FIRST MOVERS with Yas London

Yas London

First Movers with Yas London is a podcast for women exploring #technology, #leadership, and #society, and the ideas and forces shaping our future. Through candid conversations with people challenging outdated systems and shaping the environments around them, Yas uncovers the tensions, truths, and possibilities hiding in plain sight. Because what we make visible shapes what others believe is possible. Watch, listen, subscribe — and become a #firstmover

  1. Jun 29

    Abuse With a Glow Up: How Everyday Technology Has Become the New Weapon of Control

    ⚠️ Trigger warning: This episode contains references to domestic abuse, coercive control, and family violence. What if the most dangerous weapon in a domestic abuser's hands isn't a fist — but your bank account? In this episode, Yas London sits down with Catherine Fitzpatrick, CEO of Flequity Ventures and Australia's leading expert on financial abuse and technology-facilitated domestic violence. Catherine spent nearly a decade as a senior bank executive before uncovering a disturbing pattern: everyday products — bank accounts, insurance policies, smart devices, utility bills — being weaponised as tools of coercive control. In this conversation, you'll learn: — How bank transfer descriptions are being used as weapons of harassment and surveillance — Why 51% of Australians will experience technology-facilitated abuse in their lifetime — What Safety By Design means — and why most companies still aren't doing it — How AI is both the problem and the solution in financial abuse detection — What you can do right now, whether you're a business leader or an individual If something feels off in your relationship with money or technology, this episode will give you language, clarity, and a clear next step. Catherine Fitzpatrick | Flequity Ventures: https://flequity.au Learn about Design to Disrupt: https://designedtodisrupt.au Respect & Protect Campaign (check if your company has signed up): https://respectandprotect.au/ 1800RESPECT (National domestic violence support line): 1800 737 732 | www.1800respect.org.au Connect with Yas London: Website: yasminlondon.com Instagram: @_yaslondon_ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yasminlondon "What we make visible shapes what others believe is possible."

  2. Jun 1

    The $36 Billion Variable: What Body Image Is Really Costing Women at Work with Taryn Brumfitt

    What if the single biggest invisible barrier to women's performance at work has nothing to do with strategy, leadership, or culture? Taryn Brumfitt - 2023 Australian of the Year, founder of the Embrace Collective, and one of the world's leading voices on body image - calls it the hidden variable in performance. And it's costing Australian businesses $36 billion a year. In this episode, Yas London and Taryn go deep on why body image belongs in every workplace conversation - and what leaders, teams, and individuals can do right now to change it. You'll hear why women are turning off their cameras in meetings and what it's really costing them, the surprising link between height, salary and workplace bias, the simple Do-Ra! framework for taming self-doubt and backing yourself, and why every single one of Taryn's greatest career achievements - Harvard, the White House, 200 million people across 190 countries - happened only after she learned to embrace her body. If you've ever held back in a meeting, stayed quiet when you should have spoken up, or turned your camera off because of how you felt about yourself - this one's for you. Subscribe so you never miss a First Mover: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstMoversCo Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/1yb04I1... https://podcasts.apple.com/zm/podcast... Embrace Collective: theembracehub.com Embrace Kids film:https://theembracehub.com/see-the-film/ Embrace at Work: https://www.bodyimagemovement.com/embracework/ Connect with Taryn Brumfitt: Instagram: @tarynbrumfitt Connect with Yas London: Website: yasminlondon.com Instagram: @_yaslondon_ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yasminlondon "What we make visible shapes what others believe is possible."

  3. Apr 6

    When Capability Becomes a Cage: The Psychology of High-Functioning Women

    When Capability Becomes a Cage:The Psychology of High-Functioning Women Why sustainable success starts beneath the surface In this episode of the First Movers podcast, Cassie Roma and Yasmin London sit down with clinical psychologist Rajna Bogdanovic to unpack the truth about high-functioning women in leadership and the hidden toll of chronic stress, over-functioning, and hyper-independence. Throughout this conversation we learn to hold a very modern paradox: the same traits that make women exceptional leaders, reliable teammates, and high performers… are often the very traits that drive chronic stress, emotional suppression, and burnout. We explore what high functioning actually means through a clinical lens, and why so many women are operating at full capacity externally while quietly depleting internally. This isn’t a conversation about doing less. It’s about understanding what’s really driving how you show up, and whether it’s helping you thrive… or just helping you cope. What We Cover The clinical definition of high functioning and why it’s often misunderstood The difference between sustainable performance and survival mode How hyper-independence and over-functioning are formed (and why they’re so hard to unlearn) The hidden impact of chronic stress and allostatic load on the brain and body Why high-performing women are more vulnerable to burnout than they appear The role of neurodiversity in performance, pressure, and self-regulation Early warning signs your “capability” is tipping into cost Practical ways to build psychological safety, regulate your nervous system, and lead with sustainability

    When Capability Becomes a Cage: The Psychology of High-Functioning Women
  4. Mar 23

    Unmasking the Influence Economy: How Super Influencers and Self-Help Gurus Shape Society and Identity at Scale

    What happens when influence stops being content… and starts becoming culture? In this episode of First Movers, Yasmin London and Cassie Roma peel back the algorithm (and the big business of influence) to explore the rise of the super influencer — the creators shaping how we think, who we trust, and who we believe we should become. From the $250B creator economy to the tiny fraction of voices dominating global attention, this conversation dives into how influence is no longer just social media — it’s media empires, belief systems, and identity blueprints. We unpack the psychology of parasocial relationships (why strangers online can feel like trusted friends), and take a closer look at the darker edges of influence — including insights from Louis Theroux’s exploration of the manosphere, where young men are being targeted with “alpha male” narratives that distort power, relationships, and masculinity. But this isn’t a fear story It’s a discernment story. Because in a world of loud opinions and curated certainty, the real power lies in knowing how to think — not just what to think. ✨ Borrow the spark, don’t copy the fire. ✨  This episode is an invitation to stay curious, question what you consume, and build an identity that is chosen — not decided by an algorithm. KEY TAKE-AWAYS: The rise of the creator economy and “super influencers” How influence has evolved into ideology, community, and commerce The psychology behind parasocial relationships The impact of the manosphere on young men and gender narratives How misinformation spreads (and why it sticks) Tools for critical thinking and media literacy Reclaiming identity in a world telling you who to be Influence today isn’t just attention — it’s power A small percentage of creators hold outsized cultural control Parasocial trust can blur the line between guidance and manipulation Young people are particularly vulnerable to identity-shaping content Media literacy is no longer optional — it’s a life skill You don’t need to copy someone else’s path to be powerful

    Unmasking the Influence Economy: How Super Influencers and Self-Help Gurus Shape Society and Identity at Scale

About

First Movers with Yas London is a podcast for women exploring #technology, #leadership, and #society, and the ideas and forces shaping our future. Through candid conversations with people challenging outdated systems and shaping the environments around them, Yas uncovers the tensions, truths, and possibilities hiding in plain sight. Because what we make visible shapes what others believe is possible. Watch, listen, subscribe — and become a #firstmover