What School Did You Go To?

At school, Ciaran yearned to become an actor. So much so, that he was willing to flunk his A-levels to live his dream. However, aged 19, his world turned upside down (for the better)… he became a Dad. After several years of being typecast in shows as a working-class lad from the block, he decided - with no investment, no savings, and the final dregs of last month’s pay - to take a leap and invest in himself. Today Ciaran is a successful entrepreneur, Forbes 30-under-30 lister and Managing Director of Card Industry Professionals. In this episode we discuss the value of taking risks, the importance of seeing progress in everything you do, and how fortune always favours the brave. For aspiring actors, entrepreneurs and Shameless fans alike… this one is for you!

In his first week at Oxford, David had to swear an oath not to burn down the university library… in Latin. 🔥 David’s mum worked the night shift in Sainsbury’s and his dad was a technician in the NHS. Before stepping foot onto campus, David did not see university as a place for him. In fact, if it wasn’t for the efforts of his English teacher - who drove him around Oxford University and wouldn’t let him go home until he’d submitted an application - he would have never applied. Fast forward to today, from creating the UK’s first online student newspaper, to overseeing a technological revolution at the Mirror Newspapers, David is now one of the senior executives at Google. In this episode, I chat to David about the positives of being from two different worlds, how even as an MD he still suffers from the odd bout of imposter syndrome, and the role that companies can play in driving forward social mobility agenda.

Aged eight, Bobby did not want to be a fireman, or an actor, or even a banker. Instead he wanted to be an entrepreneur. Today he finds himself as Forbes 30-under-30 lister and founder of Radically Digital, an international, award-winning digital business and technology consultancy.  In this episode, I chat to Bobby about daring to take risks, the feeling of loneliness that often comes with being an entrepreneur, and how an insatiable desire to build solutions to problems must always sit at the heart of building a business.  To the inventors and innovators of tomorrow, this episode is the one for you!

During his first week at Cardiff University, Matt Barbet found himself sleeping on a camp bed in a sports hall. Today he finds himself interviewing and advising some of the world’s most famous brands and influential people. In this episode, I chat to Matt about how the early morning shift in local radio helped prepare him for a remarkable career travelling the globe with the BBC, the importance of finding your vocation and the thing that makes you tick, and how “being a chameleon” is far less negative than it may seem… Buckle in as I attempt to play this charming interviewer at his own game…

In his second year at Cambridge, Alex Marsh went off the rails. Having holed up in the library for the whole of his first year, Alex had put his mental health second to his obsession to excel at all costs. Since then, Alex has taken the FinTech world by storm - first at Close Brothers and now as the UK Head of Klarna and founder of Charterpath. In this episode, I chat to Alex about how striving for success can lead to a life that’s lacking contentment, the regulation of Buy Now Pay Later schemes and the effect on the consumer, and how the things that make us comfortable (like having red hair or being state educated) can become our greatest superpower. If you’re a type A personality who doesn’t give yourself a break (like me), you’re going to want to listen to this one!

Last year, 41% of care leavers aged 19-21 were not in education, employment or training. Only 13% went on to study at university. Why is that, as a society, we systematically fail those who are care experienced? The council is your parent, the council is much bigger than two individuals, and yet we continue to fail care leavers. From growing up in and out of the care system to driving through the quadrangle of Buckingham Palace, Saeed Atcha has lived many lives. At the age of 26, Saeed is not only the Founder and CEO of Youth Leads UK, an award winning charity getting the voices of young people heard and acted upon, he is also a Deputy Lieutenant, an MBE, a former Social Mobility Commissioner, and a Points of Light award holder. In this episode, I speak to Saeed about his encounters with the Royal Family (unlike Prince Harry, he did not kick off at Prince William), amplifying the voices of our young people as agents for change, why, as a society, fail care experienced individuals, and how we can find happiness when we lead a life that's driven by purpose.

The first time I met Sharon, I was absolutely bricking it. We had both been invited to Cumberland Lodge to discuss social mobility and from all the fawning that people were doing, it was clear that Sharon was a big deal. Little did I know that Sharon would go on to be one of my biggest idols. Sharon describes herself first and foremost as the girl from Shepherds Bush. She is also the Head of Early Careers at one of the biggest companies in the world, Coca-Cola, and is well known by her peers as one of the most eminent Early Careers professionals of her time. Not to mention, she has an OBE. The best part about it? She didn’t need a degree. In this episode I talk to Sharon about the beauty of apprenticeships, what it was like navigating her career as the girl from Shepherds Bush who didn’t go to university, and her top tips on how to nail the early stages of your career. If you’re a young professional, you’re going to want to hear this. Happy International Women’s Day, what a privilege it is to be in her orbit. ❤️

Amy Marren is no stranger to trailblazing. From becoming a paralympic champion at the Rio Paralympics to being part of the first batch of solicitor apprentices to hit the city - Amy's differences are her superpowers. In this episode Amy and I discuss why university isn't the right route for everyone, the psychological and personal impact of committing your life to becoming an athlete, and why she no longer shies away from her limb difference. There's so much love in this episode - if it doesn't make your heart soar, I'm not sure what will.

Every summer, a bunch of sexy singles are dumped on an island to try and find love (and make me wonder why I never bothered to renew my gym membership). Love Island is, and always has been, a fan favourite. But amongst the snogging and the Casa Amors, what it also became was a symbol of fast fashion and over consumption. Then, in 2022, in a move that set the internet on fire, eBay announced that they were becoming the show’s first ever pre-loved fashion sponsor. The brains behind the operation - eBay’s Chief Marketing Officer, Eve Williams. In this episode Eve and I discuss how the rise in the circular economy and our re-use culture not only helps the environment but also removes the shame from second hand buying from working class families, whether sending your child to a private school goes against your wider social responsibility, and how the gross behaviour of some Cambridge students earned them a one way ticket to the city’s top professions. Hold on to your (second hand) hat - this one’s a ride...

Welcome back to the podcast that asks the question that every state educated individual dreads. Ray Berg has had an incredible legal career. From selling on stalls in the markets of Wembley to being the managing partner of one of the city's biggest law firms, Ray is a gleaming example of social mobility in action. In this episode Sophie speaks to Ray about how he got into Oxford in the same year that a classmate of his was imprisoned, how he rose to the top of his legal career after starting as a market stall salesman, and the common misconceptions about state and privately educated individuals that occur as a result of our education system. 

What does it take to become successful and what does our education have to do with it? Welcome to the podcast that asks the question every state educated student dreads... This is "What School Did You Go To?" presented by The 93 Percent Club, hosted by Sophie Pender.