The Possibility Club

Practical Bravery: TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP!

Practical Bravery: TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP! What can we learn from medical practice about resilience, purpose and communication that can support every line of work? If all professionals had an opportunity to reflect deeply on what matters to them before leaping into the next job, how much more likely would productivity, adaptability, and success (whatever that means) be? How can we challenge the conventional metrics of success and emphasise the importance of aligning our careers with personal values and well-being?   Our guest has delivered babies in war zones with Médecins Sans Frontières and shaped global health policies with the UN. But a big leap came in 2016 when she founded a coaching and consulting practice, working with some of the worl'd highest achievers and game-changers to redefine their paths to fulfillment. This is The Possibility Club, and our special guest is author, doctor, coach, academic, Dr Amina Aitsi-Selmi .   --- “Public health is always trying to link up between political decision-making and making a difference to people in daily life. That is the science and art of public health.”   Dr Amina Aitsi-Selmi via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctoramina/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctoramina/]   “I was advised that it’s good to get clinical experience before going into policy or research, so people would give you respect and treat you as a ‘proper’ doctor.”   “These public health policy decisions aren’t just scientific.”   Dr Amina Aitsi-Selmi via Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iamdoctoramina/?hl=en-gb [https://www.instagram.com/iamdoctoramina/?hl=en-gb]   Dr Amina Aitsi-Selmi’s page via University College London https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/9680-amina-aitsiselmi [https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/9680-amina-aitsiselmi]   “It’s not so much about ‘understanding’ as it is about creating a sense of safety in society, through social safety nets, having political dialogue that’s wise and sensible, not polemical and inflammatory, and having media that actually informs and helps people think sensibly, not in a polarised way.”   "There’s so much stress, fear and anxiety, that survival mechanisms which narrow attention and focus take over.”   “Even the idea of flying around talking about climate change started to grate. It didn’t make sense.”   “Sometimes you wonder how you suspend disbelief and just do things.”   Doctor Amina website https://www.doctoramina.com/ [https://www.doctoramina.com/]   "A crisis is an opportunity to dig deeper, to start to question: what’s the model I’ve followed so far, what is true for me now?”   “We need more leaders who are self-aware. It’s not just the leaders; the whole ecosystem needs to evolve."   “There’s a sense that we’re being hijacked, and that’s not helpful for our development.”   “A lot of people seem to resign when they work with me! They apply for a new job, or they’re offered a new job.”   Dr Amina Aitsi-Selmi’s book The Success Trap via Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Success-Trap-Good-People-Break/dp/1789665647/ [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Success-Trap-Good-People-Break/dp/1789665647/]     ------   This episode was recorded in April 2024 Interviewer: Richard Freeman for always possible Editor: CJ Thorpe-Tracey for Lo Fi Arts   For more visit www.alwayspossible.co.uk

Practical Bravery - HAPPY FOOD!

The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - HAPPY FOOD! In this episode, we’ll explore the evolving dynamics of the restaurant industry, particularly in the face of economic challenges and shifting consumer behaviours. We’ll discuss the importance of maintaining cultural authenticity in cuisine and how chefs can use their platforms to educate and inspire. Sustainability is a key theme, with a focus on locally sourced ingredients and environmental compatibility, reflecting a broader movement towards more responsible and ethical food practices. And on a personal level, how does someone transition from a stable corporate career to the uncertainty of the culinary world? What are the keys to creating a successful food business in today’s economic climate? And how can a chef balance tradition with innovation to create a unique and compelling food story? This is The Possibility Club, and our special guest is MasterChef 2023 Finalist, Anurag Aggarwal.   --- “I chose finance as my career. I was on a typical life path, wanted to make a living, raise a family. On paper I was doing great, all my boxes were checked. Then that thought started coming into my mind: what next? Something was missing. I can’t do this for the rest of my life.”   "Covid gave me a deeper insight that what we consider secure and permanent is nothing like that. Somebody sneezes on me and I could be gone in two weeks time. So that realisation gave me courage: I want to do something to follow my passion, which is cooking. So I need to do something about it."   Anurag’s biryani pie video, via the Masterchef Facebook https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1540693743124303 [https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1540693743124303]   “Masterchef was the best experience of my life so far. It’s not about being on television, to me food is much more than just ingredients, dishes or cuisine. To be able to be on that presitigious platform, to express myself through my cooking, that was very honouring. It was a brilliant experience.”   “Masterchef gave me the inner conviction that yes, I’m on the right path.”   BBC Masterchef UK https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006t1k5 [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006t1k5]   “They asked me bluntly off camera why I was diversifying into western food. Because I wanted to showcase I could do everything, other than just Indian food. They said you don’t have to. We are not judging if you are a master of all cuisines, we just want to see your original flare, your passion for food. So if you feel passionate, feel love about Indian cuisine, stick to that. That gave me a lot of conviction.”      Anurag Food Story website https://anuragfoodstory.co.uk/ [https://anuragfoodstory.co.uk/]   “The food aspect is at the core. But the rest is more like any other business, it’s just managing the operations, managing the process.”   "There’s no fixed formula, there’s no right or wrong but it’s important that you create a product that is desirable — but more important in a restaurant, service has to be top notch. If you don’t invest that time and money for your front-of-house staff, your product is of no use.”   “Keep it small! It will evolve over some time.”   “One thing is for sure, the current model will massively change.”   “Restaurants for the time being I’m putting on hold, but I’m working on a project to open up food productions commercial units, to cater to businesses for their food needs.”   Anurag Food Story via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/anuragfoodstory/ [https://www.facebook.com/anuragfoodstory/]   Instagram — @AnuragFoodStory https://www.instagram.com/anuragfoodstory/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/anuragfoodstory/?hl=en]   Anurag Aggarwal via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuragfoodstory/?originalSubdomain=uk [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuragfoodstory/?originalSubdomain=uk]   "Especially in hospitality, one of the biggest reasons of failure is people who are passionate about food start businesses. They have a huge command of the food but they forget that food is one product in the business, they should focus on the commercial aspect of the business."   “They should focus on the process. Always think about, what is my process? Think of your business as a process so you can objectively answer those questions.”   "One thing I’m a little concerned about, sometimes we give our priority to all these modern techniques and forget what was the point of food itself. You don’t want to forgo the nostalgia and the real stories behind food.”      ------   This episode was recorded in April 2024 Interviewer: Richard Freeman for always possible Editor: CJ Thorpe-Tracey for Lo Fi Arts   For more visit www.alwayspossible.co.uk

Practical Bravery - RADICAL WATER!

The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - RADICAL WATER!   How can innovative partnerships transform global health initiatives? What role does transparency play in building trust and driving impact in charitable organisations? This episode delves into these questions through the lens of global organisation, charity: water. charity: water, has revolutionised how charities operate and engage with donors. The organisation operates on a 100% model, where all public donations go directly to funding clean water projects, while private donors cover operational costs. This model ensures that every contribution has a direct impact, fostering greater trust and engagement from donors We ask why, and how this affects the world of fundraising and accountability. This is The Possibility Club, and our special guest is Director of charity:water UK, Hannah Bellamy.   --- Hannah’s page on the Business Charity Awards website https://www.businesscharityawards.com/hannah-bellamy [https://www.businesscharityawards.com/hannah-bellamy]   Hannah Bellamy via LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/hannahbellamy/ [https://linkedin.com/in/hannahbellamy/]   Costa Foundation board and team page https://www.costafoundation.com/our-team/ [https://www.costafoundation.com/our-team/]   United Way books / education charity https://www.unitedway.org/ [https://www.unitedway.org/]   “Growing up in the 1990s we thought about businesses like The Body Shop for example, but they were outliers. We didn’t necessarily think about other businesses and how they behaved. So it was a whole new world to me, and that’s how I got into the charity sector.”   charity: water  https://www.charitywater.org/ [https://www.charitywater.org/]   “We’ve always had this different model where 100% of funds raised on our website, anyone who gives me £10, whatever it is, that will all be spent within the countries where we’re working, and then we will prove that work.”   “We put every single project on our website, you can see them, and that holds us to account.”   “charity: water  founder Scott Harrison was a nightclub promoter for ten years in New York. Lots of drink, drugs, probably a lot of fun but started to be much less fun over time. He decided to give that up and volunteer. Eventually found himself on a hospital ship in Liberia.”   Scott Harrison via Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Harrison_(charity_founder) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Harrison_(charity_founder)]   “He realised that so many people were coming to emergency hospital with illnesses or other types of situations that came from not having any water where they were living.”   “He was talking to people who traditionally don’t give to charity. He jokes that he was talking to his drug dealer about giving and he said, well I don’t trust charities. So people who perhaps had never trusted or supported charities. He said, I guarantee you, give me your money and one hundred percent will be invested in the project and I will show you.”   “It seems huge, it is huge, it’s a massive problem but we are making progress. We do know how to fix it — and we can.”   “It’s one of the few problems in the world that we can all agree on. So we can look at it and say at the extremes, everyone still agrees that every human should have access to clean and safe drinking water.”   “If I’m fundraising, I know I’m not fundraising for my salary. It makes it more comfortable. The difficulty is, it’s really hard to scale.”   Hannah’s TEDx Winchester talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca0PspF85QM [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca0PspF85QM]   "Climate change is actually all about water. It’s a drought, it’s a flood, it’s too much, it’s too little.”   UN Sustainable Development goals https://sdgs.un.org/goals [https://sdgs.un.org/goals]   “It impacts women and girls: when a home and a family don’t have clean water, the people having to go and collect water, usually from a dirty source and having to walk a long distance, it’s the women and girls.”   "If people want to make their maximum impact, what does that look like?”   ------   This episode was recorded in April 2024 Interviewer: Richard Freeman for always possible Editor: CJ Thorpe-Tracey for Lo Fi Arts   For more visit www.alwayspossible.co.uk

Practical Bravery - CUTTING EDGES!

The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - CUTTING EDGES!   In this episode we dive into the textured world of style AND substance, where creativity meets a profound sense of purpose. How do our expressions of style reflect broader cultural, economic, and personal shifts? How does the aesthetic we choose broadcast our identities and our values to the world? This episode takes us on a journey through the life and legacy of a creative industries pioneer who’s been shaping the public personas of icons across the globe with nothing but a pair of scissors and a flair for transformation. From working class boy with a Bowie obssession to the style sculptor of Princess Diana, Lady Gaga, Kate Moss at their most iconic. What does social mobility look like at the very top of high fashion? And what is it like to move from creating the faces behind brands, to becoming one yourself? This is The Possibility Club, and our special guest is the hairdresser's hairdresser, Sam McKnight MBE.   ---   One of the most important image makers of the late 20th and early 21st century — New York Times on Sam McKnight   “What I know is, people want their hair to look good. Having your hair looking good is an incredible mood booster. It’s a simple, relatively inexpensive way of making yourself feel better.”       Hair By Sam McKnight website https://sammcknight.com/ [https://sammcknight.com/]   “We said from the beginning we want to bring some joy into the hair care world, which we have done. And I get lots of joy from that in return.”   Sam McKnight via Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_McKnight [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_McKnight]   “That generation of the sixties is when social mobility became possible, really.”   Sam McKnight via Gagapedia (the Lady Gaga wiki) https://ladygaga.fandom.com/wiki/Sam_McKnight [https://ladygaga.fandom.com/wiki/Sam_McKnight]   Sam McKnight on X and Instagram — @sammcknight1   “When David Bowie exploded in colour, that was the start of it for me.”   David Bowie on Top Of The Pops, 1972, via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOKWF3IHu0I [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOKWF3IHu0I]   “My friends had a hairdressing salon. I took a Saturday job there and then very quickly I’d left teacher training college and started training as a hairdresser. I didn’t want to be a teacher.”   “I’ve always taken risks and that goes back to being a teenager. I like to think that I’ve carried that through to my sixties. I’ve always been a risk taker.”   David Bailey, photographer, via Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bailey [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bailey]   Twiggy (Dame Leslie Lawson), via Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twiggy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twiggy]   “It was pretty brave, to leave a secure job in the salon in Molton Brown, the best salon in London — before it was hand-wash it was the top London salon, in South Bolton Street — it was the shit, it was the place to be, and I left that in 1980 to be by myself, doing this thing called ‘photo shoots’ and two years later I was in New York working for American Vogue.”   Vogue (UK site) https://www.vogue.co.uk/ [https://www.vogue.co.uk/]   Molton Brown via Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molton_Brown [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molton_Brown]   “There are much more opportunities now but there are much more people going after those opportunities.”   "There needs to be a revaluation put on the values of what we bring. You have to train for years to be a good hairdresser. You can’t just turn up with a hairdryer.”   ‘Hair by Sam McKnight’ 2016 retrospective exhibition at Somerset House https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/hair-sam-mcknight [https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/hair-sam-mcknight]   “The exhibition gave me power in myself that I hadn’t really tapped into before. To see it all in front of me, all the people I’d met.”   “The creative industries are very attached to emotions. Not only does music, fashion and beauty bring in billions to this country, which is not recognised properly, but they reach people’s emotions. Your music, your makeup, your clothes, it sparks people’s emotions. When you’re working with people on a photoshoot, you’re touching them.”   “Usually I’m meeting people when they’re very young and forming themselves. You build very, very strong bonds with people and there’s a huge emotion attached to it. It’s a very special relationship.”   Kate Moss via Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Moss [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Moss]   "She doesn’t turn out of bed as ‘Kate Moss’ at six o’clock in the morning, there’s a whole process of becoming Kate Moss, becoming Princess Di, becoming Lady Gaga.”   Hair By Sam McKnight — the book, via Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hair-Sam-Mcknight-Tim-Blanks/dp/0847848787/ref=sr_1_2?crid=Q5S1J0SQNBVU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.p64JyGeSiexU74ORtn6pFf43Ch-AXpRYp6oSR1gyDQ8.ec_4zM0pkuyQY8U4zh6-4lHtVdu1obiSrk2i8BTHkqY&dib_tag=se&keywords=sam+mcknight+book&qid=1715868587&sprefix=sam+mcknight+book%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-2 [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hair-Sam-Mcknight-Tim-Blanks/dp/0847848787/ref=sr_1_2?crid=Q5S1J0SQNBVU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.p64JyGeSiexU74ORtn6pFf43Ch-AXpRYp6oSR1gyDQ8.ec_4zM0pkuyQY8U4zh6-4lHtVdu1obiSrk2i8BTHkqY&dib_tag=se&keywords=sam+mcknight+book&qid=1715868587&sprefix=sam+mcknight+book%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-2]   “I listened to Coldplay on the radio a couple of years ago now, it was touted as the first sustainable tour and Chris Martin was amazing, he was saying, look we’re a fifty piece troupe that’s going on big jets all over America, we’re not sustainable. But we are thinking about it, and we’re doing everything we can in the small ways to have less of a footprint. And I thought, that is really inspiring because it’s hard!”   “Now this is where the Internet is really incredible and positive, is people doing their own hair and posting the videos. There was a couple of decades when kids weren’t really doing much with their hair — and that’s completely and utterly changed. And I find that really inspiring, I love that the Internet has made that possible.”   "I’m a great collaborator but in the end it’s instinctive as well and I need to be happy with it.”   “I don’t really have to please anyone but myself.”   ------   This episode was recorded in March 2024 Interviewer: Richard Freeman for always possible Editor: CJ Thorpe-Tracey for Lo Fi Arts   For more visit www.alwayspossible.co.uk

Practical Bravery - CONSCIOUS CO-WORKING!

The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - CONSCIOUS CO-WORKING!   In this episode we explore the transformative world of co-working spaces and the burgeoning professional communities they foster. As the traditional office evolves and the allure of flexible work arrangements grows, the importance of spaces that inspire, include, and innovate becomes increasingly clear. Our guest is leading an initiative with established roots in Brighton and plans for nationwide expansion, where workspaces not only meet modern needs but also cultivate communities grounded in equity and sustainability. But what broader impact do these spaces hold for local economies and social dynamics? Can the environments we work in become the epicenters of innovation and social change, fostering a new kind of urban and community life? Are fancy co-working spaces just a modern trend, or do they represent the foundational elements of future cities where collaboration is at the core? I'm Richard Freeman, this is The Possibility Club, and my special guest this episode is Director at Projects, Alex Young.   --- Alex Young via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-young-74431a135/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-young-74431a135/?originalSubdomain=uk]   “I don’t think using the term ‘revolution’ is incorrect, when it comes to the power that co-working has for the future of business.”   “I love to disagree! I love to argue!”   Projects website https://www.projectsclub.co.uk/ [https://www.projectsclub.co.uk/]   "You can’t expect an amazing community to form naturally. You’re much better off investing in establishing a community while you are setting up a space, and ideally before.”   “Founding members really make a space. You can have a huge impact if you hand-pick a few key people that are going to join you once your space is open.”   “We don’t just sell workspaces. Because if that’s what we did, we’d do that a lot better and we’d make a lot more money, but that’s not why we’re here.”   “We need diverse people in our spaces. We need to problem-solve together and to do that you can’t just have people who think the same way, look the same, have the same kind of lived experience.”   “I know ‘diversity and inclusion’ are buzz words, they get used way too much, for us we’re creating community spaces, not just selling office space.”   Projects — the team https://www.projectsclub.co.uk/the-team [https://www.projectsclub.co.uk/the-team]   “We are not just running beautiful buildings, we are helping individuals that come into our space every day feel more support, feel welcome, and ensuring that they’re able to show up as their best selves, do their best work.”   “I’ve been back working at Projects for a year and I feel like I’m home again.”   “I’m very nosy, I go to co-working spaces all over the world.”   Ethos Property Management https://ethosproperty.com/ [https://ethosproperty.com/]   B Corp certification https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/certification/ [https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/certification/]   “Everybody talks about how hard becoming a B-Corp is. I don’t find it hard. It requires a lot of hours, policy changes, data gathering, you have to literally change the legal wording of what your business exists to do. Okay, it’s not straightforward, but it’s not hard. For us we were doing all these things anyway.”   Coworkies https://www.coworkies.com/ [https://www.coworkies.com/]    Together Co https://togetherco.org.uk/ [https://togetherco.org.uk/]   “We’ve seen the issues that come about if people don’t come into work, and I’m not just talking financially. It’s really bad for your health. We need to be around other people.”   “When people show up every day and feel that they can contribute to their work in their best way, that’s going to make a huge impact, not just on their friends, family but their employers as well.”   Alex’s page on Favourite Positions podcast https://www.favouritepositions.com/meet-alex [https://www.favouritepositions.com/meet-alex]   Imperial College Business School MBA https://www.imperial.ac.uk/business-school/mba/ [https://www.imperial.ac.uk/business-school/mba/]     ------   This episode was recorded in March 2024 Interviewer: Richard Freeman for always possible Editor: CJ Thorpe-Tracey for Lo Fi Arts   For more visit www.alwayspossible.co.uk