The Follow Yourself Experiment

What if creativity isn't just about what you make, but how you choose to live your life?In this episode, I'm joined by Mike Coulter – award-winning advertising copywriter, Creative Director, early internet adopter and Tiny Habits coach, whose career has been shaped by curiosity, creative thinking and a willingness to do things differently.Over more than 40 years, Mike has worked at the intersection of advertising, technology, creativity and human behaviour, including as Creative Director on projects for The DO Lectures, such as The Side Projects Report.And what a collection of stories he has to tell!From the early days of the internet to the time he drove to Cornwall with his surfboard and resigned from his job by postcard, Mike's life is a brilliant example of what can happen when you follow your curiosity and create your own opportunities.We talk about thinking differently, trusting your instincts, protecting your creativity and consciously designing a life that makes space for what matters to you. We also explore Mike's work with Tiny Habits, why meaningful change doesn't always require a huge leap, and how the smallest experiments can lead to extraordinary things – sometimes years later.A fascinating, funny and thought-provoking conversation about curiosity, possibility and the power of small changes – and a wonderful reminder that creativity isn't just something we do. It's something we can bring to the way we live.Produced by Chatterbox Audio.

In this episode, I’m joined by Kerry Wilde - The Soul Stylist and founder of Soul Wardrobe, whose work sits at the intersection of fashion, identity, embodiment and self-expression.Kerry spent more than 20 years working in fashion before beginning to question the industry she was part of, the life she was living and whether either truly aligned with her values.In Kerry’s words, “Fashion spat me out.”But she didn’t reject the part of herself that loved clothes, creativity and self-expression. Instead, she began a journey of bringing together the different parts of herself - fashion, healing, intuition, motherhood and a growing understanding of her own body and identity - eventually creating Soul Wardrobe and a very different way of thinking about what we wear and why.We talk about womanhood, motherhood, identity, intuition, neurodivergence and Kerry’s late ADHD diagnosis. We talk about our relationship with our bodies and natural cycles, the masks we learn to wear, and what happens when we realise we’ve been performing different versions of ourselves for different people and different parts of our lives.And, of course, we talk about clothes - not simply as fashion, but as a way of expressing who we are, what we value and who we’re becoming. Kerry shares why she believes getting dressed can become a ritual of self-expression, how Soul Wardrobe was born, and why she held a wedding ceremony where she married herself.A warm and fascinating conversation about taking off the masks, trusting your intuition, bringing all the different parts of yourself back together - and the art of becoming more fully yourself.Produced by Chatterbox Audio

There’s something pretty extraordinary about the life Gail Muller has created.In this episode, I’m joined by Gail Muller - adventurer, bestselling author, speaker, former teacher and one of those people whose warmth, humour and sheer enthusiasm for life is completely infectious.We laughed and laughed as Gail talked me through her phenomenal life - even as we ventured into some of the harder parts of her story.As a teenager, Gail was told that she’d likely be in a wheelchair by 40 and went on to spend years living with chronic pain. But the future Gail was given certainly isn’t the one she went on to create.In 2019, she hiked the entire 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail solo. She went on to write the bestselling Unlost and Do Hope, and create her Wild Words & Water retreats - named among The Sunday Times’ Top 7 Writing Retreats. She’s spoken at The DO Lectures and for organisations including HM Government, alongside a phenomenal career in teaching.And there is so much more to her story.We talk about adventure, adversity, pain, hope, friendship, writing and aspiration. We talk about Gail’s late ADHD and autism diagnoses, my own late dyslexia diagnosis, and what can happen when you finally begin to understand yourself and the way your brain works.We talk about listening to yourself, questioning the things you’ve been told about who you are and what your future might look like, and finding your own way through it all.A joyous conversation, full of laughter, warmth and some incredible stories — and a brilliant reminder that the stories we’re told about our future don’t have to define it.Produced by Chatterbox Audio.

What happens when you let curiosity lead the way?In this episode, I'm joined by Charles Ross - one of the most respected voices in sustainability, performance sportswear and textile innovation. Charles teaches at the Royal College of Art, writes for Outdoor Industry Compass, and has spent decades working alongside brands including Patagonia, Arc'teryx, The North Face, adidas and Rab, helping shape the future of the outdoor industry through his teaching, research and collaborations.But this conversation isn't really about fabrics.It's about curiosity. Following what fascinates you. Finding yourself in the right rooms, asking better questions, and allowing life to take you somewhere you never expected to go.After breaking his neck as a teenager, Charles' plans for a military career disappeared overnight. What followed was a journey that took him around the world, into the outdoor industry, and eventually into education, where he has inspired generations of designers to think differently.We talk about curiosity, sustainability, emotional durability, dyslexia, creativity, learning, and why some of the most valuable ideas come from seeing the world through a different lens. We also explore why chasing curiosity can be far more rewarding than chasing certainty, and why, in Charles's words, "Everything in life is about making choices."A thoughtful and inspiring conversation about following what fascinates you, embracing different ways of thinking, and having the courage to think differently.(We apologise for the sound quality on this episode as we had problems with wi-fi connection - however this doesn't distract from Charles' incredible journey, passion and curiosity) Produced by Chatterbox Audio.

What happens when you challenge assumptions that everyone else accepts as normal?In this episode, I’m joined by Galahad Clark, founder and CEO of Vivobarefoot - a company that has spent the last two decades questioning some of the most fundamental ideas about footwear, movement, health, and business.As a seventh-generation member of the Clark family, Galahad could easily have followed a traditional path. Instead, he chose to challenge it. What began as a simple question about how feet are designed to function has grown into a global movement that is reshaping the way people think about footwear, human health, and our relationship with the natural world.We talk about independent thinking, patience, leadership, innovation, and the courage it takes to go against established systems. We explore the influence of Quaker values on business, why some of the best decisions are made in nature, and how staying true to a bigger purpose can be both the hardest and most important thing a business can do.===A thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation about questioning what you've been told, trusting your instincts, and having the courage to follow your own thinking when the established path no longer makes sense. This episode is in partnership with Performance Without Toxicity, the exhibition at Fabrica X at The Mills Fabrica exploring the future of performance apparel.Produced by Chatterbox Audio.