The Mavericks Unlimited Podcast

If you ever thought that putting profit before people is a sustainable business strategy, you need to listen to this episode. Nikki Gatenby, CEO of Search Listening and Chief Growth Officer of PropellerNet, tells us the story of building one of the most profitable agencies in the country…and they are consistently ranked in the best places to work in the UK as well. Nikki couldn’t be any more Maverick if she tried and, in this episode, she shares some of the transformational practices that PropellerNet use…and the commercial impact of these. She also tells us what it was like to share this people-first philosophy in her best-selling book SuperEngaged. Nikki breaks every stereotype of what you might imagine a business leader needs to be like. She is warm, humble and extremely heart-centred. She also walks her talk at every step. Just SuperInspirational. In this conversation, we talk about: Why putting people before profit makes complete commercial sense The journey from seeing the underbelly of the creative sector in London to leading one of the best places to work in the UK Why giving people time and space specifically to learn drives innovation Putting life first rather than putting the client first leads to better service, creativity and, ultimately, money How to encourage people to bring their whole selves to work The oddest and most productive conversation an MD can have with a new employee The intersection between people’s dreams and your business plan Why Propellernet refuses to grow bigger than 60 people…and it may not be what you think! Why the obsession with business growth can be destructive The 3 top things that any Scale-up Founder can implement to get the best from their people A different approach to feedback that can change the nature of performance conversations Why the people with the loudest are often the least courageous! Nikki's Social Links LinkedIn | Twitter

Hanna Naima McCloskey is both an inspirational and awesome human being. As the Founder and CEO of Fearless Futures, she is seeking to put social justice, equity and equality at the heart of the business agenda. So many people are now talking about diversity and inclusion, but we are seeing many ineffective initiatives, committees and training that barely scratch the surface. Hanna and Fearless Futures give business leaders a true experience of what it is like to experience inequity and prejudice. It is only from that place, she contends, can we really design organisations for true inclusion. As a person, Hanna is warm, smart and wise beyond her years. As a startup founder, she is focused and purposeful. For me, this is one of the most important episodes that I have ever been part of. Hanna really does blow the lid off what you think diversity and inclusion are. In this conversation, we talk about: Why dealing with inequity and inclusion is the transformative path to leadership How you can be a startup founder and fundamentally create social change Acknowledging that the world is unequal is the real starting point of diversity and inclusion (D&I) Most diversity and inclusion work doesn’t address the root causes of the issues that it sets out to address Never understand the power of a few courageous agitators to create fundamental change in organisations Webinars on unconscious bias are NOT the way forward Why you can’t look at diversity and inclusion by looking at gender, race etc as separate issues How to REALLY approach D&I as a transformative subject that does actually change things Why Fearless Futures never engage in business case conversations for the work they do with organisations How Hanna lives her own values as a leader in her own organisation Why this is one of the most important podcasts that you will listen to this year Hanna's Social Links LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Medium

Justin Billingsley defies convention. It would be very easy to make assumptions about someone who is one of the most senior people globally in a multinational advertising group. Whatever picture that brings to mind, Justin is NONE of that…and is a true Maverick. As the CEO of Publicis DACH and Publicis EMIL, Justin runs a multi-billion dollar business. But, he walked into our interview, took off his converse trainers and chatted with me as if I had known him for years. It couldn’t have been more refreshing experience. In this podcast, Justin discusses his journey as a Maverick and how he has risen to the ranks of being a global business leader, all while staying true to himself. What impressed me most about Justin is just how down-to-earth, humble, geeky and personal he is. He is also immensely smart. If you work in corporate but long to be more true to yourself, this is a must listen. In this conversation, we talk about: Even in corporations, you can be disrupting and entrepreneurial What is your one-word equity? What it takes to reach the top of one of the world’s largest and most successful companies The challenges and opportunities of moving your family and moving to China How as a Maverick, you have to be able to embrace ambiguity Despite technology, it is still important to do business by looking people in the eye by being there in person In the age of information and technology, staying analogue is what keeps Justin organised As a founder, know your weaknesses and staff up around that The challenges of integrating family life and self-care and with being a global business leader How even global leaders have the people that inspire them When looking for inspiration, read outside of your immediate area of interest…it stimulates creativity and lateral thinking Assume that you are not an imposter! That holds more people back than almost anything else… Justin's Social Links LinkedIn | Twitter

So much success depends on ignoring the advice and opinions of others and figuring out what really works for you. That saves time, energy and an awful lot of angst as Tara McMullin, the CEO and Founder of The What Works Network and extremely successful podcast of the same name, has discovered. For over 10 years, she has been facilitating honest conversations about running and growing a small business and answering the no. 1 question small business owners want to know is: What works? (in marketing, hiring people, selling more, driving results etc). What I love about Tara is that she is extremely grounded and relatable, yet incredibly inspiring and wise. Tara describes herself as a "natural introvert but digital extravert" and she hits that sweet spot where purpose meets the practical, where the big picture meets pragmatic action. In this episode Tara shares her experience of what has worked for her in building her business, growing as a person and leader and really discovering what authentic success means for her. In this conversation, we talk about:

Every now and then, someone comes along who is so genuine and authentic that it is hard not to be instantly enrolled in them. That was the case for us at Mavericks Unlimited with Josh Connolly. Josh is a speaker, coach and spokesperson for the National Association for Children of Alcoholics, who spends his time passionately advocating the power of authenticity, resilience and acceptance. These aren't just concepts for Josh, they are born out of hard-earned experience and an extraordinary journey through life with extreme ups and downs. He also speaks about mental health and why so much of the current debate on this topic is focused on completely the wrong thing. The thing that I love about Josh is that he speaks so openly and authentically about emotions and feelings that many of us have but are afraid to bring out into the open. More than that, he speaks with courage, acceptance and compassion. Josh is a true model of what it is to fall down, do the inner work and, ultimately, thrive as a person doing incredible work in the world. In this conversation, we talk about: Josh's Social Links LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube

Very often the best way to learn how to perform at peak efficiency is to learn exactly how not to do that...then reverse it. That is exactly what our guest this week, Nick Elvery, has done. Nick is a peak performance coach whose journey includes a foray into deep addiction, getting clean and sober and then having the motivation to learn and apply EVERYTHING he could find to become a peak performer. Because of where he has come from, Nick is possibly an even bigger maven (or is that geek?)...

Change is difficult, but if you want any degree of success, you can't keep doing the same thing over and over again. At some point, you have to take a risk and do something different. That is the core message of our guest this week, Ray Richards. Ray is the CEO of the Brighton-based tech company Do Something Different and is very much a Maverick in his own right. DSD's mission is to help people create sustainable change in their lives by mixing up their routine and taking small steps or "do's" to expand their behavioural flexibility. It is this behavioural flexibility that is the key to reaching our goals. In this episode, we talk about what you can do to build your own behavioural flexibility, how you can deal with the unknown and bring the people who matter on the journey with you. What I love about Ray is that he is extremely grounded, laid-back and pragmatic. Although he believes that change it simple, it is not easy and he is dedicated to making it easier. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN: LINKS The Do Something Different website DSD Social Links - LINKEDIN | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Whatever flavour of Maverick you are, whether change maker, leader or entrepreneur, sooner or later you are going to have to sell people on your ideas and bring them on a journey with you. And this is what marketeer Wes Kao is a master of. She understands that selling isn’t a dirty word, but rather about deep empathy, walking a mile in another person’s shoes and really helping the other person to feel seen and heard. She helps organisations launch products, leaders run change programmes and entrepreneurs to really understand their audience. Wes has also learned from the best having worked closely with Seth Godin as the Executive Director of his AltMBA programme. In this episode, we do talk about tools and techniques of persuasion, but we go rather deeper into how to really hone your empathy, building your confidence and how to bring your loved ones along on with your on your Maverick journey. In this conversation, you'll learn: Links Wes' social links - LINKEDIN | TWITTER

We believe that Mavericks can change the world and that the world needs more Mavericks...and that is exactly what this week's podcast guests are doing. Rich Bloom and Ross Taylor are first-degree Mavericks. Having worked in the recruitment industry for years and running their own very successful recruitment company, they felt the need to shake things up and disrupt their industry. Rich and Ross have literally just launched Hidden, their new recruitment venture, which aims to throw out bad practices that a driven by sales targets and contingencies fees. More than that, they are using technology to further diversity and inclusion by eliminating unconscious bias from the recruitment process...all while providing a much higher level of service to their clients. It would be easy to dismiss this if recruitment isn't your thing. The real message here though is about what it really takes to build a startup when you are following your principles as well as trying to build prosperity. Rich and Ross are very candid about the challenges they have faces, the difficulty of convincing clients of radically new ways of working and the impact on their families. What's more though, they are off to a flying start with clients such as Wunderman, VaynerMedia and Dentsu Aegis getting onboard very quickly. If you are running your own business, dream of doing so or want to be a disrupter, this is a must listen! In this conversation, you'll learn: Links Rich and Ross' startup - HIDDEN Hidden social links - TWITTER | INSTAGRAM Feature article about HIDDEN in The Drum - Hidden targets unconscious bias in the creative industries with ‘in-house talent partner’ recruitment model

You know how sometimes you meet someone who is so effortlessly inspiring, it is unreal. That was my experience with Glenn Elliott, the founder of Reward Gateway and author of “Build It: The Rebel Playbook for World Class Employee Engagement”. Glenn is a highly successful entrepreneur and former engineer whose approach to employee engagement is simple, down-to-earth and common sense. To him, engagement is not some fluffy HR issue but the single most important business improvement tool. As a result he is a hugely sought after speaker and travels the world championing employee engagement. Glenn is grounded, warm and real..and that is what makes him so inspiring. There is no inauthenticity or pretense. And that is what makes him so effective. In this conversation, you’ll learn: The impact of office design on culture and engagement "Employee engagement is about creating en environment when people can do their best work and want to do their best work" The three factors for determining whether a person is going to be engaged at their job Employee engagement isn't a fluffy issue on the side, it is the single most important business improvement tool Every factor that will add to your bottom line is connected to people... Numbers are just a mathematical model of the output of people...so how engaged your people are is critical According to Gallup, about 70% of people are disengaged at work...and that isn't really changing Most companies still treat their employees in the same way that we did during the Industrial Revolution (200 years ago!) If you can't trust the people that work for you, don't employ them...employ people you can trust and build a great team Most employee engagement is actually quite straight forward common sense and isn't expensive A huge act of corporate rebellion...saying thank you to people at work ;) The Bridge Model to Employee Engagement The easiest places to start in building engagement are communication and recognition LINKS Glenn's social links - LINKEDIN | TWITTER

Let’s face it, one of the biggest barriers to living life on your terms is a lack of time and having too many things to do. If we could just get ourselves a bit more organised or productive, things would be better, right? Well, productivity expert Chris Bailey believes that it is not about managing time, it is about managing your attention. Social media and split focus are ruining the quality of our lives AND what we can accomplish. In his new book, Hyperfocus, Chris looks at what mindfulness really means and how it can supercharge our productivity and our life. Chris is just a warm, compassionate man who is super-knowledgeable and full of practical tips. I also love that he is a bit of a productivity geek as well. We talk about the neuroscience of productivity, meditation as a time management tool and the difference between getting stuff done vs accomplishing meaningful outcomes. Other highlights of our conversation include: LINKS Chris' website - A Life of Productivity Chris' new book - Hyperfocus Chris' TEDx Talk - A More Human Approach To Productivity Chris' social links - TWITTER

This week we have a very special podcast. On Wednesday I did a facebook live with two of our old podcast guests – Claude Silver, who is the Chief Heart Officer of VaynerMedia and Bryan Falchuk, the author of Do A Day. This was a chance for me to catch up with Claude and Bryan to find out what has happened since our interviews. More specifically though, we talk about how to reinvent yourself and start living life on your terms. This podcast is the audio of that facebook live and what follows are 45 minutes of personal insight, actionable wisdom and some of the best tips for living an authentic life. We spoke about Claude and Bryan’s personal journeys, transformation vs reinvention, how to manage your energy, falling down and getting back up and a whole host of other things. It was a joy to spend time with these amazing human beings who are masters in their fields and there is so much learning in this session. So, settle in, grab a coffee or tea and have a listen... NOTE - because this is a recording of a Facebook Live, the audio quality is not super top-notch. We have cleaned it up as much as possible and hopefully, it won't get in the way too much. Links Claude's social links - LINKEDIN | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM Bryan's social links - FACEBOOK | TWITTER | LINKEDIN | INSTAGRAM

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone" - Neale Donald Walsch Let's face it, the single biggest barrier between you and the life of freedom and adventure you yearn for is inertia i.e. your comfort zone. Most of us would rather stay comfortable than taking risks and pushing ourselves to become the person we know are capable of becoming. Sooner or later, if you want to change, you have to bust out of your comfort zone. That is exactly what this week's podcast guest, Andy Molinsky, has spent a lifetime studying. Andy is a Professor of International Business and Organisational Behaviour at Brandeis University and has written extensively on moving beyond your comfort zone. For him this was born out of personal experience, having initially suffered from a crippling fear of public speaking. Public speaking is now a huge part of what Andy does for a living and he shares some of the techniques he used. If you feel like you are in danger of stagnating and aren't feeling as successful as you would like, listening in is an absolute must. In this conversation, you'll learn:

Our guest this week is the speaker, writer and chef, Brooke Siem. Brooke describes herself as “categorically homeless”, having created a life as a digital nomad entrepreneur. Brooke was a highly acclaimed chef and food writer in New York. However, she suffered huge depression and had been on anti-depressants since the age of 15, following the sudden death of her father. So, she made a massive change by booking a one-way ticket to Malaysia and getting off the meds. Two years and 17 countries later, Brooke's primary focus is on advocating for mental health and wellness without the use of prescription drugs. What I love about Brooke is her direct approach to life, her joy and her passion. She has wisdom beyond her years and is radically compassionate. Some of the highlights of our conversation include:

Our guest this week is world-renowned yogi, entrepreneur and modern mystic, Daniel Aaron. Daniel travels the world teaching yoga teachers and in 2012 set up the highly acclaimed Radiantly Alive yoga studio in Bali. He has also taught at Esalen and Omega and studied with many of the modern yoga masters. Daniel firmly has both feet on the ground and has founded, run and sold several businesses. He works with business leaders using his signature mix of personal inquiry, breathwork and coaching to create transformation. What I love about Daniel is his wisdom, open heart and open mind. He follows his intuition and sees everything as an opportunity to grow and learn. Something we all could learn from. In this conversation, you'll learn: Links You can get Daniel's FREE download - The Top 10 Tips for Living Vibrantly - at danielaaron.com Daniel's social links - FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE

On this week’s episode, I am speaking to positive psychology coach and author of the book, “Ditch Your Inner Critic At Work” - Susan Peppercorn. Like all of us, Susan battled her own inner demons. However, she has studied with some of the world’s leading authorities on positive psychology and has come up with many evidence-based practices to really kick that critic into touch. Susan has been featured in the New York Times, Fast Company, Harvard Business Review and US News amongst others. What I love about Susan is how down to earth and human she is. She really walks her talk as she has put everything she talks about into practice. Susan is a real example of “do as I do” rather than “do as I say”. In this conversation, you'll learn: Links You can download Susan's free eBook, a career-fit assessment called “Are You in The Right Job?”, at her website - positiveworkplacepartners.com You can buy Susan's book - Ditch Your Inner Critic at Work - on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk Susan's social links - FACEBOOK | TWITTER | LINKEDIN

Kathryn Haydon has spent her life figuring out what creativity really is, helping to nurture it and being a passionate advocate for creative strengths. She believes the troubled kids at school - the class clown, the rebel, the misfit - are actually misunderstood and are actually what the world needs more and more, due to their ability to think differently. In this fascinating conversation, Kathryn suggests that as a society, we don't really know what creativity is. However, if we can nurture creative strengths, both in school and the workplace, so much more is possible. What I love about Kathryn is her passion and thoughtfulness. She cares deeply for people who have previously been seen as troublesome and reframes them into creative heroes. Kathryn really is a true Maverick! In this conversation you'll learn Links You can download Kathryn free strengths identification tool, mentioned in the podcast, here - www.sparkitivity.com/strengthsspotter 5 Ways To Support Creative Strengths You can also find Kathryn's book, "Creativity for Everybody", on Amazon (also on Amazon UK, also Creatividad para todos is the Spanish translation) Kathryn's social links - FACEBOOK | TWITTER | LINKEDIN

On this week’s episode our guest is life coach, writer and deep thinker, Olivia D’Silva. Olivia went through had a life changing moment in 2006 which led her on a journey to discover what is truly valuable in life. Through different ups and downs, and moments of thinking “is this all there is?”, she has cultivated an approach to life that really is values based. This led her to train as a coach and write her book – the Whole Life Economy. As she says, “recognise your true value and improve the quality of your life”. I love that Olivia has written based on her own experience and experiments. Her work is deep and heart-based yet practical in everyday life. Some of the highlights of our conversation include: LINKS You can download the introductory chapter from Olivia's book - The Whole Life Economy - and receive her free 7-day Whole Life Economy e-mail course at www.oliviadsilva.com/mavericks Buy The Whole Life Economy at Amazon The World Beyond Your Head: The World Beyond Your Head: How to Flourish in an Age of Distraction by Michael Crawford

Our guest this week is the author, TEDx speaker and C-level executive of a major finance company, Bryan Falchuk. In this interview, Bryan shares the importance of self-love, knowing your truest deepest motivation and then executing consistently every day...without letting yesterday's baggage or anxiety about the future get in the way. This has enabled Bryan to lose 100lbs, become a marathon runner, a best-selling author and writer for Inc Magazine, as well as a much sought-after speaker. What I love about Bryan is his realness, groundedness and presence. There aren't many C-Level execs of major companies you hear talking about self-love, service and helping people. He is a genuinely big-hearted guy with a huge message about how you and truly transform your life. Some of the highlights of our conversation include: LINKS Buy Bryan's book - Do A Day Watch Bryan's TEDx talk - Overcoming Challenges to Achieve Goals Bryan's social links - FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Our guest this week is my very dear friend and a Maverick in the truest sense of the word, Slade Roberson. Slade launched his blog – Shift Your Spirits – in 2006. Since then he has built a huge following for his gritty, no-nonsense, highly practical take on spirituality that is exemplified by his tagline, “fewer hearts and flowers than other new age blather”. Slade is also a professional intuitive and mentor to budding intuitives, healers and coaches. He is also a passionate fiction writer and has published two novels. What I love about Slade is his huge sense of authenticity. In this interview, he shares the ups and downs of his journey as a Maverick with his trademark mix of humour, realism and a healthy scepticism. Some of the highlights of our conversation include: Links & Resources To read Slade's blog on spirituality and personal development, go to Shift Your Spirits. To find out about Slade's mentoring programme for intuitives, healers and coaches, go to Automatic Intuition. Slade's novels - Havenwood, The Fairy Killers and Cloudbusting