What I Wish I Knew Sooner

What I Wish I Knew Sooner

What I Wish I Knew Sooner is a podcast for the curious, the creative, and the entrepreneurial. Hosted by two friends figuring life out as they go, we explore the lessons we wish we’d learned earlier and the stories helping us grow now. Through honest conversations with founders, creatives, and community builders, we unpack identity, ambition, and the messy in-between of building a meaningful life.🎙 New episodes monthly 💬 Got a dilemma? Send it our way! 💛 Find us on socials @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod

  1. FEB 8

    Ep 15 | Why Visibility Isn’t Enough: Trust, Credibility & Modern PR with Rebecca Emery

    In this episode, we’re joined by Rebecca Emery, founder of Not Born Yesterday, to explore how we’re seen, why visibility alone isn’t enough, and what it really takes to build trust and credibility in a noisy world. From PR and storytelling to perception, personal brand and modern visibility, Rebecca helps us unpack why being “out there” doesn’t always translate to being trusted and how the stories we tell (and don’t tell) shape how others experience us. We talk about what PR really is beyond headlines, how credibility is built over time, and why staying human, intentional and consistent matters more than chasing attention. Rebecca also shares the lessons she’s learned building her own agency, working closely with founders and brands, and what she wishes she’d known sooner about backing herself and showing up with confidence. We talk:  💬 Why visibility doesn’t automatically equal trust  🧠 How perception quietly shapes how we’re seen  📣 What PR really is (and what people often get wrong)  🌱 How to build credibility in a world that’s louder and faster than ever KEY MOMENTS: 0:00 Intro & meeting Rebecca 1:00 What most people get wrong about PR 11:00 Why PR matters for your career and personal brand 13:00 What the people and brands who “get it” do differently 16:00 Why building trust and real connection is so difficult today 21:00 How to build credibility without it feeling forced 25:00 What the shift toward GEO means for modern brands 34:00 Staying visible in the age of AI without losing your human edge  35:00 How PR can support brands through a crisis  42:00 Lessons in resilience, reputation and leadership 48:00 Taking the leap: navigating the uncertainty of starting her own business 53:00 What Rebecca wishes she knew sooner 🎙 Hosts: Senna & Serenity  📍 Guest: Rebecca Emery, Founder of Not Born Yesterday (@notbornyesterdaypr)  🔗 Follow us: @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod

    57 min
  2. JAN 4

    Ep 13 | What It Means to Be Human in the Age of AI: A Conversation with Psychotherapist, Charlotte Braithwaite

    In this episode, we’re joined by psychotherapist Charlotte Braithwaite to explore what it really means to be human in a world that’s moving faster than our nervous systems were ever designed for. From burnout and survival mode to hustle culture, AI, and constant comparison, Charlotte helps us unpack why so many of us feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or like we’re constantly “on edge” - and why this isn’t a personal failing, but a very human response to modern life. We talk about how our nervous systems shape the way we think, feel and behave, how productivity culture and technology can quietly keep us stuck in fight-or-flight, and what it actually looks like to begin regulating ourselves in a world that rarely slows down. Charlotte also shares practical insights on how to reconnect with yourself, create a greater sense of safety in your body, and move from survival mode into a more grounded, intentional way of living. We talk:  💭 Why so many of us feel like we’re constantly in survival mode  🧠 How the nervous system quietly runs the show  🤖 What AI and modern life are changing about how we relate to ourselves  🌱 Small, realistic ways to regulate, reconnect and feel more human again KEY MOMENTS: 0:00 Why modern life feels so overwhelming  2:00 As AI gets smarter, are we losing touch with what makes us human? 5:00 Survival mode isn’t what you think - here’s how it actually shows up  10:00 The signs your nervous system is quietly running the show 18:00 How productivity culture keeps us disconnected from ourselves 24:00 People-pleasing, imposter syndrome & why they’re nervous system patterns  34:00 Why boundaries feel so hard and what your body has to do with it  39:00 What it really means to improve the quality of your life 46:00 What’s actually happening in your body during an existential crisis  54:00 What Charlotte wishes she knew sooner  🎙 Hosts: Senna & Serenity  📍 Guest: Charlotte Braithwaite (@be_conscious_with_charlotte)  🔗 Follow us: @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod

    57 min
  3. 11/30/2025

    Ep 12 | Netflix & Will: How Morby Founder Sophia Maslin is Making Wills Simple & Stress Free

    In this episode, we sit down with Sophia Maslin - barrister turned founder of Morby, the modern estate-planning platform - to explore why planning for the future doesn’t have to be complicated, morbid, or reserved for later in life. After losing a family member in their thirties, Sophia discovered just how unprepared most people are when it comes to wills - not because they don’t care, but because the process feels confusing, outdated, and overwhelming. Morby was born to change that. We dive into how Sophia is demystifying wills, reframing them as a core part of financial wellness, and helping a whole generation take control of their futures with clarity, confidence, and even humour. Sophia opens up about her personal story, the misconceptions holding people back, and what it’s been like disrupting one of the most traditional corners of the legal world. We talk:  💭 Why so many Millennials & Gen Z avoid wills (even though they know they need one)  🐾 The surprising things you can protect in a will, from pets to social media 📱 How tech, design & AI are modernising a dusty, outdated industry 🌱 Why planning for the future is an act of self-care, not morbidity 🗂 The reality of building a startup, raising investment & disrupting a legacy sector ✨ The mindset shift that helped Sophia pivot from law to entrepreneurship KEY MOMENTS: 0:00 Intro & Meet Sophia  1:00 Sophia’s journey law journey 3:00 The personal story behind Morby  10:00 Why we avoid talking about death & planning for the future 13:00 Taking something hard to face & reframing it with humour  17:00 The disconnect between what we know we should do & what we actually do  21:00 What can wills protect for people that don’t have big assets  25:00 Turning a complex, traditional process into something simple  31:00 Sophia’s first business: Revolt model agency  39:00 Hot takes on wills, legacy, manifestation and peace of mind  42:00 What Sophia wishes she knew sooner  🎙 Hosts: Senna & Serenity  📍 Guest: Sophia Maslin (@morbyapp)  🔗 Follow us @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod

    46 min
  4. 11/09/2025

    Ep 11 | What We Get Wrong About Men & Why It’s Time to Talk About It with Author George Bell

    In this episode, we sit down with George Bell — author of Be a Man About It: Building a Healthier Idea of Masculinity — to unpack one of the most important and misunderstood conversations of our time: men, mental health, and modern masculinity. Released during Movember, Men’s Health Awareness Month, this episode dives into why so many men are struggling in silence, how cultural expectations around strength and emotion are affecting them, and what needs to change in the way we talk about masculinity. George shares what inspired him to write the book, the patterns he’s seen through his research and interviews, and how we can all play a part in breaking unhelpful cycles and creating healthier models of strength, vulnerability, and connection. We talk:  💭 The silent pressure cooker men are living with today  🧠 How the myths of masculinity are fuelling disconnection and burnout  💬 Why vulnerability isn’t weakness and what healthy strength looks like  🌍 How we can all play a part in reshaping the conversation KEY MOMENTS: 0:00 Introduction & Meet George 2:00 Why men are cracking under the weight of cultural & societal norms 4:30 Have men always felt this way or is it new? 6:15 Why is male mental health still fairly unspoken about? 9:30 Opening up emotionally to men vs. women  16:15 Learning emotional intelligence at school 18:00 Is the damage already done or can it be reversed? 19:30 George’s thoughts on Netflix’s Adolescence 22:30 How social media has shaped the idea of masculinity 27:30 Breaking the cycle for future generations 30:15 Advice for men who didn’t have positive role models  37:00 The role women play in the cycle  47:30 Interviews from the book that will change your perspective on masculinity 52:30 Steven Fry’s review of the Be a Man About It book  55:00 What gives George hope that the conversation is starting to change 58:30 Hot takes on men fearing emotion, needing vulnerability, and the difference between how men & women talk to their friends 1:05 What George wishes he knew sooner  🎙 Hosts: Senna & Serenity  📍 Guest: George Bell (@georgeybell)  🔗 Follow us @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod

    1h 7m
  5. 10/20/2025

    Ep 10 | Redefining Fashion: The Rise of Adaptive & Inclusive Design with Hanan Tantush, Founder of Intotum

    In this episode, we sit down with Hanan Tantush - award-winning designer and founder of Intotum, the adaptive fashion brand redefining what it means to create clothing that’s functional, comfortable, and beautiful. After watching her grandfather struggle to find clothing that felt both practical and empowering, Hanan set out to change the fashion industry from the inside out - designing garments with the disabled community, not just for them. From building Intotum from scratch to winning £70,000 at the inaugural NatWest Accelerator Pitch and being named one of Drapers’ 30 Under 30, Hanan shares what it takes to build a business rooted in purpose - and why inclusivity should never come as an afterthought. We talk:  👗 What adaptive fashion really means and why it matters  💡 The story behind Intotum’s mission to make clothing accessible for everyone  🔥 How to pitch with purpose (and win big)  🧵 The future of inclusive design and representation in fashion If you care about innovation, impact, or the power of design to make life better - this conversation is for you. KEY MOMENTS: 0:00 Intro & meet Hanan 4:00 Why Hanan felt she had to do something  7:00 How Hanan got into sewing and fashion design  8:00 The meaning behind the name Intotum 9:00 Turning the idea into a business 13:00 Hanan’s experience winning business pitches   22:00 Balancing function, fashion and comfort  28:00 Designing with the community, rather than for them 33:00 The challenge of breaking into the fashion industry 37:00 Why Intotum is expanding into sportswear 43:00 Advice for other founders pitching their business  54:00 How the NatWest Accelerator pitch will change things for Intotum 1:00 Hot takes on function vs fashion and representation in the industry  1:02 Hanan’s advice on a listener dilemma  1:03 What Hanan wishes she knew sooner  🎙 Hosts: Senna & Serenity  📍 Guest: Hanan Tantush (@intotum_fashion)  🔗 Follow us @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod

    1h 6m

About

What I Wish I Knew Sooner is a podcast for the curious, the creative, and the entrepreneurial. Hosted by two friends figuring life out as they go, we explore the lessons we wish we’d learned earlier and the stories helping us grow now. Through honest conversations with founders, creatives, and community builders, we unpack identity, ambition, and the messy in-between of building a meaningful life.🎙 New episodes monthly 💬 Got a dilemma? Send it our way! 💛 Find us on socials @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod