Validating Vulnerable Voices

Mark Twentyman: “The pressure of not wanting to let anyone down is what makes or breaks you; it still weighs heavy.”

The last episode of series 1 from the Validating Vulnerable Voices podcast features, Mark Twentyman, Co-founder and Director of Office Tech Suite. They provide technology solutions to companies across the Southwest. In this episode, Mark talks at length around the perception versus reality with coming from a privileged background and having a well-known name and the challenges that he's faced over the years. Most importantly, Mark talks about coping mechanisms and the positive changes that he's made to his life in order to ensure that he flourishes both personally and professionally. Episode 6 of the Validating Vulnerable Voices podcast is a great one, and definitely worth a listen.

Darren Ryemill: “Sometimes you fail, sometimes you get it wrong, sometimes things become complicated; it’s usually the chips on your shoulder that propel you forward.”

Episode 5 of the Validating Vulnerable Voices podcast features Darren Ryemill; best known as the founder of Opus Talent Solutions, a £100+ million turnover recruitment business. Darren Ryemill is an entrepreneur, turned investor, with a total of six exits across the recruitment and technology industries. Having won many major awards, including being named The Sunday Times Best Leader two years running as part of their "Best Places to Work" Awards, Darren now primarily focuses on backing other entrepreneurs to fulfil their ambitions with both financial and advisory support. He is particularly interested in helping businesses that are "doing good things" for people and the planet, as well as just trying to "have fun". He is currently working on Hapstar - a Wellness App that uses Data Analytics to measure and improve the metric of "Happiness" - giving businesses a unique insight into their employees, ultimately improving performance, talent attraction, staff retention and profitability. Charmaine and Darren delve into his past, his present, and his success story to finding happiness. This is an episode jam-packed with lived experiences and overcoming adversity, including mental health, divorce, self-compassion, combating negative thoughts, and nurturing one's inner child for well-being purposes. Despite his success, what's hugely apparent in this episode is that money, awards and accolades don't necessarily form part of his success story. This episode begs the question; when do we actually spend the time to lift the bonnet and really understand ourselves as human beings and invest the time to make sure that our both our mental and physical health are at a peak? Episode 5 of the Validating Vulnerable Voices podcast is incredibly interesting and one we think you’ll really enjoy!

Chris O'Connell: “My vulnerability is my strength. Overcoming past experiences is still a process but no one can take it away from me.”

The 4th instalment of the Series one of Charmaine Vincent’s Validating Vulnerable Voices podcast features Chris O’Connell. Chis is a truly inspiring entrepreneur that scaled and sold his £25 million recruitment business, and is known today as a business mentor, leadership coach and Non-Executive Director. In this fascinating episode, Chris and Charmaine delve into his past, and Chris talks about how his childhood trauma played a big part in the relationships that he's built both personally and professionally. He gets vulnerable and removes the mask, discussing how abandonment issues have played a theme through his life. But, most importantly, Chris divulges how self-care and self-investment has enabled him to become the best version of himself. Episode 4 of the Validating Vulnerable Voices podcast really is a great episode, and one not to be missed.

Dannii Mathers: "All I ever wanted was the freedom to be able to choose the life I wanted, but when I was given it, I felt very vulnerable."

Episode 3 of the Validating Vulnerable Voice podcast features Dannii Mathers [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannii-mathers/], a seasoned sales professional with over 20 years of experience, specialising in leadership, consultancy, and executive coaching. After navigating and mastering the complexities of the sales profession, Dannii later turned towards her passion of developing people, and is particularly passionate about empowering women, helping them to overcome imposter syndrome and, as cliche as it sounds, realising their full potential. She believes in a person-centred approach, specifically in the power of empathy and personal investment in calibrating individual and team success. Dannii always leads with curiosity and is eager to learn and challenge herself, which is evident in this episode. Validating Vulnerable Voices host, Charmaine Vincent [https://www.baltimoreconsultingltd.com/charmaine-vincent-launches-validating-vulnerable-voices-podcast/], talks to Dannii about several vulnerable subject areas, including eating disorders and neurodiversity. In this episode, Dannii discusses how her journey to getting a diagnosis of ADHD has had such an impact in her life, and how this has helped her understand her past, both personally and professionally, and how a diagnosis has helped her to flourish.

Poku Osei: "You need to keep your feet to the ground, the sun on your face, and the shadows will fall behind you."

The next episode of Charmaine Vincent [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charmaine-vincent-59a22620/]’s Validating Vulnerable Voices podcast [https://www.baltimoreconsultingltd.com/charmaine-vincent-launches-validating-vulnerable-voices-podcast/] features Poku Osei [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pokupipimosei/], an award-winning social entrepreneur with a passion for levelling the playing field for low income and ethnic minority groups. Poku is the founder and CEO of Babbasa [https://babbasa.com/] - the first black-led social enterprise to win the prestigious Queen's Award For Enterprise [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-52349154] (Social Mobility) in 2020, for transforming the lives of over 2,200 ethnic minority young people in the UK. He is also the co-founder of The Black Professionals Network [https://theblackprofessionals.co.uk/about-us/] and Founding Curator of the World Economic Forum initiative – Bristol Global Shapers Hub. As a first-generation African migrant with lived experience of race and class challenges, Poku [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pokupipimosei/] advocates and advise on social mobility, equal opportunity and inclusion, through talks, consultancy work and on key strategic boards including Business West (Chambers of Commerce), University of Bristol Courts, WECA (People & Skills Board) and UWE Inclusion Advisory Board. In 2018 the Queen honoured Poku with an invitation to Buckingham Palace for his contributions to the Commonwealth diaspora. In 2019 he was awarded the Lord Mayor’s Medal for his service to Bristol communities and named 'Person Of The Year' at the Southwest regional MTM Awards event. In 2021, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. In 2023, he was awarded the prestigious Cambridge University Social Innovation Prize for his work. When you listen to this episode, it's pretty evident as to why. This episode is packed with inspiration and empowerment as Poku [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pokupipimosei/] talks about his experience relating to race, discrimination, class and relationships.