The Second Chapter

Let the episode be gin! This week, I'm speaking with Ellen Wakelam. Ellen was a teacher, but after becoming disillusioned with the role -- and reeeeeally long walk -- she and her partner started In the Welsh Wind, a distillery firmly based in her native Wales. I love this episode, almost as much as I love In the Welsh Wind's (seriously)tasty gin. Ellen was so great to chat with - tune in and you'l...

When's the last time you learned a new sport? Moved to a new country? Wrote your own solo show? This week, I'm speaking with Erin Hunter. Although Erin has acted her entire life, she wrote her first solo show after 35 (in a new country, while learning to surf). And I'm so excited to announce that I'll be producing her show for the Edinburgh Fringe in August. In this episode, Erin and I talk about...

Kate Brindley started out as a mechanical engineer in her native Hungary, quickly realising an office life wasn’t for her. This week's episode is short but sweet! I’m speaking with cake artist, Katalin (Kate) Brindley. Since moving to the UK, Kate has had stints as a PA and found a career she loved in massage therapy. But it was a Christmas gift from her husband that reminded her how much she love...

Kim Becker dreamed of a career in law, ended up with a career in beauty and now, through her non-profit organisation, Hello Gorgeous, helps women with cancer smile when they look in the mirror. Kim has had her own share of trials and tribulations- from a feeling of emptiness that led her to the epiphany that is Hello Gorgeous, a husband with a long-term illness that left her widowed at 50, and her...

From Rock Star to Rocking the Tech World, Indiana (Indy) Gregg This week, I’m speaking with Indiana Gregg. Indy studied sports medicine at university, but after her husband left her with three young kids, she did what anyone would do -she decided to become a rock star. Despite success in music, Indy was called to fighting music piracy, which has led to years in the tech industry, serial entreprene...

Kyra Coates was born with a creative force inside of her. CW: Before we get started, I’d like to mention that this episode carries a content warning for trauma and sexual assault. Don’t worry, we don’t go into too much detail, but I wanted to give you a heads up.  Kyra’s early story led to an early adulthood filled with shame and denial. Realization, empowerment, and freedom led Kyra to reali...

When they say things are going to the dogs, it usually means they're getting a lot worse, but when Niki French's life went to the dogs, she found her true calling and started a dog training community, Pup Talk the podcast, wrote a book and started a movement. In this episode, Kristin and Niki discuss: How women's stories get better with age (1:23) Niki's leap into the freelance world (12:53) Her w...

Things were ticking along pretty well for Jennifer Arthurton until she was about 50- and then they weren’t. From a struggle that left her mostly bed-bound, to embracing the fact that Old Chicks Know Sh*t, through her podcast and community of the same name, Jennifer has turned her life around by shedding society’s label of what it means to be a woman in midlife and inspiring others to do the same.&...

This week, Kristin chats with founder and CEO of The Mom Complex, Katherine Wintsch. Through The Mom Complex, Katherine helps the largest companies in the world such as Walmart, Johnson & Johnson and Airbnb better support their mom customers and employees.  In her latest venture, Katherine combines over 10 years of groundbreaking research with her own personal journey in her popular book...

This week, Kristin is speaking with Mona Maine de Biran. Mona started her adventure at 16 as a model, travelling the world and winning the Grand Prize on one of America’s biggest talent competitions of the 80s and 90s, Star Search . But when she started to “age out” of modelling, Mona was determined to start again and is now challenging the rules as CEO and co-founder of sustainable, ethical fragr...

It's International Women's Day! This week, host Kristin talks with you- sharing a few reflections, pledges and feelings - good and not-so-good - around International Women's Day. Enjoy this short episode and share with your favourite women - and maybe the men who need to hear it. Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable,...

This week, Kristin is speaking with Julie McCalden. The reality of Life as an artist wasn’t working for Julie, despite her lifelong love of art. Childhood memories and a freak accident collided to help Julie choose her next move- now she’s on a saucy quest to bring the joy of good salsa to the people of the UK.  For more on Julie and Salsa Stories, go to www.salsastories.co.uk (and read the b...

Emergency medicine isn’t usually a laughing matter... unless you’re Stefania Licari. Stefania spent years training and excelling through medical school to become a doctor, only to decide to pursue her dream of acting and comedy. Today, this exceptional woman is finding a way to do both -- sometimes with hilarious results. This week, Kristin talks with Stefania about her multi-faceted career, life...

This week, Kristin is in conversation with Rebecca Megson-Smith. While she doesn't usually think of herself as a romantic (she's been told otherwise on the podcast!) Kristin loved Rebecca’s story of not just finding a career path, but also her real first love, after 35. So, old softie that she is, Kristin thought Rebecca's story was perfect for a Valentine's Day release. Rebecca let fate dictate h...

This week Kristin is joined by the fascinating Dr. Naeema Olatunji. Naeema knew she was ready for a career change, but a frightening accident involving her son shifted her focus and helped her to find her calling and go back to school later in life. Now owning her own successful chiropractic practice, Dr. Naeema has turned to writing- specifically her story, Raised as a Lie . Raised as a Lie explo...

This week Kristin is speaking with Tracey Jane. Amongst other things, a pregnancy at 18 meant that Tracey took some time to find her career passion. When her son was just three, she opened her own successful business, but a brush with death made her realise it was time to follow a dream for herself. Tracey is now a make-up and special effect working in film, with a current focus on the horror genr...

This week, Kristin chats with her old friend (with a new mission), Rachel Kinley. Rachel has seen a lot of change in her life with a cross-country move, a series of jobs, time spent being a stay-at-home mom and divorce being just a few major life events. But it was finding new meaning in a career that she wasn’t even sure she wanted in the first place, that led her to start her direct trade busine...

Nicole DeBoom was a swimming natural from age 5, an Olympic hopeful, half of a professional triathlon power couple, and a champion triathlete in her own right. After inspiration struck at the height of her triathlon career, she left it all behind to start a business, inspire women, and build a community. Now, 15 years on, she's sold the business, started again and continues to support women, tell...

For this final episode of 2021, Kristin invited back former guests of The Second Chapter to offer words of reflection on 2021, words of wisdom for 2022, and advice for anytime. Twelve former guests sent their inspiring and insightful thoughts for your listening pleasure. Season five of The Second Chapter starts 18th January! We can't wait to share more stories of amazing women over the age of 35 w...

This week concludes Kristin's talk with A'Lelia Bundles and wraps up Season 4 of The Second Chapter! A'Lelia is the great-great-granddaughter of African-American entrepreneur, Madam CJ Walker, whose story was the inspiration for the Netflix series, Self-Made (originally published as On Her Own Ground ). A'Lelia's great-grandmother, A'Lelia Walker, was an icon of the Harlem Renaissance. This week,...

In this episode, Kristin talks with A'Lelia Bundles. A'Lelia is the great-great-granddaughter of African-American entrepreneur, Madam CJ Walker, whose story was the inspiration for the Netflix series, Self-Made (originally published as On Her Own Ground ). A'Lelia's great-grandmother, A'Lelia Walker, was an icon of the Harlem Renaissance. But A'Lelia Bundles has spent her life finding her own grou...

This week, Kristin combines two of her worlds speaking with Gill Kirk. Despite a "humble Glaswegian working class" background, Gill has walked the halls of Oxford and Parliament. She’s set up her own business, written for corporations, stage and screen, and been a kickass single mum. A perfect The Second Chapter guest indeed! She’s also written Skin in the Game , the dark, hilarious climate-change...

This week Kristin speaks with Debbie Page. To say Debbie is a potter or a ceramist is an understatement. Despite finding a feel for clay in her early teens, it took her decades to make it her career. Now pots are Debbie’s life! Don’t know what a moon jar is? Just love hearing some really uplifting chat from someone who has found their thing? Either way, you’re in the right place… this is Debbie Pa...

This week Kristin concludes her talk with Janet Sternburg, focusing on Janet's latest chapter, photography. (Featured cover art in some players is Janet's photography) Janet has led a very full life, personally and professionally. She’s survived cancer and earthquakes; is a fine art photographer, a writer of literary books, a maker of theatre and films, and an educator. To sum it all up, she calls...

This week Kristin talks with Janet Sternburg. Janet has led a very full life, personally and professionally, and she’s certainly not finished yet. She’s survived cancer and earthquakes; is a fine art photographer, a writer of literary books, a maker of theatre and films, and an educator. To sum it all up, she calls herself (rightly) an artist. In this part one episode, Janet talks to Kristin about...