Most of us were taught more about test tubes than intimacy. In this conversation, Tatiana Ashborn shares how growing up scared of sex – and deeply under-served by traditional sex education – led her to start a sex and relationships podcast at just 17. What began as a lockdown project in her bedroom has grown into Dirty Talk, a show and social movement that now reaches millions, tackling everything from first-time stories and porn to shame, consent and long-term love.

Tatiana talks candidly about failing at school until she found the BRIT School, the power of creative education, and how her family backed her when she chose the most taboo topic of all. She lifts the lid on building a podcast as a business; sponsorships, algorithms, burnout and why she became a certified sex educator to deepen her impact. At its heart, this is an episode about leadership: doing the work before you feel like an expert, sharing the messy middle in public, and turning curiosity into a bold, culture-shifting career.

What You’ll Learn

• Why so many people leave school scared of sex, not prepared for it – and what’s missing from traditional sex education.
• How Tatiana went from struggling in an academic school to thriving at the BRIT School by learning in a way that suited her creatively.
• The real story behind starting Dirty Talk at 17 – including imposter syndrome, “learning in public” and being the opposite of an expert at first.
• Tactics she used to launch: pilot episodes with family, low-budget setups, and using lockdown as a creative sandbox.
• How Dirty Talk grew into a TikTok and podcast phenomenon, and what actually makes content shareable in a crowded space.
• The emotional weight of being “the sex person” publicly – and how she navigates boundaries, judgement and staying grounded.
• Why she chose to become a certified sex educator and how that changed the way she shows up for her audience.
• What younger audiences are actually asking about sex, relationships, porn and identity – beyond the headlines.
• How to turn a taboo topic into a platform for leadership, advocacy and real-world change.

Guest Picks

• Book: How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie
• Music: “Someone Like You” – Adele
• Quote:
• “Screw it, let’s do it.” – Richard Branson
• “You’re only given one little spark of madness and you mustn’t lose it.” – Robin Williams
• Tool / Framework:
• A ruthlessly used calendar and handwritten lists – planning everything out on paper so the creative chaos has structure.

Connect with Tatiana & Dirty Talk

• Tatiana’s site: https://www.tatianaashborn.co.uk/
• Dirty Talk website & episodes: https://dirtytalkofficial.com/
• Dirty Talk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tatianaashborn_/
• Dirty Talk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tatianaashborn_?_r=1&_t=ZN-91hPemnRNSw
• Under The Sheets with Tatiana Ashborn and Friends (podcast): Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and major platforms.

About Leading BOLDLY

The Leading BOLDLY Podcast is where SME leaders, founders, and entrepreneurs

sharpen their edge—and tell the truth. Hosted by Jenny Jarvis (NLP practitioner

and Certified Personal Performance & Relationship coach) and Matt

Clutterham (brand and transformation strategist), it blends intimate interviews

with practical playbooks. Guests share the real stories behind the highlight

reels—tackling hard-hitting topics and messy middle moments as openly as they

discuss growth, brand, and leadership. Expect clear strategy, mindset shifts

you can apply on Monday, and raw conversations that go beyond business to the

human realities of leading teams and building a life you’re proud of. If you’re

ready to challenge the status quo, back your vision, and lead with intent, this

is your go-to companion for building boldly—one conversation at a time.

Matt

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattclutterham/

Jenny LinkedIn

Leading Boldly LinkedIn  

Leading Boldly Insta

If this helped, follow the show and share it with one founder or parent who needs advice on how to talk about sex with their kids or manage it in their lives.