Six Degrees of Innovation

How many crisps constitute a problem? For Del Currie, a self-confessed "three-bags-a-day" enthusiast, it just made sense to start his own sustainable crisp company. In this episode, Del shares how he went from running a successful digital agency to founding Spudos — a business born out of boredom, a pint of Guinness, and a desire to tackle the plastic waste crisis in the snack industry....

How do you turn a spark into a movement? Donna Otchere talks about being an early-career engineer and wondering where the other Black STEM women were to becoming a PhD researcher exploring gender equity in STEM—with a focus on the power of role models to shape girls’ desire to pursue engineering. We explore the rapid rise of SiSTEM UK (founded with her sister), from a lockdown Instagram page to th...

Founder Lauren Fleming shares how a postpartum diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse led her to launch Hem Supportwear , a modern external support garment designed with pelvic floor PT input. We talk about pairing product with education and advocacy, navigating manufacturing and marketing in femtech, and why patient-centered care matters. Lauren also spotlights Reia Health for its self-managed pessar...

How do you build social impact that isn’t at the mercy of grants? In this episode, we meet Sam Ross , business development manager of The Melting Pot , Scotland’s Center for Social Innovation. Sam shares how the organisation evolved from a pioneering co-working space to a three-part engine—Collaborative Hub, Good Ideas incubator, and sector-agnostic Consultancy—creating a self-sustaining model and...

What happens when you combine a love of music, a PhD in psychology, and a desire to help people feel better? For Dr. Michelle Ulor, it became Kinos Studio —a research-led consultancy using music to improve wellbeing, foster connection, and inspire change. In this episode, Michelle shares her journey from DJ and music blogger to academic researcher to entrepreneur, and why she believes ambition, re...

This week, I chat with Tim Curtis—consultant, academic, and all-around sharp thinker on how change really happens in complex systems. We talk about what it takes to go beyond ticking boxes when it comes to listening, engaging, and actually designing with people in mind. Whether you're trying to scale a social innovation, avoid polished flops, or just want to hear someone explain why "best...

This week, I chat with Debbie Judd, the inspiring founder of Wool on the Exe, a truly special yarn shop and community interest company in Exeter, UK. From a quiet life in New England to Exeter, where Debbie has created a thriving fiber arts space that goes far beyond just selling yarn, we will dive into her journey from AmeriCorps to building a sustainable social enterprise that fosters connection...

This week, I had an awesome chat with Dr Milette Gillow and Sedinam Simpson , the brilliant minds behind The Tech Bros . These ladies are shaking up the male-dominated world of tech by increasing the number of all-female, all-technical startups with hackathons, panels, and workshops…AND a newly launched accelerator programme! If you're a woman in STEM with a startup itch, or just curious about how...

Welcome back!

As part of my planning for season 2, I invited the brilliant Nick Drage to interview me and help me figure out what I'm doing with this project. Of course, with the tables turned, and me as the interviewee, I have to give this episode an E for language. While I'm sure Nick is quite expert in the types of cyber security things he's built a career on, I want to emphasise what a fantastic...

This week, I’m talking with Dan Phan, founder of Workbreaker, providing unique business experiences that blend Dan’s leadership and training expertise with time to focus on your work and curated exploration of Lisbon, Portugal, where he lives. This Study Abroad for Grownups was what drew me to interview Dan, but the conversation turned into a great brain wander through how we engage with learning,...

Today’s guest is Tim Ward, co-founder and CEO of Think Cyber, a company taking an innovative approach to cyber security awareness. We’ve all made it through those periodic cyber security training quizzes that are a regular part of work these days. But do we actually feel any more prepared about what to do when faced with a risky situation?  Think Cyber is the only company utilising behavioural cha...

Today’s guest is Adina Rose Levin, a fellow American living abroad, who is based in Barcelona, where she has recently completed a master’s degree in territorial studies and urban planning at the Autonomous University. Perhaps thanks to her undergraduate studies that spanned economics to the arts, or as she likes to call it, a degree in “cocktail conversation” Adina is a really talented storyteller...

Today’s guest is Lucy Jeffrey, the founder of Bare Kind. Lucy took her love of animals and launched a business that contributes directly to saving endangered species. But what really struck me, is her commitment to transparency - not just her business strategy, but sharing her learnings with other small business owners as well.  Buy Bare Kind socks at https://barekind.co.uk/ . Find transparent and...

Today’s guest is Jemma Davis, a security behaviour and culture change expert and the founder of Culture Gem. To find out how you can hire Jemma as a consultant or to receive a demo of the inclusive (and fun!) eLearning platform, visit culturegem.co.uk. Find Jemma’s soggy blogging by searching @infosecjem on Twitter and Medium or adding her on LinkedIn.  You can find Jemma’s Six Degrees recommendat...

Today’s guest is Denise McQuaid, a leader in building and growing businesses with a focus on strategy, aligning culture with business models, especially in complex and challenging environments. She has a successful track record with both start-ups and established organisations. At your local bookstore: How to Have a Happy Hustle, by Bec Evans Dr Dana Kanze on gender bias in investor questions: htt...

Today’s guest is James Scroggs, a rock and roll entrepreneur for social impact, whose latest project, New Working Class College will reimagine the college experience blending Learning and Earning, giving students, businesses, and the community the chance to build an experience together.  While we didn’t discuss it at length on this episode, James is also the Chair of Campaign Against Living Misera...

Today’s guest is Alyson Stemas, a community-builder focused on creating a people-first leadership revolution. Alyson volunteered to be a practice podcast guest for me and the conversation we had about people-led leadership was so great, that I wanted to share it. Book suggestion: Hacking Communities by Laís de Oliveira  Cover art by Danielle Brooks: https://www.daniellebrooksillustration.co.uk/ Te...

Today’s guest is Simon Gough, a service designer and big thinker. Today's conversation we talk about a variety of things, exploring the tension between small scale and large scale or people and institutions. Alan Watts video: https://youtu.be/ERbvKrH-GC4 Books: How to Thrive in the Next Economy, by John Thackara Deschooling Society, by Ivan Illich   Cover art by Danielle Brooks: https://www.da...

Today’s guest is Roland Harwood: innovator and entrepreneur who is making connections to tackle the climate crisis. Today's conversation is focused on a new ownership structure that Roland's latest venture, Liminal is testing as a path to a more collaborative and active ownership model. Learn more about Liminal, a collective intelligence network, here: https://www.weareliminal.co/ Find out...

New podcast launches 22nd March! Cover art by Danielle Brooks: https://www.daniellebrooksillustration.co.uk/ Technical support from Abhinav Wadhwa: https://www.abhinavwadhwa.in/   Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/vocalista/strangers-in-the-night-acapella License code: IP17ENDYVQGNUH6E