Life Beyond The Numbers

Connect with Yourself - Caroline Harvey

“Communication is all about connection, right? And getting your message across to your audience. And to do that effectively, you have to first connect with yourself….” Caroline Harvey
 
Caroline Harvey and I explore why impactful communication starts with connection. Caroline shares how “communicate better” can sound simple until you realise it asks something more personal: being connected to who you are and what matters to you because that’s what your audience feels, and responds to. We speak practically about starting with your audience, your objective and the message you want to get across whether you’re speaking up in a meeting, presenting or writing an email. We also speak about the role of preparation and practice and what it looks like to stop hiding behind a professional persona and speak as yourself. Caroline brings in story, metaphor, voice and presence -  including her reflections on “voice and essence”, imposter syndrome and why trusting your story matters, especially in a world of AI.
Caroline Harvey is a communications mentor on a mission to help women leaders speak up, stand out, and spark change — in their careers, their companies, and beyond. She works especially with women in STEM, where too often brilliant work goes unseen, and voices go unheard. For Caroline, communication isn’t just a skill — it’s a powerful catalyst for recognition, empowerment, and impact. Originally from Wales, she’s lived and worked across Europe and in Japan, and now calls Barcelona home.
Connect with Caroline
www.carolineharvey.me 
www.linkedin.com/in/caroharvey 
Postcards with Presence podcast
 
Resources Mentioned
Episode 209 I Back Myself with Julie Smith
Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy
 

Healthy High Performance - Sheila Walsh (From the Archives)

"We're really focused on the core fundamentals of organisational clarity, communicating that clarity, over-communicating that clarity, minimising confusion and politics. And when that's present, then you have the good stuff. And for me, the good stuff is that you're creating that environment for people to flourish and thrive." Sheila Walsh. 
 
Sheila Walsh takes me through the tumultuous year in a tech company in the travel sector. We talk about keeping teams engaged when everyone is remote working and about the lack of spontaneity in a remote environment. Sheila talks about what it is like to work in a people-centric organisation that is driven by the Leadership Team and cascaded down - the LT have a team coach and no chance to get comfortable or complacent. She shares that CarTrawler has upgraded its high-performance focus to 'healthy high-performance'.  We talk about finding meaning and purpose, rabbit-holes, pixie-dust, growth mindset, learning and more.  
 
Sheila Walsh was Chief People Officer at CarTrawler at the time of recording. A hands-on and motivated HR professional, Sheila has a broad range of experience across many sectors including; software, telco, publishing, healthcare and not-for-profit. She strongly believes that the provision of meaning and purpose within the workplace results in engaged employees who live and breathe the behaviours that support sustained business success. She holds an MBS in Business Practice from University College Cork, is an accredited Life Coach & Lifeskills Consultant and is an associate member of CIPD.  
 
Connect with Sheila:
On LinkedIn
 
Resources:
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Patrick Lencioni
 

To Be Heard - Deirdre de Bhailís

"So it's just giving people multiple ways to feed into this and to be heard. To be heard is the most important thing, is what I've learned." Deirdre de Bhailís
 
Deirdre de Bhailís and I talk about what it really takes for change to happen in communities — and why being heard matters so much when people are navigating uncertainty, sustainability, and the future of the places they live. Prompted by the Dingle Peninsula being named Ireland’s Greenest Place, our conversation explores local action on climate, food, transport and livelihoods and how community-led work connects policy with lived reality. Deirdre shares examples from the Dingle Hub, including quiet lanes, cycling, food waste, renewable energy, and the role of trust in making change stick. We also discuss the role of leadership in communities, the importance of pacing change and creating spaces where difficult conversations can be held without fear. From coastal resilience in the Maharees to sustaining livelihoods on the Dingle Peninsula this is a conversation about people taking responsibility for the long-term future of the places they live.
 
Deirdre de Bhailís is a nationally-recognised leader in social enterprise and community-led innovation, with a comprehensive knowledge of strategic and operational development. Skilled in multi-stakeholder and community engagement, she contributes significantly to advancing Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon society by empowering citizens and communities to co-create practical, scalable solutions. Her work spans sustainable mobility, circular bioeconomy initiatives, and climate resilience—bridging policy, technology, and grassroots action. Deirdre brings a systems-thinking approach to energy transition, ensuring that community voices shape a more reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy future. She is a frequent speaker at national and international forums on climate action, rural development, and energy innovation. Deirdre holds a degree in Electronic Engineering from NUIG and a Masters in Engineering Science from UCC.
Connect with Deirdre
www.dinglehub.com
On Instagram: dingle_hub
On LinkedIn: Dingle Hub; Deirdre de Bhailís
 
Resources Mentioned:
The Irish Times article
The Dingle Hub 
Ireland’s Greenest Place Award 
Quiet Lanes - Campaign to Protect Rural England
Samsø, Denmark — example of community-led renewable energy
The Maharees coastal conservation
Creative Ireland 
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) / Sustainable Energy Communities Initiative
Solar Beo — local solar PV provider on the Dingle Peninsula
ESB Networks / Electric Ireland
 

This Universal Human Experience - Rachel Morris

"For me, the human experiences is a universal one and the book aims to address core aspects of something that we all experience. So fear, learning boundaries, identity, all those different principles. [ ] So this universal human experience, I think is really, really important." Rachel Morris
 
Rachel Morris and I explore what she describes as this universal human experience — the fear, uncertainty, identity shifts and emotional complexity that show up whenever humans move through transition. Drawing on her book Working Mother and years of practice-based research, Rachel shares why the principles she writes about aren’t just relevant to parents, but to leaders, teams, and anyone navigating change at work. We talk about the discomfort of the “neutral zone”, why emotions thrive when hidden, the illusion of professionalism, and the cost of rewarding busyness over being. This conversation invites a more human way of leading — one rooted in curiosity, courage, emotional literacy, and the recognition that we’re not meant to navigate life or work alone.
 
As an experienced qualified coach, Rachel Morris supports professionals to gain clarity about who they really are rightnow, where they are aiming to be, and how they are going toget there. She believes every relationship has a unique dynamic andapproaches every learner with the intention of enabling themto reach their own level of internal satisfaction. In doing this,they increase personal focus, motivation and productivity. As a global business coach and bestselling author she brings20 years of coaching experience working with organisations to any conversation.
Connect with Rachel
Through her website: www.motionlearning.com
On LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/rachelmorrismotionlearning
 
Resources Mentioned
Working Mother by Rachel Morris
How Emotions are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett
Permission to Feel & RULER tool by Professor Marc Brackett 
A House of Dynamite on Netflix
New York Times article https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/03/21/opinion/teen-youth-focus-group.html

The Space Between - Dr Susanne Evans, David Lee and Me

"It's not an emptiness or a void, it's actually full of possibility. And once I started to explore it, how they explained it, the Japanese concept is about when you listen to music, there's always space between the notes. And then if you apply that to a book or a page, there's always space between the words. So that space, that white space, another way of describing, it is necessary." Susan Ni Chriodain
 
David, Susanne and I come together for a wide-ranging conversation about liminal spaces - the spaces between words, seasons, endings and beginnings. We explore why these in-between moments matter, why we often rush to fill them, and what becomes possible when we allow pause, uncertainty and not-knowing. The conversation covers:
seasons and transitions in life and in work
endings that haven’t fully ended
listening, silence and the courage to say “I don’t know”
This episode is an invitation to notice what we usually overlook and to consider what might emerge when we willingly inhabit the space between.
Dr Susanne Evans is an organisation change consultant, trainer, coach and researcher on a mission to change the way that transformations are managed in organisations. She founded Feldspar Consulting in 2007 to help her clients lead change in a more human, effective way. As well as writing and speaking about organisation change, Susanne hosts open storytelling workshops, supporting organisations and individuals in writing a compelling story for themselves. She is the author of ChangeStories and the host of the popular ChangeStories podcast.
 
David Lee is a coach, consultant, workshop facilitator, keynote speaker, and author, who loves creating a win/win/win relationship between people and the organizations they work for. He helps leaders and leadership teams learn how to become "people whisperers", and by doing so, increase their ability to make their organization THE choice for "A List Talent" and inspire the best in their people.
 
Connect with Susanne
On LinkedIn
Through her website: Feldspar Consulting
Listen to Change Stories podcast
 
Connect with David
On LinkedIn 
Through his website Human Nature at Work
 
Resources Mentioned:
Dr Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go
The In-Between Book, Christopher Willard, Olivia Weisser, Alison Oliver
Tending To Endings Cards https://www.tendingtoendings.com/ 

If We Can Do Good - Max MacGillivray

"I'm only a small cog in this. I'm developing this thought about trying to do good, but we can't all do it alone. If we can all collectively hold hands and all just have this thought that if we can do good in this world… I do think that there's a lot to be said for farming and fresh produce because it's feeding the world in a sustainable manner and it's doing good." Max MacGillivray
 
Max MacGillivray and I begin with stories about fresh produce and taste memories, before moving into how society has become disconnected from where food comes from. We explore farming as a vocation, global food systems, ultra-processed foods, health outcomes, education and the role of large food multinationals. We also discuss recruitment and leadership within agriculture and fresh produce, cross-sector learning, the value of conversation and storytelling and why showing the human side of food production matters. We reflect on travel, networking as human connection and the opportunities that open up when people step beyond familiar paths.
Max MacGillivray is an executive recruiter and founder of Redfox Executive Selection, specialising in mid-management to board hires across fresh produce, fresh foods, agri-business and retail in the UK and internationally. He created The Great Fruit & Veg Adventure—a Triumph motorbike ride from London to Cape Town (18 countries, 18,000 km), visiting 50+ fresh-produce businesses, followed in real time by 250,000 schoolchildren, and honoured with the UK Prime Minister’s Points of Light award. Max also founded Beanstalk Global, a media platform for the international fresh-food sector. Its mantra: “Create the conversation, don’t just be part of it.” Through broadcasts, interviews and partnerships, Beanstalk Global champions the people behind fresh food and connects purpose-led clients with high-impact opportunities.
Connect with Max
Through his website www.beanstalk.global  
https://www.facebook.com/beanstalk.global
On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxmacgillivray/
https://www.beanstalkmedia.co.uk/
 
Resources Mentioned:
Jeremy Clarkson and increasing public interest in farming and agriculture
Henry Dimbleby and the UK National Food Strategy
Pink Lady Apples 
International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) and the International Fresh Produce & Floral Show (Anaheim)
Leaf Open Farm Sunday – UK farming initiative
 

A New Type of Thinking - Marsha Ramroop

"A new type of thinking is essential if humankind is to survive and reach higher levels." Marsha Ramroop (quoting Einstein)
 
Marsha Ramroop explains how her purpose, giving the unheard voice a place to speak, first emerged during her broadcasting career, and how it now shapes her work in cultural intelligence and organisational change. We explore inclusion and why under-representation is a symptom of deeper cultural and behavioural issues. Marsha introduces Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and its four capabilities, showing how they help us work and relate effectively across difference. We also discuss the wider context of global uncertainty, polarisation and the need for, as Marsha quotes, “a new type of thinking”. Throughout, she emphasises personal responsibility, listening with intent, and the impact small behavioural shifts can have on teams, organisations and society. This conversation is packed, practical and human - an invitation to look inward, listen more deeply and consider the behaviours that help everyone feel valued, respected and included.
Marsha Ramroop is a global award-winning organisational inclusion strategist, author, and speaker with a passion for driving change across sectors - particularly in the built and natural environments - with her own consultancy Unheard Voice. Marsha’s book Building Inclusion: Practical Guide to Inclusion in Architecture & the Built Environment speaks about how to deliver inclusion; how we attract a diversity of people to our professions and organisations, retain that diversity, create inclusion in our services and engage external stakeholders inclusively. It was Highly Commended in the 2025 Business Book Awards. She had a 30-year career in broadcasting, bringing inclusion to BBC newsrooms through journalism, before turning to organisational culture consultancy.Connect with Marsha
Through her websites
www.unheardvoice.co.uk  
www.buildinginclusion.info
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marsharamroop
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/marsharamroop/
 
Resources
Building Inclusion by Marsha Ramroop
Marcus Ryder & Lenny Henry — Manifesto for TV and Beyond (UK demographic data from the Office for National Statistics)
Dale Carnegie — How to Win Friends and Influence People
Paulo Freire & Adam Rutherford
The Doomsday Clock
Leading Beyond the Numbers by Susan Ní Chríodáin
Business Book Awards 2025

The Power of Proximity - Dave Delaney

“But getting back to the power of proximity, let's say I would meet people on Twitter … then we would all go to South by Southwest Interactive, the big tech conference in Austin … Suddenly we'd meet in person and as I wrote about in my book, it's hugs, high fives, handshakes.” Dave Delaney
 
Dave Delaney joins me to talk about the thing that most connects us - communication. From improv stages to keynote stages, from podcasting to parenting, Dave’s career has been about helping people connect with humour, heart and humanity. We talk about the roots of communication, how “nice and” can change a workplace, and what happens when we forget that listening is about understanding, not just replying. Dave shares insights on how improv principles like acceptance and curiosity can transform teamwork and leadership. We also explore networking and the power of proximity: why meeting in person still matters more than ever in an age of AI and automation. And yes, we even touch on the slightly alarming prospect of not knowing whether your boss (or TV presenter) is human.
 
Dave Delaney is a communication expert, keynote speaker, author, and host of the ADHD Wise Squirrels podcast.
 
Connect with Dave
To connect with Dave use this link: https://davedelaney.me/linkage
 
Resources Mentioned
New Business Networking by Dave Delaney
Wise Squirrels Podcast hosted by Dave Delaney
 
 

The Unique Story of Everybody - Blanka Campbell

“80 years ago, the Institute for Functional Medicine started collecting the data, doing the research, and that's their number one priority, that it's really evidence-based and you will have clinical studies for everything. But then they also wanted it to be patient-centred. They wanted to listen to the unique story of everybody." Blanka Campbell
 
Blanka Campbell and I talk about the wisdom — and limits — of listening to our body. A functional nutritionist and wellbeing coach, Blanka helps people understand their health through the lens of functional nutrition and everyday life. We talk about eating the rainbow, chaos in the gut and why every symptom tells part of a bigger story. Blanka reminds us that it’s not enough to simply listen — we have to translate what we hear into choices that support balance, energy and focus. Blanka reminds us that health isn’t about perfection — it’s about function, balance, and care. And that wellbeing isn’t something we add on; it’s the way we live. 
 
Blanka Campbell is a functional medicine practitioner and holistic nutritionist, a hormone yoga therapist (Dinah Rodrigues), and a single mum of two teenagers trying to balance it all. 
 
Connect with Blanka
Through her website www.blankacampbell.com where you will find all the links to social media
 
Resources Mentioned
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
Biocare, UK, for supplements
Sam Allen, episode 120 Reconnecting
 

Beyond the Solar System - Angelo Vermeulen

"My interest is beyond that. Beyond the solar system. Of course I have this interest in Mars, but what I'm really interested in is the post planetary condition of humankind.” Angelo Vermeulen
 
Angelo Vermeulen and I talk about imagination, exploration, and what it means to lead and collaborate beyond boundaries. Angelo is  a scientist and a visual artist, who loves to build crossovers between those two worlds. He shares how exploring deeply across disciplines — from biology to philosophy to design — shapes the way we understand creativity, leadership and the future of humanity. His work invites us to think not just about life on Earth, but what life beyond the solar system might look like. We talk about creativity as a universal skill, leadership in extreme environments, finding courage to express our ideas and why co-creation demands vulnerability and trust. Angelo shares stories from his time leading a Mars simulation in Hawaii, collaborating with ESA on space systems design and exploring the evolution of our species, including IVF in space. 
 
Angelo Vermeulen is a space biologist, complex systems engineer, and artist who integrates science, design, and ecology to explore the future of human life in extreme environments. At TU Delft, he develops bio-inspired systems for space settlement, including self-replicating architecture and bioregenerative life support. As CTO of SpaceBorn United, he leads the development of the world’s first IVF incubator designed for space, advancing research on human reproduction beyond Earth. He co-founded SEADS, a transdisciplinary collective whose work has been exhibited across continents and flown to the International Space Station. In 2013, he commanded the first NASA-funded HI-SEAS Mars simulation, and in 2022, he reached the top 6% in the ESA astronaut selection process. With over 60 publications and multiple fellowships—including from TED and Parsons—Angelo’s work bridges art and science to challenge how we inhabit our shared future in space and on Earth.
 
Connect with Angelo:
Through his website: https://www.angelovermeulen.net
On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelovermeulen
 
References:
Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk “Do Schools Kill Creativity?"
Episode 203 All Stories are Useful with Jay Perry