Starts at the Top Podcast Starts at the Top

Beats and the boardroom: what leaders can learn from hip hop
We chat to Nels Abbey, broadcaster, satirist and author of ‘The Hip Hop MBA’
 
What can organisations learn about leadership from the unlikeliest of teachers - hip hop's biggest moguls? On this thought-provoking episode, we're joined by writer, broadcaster, media executive and satirist Nels Abbey to break down the invaluable leadership insights found in his new book The Hip Hop MBA.
From the book's origins after a chance London street encounter to unpacking why hip hop icons like Jay-Z, Missy Elliott and 50 Cent deserve to be studied alongside traditional business legends, Nels compellingly redefines the way we think about leadership success.
We explore the resilience, decision-making skills, and sheer grit required for rap artists to beat the odds and build enduring empires. Nels shares priceless lessons from the paths of visionaries like Ice Cube walking away from a record deal and Suge Knight's tragic downfall after his ambition went unchecked.
How have hip hop's greatest overcome adversity to display a leadership mastery that leaders should study? Nels argues that nurturing this same authentic, passionate, innovative mindset is exactly what we all need  to escape the traditional, myopic view of what a leader should be.
Get ready to have your preconceptions shattered as Nels uses hip hop's most controversial and unlikely success stories to teach an urgent masterclass in courageous, forward-thinking leadership. You'll never see the boardroom the same way again.
In tech news, Paul and Zoe chat through what’s new in the world of AI.
 
NotesNels Abbey’s new book https://canongate.co.uk/books/3972-the-hip-hop-mba-lessons-in-cut-throat-capitalism-from-raps-moguls/
Follow Nels on social media:
https://twitter.com/nelsabbey?lang=en
https://www.instagram.com/nelsabbey/
 
Tech news
AI and the Met Gala https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-68968708
Open AI releases Deep Fake detector https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/07/technology/openai-deepfake-detector.html
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
 
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.

Sustainability: From Buzzword to Business Imperative
We speak to Mark Shayler, Author of ‘You Can’t Make Money From A Dead Planet’
 
Can profit and planet truly go hand-in-hand? How can leaders get sustainability on the boardroom agenda and baked into the DNA of their organisation? In this candid chat, Mark Shayler - bestselling author, sustainability guru and founder of Ape, a sustainability and innovation studio - pulls no punches on what it takes to make environmental responsibility a revenue-protecting business imperative, not just a box-ticking exercise. Mark joins us to discuss his recent book ‘You Can’t Make Money From a Dead Planet.’
Having advised big hitters like Nike, Bacardi and WPP, saving them over $200 million a year through greener practices, Mark offers real-world insights for leaders wanting to shift sustainability from greenwashing to genuine competitive advantage. This is an honest discussion about squaring profit with planet, getting buy-in from leaders, and Mark shares simple steps that will help even small organisations begin their journey towards sustainability. This is essential listening for any organisation that is serious about doing good business, and business for good, in the 21st century.
In tech news, Paul and Zoe discuss the latest AI developments.
 
NotesMark Shayler’s new book https://www.koganpage.com/responsible-business/you-can-t-make-money-from-a-dead-planet-9781398612020
Ape Studios https://www.thisisape.co.uk/
Tech news
Share your views in The Charity Digital Skills Report survey
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.
 
 

Why we need to talk about grief in the workplace




We chat with Nikki Bell, Co-Founder of Fundraising Everywhere


 
Bereavement will affect all of us in our lifetime. So why aren’t we talking about it more in the workplace?
We explore this topic with Nikki Bell, co-founder of Fundraising Everywhere, in this episode of Starts At The Top. Last year she and the Fundraising Everywhere team lost a close friend and colleague, Mandi Hine-Conway.
This is a brave and honest conversation about why we need to talk about grief more at work, and how to support colleagues who have lost someone. We’re very grateful to Nikki for being so candid and for her warm and open-hearted discussion of why and how we need to look after the people we work with better. Every conversation we’ve had with Nikki has been inspiring and life-affirming and this is no exception. TRIGGER WARNING: This episode is an open and honest conversation about grief and how leaders can best respond to death and grief in the workplace. If these are topics you would like to avoid at this time, please be kind to yourself and come back to this episode at a later date.
In tech news, Paul and Zoe discuss the latest AI developments.
 
NotesFundraising Everywhere https://www.fundraisingeverywhere.com/ Tech news
Microsoft’s new London AI Hub
https://www.itpro.com/business/microsofts-new-london-ai-hub-is-another-huge-vote-of-confidence-in-the-uks-tech-sectorMusic artists take on AI
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-68717863
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
 
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.

Women in leadership special part 4: Dr Lucy Ryan, author of ‘Revolting Women’ on why midlife women are leaving the workplace
We speak to Dr Lucy Ryan, author of ‘Revolting Women: Why Midlife Women Are Walking Out’
Did you know that by January 2023 the number of women not in work had risen by 151,000 compared to 2020? More than twice as many women as men were not working because of family responsibilities. So when we saw that Dr Lucy Ryan had written a new book about why midlife women are leaving the workplace in their droves we knew we had to talk to her. Managing Director of Mindspring International for the last 20 years, Lucy has trained, consulted with, and coached over 10,000 leaders in global, blue-chip companies across 29 countries. She is also the author of ‘Revolting Women: Why Midlife Women Are Walking Out’ , a book about one group that is often ignored in EDI strategies: midlife women. We asked Lucy about what leaders need to do to turn back the tide of talented midlife women who are leaving the workforce. By the time women reach middle age they have accumulated a huge amount of knowledge and experience, and organisations cannot afford to lose them. We discuss how leaders can prevent this from happening. Lucy takes us through her agenda for change - and tells us why we all need to get behind it.
Thank you to Lucy for a wonderful conversation. It left us feeling inspired and energised, and we hope it does the same for you.
In tech news, Paul and Zoe discuss social media addiction and how they’re trying to break bad habits with their phones.
 
Notes‘Revolting Women:Why Midlife Women Are Walking Out’ https://practicalinspiration.com/book/revolting-women
Mimdspring https://mindspring.uk.com/pages/lucy-ryan Tech news
The Honest Broker blog on dopamine culture https://www.honest-broker.com/p/the-state-of-the-culture-2024
The Guardian’s course on screentime reduction
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/mar/19/reclaim-your-brain-readers-screen-time-reduced
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
 
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.
 

Women in leadership special part 3: Aggie Mutuma on why leaders need to do more on inclusion




We speak to to Aggie Mutuma, CEO of Mahogany Inclusion Partners
 
It’s the third part of our new season special on women in leadership and we’re talking about a topic that’s on a lot of people’s minds this week: inclusion.In 2020, Black Lives Matter became a huge movement for change. Yet despite inclusion being on the news agenda regularly ever since, the stats around representation tell a different story. Has the momentum behind the drive for inclusion slowed? What’s really happening with EDI programmes? And, are leaders doing enough?
We were delighted to have the opportunity to discuss all this and more with Aggie Mutuma, CEO of Mahogany Inclusion Partners.
Aggie is a leading expert in Inclusion and Anti-Racism, as well as a passionate advocate, executive leadership coach, and engaging speaker, dedicated to fostering thriving cultures within organisations. Her achievements have earned her recognition as a top 20 Most Influential HR Thinker in 2022, as voted by her peers.
Aggie joins us to discuss the state of play with inclusion and EDI programmes across different sectors and how, and why, leaders need to renew their commitment to this work. She tells us what really drives change in EDI, along with the practical steps leaders can take to help their organisations be more inclusive.
Thank you to Aggie for sharing her invaluable advice. We loved talking to her.
On a related note, Paul and Zoe also discuss the latest news on inclusion in the Parker Review in their round up of leadership news.
 
NotesAggie Mutuma https://www.linkedin.com/in/aggie-mutuma/
Mahogany Inclusion Partners https://mahoganyinclusionpartners.com/ Leadership news:
The Parker Review https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68530034
ACEVO’s data on diversity in leadership https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/number-of-black-charity-ceos-declines-to-under-1-acevo-research-finds.html#sthash.x7RGYaPh.dpuf
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/encouraging-diversity-in-public-appointments
 
Our sponsors
We are delighted that this episode of Starts At The Top is sponsored by ArvatoConnect. 
Arvato Connect is a socially conscious customer experience and business optimisation partner, for organisations who are ready to reshape and reinvent how they work and connect with those who matter most. 
They develop and deliver innovative, technology-led solutions to enable their clients to form stronger connections, increase loyalty, create efficiencies – and ultimately, grow and confidently embrace the future. 
To find out more about how ArvatoConnect could help an organisation like yours and to receive a free no-obligation chat visit their website.
www.arvatoconnect.co.uk
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.
 

Women in leadership special part 2: Cathy Newman on life lessons from female leaders
We chat to Cathy Newman, award-winning journalist, broadcaster and author
 
In the second part of our new season special on women in leadership we chat to Cathy Newman. You’ll know Cathy as one of Channel 4 News' main studio presenters. She’s also an award winning journalist and an author, joining us to talk about her new book The Ladder: Life Lessons from Women Who Scaled The Heights and Dodged The Snakes.
The Ladder draws together the stories Cathy has heard from the extraordinary women she has spoken to on her Times Radio segment of the same name, from Angela Raynor to Davina McCall to Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah. Diverse as these women are, there are many common themes in their stories, which we explore with Cathy. From dealing with imposter syndrome, facing success and failure and embracing change, this episode is packed full of invaluable advice on how to navigate careers and life.
We also discuss how leaders can take on board the experiences of women to create inclusive workplaces.
Thank you to Cathy for a hugely energising and inspiring discussion. Please do share this episode with anyone who you think could benefit from Cathy’s insights.
 
Notes
Order The Ladder: Life Lessons from Women Who Scaled The Heights and Dodged The Snakes by Cathy Newman
We are delighted that this episode of Starts At The Top is sponsored by ArvatoConnect. 
Arvato Connect is a socially conscious customer experience and business optimisation partner, for organisations who are ready to reshape and reinvent how they work and connect with those who matter most. 
They develop and deliver innovative, technology-led solutions to enable their clients to form stronger connections, increase loyalty, create efficiencies – and ultimately, grow and confidently embrace the future. 
To find out more about how ArvatoConnect could help an organisation like yours and to receive a free no-obligation chat visit their website.
www.arvatoconnect.co.uk
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.