Beyond the Boardroom

Welcome to Series 2, Episode 2 of the Start Inspiring Podcast . In Getting Clarity – How to Unlock Your Potential , Kelly and Annie explore why clarity is one of the most powerful tools a founder can develop — and how it helps leaders get more out of their business and their people. This episode covers how clarity improves decision-making, strengthens leadership, and creates alignment across teams...

In the first episode of the New 6-part  Start Inspiring Series , Founder  Kelly Wakeman  shares her powerful story of growth, courage, and intuition. From stepping away from a secure senior executive role to recognising the impact of both exceptional and toxic leadership, Kelly talks openly about what shaped her path and purpose. This episode covers: • Trusting your gut and leading with intuition...

In this special episode of Beyond the Boardroom, Kelly Wakeman, the founder of Start Inspiring, shares her story and company's journey. The conversation is filled with details of her personal growth and what it takes to inspire others. Listen in to hear Kelly's motivational story and positive mindset.

Join Kelly and Jo from Start Inspiring as they delve into the complexities of being a player manager in today's dynamic work environment. In this episode of "Beyond the Boardroom," they explore the challenges and rewards of balancing leadership with hands-on roles. Discover how to effectively motivate your team, maintain accountability, and foster a high-performing culture. Whether y...

Beyond the Boardroom, we sit down with John Sparks – one of Start Inspiring’s original facilitators – to unpack what real leadership development looks like in practice. With over 20 years of experience in learning and development, John shares powerful insights into how our science-backed programmes create long-term behaviour change, shift team dynamics, and build sustainable, high-performing cultu...

In this special community-powered edition of Beyond the Boardroom, hosts Kelly Wakeman and Jo Mills turn the mic around and answer real questions from their audience. Covering everything from leading through uncertainty to building intentional culture and structuring people strategies without a Chief People Officer, this episode is packed with practical insight and candid reflections. With a peopl...

Jo and Kelly are diving straight into something close to every leader’s heart—communication. Not just talking for the sake of it, but really connecting, listening, and leading with intent. Because every conversation you have is a choice. You can either shift it towards clarity, trust, and momentum—or let it drift into misunderstanding, resistance, or silence. In this episode, they unpack what grea...

In this episode of Beyond the Boardroom, Kelly and Jo dive into the core value of "growth"—why it's critical for both individuals and organisations. They explore the rapid pace of change in skills, the importance of fostering a culture of continuous learning, and how organisations can create environments where people feel challenged, inspired, and supported in their development. They...

In this episode, Kelly and Jo dive into the evolving role of AI in HR, prompted by strong interest from their community. They explore how AI-powered tools are reshaping HR functions, from automating administrative tasks to enhancing employee experience and streamlining recruitment. While they acknowledge they’re not AI experts, they share insights as early adopters, discussing practical applicatio...

In this episode of Beyond the Boardroom, Kelly and Jo unpack the second core value at Start Inspiring: Challenge. They explore why challenge is essential for leadership, growth, innovation, and sustainable team development. Drawing from real-life experience as CPOs and leadership coaches, they share personal stories, leadership models, and actionable strategies for embracing discomfort and steppin...

In this inspiring episode of Beyond the Boardroom, Kelly and Jo sit down with executive leadership coach Kiran Bhopal to explore how coaching unlocks the full potential of individuals, teams, and organisations. Kiran shares her journey from HR leadership to coaching, discussing the transformative power of curiosity, choice, and resilience in leadership. The conversation dives deep into how coachin...

In this episode of Beyond the Boardroom, Kelly and Jo dive deep into the concept of inspiration in leadership. As one of Start Inspiring’s core values, inspiration is the foundation for high-performing teams, organisational growth, and leadership impact. They explore how leaders can create authentic followership, align teams with a shared vision, and develop their own leadership brand. Kelly and J...

In this episode of Beyond the Boardroom, Kelly and Jo are joined by John Bradbury, Managing Director of BLINK, to explore the nuances of growing agency-based businesses. John shares his wealth of experience advising creative agency founders, offering practical insights into strategic planning, leadership development, and scaling sustainably. The conversation dives into the challenges of moving fro...

In this episode, Kelly and Jo unpack the critical role of the Chief People Officer (CPO) in scaling organisations. They explore how the CPO drives value by enabling leadership transformation, establishing scalable infrastructure, and aligning people strategies with commercial goals. Drawing from their expertise, they delve into the challenges CPOs face in influencing founders and leadership teams...

In this episode of Beyond the Boardroom, Kelly and Jo dive deep into the concept of inspiration in leadership. As one of Start Inspiring’s core values, inspiration is the foundation for high-performing teams, organisational growth, and leadership impact. They explore how leaders can create authentic followership, align teams with a shared vision, and develop their own leadership brand. Kelly and J...

Make work work for everyone: https://www.startinspiring.com/ Kelly and Jo reflect on the opportunities and challenges of 2025, discussing themes of leadership, talent development, communication, and psychological safety in organisations. They highlight the transformative potential of AI, the power of fostering psychological freedom, and the critical impact of effective communication on organisatio...

Kelly and Jo reflect on leadership, belonging, and intentionality within hybrid work environments. They discuss the challenges leaders face in fostering a sense of belonging and the importance of intentional actions that build trust and psychological safety. Highlighting the value of connecting authentically, the hosts offer insights for leaders aiming to inspire their teams in 2025. Show Notes Ep...

In this episode, Kelly and Jo explore the unique challenges founders face in scaling businesses, particularly the transition from startup to scale-up, focusing on HR’s role in this transformation. They discuss the stages of organisational growth, from small teams of five to ten people up to robust, scalable entities with over 250 employees. They delve into the founder’s journey, the importance of...

In this Halloween special of Start Inspiring , Kelly and Jo dive into the "scary" realities of HR leadership, exploring the fears leaders face and the challenges of building trust and psychological safety within teams. The hosts reflect on evolving leadership roles, the changing workplace culture, and how leaders can lean into difficult conversations with care and curiosity to foster high-performi...

In today’s episode of the Start Inspiring podcast, Jo and Kelly explore the concept of energy and how understanding and managing it can unlock both personal and organisational potential. They discuss the four key areas of energy—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual—and provide practical advice for improving each area to boost productivity, engagement, and wellbeing in the workplace. Whether...

Episode Highlights: The Journey: Kelly and Jo discuss Kelly's transition from the commercial sector to the world of HR and people development, sharing how her experiences shaped the mission and values of Start Inspiring. The Power of Coaching: Hear how becoming qualified coaches transformed their careers and ignited their passion for helping others thrive within organisations. Balancing People...

Episode 1: The Pilot - Who is Start Inspiring and Why Have We Started a Podcast? Welcome to the debut episode of the Start Inspiring podcast, hosted by Kelly Wakeman and Jo Mills. In this pilot episode, we introduce ourselves and our mission to provide valuable insights for HR leaders and organisational managers. If you are passionate about enhancing productivity, performance, and the overall well...

The Start Inspiring Podcast is the podcast for business owners, HR managers, CPO and anyone looking to grow and know the people are the key to this.