Students Aren’t Defiant, They’re Disconnected with Shaun Weatherhead

Here’s another episode of Live & Linking, and this week I’m joined by Shaun Weatherhead, founder of Fierce & Fearless and author of Students, They’re Not Defiant, They’re Disconnected. Shaun works with young people across schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision, helping them recognise who they are, what they can offer and where they belong. We had a really interesting chat about why some young people can be labelled as disengaged or difficult when there may be a lot more going on underneath.

We talked about belonging, identity, social media and the pressures young people face today. Shaun shared the story of a student who was being disciplined for being late, only for it to become clear that he was taking his younger brother to school before arriving himself. We also heard about a young man who had taught himself to play the piano while dealing with the loss of his granddad. Nobody at school knew about his talent until someone took the time to ask a question and give him a safe space to show it. That story really brings home Shaun’s message about seeing the person rather than simply judging the behaviour.

And, of course, because this is Live & Linking, we finished with a bit of LinkedIn. Shaun and I looked at one of his posts about identity, belonging and what young people wear, and talked about why personal stories can create such a strong connection on LinkedIn. There’s plenty to take away from this conversation, whether you work with young people, you’re a parent, or you simply want to get better at understanding the people around you.

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to Live & Linking
01:17 – Meet Shaun Weatherhead
04:33 – Shaun’s book and the idea of disconnection
11:16 – The student who was late for a reason
16:54 – The question every adult can ask
20:41 – The young pianist
25:08 – The impact of music
28:02 – Roast My Post
30:03 – Identity, belonging and LinkedIn
34:13 – How to contact Shaun

Guest contact details

Email: info@fierceandfearless.co.uk
Website: www.fierceandfearless.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-weatherhead-197748158

LinkedIn Isn’t Just a Job Site: Building Relationships with Gus Bhandal

This week on Live & Linking I’m joined by Gus Bhandal, Founder of The M Guru and a marketing strategist with 30 years of experience. Gus knows LinkedIn inside out, so naturally we had plenty to talk about. We started with something I think a lot of people get wrong: LinkedIn isn’t just a job site. It’s a place to build your personal brand, start conversations and develop relationships with people who might eventually become customers, suppliers, collaborators or simply good connections.

We got into the practical stuff too. Gus shared his four-step approach to LinkedIn: optimise your profile, curate your audience, create useful content and engage with other people. We talked about why your headline and About section matter, why commenting is such an underrated way of getting noticed, and why you should think about LinkedIn like a networking event. We also covered content consistency, with Gus recommending at least one useful post a week rather than going mad for 30 days and then disappearing. There was even time for an unexpected visit from Andrew and Pete to talk about Atomicon.

And then we roasted one of Gus’s LinkedIn posts. A simple, funny comment on a post about LinkedIn becoming a dating site ended up generating around 13,000 impressions. It was a great example of the point we’d been discussing all along: you don’t always need to create huge amounts of content to get noticed. Sometimes joining the right conversation is enough. If you want practical ideas for using LinkedIn more confidently, building genuine relationships and letting a bit more of the real you come through, this is well worth a listen.

TIMESTAMPS

00:23 – Welcome to Live & Linking
01:26 – Meet Gus Bhandal
02:16 – What LinkedIn is really for
05:12 – Where to start with an old profile
07:37 – Gus’s four-step strategy
08:18 – The power of commenting
09:09 – LinkedIn as a networking event
15:03 – Creating consistent content
16:13 – Content albums
32:06 – The Squeeze membership
33:11 – Roasting Gus’s post
34:07 – The LinkedIn dating site post
36:28 – Wrapping up

Watch the show on YouTube

Connect with Ashley:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-leeds-15-minute-guy/
Website: https://just.15mins.day
Live & Linking Hub: https://just.15mins.day

Guest contact details

Gus Bhandal
Email: mguruuk@themguru.co.uk
Phone: 07958 477 890
Website: https://www.themguru.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mguruuk

In this episode of Live & Linking, I’m chatting with Ross Kelway, Creator & Director of That Honest Car Guy. Ross helps people choose and buy their next car without actually being a car dealer. He works as a car-buying concierge, helping people work out what they really need, find the right options and take away some of the pressure that comes with buying a car. And as we both love cars, there was plenty for us to talk about.

We get into why buying a car can take 20 to 30 hours once you include all the scrolling, searching, travelling around and looking at cars that turn out not to be what you expected. Ross explains how he starts with a one-hour conversation about your lifestyle and what you actually need from a car before narrowing down the choices. We also talk about EVs, hybrids, petrol and diesel, cash versus finance, buying privately and why the pressure of needing a car can so easily lead you into buying the wrong one. There are a few car stories along the way too, including Ross’s Mitsubishi Lancer purchase, which clearly didn’t go according to plan.

And of course, because this is Live & Linking, we couldn’t finish without talking about LinkedIn. Ross admits he doesn’t particularly enjoy putting his face on posts, but he understands that people need to know who they are dealing with, particularly when his business is built around trust. We talk about showing up, being visible and getting comfortable with putting yourself out there. If you’re thinking about buying a car, love talking about cars, or simply want a good honest conversation about making better decisions, there’s plenty here for you.

Timestamps

00:13 Introduction to Ross
01:33 What does That Honest Car Guy actually do?
03:29 The 20 to 30 hours involved in buying a car
04:25 How Ross works with clients
06:58 Ross’s worst car purchase
10:55 The biggest mistake people make
13:51 EVs and hybrids
17:39 Cash versus finance
20:17 Buying a car today
23:30 The £7,000 car question
25:10 Ross’s favourite classic cars
27:10 Talking LinkedIn content
27:45 Why Ross needs to show his face
31:11 Where to find Ross

Guest contact details

Ross Kelway
Role: Creator & Director
Business: That Honest Car Guy
Email: thathonestcarguy@gmail.com
Phone: 07421 509795
Website: www.thathonestcarguy.co.uk
LinkedIn: Ross Kelway on LinkedIn
Instagram: That Honest Car Guy on Instagram
Facebook: That Honest Car Guy on Facebook

Networking, LinkedIn and Building Relationships with Richard Carpenter

This week on Live & Linking I’m chatting with Richard Carpenter, Director of Enterprise Assist Limited and someone I’ve known for a long time. Richard describes himself as a business consultant, but there’s a lot more to what he does. He works with businesses at different stages of maturity, looking at what they already do well and where they need additional skills, experience or support. He’s also been involved in starting around 36 companies, so when Richard talks about learning business, he really does mean learning it the hard way.

Naturally, we spent quite a bit of time talking about networking because Richard is, in my opinion, a networking king. What I particularly enjoyed was hearing about how nervous he was when he first started. He actually turned up at a networking event, sat in the car and drove home without going in. His solution was simple but brilliant: arrive early, get into the room before everyone else and start building conversations before it becomes a room full of strangers. Richard also shares his idea of finding the "beacons" in a room, the people who seem to know everyone and are having a good time. Find one, get introduced and suddenly the room becomes a much easier place to navigate.

We also get into why networking isn't simply about finding clients. It's about relationships, knowledge, friendships, introductions and being around people who can help each other. Then we turn that thinking towards LinkedIn, including Richard's hugely successful post which generated 241 comments, 704 likes and around 18,000 impressions. The question is, if networking is something Richard is brilliant at, why isn't he doing more of it on LinkedIn? There's a lot here for anyone who feels nervous about networking, isn't sure which events to attend or wants to start treating LinkedIn more like a real networking event.

Timestamps:
00:45 Richard Carpenter
02:07 Business consulting and business maturity
03:20 Operations, marketing and finance
07:05 Richard's networking journey
08:43 Overcoming networking anxiety
12:15 Finding the "beacons"
14:20 What networking is really about
16:31 What makes a good networking event
20:16 Networking over a meal
25:28 Roast My Post
26:03 Richard's successful LinkedIn post
27:22 Why Richard doesn't post more
28:01 Turning networking into LinkedIn content
31:06 How to contact Richard

Guest contact details

Richard Carpenter
Director, Enterprise Assist Limited
Email: richard@enterpriseassist.co.uk
Phone: 07904245948
Website: www.enterpriseassist.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardcarpenterenterpriseassist

Connect with Ashley:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-leeds-15-minute-guy/
Website: https://just.15mins.day
Live & Linking Hub: https://just.15mins.day

Burnout, Nutrition and Small Changes That Make a Difference with Dr. Kiri Blight

This week I’m joined by Dr. Kiri Blight, an A&E doctor based in Exeter, as well as a lifestyle and nutrition coach. Kiri has spent years working in a high-pressure environment and knows exactly what it feels like when you are the person everyone relies on, while your own needs slowly get pushed further and further down the list. We chat about her own experience of high-functioning burnout, where she could still go to work and keep functioning, but had very little left to give when she got home. As Kiri explains, there is a difference between being exhausted and being burnt out, and sometimes a holiday or a quiet weekend just is not enough to bring your energy back.

We also get into the practical side of feeling better. Kiri talks about the changes she made to her nutrition and lifestyle, starting with manageable steps rather than trying to change everything overnight. We discuss drinking more water, reducing hidden sugar, looking more closely at convenience foods and finding ways to make healthy eating easier when life is busy. Batch cooking gets a mention, as does sleep and why a poor night's sleep can affect your energy, food choices and ability to cope with pressure the following day.

And because I like to keep things practical, we also talk about exercise and why you do not need to suddenly become a marathon runner. Starting where you are, doing something you enjoy and making small improvements can all add up. Kiri also explains why strength and flexibility matter alongside simply counting steps. It is a really honest conversation about looking after yourself without adding even more pressure to your already busy life. If you are feeling like you are constantly running on empty, this one is definitely worth a listen.

Guest contact details

Dr. Kiri Blight
Email: Kiri.blight@gmail.com
Phone: 07775838828
Website: https://www.elitelifestylemedicineltd.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkirilifestyle
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkirilifestyle

Facebook: https://facebook.com/drkirilifestyle

Live & Linking with Trudie Hills: Disability Inclusion Starts With a Conversation

Here’s another episode of Live & Linking, my regular chat with people who have something interesting to say about business, LinkedIn and the world around us. This week I’m joined by Trudie Hills, a Disability Consultant & Trainer who spent 14 years working in disability, inclusion and diversity at Lloyds Banking Group before setting up her own consultancy. We had a proper conversation about what disability inclusion actually looks like in the real world, and Trudie was brilliant at turning what can sometimes feel like a complicated subject into some very practical advice.

We talked about accessibility in shops, offices, websites and online training, but one of the biggest messages from Trudie was that it starts with talking to people. Don't make assumptions. Ask what someone needs. Don't assume that every person with the same disability will need the same adjustment. We also talked about non-visible disabilities, the importance of simple language, captions, alt text, accessible PDFs, colour contrast and making LinkedIn content easier for people using screen readers. And yes, I got a little LinkedIn roast of my own too, with Trudie explaining why CamelCase hashtags matter and why emojis aren't always the brilliant bullet points we think they are.

There are loads of practical takeaways in this conversation, whether you're running a small shop, employing people, delivering training online or simply creating content on LinkedIn. We also get onto Trudie's biggest beef, cars parked on pavements, and why accessibility improvements often help far more people than those they were originally designed for. Most importantly, this isn't about getting everything perfect. It's about being curious, having the conversation and being prepared to do something differently. If you want a straightforward, human conversation about disability, accessibility and inclusion, have a listen.

Timestamps

00:38 - Meet Trudie Hills
02:30 - Accessibility for smaller businesses
03:08 - Non-visible disabilities
05:38 - Why a ramp isn't enough
07:10 - Making adjustments part of everyday business
10:20 - Website accessibility
15:38 - Making online training accessible
17:28 - Accessible LinkedIn content
21:02 - Checking AI-generated captions
22:06 - Trudie's biggest accessibility frustration
24:47 - Breaking down the stigma
26:25 - Roasting Trudie's LinkedIn post
29:27 - Final thoughts

Guest contact details

Trudie Hills
Disability Consultant & Trainer
Trudie Hills Consulting
Email: trudiehills.consulting@btinternet.com
Email: trudie.hills@btinternet.com
Phone: 07747 026202
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trudie-hills-5b070612/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trudie.hills

If you’ve ever started a business because you wanted more freedom, only to discover that you’ve actually created another job for yourself, this episode is for you. This week I’m joined by Karen King, the Escapepreneur, who has travelled to more than 60 countries and spent the last 10 years building a business and lifestyle that gives her the freedom to choose how, when and where she works. Karen shares how a cake decorating business, a drawing from her three-year-old daughter and a holiday in South America eventually led to her family selling their house and travelling the world.

We talk about what it really takes to build a freedom business, including getting clear on who you help, the problem you solve and the one offer you want to focus on. Karen explains why trying to do too many things at once can leave business owners permanently distracted, and why good systems and automation can make such a difference. We also talk about the tech headache that comes from having different platforms for email, websites, funnels, courses and customer management, and how simplifying your systems can give you back valuable time.

And because this is Live & Linking, we couldn’t talk to Karen without getting into LinkedIn. We finish with a little LinkedIn post roast, where I look at one of Karen’s posts and explain why showing more of herself could help people get to know, like and trust her. There’s plenty here for anyone who wants to build a business around their life rather than build their life around their business.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome
01:19 Meet Karen
03:11 From cake decorating to travelling the world
07:09 Building income while travelling
11:16 Creating a freedom business
13:01 Biggest business mistakes
14:29 The problem with too many platforms
17:35 ESC Hub
20:00 Running a business from anywhere
22:21 Turning your skills into a freedom business
23:39 Karen’s favourite country
27:21 The LinkedIn post roast
28:30 Showing more of yourself
31:17 Connect with Karen

Guest contact details

Karen King
Email: karen@escapepreneur.com
Phone: +52 334 828 4567
Website: https://escapepreneur.com
Website: https://eschub.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-e-king

Connect with Ashley

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-leeds-15-minute-guy/
Website: https://15mins.day/WHY
Live & Linking Hub: https://just.15mins.day

Here's another episode of Live & Linking, where I chat with people who are using LinkedIn in brilliant ways to grow their businesses and help others do the same.

This week I'm joined by Karis Gill, storytelling expert, speaker and founder of Social Stories Club. Karis shares how one library book completely changed the direction of her business and introduced her to the power of storytelling. Since then she's built multiple successful businesses by helping people communicate in a way that feels natural, memorable and authentic. If you've ever said, "I don't know what to write on LinkedIn," then this conversation is exactly what you need. Rather than trying to sound clever or professional, Karis explains why your everyday experiences often make the best business content.

Throughout the conversation we break down what makes a great story, why emotion matters, and how simple moments can become powerful LinkedIn posts. We also discuss why selling should never feel pushy, how trust is built through honest experiences, and why LinkedIn is much more like a networking event than a social media platform. Karis even creates live storytelling examples around networking, website maintenance and sales, showing just how easy it is to turn almost anything into engaging content once you know the principles.

If you're looking for practical ideas to improve your LinkedIn content, attract more conversations and become someone people remember, you'll find plenty to take away from this episode. It's packed with simple techniques you can start using immediately, whether you're writing your first post or your five hundredth.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction
02:07 Meet Karis Gill
06:47 Breaking down a storytelling post
10:37 Why stories build trust
12:11 Finding stories in everyday business
19:57 Making any topic interesting
22:13 Karis' business journey
25:00 Storytelling that generates leads
27:28 Practical storytelling tips
29:13 Closing thoughts

Guest contact details

Karis Gill
Director, Social Stories Club
Director, Karis Gill Storytelling Speaker

Email: karis@karisstory.com

Website:
https://karisstory.com
https://socialstoriesclub.com

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/karisgill/?skipRedirect=true

Phone:
07746450169