Perfectly Flawed Podcast

Deborah Henley
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Conversations with amazing individuals who’ve faced up to their own perfectly flawed selves - and transformed their lives because of them. Discover how to be extraordinarily successful through embracing struggles and imperfection. By turning towards, not away from, their greatest fears, failures and flaws, our guests have discovered their path to fulfilment and that it’s sometimes in the darkest places that we find our greatest light. Their stories and insights inspire us in the Art of Being Human. With Deborah Henley.

  1. 2D AGO

    Flawed Yet Unbroken

    How do you rebuild a life after surviving the unimaginable? In this moving episode of *Perfectly Flawed*, I speak with **Madeleine Black**—author, professional speaker, sexual violence activist, and host of the acclaimed podcast *Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling*. As a teenager, Madeleine was gang raped and left fearing for her life. For decades, she carried her trauma in silence. Then, in 2014, she stepped onto a TEDx stage to share her story—and the response changed everything. Today, Madeleine is a powerful voice against sexual violence, advocating for survivors to reclaim their courage, trust their bodies, and set boundaries without apology. Her journey from silence to strength is one of profound resilience, joy, and advocacy. In our conversation, we explore: 💡 Why victims of sexual violence are never “asking for it.” 💡 How shame and silence can be broken through courage and community. 💡 The long road of healing—and the power of reconnecting with life. 💡 How Madeleine helps others find their voice and step into their own strength. Madeleine reminds us that even in the darkest experiences, it is possible to heal, to speak, and to inspire others with courage. 🎧 Tune in for a conversation that is raw, hopeful, and deeply human. Madeleine Black is an author, professional speaker, sexual violence activist, former psychotherapist and has a podcast show called “Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling”    After decades of silence, Madeleine decided to share her own story publicly online in September 2014 and she completely underestimated what the response would be.      She is passionate about speaking out to end the shame, stigma and silence surrounding sexual violence and to help others find their courage and voice too  www.linkedin.com/in/madeleineblackspeaker444  www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken  www.madeleineblack.co.uk

    54 min

  2. OCT 29

    Life, Wealth and Transformation

    In this episode of *Perfectly Flawed*, I sit down with **Paul Avins**—a transformational coach, entrepreneur mentor. Paul’s remarkable career includes a 20-year track record of helping entrepreneurs and CEOs achieve extraordinary results, with over 550 companies, many scaling to £5–10 million, he leads world-class masterminds, retreats, and events through **Massive Action Coaching** and the UK’s No.1 Scale-Up Mastermind, **F12**. Paul’s life took a dramatic turn when a severe asthma attack nearly ended it. Minutes later, he returned, transformed by the experience. He believes that this near-death experience (NDE) prepared him to navigate the challenges of his wife’s subsequent disabling illness, teaching him resilience, perspective, and the deeper meaning of wealth and life. In this conversation, we explore: 💡 The intersection of business success, personal wealth, and spiritual insight. 💡 How a life-threatening event can redefine purpose and perspective. 💡 Lessons from guiding hundreds of entrepreneurs to scale their businesses beyond imagination. 💡 The importance of resilience and presence when life throws unexpected challenges your way. 🎧 Tune in for a conversation that blends business, life, and spirituality, and discover how extraordinary success and personal transformation can go hand in hand. With a remarkable 20-year track record coaching entrepreneurs and CEOs, Paul knows how to deliver real results. He's successfully guided over 550 companies to surpass £1 million in revenue, with many scaling to an impressive £5 million and £10 million heights, dominating their industries.  Paul's journey has been marked by resilience, having survived a life-threatening asthma attack nine years ago, a testament to his unwavering commitment to helping others overcome adversity.  As the CEO of Massive Action Coaching, he leads 'Team Purple,' renowned for delivering world-class events, masterminds, and retreats that inspire and empower entrepreneurs on their scale-up journeys. Paul is also the driving force behind the No1 Scale-Up Mastermind in the UK, F12, boasting a remarkable 10-year history of creating millionaire business owners.  Links:   https://www.instagram.com/paulavins/   https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulavins/  https://www.facebook.com/PaulAvinsCoach  https://www.youtube.com/@paulavins

    1h 3m

  3. OCT 15

    Just a Drummer?

    He calls himself “just a drummer”—but Tom Morley is far from just anything. As the original drummer for 80s band Scritti Politti, Tom went on to play with legends like David Bowie and Madness. Today, he blends old-school rock ’n’ roll eccentricity with new-school technology, including generative AI, to unleash creativity in the most unexpected places—like corporate boardrooms. Through drumming, chanting, and his trademark humour, Tom has a rare gift: he gets even the most straight-laced delegates clapping, singing, and drumming in harmony. As one client said: “We didn’t believe we could do it, but we could see that you believed we could do it. So we went for it—and it worked!” In this free-spirited conversation, we explore:🥁 How group energy transforms when people are given permission to play.🥁 Why stepping out of our comfort zones leads to breakthroughs.🥁 The art of creating in the moment—and why that’s at the heart of being human.🥁 Tom’s reflections on music, technology, and unifying people through rhythm. Tom is living proof that when we risk a little vulnerability, magic happens. As one HR leader put it: “How do you get 150 delegates from 50 territories to sing in harmony in half an hour? Ask Tom Morley.” 🎧 Tune in for an episode that’s part rock history, part magical masterclass, and all about the extraordinary power of being perfectly flawed.

    1h 13m

  4. OCT 1

    Unlock Potential

    What does it take to break free from your past and create a life of purpose, peace, and impact? In this inspiring episode of Perfectly Flawed, I’m joined by Gethin Jones—a man whose journey from childhood in care, addiction, and repeated prison sentences to becoming a leader, speaker, and changemaker will leave you in awe. Today, he is the Founder and CEO of Unlocking Potential, a transformative organisation that brings lived experience to the heart of leadership, consultancy, and training. Gethin is one of the most inspiring, wise, and fun-loving people I know—a jovial, Buddha-like presence who radiates warmth and authenticity. With his trademark Think It, Say It, Do It framework, he now works with individuals, teams, and organisations worldwide, showing them how to build resilience, challenge broken systems, and unlock their true potential. In this conversation, we explore:💡 How Gethin turned struggle, addiction, and prison into fuel for transformation.💡 Why authenticity and acceptance are at the heart of empowerment.💡 The power of lived experience in creating change that lasts.💡 How we can all step into our full potential—no matter where we’ve come from. 🎧 Tune in to hear Gethin’s powerful story of redemption and wisdom. His life is living proof that no matter how flawed our past, we can all create extraordinary futures. Gethin Jones is the Founder and CEO of Unlocking Potential, a transformative organisation dedicated to inspiring change. His journey, from childhood in care to prison and overcoming addiction, fuels his mission to empower individuals and organisations.    Unlocking Potential’s Associate Model brings together experts with lived experience to deliver bespoke consultancy, leadership development, and training for public and corporate sectors.    An international speaker and PSA member, Gethin’s Think It, Say It, Do It framework inspires audiences worldwide. His work challenges systems, builds resilient leaders, and drives meaningful transformation, helping people unlock their full potential.

    1 hr

  5. SEP 26

    Truth is Funny

    What if the real key to success isn’t chasing perfection—but learning to tell the truth about who you are, flaws and all? In this episode of *Perfectly Flawed*, I’m joined by **Beth Sherman**—comedian, keynote speaker, and seven-time Emmy Award-winning writer for some of television’s biggest shows, including *The Late Show with David Letterman*, *The Tonight Show with Jay Leno*, *Ellen*, and even the Academy Awards. She’s also performed stand-up across the US and for troops in Iraq, proving her belief that *“truth is funny.”* Now, through her consultancy **Laughter Connects**, Beth helps people show up authentically, engage with impact, and use humour as a bridge to connection. Together, we explore: 💡 Why honesty, not perfection, makes us relatable and successful. 💡 How humour helps us navigate struggle and build resilience. 💡 What it means to show up—messy, real, and unapologetically you. 🎧 Tune in for laughter, insight, and a reminder that your truth is not only enough…it’s the funniest thing you’ve got. Beth Sherman is a comedian, and seven-time Emmy Award-winning Hollywood comedy writer who's written for the biggest shows in American television, including Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Ellen, and the Academy Awards. As a comedian, she’s performed at comedy clubs across the United States, as well as combat outposts and forward operating bases in Iraq. She is the winner of seven (7) Emmy awards, and was nominated for a 2023 Writers Guild Award for the Netflix comedy special, Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration. She also works as a presentation coach and keynote speaker on connection and engagement through her consultancy, Laughter Connects.

    1 hr

  6. JUL 10

    Start with Who

    Shelley suggests we think not fist about why but of who we really are. She talks about changing gender 40 years ago. What it was like then and what it is like now. What struck me was the sheer bravery of finally recognising who you truly are and then getting out into the world and living and being it. A real call to action for us all to recognise our own dreams and ambitions and then take courageous action to be who we truly are and bring those dreams to fruition. Bio: Shelley is a Speaker, Psychotherapist, Hypnotherapist, Trainer, & Author. She has become a media commentator specialising in psychotherapy & psychology, with appearances on BBC Television, Sky and Channels 4 and 5 as well Radio 4’s “Woman’ Hour” “Midweek” and the “Jeremy Vine Show”. She has also featured in “Psychologies,” and “Therapy Today” magazines. As a Speaker, Shelley’s topics are Transformational Change, Diversity & Thought leadership. Although speaking has taken over from performing comedy on the Stand-up comedy circuit where she performed five one-woman shows at the Edinburgh Festival and completed a seven-night run Off-Broadway in New York Links: https://shelleybridgman.com linkedin.com/in/purposeandlegacycoach https://www.facebook.com/shelley.bridgman2 TEDX Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7BdX_CmH7U Please like and subscribe.

    58 min

  7. JUN 26

    80% is Perfect

    Steve had a terrible car accident that crushed his legs, but he learnt, not just to walk again, but become a World Champion Para-triathlete. We talk about how life doesn’t always, if ever, go to plan. We all need to course correct. So rather than expecting perfection, if we accept the flaws as we go, we can use them to adapt the plan along the way. Here we talk about how only 4% of the original moon landing voyage actually went to plan ‘but they knew the astronauts, and everyone was good enough to adapt along the way’. We talk about perfectionism and 85% rule. Also, about the link between Steve’s recent physical septicaemia and his mental and emotional situation at the time. Once he had figured out that link, he was able to remedy it straight away. Bio: Steve’s extraordinary journey of resilience and triumph took him from wheelchair to world champion and now beyond in business as a professional speaker. Whether addressing a room full of executives or conducting workshops for diverse groups, Steve brings his energy and unwavering dedication to empowering individuals to achieve their full potential and their ‘GOLD’ - their Goal, Opportunity, Love and Dream.  Steve is the author of two books. His autobiography ‘Don’t lean on your excuses’ and ‘GOLD’ which empowers the reader to unlock the power of their potential and achieve their goals.  A TEDx speaker, winner of Global Business Awards, Motivational Speaker of the Year and Regional Speaker of The Year numerous times by his professional association the PSA. Links: www.steve-judge.co.uk Mob: 07939 220784 https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-judge-908293b1/ https://www.facebook.com/Steven-Judge-317765745069694/ https://twitter.com/SteveJudge https://www.youtube.com/user/JudgeInnovations/videos Video: https://youtu.be/M2VX9s2QohM Please like and subscribe.

    1h 2m

  8. JUN 12

    Imperfect Action

    When Julie took a jeer from a workman, when out training for the London Marathon, she embraced it and turned it into a global enterprise called “Too Fat to Run”. A huge advocate of taking “Imperfect Action” Julie has founded both this and multiple other businesses, she’s run 6 marathons, published 15 books and helped thousands of people take their own imperfect action and just get on and bring their ideas into reality. She may run the long events but she her way is to take shortest possible distance between turning an idea into an action even if its imperfect. Bio: Julie Creffield is an expert on innovation, creativity and social mobility. An award-winning comedienne, 14 times author, 6 times marathon runner, and proud solo parent to her STEM obsessed 12-year-old. Her career spans 30 years and has included work with Oxford Innovation, London 2012, the UK Government and industry giants like Google and Disney. Her life has not been without struggle though, with undiagnosed ADHD, 5 redundancies, being hospitalised with COVID, and near bankruptcy, she knows a thing or two about having to bounce forward. Links: www.juliecreffield.com www.juliecreffieldspeaks.com www.linkedin.com/in/juliecreffield https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Julie-Creffield/author/B00GRWL4G4 Please like and subscribe.

    55 min
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About

Conversations with amazing individuals who’ve faced up to their own perfectly flawed selves - and transformed their lives because of them. Discover how to be extraordinarily successful through embracing struggles and imperfection. By turning towards, not away from, their greatest fears, failures and flaws, our guests have discovered their path to fulfilment and that it’s sometimes in the darkest places that we find our greatest light. Their stories and insights inspire us in the Art of Being Human. With Deborah Henley.

Information

  • Creator
    Deborah Henley
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Deborah Henley
  • Show Website
    Perfectly Flawed Podcast