After a short Summer break, we’re back with a very special episode of The Merri-Cast. We depart from our usual format to pay tribute to the late, great Charles Handy – social philosopher, visionary thinker and one of the most influential voices in leadership and management.

Charles’s insights heavily shaped my own journalistic and entrepreneurial journey. And his books including The Age of Unreason, The Elephant and The Flea, and The Second Curve, continue to inspire entrepreneurs, leaders and anyone curious about the world in which they live.

To honour his extraordinary life and legacy, I’m joined by three fantastic guests:
•Kate Handy – Charles’s daughter, who shares both personal memories and fascinating insights on his work.
•Mark Goyder – Founder of Tomorrow’s Company, a champion of purposeful business and a long-time admirer of Charles’s forward-thinking ideas.
•Andrew Hill – Senior Business Writer at the Financial Times, who offers an interesting perspective into Charles’s relevance to today’s challenges.

From the value of curiosity, to championing hybrid working decades ahead of everyone else, to keeping organisations human in an age of technology and AI – we explore the man behind the ideas and why his thinking matters now more than ever.

Charles Handy Books:
The Age of Unreason: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Age-Unreason-New-Thinking-World/dp/0099548313
The Elephant and The Flea: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elephant-Flea-Thinking-Looking-Backwards/dp/0099415658
The Second Curve: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Second-Curve-Thoughts-Reinventing-Society/dp/184794132X

What do you do when the career you worked so hard for no longer feels right? And how do you build something new that’s driven by purpose, not pressure?

This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by Emily Gill – Co-Founder of human skills platform Levra and a qualified coach.

In this episode, Emily shares her fascinating career journey from lawyer to Oxford MBA student, to entrepreneurs. It’s full of insight, humility and real-world lessons.

Other key highlights include:
• Her father’s influence, particularly his encouragement that “anything is possible”.
• How her career change came from periods of quiet reflection – not a single ‘lightbulb moment’.
• Her perseverance and belief in long-term goals.
• Learning to embrace uncertainty and imperfection.
• Not taking setbacks personally.
• Building a values-led business with long term impact.
… and much more!

Emily’s honesty and grit makes this episode a must-listen for anyone navigating change or wanting clarity in their entrepreneurial journey.

Emily Gill:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilygilllevra/
Website: https://www.levra.me/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

We love guests who challenge the status quo – and our latest one does exactly that.

This week, I’m joined by Dani Dufresne – Emmy Award Winning Executive Producer and Founder of The Auxiliary.

Dani’s journey from film school in LA to reinventing how creative production works is inspiring and refreshingly honest. With over 20 years’ production experience across Film, TV, Commercials and Events, Dani’s built an incredible reputation for turning her client’s visions into reality.

In this episode, Dani discusses her experience with burnout, how she found her niche and reinvented herself.

Key insights that Dani shares in this episode include:
• How knowing what she didn’t want helped shape her business model.
• Creating a fractional, creative business that actually works.
• Winning awards, without chasing the spotlight.
• Why brands should rethink how they tell stories.

If you have ever felt stuck in a traditional model – or dreamed of breaking one, then listen to Dani because this episode is for you.

Dani Dufresne:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danidufresne/
Website: https://www.theauxiliaryco.com/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by Melitta Campbell, otherwise known as ‘The Value Whisperer’. She is a business and leadership coach, TEDx Speaker, best-selling author and an unapologetic introvert.

In this episode, Melitta shares how she went from being a shy child, who believed that no one wanted to hear her voice, to coaching female founders to sell themselves and their services with clarity and confidence. Her journey is impressive to say the least.

Key insights that Melitta shares include:
• How a bad job interview made her learn the importance of owning her value.
• How quiet leadership can be more compelling than loud self-promotion.
• The link between self-care and entrepreneurial success.
• How introverts can create their own networking rules – and thrive on their own terms.
• Debunking the myth that salespeople must be pushy.
• The importance of reflecting on how far you’ve come – not just focus on what’s next.

Melitta also shares what we can expect from her new book ‘The Art of Value Whispering’. It’s due for release later this year so keep your eyes peeled!

This conversation is inspiring for any start-up or scale-up entrepreneurs wresting with being an introvert, imposter syndrome or just uncomfortable with traditional notions of selling.

Melitta Campbell:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melitta/
Website: https://www.melittacampbell.com/
Podcast: https://www.melittacampbell.com/podcast

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

This week on The Merri-Cast, we pick up where we left off with part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Zareen Roohi Ahmed.

In this episode, Zareen shares how she launched Gift Wellness without any business background, but with a powerful mission and drive.

In part 2 of our conversation, Zareen also discusses:
• Realising that period poverty wasn’t just abroad, but everywhere, including on her doorstep.
• Building eco-friendly products before "sustainable" was a trend.
• Facing resistance and breaking long-held taboos about period poverty.
• Learning the really hard way about how product distribution works.
… and much more!

💬 “Be prolific, not perfect.”
That’s one of Zareen’s mantras - and both this episode and Part 1 left a deep impression on us in this respect and many others.

Let us know what you think!

Dr. Zareen Roohi Ahmed:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-zareen-roohi-ahmed-phd-3b51b219/
Gift Wellness: https://giftwellness.co.uk/
Halimah Trust: https://www.halimahtrust.org.uk/
Period Poverty: https://www.periodpoverty.uk/
Website: https://www.zareenroohi.com/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by Zareen Roohi, Founder & CEO of Gift Wellness, an inspiring voice in purpose-led entrepreneurship.

In the first of a powerful two-parter, Zareen shares her remarkable life and career journey – from growing up as the daughter of Pakistani immigrants in the West Midlands to navigating early life challenges, building a remarkable and diverse career and then, tragically, losing her daughter Halimah in 2007.

Out of this unimaginable loss came incredible resilience and purpose. Zareen built the Halimah Trust and later launched Gift Wellness – the latter born out of a sudden and powerful moment of clarity.

In part 1 of our conversation, Zareen shares:
• Navigating identity and racism in building her career.
• Her experience as CEO of the British Muslim Forum in the wake of the 7/7 bombings.
• Building a legacy through her daughter’s passions and values.
• The birth of Gift Wellness and its mission to restore dignity to women in crisis.

This conversation is raw and real - and offers real insight to entrepreneurs seeking purpose, as well as profit.

Stay tuned…because part 2 is coming soon where we dive deeper into Gift Wellness and Zareen’s brilliant advice for fledgling entrepreneurs.

Dr. Zareen Roohi Ahmed:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-zareen-roohi-ahmed-phd-3b51b219/
Gift Wellness: https://giftwellness.co.uk/
Halimah Trust: https://www.halimahtrust.org.uk/
Period Poverty: https://www.periodpoverty.uk/
Website: https://www.zareenroohi.com/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by the brilliant Karl Pontau – entrepreneur and host of The Human Connection Podcast.

Karl’s journey is nothing short of inspiring - from teenage brain tumour survivor to a purpose-driven entrepreneur, podcast host and soon-to-be author.

In this episode, Karl dives into the importance of having a network and forging real human connections, especially in a world increasingly obsessed by data, metrics and AI.

Key insights that Karl shares in this episode include:
• How his life-threatening experiences as a teenager shaped his attitude toward risk and entrepreneurship.
• How he discovered the power of storytelling through his passion for creativity.
• The power of intentional networking and the importance of giving rather than receiving.
• His passion for his Human Connection Podcast.

…and much more!

Karl:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpontau/
Podcast: The Human Connection

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

In this episode, I discuss a topic frequently misunderstood and undervalued: creativity. The everyday creativity that fuels problem-solving, drives innovation and unlocks confidence.

I explore three common barriers that hold people back in their creativity:

⏳ “I don’t have time to be creative” – Time constraints aren’t a barrier. It’s what can light your creativity in the first place.

🤔 “I’m not a creative person” – Despite popular belief, creativity isn’t a talent you’re born with; it’s a mindset anyone can develop with practice.

💪 Creativity and resilience – They’re not only connected, they’re intertwined.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business leader or stuck in a rut, this is episode is a reminder that your creative potential is already within you.

Plus, I share a 7-step guide to help you unlock creativity and give you more confidence (but you’ll need to tune in to hear those!).

Look out for cameo appearances in the episode from my previous podcast guests Marie-France Samba, a Branding and Leadership Coach extraordinaire and Cheryl Luzet, CEO of Wagada.

Trevor:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk