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It is just 2 weeks until NPWLive and NPWAwards - and you can still get involved! Simone discusses the pandemic of loneliness and stresses the importance of reaching out - whether through a call, a text or a letter it can mean the world. Just do it! Sam talks about the etiquette of communicating out of office-hours and the power of a forgiving email footer. NPWLive’s keynote conversation will be looking at what the new rules of work look like and you can register here to attend. Please also get in touch about what you think about the new rules of working by emailing us at connect@northernpowerwomen.com  Life Lessons this week are from trailblazer Dr Marilyn Comrie OBE FRSA, founder of the Black United Representation Network (BURN), Business Development Director of The Blair Project, CEO of Manchester Innovation Activities Hub and Director of Formula Girl Ltd. Her encouragement to be adaptable, go with the flow and embrace the unknown could not be more apt!  Book a cookalong for you team with Susie Flory - get in touch with susie@susieflory.com  Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons (with brand new questions!) podcast@northernpowerwomen.com https://www.northernpowerwomen.com/npw-podcast/ Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

On this week’s episode Simone reflects on the success of Virtual Carousel Networking at LJMU and the importance of keeping connected. Sam notes the rise in the number of businesses set up in 2020 compared to 2019, highlighting the spirit of entrepreneurship in the face of adversity. A callout to listeners to use their voice and be heard by submitting 3-minute videos for NPWLive Talks to inspire, motivate, and amplify voices from the north. Fight the imposter syndrome and do it any way! Find the instructions here. Deadline: 22nd February You can find out more about NPWLive here and register as an official supporter here. This week’s Life Lessons are from Irene Afful, Founder & Director of Ametrine Coaching & Consultancy. and also the first ever black, female inspector in the history of Merseyside Police! Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com https://www.northernpowerwomen.com/npw-podcast/ Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

This week Sam and Simone discuss victories including Sam becoming a published author!! Read her book 'Coming Out Stories' born from her podcast with Emma Goswell, it’s available to buy now in “proper shops” as well as Sam’s driveway! Last week we celebrated Mr President Biden and Madam Vice President Harris, what a woman! We loved the power purple outfits at the inauguration and Amanda Gorman’s powerful poem!   Superwoman Joeli Brearley is also discussed, founder of Pregnant then screwed who is fighting mothers’ battles when it comes to self-employment income support and maternity leave. Join us for NPWLive on IWD, we are hosting carousel networking and mentoring. Send us your 3-minute videos, we will be streaming some on the day & creating an online directory. We also want to know who your favourite local female-led food/drink businesses are! Send your business suggestions and 3 min videos to connect@northernpowerwomen.com.   This week’s Life Lessons are from Chartered Marketer Mercè Cozens, who co-owns the Think Beyond marketing consultancy in Cheshire. Mercè offers some great quick fire life lessons, covering work/life balance, taking risks and networking! Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com https://www.northernpowerwomen.com/npw-podcast/ Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

In this week’s episode, Simone is joined by Adele Mitchinson, Creative director at Venture Stream, author of Positive Baby book and proud Northern Lass! Simone talks about Adele’s eagerness to get involved with the NPW community and her own passion behind starting up Northern Power Women and growing the community!  Adele notes the importance of supporting others, paying it forward and putting yourself out there. So much so she has published a book of affirmations for you and your child promoting healthy mental health discussion and positive thinking from day one!  Positive Baby is available to buy at www.positivebabyandbeyond.co.uk- a perfect gift for new parents or young children! NPW have bought 5 Positive Baby books to prevent any financial barriers stopping you experiencing its wonders! If you would like one of these simply email philly@northernpowerwomen.com with your address and we will get it posted to you. Simone & Adele also discuss the latest NPW poll looking at supporting small businesses and highlight a few such as  Gemma Truman Black and Beech Gary Boyd Art Laura Boyd Ceramics Pedalling Squares Cafe The Yellow Teapot Make It Gift it This week’s Life Lessons are from Bernadine Tay, Founder of  Quinteassential and tea designer.  Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Adele Mitchinson P.S Here is a link to the Willy Warmer episode mentioned!

This week Sam and Simone talk about International Men’s Day and the really important campaign around men’s mental health, as well as *that* Harry Styles Vogue cover. Simone discusses her part in the Unite on Purpose campaign which aims to promote global unity through collaboration. There’s a call to action for YOU to share a quick video of why you are #NPW. All the details of how you can get involved are here. And some working from home tips, to make office days at the kitchen table a bit more bearable. This week’s Life Lessons come from Diane Watson, Founder of She Can Prosper and Principal Partner, Sovereign Wealth Management. Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

In these ever-challenging times, Simone shares some good news about a new partnership with charity Future First and calls for YOU to sign up to be a role model! Details at the shiny new northernpowerwomen.com This week is anti-bulling week and a recent Northern Power Women poll showed that nearly 2/3 of you haveexperienced some form of workplace bullying in your adult life.  Sam shares her story and urges you to speak up. And as do keep sharing your self-care disasters.  Sam reveals the sorry story of #puzzelgate!! Let us know podcast@northernpowerwomen.com  This week’s Life Lessons come from Newcastle University’s Malasree Home Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

Ooof!  This week feels hard, with renewed lockdown in the UK and election unrest in the US. Simone and Sam try and take stock of how far we have come this year and focus on resilience through the next few weeks. There’s been a new report into how many women’s voices were included in expert analysis of the Covid 19 pandemic and with little surprise, the results are not encouraging.  Sam and Simone urge YOU to stand up and Be Heard. Check out power-platform.com for more details!  And as self-care is the order of the day, we also reveal our #selfcaredisasters! What’s yours? Let us know podcast@northernpowerwomen.com  This week’s Life Lessons come from CEO of the Lonergan Group Louise Lonergan Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

On this episode, supported by United Utilities,  you’ll get to listen in to a very special webinar that was recorded in celebration of Inclusion Week. Hosted by Simone Roche MBE, contributors included Jo Harrison, Director of Environment, Planning and Innovation at United Utilities, Rob Mukherjee, Director of Transformation at EveryCloud UK and Krystina Pearson-Rampeearee, a flight system engineer for BAE systems and there was lively discussion around topics like unconscious bias, allyship and advocacy. You’ll also get to hear a very special edition of Life Lessons from United Utilities very own Julie Newton. A huge thank you to United Utilities for supporting this special episode of the Northern Power Women Podcast– we’ll be back with our next regular episode on Monday November 9th

This week Simone is joined by broadcaster, presenter and entrepreneur, Ngunan Adamu to talk about how we can all be preparing mentally for the winter ahead and finding the joy in the little things in life. They discuss all things failure related and look at ways you can reframe situations with Ngunan revealing how we can ultimately learn from our failures. Simone shares how she doesn’t miss the long commutes on trains as we can now ‘go global’ from the comfort of our own home. This week’s Life Lessons come from Success Club’s Julie Johnson. Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Ngunan Adamu.

This week Simone and Sam discuss the release of the new Northern Power Women Levelling up report, focussing on the stories and initiatives it reveals.  You can read it here. (They also ask; “When was the last time you fully got dressed up for work?!”) There is talk about the ever-changing regulations around lockdown and travel and a request not to judge, but to go about business in a way that suits you but doesn’t harm others and there is a reminder – we’re not all in the same boat. Simone also reveals the results of the poll we conducted asking the question: Should you be obliged to tell your company if you’re dating anyone at work? What if that includes any company connected with your own?  This week’s Life Lessons come from Ranjana Bell MBE Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

This week Sam and Simone talk about a number of new reports which focus on how the pandemic has affect working women.  From a “silver lining” story about a rise in new female entrepreneurs to a warning klaxon about how a return to office-based work may set gender equality back years! They also check in on a social media poll you took part in, following the discussion last week about men-only spaces. Plus – out of the mouth of babes.  Two teenage entrepreneurs were interviewed; what were their big tips for success in business? This week’s Life Lessons come from Aerospace Engineer Krystina Pearson-Rampeearee Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

This week Sam and Simone discuss a new app being utilised by a number of UK employers that helps you stay socially distant from your colleagues. They also ask; should men only member clubs be resigned to history, or do men have the right to have spaces reserved just for them? As the news reports on the Prime Minister of New Zealand’s childcare arrangements, should discussions about family life be removed from politics altogether, or encouraged? Plus – the ongoing challenge of female business leaders and what do you call a group of Northern Power Women? The suggestions are many and varied! This week’s Life Lessons come from Louise Doyle, founder of Mesma. Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

Nearly six months since lockdown started, Sam and Simone talk about the return to “normal” for many people. Commuting, school and office-based work.  Is this what life is looking like for you? Or are you still working from home, furloughed or perhaps out of work?  Please let us know, do send us an email or tweet. Simone and Sam also discuss a recent NPW poll into the mental health of our young people and a new report for the Girl Guides into the affect that altering images on social media has on young girls and boys. And we’re still spending much of our day on Zoom. Sam shares the story of one incident that nearly resulted in a call to the emergency services! This week’s Life Lessons come Nafisa Kiani who works at the Serjeant at Arms Office in the House of Commons. Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

As summer holidays (whatever they looked like this year!) come to end, as children go back to school, there’s some big decisions to be made for a lot of companies, small and large and individuals too, about where you are going to work. This week, Simone and Sam discuss a major report that identifies 50 of the biggest companies in the UK who will not be sending their staff back to the office. Would that work for your company? Or you as an individual? Are you desperate to get back to “normality” or would that be impossible right now? We’d love to hear from you. And could another casualty of the pandemic be friendship? Sam looks at a report that suggests even our closest bonds can be fragile under pressure. Simone also poses the question: who have you become during the covid lockdown? The answer may horrify you! This week’s Life Lessons come from entrepreneur Clare Talbot Jones   Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

This week, Simone and Sam reflect on the fact that so many of us are still at boiling point as we try to manage homes, work, children and ourselves, often with very limited resources and they ask -who is checking in on you?  How can we start to re-draw boundaries between work and home life when they have been so blurred over the last six months? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Do get in touch! We celebrate the first woman of colour to run on a VP ticket in the USA, Kamala Harris but reflect on the rampant misogyny that has once again revealed itself, both here and in the States and discuss the perpetual issue of the wolf whistle! We celebrate good news for a Liverpool social enterprise and find out what working women are buying a lot less of. This week’s Life Lessons come from police officer and role model Zoe Hingston.  Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

This week, Simone and Sam discuss the enormous pressure students and their families are facing after exams results were issued last week.  More on this to come on the Northern Power Futures podcast There is grim news about the British economy and the future of the jobs market and we want to hear from YOU about how you’re being affected. Do get in touch: podcast@northernpowerwomen.com New research shows that black women who have natural hairstyles are less likely to be offered a job interview than white woman, or black women with straightened hair.  Have you had experience of this?  How can we continue to strive for equality? How can we do better? We also discuss how important even the smallest amount of self-care can be as we continue to navigate really challenging times. This week’s Life Lessons come from the ever-inspiring Scouse Scientist Holly Ellis. Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

Simone and Sam discuss Simone’s failed attempts at getting some of the brilliant Northern Power Women (this means YOU!) to step up and be heard on national media.  What is holding you back? Your voice is important!  Please do get in touch and sign up to our Be Heard Campaign. There is also some great advice on how to stop nerves around public speaking, remember:  You’re not being attacked by a bear!  We also discuss new research around female leadership and “celebrate” (Hmmm!)  a record number of female CEOs of Fortune 500 Companies announced this week. Please do come and share your thoughts on “New Traits of Leadership” at www.power-platform.com This week’s Life Lessons come from the brilliant Martina Witter. Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

As many companies move towards asking their workforce to return to the office, Simone and Sam ask questions about whether presenteeism is necessary for a successful business?  Does reducing flexibility signal a return to negative work practices that will undoubtedly adversely affect women more than men and will the next generation of employees accept this anachronistic way of working? Plus: facemask and vaccine conspiracies are again linked to social media being used as a source of news. And there is good news about car insurance! This week’s Life Lessons come from the inspiring Lieutenant Penny Thackray Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

As major changes in the furlough scheme in the UK come in to force and mass redundancies are sadly anticipated, we let you know about the incredible Covid Changemakers launched by a brilliant Northern Power Woman, Alex Cousins.  A way to innovate and embrace a new way of working. Do find out more on our Power Platform. Sam and Simone discuss reports from Unilever that they don’t expect their 2000 office-based workers in the UK to return to the office full time, ever!  Flexibility by companies and staff seems to be key as we move to a new way of working. Sam and Simone also talk about how customer experience is going to be a key driver for companies to thrive in the future, as its reported that a worldwide recession has already started. Plus: teenage dreams revived during covid as guitar sales explode! This week’s extraordinary Life Lessons come from the unsinkable Laura Hepburn. Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker

Lonesome dogs and a whole lot of winning! There is a focus on young people this week. The exceptional challenges that people in the first few years of their career or higher education are facing and how individuals just a few years younger are actually adapting really well to how the world is changing. There’s also a discussion about the crisis facing local news and cultural outlets across the north. Will there be a return to London-centric media? Plus: lonesome dogs and a whole lot of winning! Life Lessons come from tech cheerleader Lianne Potter Tell us your stories of work and life or share your life lessons! podcast@northernpowerwomen.com Presented by Simone Roche and Sam Walker