Religious Cult to Workplace Culture Expert: Peter Greedy’s Journey Into Truth

More Than a Transaction: Shazia Ali on Law, Humanity and Leaving a Legacy

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458654/fan_mail/new] What happens when a criminal defence lawyer decides that justice is about more than winning cases? In this episode I sit down with Shazia Ali, CEO of Scarsdale Solicitors, whose approach to law is anything but conventional. Warm, direct and utterly human, Shazia shares the story behind her drive to help people, from running free legal clinics at food banks to supporting women escaping domestic violence every Wednesday for years. We talk about what it really takes to build a successful business, the truth about work life balance, learned compassion, community and the bigger purpose that keeps her going. Scarsdale Solicitors is a criminal and motoring law firm based in the north of England.  Shazia has been practising law since 2001 and founded Scarsdale Solicitors in 2015. But what makes her story remarkable isn't the business itself. It's the way she runs it, and the life she lives around it.  We cover:  Why Shazia believes listening is the most important skill any lawyer can have, and why most don't do it  How growing up experiencing racism in the 70s and 80s shaped her drive to help people who feel powerless in a system that intimidates them  The years she spent volunteering at food banks and running free legal clinics for women experiencing domestic violence, before COVID changed everything  What the truth about running a successful business actually looks like, the 60-70 hour weeks, the late night calls, the emergencies that don't respect weekends  Why she refuses to see her work as a transaction, and what that means for her team, her clients and her legacy  Her five year dream to run a pro bono department where private work funds free legal support for those who can't afford it  And the one piece of advice she'd give to anyone who is struggling and too scared to ask for help.  If you've ever felt like the system wasn't built for people like you, or if you've ever wondered what it looks like to build a business and a life around genuinely serving others, this episode is for you.  Connect with Shazia: Website: www.scarsdalecolicitors.com [http://www.scarsdalecolicitors.com] Phone: 01706 531827  About Shazia: Shazia Ali is the founder and CEO at Scarsdale Solicitors [https://scarsdalesolicitors.com/], an award-winning legal firm specialising in criminal and motoring law. From humble beginnings in the north of England, Shazia's grit and determination have seen her overcome obstacles including poverty, racism and sexism, to build a thriving business while raising a family. Shazia is a legal expert renowned for her personal approach to individual cases, and is frequently featured in national and international media.  Work with Fran: 👉 www.mojo-motivator.com [http://www.mojo-motivator.com]  If you have a story that you think would be good for the podcast, please do get in touch by emailing thepowerofthetruth@mojo-motivator.com.

Chris Coulter: Losing His Daughter Maddie to Suicide and Finding Purpose in Her Legacy

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458654/fan_mail/new] Please note: this episode contains open discussion about suicide, child loss, and grief. If you are struggling, please reach out to Samaritans on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org   In 2015, Chris Coulter lost his 14-year-old daughter Maddie to suicide.  What he has built in her memory and the parents he has helped along the way, is one of the most moving stories I have had the privilege of sharing on this podcast.  Chris joins me from Toronto, Canada, where he is the founder of MentorWell, an organisation dedicated to helping parents recognise the warning signs in their teenagers before it's too late.  In this conversation we talk about Maddie. Who she was. The factors Chris believes contributed to her struggles, including a bitter divorce and her withdrawal from competitive swimming which had given her structure and purpose. And the long, devastating road of grief that followed.  But this is also a conversation about hope. About finding meaning after the unimaginable. About how Chris now feels Maddie beside him every single day as his co-pilot in this work.  We talk about:  How grief really affects you over ten years -- not the version people tell you about, the real one  The difference between how teenage boys and girls show mental health struggles, and why it matters  Chris's community "When Something Feels Off" -- nearly 200 members across 20 countries and how it's helping parents feel less alone  The Teen Signal Check tool, a simple 14 question green, yellow, red framework that has already been used by over 10,000 parents to assess whether their concerns about their teenager need urgent attention  Why the most important thing you can do as a parent is listen... not fix, not advise, just listen  How to support a friend or family member who has lost someone to suicide, and what not to say  And the moment Chris stopped trying to return to the person he was before Maddie died, and found peace in becoming someone new.   About Chris Chris Coulter is the founder of The MentorWell, a Toronto-based organisation helping parents recognise warning signs in their teenagers earlier, and helping employers support the working parents on their teams. His work is rooted in the loss of his daughter Maddie, who died on April 11, 2015 at the age of fourteen. Everything he has built since exists because of her. Chris is the author of Wake Up, You Could Lose Your Teen to Suicide, a mental health columnist for Healthing.ca, and a keynote speaker on youth mental health and workplace wellbeing. His Teen Signal Check awareness tool has been completed by more than 10,000 parents across 100 countries. He believes earlier awareness changes outcomes. For families. For workplaces. For the people inside both. Links The MentorWell website thementorwell.com [https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fthementorwell.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cdcded3aebaa64a81cc4008debff16438%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639159240652606067%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Tio0sCdGmKk%2FXCz1fQ79dEJW%2BuYUObp6vue7OGhuciw%3D&reserved=0] Parent Support Group:  https://www.skool.com/thementorwell-community-circle-8475/about [https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.skool.com%2Fthementorwell-community-circle-8475%2Fabout&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cdcded3aebaa64a81cc4008debff16438%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639159240652633299%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2FfXEHHpQsLOD6bF1%2BPFIa7da7O7mJxtRhz02dKvRuZA%3D&reserved=0] Parent Awareness Tool https://www.thementorwell.com/teen-signal-check [https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thementorwell.com%2Fteen-signal-check&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cdcded3aebaa64a81cc4008debff16438%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639159240652654963%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=isuV46R6kzfkdqqJ9lMOjtFkqI9nhCIs0wef2ViNq0k%3D&reserved=0] LinkedIn profile:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriscoultermentorwell/ [https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fchriscoultermentorwell%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cdcded3aebaa64a81cc4008debff16438%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639159240652678813%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=DD9rO5mjGdUFj3HoT%2B%2FPzRNI6b4OT%2FdgsKuGbtyCM2Q%3D&reserved=0]  Support:  Samaritans: 116 123 / samaritans.org  PAPYRUS (prevention of young suicide): 0800 068 4141 / papyrus-uk.org  Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): 0800 58 58 58 / thecalmzone.net   SOBS -- Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide: 0300 111 5065, open every day 9am-7pm / uksobs.com / email.support@uksobs.org [email.support@uksobs.org]  Connect with Fran:  Website: www.mojo-motivator.com [http://www.mojo-motivator.com]  If you have a story that you think would be good for the podcast, please do get in touch by emailing thepowerofthetruth@mojo-motivator.com.

Your Truth Is Showing: How to Speak with Real Authority with Emma Wainer

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458654/fan_mail/new] If you’ve ever felt your voice wobble when your truth is trying to walk tall, this episode will steady your stride. We dive into the quiet power that rises when your words, your body, and your mindset finally stop arguing with each other and start telling the same story. Truth isn’t just noble; it’s profitable. And, as you’ll hear, it’s the cornerstone of communication that actually moves people. In this conversation, Fran sits down with communications expert and speaker coach Emma Wainer to unpick what makes a message believable, the kind that earns trust instead of begging for it. Emma shares her winding path from speech and language therapy to operations leadership, and the heartbreak of five miscarriages that silenced her voice before a master’s in voice coaching helped her reclaim it. Her story is raw, real, and a testament to the resilience behind authentic communication. Together, they explore: * The Power of Congruence: Why your audience trusts your body long before it trusts your words.  * Big T Truth: How to deliver even scripted messages with honesty instead of hollow performance.  * Childhood & Gendered Conditioning: The subtle forces that teach us to shrink, soften, or over-explain and how to break those patterns.  * Warmth + Credibility: The timeless duo that builds trust faster than any shiny technique.  * The Bridge of Trust Framework: How to meet your audience at their pain points before you dare offer a solution.  * Storytelling with Spine: Helping logical thinkers add emotional weight and human stakes without feeling cheesy.  * Body-Mind Recalibration: Practical ways to regulate nerves, breath, and inner narrative so your truth can actually make it out of your mouth.  * Pricing, Presence & Self-Worth: Why owning your message and owning your value are the same skill wearing different outfits.  * Rebuilding a Voice After Loss: Emma’s poignant journey back to self-expression and how practice, not perfection, makes a magnetic speaker.  This episode is for you if: You want to speak with more confidence, sell with more integrity, and show up in your business as the truest version of yourself, not the polished mask you think people expect. Come for the techniques; stay for the truth. About Emma Emma Wainer is a speaker coach, communication strategist, and voice expert who helps business owners speak with more clarity, credibility, and impact. With a background in speech and language therapy, startup leadership, and voice coaching, she brings a rare mix of commercial insight, vocal expertise, and practical tools to help people communicate in a way that builds trust and moves people to action. She works with founders, leaders, and experts who want to come across more naturally and powerfully, whether they’re speaking on stage, in meetings, on podcasts, or on camera. Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmawainer/ [https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Femmawainer%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cfb86b39dbc224f028f8d08deac589592%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639137693651918421%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qzAS2mnbyos8hahdZOKF8WREC8fKu6z8UxhBPZ7shPk%3D&reserved=0] Free talk diagnostic https://whyyourtalk5.tiiny.site [https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwhyyourtalk5.tiiny.site%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cfb86b39dbc224f028f8d08deac589592%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639137693651946885%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=hePpBECqwRqFlJ%2FEyaZ66Fc39HK6f4kyd8LbQtRLiDQ%3D&reserved=0] If you have a story that you think would be good for the podcast, please do get in touch by emailing thepowerofthetruth@mojo-motivator.com.

Burn The Ships - The Power of Telling the Truth with Mary Beth Thomsen

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458654/fan_mail/new] What happens when you stop performing your life… and start telling the truth?  In this episode, Fran Willoughby sits down with psychic medium, intuitive life coach, and author Mary Beth Thomsen to explore her upcoming book Burn The Ships: The Power of Telling the Truth to Yourself and the World.  From spirituality and neuroscience to social media masks, limiting beliefs, and the fear of vulnerability, this conversation dives headfirst into why so many of us stay hidden and what it costs us.  Together, Fran and Mary Beth explore:  ✨ Why people avoid telling the truth — even to themselves  ✨ The curated “highlight reel” culture of social media  ✨ How childhood conditioning shapes limiting beliefs  ✨ The connection between truth, freedom, and healing  ✨ Manifestation, choice, and personal responsibility  ✨ Postpartum depression and the courage of honesty  ✨ Coming out publicly as a psychic medium during the pandemic  ✨ Influences including Eckhart Tolle and Dr. Joe Dispenza  ✨ Why Mary Beth believes we’re living through a collective “great awakening”  This is a conversation about masks, meaning, fear, liberation… and what happens when you finally burn the ships behind you and step fully into who you are.  Sometimes the truth wrecks your old life. Sometimes it saves it.  About Mary Beth Mary Beth Thomsen, owner of Soul Shines Coaching, is a Certified Master Color Energy Coach, Certified Spiritual Life Coach, a psychic medium, and Celtic Shamanic Practitioner. Her work centers on one core belief: that telling the truth—especially the ones we’ve been avoiding—is the doorway to healing, self-trust, and real transformation. She is a contributing writer for Mantra Wellness Magazine. Her debut book in development, BURN THE SHIPS, is a teaching memoir exploring the courage it takes to tell the truth out loud, and what becomes possible when we do. Through her work, Mary Beth invites others to reconnect with their inner knowing, release what no longer aligns, and live with greater clarity, honesty, and freedom. Website: www.soulshinescoaching.com [https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.soulshinescoaching.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7C068aead42c4048fae30608de9d74e815%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639121322662448024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HmPiKP9amH57M2ptgWW54myYYvH0MyHI7YDsDzrsGOo%3D&reserved=0]  IG: www.instagram.com/soulshinescoaching [https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fsoulshinescoaching&data=05%7C02%7C%7C068aead42c4048fae30608de9d74e815%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639121322662473783%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=5DjUftzfwBLphFXvPUtQiCq5CeDEaXyN3qdcd3WUqBg%3D&reserved=0] FB: www.facebook.com/soulshinescoaching [https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsoulshinescoaching&data=05%7C02%7C%7C068aead42c4048fae30608de9d74e815%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639121322662497680%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=sTMUKYk8S09ST4tq%2BUamHhNyHTkc8rGL3Abd8sij6wo%3D&reserved=0]  If you have a story that you think would be good for the podcast, please do get in touch by emailing thepowerofthetruth@mojo-motivator.com.

Religious Cult to Workplace Culture Expert: Peter Greedy’s Journey Into Truth

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458654/fan_mail/new] In this episode, Fran sits down with Peter Greedy, an optometrist-turned-coach whose life took an extraordinary turn when he became part of the UK religious group Antioch in 1983. Peter spent 15 years inside its tightly controlled world, communal living, patriarchal teachings, no-dating rules, love-bombing, and an intense culture of obedience. He shares how he was first drawn in as a young man newly arrived in London, how members were recruited, and how allegations and internal handling of abuse shaped the community from within. A major organisational split in 1998 finally pushed Peter and his family out, leaving him to face the truth of what he’d been part of and who he was without it. But this isn’t just a story about leaving a cult.  It’s about the patterns that follow us into the workplace. Now a researcher and PhD student in coaching psychology, Peter reveals the striking similarities between high-control religious groups and the way some leaders run teams, companies, and even sports organisations. He shares insights from his Workplace Culture Index, showing how culture is built (or broken) by behaviour, not branding. Together, we explore:  • How coercive dynamics show up in everyday organisations  • The power of emotional intelligence and psychological safety  • Why questioning, critical thinking and connection are cultural lifelines  • What recovering from a high-control system really looks like  • How leaders can build cultures rooted in trust, belonging and humanity This is a conversation about truth, autonomy, and the courage it takes to see what’s really going on — whether you’re in a church, a company, or a community. A powerful, eye-opening episode. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. About Peter I am passionate about and specialise in personal development, building high performing teams,  enabling great leadership and optimising workplace culture.  This is borne of significant lived experiences - being a religious cult member for 15 years (1983-1998), working in a corporate environment for 12 years, and an extensive career in primary  healthcare meeting people from every walk of life.  My career in optometry has spanned 40 years having entered City University Optometry School  in 1984. Most of this time has been spent, either full time or part time, in primary healthcare.  From 1996 to 2008 I worked for the global healthcare corporation, with roles in professional  services, training, and IT. Since 2008 I have worked part time as a locum optometrist for a  variety of practices, from high end independents to national chains.  I am founder of Coaches and Mentors in Optics (CaMiO) a peer group collective of colleagues in  the optical industry who provide coaching, mentoring and wellbeing services.  I hold the following coaching accreditations: Accredited Professional Coach with the  Association for Coaching, Integrative Coach, Ikigai Life Coach, Resilience Coach, and Belbin  Team Roles Practitioner. I am currently studying for a PhD in Coaching Psychology.  In my spare time I am an active member of the Events and CPD team for Gloucestershire Local  Optical Committee. Otherwise, I am usually found at my home desk or out hiking somewhere.  http://petergreedy.com/  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/petergreedy/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/petergreedy/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/petergreedy/] If you have a story that you think would be good for the podcast, please do get in touch by emailing thepowerofthetruth@mojo-motivator.com.