The Phoenix Conversations

Lucy McCarraher
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Self-Improvement

Life doesn’t always go to plan, but reinvention is where the real magic happens. I’m Lucy McCarraher- author, entrepreneur, and serial reinventor, and in The Phoenix Conversations, I talk to people who’ve turned collapse into courage and setbacks into spectacular comebacks. From rebuilding careers and relationships to rediscovering purpose and passion, these are stories of second chances and powerful new beginnings. Whether you’re craving a fresh start or standing on the edge of change, this podcast reminds you it’s never too late to rise again - because your next chapter could be your best one yet.

  1. 23 hr ago

    Survivors - A Family Saga With Lady Catherine Meyer

    What does it mean to reinvent your life when history leaves you with no other choice? In this episode, I'm joined by Baroness Catherine Meyer of Nine Elms, a Franco-Russian businesswoman, former child advocate and member of the House of Lords, whose extraordinary family story takes us from the Russian Revolution through exile, war and remarkable new beginnings. We talk about Survivors, the historical novel written by her late husband, Sir Christopher Meyer, which Catherine lovingly completed and published following his death. From her grandparents' escape across Siberia to her own experiences of living around the world, Catherine shares fascinating reflections on resilience, identity, freedom and the importance of preserving family history. Highlights: (03:00) - How Catherine brought her late husband's extraordinary family novel to life (07:51) - Escaping the Bolsheviks, losing everything and finding refuge in Manchuria (17:07) - The remarkable discovery that reunited Catherine's mother with her father (19:30) - Growing up between cultures and feeling connected to everywhere but belonging nowhere (28:19) - Life across continents, from Russia and Europe to Washington DC (32:19) - Inside the House of Lords and Catherine's reflections on democracy, freedom and public service Connect with Lucy: Website - https://bookmagic.ai TikTok - @lucymccarra Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/ This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  2. 3 Nov

    Riding Future Waves With Onur Ibrahim

    What does it take to keep reinventing yourself in a world where technology never stands still? This week, I'm joined by Onur Ibrahim, strategist, speaker, entrepreneur and founder of Commino, a growth consultancy helping businesses navigate technology, trust and compliance. With over 20 years of experience in digital marketing, marketing technology and data strategy, Onur has built an extraordinary career by spotting opportunities and embracing change. We explore the mentor who encouraged him to reinvent his business every two years, the importance of curiosity, and why human creativity remains essential in the age of AI. And if you're facing a change of your own, Onur has some refreshingly simple advice: be fearless, have a go and remember that failure is really just feedback. Highlights: (02:37) - From the naughty child nobody invited round to the top of his engineering class (07:36) - A business exit for a Volkswagen Golf. Not your usual success story (15:01) - You can't grow a plant in the wrong soil, and people are no different (17:59) - AI might be clever, but you can't outsource your creativity (29:27) - From big agencies to building his own business, and reinventing it again (36:19) - Be fearless. There's no such thing as failure, only feedback Websites Website: https://onuribrahim.com/ Links: https://onuribrahim.com/links Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/onuribrahim/ Commino LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/commino/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onuribrahim_official/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onur.ibrahim X (Twitter): https://x.com/StrategyDigital Connect with Lucy: Website - https://bookmagic.ai TikTok - @lucymccarra Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/ This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  3. 27 Oct

    For Female Founders with Sarah-Jane Butler

    What does it take to leave a successful legal career, build a business from scratch and then start all over again? In this episode, I'm joined by award-winning lawyer and entrepreneur Sarah Jane Butler, known as SJ, whose life has been full of reinvention, from moving countries as a child to navigating the financial crash, motherhood and entrepreneurship. We talk about the realities of building a business, why supporting working women became SJ's mission, and how she combined her legal expertise with entrepreneurial experience to create Farringford Legal. We also explore her Found Hers initiative and why it's never too late to take that first step towards something new. Highlights: (02:56) - How moving countries throughout childhood made starting again feel natural (10:23) - From Magic Circle law firms to Goldman Sachs, and the financial crash that changed everything (16:00) - Leaving a successful legal career with two young children to build a business from scratch (21:24) - The mistakes, challenges and unexpected lessons that shaped SJ's entrepreneurial journey (26:05) - Building Farringford Legal: a different kind of law firm for ambitious businesses (36:08) - Why you're never too old to reinvent yourself, and why change starts with one step Farringford Legal Farringford Legal specialises in providing affordable, agile and commercially focused legal services to entrepreneurs and those running SMEs. It supports high-growth sectors such as technology and e-commerce, addressing a range of business-critical issues including commercial law, corporate transactions, employment & HR, intellectual property (IP), and data protection. All Farringford Legal lawyers are highly experienced, all coming from Magic Circle firms. It stands out by integrating legal expertise with complementary business advice. The firm collaborates with HR, tax, and data protection consultants and includes a trademark attorney on its team. By focusing on SMEs, the firm aligns its offerings to meet the unique challenges of growing businesses, providing not only legal guidance but also strategic insights for sustainable growth. Connect with Lucy: Website - https://bookmagic.ai TikTok - @lucymccarra Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/ This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  4. 19 Oct

    The Key Person Of Influence with Daniel Priestley

    For my 50th episode, I’m joined by my friend, collaborator and co-founder Daniel Priestley, and if anyone proves that reinvention is rarely a one-time event, it’s Dan. From changing schools constantly as a child to leaving university, learning sales the hard way, building businesses, losing a $14 million deal and arriving in London with a suitcase and a credit card, his story is full of extraordinary pivots. We talk about starting again, turning experience into intellectual property, the book that became Key Person of Influence, rebuilding through COVID and reinventing yet again for AI. Most importantly, Dan shares why your next chapter might begin by recognising the value you’ve already spent decades building. Highlights: (06:44) - Eighteen, broke and sleeping on a garage floor... so naturally, Dan started a business too (16:23) - “Go start your own business.” Dan may have slightly misinterpreted that advice (23:03) - A suitcase, a credit card and London: time to start from scratch all over again (35:49) - Two weeks unable to move, one book, and the reinvention that became Key Person of Influence (39:22) - When COVID wiped out ten years of momentum and the whole business had to change (46:12) - Facing your own reinvention? Start by recognising the value you’re already sitting on Connect with Dan: https://danielpriestley.com https://keypersonofinfluence.com/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Daniel-Priestley/author/B00699HDBA https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpriestley/ https://www.instagram.com/danielpriestley Connect with Lucy: Website - https://bookmagic.ai TikTok - @lucymccarra Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/ This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  5. 12 Oct

    From Acting to Sales: When the Dream Changes

    What happens when the dream you’ve had since childhood no longer feels like the life you actually want? I’m joined by Tash Rebuck, founder of the Good Sales Company, whose first love was acting. But a simple search for careers that suited an actor sent her down an entirely different path, and eventually towards building a business of her own. We talk about rejection, entrepreneurship, ADHD and finding a way to sell without manipulation or aggressive tactics. Tash’s story is a wonderful reminder that reinvention doesn’t necessarily mean leaving your old self behind. Sometimes those earlier dreams, skills and experiences are exactly what prepare you for your next stage. Highlights: (06:25) - When your childhood dream is acting, but Dad has one very sensible condition (10:00) - The Google search that completely changed the direction of Tash’s life (12:41) - Giving up the big dream without feeling like you’ve failed (21:35) - The volunteering project that sparked a whole new business idea (24:27) - Losing her job and starting a business on the very same day (34:05) - Reinventing yourself? Go for it, but you really don’t have to rush Connect with Tash: Website https://thegoodsalescompany.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tashrebuck/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tash_rebuck/ Connect with Lucy: Website - https://bookmagic.ai TikTok - @lucymccarra Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/ This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  6. 5 Oct

    Navigating Your Next with Julian Lighton

    What if reinvention isn’t one dramatic moment, but something we’re doing throughout our lives? I’m joined by bestselling author and leadership coach Julian Lighton, whose own career has taken him from Oxford and advertising to Silicon Valley, global businesses and, eventually, coaching some of the world’s top executives. We talk about curiosity, learning from successful people and having the confidence to change direction when something no longer fits. Julian also shares what decades spent observing leaders have taught him about success, why knowing what you actually want matters so much, and how reinvention can be less about starting again and more about continually becoming. Highlights: (07:55) - From model student to Oxford mischief, was this Julian’s first reinvention? (14:37) - What if you’re not reinventing occasionally, but constantly? (19:59) - How curiosity took Julian from London to the heart of Silicon Valley (31:18) - From adviser to operator to coach, and a rather brilliant fishing metaphor (37:15) - Why today’s leaders need more than an impressive online persona (40:44) - The question behind every successful reinvention: what do you actually want? Connect with Lucy: Website - https://bookmagic.ai TikTok - @lucymccarra Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/ This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  7. 28 Sept

    Don't Work Harder with Suman Randhawa

    In this episode, I’m joined by Suman Randhawa, Chief Commercial Officer at ATOMIC, award-winning sales consultant, keynote speaker and author. With 30 years of sales experience, Suman has led teams at The Mirror, FHM, Heat magazine and Harrods, and now helps founder-led businesses turn audiences into customers. We talk about redundancy, reinvention, resilience and the career shifts that eventually led Suman to build work around her strengths. It’s a conversation about recognising when it’s time for change, investing in your growth and creating a career that fits who you’ve become. Highlights: (10:10) - How a recession unexpectedly led Suman into a career in sales (15:03) - Why redundancy at 40 felt like rejection rather than simply a career change (18:54) - Starting again at Harrods and adjusting to being outside her comfort zone (22:32) - How studying for a marketing diploma taught Suman far more than marketing (28:41) - Why losing her dad changed the way she thought about work, life and legacy (32:56) - The decision to leave corporate life and build a career with no ceiling Connect with Lucy: Website - https://bookmagic.ai TikTok - @lucymccarra Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/ This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  8. 21 Sept

    The Initiator With Ben Price

    In this episode, I’m joined by Ben Price for a fascinating conversation about identity, masculinity and the beliefs we absorb without even realising it. Ben shares how childhood, military life and the world of entrepreneurship each shaped his sense of who he thought he had to be. We talk about the cost of self-sacrifice, the pressure to perform success, and what changed when Ben found a mentor who helped him understand himself in a completely different way. It’s a conversation about healing old beliefs, rediscovering your strengths, and finding a way to lead that feels grounded, honest and genuinely your own. Highlights: (03:59) - How criticism in childhood taught Ben to stay small and hold back his voice (07:32) - What interviewing a suicide bomber in Afghanistan later taught him about indoctrination (12:51) - How military life stripped away individuality while building resilience (18:39) - The entrepreneurial messages that pushed Ben towards burnout and debt (24:57) - Meeting the mentor who completely changed his understanding of masculinity and leadership (28:34) - The three stages Ben now uses to help founders reconnect with who they really are Connect with Ben: www.initiators.co.uk https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachbenprice/ Connect with Lucy: Website - https://bookmagic.ai TikTok - @lucymccarra Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/ This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

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About

Life doesn’t always go to plan, but reinvention is where the real magic happens. I’m Lucy McCarraher- author, entrepreneur, and serial reinventor, and in The Phoenix Conversations, I talk to people who’ve turned collapse into courage and setbacks into spectacular comebacks. From rebuilding careers and relationships to rediscovering purpose and passion, these are stories of second chances and powerful new beginnings. Whether you’re craving a fresh start or standing on the edge of change, this podcast reminds you it’s never too late to rise again - because your next chapter could be your best one yet.

Information

  • Creator
    Lucy McCarraher
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    54
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Lucy McCarraher
  • Show Website
    The Phoenix Conversations