The Beans Media Diary: Recent Episodes
Balve Bains
Hello and welcome to The Beans Media Diary. I am so pleased you decided to listen in! Our names are Balve Bains and Joe Stanley and we will be your hosts. In every instalment we will be joined by a different person from the world of media, food, sports, property and everything in between! So, we promise you, there will be something for everyone. Many thanks to everyone at Beans Media for their help.
In this diary entry, Joe and Balve sat down (virtually) with Paul Blackburn. Coming from a fighting family, Paul was destined to be in the fight game. His rise to professional level was put on hold during lockdown, but this didn’t stop his ambition to get there. They talk about inner confidence, Margot Robbie, and being lonely. Enjoy!
In this diary entry, Joe and Balve sat down (virtually) with Kennedy Atkins. Kennedy is an actress, and her latest role sees her playing the role of “Harriet” in Ringside 2021. Ringside is available on Amazon Prime. She is also an OnlyFans creator. OnlyFans is a subscription-based social media platform where users can sell and/or purchase original content. Typically, this content is pornographic. They talk about Tina Turner, receiving hate or unwanted messages via social media and winning a bikini competition after only six weeks of training. Enjoy!
In this diary entry, Joe and Balve sat down (virtually) with James Kendall. In 2011, James founded James Kendall Estate Agents. The agency focus’ on buying and selling properties by leveraging the use of social media and videos. He also presents on the Bedford Business Podcast with Georgia Testa. The podcast talks about all things business in the Bedfordshire area, from adapting in COVID-19 lockdown to the who what and why of businesses local to the area. They talk about how the property industry has changed in the last few years, Frank Lampard and busting some of the estate jargon. Enjoy!
In this diary entry, Joe and Balve sat down (virtually) with KVNE. Living in Ontario, KVNE has been carving his own path, adding to his vocal skills the roles of executive producer and founding partner of the independent label Killakartel Music. Inspired by life experiences, his song writing goes hand in hand with his catchy R&B/pop melodies and rumbling 808 trap percussions, showcasing his undeniable versatility. With musical influences such as Tory Lanez, Post Malone and blackbear, KVNE is catering to audiences across the board, demonstrating his signature R&B and urban pop crossover sound but also venturing into EDM, rock and rap territories. They talk about his creative process, Kurt Cobain and addiction. Enjoy!
In this diary entry, Joe and Balve sat down (virtually) with James Twyman. With twelve years of experience creating short and feature-length independent films, James has just released his latest project called Ringside. The six-part drama, which is available on Amazon Prime, follows the story of Chad who lives a life of poverty and neglect. Desiring a better life, he is given a choice. The easy option, of crime to support himself or take a job at the local boxing gym with the hope of becoming the best version of himself. The drama was written, produced, directed, shot and edited, by James, on a budget of £1000. They talk about diversity, James’ love of the sci-fi genre and Steven Spielberg. Enjoy!
In this diary entry, Balve sat down (virtually) with NO1KNOWS. Keeping to the true nature of his name, NO1KNOWS chose to not reveal his identity so that the focus can solely rest on the quality and power of the music. Producing various styles of music and writing for other artists, his eclectic influences go from Nicky Romero all the way to Led Zeppelin, crafting a sound that is overall very dance focused with elements of rock and catchy vocal chops. They talk about Nikola Tesla, getting advice from Muduza and his brand-new single called Time of Death. Enjoy!
In this diary entry, Joe and Balve sat down (virtually) with Callum Lang. Callum is a professional footballer who started his youth career at Liverpool before making a move to Wigan Athletic where he now plays as a striker. He has had loan spells at Morecambe, Oldham Athletic, Shrewsbury Town and Motherwell. They talk about the benefits of going out on loan, Wayne Rooney, and his perfect strike partner. Enjoy!
In this diary entry, Joe and Balve sat down (virtually) with Tom Pearce. Tom is a professional footballer who started his youth career at Everton and Leeds United before moving to Wigan Athletic. He has also been capped at England U21 level winning the Toulon Tournament in 2018. They talk about what happens on transfer deadline day, goal celebrations and Gordon Ramsey. Enjoy!
In this diary entry, Joe and Balve sat down (virtually) with Josh Kane. Josh has just performed at the Liverpool Digital Music Festival and his new single, When We’re Together, is out on March 12th. They talk about chasing your dreams, Jodie Comer and musical inspirations. Enjoy!
In this diary entry, Balve sat down (virtually) with Joe Stanley. Joe has just graduated from the National Youth Theatre and has starred in a number of characters on screen and stage. His latest project sees him playing the role of Chad in Ringside 2021 which is available on Amazon Prime. He has also finished filming a Sky docudrama that will be out in Autumn this year. They talk about John Lennon, battling mental health and becoming the new James Bond. Enjoy!
In this episode Balve sits down (virtually) with Portia Willock. Portia is an onlyfans creator and has been on the website for a few months. Only fans is a subscription based social media platform where users can sell and/or purchase original content. Typically, this content is pornographic. To gain access to this content, users must pay a monthly subscription fee that ranges between $4.99 and $49.99. They talk about abuse online, Marilyn Monroe and advice for people who are thinking of setting up an onlyfans account. Enjoy!
In this episode Balve sat down (virtually) with Chris Taylor. Chris started off in the property business before making the leap into building brands online. He helps people and businesses discover the true power of storytelling, brand building, and strategic content marketing through targeted followings using his latest growth methodologies. They talk about Elon Musk, the future of social media and learning from his biggest failure. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Dan Draper. Dan is the host of his very own podcast focusing on mental health and wellbeing. He launched this show as part of Mental Health Awareness Week 2020, and it gone from strength to strength. They talk about racism, Stevie Wonder and aspirations for the future. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Nina Goswami. Nina is the BBC’s Creative Diversity Lead and is leading initiatives to support the Corporations plans to reflect British society on-air. She is also a journalist and, before her current role, was the senior producer for BBC News. She has worked in media her whole professional life and previous employers include The Sunday Times and The Sunday Telegraph. They talk about what The 50:50 Equality Project is, Sherlock Holmes and working under pressure. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Lara and Sharmin from the BBC’s 50:50 Equality Project. The project is committed to inspiring and supporting the BBC and organisations around the globe to consistently create journalism and media content that fairly represents our world.
Lara has more than ten years of experience producing content for domestic, international and digital news outlets, with a particular focus on underserved audiences.
Sharmin works with all of the BBC’s 50:50 teams to support their push to increase representation across content. She also works in Resourcing and Talent within the corporation.
They talk about the future of diversity and equality, Lewis Hamilton and collaborating with global news outlets. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Hawa Kassam. Hawa has graduated from the BBC Academy and worked as a travel broadcaster for BBC stations, Talk London and Planet Rock. She has also worked on Capital FM on the Marvin Humes Show as well as acted as the face of Capital FM, Heart FM and Capital Xtra with the Global Group. If that wasn’t enough, she is also starring in a new short film called Ticking That Box. They talk about diversity in the media industry, Queen Elizabeth and Mike Tyson talking at a dinner party and a brand new film script about mental health that she is currently working on. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Kevin-Bacon Sandwich. Kevin-Bacon runs the ever popular @bedfordfoodguide page on Instagram. With over 2000 followers, he supports and promotes everything food related within Bedford and the surrounding areas. They talk about organically growing a social media page, smelly fruits and Michael Jackson. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Juggy Sohal. Juggy has done a variety of roles, in front of and behind the camera, with SBTV, Ideal Shopping Direct and The Sikh Channel. He has also written, directed and produced his own short film called Ticking That Box. In addition, he presents on BBC Radio Essex and Cambridgeshire after winning the BBC New Voices open audition. They talk about Will Smith, diversity in the media industry and gaining experience. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Lauren Smith. As well as producing for Sunset + Vine, reporting for BT Sport Rugby and Red Bull Bike and presenting for CrossFitUK, Lauren also host's her own show Podcast of the Day. The podcast aims to bring you closer to the athletes, brands and issues in functional fitness than ever before. From Crossfit to Weightlifting, Strongman to F45 she sits down with special guests to talk about the topics that matter to both the elite and social athlete. They talk about what a typical week looks like, giving advice to people who want to get into the media industry and Chris Hemsworth. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Ngunan Adamu. After working at the BBC for more than a decade, Ngunan moved to in front of the microphone and has flourished ever since. She is currently presenting the successful Upfront show on BBC Radio Merseyside She is also the CEO and founder of iWoman Media, a global peer to peer organisation built by women for women to enable them to reach their full potential. They talk about being productive in lockdown, giving advice to people who are looking to get into the media industry and Dolly Parton. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Chris Arrowsmith. After graduating from Bath Spa University in 2011, Chris immediately landed a job with international sports broadcaster ESPN. He then joined BT Sport, in 2013, where he has been working as a Technical Planning Assistant Manager. They talk about what goes into broadcasting a Premier League game, what a commenter needs to work from home in lockdown and his favourite travel spots around the world. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Brian Naylor. After working for a number of years in the media and television industry, Brian founded TV Training Academy in 2001. The company has gone from strength to strength with some of their students appearing on The Postcode Lottery, Golf World, BBC Weather and This Morning. They talk about the importance of a pause, being a mentor and the key skills to becoming a key communicator. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Celeste De Moriae. Celeste is a burlesque performer from Croatia but now living in Germany. She has more than twenty years’ experience in the industry and now coaches new talent. She has also produced shows across Europe and won multiple awards. They talk about judging at festivals, the different types of burlesque and the time it takes to get ready for a show. Enjoy!
In this episode Balve speaks to Mik Lewicki. After selling Red Bear Marketing in 2015, Mik held various consulting jobs until he was made Sales Conductor at Amber Digital. Amber supplies you with the tools, know-how, and experience to help you reach your business and marketing destination. They talk about “retiring” at the age of 26, owning a castle one day and a MASSIVE surprise at the end! Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Nadia Lucas. In 2017, she founded Nadia’s Therapy Shed with services including a range of massages, Reiki, Bach flower therapy, meditation and sound healing. They talk about the powers of meditation, alopecia and Deepak Chopra. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Sam Sethi. After working for a number of years in the technology industry, Sam founded Sam Talks Technology. Within this business Sam interviews entrepreneurs about their journey, produces podcasts and builds Alexa skills for companies. They talk about how internet bots work, artificial intelligence and Barack Obama. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sat down (virtually) with Ben McAleer. After a host of successful freelance work in the media industry, Ben landed a job with whoscored.com in 2013. Whoscored.com is a website that specializes in the in-depth analysis of detailed football data and Ben is a major cog in their company. He has also written for talkSPORT, Bleacher Report and many more. They talk about breaking into the media side of the football industry, being a first time Dad and David Beckham. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sits down (virtually) with Allison Giordano. After graduating from Montclair State University in Television and Digital Media, she landed a job working for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an Audio-Visual Production Specialist. She has also recently launched her own home improvement channel, on YouTube, called ANG DIY. They talk about Arts and Crafts, flipping houses and Amelia Earhart. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sits down (virtually) with Chris Stott. After graduating UCLan with a first-class honours’ degree in Sports Journalism, Chris landed a placement at BBC Radio Cumbria as a representative for the 2017 BBC Kick Off Reporter Trainee Scheme. Since then, Chris’ career has gone from strength to strength by being a part of the That’s Manchester team and founding an online radio community called Matchday FM. They talk about working with the BBC, what a typical day for a commentator looks like and Sir Alex Ferguson. Enjoy!
In this diary entry Balve sits down (virtually) with Andy Burns. Andy was a professional judo player for over a decade with a career-high of winning bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in his hometown of Glasgow. Since retiring, Andy has transitioned successfully from athlete to Strength & Conditioning Coach, then went on to become a national coach for the Welsh Judo Team, before becoming a Pathway Performance Scientist and Performance Support Lead for The English Institute of Sport and is currently doing a PhD on high performing teams. They talk about the life of an athlete , qualification for Tokyo 2021 and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Enjoy!
In this episode Balve speaks to Danny Burke. After working at Milton Keynes College for a number of years in the Sports Science department, Danny moved to SSG Services where he rose to become the Quality and Compliance director for the company. They talk about the education industry, learning how to skydive and Micky Flanagan. Enjoy!
In this episode Balve sits down (virtually) with Hussnain Hanif. As well as being a presenter for BBC Radio Lancashire, Hussnain is also a gifted singer. He has sung for most of his life and is an accomplished Nasheed artist based in the North West of England. They talk about a typical day in a BBC newsroom, making documentaries and Muhammad Ali. Enjoy!
In this episode Balve sits down (virtually) with Georgia Testa. After graduating in Dance and Professional Practice with first class honours, Georgia set up studio281 in Kempston. The boutique hub offers group exercise classes and personal training to all of its clients. The business is more like a family, rather than a regular fitness space, by putting people, members and staff at the heart of everything they do. They talk about failing, lockdown struggles and Beyoncé. Enjoy!
In this episode Balve sits down (virtually) with Chris Coughlin. After graduating UCLan with a first-class honours’ degree in Sports Journalism, Chris landed a job in BBC Radio Merseyside’s Sport department. He has since flourished within the BBC and starred in various podcasts including Matchday FM, RMTV Woman’s Pod and The Football Chat. They talk about work ethic, Steve Carell and missing a boat party in Greece to attend a job interview in Liverpool. Enjoy!
In this episode Balve sits down (virtually) with Rosie Mead from Musica Music and Wellbeing. Rosie is a Music Sociologist, currently finishing a PhD, and is also the CEO of a music and wellbeing social enterprise. On top of this she is married to her high school sweetheart, has two of her own kids and is also a surrogate mum. They talk about trance anthems, meditation and David Bowie. Enjoy!
In this episode Balve speaks to Lydia Flavell. Lydia has a wealth of media experience under her belt after graduating from Nottingham Trent in 2018 where she volunteered for the university’s radio station, Fly FM. Since then she has gone from strength to strength by landed a job working for BBC Radio Lancashire where she presents and produces various shows across the station. We talk about Beyonce, her tips for getting into the industry and world domination. Enjoy!
In this episode Balve speaks to John Clayton. John has been a part of the BBC Radio Lancashire family since 1994 and, in 2001, he was made the Managing Editor for the station. He has seen the landscape go through a radical change and we talk about breaking into the radio industry, mentorship and Jucinda Ardern. Enjoy!
In episode 7, Balve speaks to Naresh Raj. Naresh previously spent a number of years at TalkTalk before making the leap and setting up his own estate agency called Evolve Assist Management. They talk about being successful, the housing market and Steve Jobs. Enjoy!
In episode 6, Balve speaks to Sarah Burns. Sarah has previously worked at The Specialist Works and Response One but was recently made Head of Media Solutions at Edit, a data driven marketing agency. They talk about lists, being in the present and Michelle Obama. Enjoy!
In episode 5, Balve sits down (virtually) with Dan B. As a recent graduate of Physical Geography MRes from Edge Hill University, Dan has been working tirelessly to champion environmental causes in the local area. Now, he is looking to curve a career in this field by working with communities, charities and companies to be more sustainable. They talk about x, y and z. Enjoy!
In episode 4, Balve speaks to Micky Mills. Micky is a professional boxer and owner of MMBXG. After dominating the amateur boxing scene for a number of years, Micky turned pro in 2018 and has gone unbeaten in five fights. In that time, he set up MMBXG, a company that specializes in clothing and boxing classes for all ages no matter what the ability. They talk about the fight game, Mills’ Jr. driving up to Hastingsbury in a Bentley and the fuse in Micky’s house going off. All going on in this episode! Enjoy!
In episode three, Balve talks to Sunil Ram. Sunil is the Managing Director and Clinical Lead of Kinetic Sports Performance, a sports physiotherapy and rehabilitation business setup in September 2013. He has previously worked with Swiss netball as their lead sports therapist and also worked at England dodgeball as their head of performance. Now working in professional boxing, they talk about growing a business organically, failure and giving the market what it needs. Enjoy!
In episode two, Balve speaks to Andoni Galiotzakis. Managing director of entertainment at Snapshot Staffing whilst running Comedy House Live that showcases a variety of local and established talent. They talk about Kobe Bryant, football and dealing with different personalities. Enjoy!
In episode one, Balve speaks to Luke Brown. Founder and CEO of Spiral Freerun, a parkour and freerunning business set up in March 2012. Since then the company has gone from strength to strength and now covers classes for people of all ages, birthday parties and performances. They talk about Alan Shearer, adapting to situations and getting support from people you least expect. Enjoy!