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. From Cancer Research to ADHD Girls: Dr Samantha Hiew’s Remarkable Journey

    6d ago

    From Cancer Research to ADHD Girls: Dr Samantha Hiew’s Remarkable Journey

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! In this episode of the award-winning Secrets of Learning and Development, we speak with Dr Samantha Hiew, founder of ADHD Girls, speaker, writer and advocate. Sam’s story is one of reinvention, self-discovery and purpose. From a career in cancer research and science communication to becoming a powerful voice for neurodivergent women, she shares the experiences that shaped her path and the moments that changed how she saw herself and her work. Following a late diagnosis of ADHD and autism, Sam began to make sense of years of feeling different, struggling to fit expected moulds and questioning her place in professional environments. What followed was not only greater self-understanding, but the creation of a platform that is helping other women feel recognised, informed and supported. In this conversation, we explore late diagnosis, identity, masking, burnout, workplace inclusion and the importance of creating spaces where people can work in ways that genuinely suit them. It is an honest and thought-provoking episode, full of insight for anyone interested in leadership, learning, wellbeing and what it means to live and work more truthfully. Key Learnings Late diagnosis can completely reframe a person’s life and work Samantha’s ADHD and autism diagnosis helped her make sense of years of feeling different, struggling in certain environments and questioning herself. A major learning from the episode is that self-understanding can shift shame into clarity and help people make choices that are far more suited to who they really are. Inclusion at work needs to go beyond surface-level awareness The episode highlights that many neurodivergent women may appear highly capable on the outside while quietly exhausting themselves through masking. A key takeaway is that organisations need to think more carefully about energy, flexibility, safety and individual ways of working rather than relying on one-size-fits-all support. Guest Information: Linkedin.com/in/samanthahiew https://linktr.ee/Samhiew https://hub.adhdgirls.co.uk/AuDHD-in-women-masterclass https://hub.adhdgirls.co.uk/AuDHD-Women-Intersectional-Scientific-Lens We are thrilled to share 'The Secrets of Learning and Development'  Podcast has won Podcast of the Year 2025 A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support.  It means the 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

    36 min
  2. The strength of weak ties: Why your opportunity isn't where you think it is.

    Jun 11 ·  Bonus

    The strength of weak ties: Why your opportunity isn't where you think it is.

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! In this bonus episode of The Secrets of Learning & Development, Julia and Valerie explore Mark Granovetter’s influential idea, The Strength of Weak Ties, and why the people we know less closely can often lead us to fresh ideas, unexpected opportunities and valuable new perspectives. The conversation looks at why strong ties offer trust and depth, while weak ties can expand our thinking, connect us to different networks and help learning travel across organisations. From LinkedIn conversations to cross-team learning and brief breakout-room exchanges, this episode is a reminder that opportunity does not always come from the obvious places. Julia and Valerie also reflect on what this means for L&D, social learning, hybrid work and organisational connection, ending with a simple challenge: reach out to one weak tie and start a conversation. We are thrilled to share 'The Secrets of Learning and Development'  Podcast has won Podcast of the Year 2025 A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support.  It means the 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

    9 min
  3. Abi Rogers on The Hidden Anxiety Behind High Performance

    Jun 4

    Abi Rogers on The Hidden Anxiety Behind High Performance

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! S5:E In this episode, we’re joined by Abi Rogers, founder of The Better Brain Company and solution-focused hypnotherapist, for a thoughtful conversation on the hidden cost of high performance. Abi reflects on her journey from running two optical practices while quietly struggling with anxiety, panic and relentless mental overload, to discovering a different way of working and living.  Together, we explore confidence, identity, nervous system regulation and why so many capable people can appear fine on the outside while feeling very different underneath. Abi also shares practical insights for anyone caught in overthinking, along with the thinking behind her Leading Lighter programme and her book, 21 Days to a Better Brain. Key Learnings Outward success does not always mean inner ease. High performers can look capable while quietly carrying anxiety, pressure and mental overload. Confidence is not about becoming a different person. It often starts with calming the nervous system, reducing mental noise and creating space to think more clearly. Guest Information:  https://linkedin.com/in/AbiRogers http://www.betterbraincompany.com/ 21 Days to a Better Brain: How to be calm, confident & focused in a world that's losing its mind. Kindle Edition, https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0H22P1GT8 We are thrilled to share 'The Secrets of Learning and Development'  Podcast has won Podcast of the Year 2025 A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support.  It means the 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

    31 min
  4. Why Borrowed Belief Can Change a Career

    May 29 ·  Bonus

    Why Borrowed Belief Can Change a Career

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! In this bonus episode of The Secrets of Learning and Development, Valerie and Julia explore the powerful idea of borrowed belief: those moments when someone sees a strength, quality or possibility in us before we can fully see it ourselves. Julia reflects on why this can be so significant at career crossroads, especially when confidence, self-trust or readiness are quietly holding someone back. The conversation explores how borrowed belief can shift what feels possible, how to recognise the patterns others may be reflecting back to us and why the real change begins when we start turning that belief into our own. A thoughtful episode for anyone who has ever been encouraged by someone else’s belief in them, and wondered whether it might be time to take that seriously. We are thrilled to share 'The Secrets of Learning and Development'  Podcast has won Podcast of the Year 2025 A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support.  It means the 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

    11 min
  5. Jacqueline Rogers: Creating the Room She Once Needed

    May 22

    Jacqueline Rogers: Creating the Room She Once Needed

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! Jacqueline Rogers didn’t set out to build a networking organisation. She simply noticed that the rooms she was being told to walk into were not working for her, or for many other women. In this episode of The Secrets of Learning and Development, we speak with Jacqueline Rogers, CEO and founder of The Athena Network, about the experiences that shaped her journey from military community life, through corporate learning and development, to creating one of the UK’s most recognised women’s networking organisations. Jacqueline shares the reality behind her career transition, including the exhaustion that told her something had to change, the quiet planning that helped her move forward and the early networking experiences that left her questioning whether there had to be a better way. What follows is a warm, honest and insightful conversation about confidence, reinvention, connection and the difference between transactional networking and genuinely relational business relationships. Jacqueline also gives us a glimpse into Athena’s next chapter, including international growth and the launch of the Athena Networking Companion, an AI tool designed to support women with their networking strategy. This is an episode for anyone who has ever walked into a room and wondered whether they truly belonged there, and for anyone interested in what can happen when frustration becomes the starting point for creating something better. Key Learnings Networking is often happening before we ever call it networking. Jacqueline’s story shows that connection is not just about walking into formal business rooms or delivering a polished pitch. It can begin with someone recommending you for a role, sharing a useful contact or simply helping another person move forward. One of the key messages from the episode is that women are often already networking instinctively, but may not recognise the value of what they are doing. Career transition rarely happens in one dramatic leap. Jacqueline’s move from corporate life into entrepreneurship was not instant. She made the decision to leave, but then spent time learning, preparing and building what Julia described as a “parallel plan”. The learning here is that once you know something needs to change, even small actions can restore a sense of direction and help you move towards what comes next with more intention. Guest Information: Jacqueline’s profile linkedin.com/in/jacquelineybrogers theathenanetwork.com athenafranchiseuk.com jacquelineybrogers.com  We are thrilled to share 'The Secrets of Learning and Development'  Podcast has won Podcast of the Year 2025 A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support.  It means the 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

    37 min
  6. Season 4 Round-Up

    Season 4 Trailer

    Season 4 Round-Up

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you!  A look back at some of the most memorable moments from Season 4, as Julia and Valerie revisit the guest insights, standout quotes and thought-provoking reflections that stayed with them. From leadership and confidence to identity, resilience and growth, this round-up offers a rich snapshot of the conversations that shaped the season.  We are thrilled to share 'The Secrets of Learning and Development'  Podcast has won Podcast of the Year 2025 A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support.  It means the 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

    9 min
  7. Finding Your Voice: Sarah Clay on Reinvention, Confidence and Starting Before You’re Ready

    May 7

    Finding Your Voice: Sarah Clay on Reinvention, Confidence and Starting Before You’re Ready

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! Sarah Clay is the kind of guest who makes you laugh, think, and then quietly reassess the way you have been doing your own career. She began in law, chasing approval and a “proper” path, until her body started telling the truth before her mouth could. What followed was not a neat plan, but a series of bold moves that only make sense when you hear how she thinks: film industry work in Soho, building marketing from scratch by learning on the job, getting businesses onto Instagram before most people knew what it was, then losing clients overnight during the pandemic and reinventing herself as a LinkedIn trainer almost immediately. In this episode, Sarah shares what it was like growing up as the only girl among six brothers, why that shaped her relationship with confidence and voice, and how her career has always been guided by one rule: she has to enjoy what she does. We also get into the less talked-about side of LinkedIn, the identity work, the clarity, and the confidence that comes before the profile polish. If you have ever felt like you are good at what you do but not sure you are saying the right thing, or you are due a shift but you cannot see the plan yet, this conversation will land. Clarity and voice come before tactics Sarah makes it clear that LinkedIn is not a checklist exercise. The real work is getting clear on what you want to say, who you are speaking to and where you are heading. When that clicks, the profile and posts become easier and more effective. Reinvention is built through action and fast learning, not perfect planning Across every shift (law to film, marketing to social, social to LinkedIn training), she moves by getting stuck in, learning on the job and using what is in front of her. When circumstances changed overnight during the pandemic, she adapted quickly by repositioning herself and upskilling. Guest Information: Link to my free analytics tracking chart https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/y6q5d7 Website: www.sarahclaysocial.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-clay LinkedIn newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/linkedinsimplified-with-sarah-6864462831719342080 Free monthly webinar: https://sarahclaysocial.com/freewebinar/  Speaker reel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFGJbh_QTDk Book: Employee Advocacy on LinkedIn®: How to use LinkedIn to build a thriving company culture, empower your te&a We are thrilled to share 'The Secrets of Learning and Development'  Podcast has won Podcast of the Year 2025 A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support.  It means the 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

    31 min
  8. Bonus Episode: Unlock the Strengths You're Already Using

    Apr 30 ·  Bonus

    Bonus Episode: Unlock the Strengths You're Already Using

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! Most of us rely on our strengths every day without naming them. But what happens when a strength goes into overdrive? In this bonus episode, Valerie interviews Julia on how character strengths shape the way leaders make decisions, handle pressure and respond to change. They explore what it really means to ask, “What are you leading with?”, how strengths can become overused and quietly lead to burnout, and why sometimes the missing piece isn’t more capability, but better balance. If you’re feeling stuck, stretched or questioning your next move, this episode will help you spot the patterns driving your working life. Includes a free tool to help you identify your own strengths. We are thrilled to share 'The Secrets of Learning and Development'  Podcast has won Podcast of the Year 2025 A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support.  It means the 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

    11 min
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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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