Amanda Salt never set out to be a leader—she just kept refusing to follow outdated rules. In this episode of Places She Shapes, Amanda sits down with host Zoe Smeeth at Abbey Road Studios to share her journey from outspoken tomboy to furniture industry disruptor to accidental mentor. Along the way, she opens up about burnout, bouncing back, ADHD, financial fear, the pain of letting go, and the thrill of letting go on purpose. It’s a deeply candid, inspiring conversation about career pivots, unexpected diagnoses, and finding fulfilment in the most surprising places—even at someone else's company.
How does a poetry-loving girl from rural Wales become a trailblazing force in London’s commercial property scene? In this episode, Zoe Smeeth talks with Julie Rees about career detours, founding her own firm, navigating male-dominated boardrooms, and the power of facing failure head-on. It's a story of resilience, reinvention, and retaining your sense of humour... preferably in a marble-clad lobby.PlacesSheShapes.co.uk
Interior architect Gurvinder Khurana joins Zoe Smeeth at Abbey Road Studios to reflect on a life shaped by grit, grace, and gorgeous design. From smuggling friends out of arranged marriages as a teen to launching a boutique design firm with zero clients (and two bottles of wine), Gurvinder’s journey defies convention. They discuss integrating heritage, parenting feminist sons, redefining workplaces, and why emotional intelligence might just be the most radical tool in the construction industry.
Diana Pego shares her bold journey from a music-loving teen in Brazil to becoming a project director in the UK’s male-dominated design and build industry. In this inspiring and candid conversation with host Zoe Smeeth, Diana opens up about resilience, career pivots, and redefining success—on her own terms. A must-listen for anyone navigating ambition, identity, and imposter syndrome in the workplace.
Sarah Atherton has been many things—soldier, nurse, social worker, single mother, and MP. In this candid conversation, she opens up about growing up surrounded by boys, fighting to be heard, entering politics by accident, and sticking to her principles even when it cost her everything. From Berlin bars to the House of Commons, this is a story of resilience, rebellion, and quiet revolution.
Places She Shapes, hosted by Zoe Smeeth and recorded at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, is a show that puts the spotlight on those driving and thriving in the property, construction, real estate, and more. It’s a chance to hear the sliding door moments - the good, the bad, and the unapologetically ambitious - that have shaped each guest's journey.Find the show on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and TikTok @PlacesSheShapes for more.
From dreaming of dance floors to dominating boardrooms, Marian Ferguson’s path to becoming a powerhouse in building services engineering is anything but conventional. In this episode, Marian shares how she went from being told "no" at the door of the R&A Golf Club to opening doors for others through her own engineering design business. We talk early rejections, mid-career reinvention, and what it's like to start your own company in your late 40s—while tackling gender bias with grit and grace. Marian's journey is a blueprint for resilience, and a rallying cry for anyone who's ever been underestimated.