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

Here’s another episode of Live & Linking, where I sit down with fascinating people from LinkedIn to discover their stories, what they do, and what makes them stand out. This week I'm joined by Chris James, Founder of C2C, who helps creators, coaches and consultants turn content into clients through simple systems that actually work.

Chris shares his honest journey from working in a call centre to building a successful business, and explains why creating a lifestyle you enjoy should be just as important as growing your revenue. The conversation is packed with practical advice and plenty of straight-talking honesty.

We explore why so many people struggle to post consistently on LinkedIn, how fear of being judged holds people back, and why authenticity will always outperform trying to sound clever or relying entirely on AI. Chris also explains the framework he uses to help clients move from attracting attention to building trust, converting prospects and delivering results through repeatable systems.

One of the biggest talking points is his decision to remove sales calls from his business altogether, replacing them with content that attracts the right people before they ever get in touch.

If you're looking to grow your business through LinkedIn, improve your content, or build a business that gives you more freedom rather than more stress, you'll find plenty to take away from this episode.

Chris shares practical lessons, personal stories and real business experience that make this an enjoyable conversation whether you're just starting out or already creating content every week.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and introductions
02:18 Chris's story
05:50 Productising your expertise
09:30 Building the business
14:10 Why sales calls disappeared
18:00 The content system explained
21:00 AI versus authenticity
23:20 Overcoming fear on LinkedIn
25:20 Confidence through consistency
29:00 Post Roast
34:10 Where to find Chris

Guest contact details

Chris James
Founder, C2C

Email: Chrisjames210386@gmail.com
Phone: 07855050169
Website: http://www.chris-james.co/c2c
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisjamesonline/

Every Tuesday at 12:30pm I sit down with someone who knows LinkedIn inside out, and this week the guest is someone who's inspired thousands of us, including me.

John Espirian has built a reputation as the "Relentlessly Helpful LinkedIn Nerd" and there's a very good reason why. Everything he teaches comes from testing, measuring and real-world experience, not guesswork. We chat about how LinkedIn has changed, why so many people feel their reach has disappeared, and whether paying for Premium is really worth it. If you've ever wondered why your content isn't performing like it used to, you'll definitely want to hear John's thoughts.

We also dive into John's brilliant book Content DNA and why building a memorable personal brand is about consistency rather than constantly reinventing yourself. We talk about repeating your message until people begin repeating it back to you, staying in your lane, and why trying to go viral is rarely the answer.

John also shares why the people who succeed on LinkedIn are simply the ones who keep showing up, even when engagement feels slow. It's a refreshing reminder that building trust always beats chasing vanity metrics.

Towards the end of the show we even turn the tables and put one of John's own LinkedIn posts through my Roast My Post feature. It's a great discussion around promoting events, using LinkedIn Events properly, direct messaging without becoming spammy, and making your content work harder. Whether you're brand new to LinkedIn or you've been using it for years, this episode is packed with practical advice that you can put into action immediately.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome

01:16 Meet John Espirian

02:42 Is LinkedIn Premium worth it?

06:27 Why LinkedIn reach has dropped

10:08 Video on LinkedIn

13:13 Content DNA and personal branding

19:34 Roast My Post

20:40 Uplift Live Nano

24:13 Using DMs effectively

28:36 The Inform Podcast

30:05 Espresso Plus Community

31:02 Final thoughts

Guest contact details:

John Espirian

Email: john@espirian.co.uk

Phone: 7779451487

Website: https://espirian.co.uk/learn/1-1-zoom-consultation/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnespirian/

Why Most Businesses Never Sell with Stuart Mason

Here's another episode from my Live & Linking series and this week I'm joined by Stuart Mason.

Stuart helps business owners prepare their companies for sale, but this isn't just a conversation for people looking to exit tomorrow.

It's really about building a better business from day one. Stuart shares the story of building a hugely successful multi-million-pound company before losing it all, and explains how those experiences completely changed the way he now helps business owners.

If you've ever assumed that making a good profit automatically means your business is valuable, this episode might surprise you.

We dig into why so many businesses listed for sale never actually sell, what buyers are really looking for during due diligence, and why owner dependency is often the biggest obstacle.

Stuart explains the importance of systems, recurring revenue, customer diversification and creating a business that can thrive without you at the centre of everything.

We also talk about the difference between value and valuation, why starting with the end in mind makes every business stronger, and how even a one-person business can become attractive to buyers when it's built the right way.

As always, we finish with a LinkedIn content review where I give Stuart some ideas to improve one of his latest posts, turning it into something that's easier to consume and more engaging on the platform. Whether you want to build a business you can eventually sell or simply create one that gives you more freedom, there's plenty of practical advice in this conversation that you can start using straight away.

What you'll learn:

• Why most businesses listed for sale never actually sell

• The biggest mistake business owners make before trying to exit

• How recurring revenue increases business value

• Why systems matter more than people

• The difference between value and valuation

• How to reduce owner dependency

• Tips to make your LinkedIn content more engaging

  
  

Guest contact details

Stuart Mason

Email: stuart@hereshowto.co.uk

Phone: 07769991445

Website: www.howcanisellmybusiness.co.uk

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-c-mason/

Here's another episode taken from my Live & Linking show, and this week I'm joined by Sarah Farmer, Founding Director of Bright & Brilliant Ltd.

Sarah is an executive coach who specialises in imposter syndrome, confidence and leadership. If you've ever wondered whether you're good enough, questioned your prices or felt like someone might tap you on the shoulder and tell you you shouldn't be there, then this conversation is definitely worth your time.

We dive into why so many people misunderstand imposter syndrome and why those occasional confidence wobbles are actually perfectly normal.

One of the things I loved about this conversation was Sarah's practical approach. Rather than simply telling people to "be more confident", she explains the neuroscience behind why our brains behave the way they do and shares the process she uses to help senior leaders take back control.

We also had a fascinating discussion about pricing, understanding your value, helping people buy rather than trying to sell to them, and why building trust changes everything.

Sarah also shared what it was like appearing on Jeremy Vine's Radio 2 show and how even experts still get nervous before stepping into the spotlight.

As always, I couldn't resist finishing the show by roasting one of Sarah's LinkedIn posts, sharing a few ideas to help her get even more engagement from document posts. It was a brilliant conversation full of practical advice for business owners, leaders and anyone who's ever doubted themselves.

Whether you're leading a team, growing a business or simply trying to become more confident, there's plenty to take away from this episode.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

01:30 What imposter syndrome really is

03:20 Confidence versus imposter syndrome

05:15 Pricing with confidence

09:35 Why success doesn't remove self doubt

11:20 Helping people buy

16:10 Sarah's confidence framework

19:40 Jeremy Vine experience

23:50 Biggest myths about imposter syndrome

26:30 LinkedIn post roast

31:20 Lead Brightly Community

Guest contact details:

Sarah Farmer

Founding Director

Bright & Brilliant Ltd

Email: sarah@brightandbrilliant.com

Phone: 07854 824416

Website: www.brightandbrilliant.com

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-farmer-coach/