The Purpose-Led Leadership Podcast

Ep 93: Live life full of unapologetic fun with Amy Polly

How well do you really know yourself?
 
Taking time to understand who you are, without listening to other people’s bullshit ideas of what you should be is the most powerful thing you can do.
 
That is exactly what my guest, Amy Polly, has done to live her life by her rules.
 
Amy is a Chief Mindfulness Rebel, TEDx Speaker and ADHD Advocate. We delve into what led her to embrace the world of mindfulness and now want to reinvent it as funfulness. Amy shares the struggles she faced with post-natal anxiety, abusive relationships and how she was always different to those around her. Something she understands more about since a diagnosis with ADHD.
 
Amy’s life of funfulness has come from embracing those differences and being true to herself.
 
“You can’t go wrong being true to who you are” – Amy Polly
 
You'll hear about:
 
00:51 - An introduction to Amy
04:03 - The emotional side of Amy
06:32 - Amy's relationships with family and friends
12:36 - Amy on mental health
20:35 - Are our thoughts true?
22:52 - Amy on her difficult relationships
28:04 - The power of accepting who you are
31:56 - What is funfulness?
37:07 - Tackling toxic cultures
40:18 - Amy on neurodiversity
46:12 - Old Amy vs the new Amy
51:12 - What does Amy struggle with?
57:22 - Amy on love
 
Amy’s resources:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amypolly/
Website - https://www.amypolly.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thisisamypolly
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thisisamypolly 
 
Episode resources:
 
Jaaq.com - https://jaaq.org/home
 
My resources:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w
Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

Ep 92: Building Successful Recruitment Businesses with Chris O’Connell

This episode is my guest appearance on the Across The Table Podcast with Target Recruit.
 
Chris (Base Mindset) is an ex-global top biller at SThree and a £25M Recruitment business owner turned purpose-driven NED and coach.
 
He believes that almost all business problems are people problems. Because people without a purpose have no centralised reason driving them to perform.
 
“Lots of companies want to get back to the old school ways of working,” – Chris O’Connell
 
You'll hear about:
 
00:00 - Start
03:54 - Adversity, Resilience, and Purpose-Driven Leadership
16:15 - Lessons from Entrepreneurship: Finding Positives in Adversity
31:06 - Purpose, Accountability, and Continuous Growth in Business
32:10 - Coaching CEOs and Building Successful Businesses
53:00 - Evolution of Recruitment Practices and Impact of Culture
55:20 - Future Outlook for the Recruitment Industry
 
My resources:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w
Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/
 
Check out Target Recruit’s podcast Across The Table - https://targetrecruit.co.uk/podcast/

Ep 91: Life is about excitement, achievement and growth with Lewis Ellis

What is your biggest fear in life?
 
For my guest in this episode, Lewis Ellis, it’s not achieving or even trying.
 
This ethos has led Lewis to do great things but to also find himself in troubled waters. From creating successful marketing startups, synonymous with guerilla tactics, to washing up in a war zone as a holiday rep.
 
Lewis shares his fears but also why he wants to live a life by his rules. Whether that’s through the relationships he builds, the way he approaches business or how he views money, he is unapologetically him. And that is a powerful place to be in life.
 
Lewis also discusses his infamous, viral air pod saga and where his nature for being a disruptor came from.
 
If you want to live a life unapologetically as you, this one’s going to hit home.
 
“My biggest fear in life is wasting time” – Lewis Ellis
 
You'll hear about:
 
00:43 - An introduction to Lewis
03:56 - Where does Lewis' disruptor nature come from?
08:41 - What's the real Lewis like?
14:04 - Lewis on relationships
20:06 - Lewis and the air pods           
25:06 - Lewis on his mental health
29:19 - Did Lewis' parental relationships affect him?
33:49 - What affects Lewis emotionally?
35:18 - What is Lewis' purpose?
44:32 - Using LinkedIn cathartically
47:27 - Will Lewis ever change his approach to life?
51:13 - Is there healing that Lewis needs to go through?
54:46 - What has scarred and scared Lewis the most?
01:00:39 - How important is money to Lewis?
 
Lewis’ resources:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-ellis/
Hussel Marketing - https://hussel.co.uk/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lewis_ellis_/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@LewisEllis
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HusselMarketing
 
My resources:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w
Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

Ep 90: You have the power to do anything you want in life with Ani Filipova

You are more powerful than you think.
 
With the right attitude and mindset, you can achieve anything in life. This is the belief of my guest in this episode, Ani Filipova.
 
Ani grew up with humble beginnings in Bulgaria, a socialist country, where she was always told “be quiet” and “don’t speak up”. But she knew she wanted more out of life, and she has never let those voices stop her.
 
Going on to become COO of Citbank that has 250,00 employees globally, Ani talks about why she left it all behind to focus on her family and then become a coach. She shares the deep challenges she faced in having children, and the mental load this had on her fearing it may never happen.
 
“Apart from dying you can reverse or correct anything” – Ani Filipova
 
You'll hear about:
 
00:44 - An introduction to Ani
04:39 - Humble beginnings to COO of Citibank
09:44 - The dark times Ani has faced
15:08 - How has motherhood changed Ani
21:08 - What's important in a healthy relationship?
27:22 - Living with heart palpitations
33:06 - Why Ani climbed Kilimanjaro
35:11 - Why Ani left the corporate world
40:45 - Ani on her coaching
42:13 - How has Ani evolved throughout her life?
43:26 - What has scarred or scared Ani?
49:31 - Is Ani good at setting boundaries?
54:20 - Ani on the loss of her father
 
Ani’s resources:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anifilipova/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ani.filipova.148
Change Advisory - https://anifilipova.me/
Ani’s podcast Change is Possible - https://changeispossible.site/
 
My resources:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w
Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

Ep 89: Hot tubs and rainbows: A life with ADHD with Thomas Woodhams

What is life like with ADHD?
 
It is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders and many will judge those who have it before they get to know them, or even understand what it means to have ADHD.
 
In this episode I am joined by Thomas Woodhams, who, as well as having ADHD supports others with the condition through his content on LinkedIn.
 
Thomas is hilarious, honest, and unfiltered about how the condition has impacted his life. From abusive relationships, to getting sacked and hot tub escapades. Expect to hear things from Thomas you wouldn’t hear anywhere else.
 
He also shares what pisses him off about LinkedIn, how workplaces can support neurodivergence more and find why he went to Bristol just to get a photo for his girlfriend’s mum.
 
“It’s like a squirrel going in your brain at 300 miles an hour” – Thomas Woodhams
 
You'll hear about:
 
01:01 - An introduction to Thomas
03:49 - Did ADHD get Thomas intro trouble as a kid?
08:14 - Why Thomas feels the need to impress        
10:36 - What pisses Thomas off on LinkedIn?
12:06 - What is ADHD?
18:01 - Does ADHD make Thomas feel down?
21:58 - How ADHD has affected Thomas' relationships
24:59 - Thomas on suicide
30:13 - Thomas' life and toxic relationships
39:28 - Thomas' experience in recruitment
48:27 – How to improve support for neurodivergence                                             
49:23 - Thomas on his relationship with his fiancée
52:31 - LinkedIn according to Thomas           
57:13 - Thomas' top 3 traits
 
Thomas’ resources:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-woodhams/
Listen to Thomas’ podcast - Be.You - https://www.linkedin.com/company/be-you-podcast/?originalSubdomain=uk
My resources:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w
Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

Ep 88: Growing up in a dictatorship with Zsike Peter

Imagine your mother leaves a note to say she is going for jam but doesn’t return for 6 months.
 
This was what happened to my guest Zsike Peter.
 
Zsike had the hardest of childhoods. Born in Transylvania under the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. After the separation of her parents her stepmother performed cruel acts on her and her sisters that led to her birth mother kidnapping them to flee the country and rescue them.
 
Later in life the birth of her daughter awoke memories she had long repressed of the child abuse she suffered from her grandfather.
 
Zsike also gives insights into the world of marketing and how we communicate.
 
This episode is testament to the strength that Zsike has shown throughout her whole life and to also show the doubters what incredible things she can achieve.
 
“My mother put all of us on a train and basically kidnapped us” – Zsike Peter
 
You'll hear about:
 
00:45 - An introduction to Zsike
02:30 - Zsike's journey since school
06:08 - Life under a dictatorship
15:00 - Being saved by her mother kidnapping her
17:42 - Zsike's childhood trauma
28:06 - How her trauma impacted who she is
31:23 - Zsike's advice to children going through abuse
39:17 - Zsike on life in Hungary with her mother
42:34 - Zsike on how we communicate
49:46 - Confidence vs anxiety
53:26 - Zsike's life as an au pair
01:01:06 - Zsike then vs Zsike now
01:06:50 - What would Zsike say to her younger self?         
 
Zsike’s resources:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zsike-peter/
Vampire Digital - https://www.vampiredigital.biz/  
Zsike’s artwork - https://www.zsikepeter.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zsikepe/
My resources:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w
Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

Ep 87: Love more and care less with Seth Prezant

Is being vulnerable a strength?
 
For many showing vulnerability is not something they are willing to do. They see it as a form of weakness. It isn’t, it’s what the world needs more of.
 
In this episode I am joined by Seth Prezant, who I first met climbing Kilimanjaro. Seth isn’t afraid of vulnerability and shares in depth about his relationships, including his divorce from his wife, and how this had a huge impact on his mental health.
 
He also talks about how he has shown up as a father, the good and the bad. Seth is all about reflection and honesty, and that’s what you’ll get in this episode.
 
“There’s a point when you feel it’s ok to love more and care less” – Seth Prezant
 
You'll hear about:
 
01:10 - An introduction to Seth         
04:15 - Seth's journey since school
09:01 - Seth on boundaries and kindness
15:14 - Seth's parental relationships
19:14 - How does vulnerability link with strength?
22:45 - Seth on his own mental health
30:16 - Why Seth hates the word judgement
34:09 - Seth's family relationships
44:55 - What makes a strong relationship?
56:13 - How did divorce affect Seth?
01:02:30 - What has scared and scarred Seth the most?                                          
 
Seth’s resources:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethprezant/
Hike Your Sales - https://www.hikeyoursales.co/  
 
My resources:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w
Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/

Ep 86: I rebuilt my 7-figure life in 2 years after losing everything with Meena Adnani

You have the power to create your own story.
 
No matter what anyone else says or believes, you can achieve the life you want.
 
My guest in this episode, Meena Adnani, grew up in Indonesia and always knew she needed to break from the traditional role women played in her life experience.
 
Little did she know that this journey would take her to professional and financial success only to lose it all. Despite that loss, which she shares all about, she went on to build back to a 7-figure business.
 
Meena talks about how she managed to achieve this and why her resilience and mindset were her greatest assets in being able to do so.
 
“I’ll never allow anyone to tell me what’s not possible” – Meena Adnani
 
You'll hear about:
 
00:43 - An introduction to Meena
02:04 - Meena's journey since school
08:42 - Meena on losing her wealth
12:35 - Being able to prove people wrong
20:27 - How her parental relationships built her resilience
29:31 - You have to believe anything is possible
34:05 - How Meena reached 7-figures
39:29 - People buy from people
45:18 - What Meena is doing for her personal growth
53:49 - Healing is ongoing
 
Meena’s resources:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/meena-kumari-adnani/
The Empowered Woman Academy - https://www.strongandshine.com/empowered-woman-academy-2024
Strong And Shine - https://www.strongandshine.com/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/STRONGANDSHINE
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@meena.adnani
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/meenaadnani/
 
My resources:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChrisOConnell11
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
TikTok - https://www.instagram.com/chrisoconnellcoach/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ZWYrxrzzaElmpZMy5S86w
Basemindset website - https://basemindset.com/