Martin Allen Morales — CEO, Institute of Imagination

Martin Allen Morales — CEO, Institute of Imagination

This week on the Communicating Purpose podcast, John Higginson is joined by Martin Allen Morales, CEO of the Institute of Imagination [https://www.instituteofimagination.org/]. Martin has an extraordinary story to tell. From a childhood in Peru shadowed by terrorism and inequality, to arriving in a very divided 1980s Britain as a young boy seeking safety, his path has taken him through DJ booths, record labels, restaurant kitchens and the boardrooms of Apple and Disney. Today, Martin leads one of the UK’s most innovative education charities, the Institute of Imagination - an organisation helping children and communities unlock creativity, build confidence and develop the skills for a better future. In this episode, John and Martin discuss: 🧠 How memory-based education systems can suppress creativity in children 🎯 Why authenticity and community matter more than polished marketing 🚀 The marketing lessons charities can borrow from pop culture 💡 The leadership lessons Martin learned from building, and nearly losing, a £10m hospitality business I hope you enjoy. John Higginson, Founder & CEO, Higginson Strategy [https://higginsonstrategy.com/]

Jaye Cowle — Founder & CEO, Launch

This week on the Communicating Purpose podcast, John Higginson speaks to Jaye Cowle, Founder and CEO of Launch. Jane didn’t set out to build an agency. After moving from London to Cornwall during the financial crisis, she found herself suddenly “unemployable” in the local job market with two young children. Then one interview changed everything — when the person across the table told her: “I’m not going to offer you a job. I’m going to be your first client.” That moment became the start of Launch — now a certified B Corp and award-winning performance marketing agency built on a simple idea: Happiness is a business strategy. In this episode, John and Jane discuss: 💡 Why culture-first companies outperform 🚫 Why your purpose should guide your “no’s” just as much as your 'yes'-es 🤖 How AI is creating a “race to beige-ness” in content 🎯 Why authenticity is becoming the most valuable currency in communications I hope you enjoy. John Higginson, Founder & CEO, Higginson Strategy [https://higginsonstrategy.com/]

Naomi Smith — CEO, Best For Britain

This week on the Communicating Purpose podcast, John is joined by Naomi Smith, CEO of Best for Britain. Having grown up during the Troubles in Northern Ireland and later walking away from a six-figure finance career to fight for a cause most people told her she couldn’t win, Naomi is not someone who gives up easily. Launched in 2017 to stop Brexit, today Best for Britain focuses on strengthening UK–EU ties, reversing the economic damage of Brexit, and advocating for practical, closer collaboration with Europe. In this episode, John and Naomi discuss: 🔄What it really takes to pivot from public defeat to long-term influence 🔏Why so much political persuasion now happens quietly, inside private feeds and long-form content most of us never see. 🧠How platforms like YouTube, Twitch and Discord shape worldviews through content that doesn’t look political at all 🎯Why many progressive voices are still not operating where attention is actually being won. I hope you enjoy. John Higginson, Higginson Strategy [https://higginsonstrategy.com/]

Communicating Purpose - 2025 Highlights

As 2025 draws to a close, we’re bringing the year to a finish with a special highlights episode of the Communicating Purpose podcast. This episode revisits five conversations that stayed with me after the microphones were switched off — from the frontlines of BBC News and government communications, to boardrooms, policy think tanks, climate action, and one of the most powerful campaigns for public health in the UK. Across these conversations, a clear theme emerged: purposeful communication isn’t about noise, it is about clarity, trust, and the courage to say the difficult things well. You’ll hear lessons on navigating scrutiny, shaping public debate, turning evidence into impact, making complex issues mainstream, and using communication as a force for meaningful change. I hope you enjoy. John Higginson, Founder & CEO, Higginson Strategy [https://higginsonstrategy.com/]

Rosamund Kissi-Debrah CBE - Founder, The Ella Roberta Foundation

This week, John Higginson speaks with Rosamund Kissi-Debrah CBE, whose daughter Ella became the first person in the world to have air pollution listed as a cause of death. Since then, Rosamund has led a relentless campaign for cleaner air — not just in London, but across the UK and beyond. She talks about what it takes to turn personal tragedy into lasting change, the links between pollution and health, and why she believes clean air should be treated as a basic human right. It’s a moving, clear-eyed conversation about accountability, children’s health, and the cost of doing nothing. I hope you enjoy. John Higginson, CEO Higginson Strategy [https://HigginsonStrategy]