The NABS Podcast

Chris Hayward is an adland legend and Campaign A-Lister, known across the industry. He's not just respected for his illustrious career as a media buyer though. Chris has also been searingly open about his own mental health journey, which saw him go from life and soul of the party, to bleak trauma and then to ongoing recovery, following a freak accident.

In this podcast, Chris focuses on the everyday actions we can all take to check in on ourselves and on each other to help support our mental wellness.

Key takeaways include:

Easy ways to reach out to people to find out if they're OK or need help
How people are more empathetic than you might think
How to stop a tear of negativity turning into a waterfall.

For a deeper dive into Chris's own mental health journey, watch our YouTube interview with him https://nabs.org.uk/why-speaking-out-about-your-mental-health-is-essential/

If you work in advertising, marketing or media, NABS is here for you. Through good times and bad, we’re here to get you through all of life’s issues, in and out of work.

Want to build a network? We’ll connect you to the industry.
Aiming to be your best work self? We’ll develop your skills.
Need a listening ear, a friendly face, a confidential chat, some money advice or some help with your mental health? We’re here for that too.

NABS is your charity, generously funded by the industry. Thanks for having our back; we’ve definitely got yours.

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How to navigate alcohol and addiction, with Natalie Bell, CEO, MG OMD

The NABS Podcast

02/05/25 • 33 min

tw: alcohol addiction, depression

Natalie Bell is CEO, MG OMD and one of the industry's most prolific leaders, with a string of accolades to show for it. With her focus on people and mental wellness, she's well-placed to talk about leading with empathy. Natalie also has a moving story to tell: that of living with her mother's alcohol addiction, and how this has affected her.

This is a thought-provoking and heartfelt discussion, which also delves into the importance of supporting managers in our industry.

Key takeaways:

Alcohol use disorder is a spectrum, and we need to talk more about what this complex condition looks like;

We still need to do more to make it OK to drink a little, or not at all, at industry events; and

Our industry needs to give more resource and support to managers, so they can support themselves and their teams.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

NABS Advice Line nabs.org.uk/how-we-can-help/advice-line/

NABS Walk and Talk nabs.org.uk/walk-and-talk/

Drinkaware drinkaware.co.uk/

Tabbin Almond winetowatercoaching.com/my-story

NABS Managers' Mindsets nabs.org.uk/managers/

If you work in advertising, marketing or media, NABS is here for you. Through good times and bad, we’re here to get you through all of life’s issues, in and out of work.

NABS is your charity, generously funded by the industry. Thanks for having our back; we’ve definitely got yours.

Need A Bit of Support? Speak to NABS.

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How to give no f***s to boost your self-esteem - with Amy Kean

The NABS Podcast

02/13/24 • 28 min

Amy Kean is a creative sociologist, advertising strategist, poet and best selling author. Her book, The Little Girl who Gave Zero F***s, is a clarion call to females everywhere who are too used to caring about what other people think of them. As Amy explains in this podcast, it's time to stop that right now in the name of your self-esteem.

Amy is frank, down-to-earth and fond of a swear word or six. She is also one of our industry's biggest names when it comes to speaking out for better diversity and fairer working practices.

Key takeaways:

Happiness should be your key priority every day
We have to get over our obsession with tone in the workplace
Your self-esteem does not depend on the opinions of other people

Amy runs Good Shout, a professional training company that helps people to find their voice. Find out more at goodshoutcommunity.com

If you work in advertising, marketing or media, NABS is here for you. Through good times and bad, we’re here to get you through all of life’s issues, in and out of work.

NABS is your charity, generously funded by the industry. Thanks for having our back; we’ve definitely got yours.

Need A Bit of Support? Speak to NABS.

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How to get diverse talent into your teams with Trevor Robinson OBE

The NABS Podcast

12/11/24 • 23 min

Trevor Robinson OBE is the co-founder of Quiet Storm, which he runs with his wife Rania (also a NABS Podcast guest) and Create not Hate, which works with young talent from underrepresented groups.

Trevor is the brains and creativity behind the legendary Tango advert in the 90s, having adopted a fearless attitude cultivated as a young creative, on the dole, trying to get into the adland industry.

He's passionate about creativity and diversity and is refreshingly down-to-earth, especially when speaking about working with Rania and looking after his mental wellness.

Key takeaways:

The drive for diversity needs to come from the top
If you work with your spouse or partner, you have to get things out in the open
Don't be afraid of things going wrong in your career

Resources

Quiet Storm https://quietstorm.co.uk/

Create not Hate http://createnothate.org/

Creative Circle https://www.creativecircle.co.uk/

If you work in advertising, marketing or media, NABS is here for you. Through good times and bad, we’re here to get you through all of life’s issues, in and out of work.

NABS is your charity, generously funded by the industry. Thanks for having our back; we’ve definitely got yours.

Need A Bit of Support? Speak to NABS.

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How to spot burnout and share tough times with Emma Flaxman

The NABS Podcast

02/17/25 • 40 min

NABS Managers' Mindsets
NABS Inclusive Leader
NABS Advice Line
Insanelynormal
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)

tw: suicide

Emma Flaxman is senior commercial comms lead at Channel 4 and a mental wellness influencer in adland, having led on mental health for the likes of PHD and Omnicom Group UK. Emma is superbly open about her own challenges, especially where they relate to becoming a single parent. She blogs about her experiences on her blog. In this brilliant conversation, Emma talks about spotting burnout in yourself and in your team as well as what life looks like for her as a senior leader raising two children on her own. We also discuss the importance of movement and recovering from the trauma of school sports to reclaim physical and mental fitness as an adult.

Key takeaways:

Burnout often goes unrecognised until it manifests in behaviour changes
Managers should ask their team members open-ended questions to understand how they're feeling
Giving back to others can make you feel great, no matter how busy you are.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

If you work in advertising, marketing or media, NABS is here for you. Through good times and bad, we’re here to get you through all of life’s issues, in and out of work.

NABS is your charity, generously funded by the industry. Thanks for having our back; we’ve definitely got yours.

Need A Bit of Support? Speak to NABS.

Sign up to the NABS newsletter

Follow NABS on LinkedIn

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Watch NABS Talks on YouTube

How to survive redundancy and pitch mindfully with Julian Douglas

The NABS Podcast

05/21/24 • 35 min

This week's NABS Podcast guest is Julian Douglas, global CEO at VCCP and a vocal advocate for mental wellness in the advertising industry.
The instigator of the Pitch Positive Pledge during his tenure as IPA president, Julian is a changemaker with a down-to-earth approach to mental wellness, as well as a huge enthusiasm for the ad industry. Julian also loves to learn and might inspire you to enrol on a free NABS course.

Julian talks to host Louise Scodie frankly about his experience of redundancy and how that's informed his mindset.

Julian is also co-founder of Lucky Voice, the karaoke bar, and reveals his current favourite song to sing in this episode.

Key takeaways:

Policies need to be activated to drive forward change - something NABS highlighted in our All Ears community consultation
Boundaries and self-care are your essential foundation to maintain mental wellness in our fast-paced world
How to check if your company is signed up to the Pitch Positive Pledge and what to do if it's not being put into practice

Resources mentioned in this episode:
Pitch Positive Pledge pitchpositivepledge.co.uk
NABS courses Calendar - NABS
All Ears Community Consultation NABS All Ears Community Consultation Report

If you work in advertising, marketing or media, NABS is here for you. Through good times and bad, we’re here to get you through all of life’s issues, in and out of work.

NABS is your charity, generously funded by the industry. Thanks for having our back; we’ve definitely got yours.

Need A Bit of Support? Speak to NABS.

Sign up to the NABS newsletter

Follow NABS on LinkedIn

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How to make a big impact without burnout, with Bianca Best

The NABS Podcast

03/19/25 • 35 min

Big Impact Without Burnout

How to make a big impact without burnout, with Bianca Best

Bianca Best knows about burnout - she experienced it, and has now written a book on how to avoid burnout while making an impact at work. Bianca is an adland powerhouse, a solo mum of four (five if you include her dog), a coach and a speaker, so she certainly knows about fulfilling your potential without damaging your mental wellness. Having got to the burnout point some years ago, Bianca knows how to bring yourself back from the edge of burnout, and how to avoid it in future.

Key takeaways:

There are four elements to burnout: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual
The first step in overcoming burnout is to acknowledge any shame you have around it
Ambition is a good thing that can exist alongside your mental wellness

Resources mentioned in this episode

Bianca's website

NABS Advice Line

NABS Managers' Mindsets

NABS on burnout in Marketing Week: here and here

NABS on burnout in Campaign

If you work in advertising, marketing or media, NABS is here for you. Through good times and bad, we’re here to get you through all of life’s issues, in and out of work.

NABS is your charity, generously funded by the industry. Thanks for having our back; we’ve definitely got yours.

Need A Bit of Support? Speak to NABS.

Sign up to the NABS newsletter

Follow NABS on LinkedIn

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How to be kind at work, even when you're under pressure - with Aimee Luther

The NABS Podcast

04/10/24 • 29 min

Aimee Luther is managing director of the Liberty Guild. The Liberty Guild is an invitation-only curated association of the finest communication practitioners in the world. The business aims to give creatives and strategists a better work-life balance and more ownership over their careers.

Aimee is a huge believer in kindness as a leadership style, and she makes sure this is a top-lived value throughout her professional and voluntary work. Aimee's also a hugely busy working mum and speaks refreshingly about the demands of the juggle.

This is a great, down-to-earth chat - Aimee is a super mix of kind, clear and no-nonsense.

Key takeaways:

We need to normalise feeling rubbish so that we can talk about it and support each other
Being kind to each other is a basic requirement for the human race, so let's translate that into corporate kindness
Let's use empathy and compassion to create nurturing environments where people can be their whole selves.

If you work in advertising, marketing or media, NABS is here for you. Through good times and bad, we’re here to get you through all of life’s issues, in and out of work.

NABS is your charity, generously funded by the industry. Thanks for having our back; we’ve definitely got yours.

Need A Bit of Support? Speak to NABS.

Sign up to the NABS newsletter

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How to support your mental wellness as a Black woman in adland - with Chloe Davis

The NABS Podcast

03/27/24 • 33 min

tw: suicide

Chloe Davies is a creative global inclusion and belonging consultant and founder of It Takes a Village, a network for Black women in advertising, marketing and media.
Chloe is a proud Black bisexual woman as well as being a mother of two and an outstandingly prolific campaigner and activist. Chloe volunteers for UK Black Pride, the London Queer Fashion Show and was recently named one of Campaign magazine's 40 over 40. Chloe fits an impressive amount of commitments into her schedule, yet still found time to engage in this fascinating conversation.

Key takeways:

What it means to be a mental health survivor
The importance of safe spaces for underrepresented communities
The gift of volunteering - how to make sure it's a blessing for both sides

If you work in advertising, marketing or media, NABS is here for you. Through good times and bad, we’re here to get you through all of life’s issues, in and out of work.

NABS is your charity, generously funded by the industry. Thanks for having our back; we’ve definitely got yours.

Need A Bit of Support? Speak to NABS.

Sign up to the NABS newsletter

Follow NABS on LinkedIn

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Visibility, pride and the magic of running with Marty Davies

The NABS Podcast

08/14/23 • 47 min

Marty Davies is one of adland's leading strategists and joint-CEO of Outvertising, the industry's advocacy group for LGBTQIA+ people in the industry. Marty is founder of Smarty Pants, a strategy-first creative consultancy specialising in customer activation and retention. Among Marty's many achievements is their role as Campaign magazine's first transgender columnist.

In this podcast, Marty talks openly and vulnerably about the process of realising their identity and the need to take better care of their mental wellness.

Key takeaways include:

How Marty looks after their staff and freelancers, putting wellness above profit;
Why pronouns matter, and how it feels to be misgendered; and
The mental magic of exercise.

Check out Marty's Campaign column and find out more about Outvertising on their website.

If you work in advertising, marketing or media, NABS is here for you. Through good times and bad, we’re here to get you through all of life’s issues, in and out of work.

NABS is your charity, generously funded by the industry. Thanks for having our back; we’ve definitely got yours.

Need A Bit of Support? Speak to NABS.

Sign up to the NABS newsletter

Follow NABS on LinkedIn

Follow NABS on Twitter

Follow NABS on Instagram

Watch NABS Talks on YouTube