LeadHERship Journeys
Season 1
How do you turn a negative life event into a positive?
Do we all need to be hard-line strategic thinkers?
Can you stay positive in a world of bad guys?
Can you be a working mum and a success?
by Leona Deakin
What do you do when a war comes to your doorstep? For anyone faced with that scenario, survival is, of course, a priority. But once you are safe, is it possible to use that experience for a positive outcome? Are there lessons we can all learn? Yana Smaglo is a Ukrainian living in the UK. She fled the war in Ukraine when it began in 2023. She was already a successful fashion designer, but had to flee her own country with just a laptop and a few items of clothing. Today she has started again, and has even appeared on the TV to win investment from Dragons Den. In this episode Leona talks to Yana about: Fleeing the war in Ukraine Coming to the UK and setting up her business How a strong sense of purpose drives us The power of persistence and a positive mindset DON'T FORGET - Leave a review of this podcast to be in with the chance of winning a free hour coaching session with Leona LINKS Leona Deakin https://leonadeakin.co.uk/ Nenya: https://www.nenya.online/ Yana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yana-smaglo-188798155/ Yana's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ysmaglo/ Podcast production by Ginger Wizard Productions https://www.gingerwizard.co.uk/
... Or can a world exist where softer, more feminine qualities prevail? Professor Beverly Alimo-Metcalfe is a psychologist who specialises in leadership. Her ground-breaking research into what it takes to be a great leader is seen as a benchmark. Beverly has a lifetime of experience looking at leadership and how women are perceived in the workplace. Her's is a story of determination and sheer willpower to break through barriers and trailblaze for female leaders. In this episode Leona is also joined by Beverly's daughter, Juliette Alban-Metcalfe, chief executive of the Real World Group. They help people to be better leaders, and aim to improve the workplace for all employees. In this episode Leona talks to them about: The affect you can have on other people Staying positive How mindset and approach is vital Beverly's landmark study and how it nearly didn't happen DON'T FORGET - Leave a review of this podcast to be in with the chance of winning a free hour coaching session with Leona LINKS Leona Deakin https://leonadeakin.co.uk/ Real World Group https://realworld-group.com/ Podcast production by Ginger Wizard Productions https://www.gingerwizard.co.uk/ This episode was recorded at the Bramble Bakehouse in Guiseley, Leeds https://bramblebakehouse.co.uk/
Siobhan Blake is the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in the West Midlands and the National CCP Lead for the CPS on rape and serious sexual offence prosecutions. It's a huge and tough job, so how do you not let it creep and seep into your personal life? In a way, it's something we can all take heed of; we all have people and experiences in our lives that we probably should keep at arm's length. Siobhan's journey is one of determination, empathy and a pathological hatred of bullies. Leona talks to her about: The impact of dealing with all of life's bad people How it's possible to see the good instead of the bad Why you shouldn't mess with middle-aged women Society and the role it plays in defeating offenders Her journey into law How she helped changed the judicial experience for victims DON'T FORGET - Leave a review of this podcast to be in with the chance of winning a free hour coaching session with Leona LINKS Leona Deakin https://leonadeakin.co.uk/ Siobhan Blake https://www.cps.gov.uk/article/prosecuting-rape-siobhan-blake Podcast production by Ginger Wizard Productions https://www.gingerwizard.co.uk/ PLEASE NOTE: This episode was recorded in October 2024, before the end of the Gisèle Pelicot rape case. SOME LISTENERS MAY BE UPSET BY THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS EPISODE. FOR HELP: https://rapecrisis.org.uk/
Lisa Shepherd is co-owner of the Biskery and a mum. They hand-make branded biscuits for businesses including Meta, Google and Lloyds Bank. This is a literal kitchen-table business that has grown and scaled, but that's not the point of the Biskery. They exist to make life fairer for working women, in a lot of ways they fly in the face of business convention. They are focussed on their staff and put kindness in the workplace front and centre of everything they do. But that's not easy. So how do they do that? Leona chats to Lisa about: How the Biskery was born from the kitchen table Kindness, and how it is a cornerstone of their values Our workplaces and why they need to change Having a family and why that fundamentally changed her Why bosses should respect what employees are going through every day The Biskery and why it's much more than just a business DON'T FORGET - Leave a review of this podcast to be in with the chance of winning a free hour coaching session with Leona LINKS Leona Deakin https://leonadeakin.co.uk/ The Biskery https://www.thebiskery.com/ Lisa Shepherd https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-shepherd-leeds/ Podcast production by Ginger Wizard Productions https://www.gingerwizard.co.uk/
What makes successful women tick? We all know that there are plenty of men filling some of the biggest jobs in the world, but what about the women? What did they have to do to get to the top? How did they face the obstacles that stood in their way? When did they decide that "no" wasn't an option any more? Psychologist and Author Leona Deakin is on a mission to explore what attributes female leaders have, what drives them and what we can all learn from those who have already trodden this path. LeadHERship Journeys is a weekly podcast and will go live on 15th January 2025. Leave a review and you can be in with a chance of winning a free coaching session with Leona! Find out more about Leona here.