The Luminate Collective

EP 8: Embracing Change and Community – Geoff Leask

Welcome to The Luminate Collective Podcast, brought to you by AAB Consulting, hosted by Sian Parker. In this series, we capture candid conversations on life, change, leadership, and the world of business.       Beyond their titles, our guests share their life stories, discussing the personal and vulnerable experiences that have contributed to their success.      Today's guest, Geoff Leask is the Founding Director of Clayhills Consultancy, and he specialises in delivering business success through planning, innovation, and ambition.     Geoff's done it all over the years – from sailing with the Merchant Navy to running pubs with his brother and spearheading the success of Young Enterprise Scotland as their CEO.   He shares his experiences, including the challenging moments that shaped him, like navigating the complex merger of the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust with the Prince’s Trust and how that period in his life affected his mental health.   Geoff’s story is full of valuable insights, lessons on the importance of adapting and he shares his favourite saying, “You can do it yourself”. A mantra which has been apparent in one way or another with everything he has done. To hear more, stay tuned.     Want to chat to us about The Luminate Collective Podcast? E-mail sian.parker@aab.uk [sian.parker@aab.uk]        Join our community: LinkedIn @AABConsulting, Instagram @aab.consulting         A brief introduction to AAB Consulting...         • We are the consulting arm of The AAB Group     • Compared to AAB, we are just a young thing, we started in 2018    • We are a business consultancy focused on helping our clients think about, prepare for, and deliver change     • We focus on adding real value in the areas of service design, digital strategy & transformation, business agility and growth management     • We firmly believe that our clients want a great experience when they hire consultants; not simply a project or intervention    • We have a healthy focus on looking after our team members so that they look after our clients.         Please contact us if you want to chat, are interested to know more or just want to know why we love llamas, you can reach us by e-mailing advisors@aabconsulting.uk [advisors@aabconsulting.uk]

EP 7: A Designer's Journey - Ed Vickers on Creating a New Path in Digital Media

Welcome to The Luminate Collective Podcast, brought to you by AAB Consulting, hosted by Sian Parker. In this series, we capture candid conversations on life, change, leadership, and the world of business.     Beyond their titles, our guests share their life stories, discussing the personal and vulnerable experiences that have contributed to their success.     Today's guest, Ed Vickers, has a dynamic design career that spans both the client and agency sides of the industry. After significant experience leading creative and media teams for large organisations, Ed co-founded Loop Agencies, where they believe delivering great work is a two-way thing, building in house agencies with out-sourced creative campaigns. During lockdown, Ed started a YouTube channel, The FarmSimGuy, and is now Scotland's leading YouTube content creator in the Farming Simulator niche. He transformed his lockdown hobby into a thriving digital presence. With over 76,000 subscribers and up to 500,000 monthly viewers, Ed's channel not only showcases his passion for gaming but also reflects his innovative approach to digital content creation. In this episode, we hear about Ed’s “bookmark moment” which was fairly recently, his career as a creative and what he has learned. One of the most important lessons is how “not” to do things, he has had many experiences of toxic workplace culture and candidly shares them with us, I’m sure plenty of other organisations can learn a thing or two. Ed's story is a great illustration of the power of blending passions with professional expertise and the importance of adapting to the ever-evolving digital landscape. To hear more about Ed's journey and the insights he has gained from his diverse career - stay tuned. Skip to the following sections: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:23 Ed's Bookmark Moment 00:13:32 Ed's Early Career Learnings 00:27:38 Ed's View on Workplace Culture 00:40:50 Outro   Want to chat to us about The Luminate Collective Podcast? E-mail sian.parker@aab.uk [sian.parker@aab.uk]      Join our community: LinkedIn @AABConsulting, Instagram @aab.consulting       A brief introduction to AAB Consulting...       • We are the consulting arm of The AAB Group    • Compared to AAB, we are just a young thing, we started in 2018   • We are a business consultancy focused on helping our clients think about, prepare for, and deliver change    • We focus on adding real value in the areas of service design, digital strategy & transformation, business agility and growth management    • We firmly believe that our clients want a great experience when they hire consultants; not simply a project or intervention   • We have a healthy focus on looking after our team members so that they look after our clients.       Please contact us if you want to chat, are interested to know more or just want to know why we love llamas, you can reach us by e-mailing advisors@aabconsulting.uk [advisors@aabconsulting.uk]

EP 6: Tackling the Climate Crisis with Purpose – Josiah Lockhart

Welcome to The Luminate Collective Podcast, brought to you by AAB Consulting, hosted by Sian Parker. In this series, we capture candid conversations on life, change, leadership, and the world of business.   Beyond their titles, our guests share their life stories, discussing the personal and vulnerable experiences that have contributed to their success.    In this episode, Sian chats to Josiah Lockhart, Chief Executive of Changeworks, Scotland’s leading environmental charity delivering energy efficiency and low carbon solutions.    Josiah is leading on the delivery of Changeworks’ strategy for 2022-2025, as the organisation refocuses its work towards one goal: decarbonising Scotland’s homes.    In this conversation, we chat about Josiah’s ‘bookmark moment’ where his early career aspirations in the entertainment industry took an unexpected turn leading him down a path of self-discovery and social entrepreneurship.   He shares candid insights into a hugely pivotal moment where he experienced a life-altering bicycle accident and how that recovery shaped a new perspective on life, career and the urgency of societal issues.   Josiah’s experience advising and leading social enterprises and working with social entrepreneurs is second to none, to hear the lessons Josiah has learned the hard way and the advice he would give to a new social enterprise wanting to make an impact, keep listening. Skip to the following sections:   00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:06 - Josiah's Bookmark Moment 00:13:29 - Josiah's Success 00:29:09 - Josiah's Approach to the Climate Crisis 00:52:08 - Outro   Want to chat to us about The Luminate Collective Podcast? E-mail sian.parker@aab.uk [sian.parker@aab.uk]    Join our community: LinkedIn @AABConsulting, Instagram @aab.consulting     A brief introduction to AAB Consulting...     * We are the consulting arm of The AAB Group  * Compared to AAB, we are just a young thing, we started in 2018 * We are a business consultancy focused on helping our clients think about, prepare for, and deliver change  * We focus on adding real value in the areas of service design, digital strategy & transformation, business agility and growth management  * We firmly believe that our clients want a great experience when they hire consultants; not simply a project or intervention * We have a healthy focus on looking after our team members so that they look after our clients.    Please contact us if you want to chat, are interested to know more or just want to know why we love llamas, you can reach us by e-mailing advisors@aabconsulting.uk [advisors@aabconsulting.uk]

EP 5: From Young Upstart to Mature Startup - Don Smith

Welcome to The Luminate Collective Podcast, brought to you by AAB Consulting, hosted by Sian Parker. In this series, we capture candid conversations on life, change, leadership, and the world of business.   Beyond their titles, our guests share their life stories, discussing the personal and vulnerable experiences that have contributed to their success.    In this episode, Sian sits down with Don Smith, Applied Innovation Consultant, and Inventor. Don is the driving force behind 'One Hundred Flowers,' a consultancy revolutionising how organisations harness invention and innovation. Don's mission? To transform these businesses into disruptors, rather than the disrupted.    In this conversation, we chat about Don's 'bookmark moment.' He shares his first work placement experience, which, against all odds and with a little help from his resourceful Geordie mother, turned into a defining chapter in his life. We'll also explore the audacious pitch that won the Irn Bru MD over and explore the invaluable lessons Don has gathered throughout his illustrious career in creativity.    This episode isn't just a marketing masterclass; it's interspersed with philosophical gems and life insights. For someone who claims not to be driven by money, Don's journey is a vivid illustration of his extraordinary dedication and hard work. So, let's dive in and uncover the secrets behind his remarkable success! Skip to the Following Sections: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:54 Don's Bookmark Moment 00:17:36 Don's Career Highlights 00:30:12 Don's Current Projects 00:41:29 Conclusion   Want to chat to us about The Luminate Collective Podcast? E-mail sian.parker@aab.uk    Join our community: LinkedIn @AABConsulting, Instagram @aab.consulting     A brief introduction to AAB Consulting...     • We are the consulting arm of The AAB Group   • Compared to AAB, we are just a young thing, we started in 2018  • We are a business consultancy focused on helping our clients think about, prepare for, and deliver change   • We focus on adding real value in the areas of service design, digital strategy & transformation, business agility and growth management   • We firmly believe that our clients want a great experience when they hire consultants; not simply a project or intervention  • We have a healthy focus on looking after our team members so that they look after our clients.     Please contact us if you want to chat, are interested to know more or just want to know why we love llamas, you can reach us by e-mailing advisors@aabconsulting.uk

EP4: Navigating Change as a Woman in Financial Services – Lauren McIlroy

Welcome to The Luminate Collective Podcast, brought to you by AAB Consulting, hosted by Sian Parker. In this series, we capture candid conversations on life, change, leadership, and the world of business. Beyond their titles, our guests share their life stories, discussing the personal and vulnerable experiences that have contributed to their success. In this episode, Sian sits down with Lauren McIlroy, Partner and Head of Virtual Finance Function at The AAB Group. Lauren reflects on pivotal moments in her career, sharing valuable insights and lessons. She discusses her early career choices, the role of education, and transitioning through various roles in industry. Lauren's candid conversation touches on challenges faced during maternity leave, post-miscarriage trauma, and her experiences as a woman in the workplace. She emphasises the importance of personal decisions, gender equality, and fostering a supportive work environment. Lauren also shares her approach to leadership and communication, highlighting the significance of trust and flexibility in her team. This episode offers a glimpse into the complexities of balancing career and personal life, as well as the evolution of professional paths over the years. Skip to the following sections:  00:00:00 - Introduction. 00:00:00 - Conversation Begins. 00:06:32 - Lauren's Bookmark Moment. 00:09:44 - Starting a Family, Becoming a Mother. 00:16:26 - Evolving from Working in Practice. 00:20:08 - Starting a New Job With a New Born. 00:22:08 - Being a Woman in the Corporate World. 00:30:01 - Managing a Team and Being a Leader. 00:32:16 - Experiencing Maternity Leave a Second Time. 00:39:32 - Outro.   Want to chat with us about The Luminate Collective? E-mail sian.parker@aab.uk Join our community: LinkedIn @AABConsulting, Instagram @aab.consulting  A brief introduction to AAB Consulting... • We are the consulting arm of The AAB Group • Compared to AAB, we are just a young thing, we started in 2018 • We are a business consultancy focused on helping our clients think about, prepare for, and deliver change • We focus on adding real value in the areas of service design, digital strategy & transformation, business agility and growth management • We firmly believe that our clients want a great experience when they hire consultants; not simply a project or intervention • We have a healthy focus on looking after our team members so that they look after our clients. Please contact us if you want to chat, are interested to know more or just want to know why we love llamas, you can reach us by e-mailing advisors@aabconsulting.uk