Come and join the conversation with Jess Parkinson! Jess is a certified Breathwork & Wellbeing Coach and Head of Holistic + Mind at renowned chain Gymbox.

With a background as an actress and performer, Jess found her true calling in a really organic way, having looked for things to help her along her own personal journey. Her mantra is to help people feel better everyday, ad she certainly does just that!

Inherently passionate about her work, Jess talks me through the beginnings of her journey into the industry. Working as a performer in West End shows such as the epic School of Rock, prompted Jess to really zone in on the importance of looking after herself in an industry that is so unpredictable.

Like many performers and creatives, the nature of the work needs something on the side, often emotionally and financially to provide support and a sense of grounding as the work can be sporadic.

A chance conversation and a truth bomb from a friend steered her into becoming a personal trainer in the first instance. Jess also found yoga as a way of keeping herself grounded, and fell in love with the practice.

Feeling the benefits not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually too, Jess knew that it was a lifestyle she wanted to explore and delve deeper into.

Citing it as life changing for her Jess continued on the path of discovering the whole system, and how it becomes the epicentre of how you live your life. She tells me about the science behind it, the ancient and historical importance, it was so fascinating!

We discuss the difficulties of being a newcomer to yoga in particular, especially as a female, and Jess debunks the myths surrounding this, proving that it's actually one of the most beautiful and inclusive practices around.

Not only has Jess got decades of experience in a professional capacity, taking her work extremely seriously with her certifications, she's not a stranger to the limelight either. Talking me through her incredible appearance on This Morning (WOWZERS!) to discuss Eye Yoga (I won't spoil it by telling you what it is!) we delve into the small changes that you can make that will impact your health for the better.

Talking about the importance of looking after ourselves, especially as women in business, Jess & I discuss self-awareness, the temptation to work ourselves into the ground and the damage that can arise from failing to put ourselves first.

Jess has the most wonderful, calming, positive energy about her, and is clearly so passionate about her work. What a truly lovely soul, who really is living by her mantra- Helping People To Feel Better Everyday.

You can find out more about Jess here:

https://www.happyhealthywithjess.com

And book onto her next workshop coming up soon here:

https://happyhealthywithjess.com/eventbooking

Get ready for a massive dose of feel good with the incredible Cynthia Green!

The eagle eyed of you may recognise her from the hit shows Married At First Sight UK & Netflix's Love Is Blind. A Registrar & Wedding Celebrant for nearly three decades, Cynthia takes me on a heartfelt and humourous journey of how she got to where she is today!

We start by chatting about how a random job advert in the job section of the paper catapulted her into the career that she adores so much to this day. Juggling a family, a job in a cake factory AND studying for a degree, Cynthia's determination, tenacity and authentic personality shone through in her interview, with the interviewer citing it as the best one they'd ever conducted!

Born and raised in Bolton, Cynthia tells me her personal circumstances at the time prompted an epic move to London, to be closer to her twin sister and she continued her role in Lambeth. The beginning of an exciting new chapter for her, she hit the ground running and quickly got her first taste of the limelight being a part of the live wedding on the London Eye on GMTV! That wasn't to be the end of her TV experiences, in fact ONLY the beginning! What followed was Channel 4's Wedding House, where she married 46 couples over 26 days, Married at First Sight UK and Netflix's Love Is Blind!

Often when we think of "celebrant" and "registrar" we immediately think of weddings and joy, as much as that is a big part of Cynthia's job, the reality is that the other pillars of the work are births and deaths, something which I myself hadn't considered until having the conversation with her. We chat about the pride she felt being able to conduct her own twins' wedding ceremony, to the bittersweet responsibility of registering her own parents' deaths. The eloquency in which Cynthia describes the honour that she felt being able to see her name on those certificates is so moving, and the emotions that must go along with this are huge, especially when it's your loved ones.

We chat about the ways in which she navigates her life, filled with laughter and positivity with her fiancee Milo, citing him as one of her biggest sources of smiles and fun, especially in times when the nature of her role can be heavy. The importance of finding little gems of joy in every day is a big part of the way in which Cynthia combats the negativity in the world too.

Such an interesting insight into the industry, not only the behind the scenes gossip (love this part!!) but the emotions that go along with it and the complexities in which the role is filled with.

There are some hilarious moments in this episode! From a bride repeating her vows in a Bolton accent when English wasn't her first language, clown shoes and red noses, themed weddings, to the dreaded question "Does anyone believe there is a lawful impediment..." and the time when the answer was a YES, my jaw nearly hit the floor, I was on the edge of my seat!

Being at the forefront of so many weddings over the past 27 years, Cynthia excitedly tells me about her very own upcoming wedding in Japan! Still under wraps in terms of the exact location, Cynthia and her husband to be share a mutual passion for everything Japanese and knew that it would be special for them to marry there. It's set to be a spectacular day (and a day off for her, I'm sure it will feel strange being at a wedding and not standing at the front!)

Such an privilege to interview such an amazing woman, to get a glimpse into her world, and I would challenge ANYONE to have a conversation with her without coming away with a smile on their face! Radiating fun and a deep rooted passion for her work, Cynthia's essence is one of infectious happiness!

Cannot wait to see what the future holds for you Cynthia, what a powerhouse of positivity you are!

You can find out more about Cynthia here:

www.cynthiagreen.co.uk

YES SHE CAN!!!

What does Kim Kardashian, dog training, Sarah Jessica Parker, fringes & J-Lo's password all have in common? This episode with the gorgeous Jo Hoare!!!!!

Editorial Lead at Boots, celebrity journalist, multi author and former Beauty Editor at heat Magazine, Jo has some incredible stories to tell!

Such a brilliant conversation, Jo begins by telling me about how she always knew she wanted to write, it was something that came so naturally for her, although she wasn't sure which direction it would take her. A chance meeting at a party was to change the course of her career, catapulting her into the world of Heat Magazine 20 years ago.

An initial short term role turned into over a decade as the Fashion & Beauty Editor of the publication, citing it as a time for her that she wished she could bottle!

Jo's life was hectic, fast paced and fun, at the height of when we as a society would live for the weekly gossip that was crammed into the glossy pages of our favourite magazine. We reminiscence about the days when we would wait all week to sit and devour a copy, and the nostalgia of the everchanging landscape of the media industry. Gone are the times when we would all huddle together at the same time every week to watch the likes of Pop Idol & X Factor, an excuse for family and friends to get together and so often the thread that bound communities in gossip!

Jo takes me on a journey, having left Heat 7 years ago, as the rise of |Instagram was taking hold, she tells me that it took a while to get used to, as her life was so all consumed by her work for such a long time, being in that full on environment, leaving it was a transitional period for her.

We chat celebrities, social media, and the age in which we now live where people can become overnight sensations. Also the drawbacks to this when talent is often getting overshadowed in favour of the people who are constantly showing their face online.

We explore the rise in TikTok when it comes to the fashion and beauty industry, Jo says although she was reluctant to join at first, she's so glad she did as it's a wealth of information and being able to keep your finger on the pulse (and also not wanting to feel old she says!) when it comes to trends, it is a "revolution"! We talk about the dangers of the platform, and the ease of which people can cement themselves as "experts" which can make for a dangerous outlet.

In her role as Fashion & Beauty Editor at Boots, she is driven by the passion to educate their audience, by giving them the correct information which is always backed up by the science and the best industry expertise. More recently she has hosted The Skin Clinic, which covers a wide range of health and beauty topics, again featuring industry professionals and experts to make sure that women know that it's information they can trust and rely upon. You can watch the series here:

Jo is also a Multi-Author, we delve into her journey from her very first publishing offer, starting off with a light-hearted, cultural trend publication, Jo's authenticity and unique style of writing is what brought the publishers to her!

Jo dishes the gossip on celebrities, her favourite interviewee being Sarah Jessica Parker, we get the inside scoop on the celebs that have turned up drunk and even having their make up done on the floor!!!

Such a jam packed episode, so insightful, and just like having a cuppa with a friend! Jo is absolutely fantastic, so much fun and insanely talented at what she does (have a Google and read some of her work, she is AMAZING! Like your BFF is writing to you!)

You can follow her here:

https://www.instagram.com/jojolizzy

Come and join the conversation with the gorgeous Akua Opong!

Come and join the conversation with the gorgeous Emma Benyon!

Emma is a Motherhood & Self-Care coach, and Educator, qualified in Practical Magic, NLP AND MBit certified! If you're looking for a coach that covers a wide variety of expertise, Emma is your gal!

In this episode we chat about each section of her work, giving an amazing insight into exactly what has brought her to this point today.

It is fascinating to hear all about the different aspects of her work, especially when Emma shares how she not only uses her skillset with her clients to help them but her little girl to get rid of scary spiders!

Emma takes me through her journey into becoming a coach and what prompted her to begin. Coming out of the pandemic Emma tells me how she was feeling at the time and the emotions that went along with it, at one point not being able to leave the house and working from home as a teacher.

Starting to study NLP, Emma cites this as a transformative period in her life, starting her business when her daughter was just FOUR WEEKS old, she tells me that she was always looking for a creative outlet and knew that she needed to share her motherhood journey with others as the isolation she had felt was something that she wanted to help other new Mums to navigate.

With a renewed focus and energy, Emma set about ploughing her energy into creating a safe space and more importantly starting a conversation that she knew in her heart that women needed.

Behind the scenes though, Emma talks me through what a difficult time it was, she bravely tells me about the struggles she faced as she was diagnosed with PND when her daughter was just five months old.

Emma is passionate about sharing the real story of motherhood, supporting women through her work and it comes from a place f lived experience. Such a powerful conversation with such an amazing lady, we chat about the REAL meaning of self-care and the real benefits of introducing it into our daily lives.

We chat about her podcast- The Self-care & Motherhood Edit, priorities, life lessons and her passion for her work.

Such an insightful conversation with an incredible lady!

Please go and check Emma out here and give her a follow too!:

Come and join the conversation with the gorgeous Rosie Nixon: Author, Coach, Host, Philanthropist &

The re-release of her Be Kind book which was originally released during the pandemic, will now be available in paperback at a super affordable price in October 24. Packed full of tips, tools and inspirational words,centered around self compassion and kindness. Such an inspiring lady, breaking down barriers, championing others & paving the way,opening up conversations for so many women & the next generation, you are an absolute joy & a true definition of YES SHE CAN! Find out more about Rosie here: www.rosienixon.co.uk

Come and join the conversation with the incredibly inspiring Stacey Fleece!

We were introduced by the amazing Samantha Tradelius of Sparkle Foundation and Stacey's cohost for InspirHerd podcast.

An international friendship we have connected across oceans! (although my geography isn't that great so if oceans is plural or not I have no idea!)

Stacey's story is one of resilience, sheer grit and determination. Raised by a single Mum, Stacey saw and learned strength and perseverance watching her mother work 3 jobs to provide for her and her siblings.

Fast forward to after going to college, Stacey ended up in the Hedge Fund Industry working for a big company for 10 years. Moving on to another company Stacey found herself with a decade of experience behind her and relished in her new role.

We chat about the "pale, male and stale" industry and how she navigated her way through the challenges that this brought. Eventually setting up her own hedge fund with a friend of hers when she was in her early 30's, Stacey was deeply engrossed in the industry and was reaping the benefits both financially and personally enjoying her work to the fullest (albeit it super intense and stressful!)

However when the world was rocked by the devastating events of 9/11, Stacey had a personal connection with the attack, having known people that were inside the twin towers. While she paused with the world, it put a lot of things into perspective for her and this was the beginning of a new chapter.

Stacey tells me that her work was essentially "making the rich even richer" and she began to question whether she was infact doing the right thing by continuing in the industry especially as she had become a mother herself and craved the flexibility to spend time with her children.

Deciding to leave her role, Stacey opens up about the uncomfortable transition that she experienced in the fight for a balanced life with work and home.

Although starting a new career in the mortgage industry, Stacey's world was about to be turned upside down once more. Her husband picked up and left out of the blue one day and she tells me the story behind how she felt and how scary it was to find herself a solo parent.

We chat about the pressures on us as women to "have it all together" and how we are somehow conditioned to put on a brave face, get on with things for fear of appearing vulnerable or weak. When in actually fact the most powerful thing we can often do is share how we are feeling with others, but that asking for help doesn't seem to come naturally to us!

We talk through the realities of raising her children on her own, juggling her career and family, but more importantly focusing her energies into positive things rather than dwelling on the negative.

Stacey is showing her children true resilience, teaching them strength and determination! In her own words she says that she has lived her life with ruthless accountability, a trait that she attributes to her Mum and the way in which she was raised.

There is such a powerful theme running through everything that Stacey does, and that is truly EMPOWERING other women! Whether that's through her podcast with Samantha- InspirHER'd, working with Sparkle Foundation, or in her day job, all of these avenues are intrinsically interwined in helping women to RISE!!

What a pleasure to speak to such an epically inspiring woman, thankyou Stacey for sharing your story you are incredible!

I LOVE MY U.S GIRL TRIBE!!!!

You can find out more about Stacey's work below:

InspiHER‘d on Apple Podcasts

Come and join the conversation with the amazing Taruna Chauhan! A soon to be double author, running a consultancy practice for clients in the healthcare sector and a Business Coach & Mentor, Taruna is a busy lady!

Previously a Quality Manager in the NHS, Taruna tells me about her work now with companies looking to obtain the CQC certification and coaching them through the process. Taruna works holistically with her clients drawing on her extensive qualifications and having the key awareness that comes with being a business coach.

We chat about the angle in which she approaches her work, how that sets her apart from other consultancy coaches.

We delve onto her vision board and find out that she's actually achieved the majority of things on there which is amazing! Her belief in having an integrated approach to life instead of striving for that "balance" that is so often hard to come by makes for such an interesting insight. Taruna tells me if we see our goals and aspirations as an integration instead of a dream which feels unreachable and actually by incorporating it as part of our lives, it is like a breath of fresh air!

We chat about her extensive toolkit from her training that she has developed ways in which she can help her clients to thrive. Not only that, but Taruna is an NLP practitioner and an MBIT (Multiple Brain Integration) Coach, further allowing her the flexibility to connect with her clients on an even deeper level.

We talk about our personalities and it is SO evident how passionate Taruna is about her work and helping people, it's such an integral part of her make up which makes her perfectly placed to be in the career that she is!

Taruna tells me all about her upcoming book: Recipes From A Gujarati Kitchen. After a conversation with the amazing Shelley Wilson, she was encouraged to start writing an compiling her book. Hailing from India and the youngest of 8 children, Taruna spent her weekends growing up cooking alongside her mother and is passionate about sharing her journey and educating others about her heritage.

Wanting to capture a lifetime of family recipes having reflected on the passing of her mother, Taruna was determined to write them down and make them available for the next generation.

Not only full of recipes, this book is an insight into Taruna's journey as an immigrant, where she shares the story of her life!

Ready for release during South Asian Heritage Month later in the year, this book for Taruna is a passion project! You can join her mailing list to be first to hear about the release in August.

We chat about challenges, and Taruna explains about how traditionally she was never supposed to be an author or a woman in business, in her culture, you are expected to grow up, get married, have children and be a housewife. To have achieved what she has is nothing short of inspiring! Talking about challenges, Taruna explains her struggles when it comes to self-belief and confidence, something so many of us as women experience. The joy of finding people that lift us up, tell us that we are doing a great job and that sense of achievement when others take time out to tell us how we have helped them.

Such a beautiful soul, Taruna exudes kindness and compassion for others which makes her absolutely perfect for her clients and their needs.

Thankyou Taruna it was an absolute pleasure to chat to you and cannot wait for your book!!!

To find out more click the links below:

Mailing List and Book updates:

LinkedIn:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/tarunachauhan

Website:

Come and join the conversation with this wonderful ball of energy Rozz Darlington!

What an epic journey she has been on in the last year, having taken part in the most recent series of Married At First Sight UK, and running TWO businesses!

Rozz starts from the beginning and chats to me about the mindset and headspace she was in before applying for the show. She was looking for some happiness amidst the sadness and grief that she was experiencing in the months prior and knew that something needed to change.

Being on such a high profile show brought an intense spotlight that felt alien upon leaving. Having been in a bubble during the show, Rozz returned back home to her businesses. She experienced what can only be described as hate and vitriol and it had a huge impact on her. We chat about the nature of television and how it's such an edited small glimpse into what actually happened.

However what came from her time on the show was a huge period of personal growth, Rozz tells me honestly how much of a transformational time the last year has been.

We chat about how important it is for us as women to be true to ourselves, to have that space to speak openly about our feelings and inspire other women to do the same.

Rozz walks me through the journey she has had, from a young woman who was in a dark place mentally and looking for happiness, to receiving hate online, to ultimately becoming a woman who knows her own strengths and knows exactly what she wants out of her life. We talk about how important it is to push yourself out of your comfort zone and how testing your own resilience is key to personal growth.

Rozz chats to me about her two businesses- Rosaline's and The Flower Paddock and she absolutely lights up when talking about them! It's so clear to see how passionate she is about what she does, it just shines through when she talks about them!

She cites her business as her purpose and it goes far beyond the physical products that she not only sells but grows too! For Rozz it's the privilege of being a part of her community, and being a source of support in the happiest and saddest times in people's lives. Not only this but she is passionate about shining a light on the importance of getting outside for your mental health and is working away behind the scenes to help as many people as possible feel the benefits in their minds aswell as their bodies.

So many exciting things happening for this lovely lady, and such a journey she has been on so far!

What a joy to speak to you Rozz!

Yes SHE CAN!!!!

Here are the links to her websites so you can check them out!

Rosaline's Flowers - Home of your local florist (rosalines.co.uk)