I Shouldn't Say This, But...

Katy Leeson
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  • Entrepreneurship
  • Weekly Series

Being a leader can be genuinely lonely. I Shouldn't Say This, But… exists because of that. Hosted by Katy Leeson, former MD of Social Chain, now founder of Courageous, this is the podcast for leaders and founders who want the conversations they can't seem to have anywhere else. The real ones. About doubt, people, culture, hard decisions, and what building something actually costs you. No performance. No pretending. Just honest conversations that make you feel less alone, and give you something real to take back into your business.

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  1. Season 6, Episode 1 Trailer

    I Shouldn't Say This But... I'm Back 🎙️

    I Shouldn't Say This But is back, and I've got a lot to say and share. I'm Katy Leeson, former MD of Social Chain, founder of Courageous, and I'm bringing back one of the UK's top-ranked business podcasts with a clear mission: to help leaders and founders scale without losing their people or themselves. No fluff. No performance. Just the stuff most of us won't say out loud. Hit follow and get ready, new episodes are on their way.

    I Shouldn't Say This But... I'm Back 🎙️

  2. Episode 2

    Why I Left. Why I'm Back. What Four Years Taught Me

    After four years away, I'm back! In this first episode, I'm taking it right back to the beginning, from press buyer to managing director of Social Chain, growing the agency from 30 to 130 people and 650% revenue growth, to working alongside Gary Neville, and now returning with a brand new chapter of I Shouldn't Say This, But. I talk about how the podcast was born out of a need to build a personal brand authentically, why I stepped away, and what the last four years of personal growth, coaching, consultancy, and speaking have taught me about leadership, values, and knowing yourself. This season I'll be sitting down with some of the biggest brands and leaders in the world, diving into AI, HR, finance, leadership challenges, and what really goes on behind the scenes of the fastest growing businesses. Get ready because I'm back and I'm so excited! I Shouldn't Say This, But is hosted by Katy LeesonRecorded at Mollies, ManchesterProudly sponsored by We Are The AlliesProduction by The Club Manchester Subscribe so you don't miss an episode and leave a review if you enjoyed it, it helps more people find the show. Follow me:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katyleesonInstagram: @katyleeson

    Why I Left. Why I'm Back. What Four Years Taught Me

  3. Episode 3

    Your People Are Your Biggest P&L Line, So Why Are You Ignoring Them? With Kelly Tucker

    In this episode I sit down with Kelly Tucker, Founder of HR Star, for a conversation every founder and leader needs to hear. We get into why your people are your biggest P&L line but probably get the least attention, the subscription model of work, Gen Z expectations, hybrid working, new employment law changes, and what it actually takes to build a culture that delivers. If you are growing, hiring, or trying to hold onto your best people, this one is for you. I Shouldn't Say This, But is hosted by Katy LeesonRecorded at Mollies, ManchesterProudly sponsored by We Are The AlliesProduced by The Club Subscribe so you don't miss an episode and follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram at Katy Leeson.

  4. Episode 4

    78% of UK Business Leaders Feel Out of Their Depth And Nobody's Talking About It

    Your Impostor Syndrome Isn't Going Away. Here's Why That's Actually Good News. Imposter syndrome gets talked about like it's a beginner's problem, something you grow out of as your career matures. Katy's here to tell you that's not how it works. After 20 years in leadership, scaling businesses, sitting in boardrooms and speaking to thousands of people on stage, she still has weeks where she questions everything. And she's not alone. 78% of UK business leaders and 80% of MDs admit to feeling out of their depth, they're just not saying it out loud. This episode isn't for people just starting out. It's for experienced leaders who've already proved themselves and are still quietly wondering if today's the day someone finds them out. Katy shares how being made MD of Social Chain at 32 (six months into the role) brought her impostor syndrome crashing to the surface, what working with a therapist taught her about the stereotype she was unconsciously leading from, and why the impostor never fully disappears, no matter how much you achieve. But here's the reframe: what if it's not supposed to? What if your impostor syndrome isn't a flaw to fix, but a signal to follow? In this episode: The three ways impostor syndrome shows up in experienced leaders (and why we dress it up as high standards) Why your impostor is actually a growth indicator in disguise The "boost folder" technique that takes five minutes and changes everything How to close the gap between the leader you think you should be and the leader you actually are You're not on your own. And you never were.

    78% of UK Business Leaders Feel Out of Their Depth And Nobody's Talking About It

  5. Episode 5

    I'm Collecting Memories, Not Sleep Scores

    Consider this your invitation to pull up a chair at Mollies and have a proper catch-up with me, because that's exactly what this episode is. It's been a whirlwind few weeks. I'm talking talks, coaching sessions that made me genuinely emotional, a fitness competition that nearly finished me off (but also proved what this body is capable of, 100kg deadlift?!), and a business that finally feels like it's moving the way I always knew it could. But this one isn't just about work. We get into the stuff that fills your cup back up, gratitude practices, Fozzie walks, Love Island, and why I will always choose dancing on a chair over monitoring my sleep score. Life is for living, and I refuse to optimise the joy out of it. I also share a question from a talk that completely stopped me in my tracks and sent me down a whole new rabbit hole around imposter syndrome, not just how you experience it, but how to spot it in the people you lead. If you've ever felt like you needed permission to be brilliant at work and a little bit silly at the weekend, this is the episode for you. 🎙️ Recorded at the beautiful Mollies Manchester. Proudly sponsored by We Are The Allies.

    I'm Collecting Memories, Not Sleep Scores

  6. Episode 6

    "I've had death threats...over hair" The reality of building a personal brand online with Sarah Louise Keane

    She's had death threats over hair. She won't stop.In this episode of I Shouldn't Say This But, Katy Leeson sits down with hairdresser, turned-content-creator Sarah (SLK), 21 years in the industry, founder of Host Manchester, and one of the most followed voices in UK hairdressing. Sarah opens up about the reality behind the highlight reel: the trolling, the violent threats, the message that made her want to quit for good (and the one message that made her stay). She shares how a holiday in Portugal changed the entire direction of her career, how a single webinar generated £150k in two days, and why she still gets imposter syndrome every single time she tries something new (including teaching on the other side of the world). We also get into the post that nearly broke the internet, "I'm a hairdresser, not a therapist" and why Sarah stood by it even when the backlash was brutal. In this episode: Building a personal brand from nothing (and why substance beats strategy every time) The 11 income streams that changed Sarah's life Dealing with trolls, hate and death threats online Why imposter syndrome never fully goes away — and why that's a good sign The truth about hairdressers as unofficial therapists Scaling from salon chair to Host Manchester and teaching internationally in Australia Sobriety, self-discovery, and finding your voice online This one's honest, it's funny, it's got a fair bit of swearing — and it might just change how you think about showing up online. 🎙️ Recorded at Mollies, Manchester 🤝 Sponsored by We Are The Allies Follow Katy: [@katyleeson] Follow Sarah: [@slkbleachexpert]

    "I've had death threats...over hair" The reality of building a personal brand online with Sarah Louise Keane

  7. Episode 7

    Hustle Culture Is Lying To Women. The NHS Dietician's Truth About Hormones, Food & Burnout

    Why You're Exhausted, Foggy and Under-Fuelled (And What To Do About It) | Jade Reilly, NHS DietitianIn this episode I sit down with Jade Reilly, a registered dietitian of over a decade with the NHS, personal trainer, Pilates teacher, and On running ambassador, to talk about what it actually takes to fuel a body that's trying to build a business, train like an athlete, and show up for everyone else, all at once. We get into why most of us are chronically under-fuelled without even realising it, why "hustle culture" was never built with women's hormones in mind, and what fasting actually does to female bodies (spoiler: the research nobody talks about). Jade also shares her own experience of burnout and losing her period, and why she believes eating shouldn't be about restriction, it should be about performance. We finish with a supplement quick-fire round where Jade rates everything from vitamin D to greens powders, and tells us honestly what's worth your money and what isn't. If you've ever skipped breakfast to get out the door, felt guilty about "not eating clean enough," or wondered why your brain feels foggy by 2pm, this episode is for you. In this episode: Why so many busy women are under-fuelled, not overeating Why fat is essential, not the enemy The truth about fasting and female hormones Hustle culture, built for a 24-hour hormone cycle that isn't ours Jade's honest supplement rankings, what's worth it, what isn't The question that changed how I think about food: who is the healthiest version of you?

    Hustle Culture Is Lying To Women. The NHS Dietician's Truth About Hormones, Food & Burnout

  8. Episode 8

    My Husband Wasn't Paid for 9 Months, So We Built a 500 Freelancer Network

    This week I'm joined by Pav, CEO of We Are The Allies, the incredible agency behind this podcast, and it's one of the best founding stories I've heard. Pav's career started in the accounts department of a Leeds agency (she didn't even have the GCSEs for it) and took her through the marketing departments of Morrisons, Poundland and Co-op before she finally went out on her own. But the real spark came from her husband Rick, a freelance creative director who went nine months without being paid on a major campaign. That injustice became the founding brief for Creative Allies, sketched out on the back of a napkin, literally. Seven years on, that napkin sketch is a network of 500 vetted freelancers across 46 creative categories, working with 400+ agencies and clients. We talk about how they built trust at scale (480 interviews before they'd take on 135 people), why freelancers deserve to be paid in 14 days not 9 months, their work opening doors for next-gen talent through Channel 4's Content Creatives programme, and what's next as they build out an AI division. It's a brilliant listen if you've ever wondered what happens when someone gets properly, righteously annoyed on someone else's behalf and turns it into a business.

    My Husband Wasn't Paid for 9 Months, So We Built a 500 Freelancer Network

  9. Episode 9

    I Got 1 Million Listeners on BBC Radio 4 (And My Imposter Syndrome Took Over)

    This week I'm catching you up on one of the biggest moments of my year so far! Recording BBC Radio 4's The Bottom Line with Evan Davis, Andy Ransom (former CEO of Rentokil) and imposter syndrome expert Dr Valerie Young. The topic? Imposter syndrome, my specialist subject. Except the moment I found out a million people would be tuning in, my own imposter syndrome decided to show up in spectacular fashion. The irony wasn't lost on me. In this solo episode, I'm sharing: 🎙️ How the opportunity came about (spoiler: it started with a WhatsApp message) 🧠 Why imposter syndrome is actually about a false idea of "competency" and how redefining it changes everything 👶 How our childhood experiences quietly set our imposter syndrome levels ✨ The brain hack that turns nerves into excitement (your body genuinely can't tell the difference!) 💬 The two types of anxiety, and why one of them is actually good for you Plus, my mum's brilliant reaction when she heard the episode. If you've ever felt like a fraud right before your biggest moment, this one's for you. 🎧 Recorded at Mollies, Manchester 🙏 Sponsored by We Are The Allies

    I Got 1 Million Listeners on BBC Radio 4 (And My Imposter Syndrome Took Over)
See All Season 6 (9)

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About

Being a leader can be genuinely lonely. I Shouldn't Say This, But… exists because of that. Hosted by Katy Leeson, former MD of Social Chain, now founder of Courageous, this is the podcast for leaders and founders who want the conversations they can't seem to have anywhere else. The real ones. About doubt, people, culture, hard decisions, and what building something actually costs you. No performance. No pretending. Just honest conversations that make you feel less alone, and give you something real to take back into your business.

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