The Brand Compass

Ever listened to someone speak and felt as though they had put words to thoughts you've been carrying around for years? That's what happened to me recently while attending You Are The Media’s Creator Day, down in Poole, UK. A speaker stepped onto the stage and articulated something I've been struggling to process about the state of the world, our communities and the future we are building for the...

Meet Sally Walker, a career and executive coach, with an intercultural specialism - who helps people and organisations work better across cultures. This is an addition to my series: ‘Real life Personal Brand Examples’. I invited Sally to come and share the story behind her work, from studying French and working in global HR roles, to becoming someone who now supports executives, expatriates and fa...

I unpack my reflections after speaking to former British Army Lieutenant Colonel Ian Astley and award-winning mural artist Sarah Hodgkins. I walk through three top things that came up for me from these discussions: Not all experience is equal Strategic strengths have value Evolution doesn't happen in stasis I unpack why strategic strengths are often difficult to explain and market, especially when...

I am joined by award-winning mural artist Sarah Hodgkins, who shares the moment she made the bold decision to focus on one specific part of her work – and how that choice reshaped everything. Our conversation adds to my series talking to experts across all kinds of fields – trying to shape a version of themselves that they are happy share with the outside world. Sarah’s path wasn’t linear. From in...

WHY work on your personal brand? Is that what ticks at the back of your mind when someone talks about it? Do you secretly wonder: What’s the real benefit of personal branding? Why would I put aside time for this? Isn’t this just marketing “fluff”? In this episode, I share five very real, very human reasons for developing your personal brand strategy, and one of them might significantly reduce your...

I introduce you to Ian Astley, a former British Army Lieutenant Colonel who served for 33 years before transitioning into civilian life as a leadership coach and mentor. Another real-life conversation with someone out there – trying to shape a version of themselves that they are happy share with the outside world. We explore what it means to build trust when your title and hierarchy disappear, how...

In this roundtable discussion, I sit down with Imogen Jones and Mark Franklin to talk openly about artificial intelligence and its growing presence in our working lives. Together, we explore what it really means to be a professional human at a time when artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how we work, think and communicate. Rather than getting swept up in hype or fear, we slow the conversa...

In this episode: I answer real podcasting questions sent in by listeners and peers - without notes, scripts or preparation. I put an invitation out to my online audiences to send in their questions as I celebrate 3 years in running this show. I talk candidly about why I started the show, how it supports my work as a consultant, and why podcasting has become one of my most useful thinking tools. I...

I look back on the last three years being the host of this show. Something a little different for you. I’ve invited my podcast manager, Imogen Jones, to join me as we reflect on some specific points in my three-year journey in creating and hosting this show. I talk about: why I first started the show, the points where I feel like shifts were happening to sharpen what I want the show to ‘grow up to...

In this episode: This is a reflection episode where I look back on two very different conversations I had with former Typhoon Fighter Pilot, Helen Seymour and Animal Enrichment Specialist, Mark Kingston Jones. I walk through three top things that came up for me from these discussions: 1. Building confidence in SELF and TOPIC 2️. Speaking up about what you do 3️. Collaboration and communication The...

In this episode: Part of my series: ‘Real life Personal Brand Examples’. I chat to Mark Kingston Jones, an Animal Enrichment specialist, who delivers talks and workshops around the world – educating keepers and animal professionals on the importance of enrichment on the lives of animals. Even after 20 years of doing this kind of work - he still gets his biggest buzz from seeing how the animals int...

In this episode: Part of my series: ‘Real life Personal Brand Examples’. I chat to Former Typhoon Fighter Pilot Helen Seymour, who comes on the show to share a small part of career journey and in starting her own business and how she has navigated her way to learning to market herself. For more than 20 years Helen was actively encouraged NOT to share what her job was and what she did on a day-to-d...

In this episode: This is a reflection episode where I look back on two fascinating conversations I had recently – one with my long-time friend, Penny Hopkinson , and another with Izabela Russell , an audio and podcasting specialist. I explore three big themes that surfaced from these discussions: Relationship building and communication skills If you have a voice – use it The opportunity that Artif...

In this episode: Part of my series: ‘Real life Personal Brand Examples’. I invite Izabela Russell, CEO of Music Radio Creative (MRC) back on the show to share her career journey and how she has navigated her way to being the podcasting and audio specialist that she is today. While she started in the banking world many years ago - today she focusses on the cross-section between the corporate and cr...

In this episode: Part of my series: ‘Real-life Personal Brand Examples’. I introduce you to Penny Hopkinson, the UK’s go-to expert on planning and developing ENGAGING Operations Manuals. Her specialism is in the franchise sector which is where I met her back in the early 2000s. She has written an Amazon No 1 Bestseller called: “ Manual Magic: Create the Operations Manual Your Franchisees...

In this episode: I share what I’ve learnt from my conversation with Jake Moore, a Global Cybersecurity Advisor and ITV’s This Morning’s go-to cyber security expert. As well my discussion with Matthew Attfield, a strategic specialist working in the UK healthcare training space. These two conversations, much like the others in this series will hopefully inspire you to shape a version of yourself tha...

In this episode: Part of my series: ‘Real life Personal Brand Examples’. I introduce you to Matthew Attfield, Founder and MD of Ashfield Services, a specialist healthcare training provider. I invited Matthew to come and share his career journey so far, and how he has navigated getting to know himself, what lights him up and how to bring that into his every day. You’ll get to hear how a chance meet...

In this episode: The phrase “thought leader” is bandied about, A LOT. Perhaps even more than “personal brand”. It’s kind of losing its glow. Am I right? I share where I sit on this thought leader topic, and why I think that it’s valuable to be recognised as a thought leader (if it turns out that you are one - because not everyone is thought-leading.) I hope this will give you some more meat and bo...

In this episode: Part of my series: ‘Real life Personal Brand Examples’. I introduce you to Jake Moore, a Global Cybersecurity Advisor and Crime Enthusiast. I invited Jake to come and share his journey to becoming a go-to cybersecurity specialist and commentator for media outlets like the BBC, ITV, Sky News and CNN. You’ll get to hear how Jake has carved his career purely by having this driving cu...

In this episode: Ever wondered what goes through other people’s heads when they are listening to podcasts? Well in this episode – I share 8 different listener’s feedback on what they have been getting from listening to my series talking to subject matter experts who are out shaping a version of themselves that they are happy to share with the outside world. Come join me as you’ll hear from Mark Ma...

In this episode: If you are podcast host or thinking of starting a podcast – then this episode is for you. I invite my work colleague and friend Imogen Jones, to come join me as we share some personal branding tips we find particularly useful for podcast hosts. Some of what we talk about will help with the moments where you may: …hit a creativity brick wall …run out of energy …lose sight of why yo...

In this episode: I share what I’ve learnt from my conversations with Darryn Eggleton, a South African Wildlife Artist based in Suffolk and Steph Lee-Vae, an inclusive, creative educator based in Northamptonshire. These two conversations, much like the others in this series will hopefully inspire you to shape a version of yourself that you feel happy sharing with the outside world. In this episode...

In this episode: Part of my mini-series: ‘Real life Personal Brand Examples’. I introduce you to Steph Lee-Vae, a creative educator, based in Northampton in the UK. I invited Steph to come and share their journey to becoming the phenomenal education leader that they are today and, at such a young age. I was so impressed when I saw them deliver a session at Merged Futures in Northampton, that I kne...

In this episode: Part of my mini-series: ‘Real life Personal Brand Examples’. I introduce you to Darryn Eggleton, my favourite Wildlife Artist, based in Suffolk in the UK. I invited Darryn to come and share his journey to becoming the amazing artist he is today, and how he has navigated bringing himself out from behind the canvas to tell his story with his audiences and clients. You’ll get to hear...

In this episode: I welcome back my work family – Mark Franklin and Imogen Jones – to a campfire chat. Come join us and be a fly on the wall, while we chew through two big questions relating to your personal brand: 1. How do you balance being yourself vs promoting yourself? 2. Can your personal brand change or adapt over time? (When and why might this happen?) Let’s be honest - there is so much noi...