
Crisis What Crisis with Andy Coulson
Hard-earned lessons from people who've faced the worst and come back stronger. Hosted by Andy Coulson. Follow for weekly insights into the art of the rebuild. Crisis What Crisis? is powered by Kingsley Napley — the lawyers you want in your corner when the pressure is on.
Episodes
JEREMY KING: “Let them take your money but never your soul”
In April 2022, after a bruising auction battle with his own investors, Jeremy King lost the company that carried his name. He walked back into the Wolseley – the restaurant he had built into the highest grossing restaurant in Britain – to find his staff in tears and the new owners already arriving. His phone and laptop were taken from him, he felt, as he puts it, like a criminal – stripped of all
JEREMY HUNT'S CRISIS COMPASS
Over 20 years in frontline politics, Sir Jeremy Hunt held three of the great offices of state – Health Secretary, Foreign Secretary, and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He survived some of the most bruising political battles of his generation, and grieved, throughout, the loss of his father, his mother, and his brother.In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Jeremy to discuss his
JEREMY HUNT: Frontline politics is poisonous and I'll never go back
In October 2022, the British economy was in freefall. Liz Truss's mini-budget had sent the pound into a nosedive, mortgage rates were climbing at a terrifying speed, and the IMF had issued a public warning to the government to reverse course. It was, by any measure, a national crisis.Into that emergency stepped Sir Jeremy Hunt who, over a single weekend, dismantled almost the entirety of the econo
LESSONS ON CONTROL: How to manage a crisis
What is the single most important concept in crisis management? Andy Coulson believes it's control — a lesson he first learned sitting on a plastic mattress in a Glasgow police cell, with nothing to focus on but his own breathing.In this special compilation episode, he revisits four past guests who each arrived at the same conclusion through very different routes.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEYI know w
HOMESERVE FOUNDER: Going from broke to billions | Sir Richard Harpin
Sir Richard Harpin wanted to be an entrepreneur since before he knew the word. He sold conkers in the playground, bred and sold rabbits in his garden, ran a tuck shop from his school locker, and by 15 was bunking off chemistry to cash cheques with the bank manager.In this special episode of Crisis What Crisis – recorded in front of a live audience at the Walbrook Club in the City of London – Andy
ANYA HINDMARCH'S CRISIS COMPASS
Dame Anya Hindmarch started her global fashion business on a gap year trip to Italy aged just 18. Four decades on, she is the founder of one of Britain's most recognisable brands – worn by the Princess of Wales and a new holder of a royal warrant from Queen Camilla.In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Anya to discuss her Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that sh
ANYA HINDMARCH: “Everyday is a crisis when you’re running a business”
Dame Anya Hindmarch started her global fashion business on a gap year trip to Italy aged just 18. Four decades on, she is the founder of one of Britain's most recognisable brands – worn by the Princess of Wales and a new holder of a royal warrant from Queen Camilla. Anya joins Andy for a candid conversation about courage, control and how treating fear and excitement as the same emotion has proved
ESTHER GHEY'S CRISIS COMPASS
Esther Ghey's 16-year-old daughter Brianna was murdered in a park near their home in Warrington in February 2023. What followed — the campaigning, the memoir, the forgiveness, the compassion — has made her one of the most consequential reform voices in contemporary British life.In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Esther to discuss her Crisis Compass. The four points of nav
ESTHER GHEY: The fight to free children from their phones
In February 2023, Esther Ghey's 16-year-old daughter Brianna was murdered in a park near their home in Warrington, in a premeditated attack by two 15-year-olds. Today, Esther is a bereaved mother, but she is also one of the most significant voices for social reform in contemporary British life.She founded the Brianna Ghey Legacy Project, co-launched the Phone-Free Education campaign with Kate Wins
KATE BOWLER'S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 points of navigation for when life flips upside down
Kate Bowler is one of the most thought-provoking voices on pain and suffering you'll ever encounter. Living her dream life – married to her high school sweetheart, a baby boy, and her dream job – she was diagnosed with stage four cancer just as everything fell into place.In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Kate to discuss her Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation t
KATE BOWLER: Everything DOES NOT happen for a reason
At 35, Kate Bowler had the life she'd always wanted: she was a Duke University professor, married to her high school sweetheart, with a one-year-old son. Then she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.Today, Kate is a five time New York Times bestselling author, host of the Everything Happens podcast and one of the most inspiring and unique voices on the subject of suffering, the myth of the prosperit
NICK WHEELER'S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 tools for navigating crisis
Charles Tyrwhitt founder, Nick Wheeler, started the business with just £99, a Morris Minor (with a hole rusted through the floor), and zero understanding of how you make a shirt. Today, it’s a £400m global empire – but his story is one not short of tragedy.In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Nick to discuss his Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that he turns to
CHARLES TYRWHITT FOUNDER: The uni bedroom business that now does £400 million in sales | Nick Wheeler
Nick Wheeler founded Charles Tyrwhitt with just £99 and a Morris Minor with a hole rusted through the floor (and zero understanding of how you make a shirt!). Today, it’s a £400m global empire – but his story is one not short of tragedy, with the loss of his mother aged just five years old, bankruptcy, and a catalogue of mistakes which meant he nearly lost everything.In this episode of Crisis What
DAME JENNI MURRAY (1950 – 2026)
In this special tribute episode, we revisit my conversation with the legendary Dame Jenni Murray. Recorded in February 2021 in the early days of the podcast, Jenni joined me to discuss her remarkable 33-year tenure at BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, her harrowing battle with breast cancer, and the lifelong, deeply personal crisis of obesity that she detailed in her book, Fat Cow, Fat Chance.Jenni was
RYAN HOLIDAY'S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 tools of a stoic philosopher
Ryan Holiday – bestselling author of The Daily Stoic, Ego is the Enemy, and The Obstacle is the Way – joins me on Crisis What Crisis to explore why intelligence doesn't protect you from stupidity, why modern life's frictionlessness is making us weaker, and what ancient Stoic philosophy can teach us about navigating today's world.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal
RYAN HOLIDAY: Why wisdom takes work (and smart people still do stupid things)
Why do genius-level intellects fall for conspiracy theories? How does someone who taught himself rocket science from Soviet manuals end up believing nonsense on social media?Ryan Holiday – bestselling author of The Daily Stoic, Ego is the Enemy, and The Obstacle is the Way – joins me on Crisis What Crisis to explore why intelligence doesn't protect you from stupidity, why modern life's frictionles
TOM FRESTON’S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 Tools for Starting Over
After building MTV and rising to the very top of the global media industry, Tom Freston experienced dramatic setbacks that forced him to rebuild - not for the first time.In this Crisis Compass segment, the co-founder of MTV and former CEO of Viacom reveals the personal habits, relationships and mindset that helped him navigate the highs and lows of an extraordinary life.Tom shares the quiet routin
MTV CO-FOUNDER: building a $7bn Media Empire with ZERO experience in TV | Tom Freston
From building a multimillion-dollar clothing business in India only to be wiped out by a global trade embargo, to redefining pop culture for a generation at MTV and Nickelodeon, Tom Freston’s career is a masterclass for any aspiring entrepreneur.In this episode, Tom joins me to discuss the resilience required to reach the top and the sheer guts needed to start over when it's all taken away. He sha
SIR TREVOR PHILLIPS'S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 tools for surviving grief and intense pressure
Following the loss of his daughter Sushila to anorexia, broadcaster Sir Trevor Phillips reveals the daily habits, personal anchors, and life advice that keep him grounded.In this "Crisis Compass" segment, we move away from the headlines to look at the personal resilience required to survive a 22-year battle with mental illness.THE COMPASS QUESTIONS:In this episode, Andy Coulson asks Trevor to reve
SIR TREVOR PHILLIPS: Why we are WRONG about mental illness
After a 22-year battle with anorexia, Sir Trevor Phillips' daughter Sushila died aged 36 in April 2021. Now he's calling for a radical shift in how we talk about mental illness – and he's not holding back.The broadcaster, writer, and equality campaigner joins Crisis What Crisis? to explain why banning social media for under-16s is "preposterous," why celebrity "mental health struggles" make him fu
GREG JACKSON'S CRISIS COMPASS
In 2021, the UK energy market collapsed. More than 30 of the big energy suppliers went under. But, the business Greg Jackson founded, Octopus Energy, didn't just survive, it grew.In this bonus Crisis Compass episode of Crisis What Crisis?, Greg shares with us the four anchors he relies on when pressure mounts and uncertainty takes over.In this segment, Andy asks Greg for:1) A person who shaped his
OCTOPUS ENERGY BOSS: “I became the face of the energy crisis” | Greg Jackson
Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of energy giant Octopus Energy, is perhaps one of Britain’s most innovative CEOs.In 2021, the British energy market collapsed. Wholesale gas prices surged six-fold, thirty suppliers went under in months, while millions of families faced impossible bills.Rather than sticking his head in the sand, Greg went public, putting his own credibility on the line to explain why
BODEN FOUNDER: How I survive a crisis
Johnnie Boden, founder of Boden, reveals how he survives crisis as a business leader.In this Crisis Compass bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis?, Johnnie shares the person, piece of advice, the daily habit and comfort that he uses to navigate life under pressure.This is the second part of a longer conversation with Johnnie – if you enjoyed this be sure to check out the full episode on our podcast
BODEN FOUNDER: The 51% rule that saved my business | Johnnie Boden
For three decades, Johnnie Boden has turned cheerful prints, quality fabrics, and unmistakable English charm into one of Britain's most distinctive retail brands – worn by royals, loved internationally, with nearly 2 million active customers and the second-biggest British clothing business in America. But as Johnnie so candidly reveals, his success has been far from linear…In this business special
SAM McALISTER'S CRISIS COMPASS
For over a decade at BBC Newsnight, Sam McAlister secured the interviews others couldn't – Bill Clinton, Elon Musk, Stormy Daniels. But it was six months of negotiation that led to the conversation that changed everything: Prince Andrew discussing his ties to Jeffrey Epstein in 2019.Today, Sam teaches negotiation at LSE and is one of Britain's most compelling voices on persuasion, power, and resil
SAM McALISTER: How I got Prince Andrew to do THAT interview
For over a decade at BBC Newsnight, Sam McAlister secured the interviews others couldn't – Bill Clinton, Elon Musk, Stormy Daniels. But it was 13 months of negotiation that led to the conversation that changed everything: Prince Andrew discussing his ties to Jeffrey Epstein in 2019. The interview became a global news event, resulted in Andrew stepping back from royal duties, and is still making he
RELAUNCH RORY STEWART: On his love for risk and a battle with bitterness
This is a relaunch of a previous episode, but the lessons contained within it are as important today as they were when we sat down to speak over two years ago.Rory Stewart has spent his life running toward gunfire. At thirty, he was governing millions of Iraqis under siege, rockets landing in his compound while insurgents climbed the walls. Years earlier, he'd walked six thousand miles across Afgh
LESSONS IN BITTERNESS: How to let go of the 'should have beens'
Bitterness is the poison you drink expecting someone else to die. It's the corrosive emotion born from crisis that fills your throat with bile and consumes your every waking thought with questions like "why me?".In this special compilation episode, I've pulled together five extraordinary conversations with people who have every right to be bitter about what they've faced, but who have found their
JAMES BROWN'S CRISIS COMPASS
Professor James Brown is an author, podcaster and ADHD expert. Burnout, and a Christmas day spent contemplating his own death led him to get a private ADHD diagnosis. The result helped him reframe his entire life.This is James Brown's Crisis CompassFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod
ADHD EXPERT: The late diagnosis that changed his life | James Brown
Professor James Brown is an author, podcaster and ADHD expert. Burnout, and a Christmas day spent contemplating his own death led him to get a private ADHD diagnosis. The result helped him reframe his entire life.Expect an honest look at the realities of ADHD, bipolar, cyclothymia, binge-eating disorder, and chronic anhedonia – the inability to feel joy. James teaches us how to co-exist with your
RICHARD WALKER's CRISIS COMPASS
Richard Walker OBE could’ve stepped straight into the top job at Iceland Foods, but chose to prove himself first—building a property empire in Poland. But when his mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Richard decided it was time to be closer to the family unit and join the business, starting at the very bottom stacking shelves in London stores.Since then, he's transformed Iceland into
AI EXPERT: The conversation Silicon Valley doesn't want you to hear | Gary Marcus
In this second episode in our AI mini-series I met with Professor Gary Marcus live at the RAID conference in Brussels. Gary has been writing code since he was 10, built a Latin translation program at 16, and became a professor of psychology and neuroscience at NYU.He's founded AI startups, testified before the US Senate, authored multiple books including his latest: Taming Silicon Valley: How to P
ICELAND BOSS: Never ever ever give up | Richard Walker
You’d think as the son of the founder Richard Walker OBE could have walked straight into the top job at Iceland Foods - the supermarket empire his parents built from a tiny shop in North Shropshire. Instead, he spent years building his own property empire in Poland, determined to prove himself on his own terms.But when his mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Richard decided it was ti
LESSONS IN GRATITUDE: HOW TO REFRAME YOUR NARRATIVE
Gratitude is a mindset. It’s a tool that when deployed in crisis can be essential for reframing your narrative and your understanding. How we find gratitude in crisis, however, is not always obvious, nor is it easy.In this special episode I’ve looked back into our archive to find five extraordinary and unique situations where gratitude has been the difference between despair and resilience.Today’s
ALEX GOLDIE'S CRISIS COMPASS
Alex Goldie grew up walking on eggshells in a violent, alcohol-fueled household where he became the family peacemaker - literally throwing pillows into rooms to break up fights. Today, with 2.5 million followers and a bestselling book, Alex is a force in the digital and mental health space.This is Alex's Crisis Compass.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast
INFLUENCER: I want to be unfollowed | Alex Goldie
Alex Goldie grew up walking on eggshells in a violent, alcohol-fueled household where he became the family peacemaker - literally throwing pillows into rooms to break up fights. By his twenties, that traumatised child had become an anxious, procrastinating young man stuck in patterns he desperately wanted to break. Then COVID hit, he lost his job with British Airways, and from his lowest point, Al
ROBERT PAYLOR'S CRISIS COMPASS
In spring 2017, Robert Paylor seemed to be living a charmed life – starting for America’s top rugby programme, competing for a national championship for UC Berkeley, and on track for achieving a degree in business with an internship with Intel lined up for the summer. Few could have imagined that an illegal tackle during that year’s final would shatter his spine – and leave him instantly paralysed
PARALYSED TO POWERFUL: They said I'd never walk again (they were wrong) | Robert Paylor
Robert Paylor was living the dream - a star rugby player at UC Berkeley competing for a national championship with his future mapped out perfectly. Then an illegal tackle shattered his spine and left him paralysed from the neck down.Doctors told him he'd never so much as lift a piece of pizza to his mouth – let alone walk or play sport – that’s if he even survived the surgery. But Robert has a uni
Three Dads Walking on suicide, grief and finding light in the darkest of places
In this episode recorded in 2024 and republished to mark World Suicide Prevention Day 2025, Andy is joined by three remarkable men, Andy Airey, Mike Palmer and Tim Owen – better known as Three Dads Walking. All would rather have never met but through a common and tragic bond – the loss of their daughters, Sophie, Beth and Emily, to suicide – they did.Brought together by a shared grief, these three
LESSONS IN RESILIENCE: HOW TO BOUNCE FORWARD
Resilience is not just about being able to bounce-back. It’s about bouncing-forward stronger and wiser than before. It’s about realising that your pre-crisis life is now gone, but your new life – if you will it – can contain within it opportunities you may never have dreamed possible.From our archive I’ve brought together some fundamental lessons on resilience, distilled insights from best-selling
NATASHA SILVER BELL'S CRISIS COMPASS
From complete self-destruction to resurrection. Natasha Silver Bell proves that our lowest moments can become the foundation for our greatest purpose – and that recovery isn't selfish, it's essential.Here is Natasha's Crisis Compass.—–-----Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalF
ADDICTION RECOVERY EXPERT: Your rock bottom can become your silver | Natasha Silver Bell
From beauty pageants to international runways to waking up from a blackout to find her 13-month-old son eating Cheerios alone in his high chair – Natasha Silver Bell's story is one of complete self-destruction and resurrection.Today, she leads SilverBell Global, orchestrating some of the world's most complex recovery interventions with methods so unconventional they sometimes involve former Navy S
JAILED CITY TRADER: This time, with justice | Tom Hayes
Twelve years after his arrest, five and a half years in prison, and countless rejected appeals, Tom Hayes finally heard the words he'd been fighting for: "Your conviction is overturned."In this Crisis Revisited special, the former city trader returns after the Supreme Court ruled he was innocent all along - a landmark judgment that rewrites one of Britain's most controversial financial prosecution
ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI'S CRISIS COMPASS
Wall Street titan, White House survivor, and now podcast provocateur, Anthony Scaramucci's life reads like a script with no shortage of plot twists.Here is Anthony's Crisis Compass.—–-----Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.c
ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI: Crisis, character and comebacks.
Wall Street titan, White House survivor, and now podcast provocateur, Anthony Scaramucci joins Andy Coulson for an unfiltered, useful, funny and at times emotional conversation about all things resilience. From being fired after just eleven days as Trump’s Communications Director to losing millions in the FTX crypto collapse, Anthony’s life reads like a script with no shortage of plot twists.In th
WRONGFULLY CONVICTED LIBOR TRADER: His incredible story of resilience | Tom Hayes
Tom Hayes is the city trader who spent five years in prison and who lost his wealth, reputation and home thanks to an appalling miscarriage of justice. Since his conviction in 2014, Tom has always maintained his innocence and the Supreme Court has now officially confirmed that he was, in fact, innocent.In this emotional episode Tom explains how managed the anger and bitterness that came with the n
CALLY BEATON'S CRISIS COMPASS
From high powered Hollywood boardrooms to hitting bottom in a psychiatric hospital, Cally Beaton’s journey is anything but linear. She opens up about how her midlife mental health crisis ultimately pushed her towards a life of greater meaning and connection, and how comedy helped her find her voice.Here is Cally's Crisis Compass.—–-----Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Ma
STAND-UP COMIC: Finding freedom from falling apart | Cally Beaton
TV executive turned stand-up comic and best-selling author Cally Beaton joins Andy to share a powerful story of breakdown, reinvention, told with unflinching honesty. From high powered Hollywood boardrooms to hitting bottom in a psychiatric hospital, Cally’s journey is anything but linear — and that’s the point.In this episode, Cally opens up about losing control and taking it back on her own term
MO GAWDAT'S CRISIS COMPASS
Armed with a mathematician’s mind and a mystic’s heart, Mo has transformed personal devastation into global purpose. He is living proof that happiness isn’t just wishful thinking – it’s a learnable, repeatable skill that can reshape the way you live your life.Here is Mo's Crisis Compass.—–-----Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special th
The AI apocalypse or awakening? Mo Gawdat on raising Superman, self-evolving machines and why the real crisis is human stupidity
What if the biggest existential threat of our time isn’t artificial intelligence – but the people programming it?In this urgent and mind-expanding Crisis What Crisis special, host Andy Coulson is joined by the inimitable Mo Gawdat– former Google X Chief Business Officer, global bestselling author, and one of the most vital thinkers at the intersection of tech and humanity.Mo returns with a stark w
GOOGLE CEO: Using mathematics to survive unimaginable grief | Mo Gawdat
From the boardrooms of Google X to the depths of unimaginable grief, Mo Gawdat’s journey defies every conventional narrative about success and loss. The former Chief Business Officer, who helped launch Google’s operations across half the planet, lost his son Ali in 2014 to a routine operation gone wrong – a tragedy that could have broken him forever. Instead, it became the catalyst for an extraord
ALIX POPHAM'S CRISIS COMPASS
Alix Popham took hundreds of thousands of hits on the pitch – but the biggest came years after retirement. His is a story of crisis and clarity. Of choosing purpose over bitterness. And of how the mindset that wins matches can also save lives.Here is Alix's Crisis Compass.—————–This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson Partners.Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane S
RUGBY STAR: Early onset dementia and starting a revolution in sport | Alix Popham
Grand Slam-winning rugby hero, Alix Popham took hundreds of thousands of hits on the pitch – but the biggest came years after retirement. Diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable CTE, he’s now leading a powerful campaign to expose the truth about brain injury in sport to ensure its safety and longevity for generations to come. Still proud of his career, Alix is using that same warrior mind
SIMON WESTON'S CRISIS COMPASS
Simon Weston CBE is a veteran, a charity campaigner and one of the most inspiring survivors of our times.In 1982, while serving with the Welsh Guards in the Falklands War, Simon suffered devastating injuries when the RFA Sir Galahad was attacked. The burns he sustained covered nearly half his body and led to more than 90 major operations over many years. But his story – as Simon shares in his extr
FALKLANDS VETERAN: Anxiety, control and the battle from within | Simon Weston
Lessons in Grit from a Falklands Hero - Simon WestonSimon Weston CBE is a veteran, a charity campaigner and one of the most inspiring survivors of our times.In 1982, while serving with the Welsh Guards in the Falklands War, Simon suffered devastating injuries when the RFA Sir Galahad was attacked. The burns he sustained covered nearly half his body and led to more than 90 major operations over man
AMANDA KNOX'S CRISIS COMPASS
What happens when your name becomes shorthand for a crime you didn’t commit? At just 20 years old, Amanda Knox was catapulted into global infamy after being accused of murdering her roommate, Meredith Kercher, while studying abroad in Italy.Now, Amanda joins Andy to share the raw, painfully-earned insight that comes from surviving one of the most widely known miscarriages of justice in modern hist
FALSELY IMPRISONED: Identity, imprisonment, and finding purpose through trauma | Amanda Knox
What happens when your name becomes shorthand for a crime you didn’t commit? At just 20 years old, Amanda Knox was catapulted into global infamy after being accused of murdering her roommate, Meredith Kercher, while studying abroad in Italy.What should have been a formative experience turned into a wrongful conviction, four years in prison, and a sustained and lurid mischaracterisation by the worl
MARK TURNBALL'S CRISIS COMPASS
Mark Turnbull has spent thirty five years as a geopolitical communications strategist, working behind the scenes to shape some of the most consequential political moments of modern times. It's a career that's taken him from the American invasion of Iraq to the final days of apartheid South Africa — from the inner sanctum of a leading KGB defector to the cockpit of Cambridge Analytica.In this episo
GEO-POLITICAL STRATERGIST: Ambushed in Baghdad, Cambridge Analytica and facing terminal cancer | Mark Turnbull
Mark Turnbull has spent thirty-five years as a geopolitical communications strategist, working behind the scenes to shape some of the most consequential political moments of modern times. It's a career that's taken him from the American invasion of Iraq to the final days of apartheid South Africa — from the inner sanctum of a leading KGB defector to the cockpit of Cambridge Analytica.In this episo
JOHN ROBERT'S CRISIS COMPASS
John Roberts is one of Britain's most successful and energetic businessmen, a lad from Bolton who turned a one pound bet with a friend into a billion pound success story.In this special Business episode, John joins Andy to share the invaluable lessons behind building one of Britain’s most trusted brands. From selling deformed gingerbread men in school to pioneering e-commerce out of Bolton, John r
FOUNDER AND CEO OF AO.COM: Risk, empowerment, and the power of a one pound bet | John Roberts
John Roberts is one of Britain's most successful and energetic businessmen, a lad from Bolton who turned a one pound bet with a friend into a billion pound success story.In this special Business episode, John joins Andy to share the invaluable lessons behind building one of Britain’s most trusted brands. From selling deformed gingerbread men in school to pioneering e-commerce out of Bolton, John r
KIT DE WAAL'S CRISIS COMPASS
Bestselling author Kit de Waal has built a career writing stories that capture the reality of life on the margins, but her own story is just as compelling. Growing up in 1970s Birmingham with an Irish Catholic-turned-Jehovah's Witness mother and a Caribbean father, Kit learned early on that survival meant adaptation. Kit's mother’s dire warnings of an impending apocalypse pushed her into rebellion
AUTHOR: Rebellion, redemption and making crisis count | Kit de Waal
Bestselling author Kit de Waal has built a career writing stories that capture the reality of life on the margins, but her own story is just as compelling. Growing up in 1970s Birmingham with an Irish Catholic-turned-Jehovah's Witness mother and a Caribbean father, Kit learned early on that survival meant adaptation. Kit's mother’s dire warnings of an impending apocalypse pushed her into rebellion
RUPERT SOAMES' CRISIS COMPASS
Rupert Soames has forged a brilliant career leading businesses through some of the most daunting challenges. His professional journey has been defined by his unflinching resolve to ‘run towards gunfire.’ As CEO of commercial giants Aggreko and Serco through periods of crisis and now as Chair of the CBI as it continues to recover from a reputational shock. Rupert also talks for the first time about
AGGREKO AND SERCO CEO: Resilience from trauma, leading through crisis and the power of positivity | Rupert Soames
Rupert Soames has forged a brilliant career leading businesses through some of the most daunting challenges. But behind the decades of success, there’s another story that Rupert has chosen to share here for the first time … an experience which, against the odds, forged his resilience. His professional journey has been defined by his unflinching resolve to ‘run towards gunfire.’ … as CEO of commerc
CHRISTINA PERRI'S CRISIS COMPASS
Multi-platinum singer-songwriter Christina Perri is best known for her hits A Thousand Years and Jar of Hearts, but behind her music lies a deeply personal story of resilience.From battling lifelong mental health challenges to navigating the heartbreak of miscarriage and stillbirth, Christina has endured unthinkable loss—including the tragic passing of her daughter Rosie in 2020. But through it al
CHRISTINA PERRI: Fame, grief and turning pain into purpose
Multi-platinum singer-songwriter Christina Perri is best known for her hits A Thousand Years and Jar of Hearts, but behind her music lies a deeply personal story of resilience.From battling lifelong mental health challenges to navigating the heartbreak of miscarriage and stillbirth, Christina has endured unthinkable loss—including the tragic passing of her daughter Rosie in 2020. But through it al
SIMON WOODROFFE'S CRISIS COMPASS
Simon Woodroffe has lived many lives - he started as a stage designer for music legends like Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder, then took a leap of faith and built YO! Sushi into a global brand. But before his success, Simon faced struggles that could have derailed him entirely: a turbulent youth, including time in a young offender’s institution, and a personal crisis that left him at rock bottom. Her
SIMON WOODROFFE: Risk-taking, reinvention, and creating Yo! Sushi
What does it take to turn adversity into opportunity?Simon Woodroffe has lived many lives - he started as a stage designer for music legends like Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder, then took a leap of faith and built YO! Sushi into a global brand. But before his success, Simon faced struggles that could have derailed him entirely: a turbulent youth, including time in a young offender’s institution, an
TOM HAYES CRISIS COMPASS
Who better to explore the road to resilience than someone who has endured one of the most dramatic falls from grace?Tom Hayes was once a high-flying city trader, living a life of wealth and status— until the notorious LIBOR scandal in 2015 changed everything. Convicted and imprisoned, he lost his fortune, his luxury cars and his home - all while maintaining that his conviction was unjust. His tria
PAUL STEWART'S CRISIS COMPASS
Paul Stewart is a former England footballer who played for Manchester City, Spurs and Liverpool. But behind the success was a harrowing secret – years of unimaginable childhood abuse at the hands of a trusted coach. He shares his powerful journey from suffering to recovery – a story of pain, resilience but lasting hope. Here are Paul Stewart’s three crisis comforts.Full episode: https://www.crisis
ENGLAND STAR: Turning a secret trauma into a mission of hope | Paul Stewart
Sensitive content: this podcast contains discussions of child abuse and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.Paul Stewart is a former England footballer who played for Manchester City, Spurs and Liverpool. But behind the success was a harrowing secret – years of unimaginable childhood abuse at the hands of a trusted coach. He shares his powerful journey from suffering to recovery – a story of p
PAUL MCKENNA'S CRISIS COMPASS
Paul McKenna is not just a world-renowned hypnotherapist; he’s a one man self-help powerhouse, a best-selling author, and a sought-after behavioural scientist who has helped thousands overcome their greatest challenges. And now with his new book Power Manifesting – he is on a mission to empower as many as possible to lead a better and more productive life. Here are Paul McKenna’s three crisis comf
HYPNOTHERAPIST: Purpose, gratitude and living your full potential | Paul McKenna
Paul McKenna is not just a world-renowned hypnotherapist; he’s a one man self-help powerhouse, a best-selling author, and a sought-after behavioural scientist who has helped thousands overcome their greatest challenges. And now with his new book Power Manifesting – he is on a mission to empower as many as possible to lead a better and more productive life.With his signature blend of neuro-linguist
DAME STEPHANIE SHIRLEY'S CRISIS COMPASS
Having arrived in Britain as a five-year-old refugee fleeing the Nazis on the Kindertransport, Dame Stephanie Shirley went on to build one of Britain's most successful software companies. She built a business valued at $3 billion and has dedicated the last three decades of her life to philanthropy, giving away most of her personal wealth. Here are Dame Stephanie’s three crisis comforts.Full episod
DAME STEPHANIE SHIRLEY: 91 years of resilience and brilliance
Having arrived in Britain as a five-year-old refugee fleeing the Nazis on the Kindertransport, Dame Stephanie Shirley went on to build one of Britain's most successful software companies. Using the pen name ‘Steve’ to be taken more seriously by clients, she built a business valued at $3 billion, turning 70 staff members into millionaires along the way. But her impact goes far beyond the business w
KATIE MELUA'S CRISIS COMPASS
Katie Melua has sold more than 11 million albums and picked up 56 platinum awards along the way. She had her first hit aged just 19 and was thrown immediately onto the treadmill of writing, recording, tours, promotion. More hits followed, but not without a very heavy price - her sudden fame contributed to an acute psychotic breakdown in 2010. Here are Katie’s three crisis comforts.Full episode htt
LIVE FROM THE CBI CONFERENCE: Breaking down barriers, failure and leadership resilience | Dawn Airey CBE
In our first live podcast recording at the 2024 CBI Annual Conference, Andy speaks to Dawn Airey CBE, one of the most remarkable figures in British media. In front of an audience of business leaders and policy makers, they discussed resilience and reputation along with the crises and triumphs that have defined her career.Dawn has spent her career thriving on challenge, and along the way earned a r
100th guest special - SINGER: Teenage fame, a psychotic breakdown and how she found her way back | Katie Melua
Selling 11 million albums, more than a million concert tickets and picking up 56 platinum awards along the way, Katie Melua is one of Britain’s most successful singer songwriters.In this episode, she takes us on a very candid and emotional journey - from Georgia to Belfast to London and to fame at just 19 years old where she was thrown immediately onto the treadmill of recording, tours and promoti
DAVID HOLMES' CRISIS COMPASS
On January 28th, 2009, a rehearsed stunt on set of Harry Potter went horrifically wrong. David, who had been the lead stunt double for his friend Daniel Radcliffe for a decade, was left paralysed from the chest down. His is a story of acceptance, of finding positives in the darkest of places and of the power of human spirit. Here are his three crisis comforts which helped and continue to help him
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