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In this episode of Mad About, Maddy sits down with entrepreneur and marketing expert Laurie Burrows for a raw and honest conversation about grief, resilience, business, motherhood and finding the courage to start again.

Laurie shares her extraordinary journey from launching a business in January 2020, discovering she was unexpectedly pregnant just weeks later, navigating lockdown, and growing a successful seven-figure company while dealing with the devastating loss of her dad and other family members.

Together, Maddy and Laurie explore:

• Starting a business while preparing to become a mum
• Growing a company during the Covid lockdowns
• Coping with grief while running a successful business
• The impact of losing a parent and how grief changes over time
• Neurodivergence, identity and emotional processing
• Why success doesn't always equal happiness
• Outgrowing a business you've worked hard to build
• The courage it takes to pivot when something no longer lights you up
• The rise of AI and how it's changing the business landscape
• Building a new software company from scratch
• Laurie's mission to give back and support families facing financial hardship

This is a powerful conversation about trusting yourself, embracing change, and remembering that you're allowed to evolve.

If you've ever felt stuck, lost your passion for something you once loved, or wondered whether it's too late to start over, this episode is for you.

Find Laurie:
Instagram: @_laurieburrows

Find Maddy:
Instagram: @maddytalksmoney
TikTok: @madaboutmoneyofficial

Join The Maddyverse – Maddy's free community for people with hidden disabilities, chronic illness, invisible conditions and hidden struggles.

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

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What do women’s pockets, ADHD, personal branding and billionaires have in common?

Quite a lot, as it turns out.

In this thought-provoking episode, Maddy sits down with style consultant and author Samantha Harman to explore why clothing is about so much more than fashion. Together they dive into authenticity, self-expression, neurodiversity, personal branding, consumerism, gender expectations and the hidden politics behind what we wear.

From colourful hair and leopard print to school uniforms, corporate dress codes and the pressures of conformity, this conversation challenges the idea that professionalism has to look a certain way.

They also discuss:

• Why authenticity is becoming rarer online
• How clothing acts as a powerful form of non-verbal communication
• ADHD, comfort, sensory needs and getting dressed
• The role style plays in personal branding
• Why women’s clothing is often designed differently from men’s
• School uniforms, class, privilege and self-expression
• The connection between clothing, identity and confidence
• Consumerism, fast fashion and the psychology behind spending
• How retailers use marketing tactics to encourage impulse buying
• Klarna, Clearpay and the rise of buy-now-pay-later culture
• Why Samantha wrote her new book, Just Get Dressed
• The importance of questioning societal expectations and creating a life that feels authentic to you.

This is a conversation about much more than clothes. It's about identity, freedom, self-expression and having the confidence to show up as yourself in a world that often encourages conformity.

About Samantha Harman

Samantha Harman is a style consultant and author of Just Get Dressed: Why You Have Nothing To Wear and What To Do About It. Her work explores style through the lenses of identity, beliefs, politics, gender, class and neurodiversity, helping people create wardrobes that feel authentic, comfortable and empowering.

Connect

Find Samantha on Instagram and LinkedIn: The Style Editor.

Find Maddy:

• Instagram: @maddytalksmoney
• TikTok: @madaboutmoneyofficial

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In this episode of Mad About, Maddy Alexander-Grout is joined by the wonderful Michael Bown, community champion, performer, theatre-lover, choir member, charity supporter, and quite possibly the busiest man alive.

Michael shares what life looks like as an autistic person with big passions, a packed calendar, and a deep love for performing, community, musicals, festivals and making a difference. From attending hundreds of theatre shows a year to singing in multiple languages, collecting DVDs, making personalised badges and taking part in local community events, Michael shows the joy, dedication and brilliance that can come from fully embracing your special interests.

The conversation also explores autism, bullying, burnout, belonging, friendship, performing, finding your people, and why being different is not something to hide from.

This is a beautiful, funny and heartfelt episode about autistic joy, community, and what happens when someone finally finds the places where they feel safe, seen and celebrated.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• Michael’s role as a community champion in Lichfield
• His love of theatre, musicals, choirs and festivals
• Attending hundreds of shows and events every year
• Special interests and going “all in”
• Autism, dyspraxia and diagnosis at age 12
• The impact of bullying and finding belonging later in life
• Burnout and the pressure of a packed schedule
• Performing as a place of safety and connection
• Collecting DVDs, badges, calendars and memories
• The power of community, friendship and making a difference

Key Takeaways

• Special interests can be powerful sources of joy, identity and connection.
• Autistic people are not all the same, and social needs can look completely different from person to person.
• Finding the right community can change everything.
• Burnout can happen even when you love what you do.
• Being different is not wrong. It can be brilliant, beautiful and deeply meaningful.
• Belonging often comes from finding people who celebrate your quirks rather than question them.

Favourite Quotes

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Michael and the Mad About Podcast
00:56 – Michael’s Life as a Community Champion
01:41 – Choirs, Concerts and Singing in Seven Languages
04:05 – Theatre, Musicals and Personalised Badge Collecting
05:17 – Special Interests, Shows and Going All In
06:32 – Work, Volunteering and a Very Busy Calendar
07:35 – Burnout, Rest and Reducing Pressure
09:30 – Autism, Socialising and Breaking Stereotypes
12:20 – Museums, Family Memories and Special Interests
14:53 – Maddy’s Sea Glass Collection and Creative Joy
16:03 – Lists, DVDs and Michael’s Collections
20:49 – Performing, Belonging and Feeling Safe on Stage
22:39 – Festivals, Lichfield and “Viva Lich Vegas”
28:58 – Michael’s Autism Diagnosis
30:05 – Bullying, Difference and Starting Again
35:42 – Walking for Autism and Making a Difference
37:26 – What Michael is Mad About

Connect with Maddy

Follow Maddy Alexander-Grout for more conversations around neurodivergence, money, business, life, visibility and what it really means to be seen, heard and understood.

Follow Maddy @madaboutmoneyofficial on TikTok and @maddytalk

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Visit Maddy's ⁠⁠⁠Stan Store⁠⁠⁠

Follow Maddy on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠