The Secrets of Learning & Development

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

    18H AGO

    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 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
  2. 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
  3. Why coaching still matters in the age of AI

    APR 23 ·  BONUS

    Why coaching still matters in the age of AI

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! In this bonus episode, Julia Bend explores why coaching still matters in a world where AI can offer ideas, prompts and polished answers in seconds. Together with Valerie Merrill, she unpacks the difference between information and insight, showing why career crossroads are rarely just about options and far more often about identity, values, self-trust and the version of success someone is no longer willing to chase. It is a thoughtful conversation about discernment, human presence and why, when the stakes feel personal, honest reflection still matters more than fast answers. 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

    17 min
  4. When Someone Sees More in You: Nigel Lowe’s Journey to Partner at PA Consulting

    APR 16

    When Someone Sees More in You: Nigel Lowe’s Journey to Partner at PA Consulting

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! Nigel Lowe’s career did not begin with a fast track or a perfect plan. It began with starting where he could, learning quickly and saying yes to opportunities that stretched him. In this episode, Nigel Lowe, Partner at PA Consulting, reflects on returning to the UK at 22 after being raised in Jamaica, building resilience early and then working his way up from an administrative role in government to writing policy for ministers. He shares the pivotal moments that shifted his trajectory: a consultant who showed him what ‘real clarity’ looks like in practice, and an appraisal conversation where a manager challenged him to aim higher, leading to a funded MBA, which he completed with a distinction. Nigel also speaks openly about being ‘the only one in the room’, navigating difference in senior environments, and taking on the assignments others avoided because he felt he could not afford to miss his chance. The result is a grounded conversation about integrity, ambition, mentorship and how success is rarely a solo effort, it is often shaped by the handful of people who believed in you before you fully believed in yourself. Key Learnings One person’s belief can change the size of your life. Nigel credits “a handful of people” who saw potential he could not yet name, from the appraisal conversation that opened the door to a funded MBA, to the mentor who gave him a clear steer. The learning is not just ‘mentors matter’, it is that being properly seen can reset your ambitions and your standards overnight, because once you can picture what is possible, you cannot go back to a smaller version of yourself. Integrity is not a trait, it is a practice with a memory. Nigel describes three promises he was asked to make when he was offered the MBA opportunity: use it for good, keep developing yourself and contribute back, never use it to gain power over others. What makes this profound is how he describes it working in real life: when leadership tempts you to ‘flex’, he can still hear those promises, acting like a guide rail. The learning is that values only matter when they are specific enough to steer your behaviour in the moments where it would be easy to justify the opposite. Guest Information: http://www.linkedin.com/in/nigel-lowe-87710a2 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

    24 min
  5. Charlie Warsawski The Truth About Coaching Nobody Warns You About

    APR 9

    Charlie Warsawski The Truth About Coaching Nobody Warns You About

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! In this episode of The Secrets of Learning and Development, we’re joined by Charlie Warshawski — coach, trainer, mentor, speaker, YouTuber, and founder of Love Your Coaching. Charlie’s known for his warmth, clarity and straight-talking insights on what it really takes to become a confident coach, supervisor or mindset practitioner. You’ll hear how he went from hotel management in the 80s, through education, to building an ILM-accredited training centre and why he believes most people underestimate what’s actually learnable. From letting go of coloured pens to calling out the coaching industry’s silence on business realities, Charlie brings honesty, humour and hard-earned wisdom to this conversation. If you're curious about growth mindset, coaching supervision, or building a practice with purpose, this one’s well worth a listen. Key Learnings Letting go of old habits is part of becoming a better coach Charlie spoke candidly about the challenge of unlearning certain behaviours during his PCC journey, especially his tendency to over-explain and blend coaching with mentoring. Through supervision and reflection, he realised that true coaching often lies in brevity, presence and trust in the client's thinking. Coaching as a business requires more than passion and accreditation Charlie emphasised that many new coaches underestimate the challenge of building a sustainable coaching business. He believes it is essential to be upfront about the marketing, visibility and resilience needed and that learning how to position yourself is just as critical as the coaching skills themselves. Guest Information: Website: https://www.loveyourcoaching.com/ Our courses: https://www.loveyourcoaching.com/course-dates/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliewarshawski/ Instagram / X: https://www.instagram.com/loveyourcoaching/?hl=en Podcast or YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@loveyourcoaching 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

    42 min
  6. The Foundation You Actually Need: Why Self-Worth comes before strategy

    APR 6 ·  BONUS

    The Foundation You Actually Need: Why Self-Worth comes before strategy

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! In this bonus episode, Julia and Valerie explore why strategy alone isn’t enough and how building from self-worth changes everything. Julia reflects on what happens when your confidence is tied to job titles, outcomes or external validation. She shares her own experience of launching a coaching practice without guarantees, and how believing in her value before the results made the biggest difference. If you’ve ever found yourself chasing the next goal without feeling fully grounded, this conversation is an invitation to pause, reflect and reconnect with the foundation that really matters. 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

    8 min
  7. When Everything Changed: Louise Pengilley on Reinvention, Energy and Finding a New Way to Work

    MAR 26

    When Everything Changed: Louise Pengilley on Reinvention, Energy and Finding a New Way to Work

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! What if the life you never planned for turns out to be exactly the one you needed? In this powerful episode, we sit down with Louise Pengilley, a business growth and mindset mentor whose journey from global corporate leadership to running her own business was sparked by a single, unexpected question: “Can you teach me everything you know?” Louise shares how she rebuilt her career and redefined success after redundancy, burnout and her husband's life-altering cancer diagnosis. This isn’t a story of polished pivoting. It’s about boundaries, burnout, brave choices and building a business that fits real life. You’ll hear: Why self-employment wasn’t the plan but became the right pathThe three ‘D’s from corporate life that still shape her approach todayHow illness shifted everything—priorities, pace and purposeWhy energy, mindset and wellbeing are the real performance strategyWhat her clients say when they finally feel calm, clear and back in controlLouise is real, grounded and unafraid to talk about the hard stuff. Whether you’re leading, building, or rethinking your next move this conversation will stay with you. Key Learnings Simplicity and Personalisation Beat Generic Strategy Louise has developed over 60 tools, templates and models not to overwhelm, but to simplify. Her approach is rooted in making strategy practical, personal and easy to implement. She emphasises that tools alone aren’t enough they need to be shaped around each individual’s personality, energy and business needs. Corporate Experience Still Matters Just on Your Own Terms Though Louise walked away from a successful corporate career, she hasn’t left her experience behind. The structure, discipline and empathy she learned in leadership roles continue to underpin her work. Her story challenges the myth that reinvention means starting from scratch instead, she shows how to repurpose your past for the future you want. Guest Information: https://www.facebook.com/louisepengilleybusinessmentor/ https://www.instagram.com/louisepengilleybusinessmentor/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisepengilleybusinessmentor/ 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

    28 min
  8. Bonus Episode: Valerie Merrill Why Social Capital Matters More Than Ever

    MAR 19 ·  BONUS

    Bonus Episode: Valerie Merrill Why Social Capital Matters More Than Ever

    If you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! Social capital is the invisible force that shapes how work really gets done, especially in hybrid teams, fast-moving organisations and a world increasingly influenced by AI. In this bonus episode, Julia and Valerie unpack what social capital actually is, how to spot it in action and why it has become a strategic advantage rather than a ‘nice to have’. Valerie breaks down the three types, bonding, bridging and linking, and explains how each one affects trust, collaboration and resilience. You’ll also hear real-world prompts on what high social capital looks like when teams are distributed and when cross-functional work either flies or stalls, plus the potential downsides such as cliques and gatekeeping, and how leaders and L&D professionals can think about building it more intentionally. 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

    12 min
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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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