Join us as we revisit stories that left their marks on our listeners and us. Each storyteller makes us feel a roller coaster of emotions as they share their lessons learnt.  The twist for this episode is to think about which hashtags best relate to which story.

As we sum up, we decided to share our positive hashtags for 2023. Chris chose #community #volunteer and #helpothers, while Lisa looks forward to a #hopeful year ahead. Lastly, Islay left us with a #takeaction cue to #startsmall and an affirmation #icaniwill.

Thank you for joining us this year, and we hope you will join us when we return in 2023.

In this month's episode, we meet with Jemma Fairclough-Haynes, CEO of the global award-winning business Orchard Employment Law. With over a decade of experience in Employment Law, Jemma has represented businesses of various sizes in employment tribunals across the UK in many different types of claims. Aside from that, Jemma is also the Federation of Small Business (FSB) Area Leader for Kent and Medway and governor at a local school.

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay discuss the importance of being a leader while starting a new team and understanding your value when starting a business. We also discuss the importance of family in building a business mindset.

Jemma's website is https://www.orchardemploymentlaw.co.uk/  and you can connect with her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jemmafairclough-haynes/

Kimi Crochets: https://www.instagram.com/kimi_krochets/

In this month's episode, we meet with Alice Yeates, a diabetes specialist, and nutritional therapist. Her goal is to help people develop healthier lifestyles and overcome chronic illnesses as they age.

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay discuss the importance of focusing on one's health instead of age and making small changes to create a big difference. We also discuss types of diabetes and tips on managing and identifying symptoms of Type II diabetes.

Alice's website is https://www.aliceyeatesnutrition.co.uk

Connect with her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-yeates-55831962/

In this month's episode, we meet Amba Kali, a fifth-generation Vedic tantric healer, coach, mentor, and priestess from India. She is a master of energy flow and specializes in clearing energetic blocks, karma, emotional trauma, and mental obstacles.

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay discuss the importance of believing and having faith in yourself. We also discuss overcoming traumas and finding solutions for one's problems.

Amba’s website is https://www.azhagiwellness.com/, and you can connect with her via email at info@azhagiwellness.com. 

For Hax, purpose is everything. He combines his fondness for motorbikes and telling stories. He looks for interesting people, places and things, and learns their stories. The American flag in Romney Marsh caught his attention and is the moving story Hax shares with us (among others).

In our discussion, co-hosts Lisa and Islay discuss the importance of telling stories in business, the recipe for creating videos which resonate with the audience, and of keeping history alive.

Hax is the owner and CEO of Prisma Broadcast Limited, a communications agency which works with organizations to help them tell their brand stories www.prismabroadcast.com

Connect with Hax on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/haxfilmmaker/

You can watch Hax’s video about Lieutenant William H. Johnson at www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJYoJtCKrwI Don’t forget to subscribe to his channel!

In this episode, Martin described how his early marketing career “ as a suit” helped him grow the Green Business Hub, whose mission is to inform and encourage companies to adopt more sustainable practices and choices.

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay discuss the significance and the role of passion, purpose, mindset, and small steps in starting something big like having your own business, or in Martin's case, a company that aims to create a sustainable future for the business world.

We also discuss Earth Overshoot Day on July 28, how organizations can reduce their carbon footprints, and how every individual has the power to better their homes, businesses, and communities by making even the most minor action.

This episode is packed with tips, takeaways and key learnings.

Martin’s website is https://greenbusinesshub.eco/ and you can connect with him on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinpaulwhite/.

Earth Overshoot Day 28th July at https://www.overshootday.org

In this month's episode, we meet with Katrina Festorazzi, founder of Fast2Foto Commercial Photography based in Medway, Kent, who has a background in law. 

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay discuss the importance of evidence and logical thinking in difficult situations. We also discuss navigating the way out of a difficult situation, full of red flags that cause panic and anxiety, especially for young professionals.

This episode is packed with tips, takeaways, and key learnings.

Connect with Katrina on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-festorazzi-950504103/.

Fast2Foto is a commercial photography and videography service that works with small, medium, and large businesses, helping them with their visuals https://www.fast2foto.co.uk/ 

In this month’s episode, we meet Hilary Lees, a Leadership Coach, and Trainer who specializes in helping leaders build their resilience and their soft people skills to create mentally healthy workplace cultures where both people and performance flourish.

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay discuss how saboteurs arise as a child and resilience develops throughout the years. We also discuss mental health, and how issues experienced as a child affects one's behaviour into adulthood.

This episode is packed with tips, takeaways and key learnings.

Hilary’s website iswww.theresilienceconsultancy.com and you can connect with her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilaryleescpcc/

Jay is the senior partner of Jarmans Solicitors. He read law at Cambridge and trained with Allen & Overy before spending several years at city firms as a commercial litigation lawyer.

Hosts Lisa and Islay, learned that no matter who you are or what you do, bullies will always find their way to get into your mind. Through the discussion, we share some tips on how to rebuild and look after yourself if you experience bullying in the workplace.

This episode is a touching story, packed with lessons, tips, and key learnings.

Jay can be found on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/jaysahota

You can also reach him via email at j.sahota@jarmans-solicitors.co.uk

Or check out Jarmans Solicitors’ website at jarmanssolicitors.co.uk

In this month’s episode we meet Linda Garcia, an internationally experienced productivity specialist. Linda shares her experiences of working abroad in Chile, as well as Eastern Europe and South Africa.

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay consider how different cultures around the world vary in their working practices and productivity.  We also discuss which KPIs should be used to measure productivity, homeworking and office working, and much more.

This episode is packed with tips, takeaways and key learnings.

Linda Garcia can be found here: https://www.alluxi.co.uk 

The scorecard, a quick and free way to uncover the hidden opportunity in your business, can be found here Alluxi Business Success Scorecard –

In this month’s episode, we revisit a story shared at one of our live events in Medway, by self-confessed ‘process-geek’ Kirsten Gibbs. Kirsten reminds us of a precious moment of human contact, and an opportunity for kindness shared at a manned supermarket checkout.

In our discussion, Lisa and Islay discuss customer experience vs automation, how smaller businesses may have the edge when it comes to great customer service and, intriguingly, how comparisons can be made between business processes and scores of music.

This episode is packed with tips, takeaways and key learnings.

Kirsten’s website is https://gibbsandpartners.com/ and she can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstengibbs/

Join us as we look back on what resonated for the three of us. Whilst we each highlighted different aspects, we all agree that our storytellers were inspiring, sometimes sad, always motivating and heart-warming.

Once again, we were reminded that triumph can come out of tragedy, opportunity knocks when you least expect it, and just how resilient and capable we all can be.

Thanks for listening and we hope you will enjoy our storytellers in 2022.

Join us as we look back on what resonated for the three of us. Whilst we all highlighted different aspects, we all agree that our storytellers were inspiring, sometimes sad, always motivating and heart-warming.

We are consistently reminded that triumph can come out of tragedy, opportunity knocks when you least expect it, and just how resilient and capable we all can be.

Thanks for listening and being with us for another year. Part 2 will be aired in January 2022.

Did you know that the sound of Kent is D Major? In this month’s Business Diaries Podcast, Paul Cheese shares his fascination with sounds, particularly the everyday sounds around us. We find out why dropping a skip in a car park made as much of an impression as oystercatchers in Ipswich, fountains in Sheffield and kicking the bar in Aberystwyth.

Paul is a professional musician, sound artist, producer, singer, cyclist, songwriter. His latest project is TheBigREcordUK https://www.thebigrecord.com/ He cycled around 5000 miles to every region of the UK to capture the sounds of people & places, then used these to create a new song, The Sound Of The UK.

As well as creating the opening titles music for the Business Diaries Podcast, he has written and recorded music in locations all over the world. From the tops of mountains to deep underground, old places, new places and even underwater, from pillar boxes to ice caves, the Australian bush to the Grand Canyon… 

Paul can be found https://www.paulcheese.com/

Corina runs Star-CaT, providing 5-star Middle Eastern training, coaching and sales representation from professional and companies working with the Middle East. She has worked with many clients, particularly from the Gulf region, for over 20 years, establishing many long-standing relationships. She travels the region extensively acts as the key point of contact in London for her clients. 

Corina can be found at https://www.star-cat.co.uk/ and on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/corinagoetz/

Wim Hof: https://www.wimhofmethod.com/

In the discussion, we consider the importance of empathy and listening when working and travelling abroad, and the value of “doing a bit of homework” and being open to new experiences.

Chris can be found https://www.linkedin.com/in/pollardchris/

Benita can be found https://www.benitamatofska.com/

Generation Share, is the world's first collection of impactful business models and change-maker stories from around the world, transforming lives and the planet. Each copy is made from 100% waste materials, educates a girl in the slums in Mumbai and plants a tree. To get your copy of Generation Share for just £12.50; order from Policy Press using our special 50% off discount code: apply POMATGS21 at checkout. https://bit.ly/2TzINDo

However, Hazel’s early years were unstable, filled with uncertainty and change. In this episode, she tells the story of her childhood. She shares how living in different places with different family members affected her growing up and into her early adulthood.  Until one sentence at a workshop changed everything! 

This is a powerful episode touching on resilience, positivity, digging deep and perspective.

Hazel can be found at https://hazeladdleycoaching.com and on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hazeladdleycoach

Phil Wilson can be found http://www.medwaydrumstudio.co.uk/ and on Twitter at @PipDrums

In the discussion, we consider the changing attitudes towards menopause, how women are talking more openly about their experiences and men are becoming more interested in understanding more, questions to ask yourself and your GP and so much more in this packed episode.

Adelle Martin is a Midlife Transition Coach, on a mission to ensure all women in business understand why their bodies are changing so they can confidently manage their perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause transition alongside their business or corporate career.  Adelle can be found at  https://executivemidlife.coach/

Hasmita Reardon can be found https://reardonproperties.co.uk/ and New Leaf support https://newleafsupport.org/

Rosemary can be found http://prepthatfish.co.uk/

She supports her clients with so much more than admin, she’s a social media and digital marketing whizz.  In fact she’s Digital Women’s Highly Commended VA of the year, a UK wide award for women working in the field of digital marketing.  She is also a Mailchimp Partner, an expert in email marketing and communications.

You can reach Ann via ann@thepaportal.co.uk

In this episode, she shares how two curve balls changed her life forever and how she now uses the lessons she learned to help families all over the UK create step family harmony through having an open mind, sense of humour, open dialogue and compassion. Magriet can be reached at www.stepfamilyharmony.com