Your Permission to Pause

S3 Ep 10: Why Financial Success Is 80% Mindset and 20% Strategy with Warren Shute

Why does money cause so much tension with others and within ourselves? Host Jo Cowlin is joined by highly experienced financial planner and NLP coach Warren Shute for an honest, relatable conversation about the emotional side of money. Forget strict budgets and financial guilt. This episode is full of laughter, real-life stories, and practical insights to help you get financially organised in a way that truly works for you. You’ll explore how money is less about numbers and more about beliefs, values, and behaviour and learn simple strategies you can actually stick to. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Warren Shute, a financial planner with 31 years of experience 03:15 Belief over strategy is key 10:05 Save 15%, automate finances, and simplify money management 14:50 Clarify personal definitions of financial security 21:02 Teaching kids life lessons about money 24:33 Finding financial balance and freedom 31:53 Consider financial decisions carefully 37:20 Women often claim they're not good with money, but they may be better investors and more process-focused than men 41:32 Seek reliable sources, avoid sensational media, and take action 43:09 Regular communication with clients and financial clarity 49:21 Organising financials, reviewing investments, and planning. MEET YOUR HOST JO COWLIN Jo Cowlin keeps it real. Some people might like to call her ‘a motivational people development expert’ but Jo would rather you didn’t. Jo is a no-nonsense, straight-talking northerner She is also a transformational coach, facilitator and game changer. She has a passion for results and is dedicated to helping leaders realise their aspirations without compromising their wellbeing. She dares individuals to be different by eliminating corporate BS, life coaching, and hand-holding, and instead encourages breaking through barriers to gain clarity and step into personal power for a life without limits. Resilience and a proactive approach to mental wellbeing is at the core of all of her work which is predominantly aimed at helping leaders and their teams refocus, regroup and rapidly adjust to change. With a background in pharmaceutical leadership and expertise across various sectors, she offers coaching and leadership programs tailored to individual and organisational needs. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT JO HERE: https://jocowlin.com/HTTPS://JOCOWLIN.COM/ [https://jocowlin.com/] CONNECT WITH JO: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jocowlin/https://www.instagram.com/jocowlin/ [https://www.instagram.com/jocowlin/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-cowlin/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-cowlin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-cowlin/] About Warren Shute MSc., CFP™ FPFS, Chartered FCSI: Warren Shute began his career in financial services in 1995 at just 21 years old. At the same time, he trained in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and coaching - combining technical expertise with a deep understanding of human behaviour. This unique blend has fuelled his passion for both his profession and helping people ever since. Today, Warren is a Certified and Chartered Financial Planner, a Master Practitioner and trainer of NLP, and a Certified Coach. He is also the Managing Director of Lexington Wealth Management, widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading financial planning firms. He is also a passionate advocate for financial education — teaching in schools and workplaces — with two lifelong missions: 1. To help 1 million people achieve financial freedom – freedom from the worries of money 2. To see financial education embedded in the UK school curriculum for every 17–18-year-old Connect with Warren: The Money Planner Podcast – https://open.spotify.com/show/3haBoeMrTJlO4QkAEVPMfu?si=e62e7089a0c349ff- [https://open.spotify.com/show/3haBoeMrTJlO4QkAEVPMfu?si=e62e7089a0c349ff-] The Finance Geeks - https://open.spotify.com/show/7Lr2aFmlJeqvFFkbefqk3P?si=43d0249b279147cb [https://open.spotify.com/show/7Lr2aFmlJeqvFFkbefqk3P?si=43d0249b279147cb] The Money Plan Book - https://amzn.eu/d/7IkVt0J [https://amzn.eu/d/7IkVt0J] Produced by winteraudio.co.uk [https://winteraudio.co.uk/]

S3 Ep 09: New Year, Neuroplasticity & The Dog Who Learnt to Open Doors

How many New Year’s resolutions have you made, only to see them fizzle out before February? In this uplifting episode, host Jo Cowlin offers a refreshing antidote to the traditional “New Year, New You” rhetoric. Instead of big, daunting goals, she delivers a story straight from her living room: a tale of her determined cockapoo Jack. A formerly forbidden door, and how pure persistence unlocked surprising lessons about growth, well-being, and our brains’ capacity to adapt at any age or stage. With humour, honesty, and practical inspiration, Jo connects the dots between neuroscience, motivation, and everyday barriers revealing why you’re never too “established,” “old,” or “set in your ways” to learn, pivot, or change. You’ll uncover the myth of being stuck, and learn how even small experiments, patience, and persistence are the real keys to transformation. Feeling skeptical or stuck this January? This episode is your permission slip to embrace small changes, celebrate progress, and rediscover your capacity not just in work, but in life. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Why big New Year speeches don’t work and what Jack the Cockapoo taught instead 01:22 The mystery of the opening door and the forbidden sofa 03:27 Jack’s door-opening breakthrough 06:08 Why “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is a myth 09:07 Neuroplasticity explained: Your brain can change at any age 11:10 How persistence, repetition, and small steps rewire your potential 13:21 The real barrier is the story you tell yourself 15:32 Six actionable steps to embrace growth (and how to identify your “door handle” goal) 18:52 Why repetition beats motivation every time 21:30 Celebrate the small wins and embrace discomfort 22:52 No one is a finished product, and you’re not too late for change MEET YOUR HOST JO COWLIN Jo Cowlin keeps it real. Some people might like to call her ‘a motivational people development expert’ but Jo would rather you didn’t. Jo is a no-nonsense, straight-talking northerner She is also a transformational coach, facilitator and game changer. She has a passion for results and is dedicated to helping leaders realise their aspirations without compromising their wellbeing. She dares individuals to be different by eliminating corporate BS, life coaching, and hand-holding, and instead encourages breaking through barriers to gain clarity and step into personal power for a life without limits. Resilience and a proactive approach to mental wellbeing is at the core of all of her work which is predominantly aimed at helping leaders and their teams refocus, regroup and rapidly adjust to change. With a background in pharmaceutical leadership and expertise across various sectors, she offers coaching and leadership programs tailored to individual and organisational needs. When Jo isn’t transforming company cultures, you’ll find her managing her 3 teenage girls’ busy social calendars. She’s a dab hand in the kitchen and true to form, loves to keep her food real. And if she isn’t doing either of those you will find her out in nature walking her dog or lifting a barbell in the gym. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT JO HERE: https://jocowlin.com/HTTPS://JOCOWLIN.COM/ [https://jocowlin.com/] CONNECT WITH JO: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jocowlin/https://www.instagram.com/jocowlin/ [https://www.instagram.com/jocowlin/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-cowlin/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-cowlin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-cowlin/] Produced by winteraudio.co.uk [https://winteraudio.co.uk/] If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share!

S3 Ep 08: The Meeting Overload Crisis: Why Your Calendar (and Your Team) Need a Break

Are meetings filling up your days but draining your energy? In this episode, host Jo Cowlin uncovers the uncomfortable truth about meeting overload in today’s workplace and why it’s undermining productivity, well-being, and business results. Drawing on research, lived experience, and her work with driven female leaders, Jo Cowlin breaks down the real (and hidden) costs of poor meeting culture, from burnout and disengagement to billions lost in ineffective practices. But it’s not all doom and gloom Jo shares practical, actionable steps to help leaders reclaim their time, recharge their teams, and turn meetings into energising, purposeful collaboration. If your calendar looks like an endless wall of meetings, this episode will help you rethink scheduling meetings, protect your most valuable focus time, and create a lasting culture of well-being and impact. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Meetings are wearing us down, but there’s hope 01:21 Back-to-back meetings are sabotaging goals 02:25 Meeting overload crisis: Research and lived experience 03:42  People spend 23 hours a week in meetings 05:18 The human cost, burnout, low energy, and disengagement 08:15 76% feel drained after a day of meetings and what that really means 09:18 People now do “actual work” after hours 09:29 How back-to-back meetings hurt productivity 11:03 Unproductive meetings cost UK businesses billions a year 11:55  Ripple effects: Delayed decisions, duplication, retention risk 13:28 Challenging the productivity myth 15:27 Rethinking meetings: They should recharge, not drain 16:20 Five actions to tackle meeting overload starting now  Actions you can take now: * Do a meeting audit: Does this meeting even matter? * Eliminate back-to-back meetings; build buffer time * Create meeting-free zones/focus days * Redesign meeting structure: clear purpose, pre-reads, accountability, energy checks MEET YOUR HOST JO COWLIN Jo Cowlin keeps it real. Some people might like to call her ‘a motivational people development expert’ but Jo would rather you didn’t. Jo is a no-nonsense, straight-talking northerner She is also a transformational coach, facilitator and game changer. She has a passion for results and is dedicated to helping leaders realise their aspirations without compromising their wellbeing. She dares individuals to be different by eliminating corporate BS, life coaching, and hand-holding, and instead encourages breaking through barriers to gain clarity and step into personal power for a life without limits. Resilience and a proactive approach to mental wellbeing is at the core of all of her work which is predominantly aimed at helping leaders and their teams refocus, regroup and rapidly adjust to change. With a background in pharmaceutical leadership and expertise across various sectors, she offers coaching and leadership programs tailored to individual and organisational needs. When Jo isn’t transforming company cultures, you’ll find her managing her 3 teenage girls’ busy social calendars. She’s a dab hand in the kitchen and true to form, loves to keep her food real. And if she isn’t doing either of those you will find her out in nature walking her dog or lifting a barbell in the gym. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT JO HERE: HTTPS://JOCOWLIN.COM/ [https://jocowlin.com/] CONNECT WITH JO: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jocowlin/ [https://www.instagram.com/jocowlin/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-cowlin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-cowlin/] Produced by winteraudio.co.uk [https://winteraudio.co.uk/] If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share!

S3 Ep 07: Designing Neuro-Inclusive Meetings that Work

Have you ever left a meeting wondering if you truly heard every voice? In this episode, host Jo Cowlin takes a fresh look at meetings, challenging us to rethink how they’re run and their impact on diversity and inclusion. Jo explores why traditional meeting formats often exclude certain cognitive styles and how this can undermine all those DE&I efforts we’re so proud of. Through relatable examples and actionable advice, she shines a light on the neuroscience behind participation and introduces practical strategies to make meetings more neuro inclusive. From integrating movement and allowing for different processing times to designing environments that support optimal thinking, Jo shares clear steps leaders can take to unlock the full potential of every team member. If you’re ready to transform how your organisation collaborates and harnesses the brilliance of every brain in the room, this episode is packed with insights and ideas to get you started.  Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Meeting formats often fail to include everyone's input  05:19 Over half your team may be excluded in meetings due to diverse cognitive styles 06:36 Psychological safety enables optimal brain function 09:59 Simplify meetings by sharing pre-reads, allowing 60 seconds of thinking time, and offering multiple contribution methods. 14:19 Prepare participants with specific questions beforehand  18:15 Encouraging small group discussions before large groups 19:46 A seven-minute exercise enhances group input 24:50 Intentional practices help transition people to a calm, responsive state  26:10 Engage using diverse information channels 34:29 Commit to unlocking cognitive diversity in meetings. MEET YOUR HOST JO COWLIN Jo Cowlin keeps it real. Some people might like to call her ‘a motivational people development expert’ but Jo would rather you didn’t. Jo is a no-nonsense, straight-talking northerner She is also a transformational coach, facilitator and game changer. She has a passion for results and is dedicated to helping leaders realise their aspirations without compromising their wellbeing. She dares individuals to be different by eliminating corporate BS, life coaching, and hand-holding, and instead encourages breaking through barriers to gain clarity and step into personal power for a life without limits. Resilience and a proactive approach to mental wellbeing is at the core of all of her work which is predominantly aimed at helping leaders and their teams refocus, regroup and rapidly adjust to change. With a background in pharmaceutical leadership and expertise across various sectors, she offers coaching and leadership programs tailored to individual and organisational needs. When Jo isn’t transforming company cultures, you’ll find her managing her 3 teenage girls’ busy social calendars. She’s a dab hand in the kitchen and true to form, loves to keep her food real. And if she isn’t doing either of those you will find her out in nature walking her dog or lifting a barbell in the gym. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT JO HERE: HTTPS://JOCOWLIN.COM/ [https://jocowlin.com/] CONNECT WITH JO: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jocowlin/ [https://www.instagram.com/jocowlin/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-cowlin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-cowlin/] Produced by winteraudio.co.uk [https://winteraudio.co.uk/] If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share!

S03 Ep 06: Death by Meetings: How to Take Control of Your Diary and Make Every Meeting Matter

Ever feel like your calendar is running you and meetings are draining the life (and creativity) out of your team? This week on Your Permission to Pause, Jo Cowlin gets real about tackling ‘death by meetings’ and shifting your workplace culture, so every meeting actually matters. You’ll dive into the science behind why bad meetings do more than waste time, they impact your team’s nervous system, energy, and ability to do great work. Expect actionable strategies to create meetings where people feel valued, psychological safety is prioritised, and connection trumps just ticking off agenda points. If you’re a leader who’s tired of endless video calls and wants their team to work smarter not harder, this episode delivers real steps you can use straight away. Here are the highlights:  00:00 Why your meeting culture is shaping your team more than you think  00:54 Too many meetings make your team feel exhausted, unproductive, and undervalued 02:03 The neuroscience of bad meetings (and why your brain holds back) 03:00 What happens when meetings dysregulate the nervous system  04:06 Five practical strategies for meetings that energise 10:43 How connection before content changes teamwork  12:24 Quick tactics for more inclusive, engaging meetings  13:36 Watch influence and ownership rise as meeting culture shifts  15:28 Audit your meetings and implement the 24-hour rule MEET YOUR HOST JO COWLIN Jo Cowlin keeps it real. Some people might like to call her ‘a motivational people development expert’ but Jo would rather you didn’t. Jo is a no-nonsense, straight-talking northerner She is also a transformational coach, facilitator and game changer. She has a passion for results and is dedicated to helping leaders realise their aspirations without compromising their wellbeing. She dares individuals to be different by eliminating corporate BS, life coaching, and hand-holding, and instead encourages breaking through barriers to gain clarity and step into personal power for a life without limits. Resilience and a proactive approach to mental wellbeing is at the core of all of her work which is predominantly aimed at helping leaders and their teams refocus, regroup and rapidly adjust to change. With a background in pharmaceutical leadership and expertise across various sectors, she offers coaching and leadership programs tailored to individual and organisational needs. When Jo isn’t transforming company cultures, you’ll find her managing her 3 teenage girls’ busy social calendars. She’s a dab hand in the kitchen and true to form, loves to keep her food real. And if she isn’t doing either of those you will find her out in nature walking her dog or lifting a barbell in the gym. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT JO HERE: HTTPS://JOCOWLIN.COM/ [https://jocowlin.com/] CONNECT WITH JO: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jocowlin/ [https://www.instagram.com/jocowlin/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-cowlin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-cowlin/] Produced by winteraudio.co.uk [https://winteraudio.co.uk/] If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share! Your feedback helps us grow and bring you more uplifting content throughout autumn and beyond.