The Soap Box Podcast

 There's a story that we tell ourselves about who gets to do good in the world. So, charities, nonprofits, the third sector, they're framed as the moral ones, so the people who care. But that means that business is often cast as something that you tolerate at best and mistrust at worst. It's necessary, like we've gotta make money and keep the world spinning, but it's a little bit suspect.They're always out for profit and not really caring about people. That's the idea. And look, I understand where the story comes from. I spent 15 years working in the voluntary sector. I've seen firsthand the good that charities can do, especially when people are in crisis, and they need support now, not in 10 years' time.In this episode, I'm talking to Tim Delaney, a business consultant, whose work history has spanned international development and small business ownership.We get into the idea that charity and business aren't opposites, and that treating them as such can actually limit long-term impact in communities, both close to you and far away. We talk about what happens when communities are seen just as recipients of help, rather than a place where people want to build livelihoods, about jobs, dignity, agency, and the kinds of impact that don't make headlines, but change lives all the same.Find Tim on threadsFind Tim on InstagramListen to Tim's podcast, Power of Biz, here: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/business-buying-for-financial-independence/id1823816760Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kBagDg0jmHwOmPJggAnGH?si=tJbpjTI1SYmEXUAa6z52xQ  Looking for more?Follow Peta on InstagramFind Peta on LinkedInHire Peta to work on your copywriting and brand messaging

If social media is pay-to-play, and your website is a slow burn, where are people meant to build genuine community now?That question sits right in the middle of this episode with Sally Burns, founder of The Portal, a platform trying to fix two things at once: the way online learning works, and the way creators find each other without shouting into the algorithm void.We get into interactive learning, course overwhelm, cross-pollination between creators, and why “community” isn’t a Facebook group with a few emojis and a weekly prompt.Find Sally on LinkedInExplore The Portal CollectiveFollow The Portal on Instagram Looking for more?Follow Peta on InstagramFind Peta on LinkedInHire Peta to work on your copywriting and brand messaging

 Networking doesn’t have to feel like business speed dating. In the latest episode of the Soapbox podcast, I’m chatting with Emma Ahlert, founder of Elsie – a networking space for people working in female and sexual health that actually feels good to be in. We talk about: • Making friends before making sales • Why some rooms feel instantly wrong (AI + golf, anyone?) • Online communities that don’t drain your soul • And building something ethically, without fear-based messaging If networking has ever made you want to fake a phone call and leave early, this episode might change how you think about it. Find Emma  on LinkedIn hereAnd on Instagram hereFound out about Elsie here Looking for more?Follow Peta on InstagramFind Peta on LinkedInHire Peta to work on your copywriting and brand messaging

Running your own business requires more than good ideas and solid strategy.It asks for energy, emotional regulation, focus, and the ability to make decisions when things feel uncertain. When those start to wobble, everything else gets heavier too - marketing, consistency, confidence.This episode explores health through a longevity lens. How strength, sleep, and taking care of your body support the kind of work entrepreneurs are doing every day, especially over the long term.I’m joined by Laura Caddy, an online fitness coach who works with professional women over 35, to talk about building routines that fit real life and support both mental and physical wellbeing.If you’ve been telling yourself you’ll get to this once things calm down, this conversation might land.Find Laura on Instagram Looking for more?Follow Peta on InstagramFind Peta on LinkedInHire Peta to work on your copywriting and brand messaging

Today on the Soap Box, I’m talking to Jacki Hayes, a systems geek for creative service businesses and someone who’s quietly building a very different kind of company. Jacki helps creative service providers stop duct-taping their systems together and build businesses that actually work, with more ease, clarity and flexibility.In our conversation, Jacki makes a simple, slightly spicy point, the kind I like. Running a business is political, not party political, but human political. The way we pay people, the policies we set, who we hire and how we hire them all send a message about the world we’re trying to build.Jacki shares the story of how a single job ad – one that offered a real living wage, proper time off and care-led policies that most founders are told are “impossible”, especially at the early stages – completely shifted what success looked like for her. And how that moment went on to shape the way she now helps others build their businesses in a totally different way.All that advice about maximising profit, reducing payroll and the whole “hire the cheapest VA you can find” vibe is the complete antithesis of the businesses Jacki helps people create. She lays out why that model doesn’t sit right with her and how you can build business systems that genuinely match your ethics. This is very much her real talk approach to values-aligned business, the kind she also explores on her podcast Here’s What I Learned.If you’ve ever wondered how to grow without losing your values, or how to let your values help you grow, this one is going to land. Jacki’s a joy, so I’d invite you to grab a notebook for this one and listen to Jacki get on her soapbox.Jacki's Links:Jacki's upcoming shop, "The Toolshed", a pay-what-you-choose shop filled with tools she's actually used to run her own business. In addition to being full of accessibly-priced tools you’ll actually use, 25% of what comes in (revenue not profit) is donated to organisations supporting Black reparations, Indigenous communities, LGBTQ+ rights, and reproductive justice.Jacki's website: www.jackihayes.co Looking for more?Follow Peta on InstagramFind Peta on LinkedInHire Peta to work on your copywriting and brand messaging

Today on The Soap Box, I’m talking to Louis Watkins, the founder of Clear for Men, a skincare brand designed to do more than clean your face — it’s a daily reminder to take five minutes for yourself. It sounds simple, but Louis is genuinely an inspiration (and I don’t say that lightly).Louis is on a mission to normalise mental health conversations among men. He’s a huge advocate for men’s mental health, and after personally struggling with his own challenges around 2020, he became determined to break the stigma that so often keeps men silent out of fear of being judged. His flagship product, the Take Five® Facial Cleanser, is intentionally designed to be that physical cue each morning — a simple pause to reflect and care for your mental and physical wellbeing.His story is incredible. His vision is powerful. His passion, enthusiasm, and empathy are all off the charts. And since launching Clear for Men, Louis has raised hundreds of pounds for mental health charities, sparked hundreds of meaningful conversations, and helped hundreds of men simply take five.In this episode, we talk about the journey he’s been on, the courage it takes to speak openly about men’s mental health, and the surprising ways a business can hold multiple purposes at once. Louis is a brilliant example of how you can measure impact in more than one way, how your KPIs can be human as well as financial, and how the path to building something meaningful is anything but linear.So sit back, get ready to be inspired whether you’re sipping your coffee or folding your laundry, and listen to Louis get on his soapbox.Louis' Links:Buy Take Five® Invigorating Facial Cleanser at clearformen.co.ukCarefully formulated to deeply boost hydration and support the skin's natural barrier, Louis' Take Five® cleanser also serves as a daily reminder for men to "Take Five" for themselves. 15% of profits are donated to CALM and Mind.Instagram: @weareclear_ / @louiswxtkinsTiktok: @weareclear_ / @louiswxtkinsLinkedIn: Clear For Men / Louis Watkins Looking for more?Follow Peta on InstagramFind Peta on LinkedInHire Peta to work on your copywriting and brand messaging

Thoughts on where I'm falling short, why that's ok, and what to do instead.  Looking for more?Follow Peta on InstagramFind Peta on LinkedInHire Peta to work on your copywriting and brand messaging

Today's guest is Crystal Whiteaker, founder of Crystal Lily Creative, an inclusive leadership and brand development consultancy. Crystal is also the author of Brave Leadership is a Choice: An Inclusive Guide to Creating Belonging, and she works with mission-driven founders over meaningful stretches of time – starting with who you are as a leader, then aligning your messaging and your backend systems so the experience you promise is the one people actually get.With 20 years of experience across creative and process-driven industries, Crystal brings a unique blend of strategy, empathy, and creativity to her work. She helps leaders make aligned, human-focused decisions and build environments rooted in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.In our conversation, we dig into values as more than very snazzy wall art (you know the type I mean). Crystal frames them as a working compass that helps you choose, especially when the choice is hard. She shares her Aligned Values Framework®, the way she helps her clients anchor their decisions in what they stand for before they go hunting for bias and gaps in their operations.We also talk about the difference between supporting diversity and practising inclusion, and the different ways inclusion shows up day to day. And because none of this is tidy, Crystal offers simple ways for leaders to build tolerance for discomfort, so the work continues even when the climate makes it tempting to step back.If you care about leading with your values, both in what you say and how you run things, this one will feel like a deep breath and a nudge forward.So, as always, grab your notebook and a cup of coffee, and listen to Crystal get on her soapbox.Crystal's Links:Brave Leadership Roundtable: A community gathering for socially conscious leaders to discuss values-aligned leadership and how we show up in consideration of ourselves, our communities, the people we serve, our messaging, and how we talk about the things that matter to us and our work.Email Crystal at YouBelong@crystallily.coWebsite: Crystal Lily Creative Looking for more?Follow Peta on InstagramFind Peta on LinkedInHire Peta to work on your copywriting and brand messaging

Today’s Soapbox is for anyone who’s ever tried to make things better, but found themselves wondering if it’s really making a dent. (I know that’s been me at times.)My guest, Sarah Fox, has spent years at the messy human end of change – community arts, small charities, and now coaching and supervision for leaders. She’s an accredited coach, coach supervisor, trainer, and action learning facilitator, supporting socially minded leaders, founders, freelancers, and organisations to clarify their vision and lead with impact so that they and the people around them can thrive. She also hosts the Do Good and Do Well podcast.Together, we talk about what it really means to do good and do well without wearing the martyr badge. We dig into questions like: what does “good” even mean? How can we swap heroics for collaboration? And how can people with resources turn that quiet pull in their chest into real action – whether that’s through money, time, boards, policy, or the way they lead and coach.If you’re tired, a bit cross, and still wildly hopeful about what this world could be, then this one’s for you.So sit back, get ready to be fired up, and listen to Sarah get on her soapbox.Sarah's Links:Email Sarah at andsarah@sarahfox.co.ukConnect with Sarah on LinkedInFollow Sarah on InstagramSarah Fox Coaching Looking for more?Follow Peta on InstagramFind Peta on LinkedInHire Peta to work on your copywriting and brand messaging

Today on the Soap Box, I’m joined by Tarrah Nhari, CEO and co-founder of Tammwe, a platform that connects African and displaced freelancers with global opportunities. Through Tammwe’s enterprise services, Tarrah also partners with tech teams across the African continent, helping them land bigger projects while championing fair pay, skills development, and economic growth.But as is often the case with my guests, that’s just one part of her story. Tarrah is fiercely driven by equity – whether she’s tackling stereotypes in the freelance market, building spaces for Black and non-binary founders, or writing about authenticity and neurodivergence on LinkedIn. At the heart of it all is her belief in empathetic leadership, fairness, and creating opportunities where others see barriers.In our conversation, we dig into what equity really looks like in practice, and why sometimes your gut instinct is the best strategy you’ve got. Tarrah also talks about how she accidentally found herself running a tech company, and why responsibility isn't something that you should fear – it's something that can anchor you.If you’ve ever felt paralysed by over-planning or held back from acting on an idea because you weren’t sure it was “ready”, Tarrah’s story is a powerful reminder of what can happen when you follow the call that just won’t leave you alone.So grab your headphones and listen to Tarrah get on her soapbox.Tarrah's Links:Tarrah is proving that Africa’s top talent is shaping the future of business, from AI & Data to Tech Modernisation. Scalable solutions. Real impact. Built with fairness and excellence at the centre.Through Tammwe, she’s leading a movement that connects global enterprises with Africa’s brightest teams to deliver end-to-end solutions that scale. The focus is on matching world-class expertise with forward-thinking companies to modernise, innovate, and grow.Connect with Tarrah on LinkedInSubscribe to She Black Founded on Substack Looking for more?Follow Peta on InstagramFind Peta on LinkedInHire Peta to work on your copywriting and brand messaging