[Your Tagline Here] Podcast: Recent Episodes
Simon Tomlinson
[Your Tagline Here] is a podcast hosted by Simon Tomlinson and features real stories from real people. Each week Simon will interview a new guest to find out who they are and what their story is. We tackle deep and emotional subjects like depression, terminal illness and addiction; we share uplifting stories about overcoming adversity and achieving personal challenges; and we learn from people who have succeeded in business, sport or absolutely anything to find out how they did it. No topic is off-limits so prepare to laugh, cry, learn and be entertained by these fascinating stories.
In this episode I talk to Samantha and Sydney are both keen golfers from Michigan in the United States. They are passionate about getting more girls and women playing the sport and they do this using their Instagram channel called The Golfing Girls where they regularly post about all things golf.
https://www.instagram.com/thegolfinggirls/
We talk about why they love the game of golf, what makes it a great sport for all ages and genders, why more women should give it a try and what the governing bodies and other golfing organisations can do to make it more attractive for women.
Here are the links that are discussed in the video:
Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf
https://g.co/kgs/69qaJD
Mulligan: A Story of hope and determination for golf for the disabled
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DejiPLh0E-Q&t=113s
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab have over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, digital marketing, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to: https://kiklab.com/
Their tagline for the episode... "Go vegan. Because if you go vegan, everyone wins!"
In this episode I talk to Steven Sirrell and Maruša Vidrih who are both passionate vegan advocates and are admins for the popular Birmingham Vegans Facebook group with has over 10 thousand members.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1501690836724314
We talk about why they became vegans in the first place, how they did it, what the benefits have been to their lives and what their favourite places are to eat vegan food in Birmingham. This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab have over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, digital marketing, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to:
https://kiklab.com/
In this episode, I speak to Kate Gordon who has created a community interest company called Ruby’s Yard which is a community space in North Warwickshire where people can experience and enjoy nature.
Kate explains how she has converted an old boatyard on the Coventry canal into a peaceful site for outdoor sports, recreation and learning which is available for community organisations, youth clubs, schools, businesses and family groups. She also talks about another CIC company that she is a director of called Incredible Education which provides nature-based services for local communities through Horticulture and Forest School activities.
https://rubysyard.org/
https://www.incredibleeducation.co.uk/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab have over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, digital marketing, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to: https://kiklab.com/
Robin’s tagline for the episode… “Awareness, manifesting and being present with breathing is the key for life!”
In this episode I speak to Robin Dobler who is dancer, model, teacher and mentor.
He explains why dancing means so much to him, how it helped him to deal with difficult circumstances when he was growing up and what his plans are for the future. We also get into some philosophical conversations about success, happiness and personal development which was really insightful and enjoyable.
http://robindobler.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/robindobler/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs5GRN2XENbPNd9VKngHJLA
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab have over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, digital marketing, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to:
https://kiklab.com/
In this episode, I speak to Paul Collins who is an enthusiast about the sneaker scene in the UK and a keen collector of limited edition urban footwear like Nike Air Jordans and Adidas Yeezys.
He explains why the sneaker scene is so popular in the UK, how it started and what he personally likes about buying and collecting these kind of shoes. He even brings in some of his favourites to explain why they mean so much to him.
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab have over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, digital marketing, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to: https://kiklab.com/
“Do it now... imperfectly… but just do it now!”
In this episode, I speak to Sophie Watson who has just recently launched a new business in Birmingham called The Borrow Shop which offers a library of tools and equipment which people can borrow.
https://theborrowshop.co.uk/
So rather than going to the DIY store and buying stuff that we only use a few times which is a waste of money and resources, members of the borrow shop can borrow them instead. This includes items like carpet cleaners, cordless drills, ladders, air beds and even gazebos. She also sells coffee, cakes and homewares from her premises in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham.
Sophie explains how she came up with the idea, why she’s so passionate about sustainability and how she set up the business from scratch which included getting financial help through crowdfunding. It’s such a great example of being brave and taking action to do something that’s a bit different. I personally found it really inspiring so I hope you do too.
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab have over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, digital marketing, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to: https://kiklab.com/
In this episode, I speak to Jack Brabant who is the co-founder of the street food business called the Digbeth Dining Club which started back in 2012 and has grown to be a massive events business with several venues all over the midlands.
I find out how he set it up as a business and grew it into what it is today, how he coped with being forced to close during the covid lockdowns and also how he has started a new venture recently called the Digbeth Dining Club CIC which helps provide free food to people in need.
https://digbethdiningclub.com/
"Perseverance is not a long race, it's many short races one after the other"
In this episode, I speak to Amon Kiplagat who is the co-founder of a customer marketing platform called Hyve which helps to turn customers into engaged advocates.
Amon has a degree in computer science and worked for several years at a customer experience company which is the perfect background to build a platform like this from scratch.
I find out what customer marketing is, why it’s so important and how Hyve helps support other businesses to implement this into their existing marketing activities. He also talks about his journey from leaving full-time employment to setting up the business and the lessons he has learned along the way.
It’s really interesting to get a deeper understanding of this concept and inspiring for anyone who is thinking about setting up their own business.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amon-kiplagat/
https://www.hyvespace.com/
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab have over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, digital marketing, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to:
https://kiklab.com/
This is a very special episode of the show for two reasons.
Firstly, it is the first episode that has been filmed in the guest's own home which was in a lovely rural setting near Bath. And secondly, because there are two parts of the episode and two different taglines!
In the first half of the podcast, I talk to Owen about his renewable energy business called Climate ER. I find out how he set it up and how he goes about getting investment for £20 million per project.
https://www.climate-er.com/
In the second half of the show, Owen explains why he is about to embark on an epic thousand-mile bike ride from Bristol to Mallorca in memory of his brother Yann who sadly passed away two years ago to cancer.
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RideForYann/1
https://www.instagram.com/rideforyann
https://twitter.com/RideForYann
It’s a great episode and I really hope you enjoy it too.
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab have over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, digital marketing, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to https://kiklab.com/
Jon’s tagline for the episode… “Because life is unscripted”
In this episode I talk to Jon Trevor who is responsible for the Box of Frogs Improv group who perform high octane improvised comedy at theatres and events around the country, Birmingham Improv which offers workshops, classes and drop-ins for all levels of experience for people to learn and practice improv and also The Improv Initiative which uses improv to teach communication and teamwork skills to corporate organisations.
https://boxoffrogsimpro.co.uk/
https://birminghamimprov.com/
http://improvinitiative.com/
On top of that he is also the mastermind behind the Birmingham Improv Festival which has been running annually since 2016 although it has understandably been forced to take a break due to the covid pandemic.
http://birminghamimprovfestival.com/
During this episode I find out what improv is, how it can help people to develop a whole range of skills and we also play a few games together to demonstrate what it’s all about which was loads of fun.
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab have over 15 years experience and specialise in branding, websites, digital marketing, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to https://kiklab.com/
Syd's tagline for the epsiode: "Learning has no age barrier"
In this episode I talk to Syd who has set-up and runs a business called Femtinos which provides fun and interactive science workshops for Kids. As a result of the covid pandemic she has also created another business recently called the UK Virtual School which is an online school for home educating families in all core subjects.
https://www.femtinos.com/
https://ukvirtualschool.co.uk/
I find out what she loves about science the most, how she set up Femtinos and made it into her full-time career and how she adapted through Covid which brought her face-to-face workshops to a halt. She also gives some great tips for other entrepreneurs about how to be successful in business. This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab have over 15 years experience and specialise in branding, websites, digital marketing, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to https://kiklab.com/
Josh's tagline... "Learn to speak up because you can stand out"
In this episode I talk to Josh Dykes who is the training manager at the Speakup Challenge who provides public speaking, coaching and marketing courses for people all over the world. He got involved with Speakup in the very early days when it was a small social club offering free workshops and since then he has been instrumental at growing it into the very successful business that it is today. It’s really interesting to hear him explain how they’ve done this and there are some great lessons to learn for other entrepreneurs.
To become a public speaker himself, Josh went through a big personal transformation from being a shy and quiet introvert into someone who can confidently speak on stage in front of 100’s and thousands of people. Coming up in this episode Josh shares his personal story about how he has grown and developed as a person which is really inspiring and entertaining too.
https://www.speakupchallenge.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshdykes/
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab has over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, search engine optimisation, paid advertising, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to https://kiklab.com/.
"YES YOU CAN!"
In this episode I talk to Gary Allen who is a life-coach and specialises in behavioral change. I’ve actually experienced Gary’s coaching first-hand when I was a member of One Year No Beer so I know how knowledgeable and skillful he is as a coach. He only decided to become a life-coach in his mid-forties so it’s really interesting to hear about why he has chosen to do it, how he got qualified and how he gets a regular flow of clients. He also shares his thoughts about what makes a good coach, explains how he works with clients and gives some great tips about behavioral change that people can take away and implement in their own lives.
If you would like to get in touch with Gary for help to chaange your relationship with alcohol you can send him an email to gary.allen@oneyearnobeer.com or for any other coaching inquiries you can send him an email to garallen@gmail.com.
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab have over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, search engine optimisation, paid advertising, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to https://kiklab.com/.
Lost and Found: A story of faith, love and forgiveness
In this episode Donna shares her experience being adopted as a child, the impact this had on her life and how she found her biological family which is a fascinating and emotional story.
Donna Joseph is an author, speaker, radio and podcast host and children's entertainer. Being mixed race and adopted into a white family, Donna spent her childhood seeking to belong which - through many twists and turns - led her down a powerful road of self-discovery and awakening. Donna now sees all her previous experiences as gifts and uses her story and passion to share these gifts with others. Donna is also a childhood trauma and mindfulness coach and mentor. She lives in Birmingham UK with her husband and son. Lost and Found is one of 34 stories within the book called "New Woman" . To pre order a copy email: donnajoseph0@gmail.com
You can also find her podcast ‘Searching For Truth’ on all the major podcast platforms including Spotify which is linked below:
https://open.spotify.com/show/0wIwQf6NbTpd8IbKuLer0z
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab have over 15 years experience and specialise in branding, websites, search engine optimisation, paid advertising, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to:
https://kiklab.com/
"Don't let yourself be a victim, you can beat the odds. Never give up, never give in!" Austin was originally diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in 2018 and had an emergency life saving operation which removed a tumor the size of a fist and he subsequently had 13 doses of chemotherapy. Against the odds he managed to beat the cancer and was given the all-clear from his doctors. However, the cancer came back again, not once but twice. He had another operation in April 2020 amid the outbreak of Covid and he is currently going through another course of chemotherapy. I know Austin personally and I am regularly blown-away by his positive attitude and ability to never give in which is truly inspiring. He is a karate sensei at the Enso Shotokan Karate Club in the west midlands and the author of a very insightful, emotional and entertaining blog and youtube channel called ‘the bag for life’ which I highly recommend checking out. He is here today to talk about his experience of fighting cancer and what life is like living with a stoma bag.
https://www.thebagforlife.co.uk/
https://www.ensoshotokan.co.uk/
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham in the UK. Kiklab have over 15 years experience and specialise in branding, websites, search engine optimisation, paid advertising, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to:
https://kiklab.com/
Our guest for this episode is Antony Adams who is a careers advisor and is passionate about careers education. He has his own business called Pathway Events which is responsible for setting up the International Education Week and the Careers Calendar which is a platform to help schools plan their career events and organisations to engage efficiently with schools and students. In this episode he talks to us about how he got involved in careers education, why it is so important to him and what he's doing to make a difference for young people. He also explains how he set up the Careers Calendar with a starting investment of only £200 and got his first paying client in less than a week!
https://www.pathwayevents.co.uk/
http://www.ieweek.com/
https://www.careerscalendar.com/
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham, UK. Kiklab have over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, search engine optimisation, paid advertising, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to kiklab.com
https://kiklab.com/
"I Might Not Be There Yet, But I'm Closer Than I was Yesterday"
Our guest for this episode is Rudolf Cinovskis who is a professional photographer and runs a successful business called MO Studios which is based in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham where he specialises in product and jewellery photography. Rudolf is here today to talk about how he became a professional photographer, set up his thriving business and what his ambitions are for the future.
https://mondoolfi.com/
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham, UK. Kiklab have over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, search engine optimisation, paid advertising, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to kiklab.com
https://kiklab.com/
"Tell Yourself a Better Story For a Better Life"
Our guest for this episode is Natalie Edwards-Yesufu who is a life-coach and also runs an organisation called The Transition Stage Company which is a multi-discipline production company specialising in event, film and theatre production. In talk about the stories we tell ourselves and how this can have an impact on our lives.
https://transitionstagecompany.com/
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham, UK. Kiklab have over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, search engine optimisation, paid advertising, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to kiklab.com.
https://kiklab.com/
"Beleive in your potential"
In this episode we speak to Alex McRobs who is a yoga teacher and sober coach. She tells us her story about why she stopped drinking alcohol in 2019, how she went about doing it and what her life is like now as a result. Alex also explains what a sober coach is and gives advice about how other people can become alcohol free themselves.
https://www.alexmcrobs.com/
https://www.themindfullifepractice.com/
https://linkfly.to/Soberyogagirl
Instagram: @alexmcrobs
You can sign up for the waitlist of the Sobercurious Yoga School here:
www.sobercuriousyoga.com
This episode is sponsored by Kiklab which is a digital marketing company based in Birmingham, UK. Kiklab have over 15 years of experience and specialise in branding, websites, search engine optimisation, paid advertising, social media and more. So if you want to grow your business online, just head over to kiklab.com
https://kiklab.com/
This episode is featuring the podcast host Simon Tomlinson who talks about how he gave up his day-job, which he had been doing for 15 years, and pursued his dream of being self-employed as a video producer. This is a difficult task in normal circumstances, but Simon decided to leave his full-time job only a few months before the world went into lockdown with Covid-19 which made things much harder. Simon explains how he has navigated the world of self-employment during these difficult times and what his plans are for the future.