Successful AF Pod

Michelle Doan founded Emani in 1998, a clean, vegan beauty brand that now exports to 17 countries. She built it out of a problem nobody would solve for her: more than a decade of cystic acne, and no products that didn't make it worse. So she started phoning cosmetics companies to ask why they were making products that broke her out. Then 2020 hit. Her two biggest distributors were in China an...

At 21, before she'd even graduated, Jo McGowan bought a dance school. Nine years later she'd roughly doubled the number of pupils. Since then she's built a children's party business that was fully booked within six months, run a small business hub, kept a charity going digitally through Covid, and worked in university events. Now she's CEO of Hello Dorking, the town's...

How do you rebuild a career after depression takes the one you had? Aron Jameson was fifteen years into corporate life — trainee to Head of Operations in London — when depression arrived and took roughly a fortnight to dismantle all of it. He quit. No notice period plan, no next role, no sick leave. What almost nobody talks about is the bit that came after: three to six months of not leaving the h...

Readiness Is a Myth: Confidence, Comfort Zones and Doing It Scared — Kerry Harrison Kerry Harrison's whole job is making people feel seen. She's a business brand photography specialist who's spent sixteen years helping founders show up in their businesses — which is funny, because when she started out, she was the classic photographer hiding behind her own lens: one photo of herself...

Stop Saying No to Yourself: Imposter Syndrome, Career Change and Leading AI — Professor Shushma Patel Shushma Patel built a world-class career — a PhD in dermatology, decades of research, leadership across computing, engineering and business schools. And the whole time, whenever the next big room opened up, she talked herself out of walking in. "I've only been here a year." "So...

“You don’t have to deserve rest.” — Camille Bieber on relentlessness, authenticity, and redefining success My guest this week is Camille Bieber — photographer, videographer, and founder of Lila & Co, a creative business helping wellness brands tell their story through visuals. But for years, Camille didn’t think the word “success” applied to them at all. Their old Facebook bio literally read “...

Another solo one, and this time I'm getting into something I talk about all the time in my coaching but haven't really unpacked on the pod: burnout isn't a bubble bath problem. It's a nervous system issue. It's a belief system issue. And no amount of journaling, breathwork or gong baths is going to fix it if the thing underneath — the constant performing, the chasing of a...

Lorraine Ansell spent 40 years in pain without knowing it. Waking up feeling like she'd been "hit by a plane," feet that hummed, a body that bruised at the slightest touch — she assumed everyone felt that way. It wasn't until lockdown, a TikTok algorithm and a very thorough letter to her GP that she was finally diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and four decades...

In the first ever solo episode of Successful AF, host Jess West kicks off season three with a reset on what this whole show is really about. After 21 conversations with guests redefining success on their own terms, Jess pulls together the threads — and gets honest about her own story: circling the drain on burnout more than once, chasing a version of success she'd never actually authored for...

What if the reason you feel bad about money has nothing to do with how much you have? Jessie Leong is a marketing manager by day and the founder of How I Fund This by night — a personal finance community of over 80,000 people built on one simple but radical idea: that financial confidence isn't about perfection, deprivation, or having it all figured out. It's about understanding your rel...

Riah Patel has the career, the drive, and the results to prove it. A senior leader and surveyor in the real estate industry, she's spent a decade building an impressive career through sheer intentionality — moving from graduate scheme to business development, team leadership and strategy, while becoming one of the most respected networkers in her field. But the most interesting part of her st...

What if you spent seven years knowing something was wrong with your body — and every doctor told you nothing was? Risa August is a two-time Ironman athlete, cyclist, author, and one of the most quietly compelling people I've ever spoken to. For seven years, her body was changing in ways she couldn't explain. She was dismissed, minimised, and told to drink more water — while completing Ir...

Marcella spent years feeling invisible—so she built a business where everyone is seen, heard, and valued. Marcella's story is one you'll want to listen to twice. She grew up speaking only Spanish after moving from Columbia to the UK at the age of 2, struggling to find her voice in a system that didn't see her. Picked on by classmates, dismissed by teachers who accused her of cheatin...

Clara Ho crossed international borders with a passport every day just to get to school. Six hours round trip on the worst days. She was raised on the "Singapore Dream"—five C's that defined success: cash, credit card, condo, country club, and car. This episode of Successful AF is about what happens when you stop asking for permission. Host Jess West sits down with Clara, now a strat...

Maria Caballero moved to London in 2013 with a thousand euros in cash, one friend, and a vision. She walked down Regent Street handing out CVs to every shop until someone gave her a chance. Fast forward to 2025, and she's built one of the most vibrant yoga communities in London—retreats that sell out in days, students who laugh so hard they get stomach aches, and a teaching method centred ent...

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at successfulafpod@gmail.com - we're always looking for incredible people to feature. Connect with Jess: Instagram: @kalicoaching.co Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

What does success really mean when you've climbed the ladder but still feel unfulfilled? In this raw and honest conversation, Jess West sits down with her friend of 15 years, Abi Schoenheimer, to explore the messy reality of redefining success in midlife. Abi's career has been anything but linear—from Big Four consulting to investment banking, across continents from Sydney to London to S...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains mentions of suicide and self-harm. If you're struggling with these issues, please reach out to a trusted professional or contact a crisis support service in your area. In this episode, host Jess West sits down with Ifey Ihonor, founder of 8 Within, who walked away from one of the most coveted medical positions in the UK to embark on a fifteen-year journe...

What happens when you realise success isn't about climbing the ladder, but about aligning your life with your values?  In this Season 2 premiere, host Jess West sits down with Lyndsey Gormley, a therapist whose career transformation from burnt-out senior teacher to psychologist showcases resilience and professional reinvention . As a first-generation university student from Yorkshire, Lyndsey...

What does it really mean to walk away from everything you've worked for to chase a dream that others don't understand? In this episode, Jess is joined by Charlotte de Wouters, who made the courageous career transition from a high-stress legal career to becoming a full-time yoga teacher and breathwork facilitator in Indonesia. Charlotte's story perfectly embodies what it means to cho...

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicidal ideation, chronic illness, and sexual assault. Please take care of yourself while listening. What happens when you've climbed all the ladders, ticked all the boxes, and still feel like success is miles away? This week, we dive deep with life coach and hypnotherapist Katrina Burke, whose mental health recovery journey from heartbre...

In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West interviews Lauren Brighton, a London-based change manager whose non-linear career journey embraces being a generalist over a specialist. From creating legacy films to navigating the male-dominated property world, Lauren's story showcases career confidence building and authentic leadership . Lauren's career evolution transformed from priori...

In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West sits down with Dr. Sonia Tsukagoshi, a London GP and holistic health coach practising sustainable wellness . Born in the UK to Japanese parents, Sonia has lived an incredibly international life - from surgical training to working in Uganda, Paris, and teaching resilience strategies to young people in Japan. What makes this conversation refreshing is...

In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West reconnects with Lidia Teasca, an architect whose story of career resilience and starting over will leave you speechless. When corruption in Romania left Lidia working seven days a week for little reward, and her best friend literally emptied their shared office while she was at a meeting, Lidia made a radical choice: pack 19 kilograms into a suitcas...

In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West interviews Clare Muncey, a former Metropolitan Police officer who made a dramatic career transition from the Riot Squad to becoming a yoga teacher and social entrepreneur . Clare's career transformation journey from a high-stress police career to finding peace and purpose through yoga business is profoundly inspiring. She shares intimate storie...