Join us for an inspiring conversation with Joe Seddon, the visionary founder of Zero Gravity, a groundbreaking platform transforming the landscape of social mobility. In this episode, Joe shares his journey from coding in his childhood bedroom in Yorkshire to creating a tech-driven enterprise that empowers thousands of students from low-opportunity backgrounds to access top universities and careers.

We talk to Joe about the driving forces behind his entrepreneurial spirit, reflections on the challenges and triumphs of being a founder, and his unyielding belief in utilising technology for social good. Joe candidly discusses the realities of startup life, the importance of building a culture that mirrors personal values, and the role of intellectual curiosity in shaping his path.

📌 Key Topics:

• The genesis of Zero Gravity and its mission to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity
• Joe's personal journey from West Yorkshire to founding a tech startup
• The role of resilience, passion, and delusional self-belief in entrepreneurship
• Building a brand and culture that reflect personal values
• The transformative power of technology in education and career development

🎧 Available on Spotify and YouTube. Subscribe now!

This week’s episode features Azeem Akhtar, Field CTO for BT’s International Business

From how religion has informed his views on leadership to childhood anecdotes and lessons for the next generation of leaders, listen in for an all encompassing conversation from a leader who has experienced it all.

Key takeaways from this episode:

🚨Don't try and be somebody you are not because you’ll get found out

📢 Be clear in your own mind about the value you’re adding to the role you are doing

😀Keep a smile on your face, people don't think about this very often but it goes a long way

⁠Join the conversation!⁠

This week’s episode features Sonikka, a journalist with experience working at CNN’s Washington bureau, Indian newspaper The Hindu and incoming producer at Bloomberg.

From what it’s like reporting on politics from Washington during a Trump presidency to covering judicial reform in India and producing data-driven journalism, listen in for a deep dive into the highs and lows of a career in multimedia journalism.

Some of the topics we touch on:

🌍 growing up as third culture kids grappling with identity and belonging

📖 her passion for storytelling

📈 the power of data driven journalism in an age of misinformation

Join the conversation!

You can follow Sonikka on LinkedIn here.

An International Women’s Day special with Bano Sheikh, Parter at KPMG. From Lahore to London, Bano’s journey has been defined by agility, grit and unshakable faith. A trailblazer in many ways, Bano was the first woman to qualify with the ACCA in Pakistan, and is among the first few female Muslim partner in the Big 4. Listen in for an inspiring and motivational tale of courage, values and business success!

You can follow Bano on LinkedIn here

Learn more about Leadership Unplugged here

Kevin Ellis CBE is Chairman and Senior partner of PwC's UK and Middle East alliance. 

As the Big 4 firm celebrates its 175th anniversary, we explore what it takes to lead a business which delivers for its clients, people and society. We delve into Kevin's personal story, his career journey and the sorts of problems which occupy a chairman's time and attention. From championing diversity and inclusion to what really happens at Davos, listen in for a unique insight into a remarkable business, and the people and culture which make it what it is.

Abbas is a Senior Marketing Director at Coca Cola, one of the world's most powerful brands. We delve into creative thinking, marketing strategy and creating successful brands. Listen in on his remarkable journey from Lahore to the Middle East and the USA.

This week’s guest is Liz Sweigart, ex PwC partner turned entrepreneur and social activist.

Liz talks to us about growing up in NYC, life in the Big 4 and the mental health challenges faced during her journey. She also dives into why most organisational leadership is flawed and provides tips on how to cultivate strong leaders for the future.

In this episode we talk to Liz about her own Mental Health journey which may be difficult for some listeners.

You can find details of charities you can contact or support here:

Mind (UK) - https://www.mind.org.uk/

National Alliance on Mental Illness (US) - https://www.nami.org/Home

Liz Houston Marathon for Mental Health America (International) - https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/Liz

If you need to speak to someone immediately then please do contact Samaritans on 116 123 who are available 24/7.

There is a lot to take away from this episode and we hope you enjoy our conversation with Liz.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edward Keelan, Partner at Octopus Ventures, shares his experiences growing up with dyslexia, pursuing his passion for entrepreneurship and his career in Venture Capital.

With over 13 years of investing experience, Edward talks us through growing up in an entrepreneurial family, the lessons this taught him from a young age and his commitment to mentoring young people who wouldn’t typically have access to such careers.

Here are 3 key takeaways from Episode 6:

1) To be the best, you have to outwork those around you. Talent will only get you so far. If you can outwork those around you, the sky is the limit.

2) Learn to become comfortable with failure. It's the only way to develop as a person but can also be the hardest skill to harness.

3) Being in a position of privilege is only powerful when you are able to serve the communities who nurtured you. Volunteer to help your community and open doors for people.