Geordie Pride: Voices from the North East

Sophie Milliken MBE: From Longbenton to Windsor Castle

In this week's episode of Geordie Pride: Voices from the North East, we're joined by Sophie Milliken MBE, and it feels like the perfect conversation to close out what's been a brilliant Season 3. Sophie wears many hats. She's the founder and CEO of Moja Group, a personal branding agency based in Newcastle, chairs Smart Works North East, co-founded City Ladies Networking, and sits on the North East Combined Authority Business and Economy Board. From starting her career at John Lewis and commuting to London, to building and selling a successful business, starting again, and creating opportunities right here in the North East, Sophie opens up about the realities of ambition, money, independence and confidence, and why community and networking can make all the difference. We chat about: ✨ Wearing lots of hats - and making it all work 💼 Building businesses, selling up, and starting again 🤝 Why your network really matters (and how to find your people) 💷 Money, independence and the freedom it brings 👗 The life-changing work of Smart Works North East 🏰 The full story behind Sophie's MBE - from the unexpected email to Windsor Castle This episode is a powerful reminder of what's possible when you back yourself, work hard, and surround yourself with the right people. A fitting final episode to round off Season 3 of Geordie Pride. 🎧 About Sophie Milliken MBE Sophie Milliken MBE is the founder and CEO of Moja Group, where she helps entrepreneurs and executives raise their profiles and become recognised authorities in their industries. A multi award-winning businesswoman, proud mum, and passionate advocate for the North East, Sophie is the co-founder of City Ladies Networking, hosting events in Newcastle, London and Paris. She also chairs Smart Works Newcastle, where she has doubled the number of unemployed women supported with interview coaching and clothing, and is a Founding Ambassador for Every Child Needs a Mentor. Sophie serves on the North East Combined Authority Business and Economy Board and is a Non-Executive Director at the North East Business and Innovation Centre. She hosts the hit podcast Beyond the Bio, and her third book, From Unknown to Unforgettable is out now. She was awarded an MBE in 2023 for services to business and education. 🌐 Connect with Sophie 📘 Sophie's new book: https://rb.gy/bqq137 [https://rb.gy/bqq137] 🎤 TEDx Talk – The Truth Behind The Showreel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woZ_d3WTtR4 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woZ_d3WTtR4] 💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-milliken [http://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-milliken] 🐦 X / Twitter: https://x.com/Moja_Sophie [https://x.com/Moja_Sophie] 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moja_sophie/ [https://www.instagram.com/moja_sophie/] 🌍 Websites: https://thisismoja.com [https://thisismoja.com/] https://www.sophiemilliken.co.uk [https://www.sophiemilliken.co.uk/] 🌍 More from Geordie Pride: 🎧 Website: www.geordiepride.co.uk [https://www.geordiepride.co.uk/] 📺 YouTube: Geordie Pride Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwqLKLmpFMu6E1lmVzcY2YA] 📸 Instagram: @geordiepride [https://www.instagram.com/geordiepride/] 💌 Apply to be a guest or sponsor an episode: geordiepride.co.uk/apply [https://www.geordiepride.co.uk/apply] 📮 Want a shoutout? Tell us what you love about the North East: geordiepridepod@gmail.com [geordiepridepod@gmail.com]

Jackson Payne & Jack Newsworthy: Best Mates with Big Music Dreams

In this week's episode of Geordie Pride: Voices from the North East, we're joined by Jackson Payne (from Season 2) and he's brought along his best mate Jack Newsworthy too! If you want to listen to Jacksons episode from Season 2, check it out here: bit.ly/gpjackson [https://bit.ly/gpjackson] The lads have been friends since primary school, bonding over music from a young age, and it's clear from the off just how naturally they work together. From sharing headphones in PE to writing and rehearsing songs together, their friendship and shared love of music runs right through this chat. We talk about: 🎶 Growing up in the North East and finding your people through music 🎹 Teaching yourself piano, learning by ear and playing multiple instruments 🎤 What it's really like performing while your voice is changing 🎸 Influences like Queen, Sam Fender, Michael Jackson and classic 80s music 🏟️ Big dreams of touring, playing gigs across the region and one day getting close to St James' Park 🥐 And of course… Greggs orders and Dec vs Ant! This episode was recorded just before Christmas - and just days after Sunderland beat Newcastle - so you might hear a couple of cheeky football nods along the way too! This episode is a brilliant reminder of the incredible young musicians coming through our region. 🎶 Connect with the lads: 📸 Jackson Payne Instagram & Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/jacksonpayne_music/ [https://www.instagram.com/jacksonpayne_music/] https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574020501551 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574020501551] 📸 Jack Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nezza.music/ [https://www.instagram.com/nezza.music/] 🌍 More from Geordie Pride: 🎧 Website: www.geordiepride.co.uk [https://www.geordiepride.co.uk/] 📺 YouTube: Geordie Pride Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwqLKLmpFMu6E1lmVzcY2YA] 📸 Instagram: @geordiepride [https://www.instagram.com/geordiepride/] 💌 Apply to be a guest or sponsor an episode: geordiepride.co.uk/apply [https://www.geordiepride.co.uk/apply] 📮 Want a shoutout? Tell us what you love about the North East: geordiepridepod@gmail.com [geordiepridepod@gmail.com]

Nicola Farndell: Redundancy, Rock Bottom & Midlife Reinvention

In this week's episode of Geordie Pride: Voices from the North East, we're chatting with Nicola Farndell - a women's health and menopause coach who has rebuilt her life from the ground up after years of anxiety, burnout and big life changes. Nicola shares her powerful story of going from decades of panic attacks, hiding her struggles at work, and feeling completely disconnected from herself… to finding confidence, purpose and a new career supporting women through midlife, health and menopause. After being made redundant from Nike during the pandemic, Nicola reached a huge crossroads. Instead of going back to the life that was draining her, she chose to transform it - and now helps women understand their bodies, their hormones and their habits so they can feel strong, calm and in control again. We chat about: 🔥 How panic attacks shaped her life for over 20 years 💼 Working at Nike while hiding her anxiety from everyone around her ⚡ Redundancy, reinvention and rebuilding her self-worth 💛 Why women hit a "midlife crossroads" and why it can actually be a turning point 🧠 The difference between confidence and self-worth (and why that distinction matters) 🧯 Why so many women are 'firefighting' through life instead of feeling in control 🌙 How menopause impacts identity, relationships and everyday life — far beyond symptoms ✨ How tiny habits, mindset work and self-awareness can create real long-term change It's honest, emotional, inspiring, and full of the kind of real talk that so many women need to hear - especially at midlife. 🎧 About Nicola Farndell Nicola Farndell is a women's health and menopause specialist, keynote speaker, and founder of Life Now Coaching. After two decades in senior leadership at Nike, Nicola hit burnout, anxiety, and perimenopause head-on - and turned that experience into a mission: to help midlife women reclaim their energy, confidence, and wellbeing with clarity and compassion. Through her RESET method - built on mindset, movement, nutrition, sleep, and stress - Nicola helps high-achieving women ditch the surface fixes and create habits that genuinely last. She also works with organisations across sport, law, and finance to make menopause and women's health a cultural priority, not a tick-box exercise. Whether she's on stage, on a podcast, or coaching 1:1, Nicola brings a grounded, real-world approach to health that helps women feel strong, focused, and empowered - not just in midlife, but for life. Connect with Nicola 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifenow_coaching/ [https://www.instagram.com/lifenow_coaching/] 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolafarndell/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolafarndell/] 🎧 Podcast – Women's Health Unwrapped: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/womenshealthunwrapped [https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/womenshealthunwrapped] 🧭 The Midlife Reset Quiz: https://nicola-w4qugfu9.scoreapp.com [https://nicola-w4qugfu9.scoreapp.com/] 📚 Book Mentioned – Worthy by Jamie Kern Lima: https://amzn.eu/d/gf5xpS5 [https://amzn.eu/d/gf5xpS5] 🌍 More from Geordie Pride: 🎧 Website: www.geordiepride.co.uk [https://www.geordiepride.co.uk/] 📺 YouTube: Geordie Pride Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwqLKLmpFMu6E1lmVzcY2YA] 📸 Instagram: @geordiepride [https://www.instagram.com/geordiepride/] 💌 Apply to be a guest or sponsor an episode: geordiepride.co.uk/apply [https://www.geordiepride.co.uk/apply] 📮 Want a shoutout? Tell us what you love about the North East: geordiepridepod@gmail.com [geordiepridepod@gmail.com]

Amelia Coburn: From Teesside to the Albert Hall and Collaborating with Paul Weller

In this week's episode, we sit down with Teesside's own Amelia Coburn – a singer-songwriter whose blend of folk, storytelling and a slightly gothic twist has been winning over audiences across the UK (and catching the attention of some very big names). From Middlesbrough youth theatre to Paris, Mexico and Russia… from a £20 ukulele to a Royal Albert Hall headline show… Amelia's journey is one of graft, heart, and a lot of creative courage. She talks openly about the realities of life as an independent artist, the nerves that never quite go away, and the surreal moment Paul Weller messaged her asking to collaborate. We chat about: 🎼 Growing up in Middlesbrough and discovering music in the most unexpected ways 🌍 Her year abroad in Paris, Mexico and Russia - and how each place shaped her creativity 🎸 Teaching herself ukulele at 15 and accidentally turning it into a career ✍️ Why songwriting feels like "the closest thing to magic" 🎤 The gigs that shaped her - from tiny pub gigs to huge festival tents 🎬 The chaotic, hilarious making of the Something Wild video - including a giant cake and a wolf mask ⭐ What it was really like collaborating with Paul Weller 💬 How the North East music scene lifts its own and why she chooses to stay rooted here 🎧 About Amelia Coburn Weaving together the literate lyrical approach of Scott Walker with the melodic genius of Paul McCartney, Amelia Coburn has a knack for making the unusual sound timeless. Drawing inspiration from gothic literature and the shadowy allure of film noir, there is a darkness at the heart of many of her songs, populated by vivid characters and nocturnal creatures that inhabit the liminal space "between the moon and the milkman". This is artfully counterbalanced, like the chiaroscuro of an old master, by Amelia's down-to-earth charm and wicked sense of humour. Produced by Bill Ryder-Jones (founding member of The Coral), her 2024 debut album Between the Moon and the Milkman has already gained a cult following, including praise from British music legends Paul Weller - chosen as one of his albums of the year for MOJO - and Paul Heaton, as well as national radio play in the UK and Ireland (BBC Radio 2, 3, 4, 5, 6Music, Scotland and Ulster). The album reached number 7 on the Official UK Independent Album Breakers chart and spent 3 consecutive months on the Official Folk Top 40. Multiple end-of-year lists have praised Amelia, as the likes of Shindig! Magazine, CLASH, Line of Best Fit, Drowned In Sound, RnR and Far Out Magazine have been incredibly vocal in their support for her. Previous support slots include the likes of The Levellers, Katherine Priddy, Hamish Hawk and Stornoway, as well as her first ever American shows at SXSW earlier this year. And plenty more to come! 🌐 Connect with Amelia Coburn 🎵 Listen / Tour Dates / Mailing List: www.ameliacoburn.co.uk [https://www.ameliacoburn.co.uk] 📸 Instagram: www.instagram.com/ameliacoburn [https://www.instagram.com/ameliacoburn] 🎬 Watch "Something Wild": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMGAGJCL7lg [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMGAGJCL7lg] 🌍 More from Geordie Pride: 🎧 Website: www.geordiepride.co.uk [https://www.geordiepride.co.uk] 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GeordiePride [https://www.youtube.com/@GeordiePride] 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geordiepride/ [https://www.instagram.com/geordiepride/] 💌 Apply to be a guest or sponsor an episode: geordiepride.co.uk/apply [https://www.geordiepride.co.uk/apply] 📮 Want a shoutout? Tell us what you love about the North East: geordiepridepod@gmail.com

Anthony Young: Loft Conversions by Day, Pink Lane Bakery by Choice, Happy Endings Optional

In this week's episode of Geordie Pride: Voices from the North East, we chat with Anthony Young – a stand-up comedian who's been making audiences laugh for over 13 years. From call centres and comedy clubs to loft conversions and life lessons, Anthony's story is full of wit, warmth and honesty. He opens up about how he first got into stand-up during one of the darkest times in his life - and how laughter became his way of finding hope again. We chat about: 😂 How comedy helped him through grief, anxiety and tough times 🏠 Loft conversions, Pink Lane Bakery and life back home with his mam 🎤 Gigging alongside comedy greats like Kevin Bridges, Sarah Millican and Chris Ramsey 💀 Why dark humour runs deep in the North East (and why that's a good thing!) 🚫 Plus, plenty of hilarious moments you probably shouldn't play in front of the kids! This one's full of laughter, real talk, and that one-of-a-kind North East spirit that finds humour in even the hardest moments. 🎭 About Anthony Young Anthony Young is a North East comedian who's been performing stand-up for over 13 years, sharing stages with some of the UK's biggest comedy names including Kevin Bridges, Carl Hutchinson, Sarah Millican and Chris Ramsey. Known for his quick wit, dark humour and relatable stories about family life, Anthony has become a favourite on the Northern comedy circuit. When he's not on stage, he's grafting on loft conversions - and sharing the kind of down-to-earth humour that only a Geordie could deliver. 🌐 Connect with Anthony Young 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthyoung83/ [https://www.instagram.com/anthyoung83/] 🌍 More from Geordie Pride: 🎧 Website: www.geordiepride.co.uk [https://www.geordiepride.co.uk/] 📺 YouTube: Geordie Pride Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwqLKLmpFMu6E1lmVzcY2YA] 📸 Instagram: @geordiepride [https://www.instagram.com/geordiepride/] 💌 Apply to be a guest or sponsor an episode: geordiepride.co.uk/apply [https://www.geordiepride.co.uk/apply] 📮 Want a shoutout? Tell us what you love about the North East: geordiepridepod@gmail.com [geordiepridepod@gmail.com]