Better Under Pressure

In this episode, I’m talking to Amanda Brennan, a coach and trainer of actors in Film, Television and Theatre. She runs an MA course in Screen Acting at Central School of Speech & Drama and is the author of two books, The Energetic Performer, published in 2016, and The Craft of Screen Acting, due out in 2024.  Amanda has also produced films that have been screened at the Raindance, Sundance and London Film Festivals.  She has most recently coached actors in TV shows like The Crown and Sex Education as well as forthcoming films like The Yellow Tie starring John Malkovich and Miranda Richardson. In our conversation, Amanda discusses… What she learnt from standing in the rain for half an hour What she can tell from looking at someone’s feet… And why the training for actors can be applied to all of us /everyone to perform better under pressure.

In this episode, I’m talking to Andy Salmon CMG and CBE who was a Royal Marine for 36 years.  A former Commandant General Head of service, his front-line work included the Falklands War, Sierra Leone, the Kurdish humanitarian crisis in Northern Iraq, the Civil War in Angola and lastly as Commanding General of Coalition Forces handing over Basra in 2009. Between 2011 & 2013 he built the crisis-management centre for NATO and was responsible for finding forces for their global operations including Afghanistan. Since retiring, he has founded Journey Through Conflict, a multi-media theatre company that creates performances to help alleviate suffering in people from myriad conflicts. He also takes elements of the performance into businesses to coach them in co-creating journeys to success. In our conversation, Andy reveals:  Why he used to carry around a crash helmet without having a motorbike, Why he believes in ‘Enforced Rest’ And what memorable tactic he used to make sure his troop was awake before a big attack.

In this episode, I’m talking to Laura Try, a business founder who left it all behind to become an extreme adventurer. Having owned a beauty salon for nine years, Laura made the decision, aged 29, that her values no longer served her, and she wanted something different. Very different. The hunger for experiences and challenge meant firstly entering multi-day adventure races, then rowing 1,800 miles around Great Britain and, most recently, an attempt to be the fastest women’s boat rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. In our conversation, Laura discusses  - What she means by Type-2 fun, - How you get around different personalities in a boat race, - And what she learned from trying to ignite a Bow Drill fire.

In this episode, I’m talking to Tamsin Addison, a member of the Irish Equestrian team for over 10 years now, who has enjoyed international wins on multiple horses, was placed in the top ten in the last European championships and became a Paralympian at the Tokyo Olympics Starting her career as a psychologist and undertaking a PhD on Pain in Sport, Tamsin was at the same time diagnosed with parosteal sarcoma in her right upper arm.  Determined not to let bone cancer hinder her passion for horse riding, Tamsin became the first person in the world to regrow an arm bone. After working in the corporate world for 20 years,  she was tempted to ride for her country and didn’t look back. She now runs her own business rehabilitating horses after injury or surgery and combines that with competing at national and international equestrian events. In our conversation, Tamsin reveals: Why she changed her phone passcode to a specific number in the future The mental and physical toll it took to re-grow her right arm And what happened when someone told her that her horse was watching Netflix

Today, I'm having a conversation with Adam Garfunkel, a true pioneer in the world of sustainability. With an impressive 35-year career dedicated to creating positive change, Adam brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. As a former campaigner and communications advisor, Adam has been at the forefront of driving sustainable practices across various industries. Now, as the co-owner of Junxion Strategy, an international consultancy firm, he is on a mission to help leaders shape the success stories of the purpose economy. Beyond his remarkable professional accomplishments, Adam's personal life is equally fascinating. Married with two daughters, he calls north London his home, where his family roots run deep. When he's not working towards a sustainable future, Adam finds joy in indulging in delicious food, cheering on his favourite football team, and cold-water swimming adventures.  During our conversation, Adam shares: What he learnt from Mr Patni while working in a vegetarian Indian restaurant.  The importance of striving for something magnificent that makes the world a better place.  What he gets from plunging into open water at three degrees above zero.

Today I’m talking to Lesley Paterson, a professional triathlete who’s represented Great Britain and has a dozen medals as well as a film producer with an Oscar-winning film under her Belt. Having started competing in triathlons aged just 16, Lesley combined her competing with a degree and then a master's in Drama. Her triathlon career has not been without setbacks, having contracted Lymes disease in her 30s and, famously winning one triathlon with a shoulder she had broken just the day before. That particular experience dovetails neatly with her passion for drama and her most recent triumph as screenwriter and producer of the multi-award-winning Netflix film, All Quiet On The Western Front – made despite (or perhaps because of) countless pressures. In our conversation, Lesley also shares… *What she learnt as a child from being the only girl playing rugby with 250 boys  *The importance of physically connecting with the land, mud and dirt.  *Why she was glad she had done her one-arm swimming training. 

Today I’m talking to Dr Mandy Lehto, a former investment banker who, as Director at a global investment bank, worked in Fixed Income Sales covering hedge funds and central banks.  She has a doctorate from Cambridge University and, since leaving the banking world, has coached senior executive women around the world, as well as becoming a columnist for Psychologies magazine and having work published in the Times, Forbes, Psychology Today and The Huffington Post among others. She’s also the magnificent host of “Enough, The Podcast” for recovering perfectionists and overachievers like her. In our conversation, Mandy shares… - The impact of what her father said to her when she was eight, - Who controls her first thoughts - And what it’s like to be - by her own admission - a hardaholic

In this episode, I am talking to Lee Georgs, Chief Operating Officer at Eighteen48 Partners, a London-based Private Investment Office serving families and endowments. She’s worked in the global financial services industry for almost three decades, starting in Private Banking and Wealth Management in New York with Citibank and JP Morgan. She moved overseas in 2006, to become Director of Global Accounts for RGP in Hong Kong, before ending up in London and M&A Project Management at Credit Suisse. She stepped into the COO role, first at Redington in 2017 (where she also served as Executive Board Director) and then, six years later, at Eighteen48 where she is now. An Ambassador for The Diversity Project (the U.K.’s Investment Management Industry Diversity body), Lee is also an LGBT Great Ally as well as a volunteer with Speakers for Schools (an organization dedicated to encouraging young people to pursue careers in Financial Services) and GAIN (Girls are Investors). In our conversation, Lee shares… 🔵 The importance of showing the messiness of life 🔵 What she learnt when she was 5 and how that still shows up for her. 🔵 And why - for Lee - it’s always about the people!

In this episode, I’m talking to DaeWha Kang. Based in London, DaeWha is a Korean designer, architect, and artist with a passion for creating beauty and timelessness in his work. In 2014, he founded DaeWha Kang Design, which has since taken on a wide range of projects, from the regeneration of a Christopher Wren church to a concert hall in central London, and even a fine arts museum in Saudi Arabia. Focusing on improving well-being through design, DaeWha's studio lives by the statement "beauty built with wisdom." During our conversation, he also shares: - What it’s like to lead a team when none of you know what you’re doing… - The importance of finding your positive sparks - And what made him get up rather than give up...

In this episode, I’m talking to Louise Hughes, an experienced General Counsel, who has worked for over 20 years within the entertainment industry. She began her legal career at the leading law firm Wragge & Co (now Gowlings), moving to the legal team at Penguin Books Limited in 2003, where she worked for 13 years supporting the children and adults’ divisions in publishing, marketing and licensing.   Louise is currently Group General Counsel and a leadership team member at The Blair Partnership, a leading literary and entertainment agency, representing J.K. Rowling and the management of the Wizarding World franchise. Day to day, Louise is actively involved in developing business strategy, deal-making, operations, innovation and governance across The Blair Partnership, Pottermore, and associated companies.  Louise is also a mum of two, a keen runner, a dog lover, and a legal trustee on the Board of CLAPA (Cleft Lip and Palate Association). During our conversation, she shares: ➡️ How her 11-year-old daughter pinpointed pressure for her. ➡️ What it’s like to be known as the Calm in the Storm, ➡️ And how being one of 11 children helps her under pressure.