Lead Out Loud
Lead Out Loud is a podcast from Warwick Business School that brings together industry and academia in conversation. It offers actionable strategies, fresh perspectives, and the confidence to lead with vision, adaptability, and purpose.
Episodes
Episode 17 | TEN Leadership Tips Every Leader Should Hear
Get leadership advice from the best in business in this compilation episode of the Lead Out Loud podcast.Hear from academic experts, England cricket captains and CEOs of some the biggest businesses in the UK (including Butlins, John Lewis and Twycross Zoo). ---Lead Out Loud is the podcast from Warwick Business School where industry and academic expertise collide head-on in conversation.Discover mo
Episode 16 | Michelle Feeney: Stop Asking People 'What Job They Want To Do When They Grow Up'
Warwick Campaign Ambassador Michelle Feeney left the UK in her 20s and flew to New York with no job offer and just £600 in her pocket. From there, she climbed the career ladder across some of biggest beauty brands in the world (Estée Lauder, MAC Cosmetics and St Tropez to name just a few), managing multi-million pound budgets and big teams.Then, at the age of 53, Michelle stepped away from the cor
Episode 15 | Do Leaders Need To Shout To Get Things Done?
We've all seen shouty chefs on TV, their leadership style characterised by yelling at pot washers, waiting staff and even customers. It's probably where the phrase 'if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen' comes from.But do those in leadership positions need to shout? Are there times when shouting is actually necessary? And why have kitchens (and maybe football
Episode 14 | The Serial Entrepreneur That Helped Build a BILLION-POUND Company
When he’s not spending time with his grandchildren, Mel Morris is fully focused on his role as CEO and Co-Founder of Corpora.ai. But his life story is one of a serial entrepreneur (with a stint of football ownership thrown in).Mel is perhaps best known for helping set up King, the company behind the mobile gaming phenomenon, Candy Crush Saga. Before that, he was at the frontier of the internet dat
Episode 13 | Is AI going to take our jobs?
AI is a topic on every business leader’s lips right now. How’s it going to change the way we work? What tasks will it automate? And what are the ethical considerations leaders need to be aware of when it comes to Artificial Intelligence in the workplace?For the rest of us, the big question we're asking is: Will AI take our job?So, to kick off 2026, the Lead Out Loud podcast is tackling these
Episode 12 | Alex Horne on the LEADERSHIP DYNAMICS that make Taskmaster Work
Alex Horne is the brains behind global smash-hit, Taskmaster. But what can we learn about leadership from five competitive comedians being set a series of strange, surreal challenges?Quite a lot, according to Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Tamara Friedrich. Which is why we invited Alex and Tamara onto the Lead Out Loud podcast to discuss creativity, leadership styles and w
Episode 11 | Ashes Legend Sir Andrew Strauss on the SECRETS behind a High-Performing Team
As the last England men's cricket captain to win an away Ashes in Australia in 2010-11, Sir Andrew Strauss knows a thing or two about leading a high-performance team and handling big personalities. So, on this episode of the Lead Out Loud podcast, host Bron Mills gets Andrew in conversation with Dr Mark Bawden - who previously worked as a sports psychologist with the England Cricket Team and
Episode 10 | Can ANYONE Become an Entrepreneur?
BOXRAW Founder and CEO, Ben Amanna, wants to own the boxing ecosystem - and he’s well on the way to achieving that goal.His journey from first visiting a boxing gym at the age of 12 to help him stand up to bullies at school has taken him through ‘multiple failed businesses’ (his words) and selling everything from sweets in the playground to white goods and cars. One thing Ben has demonstrated in
Episode 9 | The INSANE Future of Golf Technology
Golf is evolving faster than ever — from cutting-edge technology to fresh formats and unforgettable experiences, the game is teeing up a whole new world for players and fans alike. Whether you’re a seasoned pro, a weekend hacker, or just curious about where the sport is heading, this episode delivers insights, predictions, and a few surprises that prove golf is about more than just a hole in one.
Episode 8 | The Anti-Zoo Activist Who Became a Zoo CEO
When Dr Sharon Redrobe OBE first sat in the boardroom as CEO of Twycross Zoo, she was told the reason they were losing A MILLION POUNDS a year was 'they were a charity'.She disagreed, saying they were actually 'a badly run charity'. From there, someone who once protested the very existence of zoos then saw the power in what they stood for in terms of mission and conservationism
Episode 7 | How I Went From Homemade Broth to a £30 MILLION BUSINESS
At the age of 49, Maxine Laceby DARED TO GO BARE. Stripped of make-up and wearing dowdy clothes (her words), she finally realised who she was. From there, she started drinking homemade bone broth – an act of self-care that became Absolute Collagen. A business that has, to this day, turned over £30 million. In this month's podcast, we got Maxine talking to Dr Ketan Goswami, an academic at Warw
Episode 6 | Why All-Knowing, All-Seeing Leaders ALWAYS Fail
Nowadays, Jon Hendry-Pickup leads a proper British Institution: Butlin's. Before that, he worked for Aldi, Tesco, Travelodge and Prezzo. He's spent decades in high-volume, high-pressure environments. Yet his leadership philosophy might surprise you... In this month's podcast, we sat Jon down with Professor Christian Stadler, an academic at Warwick Business School who spends many of
Episode 5 | Why a Multi-Million Pound Founder Rejected Venture Capital
“Debt is slavery,” says Gtech founder Nick Grey—who built a multi-million pound business without taking a loan. In this episode, he joins Warwick Business School’s Professor Simon Barnes to explore the hard truths about venture capital, risk, and starting smart.They discuss why so many start-ups fail, how to survive the “valley of death,” and why great leadership starts with listening—not ego—but
Episode 4 | "Walk the talk": Former John Lewis Boss Talks Trust, Integrity and Leadership
“You came out of that with your integrity intact.” That, says Sir Andy Street, was what mattered most after losing a mayoral election.The ex-John Lewis CEO and former West Midlands Mayor joins WBS Professor Tina Kiefer to explore what authentic leadership looks like—when values are tested in public, on this episode of Lead Out Loud.From building Britain’s most trusted retailer to leading in politi
Episode 3 | Why Failing Brilliantly is Part of Being a Better Entrepreneur
“I didn’t feel like I belonged — but I kept going.”Award-winning podcaster and young entrepreneur Taylor James sits down with WBS expert Rachel Dickinson to unpack the messy reality of building something from nothing. From imposter syndrome to burnout, in this episode of Lead Out Loud, they explore what it really takes to lead in creative industries—and why mental health has to come before hustle.
Episode 2 | Moving Beyond ‘Diversity for Diversity’s Sake’
Are companies pulling back from inclusion—and what might it cost them?With major firms like Google and Goldman Sachs retreating from their EDI efforts, the conversation around inclusive leadership is shifting. In this episode, Elham Fardad—senior EY leader and founder of Migrant Leaders—joins WBS expert Dr Dawn Eubanks to explore what happens when businesses treat inclusion as optional.They unpack
Episode 1 | 'More Happy, Less Crappy.' The Do’s and Don’ts of Wellbeing Driven Leadership
If leaders don’t look after their wellbeing, why should their teams?In the very first episode of Lead Out Loud, former actress turned self-development coach Holly Matthews joins WBS behavioural scientist Dr Joshua Fullard to explore how leaders can set the tone for mental and physical wellbeing—by walking the talk.They discuss how burnout, stress, and silence around wellbeing damage teams, and why
