Corporate Survival Guide for Misfits

What a Fractional CMO actually is — and who needs one Fractional is not a polite word for freelance. It's not junior support. It's not "a little bit of marketing help." In this episode I explain what fractional leadership actually means, who needs it, and why more experienced executives are choosing portfolio careers over the traditional model. Two minutes. No slides. Just a poin...

Office politics has a bad reputation, mostly because people confuse it with manipulation. So a lot of people pretend they don’t participate in it at all. But the truth is, everyone navigates power, influence, relationships, and perception at work to some extent. The real question is whether we do it unconsciously, or honestly and with integrity. This video is about the latter.

Being wrong in public is one thing. The hours and days after are another. Most leadership advice tells you to own it quickly and move on, which skips the part where your nervous system still thinks you're in danger. In this episode, Laurence talks about why recovering from a public stumble is slower than anyone admits, and why nobody tells you that the uncomfortable part is actually normal.

Even at VP level, the meetings that make your heart race don't go away. The ones where you're there to challenge something, defend your team, or push back on a decision in a room full of senior people. In this episode, Laurence talks about the invisible internal work that happens before those meetings — and why it doesn't disappear with seniority, especially when you've never quite...

We keep saying “bring your whole self to work.” But that’s not really what’s expected, is it? In this episode, I talk about the gap between what companies say and what they actually reward. Why energy and performance are welcome, but grief, anxiety, and exhaustion are not. And what that does to our mental health over time. This isn’t just about burnout or work life balance. It’s about the constant...

Most people think leadership is about having the right answers. I think it is often about asking the right questions. In this episode I talk about why questions open conversations, create trust inside teams, and lead to ideas you would never get if the leader was doing all the talking. If you lead a team, coach people, or simply want better conversations at work, learning how to ask better questio...

Always saying yes at work can look like commitment, but over time it can dilute your focus and drain your confidence. In this episode, I reflect on how people pleasing shows up in professional environments and share practical ways to build healthier boundaries, communicate more clearly, and prioritise what actually matters without becoming less collaborative.

I used to overthink everything, turning even small decisions into something heavy and exhausting, as if every choice was a test I was afraid of failing. In this episode, I talk about what helped me move out of analysis paralysis and start making decisions with more clarity, less fear, and more self trust, without becoming reckless or careless. I share the simple questions I now ask myself when I f...

Building meaningful connections has always mattered, but in a digital world where many of our relationships live entirely online, it can feel harder to do well. In this episode, I talk about practical ways to build meaningful connections through a screen, from being more intentional in how we engage, to personalising outreach, prioritising quality over quantity, and remembering there is a real hum...

Twenty years ago, I moved abroad and built my life in a country that was not the one I was born in. In this episode, I reflect on what living abroad actually teaches you over time, beyond the logistics and the clichés. How identity changes as you grow, how exposure to different cultures and norms shapes who you become, and how the idea of home shifts from something familiar to something you active...

Unproductive meetings are one of the biggest energy drains in corporate life. They waste time, reduce focus, and quietly damage morale and culture. In this episode, I share practical and respectful ways to end meetings that have lost their purpose. Without confrontation. Without awkwardness. And without needing authority. You will learn how to recognize when a meeting is no longer useful, how to r...

Ever had your mind go silent in a meeting or important conversation? You know what you want to say, but the words refuse to show up. It happens to many of us, especially when the moment feels emotional or high stakes. For years, I thought freezing meant I was not confident enough or fast enough. Now I understand it for what it is. A nervous system response. A pause that protects more than it limit...

We don’t all experience meetings the same way. Some people focus on what’s being said. I focus on everything happening beneath it—the tone, the pauses, the energy in the room. Over time, I’ve learned that this kind of awareness isn’t overthinking. It’s one of my greatest strengths as a leader. In this episode, I share how I process meetings differently, why noticing what’s left unsaid matters, and...

We often think change starts with action. “I’ll start running,” “I’ll start eating better,” “I’ll try to be more confident.” But real change begins with identity. If you want to build a new habit, stop telling yourself you want to do it and start telling yourself you are the kind of person who does it. Want to run? You are a runner from day one. Want to write? You are a writer the moment you sit d...

Sometimes, all it takes is five seconds to change your entire day. In this episode, I share 10 simple tricks you can use to break negative thought loops, reduce stress, and reset your mindset. From flipping “I have to” into “I get to” to asking “What’s one thing I can control right now?”, these quick resets help you feel more focused, confident, and in control. ✨ Small shifts. Big impact. Which t...

Most workplaces run on one idea of “normal”: fast talkers, extroverts, people who thrive in back-to-back meetings. But for many of us who are autistic, ADHD, or highly sensitive, that version of “professional” takes an enormous toll. In this episode, I share what I wish more neurotypical leaders understood about working with neurodivergent colleagues: Silence does not mean a lack of ideas Not maki...

Most people think you have to be loud to own the room. But introverts bring something powerful to leadership: quiet confidence, presence, and clarity. In this episode, I share how I’ve learned to: Lead without faking extroversion Listen first and speak with intention Prepare so I’m ready when it matters Step away to recharge without apologizing Introverts don’t need to change their personality to...

Ever been stuck at a business dinner where the food is tiny, the talk is dull, and you wonder why you even said yes? I have. My solution is simple: drop Taylor Swift into the conversation. Not as a pop star, but as one of the smartest business minds of our time. In this episode, I share how talking about Taylor Swift with strangers in suits turns a boring dinner into something actually worth remem...

Most people think sensory overload at work is obvious—someone covering their ears or walking out of a meeting. The truth? It’s usually invisible. Subtle. And exhausting. In this episode, I share what sensory overload actually looks like in the workplace, how it affects focus and performance, and why leaders can’t afford to ignore it. If you’ve ever felt drained by constant noise, flickering lights...

Self-doubt can be paralyzing—but it doesn’t have to control your story. In this episode, I share 10 powerful strategies to move through self-doubt and build genuine, lasting confidence. From reframing your inner critic to taking small, courageous steps, this is a practical guide for anyone who’s ever felt “not good enough.” Whether you’re a neurodivergent professional, an emerging leader, or just...

Why do the loudest people in the room get promoted—while the quiet high performers get overlooked? In this episode, I talk about the frustrating reality of office politics and how visibility is often mistaken for value. If you’re introverted, neurodivergent, or just not into self-promotion, this dynamic can feel impossible to navigate. But here’s the good news: you can be seen—without pretending t...

Burnout isn’t just about being tired. It’s a deep, persistent exhaustion—emotional, mental, and physical—that builds over time. And if you’ve been feeling unmotivated, disconnected, or constantly drained, this episode is for you. In this episode, I share: 5 key signs you might be experiencing burnout 10 practical, realistic ways to start recovering Why burnout is a signal—not a personal failure Wh...

There was a time when I thought being busy meant I was successful. Packed calendar. Overflowing inbox. Constant hustle. But eventually I realized busy wasn’t making me fulfilled—it was keeping me numb. In this episode, I share how I broke free from hustle culture, stopped measuring my worth by how much I do, and started valuing clarity, boundaries, and rest. If you’re always on and still feel behi...

2024 wasn’t a year of thriving for me. It was a year of surviving. Grief, divorce, parenting stress, and burnout pushed me into quiet survival mode—the kind where you function on the outside but feel empty on the inside. In this episode, I share what helped me hold on. The small shifts. The boundaries. The support. The moments of clarity in the chaos. If you’re in that space now, or have ever been...

In this episode, I’m calling out a common leadership habit: creating fake urgency. You’ve probably seen it—arbitrary deadlines, made-up fires, pressure that’s not based on reality. Sometimes urgency is real. But too often, we use it as a shortcut to get people to work harder. And that shortcut has a cost. Here’s what happens when we rely on fake urgency: — We lose our team’s trust — We burn out ou...