Snippets of Genius with Caroline Kay Snippets of Genius with Caroline Kay

The Big Lessons And The Secret Sauce

It’s here the season wrap-up, your fast guide to burst your next opportunity wide open and become the person you most want to be. 

In this episode...
We will explore the big lessons that have come from this series on how to have fun at work and the secret sauce to become the person you most want to be. 

On a personal note...
I was inspired to do this series when I was feeling stuck. Last summer, I was trying to decide on the theme and for some reason I was struggling to focus and get to work. Luckily, I was invited to a great values workshop run by Carola Baratella at Freelance Camp Italia in the beautiful Ravenna beach resort in northern Italy.  

You may have already guessed that the biggest value that came up for me was FUN. 

It was like a lightning bolt for my motivation.  
All I had to do was focus on FUN in this series and make this not another thing I had to do but something I get to do.

But that didn’t stop me doubting myself. As I was writing questions, I'd start to think...

“What am I doing?

Am I really going to ask people about their darkest moments?

Their most embarrassing times at work, and even what their animal battle companion would be?” 

I recognised for every fear that came up, that I was holding myself back with false beliefs of what I thought a business podcast should be. Instead by allowing myself to pivot and grow, I got to discover what my podcast could be. 
I’m glad to say, I’ve had more fun, engagement, positive feedback and opportunities open up than from any other series.

Discover Mental Fitness
Each month, I train myself and my clients to build mental fitness' using the Positive Intelligence framework.
The PQ program’s tools continually build and strengthen a Growth Mindset.
Strengthening your growth mindset, allows you to take bigger risks so that you continue to learn, grow and win the moments that matter. 
If you’d like to learn more about Positive Intelligence and what building mental fitness can do for you, check out S5 EP5 We Are Value Centric. 

Ready to become the person you most want to be this year? 
Then jump in and join the Waitlist for Vincita’s Mental Fitness Program for Leaders. 
Details will be announced to everyone on this list in May ready for a new start date in early June 2024.  

I hope you enjoy this episode and you dig deeper into the inspiring stories within this series. 
Finally, a special thanks to all my GENIUS guests, my series sponsor Magic Mind and to you for listening. 
To your success!
Caroline 

To listen to the full episodes here are your links: 

Have fun at work with Filippo Spreafico #S7 EP1: https://carolinekay.co/2024/02/15/s7-ep1-have-fun-at-work-with-filippo-spreafico/ 

Simona Barbieri: How to Redefine Networking with Fun and Energy #S7 EP2: https://carolinekay.co/2024/02/22/simona-barbieri-redefine-networking/ 

Will Harrison – How to find creative courage #S7 EP3: https://carolinekay.co/2024/02/29/will-harrison-how-to-find-creative-courage/ 

Maisie Nicholls – How To Bring Yourself Back To The Joy #S7 EP4: https://carolinekay.co/2024/03/07/maisie-nicholls-how-to-bring-yourself-back-to-the-joy/


Danny Matthews – How to avoid founder burnout #S7 EP5: https://carolinekay.co/2024/03/14/danny-matthews-how-to-avoid-founder-burnout/ 

Izzy Francke – How To Forge Your Own Path Having Fun #S7 EP6: https://carolinekay.co/2024/03/21/s7-ep6-izzy-francke-how-to-forge-your-own-path-having-fun/


Chris Lund: How to embrace insatiable curiosity and make it your superpower #S7 EP7: https://carolinekay.co/2024/03/29/s7-ep7-chris-lund-how-to-embrace-insatiable-curiosity-and-make-it-your-superpower/


David Allison – How to make fast friends you value #S7 EP8: https://carolinekay.co/2024/04/03/s7-ep8-david-allison-how-to-make-fast-friends-you-value/




Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever feel like it’s hard to find and make deep and valuable connections? 
What would happen if you stopped playing it safe, and started to boldly share your feelings, ideas and dreams? 
In today’s episode of Snippets of Genius, David Allison, a human values expert, global researcher, and two-time best-selling author comes on the show to share our story of becoming fast friends, his big life lessons and the heart breaking moments that have shaped what he values most. 
Tune in and you’ll learn 

The fastest way to make strong connections

The 2 questions you need to ask yourself to know if you’re doing the right thing in your career and business right now.

What to focus on when making significant changes.

The best way to build connections, and embrace opportunities that align with personal fulfilment. 

How to re-frame “no” to be your second best answer for anything.


This episode is packed full of humour, vulnerability and deep reflection. It is my hope that you also take away the insights to embrace your own authenticity and individuality and be unapologetically true to who you are, just like David.
Keep listening to the end where David reveals his humorous playful side. Possibly, my favourite answer of the show so far to the question: ‘what’s the creepiest thing you could say to someone you just met?’
Now it’s your turn. Let’s look closer at the “what can make time stand still for you”.
For example, mine is ‘Speaking’. I get a huge burst of energy when I know I am about to walk on stage. I can move myself into the biggest version of myself and I love being that version. What about you?
Which of these do you catch yourself losing track of time with most? 
Speaking 
Writing 
Designing 
Creating 
Drawing 
Reading 
Networking 
Hosting 
Organising 
Mentoring 
Coaching 
Teaching 
Write 1–2 sentences about why you lose track of time. Now ask yourself: would you do this until you were a 103? Does it feel like something you can turn into the biggest part of your day? What is holding you back? 
What’s something you could do (or stop doing) to have more fun at work?
Share your thoughts and questions with me at hello@carolinekay.co and take the first step to “becoming” the person you most want to be.
To your success 
Caroline 
———-
DIVE DEEPER:
This episode is brought to you by Caroline Kay.
Caroline is a Motivational Speaker, Business Coach and the Founder and Chief Training Officer of Vincita; a high performance accelerator for leaders. 
www.vincita.co.uk
www.carolinekay.co 
CONNECT WITH DAVID. https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidallisoninc/
David speaks internationally and helps big brands connect with people by honouring their values. INC Magazine named his last book one of the ten best leadership books of the year.
GRAB DAVID’S BOOK: https://valuegraphics.com/books 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creatively curious people have a deep desire to explore and follow a path until the very end. When in actual fact killing a dream, a project, an idea, is in fact, the very thing that will help you get to the next level of your success.

In this episode, you’ll learn the critical importance of know when to:

Let go.
Bet big on yourself (even take a 97% pay cut) and not do what’s expected of you
Recognise when you’re on to something versus when you’re not.
Find the strength in your creative muscles to unlock your biggest potential.
Dance harder on the fine line between what’s acceptable and not and have more fun!


As you’ll hear on today’s episodes of The Snippets of Genius Podcast, it’s his insatiable curiosity that has allowed Chris Lund to evolve into a the youngest ever CMO of banking in the US, an award wining creative agency owner, and now a brand builder within an agile innovation hub with a license to kill.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your curiosity really matters, or worse assumed this was some kind of procrastination, listen to this episode now!

The stories and wisdom that Chris shares from his 35+ years in high performing roles will show you how to lean into your curiosity and love of story telling to become the person you most want to be.

You’ll also learn:

Why being small gives you a competitive edge
How to flip a category on its head
What’s needed to accelerate an idea down the brand superhighway and secure 2.5M customer in 14months.
How to create a new market and opportunity
Why you’re unlikely to change people’s habits and rituals and where to focus instead
Why Yoga at work can be a bad idea
The best way to have fun at a funeral and when not too.
How to deal with frightening stalkers and body crushing Pythons!

Once you’ve had a chance to listen, Chris and I would love to hear from you.

1. What’s the biggest insight you’re taking away?
2. What’s something you could do today that would bring you one step closer to embracing your curiosity?


It’s my hope you take these lessons and insights to heart and most of all stay curious.

To your success!


—————

This episode is brought to you by Caroline Kay.

Caroline is a Motivational Speaker and Business Coach and the Founder and Chief Training Officer of Vincita; a high performance accelerator for leaders.

www.vincita.co.uk
www.carolinekay.co

Connect with today's GENIUS guest:

Chris Lund: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chlund/
Perennial Brands Inc: https://www.linkedin.com/company/perennial-brands-inc/

Discover more about this episode's sponsor:

Magic Mind: The World’s First Productivity Shot.

Go to: https://www.magicmind.com/carolinekay

Use code: CAROLINEK20

This code gives you 20% off, and it’s valid forever. Use it in the next 10 days you can get up to 56% off because it stacks, which means it works in conjunction with the subscription discount already on the website now. Giving you up to 56% off on the 30 pack subscription. 

Subscribe to Caroline Kay's monthly newsletter THE BURST, each edition is designed to inspire you to cultivate opportunities you never thought you could have. 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever NOT asked a question in a meeting as you don’t want to come across as stupid?
 
Do you sometimes bite your tongue because you don’t want to come across as entitled or needy?
 
My hand is raised.
 
Looking back, I can see how much I devalued my talent and expertise due to FEAR of not fitting in or worse not being valued.
 
The consequences of stepping out of the bounds of what is considered acceptable within different groups can hit your confidence hard.
 
Today, I’m talking to Trainee Counselling Psychologist, Stand up Comic and Media Entertainment specialist, Izzy Francke.
 
Not only have I have proudly worked with Izzy to navigate a serious case of culture shock, in this episode she shares her big cringe, dark and hugely embarrassing moments on both sides of the camera.
Izzy’s story is one of leaning into her curiosity and her gifts to express herself creatively again, and again. Going viral on YouTube (12M views and counting), testing boundaries, facing fears head on and accepting the faux pars.

It's only through experimentation you will find your tribe and your ability to truly sparkle.
 
Take it from Izzy: “you gotta find the fun in the now”

In this empowering conversation we invite you to reflect on and explore
 

What is considered too much or too far in your environment?

How to use failure as fuel to build wisdom and sparkle brightly

Why you need to stop trying to fit in and play to your strengths.

Why taking care of yourself will give you fierce focus to do your best work.

 
As you will hear from Izzy, forging your own path was and is still not easy. The feelings of isolation, loneliness and being seen as different are sadly still an everyday fact of life. However, we can all help to make the world a kinder, more equitable place. Let’s support one another with compassion — yes, when we succeed, but especially when we fail.
 
You will hear stories on this podcast that shock and amaze. To emphasise this, I have listed some of the topics below, which I urge you to consider before listening.
 
What are your beliefs and boundaries?
What is socially and culturally acceptable for you?

Let’s begin:
 

First date conversation around your vibrator?

Hunting someone down and publicly shaming them for having a pooh

Asking noisy people to leave a theatre versus laughing in a theatre and being asked to leave

Protrusive nipples

Hairy legs

Taking an afternoon nap in the office on a Monday.

Yelling at your wardrobe

Taking to yourself and sometimes having a full blown fight with yourself.

  
Now Izzy and I would love to hear from you. Which part of our conversation resonated most with you and why?
 
What can you do to reclaim your sparkle right now? 
 
 ----
This episode is brought to you by Caroline Kay.
Caroline is a Motivational Speaker and Business Coach and the Founder and Chief Training Officer of Vincita; a high performance accelerator for leaders.

Connect with today's GENIUS guest Izzy Francke:
https://www.instagram.com/izzshefunny/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/izzyfrancke/
 
Discover more about this episode's sponsor Magic Mind: The World’s First Productivity Shot.
 
Go to: https://www.magicmind.com/carolinekay
Use code: CAROLINEK20
This code gives you 20% off, and it’s valid forever. Use it in the next 10 days you can get up to 56% off because it stacks, which means it works in conjunction with the subscription discount already on the website now. Giving you up to 56% off on the 30 pack subscription. 

Subscribe to Caroline Kay's monthly newsletter THE BURST, each edition is designed to inspire you to cultivate opportunities you never thought you could have. 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you passionate about solving big problems but wondering how you can?
Then this episode is for you.
Just imagine waking up one day and securing 3.5 Billion in funding.
Then imagine the weight of that responsibility.
Let that sink in for a minute.
Because, as you’re about to learn, moving too fast and too intensely can change your life in ways you may not be lucky enough to walk away from.
My GENIUS guest, Danny Matthews, Founder of Short Story Ventures and director at Founder institute London, shares the year of stress both personal and work related that led up to his burnout; leaving him temporarily paralysed and even caused him to lose his speech.
His story of finding his passions and the importance of perspective when it comes to money, connection and the confidence to LET GO.

Let go of expectations
Let go of the data
Let go of the logic.
Let go of everything BUT the FUN.

Danny is living proof, that when you let go and lean into your passions you can come back stronger than ever.
Tune in a learn

– Why focusing on what you love to do will save you from burnout

– How Danny had no formal qualifications and still found a way to thrive

– The truth about ‘being unemployable’ and ‘knowing what you want’.

– The best way to build up credibility and awareness to make that impact you want to make

– How the power of your passion is far greater than cash or connections

Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share with your friends.
Until next time, stay curious and keep exploring what new belief, behaviour or habit could be the big unlock of your genius within you.
To your success
Caroline

Connect with my GENIUS Guest
https://www.linkedin.com/in/theactualdanny/
https://shortstoryventures.com/

This episode is brought to by sponsor MagicMind: https://magicmind.com/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a wonderful conversation about how you can learn what is invisibly holding you back from becoming all you can be.
And even, righting the wrongs of your past.
Interested? I am. 
So I asked, Maisie Nicholls - an EMDR Therapist - to tell us everything she knows about trauma, big and small, and the practices that can truly support you to step into your light. 
Ever wondered what it would be like to tell your bad boss what you REALLY think of them? Then listen in, for a story that had my eyes out on stalks!!
Perhaps, (like me and 1000’s of other content creators, business owners, entrepreneurs and leaders out there) you are starting to hate Instagram? Maisie explains why you might feel this way and how she ditched it then went viral on TikTok… 
Even better, these ballsy moves and breakthroughs are not reserved for people who have coaches, psychologist or therapists (although having one sure does make the journey a heck of a lot easier). Today you will discover the simple practices anyone can make to feel dramatically different, less stressed more confident to make the most of the big opportunities life has to offer you.  
And that’s not all..
I highly recommend making time to listen all the way through to understand:

The #1 thing anyone can do to build joy into every day starting now.

The 3 ingredients to have fun at work

The spectrum of trauma and the triggers 

What feeder memories are and how they stop you in your tracks 

Why “The glimmer moment” is about to change your life.  

How calm, joy, happiness, fun, and relaxation can be had everyday and is a fundamental part of therapy and your route to success. 

Trypophobia (trip-uh-FOE-bee-uh) a phobia not many people know about and how to know if you suffer.


This conversation is jam packed with practical tips you need to know to feel amazing for as long as possible. 
So tune in and learn the techniques to take care of yourself, you deserve it.
Caroline 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices