The Good Listening To Show: Stories of Distinction & Genius

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What shapes a Global Marketing Leader's perspective? For Antonia Wade, PwC's Global Chief Marketing Officer and Marketing Week's Marketeer of the Year, Leadership Excellence stems from finding balance between professional ambition and personal fulfillment.
Sitting in her study – her physical "Clearing" amid family life with two teenagers, a husband, and a dog named Biscuit – Antonia reflects on the formative experiences that built her leadership philosophy. Her journey from Architecture student to being Global Head of Marketing at PwC wasn't straightforward, but architectural thinking gave her the perfect foundation: balancing creativity with pragmatism while solving complex problems.
The conversation explores how Antonia manages a Worldwide Team across time-zones without sacrificing her own boundaries. "If I'm emailing at the weekend, even if I don't intend for people to respond, they feel like they have to," she explains, highlighting how leadership behaviors unconsciously shape team culture. This awareness permeates her approach – protecting weekends, making time for cooking (her delightful "squirrel" distraction), and prioritizing family.
At the heart of Antonia's Leadership perspective is a powerful guiding principle: "You are where you are today because of the decisions you made 5 years ago." This insight helps her evaluate current choices with future impact in mind while giving her team a framework for intentional career development. She complements this with advice from a former mentor: focus on "the things that only you can do" rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
Beyond her professional insights, we discover Antonia's near-win in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award, her love of reading a novel weekly, and how she wrote her book "Transforming the B2B Buyer Journey" during gardening leave and airport layovers. Her parting advice embodies her leadership philosophy: "Be curious but also be bold and ambitious. You might as well push for the things you want – you certainly don't get what you want if you don't ask for it."

Antonia Wade, Global Chief Marketing Officer at PwC and Marketing Week's Marketeer of the Year, shares her leadership journey and personal philosophy for maintaining balance in a demanding global role.
• Finding your "clearing" - both physical and mental spaces for reflection and rejuvenation
• How studying architecture created a foundation for balancing creativity and pragmatism in marketing
• The importance of setting boundaries with work communications to model healthy behavior for your team
• Making decisions today with awareness of their impact on your life five years from now
• Focusing on "what only you can do" rather than trying to be everything to everyone
• Finding inspiration through global travel,

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

• Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com
• You can email me about the Show: [email protected]
• Twitter thatchrisgrimes
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/
• FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860

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Thanks for listening!

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Ben Akers never expected to become a Mental Health advocate. But when his childhood best friend Steve died by suicide 10 ago, everything changed. Confronted with the staggering reality that suicide is the biggest killer of men, Akers channeled his grief and advertising background into creating 'Talk Club' – a revolutionary approach to men's mental fitness that's now saving lives across the UK and beyond.
At the heart of Talk Club's genius is stunning simplicity: "How are you? Out of 10?" This numerical scale gives men a framework to express their emotional state without struggling with what Akers calls "the foreign language of feelings." Where men typically respond with a reflexive "I'm fine," the number system creates an opening for honesty. "If you're a higher number and regularly a higher number," Akers explains, "you're mentally fit, you're mentally strong, and you're good for everyone around you."
From its first meeting at Bristol Beer Factory in April 2019, Talk Club has expanded to 120+ venues nationwide with over 5,000 members. The organization has formed strategic partnerships, including creating Clearhead non-alcoholic beer, allowing men to gather in comfortable spaces without alcohol's potential mental health impacts. Every aspect of Talk Club reflects Akers' design philosophy: make it accessible, remove barriers, and speak directly to men as they are.
The movement reframes mental health conversations through the lens of fitness rather than illness. Just as we congratulate someone for going to the gym, Akers wants mental health maintenance celebrated rather than questioned. He applies his personal philosophy – "Does it make you better?" – to every decision, encouraging men to evaluate relationships, work, and habits through this simple yet profound lens.
Whether you're struggling personally, concerned about someone in your life, or simply interested in supporting mental fitness, visit talkclub.org today. As Akers proves through his work, sometimes the smallest questions can save the biggest lives.

Find out more at talkclub.org or email [email protected] to get involved, donate, or start your own Talk Club.

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

• Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com
• You can email me about the Show: [email protected]
• Twitter thatchrisgrimes
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/
• FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW wherever you get your Podcasts :)

Thanks for listening!

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Ladies n' Genmin welcome to another exciting episode of "The Good Listening To Podcast" with me Chris Grimes!
One of the special "Brand Strand" Episodes, whereby I wrap an Episode around a particular Company or individual to amplify their Company (or personal) Brand:
Who are you? And what's the story that you tell?
And to that end, please welcome to the "GLT Clearing" today, Aiste Kalinauskaite: Yoga teacher and founder of Footprint Yoga.
Aiste's mission is to help people move, breathe, become more mindful, and rediscover the inner states of joy, freedom, love and abundance.
She runs a monthly Yoga Membership, offers beginner's courses and short programs. She also works on one to one basis helping people to discover the power of breath and the power of now.
You can find more about her at footprintyoga.co.uk .
(You can watch/listen to Aiste's Film recording on Vimeo - complete with subtitles - here: https://vimeo.com/499254083)
"A GLT with me CG!": The Podcast series that features "The Clearing", where all good questions come to be asked and all good stories come to be told!
Think "Desert Island Discs" but in a Clearing!
Also think about William Shakespeare - and about Jaques in "As You Like It" in particular:
"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages..."
Jaques: Act II Scene VII
And as my Guest in the Podcast: Now is your 'moment in the sunshine' to share your story!
Who are you? What's your story? And what 'life-lessons-learned-along-the-way' would you like to share with us? And just to get bit "existential on yo ass" too (!) what would you like your legacy to be? How would you most like to be remembered?
And all my guests have at least 2 things in common: They are all Creative individuals - and all with an interesting story to be told!
So thanks for listening to another Episode!
If you'd like to find out more about me and my work, then please do check out my websites www.secondcurve.uk + www.instantwit.co.uk - and there's also a dedicated "Good Listening To" Facebook Group c/o the link above.
Plus if you'd be interested in the experience of being given "a damn good listening to" yourself, or you'd like to explore the idea of some Personal Impact Coaching from me CG - to help level-up your confidence, communication, and personal impact c/o my online Coaching proposition: The Second Curve "Zoom Room" - then, by all means, do get in touch via any of the usual social media channels (see above) or you can email me at

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

• Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com
• You can email me about the Show: [email protected]
• Twitter thatchrisgrimes
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/
• FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW wherever you get your Podcasts :)

Thanks for listening!

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‘I’m Thomas Johnson, I live in the Cotswolds in the UK. I have composed hundreds of scores for all sorts of different kinds of theatre - tiny studios, mid-scale theatres, in parks, in schools, on Broadway, on the beach, from Minnesota to Moscow - ranging from solo harp to full orchestra.

I greatly enjoy the collaborative process of theatre, and have a passion for working closely to text, believing that a musical underscore can be a proactive and exciting tool in shedding light on meaning; and music can of course be transcendent, travel beyond meaning, detonate a theatrical moment in a way that nothing else can.

I’m also passionate about choral music. Human voices, singing in harmony, thrill like nothing else. There’s something incredibly moving about the sound, and the commonality of it’.
You can hear Thomas Johnson's music at:

soundcloud.com/thomasfjohnson
More about Tom:
Odd things happen to Tom Johnson. Aged 11, he was hired as a minstrel with his violin to entertain at replica mediaeval feasts every weekend, including copious amounts of mead and token wenches to add to the atmosphere! Young Tom acquired the taste early for a ‘good night out’ !
Aged 15, he discovered Punk music...
Then, after getting a degree in English Literature at Oxford, he went to Sheffield with his then girlfriend. One week later, the relationship ended. Soon after, a friend suggested he looked for new opportunities in the classified ads in The Stage newspaper, Although completely unfamiliar to him, Tom responded to a vacancy at Dr Foster’s Theatre Company. The principal there has remained a lifelong friend and colleague ever since.
One Christmas where he now lives, a flash fire starting with a single candle quickly and completely destroyed his family living quarters - but, fortunately, it left his Egghouse Studio and musical instruments completely unscathed. Tom and his wife decided to stay on site and rebuild completely. This is very much in character as Tom has had in effect had only one job all his life, as a travelling musician, composer and choirmaster.
If he has a regret, it is that he did not back up his primary creative talent with a reliable secondary ‘trade’ like carpentry. Having said that, Tom admits he has shown little talent or even interest in any area not related to music!
He is happiest quietly composing in his Egghouse Studio or working with enthusiastic singers in a rehearsal room, ‘creating sounds that no one else thought was possible!’
A good guitar shop is his idea of window-shopping heaven and seeing a West Country sunset from a hillside pub, with a glass of good beer in his hand, is a spiritual experience.
At a more fanciful level, Tom would like to be remem

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

• Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com
• You can email me about the Show: [email protected]
• Twitter thatchrisgrimes
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/
• FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW wherever you get your Podcasts :)

Thanks for listening!

Send us a text

Podcast on a Plane with innovative Antipodean Entrepreneur Johnny Palmer, the mastermind behind Pitch Air, an extraordinary airplane-turned-Airbnb nestled in Bristol. Discover how Johnny transformed a former Japan Airlines 727-100 series once used for dubious cargo runs in Africa, into a creative hub that marries art and sustainable engineering. Hear about the unique challenges of acquiring and installing such a massive structure, as well as the vibrant role played by acclaimed Graffiti artists in turning the plane into a colourful landmark. Johnny’s passion for upcycling and inspiring the next generation of engineers shines through in this episode, offering a fresh perspective on creativity and resourcefulness.
Amidst our aviation-themed exploration, we unravel the mystery of DB Cooper, the infamous plane hijacker whose legend inspired a Johnny Palmer new Whisky Brand. Johnny shares personal anecdotes about from early life in Tasmania, a love of music and with running and swimming providing solace and clarity.
We chat about the importance of personal sanctuaries, such as the calming environment of an airoplane, and delve into his entrepreneurial journey from humble beginnings to an adventurous career in DJing. Family values are at the heart of our discussion, with heartfelt stories of cherished moments with Johnny's children, Max and Will, and the joy that such experiences bring.
Looking ahead, Johnny reveals ambitious plans for future entrepreneurial ventures, including a second aircraft transformation and initiatives to nurture young entrepreneurs in Bristol. We discuss his dedication to creating community spaces that foster innovation and environmental stewardship, such as his river island nature reserve project. The conversation underscores the importance of supporting small businesses and cultivating a culture of sustainability and creativity. Join us for this captivating episode filled with inspiration, innovation, and the adventurous spirit of entrepreneurship.

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

• Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com
• You can email me about the Show: [email protected]
• Twitter thatchrisgrimes
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/
• FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW wherever you get your Podcasts :)

Thanks for listening!