The Secrets of Learning & Development

Valerie & Julia

Our podcast is designed for business leaders, managers, consultants, industry experts, and individuals who are passionate about driving change and promoting growth in their organisations or personal development. Each episode will delve into crucial topics such as mindset recalibration, visibility, and strategic planning. We will have insightful conversations about change management and innovative initiatives that can transform your approach to learning and development.  Our aim is to equip you with valuable insights and practical strategies to enhance your leadership skills, business acumen, and personal growth.  We are focusing on our leaders and professional guests' unique journeys and the key moments that have shaped their careers.   We are passionate about sharing stories that inspire, educate, and ignite a spark within our listenersJoin us on this journey as we unlock the secrets to success in the dynamic world of learning and development. Stay tuned and get ready to be inspired!Host Information:Julia BendExecutive Career Coachhttps://www.premier-coaching.co.ukhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-bend-premier-coachingValerie MerrillLearning & Development Trainer & Advisorhttps://www.merrillconsultants.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/merrillvalerie/

  1. 23h ago

    Lynne Parker was Told Women Aren’t Funny. Then She Changed Comedy.

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! What happens when one dismissive comment becomes the catalyst for more than two decades of change? In this episode, Julia and Valerie are joined by Lynne Parker, founder of Funny Women, the award-winning platform that has championed female performers, writers and creators since 2002. Lynne shares how being told that women ‘aren’t funny’ led her to challenge a male-dominated comedy industry and create opportunities for emerging talent, including Funny Women Award winner Katherine Ryan. Lynne reflects candidly on her varied career in journalism, public relations and retail, the risks behind building Funny Women and the financial realities of sustaining work in an industry where comedy is still not officially recognised as an art form. She also explores how comedy can help women strengthen their confidence, communicate with greater impact and make themselves heard in business and beyond. This is an honest and spirited conversation about reinvention, visibility, collaboration and what it takes to keep backing an idea when the structures around you have yet to catch up. Key Learnings Your experience may prepare you for work you never planned to do. Lynne’s background in journalism, PR and business gave her the storytelling, commercial judgement and determination to build Funny Women. Lasting change requires more than personal success. It depends on opening doors, recognising new talent and working together so that opportunity extends beyond one person. Guest Information:  https://www.lynneparker.co.uk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynneparker/ https://funnywomen.com/ https://magazine.funnywomen.com/2025/12/11/the-glitter-project-how-a-spark-became-a-nationwide-creative-movement/ Comedy Advisor to CRAFT, the newly formed Comedy Representation and Artform Trust. https://thecraft.lol/ https://magazine.funnywomen.com/2026/04/30/born-out-of-misogyny-why-we-are-still-waiting-to-be-heard/ Support the show Support the Show Help us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support

    Lynne Parker was Told Women Aren’t Funny. Then She Changed Comedy.

  2. 6d ago ·  Bonus

    Bonus: What Are You Ambitious for Now

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! What if the part of your career that made the least sense taught you the most? In this bonus episode, Julia and Valerie explore the qualifications, roles and unexpected changes in direction that rarely fit the polished version of a career story, yet often reveal something important about who we are and how we work. They examine the difference between competence and fit, why being highly valued for a skill doesn’t always mean you want to build your future around it and how seemingly unrelated roles can reveal a consistent thread in the contribution others trust you to make. This isn’t about pretending every difficult experience happened for a reason. It’s about looking honestly at what each chapter showed you about your abilities, your standards and the environment in which you do your best work. Because a career doesn’t need to follow a straight line to make sense. Sometimes the detour is where you discover what the original plan could never have taught you. Support the show Support the Show Help us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support

    Bonus: What Are You Ambitious for Now

  3. Jul 30

    Roz Morris: How To Look More Credible, Confident and Professional On Screen

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! S5: E6 In this episode of The Secrets of Learning and Development, Julia Bend and Valerie Merrill are joined by Roz Morris, author, broadcaster and founder of TV News London. With more than 32 years in television news, media training and communication, Roz shares her journey from the newspaper world of The Guardian and The Observer to BBC radio, television reporting, presenting and running her own business. The conversation explores how communication has changed, why visual skills now matter in almost every professional setting and what many leaders still miss when they appear on screen. Roz talks about the “grammar of TV”, the rise of the visual economy, the impact of COVID on online communication and why professionals today need to think not only about what they say, but how they show up. From crisis media training to executive presence, networking, asking for help and learning how to walk into a room with authority, this episode is a sharp, timely and practical look at what it means to communicate well in a world where we are all increasingly visible. Key Learnings We are all visible communicators now. Roz makes the point that communication is no longer just about words. Whether it’s Zoom, Teams, social media, live streaming or online presentations, professionals now need to understand how they appear on screen. Framing, lighting, sound, camera position and eye contact all shape how credible and prepared someone appears. Presence is a skill, not a personality trait. The episode highlights that executive presence, media confidence and the ability to communicate under pressure can be learned. Roz links this to crisis communication, public speaking and how people enter a room, speak on camera or respond when the pressure is high. The message is clear: strong communication is not just about having something to say. It’s about knowing how to carry it. Guest Information: http://www.tvnewslondon.co.uk/ roz@tvnewslondon.co.uk https://www.linkedin.com/in/rozmorris https://www.amazon.co.uk/Visual-Revolution-Guidebook-success-economy/dp/1915483468?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Wjen2urR6_yVOJ2iqlG1gKvNgJDgc3N9UQ8ygSouXio.8G27bcQLgvvBkXUTT-qEmNsMYmFZrkmymlknEg82xoY&qid=1720184432&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=tvnewslondon-21&linkId=39edf3fe3035eb3c4b2555754e01bcaf&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl InThe Visual Revolution Guidebookmedia expert Roz Morris, who has trained thousands of people to succeed in media interviews, videos and presentations, provides you with a unique practical toolkit for the visual skills you need right now for success in your career in this new visual-centric world. Support the show Support the Show Help us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support

    Roz Morris: How To Look More Credible, Confident and Professional On Screen

  4. Jul 23 ·  Bonus

    Bonus: Why One Size Doesn’t Fit All – Learning for Non Office Workers

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! In this bonus episode of The Secrets of Learning & Development, Valerie and Julia turn their attention to a group of employees who are often underserved by traditional workplace learning: non-office workers. From frontline teams and retail staff to healthcare, logistics and manufacturing workers, many people don’t have the time, space or equipment to access learning in the same way as office-based colleagues. A 45-minute online course may work well for someone at a desk, but it’s far less realistic for someone working shifts, dealing with customers, supporting patients or responding to live operational demands. Valerie and Julia discuss why learning needs to be designed around the reality of the job, not around outdated assumptions about how people work. They explore the role of mobile-first learning, short and focused content, practical support at the point of need and learning that becomes part of the working day rather than something separate from it. This episode is for anyone involved in L&D, people development or line management who wants to create learning that is accessible, relevant and useful for people who are not sitting behind a laptop all day. Support the show Support the Show Help us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support

    Bonus: Why One Size Doesn’t Fit All – Learning for Non Office Workers

  5. Jul 16

    Why It’s Never Too Late to Say Yes: Christine Marsh on Learning, Leadership and Reinvention

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! In this episode of The Secrets of Learning and Development, Julia Bend and Valerie Merrill are joined by Christine Marsh, transformation catalyst, global keynote speaker, author and working model. At 85, Christine continues to speak, write, create and model, with two active contracts and a career that challenges many assumptions about age, leadership and what is possible later in life. Christine shares how her early experiences, including returning from India unable to read and often being the new person, shaped her ability to observe, listen and understand people. She reflects on her work in learning and development, conflict resolution and organisational change, including her time supporting thousands of people across the UK and her decision to found Prime Objective at the age of 50. The conversation explores what gets in the way of real change in organisations, why leadership is about developing others rather than ego, and how Christine’s SELF model helps people bring clarity to complex situations by separating the situation, emotion, logic and forward movement. Christine also talks openly about grief, reinvention, writing her book Flashpoint Transformation: Life’s Choices: Ready to Jump or Waiting to Be Pushed, and the importance of saying yes before we talk ourselves out of what might be possible. This is a powerful and uplifting conversation about change, courage, learning, leadership and continuing to grow at every stage of life. Key Learnings Real change requires honesty, not just procedures. Christine makes a powerful point that organisations often create mission statements, training schedules and procedures, then stop revisiting them. Her view is that change has to stay relevant, fresh and connected to the real world, otherwise it becomes a tick-box exercise rather than something that truly helps people or the organisation move forward. Growth does not stop at a certain age or stage of life. Christine’s story challenges the idea that there is a natural point where we should slow down, step back or stop saying yes. At 85, she is still speaking, writing, creating and modelling, and her message is very clear: keep learning, keep trying and do not rule yourself out before you  Guest information: https://thechristinemarsh.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechristinemarsh/ Support the show Support the Show Help us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support

    Why It’s Never Too Late to Say Yes: Christine Marsh on Learning, Leadership and Reinvention

  6. Jul 11 ·  Bonus

    The Career Crossroads that doesn't feel like a crisis

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! In this bonus episode of The Secrets of Learning and Development, Valerie Merrill is joined by co-host Julia Bend, Executive Career Transition Coach and founder of Premier Coaching, to explore the kind of career crossroads that doesn’t look like a crisis from the outside. For many senior professionals, the title, salary, reputation and performance may still be there. Nothing may have obviously gone wrong. Yet privately, a question keeps returning: “Is this still right for me?” Julia discusses why career transition is not always triggered by redundancy, burnout or major disruption. Sometimes it begins much more quietly, through a loss of connection, a flatness around achievement or the sense that an old version of success no longer fits. This conversation explores the guilt that can come with questioning a successful career, the identity shift that often sits beneath the surface and why reflection doesn’t have to mean making a sudden decision. It may simply mean paying proper attention to what has changed. If you’re outwardly doing well but privately wondering whether the next chapter of your career needs to feel different, this episode offers a thoughtful place to begin. Support the show Support the Show Help us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support

    The Career Crossroads that doesn't feel like a crisis

  7. Jul 2

    From CFO to Female Founder Champion: David Horne’s Story

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! In this episode of The Secrets of Learning and Development, Julia and Valerie are joined by David Horne, award-winning businessman, CFO, author and advocate for fairer funding for female founders. David shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career, from learning German as a teenager in Vancouver to moving to Zurich with one-way tickets, building a successful finance career and later facing the difficult reality of a business that did not work out as planned. With honesty, humour and energy, David reflects on redundancy, reinvention, personal loss, confidence, opportunity and the people who spoke his name in rooms he was not in. He also shares the passion behind his work with female founders, the shocking funding gap they still face and his ambition to create meaningful change in how women-led businesses are supported. This is a conversation about courage, career pivots, resilience, purpose and the moments that ask us to rethink what success really means. Key Learnings Career opportunities often come from skills you develop before you know why they matter. David’s decision to learn German began as curiosity, but it later became a defining thread in his career, opening doors to Pricewaterhouse in Zurich, senior finance roles and leadership development in a different language and culture. Setbacks can become turning points when they force honest reflection. David speaks openly about the wine business not working, losing savings and facing a difficult personal turning point after his father’s death. That period helped him reassess his direction, rebuild his confidence and move into work with greater purpose, including his focus on supporting female founders. Guest Information: LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-b-horne/ +44 (0) 771 774 2134  dbh@addthenmultiply.com www.addthenmultiply.com Support the show Support the Show Help us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support

    From CFO to Female Founder Champion: David Horne’s Story

  8. Jun 25 ·  Bonus

    Critical Thinking in the age of AI

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! In this bonus episode of The Secrets of Learning and Development, Valerie leads a timely conversation with Julia on critical thinking in the age of AI and everyday decision-making. Together, they explore why it is no longer enough to accept information at face value, especially when AI tools can produce answers that sound confident but may not always be accurate or relevant. The conversation highlights the importance of pausing, asking better questions, checking assumptions and looking for evidence before making decisions. Valerie and Julia also consider the challenges of critical thinking, from the extra time it can take to the discomfort of questioning established ways of working. They reflect on why phrases such as “we’ve always done it this way” can limit progress and how a more thoughtful approach can support better decisions, greater confidence and stronger outcomes. A practical and timely conversation for anyone who wants to think more clearly, question more carefully and make decisions with greater intention. Support the show Support the Show Help us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support

    Critical Thinking in the age of AI
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About

Our podcast is designed for business leaders, managers, consultants, industry experts, and individuals who are passionate about driving change and promoting growth in their organisations or personal development. Each episode will delve into crucial topics such as mindset recalibration, visibility, and strategic planning. We will have insightful conversations about change management and innovative initiatives that can transform your approach to learning and development.  Our aim is to equip you with valuable insights and practical strategies to enhance your leadership skills, business acumen, and personal growth.  We are focusing on our leaders and professional guests' unique journeys and the key moments that have shaped their careers.   We are passionate about sharing stories that inspire, educate, and ignite a spark within our listenersJoin us on this journey as we unlock the secrets to success in the dynamic world of learning and development. Stay tuned and get ready to be inspired!Host Information:Julia BendExecutive Career Coachhttps://www.premier-coaching.co.ukhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-bend-premier-coachingValerie MerrillLearning & Development Trainer & Advisorhttps://www.merrillconsultants.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/merrillvalerie/

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