Starts at the Top Podcast

From Authenticity to Audacity: Alina Addison's Blueprint for Purpose-Led Leadership We chat to Alina Addison, author of ‘The Audacity Spectrum: Leading with Care, Courage and Non-Conformity’ In our latest Starts at the Top episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Alina Addison, author of "The Audacity Spectrum" and founder of Adaptaa. Alina's take on leadership is bold and refreshing. She cha...

AI and Accessibility: RNIB's Innovative Approach to Inclusive Technology We chat with Jim Sanders, Director of Innovation and Transformation at RNIB. In our new episode of Starts at the Top, we explore the intersection of AI, technology, and accessibility with Jim Sanders, Director of Innovation and Transformation at RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People). Jim shares how RNIB is leveragin...

Ethical AI: Charting the Course for Responsible Leadership In our latest episode of Starts at the Top, we explore the ethical frontiers of AI with Tim Cook, founder of AIConfident and former head of the UK government's Office for Artificial Intelligence. As AI revolutionises our world, Tim offers invaluable insights for leaders navigating this new landscape: Understanding AI's broader implications...

Demystifying AI: A Charity Leader's Guide to Digital Innovation We chat to Devi Thomas, Global Leader of Nonprofit Community Capacity at Microsoft Philanthropies, and Dan Kershaw, CEO of nonprofit Furniture Bank   In this eye opening episode of Starts at the Top, we dive into the world of AI and its transformative potential for the charity sector. Join us as we chat with two visionaries at the for...

Leading Through Crisis: Polly Neate on Resilience, Empathy & Speaking Truth to Power We chat with Polly Neate, CEO at Shelter As the UK faces a defining general election amidst a deepening housing emergency, bold and resilient leadership has never been more crucial. In this raw and revealing episode, Polly Neate CBE, CEO of Shelter, shares hard-won lessons from her decades on the frontlines fi...

As the UK hurtles towards a momentous election, the digital landscape has become a fierce battleground where the fight for hearts and minds is being waged. In this crucial episode, we sit down with Berry Cochrane, CEO of digital mobilisation agency Forward Action , to explore how charities and organisations in the for good space can harness the power of digital to drive change and build people pow...

The Safe Space Imperative: How Leaders Can Champion LGBTQIA+ Inclusion We chat with Lucy Straker (she/they), co-founder of Proud Changemakers As the UK gears up for a historic election, the need for safe, inclusive spaces has never been more critical. In this powerful episode, we sit down with Lucy Straker (she/they), co-founder of Proud Changemakers , to explore how they're transforming the lands...

Beats and the boardroom: what leaders can learn from hip hop We chat to Nels Abbey, broadcaster, satirist and author of ‘The Hip Hop MBA’   What can organisations learn about leadership from the unlikeliest of teachers - hip hop's biggest moguls? On this thought-provoking episode, we're joined by writer, broadcaster, media executive and satirist Nels Abbey to break down the invaluable leadership i...

Sustainability: From Buzzword to Business Imperative We speak to Mark Shayler, Author of ‘You Can’t Make Money From A Dead Planet’   Can profit and planet truly go hand-in-hand? How can leaders get sustainability on the boardroom agenda and baked into the DNA of their organisation? In this candid chat, Mark Shayler - bestselling author, sustainability guru and founder of Ape, a sustainability and...

Why we need to talk about grief in the workplace We chat with Nikki Bell, Co-Founder of Fundraising Everywhere   Bereavement will affect all of us in our lifetime. So why aren’t we talking about it more in the workplace? We explore this topic with Nikki Bell, co-founder of Fundraising Everywhere, in this episode of Starts At The Top. Last year she and the Fundraising Everywhere team lost a close f...

Women in leadership special part 4: Dr Lucy Ryan, author of ‘Revolting Women’ on why midlife women are leaving the workplace We speak to Dr Lucy Ryan, author of ‘Revolting Women: Why Midlife Women Are Walking Out’ Did you know that by January 2023 the number of women not in work had risen by 151,000 compared to 2020 ? More than twice as many women as men were not working because of family responsi...

Women in leadership special part 3: Aggie Mutuma on why leaders need to do more on inclusion We speak to to Aggie Mutuma, CEO of Mahogany Inclusion Partners   It’s the third part of our new season special on women in leadership and we’re talking about a topic that’s on a lot of people’s minds this week: inclusion. In 2020, Black Lives Matter became a huge movement for change. Yet despite inclusion...

Women in leadership special part 2: Cathy Newman on life lessons from female leaders We chat to Cathy Newman, award-winning journalist, broadcaster and author   In the second part of our new season special on women in leadership we chat to Cathy Newman. You’ll know Cathy as one of Channel 4 News' main studio presenters. She’s also an award winning journalist and an author, joining us to talk about...

Women in leadership special part 1: Lorraine Candy on midlife liberation In this episode, we chat with Lorraine Candy, journalist and author of ‘What’s Wrong with Me? 101 Things Midlife Women Need to Know’.   Hello, did you miss us? We’re beginning Season 8 with a series of special episodes devoted to women in leadership. And we’re kicking off this season with one hell of a guest. We’re joined by...

Why CEOs need to think like producers, not directors We speak to Kate Lee, CEO of the Alzheimer’s Society   It's our final episode of 2023 and we are going out with a bang thanks to a festive cracker of an episode with the one and only Kate Lee, CEO of Alzheimer’s Society. Kate took over as CEO of the Alzheimer’s Society in March 2020. As if starting one of the charity’s sector’s biggest roles on...

We chat with Eloise Skinner, author of ‘But Are You Alive?’, founder and psychotherapist. It’s almost become a cliche to talk about finding meaning and purpose at work, especially with regard to the expectations of millennials and Generation Z, and what they want from employers. So what do leaders need to know about this? What does purpose and meaning really mean to young employees? And how should...

Can being an outsider be an advantage? We speak with Samuel Kasumu, author of The Power of the Outsider Samuel Kasumu is an award-winning social entrepreneur, commentator, and strategist. He was also the most senior black advisor in Boris Johnson’s government until he left his role in April 2021. During his time in Downing Street, he became aware that he was an outsider. And this became the inspir...

How Conversations From Calais is bringing together art and activism We chat with Mathilda Della Torre, author of Conversations from Calais: Sharing Refugee Stories   When Mathilda Della Torre came home after visiting the refugee camps in Calais for the first time she thought, “I can’t look away from this.” And so she began documenting the conversations between volunteers and migrants from Calais,...

The future trends coming to your workplace We speak with Dr Michelle P.King, author of How Work Works and expert on organisational culture   Michelle P. King has spent the last two decades researching organisations and is an expert on organisational culture. She is a Senior Advisor to the UN Foundation’s Girl Up campaign, where she leads the NextGen Leadership Development Programme and was previou...

Leaders’ mental health special: part 2 We chat with Dr Sarah Hughes, CEO of Mind   Almost 10% more leaders feel more burned out than in 2020. What can we do about this? In the second of our two part special on leaders and mental health, we were honoured to speak to the one and only Sarah Hughes, CEO of mental health charity Mind. We wanted to find out how leaders can look after their mental wellbe...

Leaders’ mental health special: part 1 Ben Lindsay OBE is founder of Power The Fight, an award-winning charity which tackles violence affecting young people. 35% of leaders report that they feel stressed at work . More than 50% of managers feel burned out.   In our day jobs, we speak to leaders everyday who are dealing with huge pressures. We’ve been there ourselves with our own mental health chal...

How The Wildlife Trusts are taking on digital transformation We chat with Alice Kershaw, Head of Digital Transformation at The Wildlife Trusts   Digital transformation can often feel very project heavy. This week we talk to Alice Kershaw, Head of Digital Transformation at The Wildlife Trusts, who is leading a holistic, root and branch approach to their digital transformation. It’s all about creati...

Why we need to think 'people-first' in the age of AI We speak to Ben Williams, CEO and co-founder of AI start-up Loopin   We’re back from our summer break and excited to dive into discussing two of our favourite topics, workplace culture, and AI, with Ben Williams, CEO and co-founder of Loopin .  Ben is a best-selling author and leadership coach, who has worked with the likes of Gareth Southgate’s...

What leaders need to know about the 4 day week The 4 Day Week has grown in popularity since the pandemic and the rise of hybrid and remote working. Maybe you or your organisation have even tried it. Is it the future of the world of work? Or something that only works for certain roles and responsibilities? We thought we’d go straight to the source this week by talking to Joe Ryle, Director of  the...

Toxic Masculinity in the Workplace: what every leader needs to Know We speak with Soma Sara, author, founder, and CEO of Everyone’s Invited   72% of women have either encountered or witnessed inappropriate behaviour from male colleagues at work. A third (32%) of women say their careers have been affected by sexual harassment. What’s caused this? And what do leaders need to do about it? Soma Sara,...