Welcome to The Point — an interview series in which we speak to interesting people about the turning points in their lives and careers.

This time, we’re joined by Lucy Mann, founder of Gunpowder Consulting and host of the Small Spark Theory podcast.

In the episode, Lucy shares her journey from her early career in media sales to becoming a successful consultant in new business strategies. She discusses her formative experiences and the importance of building relationships in sales, and why her natural curiosity has made her great at what she does.

She emphasises the evolution of new business strategies in the digital age and the need for a mindset shift in agencies, before reflecting on her podcasting journey and the significance of mentorship in her career.

We round off the interview by talking about the most important turning point in her career.

You can find Lucy on LinkedIn, at Gunpowder Consulting, and at Small Spark Theory, her podcast.

Gunpowder Consulting: https://www.gunpowderconsulting.com

Small Spark Theory: https://www.gunpowderconsulting.com/podcasts/

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please rate us and leave a review.

Today we’re speaking to mental health expert, Peter Larkum.

Peter is the founder of Mentality, a 1-hour mental health induction course designed to give people the need-to-know essentials to spot the signs and take action.

In our conversation, Peter shares his journey into the mental health space, reflecting on personal experiences that shaped his understanding of mental health and neurodiversity.

We talk about the importance of mental health discussions in professional settings, the tools needed for effective communication, and the differences in training approaches for young people versus adults.

We touch on Mental Health First Aid, and he reflects on the shift in societal conversations around mental health over the past decade, the impact of hybrid work on mental health, and the challenges of navigating these discussions. We also speak a little bit about the desensitisation that can occur in mental health discussions as Peter shares personal insights on his career and identity in the field.

Peter Larkum’s website: https://www.peterlarkum.com/mentality

Mentality: https://www.mentality.work

The DOSE Effect by TJ Power: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/215087423-the-dose-effect

Hello and welcome to The Point — an interview series in which we talk to interesting people about the turning points in their lives and careers, brought to you by Point 6.

Today’s episode is with someone we know very well: it's Point 6’s Creative Director, Russ Hodgson.

Russ joined Point 6 in 2009, bringing decades of experience from the world of advertising and marketing with him. A few years later, he became a joint-owner of the agency, and with his co-directors, has been driving the agency forward in the decade since.

A singer-songwriter, open mic night co-host, and avid biker, Russ has a varied palate when it comes to hobbies outside of his professional life.

In our chat, we talk about his early work experiences, the dreaded imposter syndrome, becoming an agency owner, how to create a positive work culture, his once-in-a-lifetime trip to Australia, and how having kids represented a huge turning point in his life.

Check out Russ' thriving open mic night on Instagram: @darkhabitmusic

Today’s episode is with Vanessa Champion — the founder and editor of the Journal of Biophilic Design.

The Journal of Biophilic Design is a specialist publishing company that focuses on sharing knowledge of Biophilic Design and producing wildlife and landscape images and audiovisuals to help us bring nature into our lives… transforming homes, workplaces, hotels, schools, hospitals, healthcare environments and more. She also hosts a podcast which goes by the same name, in which she speaks to inspiring people from the world of design.

Check it out: https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/

Join the movement: https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Listen to the Journal of Biophilic Design podcast: https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/podcasts-journal-of-biophilic-design

Back in 2014, she also founded PhotoAid Global Foundation — an organisation that supports charities and good causes all over the world by curating exhibitions, providing photographic services, creating books, organising print sales and more.

Learn more about PhotoAid: https://photoaidglobal.wordpress.com/

In our conversation, we get into where Vanessa’s passion and love of storytelling comes through and how that has manifested in her career. We speak a bit about fate and the freedom that comes with doing something you love and not being scared of failure. And of course, we deep dive into biophilic design, what it means to her on a personal level, and how biophilia and urban living can co-exist.

Some research on the need for natural views: https://virtualnaturewalls.mypixieset.com/research-evidence-biophilic-design-photography-nature-views/

Ness has lots of turning points in her life and career, and we try to touch a bit on all of them.

Find Ness on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessachampion/

Welcome to The Point — an interview series in which we talk to interesting people about the turning points in their lives and careers, brought to you by Point 6.

Today’s episode is with mentor, coach and all-round copywriting extraordinaire: Phil Woodford.

We cover a lot of ground in this episode — largely because Phil has had such an interesting and varied career. From copywriting and freelancing to politics and radio — we get into a little bit of all of it.

We also spend a good portion of the pod talking about AI and its uses, it’s impact on copywriting and marketing, as well as its more harmful and damaging potential.

So, without further ado, here is The Point, with Phil Woodford.

Links:

Here comes the cavalry (Copywriting training, mentoring and consultancy: — https://www.herecomesthecavalry.com

A Gathering Storm by Nicole Jones — https://publicispro.com/resources/a-gathering-storm/

@WoodfordWords on X (Twitter)

Welcome to The Point — a podcast in which we speak to industry experts about the turning points in their lives and careers.

There’s a time in all our journeys when we’re confronted with a sliding doors moment. Do we stick or twist? Zig or zag? Throw caution to the wind or take a step back?

And often, out of these quandaries comes clarity. You might not realise it at the time, but a healthy helping of hindsight allows you to put the pieces together and understand how confronting that fork in the road has put you on the path you’re on today.

You might have moved away from home, confronted that toxic manager, started your own business, switched careers entirely, or met somebody who — unbeknownst to you — changes the course of your life.

On The Point, we talk to influential figures from the world of marketing, design, business, and beyond — inviting them to explore the turning points in their unique story and inspire listeners to embrace the bumps, trust their guts, and know that there’s rarely a straight line to success.

We have some amazing guests coming up. Follow now to make sure you don't miss an episode.