicking things back off for 2025 with a badass babe who is not only going to make you feel better for not necessarily starting the year with a productive bang, but she's also going to share heaps of wisdom about pivoting your business, aligning, stepping into the next level of yourself and levelling the F up in life. Yes, there's a bit of swearing in this one!

Welcome to Professional Weirdo, Jenna Sinclair, an award winning food blogger turned business coach for fearless femalepreneurs, lifelong creative, musical comedy writer and malamute dog mum. she 10xed her biz income in 2024 while living in 13 different houses and executing a wedding and an international move.

Join us in just under an hour of inspiring chats as we cover subjects such as:

• Following your bursts and callings as a creative
• Getting back to it after a break
• Recalibrating or pivoting your business
• Positive Psychology
• Aligning to the seasons
• What to do when you feel stuck in business
• How to not recreate your 9-5
• The power of changing your environment
• Epigenetics
• Why are you making rules for yourself?
• Quantum leaping and inviting in a new reality
• Enrobed cognition
• Blue Mind and nature for growth
• Saying no to work that doesn't light you up

This was such a great chat with lots of book and podcast recommendations for the new year too, links of which are all in the show notes below.

Thanks so much Jenna for sharing your vibe with us!

JENNA'S LINKS

Website - www.jennasinclair.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jenna_sinclair_coaching?igsh=ZjlkYnhhcWVuZm9s

The Spiritual Sofapreneur (Jenna's Podcast) - https://open.spotify.com/show/3PVx4zE6fERqQiDEeKWu1y?si=T0D9V5BQSsyCbC8n1dhg8g

The Artist's Way - https://amzn.eu/d/eqWW2MK

Shoshanna Raven - https://shoshannaraven.com/

Wintering Well with Francesca Amber - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Eto9YCkThl5oDpuCGHiBu?si=LZNGII0zTIOqSNt4biMIgw

Big Magic - https://amzn.eu/d/1a9yoAA

Denise DT - https://open.spotify.com/show/5RtAeja3hIHF5QI0CZBVHt?si=iVMHb6phQYuYeATTRFxuRg

Jacquelyn Atkins Meditation - https://insighttimer.com/jacquelyn/guided-meditations/meet-you-business-meditation

Libby Langley's episode - https://open.spotify.com/episode/0e1GDJWxa2kJDvNE7RRh4V?si=4Z6stDdLTHq_wHCHSJ_SCA

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