How to Build a Village

Tennis journalist and author Simon Cambers joins Jill Martin Wrenn to share the stories behind the book he co-authored, The Roger Federer Effect: Rivals, Friends, Fans and How the Maestro Changed Their Lives. Simon also reveals what he expects from Wimbledon 2023, as the Championships get underway.

Stefanie Saleem joins Jill Martin Wrenn from Tampa, Florida, where she is breaking down barriers on the water. The author of the book, Black Girls Boat, Stefanie shares what she loves about boating, and why more women should get behind the helm. You can find out more here: https://www.boatingbabes.org/

Jill Martin Wrenn speaks to Russell Glass, CEO of Headspace, a company that uses technology to offer widespread mental health support. Speaking amid the buzz of London Tech Week, Russ shares why he's passionate about bringing mental health support to more people, and inspiring young people to vote. You can find out more about Headspace here: https://www.headspace.com/

Author Julia Quinn's talks about Queen Charlotte and her collaboration with television producer and writer Shonda Rhimes. Julia also discusses the inspiration behind her 'Bridgerton' books, her Regency romance books that inspired the Netflix series. You can read more here: https://juliaquinn.com/

British royal reporter Monique Jessen tells Jill Martin Wrenn about the fashion and the history of King Charles's coronation. She reports on style, celebrity and the British royal family for People Magazine and People.com. She’s also written for The New York Times, Women’s Wear Daily and Hello Magazine.

New York based Scottish entrepreneur Lesley Eccles, Founder and CEO of HelloRelish, tells Jill Martin Wrenn how she starts companies in a range of industries. Lesley also shares her tips on how to get people to try and love her companies’ products.

Pals and podcasters Angela Tucker and Isha Chari join Jill Martin Wrenn for the Valentine's Day episode of How to Build a Village. They're lifelong friends who host the podcast, For the Love of Tinsel , "your unapologetic virtual lounge for leaning into romantic Christmas movies."  Angela and Isha talk about their top romcom picks, their personal and professional collaborations, and Angela's...

In the last episode of 2022, Delia Lloyd, author of the newsletter Good Reads for Grownups, shares reading recommendations, and explains why growing older is a process, not an outcome. You can find out more about Delia here: https://realdelia.com/

Lisa Millar joins How to Build a Village from Melbourne, where she co-hosts ABC News Breakfast. She shares with Jill Martin Wrenn how she conquered her fear of flying and how she built communities around the world as an international correspondent. Lisa's bestselling memoir, ' Daring to Fly ,' reveals how she started in journalism, and where her career has taken her.

Vicky Tsai shares with Jill Martin Wrenn how her travels to Japan inspire and inform her skincare company, Tatcha. Vicky, a Taiwanese-American and Harvard Business School graduate based in California, talks about how skincare is an act of self-compassion. In this episode, find out which books have helped Vicky on her entrepreneurial journey. 

In this candid and compelling conversation, Francesco Clark shares what inspired him to start his clean skincare brand, Clark's Botanicals. From his close-knit family to his life-changing injury, Francesco describes to Jill Martin Wrenn what makes him an eternal optimist. You can find out more here: https://clarksbotanicals.com/

London Kaye tells Jill Martin Wrenn how she tackles big topics in a lighthearted way through street art. She creates murals celebrating peace, gender equality and other issues through Love Across The USA (http://www.loveacrosstheusa.com/), a community of makers crocheting public murals. She also designed her own crochet hook, so she could streamline her art creation process. You can find her here:...

Atlanta-based entrepreneur and journalist Bernadette Brown explains how she juggles a full-time job in television alongside her beauty brand, Baubles & Beeswax. She also shares how she made Atlanta her home, after years of moving. You can find out more here: https://baublesandbeeswax.com/

Celebrated Chilean-American author Isabel Allende has published more than 20 books over the past four decades, including such bestsellers as  The House of the Spirits, Of Love and Shadows, and her newest novel, Violeta. She also founded The Isabel Allende Foundation to empower women and girls around the world. In this episode, she shares with Jill Martin Wrenn how she's changed the way she connect...

Egon Cossou, a long-time BBC producer and presenter based in London, joins Jill Martin Wrenn to share how he is creating a community of carers with the site, Generation Care. He’s highlighting the work of the millions balancing busy lives with the lives of ageing loved ones. You can find out more here: https://www.generationcare.co/

Helen Hoang, author of the romantic comedies, The Heart Principle, The Bride Test and The Kiss Quotient, joins Jill Martin Wrenn from San Diego. She describes how she creates characters from a range of backgrounds and communities, who grapple with romances steeped in realism. You can find out more here: https://www.helenhoang.com/

Find out how to create a career you want. Marianne Cantwell, author of the bestselling book, Be A Free Range Human: Escape the 9-5, Create a Life You love and Still Pay the Bills, shares tips on how to use your weaknesses as strengths, and create a career that works with your personality, and your schedule. Originally from Australia, Marianne joins How to Build a Village from Los Angeles. Find out...

NHS nurse and midwife Anna Kent describes her role as an international humanitarian aid worker, and how writing her book, Frontline Midwife: My Story of Survival and Keeping Others Safe, has been cathartic.

Bestselling author Angie Thomas shares with Jill Martin Wrenn how she cultivates a community of readers around the world through her virtual and in-person events. Angie’s young adult novels, The Hate U Give, On the Come Up, and Concrete Rose, are New York Times bestsellers. A former teen rapper, Angie was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, where she still lives. You can find more on Angie's...

Certified Nurse Midwife Betsy Freeman tells Jill Martin Wrenn how she become a single mother by choice, and how she's helping others to become single parents. She also shares her journey as a midwife, from New York to Portland, Oregon, and her heroic work with Doctors Without Borders. You can find more on Betsy's website: https://www.betsyfreeman.co/

Science journalist and NASA communicator Liz Landau shares her journey from Atlanta to LA to Washington DC. Liz shares tips on how to meet people in new cities, how LA traffic can dictate your social life, and what's so special about Dragon Con in How to Build a Village's first episode of 2022. You can find out more about Liz's writing and music here: http://www.lizlandau.com/

In the last episode of season 1, we share some books that made us smile in 2021. We would love to hear from you. Please reach out with your reading recommendations, feedback, guest ideas and other suggestions on info@jillwrenn.com. We look forward to more conversations about community building in season 2. Thanks for listening.

British visibility coach and author Penny Haslam shares with Jill Martin Wrenn how she helps business leaders become 'a little bit famous'.

London-based American journalist Ginanne Brownell describes her path to motherhood, through IVF and surrogacy. Her writing has appeared in publications including the New York Times, Financial Times, CNN, Conde Nast Traveller, Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, Scientific American, Salon, Foreign Policy and the Washington Post. You can find out more on https://ginannebrownell.com/.

Helen and Shaninga Marasha, the Development Director and the Founder/CEO of BIGKID Foundation, share with Jill Martin Wrenn how their London charity offers young people opportunities to develop leadership skills and a sense of belonging through sports, media, the arts and much more.