A Little Bit Radical: Business | People | Planet

What does it take to communicate climate action with honesty, without falling into the greenwash trap? Helen Neal, Co-Founder of HN Communications, joins A Little Bit Radical to share her journey from corporate burnout to founding a values-driven sustainability communications agency. In this candid conversation with Rob Fawkes, Helen reveals how becoming a parent pushed her out of a job she thought she wanted, how she built a remote, flexible team that works from all over the world, and why radical honesty is the key to meaningful sustainability storytelling. They also explore the vital role of corporate and NGO partnerships, the quiet power of regional roots, and the transformative conversations that change everything. In This Episode: * Growing up as an only child and learning to define her own identity * From shiny London offices to an accidental business owner * Why she walked away from her career after becoming a mum * The moment a client told her to "go all in" and why it changed everything * What makes great sustainability communications and how to avoid accidental greenwashing * The underestimated power of NGO and corporate partnerships * Building a remote, flexible team with real work-life integration * Why honest conversations and safe spaces are essential for progress * Helen’s “Climate Leaders Community” and her mission to empower women in sustainability * The advice she’d give anyone sitting on a radical idea Helen Neal on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-neal-02261129/] Stay Connected: * Follow Rob Fawkes on LinkedIn: Rob Fawkes [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-warren/] * Sign up for the A Little Bit Radical newsletter: Subscribe here [https://share.hsforms.com/1wJzfsT5RR7melJbfDfpsLw4sran]

What do running away to a Swedish circus at age 10 and tackling one of the food industry’s biggest hidden problems have in common? Dini McGrath, Co-Founder of The Wonki Collective, joins A Little Bit Radical to tell her extraordinary story. From wild childhood adventures to founding a business determined to eradicate supply chain food waste, Dini’s journey is anything but ordinary. Host Rob Fawkes and Dini dig into the shocking statistic that 40% of food never even reaches supermarket shelves. They explore the power dynamics between manufacturers and retailers, and how radical thinking, resilience, and persistence are needed to fix it. Dini also shares her experiences as a female founder navigating the funding gap, her work with Innovate UK, and why risk-taking should be for everyone, not just the lucky few. In This Episode: * * Growing up wild: how moving into building sites and joining the Swedish circus shaped Dini’s fearless mindset * * The shocking 40% food waste problem hidden deep in supply chains * * How The Wonki Collective is using AI and technology to match surplus food with where it’s needed * * Why selling surplus cocoa powder wasn’t enough, and how Dini and her team pivoted to something bigger * * Securing a major Innovate UK grant and partnering with Nestlé and FareShare * * The brutal realities of raising investment as a female founder * Why we need more women not just founding businesses, but funding them too Connect with Dini: * Dini McGrath on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dini-mcgrath-323b5b62/] * The Wonki Collective on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-wonki-collective/] Stay Connected: * Follow Rob Fawkes on LinkedIn: Rob Fawkes [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-warren/] Sign up for the A Little Bit Radical newsletter: Subscribe here [https://share.hsforms.com/1wJzfsT5RR7melJbfDfpsLw4sran]

What do Hulk Hogan, Swampy the eco-warrior, and crushing rocks in Canada have in common? They’re all part of the wonderfully radical story of Ben Wynn, founder of GLAD Climate Club, and our guest on this episode of A Little Bit Radical. Ben tells host Rob Fawkes how he went from nearly impaling a famous protester on a sledgehammer stake (true story) to building a scalable climate movement that lets anyone contribute to greenhouse gas removal for the cost of a coffee. Along the way, we talk about why tree-planting isn’t enough, the real reason climate comms fail, and how enhanced rock weathering might just save us all. It’s hopeful, clever, and a little bit radical—just the way we like it. In this episode: * How a near-death encounter with Swampy (yes, the Swampy) made Ben rethink his career * Why construction was too slow for him—and climate change is way too urgent * How GLAD Climate Club lets anyone remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere * Enhanced rock weathering explained (yes, it’s a thing—and it’s amazing) * Why tree-planting won’t save us (and what might) * Why we need hope and inspiration, not fear and shame, to drive climate action * How your £1 a week actually works—and where the money goes * The cathedral mindset: building something that will outlive you * Why imitation is innovation (and how to copy creatively) Further Reading GLAD Climate Club [https://gladclimate.com/] – Start your £1-a-week climate action Enhanced Rock Weathering [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_weathering] – Go deep on Wikipedia John Harrison and the Longitude Prize [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Harrison] – Inspiration from Yorkshire’s original radical Connect With Ben * Ben Wynn on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benwynn/] Follow Rob on LinkedIn: Rob Fawkes [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-warren/] Sign up for the A Little Bit Radical newsletter: Subscribe here [https://share.hsforms.com/1wJzfsT5RR7melJbfDfpsLw4sran]

What if every job was part-time and flexible by default? Sounds radical, right? Well, that’s exactly what Nyree Ambarchian, Co-Founder of Jack & Grace, is making a reality. In this episode of A Little Bit Radical, host Rob Fawkes speaks with Nyree, who left a rigid, outdated workplace behind to build an agency that prioritises people, planet, and profit—in that order. From salary transparency to flipping the 9-5 norm on its head, Nyree shares how her team is rethinking work entirely. They also discuss how unwritten workplace rules (aka "microplastics" in our daily lives) shape our careers without us even noticing—and how we can unpick them to build something better. In this episode, we discuss: * The ‘microplastics’ of work: How unspoken rules shape our behaviour—and why we don’t question them enough. * How parenthood changed everything: Why becoming a mum made Nyree realise that the rules of work were the problem, not her. * Why all jobs at Jack & Grace are part-time by default: And why employees have to actively request full-time hours instead. * Salary transparency: Why Jack & Grace shares salary bands openly and how it challenges workplace inequalities. * Saying NO to bad clients: Why they only work with organisations that align with their values—and how they assess potential clients. * Convincing her husband, a police officer, to go part-time: Proof that flexible work can (and should) apply to all industries. Burying your pants in the ground?! The campaign that helped kids understand soil health in a hilarious way. Follow Nyree and Jack & Grace: * Nyree Ambarchian on LinkedIn: Nyree Ambarchian LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyreeambarchian/] * Jack & Grace on LinkedIn: Jack & Grace LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/jackandgrace/] Stay Connected with Rob and 'A Little Bit Radical': A Little Bit Radical Newsletter:⁠ Sign Up Here⁠ [https://share.hsforms.com/1wJzfsT5RR7melJbfDfpsLw4sran] Rob Fawkes on LinkedIn:⁠ Rob Fawkes LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-warren/]

How do we protect ourselves in a world where cyber threats are not just possible, but inevitable? In this episode of A Little Bit Radical, host Rob Fawkes speaks with Steve Durbin, CEO of the Information Security Forum (ISF), a global, not-for-profit organisation helping businesses manage cybersecurity risks. Steve shares his unconventional leadership journey, from growing up in Kenya and developing an instinct for questioning the status quo to leading one of the most influential cybersecurity organisations in the world. He talks about risk management, human behaviour in cybersecurity, and why you should aim to be the least attractive target for cybercriminals. 🔍 Cybersecurity is risk management: Why it’s about managing risk, not eliminating threats altogether.🌍 Growing up in Kenya: How experiencing different cultures shaped Steve’s approach to leadership.🤔 Trusting your gut in cybersecurity: Why instincts and intuition matter—even in a data-driven industry.🚨 Cybercrime-as-a-Service?! How criminals can buy hacking tools online, complete with 24/7 customer support.🛑 Making yourself ‘unattractive’ to hackers: Why being a boring, low-value target is actually the best cyber defence strategy.👥 The people factor: Why cybersecurity isn’t just a tech issue—human behaviour plays a bigger role than we think.📱 Steve’s radical idea: Put down your phone and actually experience the world instead of just documenting it. 🗣️ "Every time you go online, you're stepping into the Wild West. Be prepared."🗣️ "People think cybersecurity is about technology—it’s actually about people and behaviour."🗣️ "The best cybersecurity strategy? Be so unappealing that hackers move on to someone else." * Steve Durbin on LinkedIn:Steve Durbin LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevedurbin/] * Information Security Forum (ISF) Website:ISF Website [https://www.securityforum.org] * Rob Fawkes on LinkedIn:Rob Fawkes LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-warren/] In this episode, we discuss:Memorable Quotes:Follow Steve and the ISF:Stay Connected with Rob and 'A Little Bit Radical':A Little Bit Radical Newsletter:Sign Up Here [https://share.hsforms.com/1wJzfsT5RR7melJbfDfpsLw4sran]