🎙️ Episode Introduction

In this episode of The Eardley Bird, Oli sits down with Kirsty Birch, founder of Work It Well and self-described disruptor in the workplace wellbeing space.

Kirsty’s on a mission to humanise the corporate world and she’s doing it with bold ideas, practical tools, and zero fluff. From building her business 100% organically on LinkedIn to launching a new app that tracks wellbeing ROI, Kirsty shares what it really takes to move the needle on culture, engagement, and leadership.

She also opens up about the reality of moving from small clients to big corporates, the importance of relationship-first marketing, and why most wellbeing programmes are missing the point. If you're serious about workplace culture or just sick of surface-level ‘wellness’, this one’s for you.

🌟 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why conversations (not perks) are key to employee wellbeing

How Kirsty built her business without spending a penny on ads

The power of consistency and community on LinkedIn

What most businesses get wrong about wellbeing ROI

The truth about selling into corporate vs small business

How speaking gigs and face-to-face networking drive long-term success

What the “Human Return Index” really means — and why it matters

🎯 Key Takeaways

1️⃣ Wellbeing needs to be measurable to be meaningful

2️⃣ Commenting is the most underrated growth strategy on LinkedIn

3️⃣ Relationship-building beats reach every time

4️⃣ Saying ‘no’ is a growth strategy in itself

5️⃣ You need a budget and patience to break into corporate

6️⃣ Consistency builds trust — in both marketing and leadership

7️⃣ Preventative wellbeing strategies can save serious money

8️⃣ Speaking gigs build visibility beyond sales

📖 Timestamps

0:00 Welcome & Introductions

1:20 Why Kirsty Started Work It Well

4:50 Is Corporate Wellbeing Just Box-Ticking?

7:35 What Makes a Wellbeing Strategy Actually Work

10:12 Conversations vs Perks, What Employees Really Need

14:30 Building a Business on LinkedIn Without Ads

19:40 Why Commenting Beats Posting in 2025

21:15 “Don’t Post and Ghost” Kirsty’s Marketing Rule

26:48 Small Biz vs Corporate Clients: The Reality

31:20 The Power of Speaking Gigs & Networking

36:55 Launching the Human Return Index

41:10 Avoiding Burnout While Scaling

45:05 What’s Next for Work It Well

50:00 Final Thoughts & Advice

📌 Resources & Links

👉 Connect with Kirsty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstybirchworkitwell/

👉 Learn more about Work it Well: https://www.workitwell.com/

👉 Book a strategy session with Oli Eardley: https://www.addpeople.co.uk/consultants-oliver-eardley/

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💬 Got thoughts on the episode? Email us at eardleybird@addpeople.co.uk

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