The Alternative Leader Podcast

Leadership, innovation and scaling a business are at the core of building companies that shape entire industries. In this episode, Mari Williams is joined by Jamie Urquhart, co-founder of ARM Holdings, the company behind the chip architecture used in over 99% of the world’s smartphones. Jamie shares his journey from engineer to building one of the most influential technology companies globally, re...

Purpose, career direction and meaningful work are increasingly shaping how people think about leadership and long-term fulfilment. In this episode, Anne Bailey, CEO and Co-founder of Form the Future, shares her journey from graduating from Harvard to navigating her own career uncertainty, which ultimately led her to build a not-for-profit organisation supporting young people into employment. Anne...

Sustainable fashion, ethical business and entrepreneurship are increasingly shaping how brands are built and what they stand for. Stacey Grant-Canham, founder of Black & Beech, shares her journey from a part-time side hustle during maternity leave to building a mission-driven fashion brand. Inspired by personal experiences, including her father’s brain aneurysm, Stacey reflects on how integrit...

Perimenopause, women’s health and fitness play a significant role in both physical wellbeing and mindset, particularly for women navigating hormonal change. Hannah Walker is a personal trainer and founder of Eton Fitness, where she works with women through her Empowered Female Programme , combining training, nutrition and education around hormones. After experiencing first-hand how physical traini...

Gut health, the microbiome and physical wellbeing are increasingly linked to mental health, performance and long-term health outcomes. In this episode, Goitseone Thamae shares her journey from selling fruit and vegetables as a child in Botswana to founding Evobiome, a company focused on improving health through the gut microbiome. She speaks about her entrepreneurial path, the role of failure in s...

Public speaking, confidence and leadership communication are central to how we show up, influence others and progress in our careers. Julia Caddick, voice and presentation coach, shares her journey from a love of music and performance into working with leaders, executives and organisations to help them communicate with clarity and impact. After being diagnosed with skin cancer at a young age, Juli...

Breathwork, ADHD and emotional healing are increasingly being recognised as powerful tools for managing stress, improving performance and understanding ourselves more deeply. In this episode, Mari Williams sits down with Lisa Sibley, a leading breathwork expert, to explore the connection between conscious breathing, neurodiversity and personal growth. Lisa shares her journey of discovering her ADH...

Financial independence, wealth building and money mindset are increasingly shaping how people think about work, life and long-term security. Ken Okoroafor achieved financial freedom by the age of 34 and is co-founder of The Humble Penny, alongside his wife Mary. Together, they help individuals and families build wealth, achieve financial independence and create more choice in how they live and wor...

Leadership, authority and career transitions often require challenging assumptions and stepping into new environments. With a background in aeronautics, avionics and optoelectronics, Michelle Child has spent her career questioning stereotypes and pushing boundaries. After 20 years in the Royal Air Force as an Engineer Officer, followed by time in the Defence Electronics Industry, she moved into ed...

Emotional intelligence and leadership development are starting earlier, shaping how the next generation understands themselves and others. Corey Gaidzionis is the founder of Big Emotions Academy, focused on helping young people develop emotional intelligence through simple, practical tools. With a background as a personal trainer and coach, Corey recognised the gap in how personal development is t...

Leadership, decision-making and human connection are tested at the highest level in military environments. John Spencer is an urban warfare expert, military leader, author and professor, with 25 years of service in the US military. He now advises major organisations including the United States Army, DARPA and the United Nations on modern warfare and strategy. In this conversation, John reflects on...

Anxiety, depression and mental health can shape how people build businesses, make decisions and lead their lives.  Content warning: Please note this episode discusses suicide   Joel Stone is the founder of marketing agency Codebreak, co-founder of Andy & Joel’s Growth Academy, author of the Amazon bestseller Stay Hungry , and host of the Stay Hungry podcast. Raised in rural Shropshire, Joel’s...

Chronic pain, physical performance and long-term health are often more connected than people realise, particularly for leaders and professionals under pressure. Brendan Turner is a Personal Trainer and Human Biomechanics Specialist who works with business owners and executives experiencing pain, helping them move towards being pain-free and performing at a higher level. He shares his own journey o...

Leadership and identity are often shaped through life experiences, loss and the environments we move through. Emma shares her journey from working in post-conflict cultural conservation in the Balkans, where the work extended far beyond preservation, into something deeply human and complex. She later travelled across the region, an experience that became her book Driving Tito , reflecting on place...

PTSD, trauma and mental health can have a lasting impact on those working in high-pressure roles such as policing. Gareth joined the police at a young age, with his life shaped by years in the force, including two near-death experiences that led to PTSD. He reflects on the reality of that work, the impact it had on his mental health and how he has navigated recovery, identity and life beyond the r...

LinkedIn, community building and authentic connections are becoming central to how individuals and businesses grow. Anna McAfee is a LinkedIn trainer, community strategist and author, known for creating the #LinkedInLocal movement, which brought online connections into real-world meetups across more than 1,000 cities in 96 countries. She shares her perspective on building meaningful connections, g...

Remote working, burnout and leadership are often more complex than they first appear. In 2010, Nola applied for a leadership programme but was refused because she needed additional support around learning and childcare, with long commutes meaning she rarely saw her children. She moved roles to enable hybrid working, only to then face further challenges, including injury and later serious illness,...

ADHD, identity and behaviour patterns often shape how people experience work, relationships and leadership. Michelle grew up as an army child, moving frequently before choosing to go to boarding school, where she thrived on structure and routine. Over time, she recognised how she had fallen into a ‘good girl’ pattern, staying quiet, not speaking up and not standing up for herself. Following relati...

Leadership, behaviour and psychological safety play a central role in how teams perform and communicate. Terry is a senior leader who believes strongly that leaders need to understand the impact of their behaviour on others. He finds it difficult to watch poor leadership, particularly where it affects trust, openness and team culture. He speaks about the importance of creating psychological safety...

Leadership, resilience and career progression do not always follow a traditional path. Phil Jones, Managing Director of Brother UK, shares his journey from growing up in a council house to leading a major organisation, having bypassed university along the way. He reflects on what he has learned about leadership, including the importance of looking after yourself in order to lead others effectively...

Content warning: This episode includes themes of abuse and suicide (no detail).  Leadership, resilience and overcoming adversity are often shaped long before someone steps into a role. Tammy came out of an abusive childhood determined to enable others to do the same. Homeless at 15, she sought out education and rebuilt her life, going on to work across roles from hostels to forensic psychology, la...

Leadership stress, burnout and performance under pressure can have real consequences. After a heart attack at 45, Esther reflects on her workaholic personality. Did it begin when her father died when she was five, or does she simply love her work? Known as the ‘Impact Guru,’ Esther is a former BBC live producer. She has worked with Hollywood stars and high-profile personalities, understanding how...

 Sophie, co-founder of Roleshare, shares her journey from California to London and how she built a business focused on flexible working and diverse teams. We explore leadership, parenting and the reality of balancing professional responsibility with family life, alongside how ways of working have evolved, including remote work and staying connected in changing environments. This is a conversation...

Ian shares how the birth of his daughter, following an emergency caesarean and a rare chromosome deletion diagnosis, reshaped both his life and leadership. We explore how these experiences influenced his thinking, including putting his career on hold for seven years, navigating responsibility and how personal life directly impacts leadership and decision-making. This is a conversation about parent...

Lucy shares her journey from growing up on a farm in rural Cambridge to becoming Director of Supporter-Led Funding at Alzheimer’s Research UK. We explore how early experiences, including a mother with rheumatoid arthritis, a husband living with PTSD and her own diagnosis of dyslexia, shaped her outlook on life, work and leadership. She speaks openly about the assumptions made about her ability, th...