It Starts with YOU

In this episode of It Starts With You , Vicky O'Farrell is joined by leadership and workplace culture specialist Jackie Handy to explore one of the most overlooked drivers of engagement, performance, and wellbeing: the human need to matter. Together, Vicki and Jackie unpack why feeling valued often matters more than salary, how belonging and purpose shape workplace culture, and why emotional intel...

In this solo episode of It Starts With YOU, Vic O'Farrell explores the surprising connection between trust and communication. We often think trust is built through big actions and broken by major events, but what if it can also be damaged by something much smaller? The words we don't use. From workplace jargon and acronyms to assumptions about what people already know, Vic explains how language ca...

In this solo episode of It Starts With YOU , Vic O'Farrell explores one of the most misunderstood aspects of personality: the difference between introverts and extroverts. Drawing on the work of Carl Jung, Vic explains that being introverted or extroverted isn't about confidence, shyness or how much you enjoy people. It's about where you get your energy from and how you process your thoughts. Usin...

In Episode 60 of It Starts With YOU , Vic O'Farrell is joined by Julie Masters for a powerful conversation on what it really means to have influence in today's world. With social media blurring the lines between popularity and authority, this episode cuts through the noise and brings the focus back to what actually drives behaviour. From fear-based influence to trusted authority, Julie shares the...

In this solo episode of It Starts With YOU , Vic O'Farrell builds on the "layers of the onion" and gets to the heart of what really drives your behaviour, your core values. Vic breaks down how what you think matters, like money or success, is often just the surface, and how digging deeper reveals the real drivers like freedom, security, or safety.  She also explores boundaries, the ones you know y...

In this episode of It Starts With YOU , Vic O'Farrell is joined by Rebecca Thompson, also known as the "One O'clock Woman," for a refreshingly honest conversation about our relationship with alcohol and the behaviours that sit behind it. Together, they explore the cultural norms around drinking, the pressure to "fit in," and why choosing not to drink can feel so uncomfortable in social situations....

In this episode of It Starts With YOU , Vic O'Farrell is joined by Simone Fenton Jarvis for a straight-talking conversation about what it really means to be a "good human" at work and in life. Together, they unpack the two things that shape how we show up every day, intent and self-awareness . Because while most of us believe we're doing the right thing, without self-awareness we often miss the tr...

In Episode 56 of It Starts With You , Vic O'Farrell returns with another solo episode and tackles one of the biggest misconceptions around personality, that it's about labelling people or putting them into boxes. This is a straight talking exploration of what really shapes your behaviour, moving beyond surface level personality types and into the deeper layers that influence how you show up every...

In this episode of It Starts With YOU , Vic O'Farrell is joined by Fee Stevenson, an ambulant wheelchair user, for a powerful and eye-opening conversation around disability, assumptions, and what true accessibility really looks like in everyday life. Together, they unpack the subtle and not so subtle behaviours that shape how wheelchair users are treated, often without people even realising it. Fe...

In Episode 54 of  It Starts With You , Vic O'Farrell steps behind the mic solo for the very first time and she doesn't hold back. This isn't a Dear Deirdre moment. It's a straight talking dive into what really drives your behaviour at work and at home. Using the metaphor of a Spanish onion, Vic unpacks personality as your steady inner core, while values like respect, autonomy and freedom form the...

In this episode of It Starts With You , Vic O'Farrell is joined by Lise Kaye-Bell, a specialist in mission-based leadership and psychological safety, for a powerful conversation about what it really means to feel safe at work. This isn't about fluffy wellbeing policies or tick-box programmes, it's about the subtle behaviours, unspoken tensions and quiet disengagement that leaders often miss. Toget...

On this weeks episode of "It Starts with YOU", Vic O'Farrell welcomes Dr. Laura Shallcross , a coach and trainer known for helping female leaders align their inner world with their external success. The conversation dives into the concept of personality styles, especially contrasting the analytical, detail-oriented "blue" types with more outgoing, big-picture "yellow" personalities. Dr. Laura Shal...

In this episode of the "It Starts with YOU" podcast, host Vic O'Farrell welcomes guest Andy Green , an experienced vet, leadership consultant, and personal development trainer. He shares his insights on learning from mistakes, managing self-doubt, and the critical role of trust in both professional teams and the vet-pet-owner relationship. The discussion delves into effective communication strateg...

In this empowering episode of the "It Starts with YOU" podcast,  Vic O'Farrell sits down with women's health specialist Dr. Nancy Allen for an honest, insightful conversation about menopause and its impact on behaviours, wellbeing, and everyday life. Breaking the taboo, they discuss personal experiences, practical advice, and the science behind hormonal changes, highlighting how self-awareness and...

In this episode of It Starts With YOU , Vic O'Farrell is joined by professional speaker, musician and executive coach Ed Jordan for a powerful conversation about perspective, purpose and choice. Ed shares how his early experiences with music, joy and loss shaped a philosophy rooted in gratitude, resilience and seeing life through a positive lens. Together they explore Ed's journey from South Afric...

In this powerful episode of It Starts With You , Vicky O'Farrell sits down with Thomas Duncan Bell, also known as The Bipolar Businessman , for an honest and deeply personal conversation about mental health, trauma, and the pursuit of purpose. Thomas opens up about living with a "smorgasbord" of mental health conditions including ADHD, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and more, sharing how childhood trauma...

In this episode of It Starts With YOU , Vic O'Farrell is joined by business leader and natural connector Wendy Bell. From their early days working together at Regus (now rebranded IWG PLC) to Wendy's current role founding the Crawley Gatwick Chamber Company, the conversation explores what it really means to lead with purpose, lift others up, and stay vocal in times of change. Wendy shares how help...

In episode 46 of the It Starts with YOU podcast, host Vic O'Farrell welcomes Tim Fifield for a dynamic conversation about the power of networking, authentic connection, and the impact of behaviour in both personal and professional settings.   The episode kicks off with introductions, where Tim shares his multifaceted career as a digital marketing director, business networking leader (BNI), theatre...

In this episode, we sit down with Frank Portinari, whose life story is far from the typical motivational speaker narrative. Instead of tales of daring adventure or overcoming physical obstacles, Frank shares his journey from a tumultuous upbringing in Camden, London, through a life marked by gang culture, criminal involvement, and extremism. Frank candidly discusses his dual life as a school keepe...

Welcome back to the "It Starts With YOU" podcast! In this week's episode, host Vic O'Farrell is joined by Nikki Weclawek, the ever-inspiring coach, adventurer, and all-around vibrant personality. Together, they pull back the curtain on the real stories that shape our lives, diving deep into the messiness of career changes, imposter syndrome, boundary-setting, and the quest for joy and balance. Fro...

In this episode of the It Starts with YOU podcast, host Vic O'Farrell has an insightful and powerful conversation with Jez, a cybersecurity and cloud computing consultant with a remarkable professional background including roles in the UK government, retail, insurance, the police, fire service, and the armed forces. The episode centres on the theme of unconscious and conscious biases, particularly...

Title: Prison, Pain, and Purpose: Neah Tuohy's Message of Hope for Troubled Teens DISC Profile: Yellow & Red (I&D) | In this episode of It Starts With YOU, Vic O'Farrell sits down with the powerhouse that is Neah Tuohy, better known as Neah Inspired. From a childhood of undiagnosed ADHD and unhealed trauma, to a violent incident in her 20s that led to a 12-year prison sentence, seven of which she...

DISC Profile: Blue & Green (C&S) | In this episode of It Starts With You, Vic O'Farrell speaks with Scott Walker, a wills and probate lawyer, lecturer, and trainer who helps legal professionals grow in confidence and clarity. Scott shares his experience as an introvert in a field often seen as dominated by extroverted personalities, and how understanding his DISC profile (Blue/Green – reserved and...

DISC Profile: Yellow & Green (I&S) | In this episode of the "It Starts with YOU" Vic O'Farrell welcomes Fiona Brennan Scott, a renowned voice and speech coach, to discuss the power and impact of voice, both literally and figuratively, in our personal and professional lives. Fiona explains the dual layers of "voice", the technical side (how we speak) and the deeper, identity-driven side (how our vo...

DISC Profile: Green & Blue (IC&S) | In episode 39 of the "It Starts with YOU" podcast, host Vic O'Farrell sits down with Alan Evans, a principal learning consultant, to explore the impact of self-awareness and personality on personal and professional life. The conversation dives into how understanding one's own behavioural style can influence relationships, team dynamics, and leadership effectiven...