'Roots for Growth' Podcast

Join me as I chat with Donna Davies about her experiences and how they have shaped her life.Donna is a mum to 3 children, radio presenter, business owner, Mentor for MCR pathways,  and  an active learner. Most recently she has completed a psychology degree and is waiting for the final result.Listen to Donna sharing what she has learned through a range of life events, tools and techniques which continue to help her to navigate through challenges, and her belief that it's 'never too late to take back the pen and write your own story'! You can catch Donna's radio show on Forth Valley Radio on Wednesdays from 6-8pm.

In this episode we hear from Jen McEwan and Jen Tervit ('the two Jens') at Clan Artisan, a Scottish business offering luxury food and gift hampers. Their business values are strong and they aim to support small, high-quality producers, buying direct whenever they can. I invited them both along to talk about their journey as entrepreneurs, how they came to be doing what they're doing today, and we also had an open and honest conversation about challenges in life and how significant their support is for each other.They also share an exciting piece of news hot off the press which represents a big step forward for their business!We spoke after the recording had ended and they also wanted to add this about their team:"We also wanted to mention our amazing staff who have been waiting for our new shop to open to come back and work for us. Toni and John are fantastic individuals who bring so much to the Clan team. We can’t wait to be in the shop and all working together. "I can't wait to pay them a visit! 

Trudie Aitken joins me for this episode, where she talks about letting go, imperfection, and profound experiences her family has gone through, including baby loss, suicide, domestic violence, and bereavement (Trigger Warning: this may be sensitive for some listeners). She speaks openly and honestly about how this has shaped her life, past and present, and leaves us with a deeply moving quote at the end.Trudie is a Change Programme and Transformation Manager, Personal Development Coach and Master NLP Practitioner. She is currently on a break from the Corporate world and is taking a break to recharge her batteries, tap into her creativity, and continue her journey of learning.

I’m delighted to introduce you to a very special guest for this episode – Adam Millar. Adam is my nephew and I have invited him on as my guest to mark his 21st birthday.Adam is a very happy, outgoing character who loves a party, whether it’s for him or someone else. Anyone who has read the book, Roots for Growth, will have read about Adam through the story about Happiness, and also from my interview with my sister.We are recording this interview from the Isle of Skye, our second home and a place where our family has spent many happy holidays. Listen to Adam talking about what he loves doing when he's here, how he plans to celebrate his birthday, and what makes him happy.

In this episode, Debra Murphy shares stories from various aspects of her life.Debra describes herself as a Yorkshire lass living in Scotland, an author, gluten and dairy free guru, Trainer/Speaker, cyclist, dog lover, and cake eater!I was delighted to have Debra join me as I appreciate her thoughtful, joyful, and light-hearted approach to life.  Find out about The Magical Tearoom on the Hill, Beatrix, and Lego Therapy... all told in Debra's warm, engaging style.

Fiona Dalziel joins me for this special International Women's Day episode.Fiona is an Intuitive Holistic Therapist at www.fionadalziel.com, Founder of Women Together Network, and an award-winning member of Girlguiding Scotland.Listen to Fiona talking about her experiences as a woman in business, highlights and challenges of the pandemic, and some words of wisdom which she believes can help in these times.#IWD2022 #IWD #BreakTheBias

This time I am joined by Julia Latif, co-owner of Our House of Spice, which is a family business specialising in authentic Indian spice kits which are based on family recipes.  Julia has also recently started a new role as Business and Finance Manager for digital marketing company, Sookio.Julia takes great pride in championing equality, diversity, and women in business, and is currently an Ambassador for Women's Enterprise Scotland.Listen to Julia talking about why her role as a WES Ambassador is important to her, and how a pivotal moment from family tree research uncovered a significant story which has shaped how she lives her life and runs her business. Julia advocates open, transparent and civilised conversations to address racism and bias, and shares examples of what she has experienced through conversations with different generations of her family.#WESAmbassadors #IWD #IWD2022 #breakthebias

This time, I'm joined by Lauren McQuade from Soulkraft Coaching.For the past 25 years Lauren has been on a journey, which has taken her from the depths of despair to the highest of highs - quite literally.  In her mid-twenties she was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder (also known as Manic Depression).  This has posed many challenges over the years and even led her to her being admitted to hospital 5 times.  However, the silver lining to this cloud is that Lauren's difficulties with her mental health have led her to discover her life’s purpose - to teach others and spread the message about the skill of self-compassion, something that has been truly transformational in terms of her own mental health.   Listen to Lauren speaking from the heart about why this work is important to her, connecting with her values and purpose, and ways of practicing self-compassion which we can apply for ourselves. 

Joining me this time is Kim Macleod, who is the co-founder of Indie Authors World and helps to make writers' dreams come true by turning their words into beautiful books that sell all around the world. As the No 1 Bestselling author of From Heartbreak to Happiness, Kim knows it is possible to live a happy life even after experiencing the great loss of her son Calum.  Love, kindness, connection, and happiness are the pillars from which she gains her strength. Listen to Kim sharing her experiences, and how she brings this into the work she does now. Kim and the team at Indie Authors World (www.indieauthorsworld.com) supported me to self-publish Roots for Growth, and I can highly recommend speaking to her if you are thinking of writing a book! 

In this first episode of 2022, I'm speaking with Vicky Hope and Lindsey Porter.Vicky is the founder of The Wee Retreat - a meditation practitioner, mother of 2 and Educational Psychologist, she is on a mission to help create a culture where everyone looks after their wellbeing. Lindsey Porter is the Nurture & Grow Programme Manager supporting the Wellbeing Practitioner service at The Wee Retreat. An author and yoga teacher, Lindsey is also passionate about the benefits of yoga for all minds and bodies.We talk about the Nurture & Grow membership, what practitioners say they are looking for in terms of support, and personal insights, experiences, and reflections as wellbeing practitioners.I thoroughly enjoyed the warmth and authenticity of this conversation, and you can expect to hear some useful perspectives. You can find out more about Vicky and Lindsey's work at www.theweeretreat.co.uk.

This time I'm sharing three themes which I believe can help us to have a calm and happy Christmas, based on my experience as a coach, NLP trainer, and mindfulness teacher. However you are feeling about the next few days, and whatever your circumstances, you can expect to find some useful insights and ideas.Find out what the 'three Cs' are and how you can use these simple principles for yourself. 

This time I'm delighted to be joined by Eimear Stassin, a trainer, soul-based coach, storyteller, and writer. In Irish Mythology, Eimear is said to possess the six gifts of womanhood. Eimear sets out to expand and re-write these ancient stories to bring HER fullness and wholeness back in to balance.Her career began in Corporate Financial Services working in Ireland, Australia and UK. In 2004, she took an internal career change into Learning & Development. A move which planted the seeds for her future freelance calling. At the beginning of 2017, Eimear finally listened to the tug of her soul to seek nourishment and expansion out with Corporate and dove head first into Entrepreneurship.In this episode, hear Eimear telling stories about her inspiring journey, coming home to her Celtic roots, how she has returned to her power, and her 'witchy experience' in Edinburgh last year which has led her on a path of rising up and speaking her truth. 

In this episode I share a couple of stories from my book 'Roots for Growth'.First of all, we delve into 'playfulness and puddle-jumping' and memories of getting soaked to the skin, shrieking with laughter on a holiday in Brittany, France.Then a story about my childhood role-model Wonder Woman, and superheroes - especially real ones - and finding our strength by taking on their qualities.I give context about both stories and how storytelling connects with my work, and share some thoughts about going for what you really want in life.I wonder what thoughts and memories this will bring up for you? 

In this episode I'm delighted to be joined by Anne Hughes - a Broadcaster, Motivational Speaker, Writer & Mentor committed to Igniting those she works with to live their best lives.Encountering a life-threatening brain injury in 2017 and enduring a lengthy recovery Anne is now dedicated to speaking her truth, inspiring others and empowering as many women as she can on the journey.I met Anne when I was a guest on her podcast earlier this year, and she is a fascinating woman with a courageous story to tell, a refreshing, straight-talking attitude, and is very generous with her support and encouragement of others.Listen to Anne talk about pivotal moments in her recovery, how her experiences have defined her life and work, and her affirmation which has kept her going during challenging times.You can find Anne at www.annehughesignite.co.uk and she shares her podcast on all streaming sites and social media.

In this episode, I'm delighted to be joined by Gaynor Hogg.Gaynor is a celebrant who embraces all kinds of ceremony. She has been drawn to this work after many years of feeling trapped in a life that was not in alignment with who she is, and was not in any way fulfilling.  Talking about where she is now in her life, Gaynor says: "I have found such freedom in being me".We talk about the significance of ceremony, sharing stories, celebrating life, "living from the heart", and talking about death in helpful ways. I certainly learned something from her meaningful insights on the life and work of a celebrant, and Gaynor's unique personality... even though I already know her well!

In this episode, I'm joined by Carolyn Murray and we talk about friendship, creativity, flexibility, curiosity, and how Carolyn used techniques she had learned in a recent training programme to great effect during a time of recovery.Carolyn is a Coach, NLP trainer and HR/OD consultant, with a background as a People and OD Director and small business owner.For over 20 years she led HR and OD functions across the UK and overseas in Universities, Colleges, publishing, sportswear and manufacturing organisations.She set up her company Lannair Ltd (www.lannair.co.uk) in November 2018 so she could focus on work she loves to do. ​And she’s a creative, artistic mum and wife who loves her friends, family, good food, live music, animals and making a positive difference - in any way and any order.Carolyn also featured in the book Roots for Growth where she shared her belief that "there's always something good, even in challenging times". We have worked together since the beginning of lockdown, embracing the opportunities that arose from hosting everything online, including working with global audiences and learning new ways of working with clients, even when we were confined to our homes. We are now bringing a mix of in-person and online events including NLP training (Neuro Linguistic Programming), writing workshops, and monthly 90-minute sessions for continuing professional development.To find out more about the book, and what inspired Anna to write it, visit www.annabellcoaching.com/roots-for-growth.

In this first episode I talk about the aims of the podcast, how it came about, and what inspired me to start the series. I share my personal story and a significant milestone I'm celebrating in my business.'Roots for Growth' is a metaphor from my book with the same title, and relates to finding what we need within ourselves, and growing through the changes which come along in life... or changes which we choose to make for ourselves!There is a strong theme of stories, and the guests I have invited to join me for future episodes are shining examples of resilience, inspiration, and willingness to be themselves and be open to living wholehearted lives. There is also a focus on mindful living, being aware of the choices that present themselves and the learning that can come from embracing both challenges and opportunities.Join us every fortnight for great conversations, spark your curiosity, share learning and inspiration, and connect with what's important in your life.