Our podcast recommendations!

Image: Juja Han on Unsplash

Our podcast round-up

At The Career Girl, we love a podcast. They’re the perfect way to expand our knowledge, absorb information, learn new things, get motivated, discover new ways of working, laugh, cry…the list goes on! 

But did you know there are over 850,000* podcasts out there? It can be a bit of a minefield trying to find one you enjoy and value, so we’ve rounded up our top podcasts, whatever your situation! 

For the short of time-rs 

The Grow & Glow Show with Vix Meldrew 

This is a no holds barred podcast with very honest episodes covering branding, the income from working online and time management, and at only 9 to 20 minutes long you can always squeeze one in!  

For the business owners

Hashtag Authentic with Sara Tasker

Sara Tasker presents a calming, relatable and valuable weekly podcast delving into the secrets of success for creative business owners. 

Work Like a Woman with Mary Portas

Mary Portas, the ‘queen of shops’, presents a brilliant podcast centred on kindness and shaping the future of business. 

Being Boss with Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon

This podcast gives a brilliant mix of ‘hard’ skills, such as creating a business plan, alongside personal development like the power of conversation and creative processes. 

For the not sure what to do-ers

How to Fail with Elizabeth Day

With a different guest on each episode, this podcast is brilliant for hearing first-hand accounts from people from different walks of life and experiences. A brilliant boost to learn how others have turned a ‘failure’ around. 

Creative Rebels with David Speed and Adam Brazier

This podcast centres on creatives who have ditched the 9 to 5. The duo focuses on a number of subjects including comparison and anxiety, alongside business themes like building your brand. 

Squiggly Careers with Sarah Ellis and Helen Tupper

With over 150 episodes to choose from, this podcast offers a huge range of ‘practical, action focused advice’ for making positive decisions to shape the career you want. 

Is This Working? with Anna Codrea-Rado and Tiffany Philippou 

A varied podcast all about ‘the messy parts of work’ covering a number of relatable topics. There’s something for everyone in here! 

Ctrl Alt Delete with Emma Gannon 

We love Emma Gannon’s books and her podcast doesn’t disappoint. With a different guest in each episode, this podcast offers a mix of business, personal growth and societal issues, and always leaves us pumped! 

For the needing a boost-ers

Hello Seven with Rachel Rodgers

The ‘seven’ in this title is referring to a seven-figure wage, and without beating about the bush, Rachel Rodgers and special guests give advice about altering your mindset and applying changes so you can make mega bucks.

The Perfectionism Project with Sam Laura Brown

Beat procrastination, overcome perfectionism and become the best version of yourself with this podcast that tackles themes such as nurturing your relationship with yourself. 

Girlboss Radio with Sophia Amoruso

This podcast is described as ‘honest conversations with trailblazing women’, and it totally lives up to this. This is a relatable, motivational and ideas-packed podcast. 

Letters from a Hopeful Creative with Sara Tasker and Jen Carrington

A refreshing set-up for a podcast, this brilliant show answers letters from listeners, with questions such as ‘How do I decide where to focus in my business?’ and ‘Should I invest in my business when it isn’t making any money yet?’ 

In Good Company with Otegha Uwagba 

Another podcast with a guest on each episode, Otegha Uwagba draws real-life advice and ideas from her guests that listeners can learn from immensely. 

The Enthusiast with Ellie Kime 

This is a website and podcast that does what it says on the tin. We can’t help but feel enthusiastic after listening to Ellie Kime and guests talk about broad issues surrounding creativity, self-worth, happiness and life!

For the I-just-need-to-switch-off-ers

Women Like Us with ‘Jennifer Hudson’ and ‘Lillian Bayliss’

A spoof podcast billed as ‘The only podcast hosted by women’ from comedians Katie Brand and Katherine Parkinson. 

My Dad Wrote A Porno  

Definitely NSFW, very silly and laugh-out-loud hilarious!

*oberlo.com July 2020

Starting a business isn't the only way to be successful

Photo: Anna Shvets on Pedels

With a plethora of business podcasts, communities and books out there, all centred on female business owners (which we LOVE!), it can be easy to fall into the mindset that starting a business is the only way to be a ‘success’.  It’s been said that comparison is the thief of joy, and that pesky trait can also nab your confidence and motivation too. So, what to do if you’re not interested in setting up a business? Or if you want to eventually but you’re just not ready or wanting to right now? As a non-business owner myself, I’ve put together a little list of suggestions to keep yourself on top (even if you’re not at the top of that organogram!) ...

Work out what you really want to do 

It can be tricky to work out what you want to do, rather than what you should do, but it’s the perfect place to start. Where do your passions lie? Do you want to support vulnerable people in your community? Do you want to travel? Do you want to be able to walk to work? Do you want to talk to people? Do you want to talk to nobody?! A bit of self-reflection is a great place to work from.  

Margot De Broglie is a prime example of going with your gut and pursuing what feels right, when she took time away from studying: ‘For the first time in my life, I truly knew what feeling passionate about something felt like – it was one of those a-ha moments that still gives me shivers.’

Could you switch roles where you already are?

If you feel you’re not in the right role and you want a career pivot, it’s not necessarily best to jump ship. Have a look at other roles with your current employer – if you’ve made a good impression on your co-workers, chances are you’ll be in a better position to try a different role at your company than applying ‘cold’ to a new workplace with little or no experience. I’ve worked with people who have switched from HR to Marketing, call centre work to account management, and Facilities to Finance – it can be done! 

Another option here is to create a whole new role. Ellie Sampson is a Model Maker for an architecture practice, a new position she proposed to her company director. In her profile she explains: ‘I often felt a disconnect between my understanding of a project and how I felt I was responding to a given task. I didn’t feel I was effectively utilising my specific skills.’ So, if you have an idea for a role that will mutually benefit yourself and your employer (something will have to be in it for them!), be bold and go for it.  

Get all the training you can!

One of the big perks of being employed is the ‘free’ training you can benefit from. If you have an idea of what skills you need to continue your career development, and they will benefit your workplace, find some courses, get quotes, and take them to your line manager. 

It is worth bearing in mind there may be stipulations on working for a certain amount of time after completing the course, and any training will need to directly link to your current role to be a worthy investment for them, but it could be a huge boost to your career progression.

If your company isn’t in a position to invest in accredited training, you could suggest a subscription to one of the many online learning platforms. Sites like Shaw Academy and Udemy offer valuable courses for little cost, and they offer greater flexibility in terms of time and travel, because there is none!   

Think big

What would be your dream company to work for? Google? Burberry? Macmillan? Channel 4? 

Whatever your line of work, if there’s an organisation that you would be proud to commit your career to, then why not set yourself on that path? 

When we asked Alice Beverton-Palmer what the best thing was about her job at Twitter, she could honestly say: ‘Working for Twitter! It’s a platform that’s made a huge difference to my life and I feel really lucky to be in the building.’

Keep learning

With a guaranteed salary coming in, it can be easy to fall into the trap of becoming ‘comfortable’ in the workplace. Don’t let your brain go to mush! Alongside the many podcasts and books about running a business or a brand, there’s a plethora of great content about personal development and getting ahead at work. This is an easy way to learn and you’ll be surprised by the knock-on effect to your professional practice and your self-confidence. 

Ask for help

Don’t be afraid to ask others for ideas, support and advice. Look at those around you and see if there are any qualities or specific workplace skills that you could ask about. Learning from first-hand experience is invaluable, so take advantage of the wealth of information that could already be at your fingertips. 

Not the right avenue for you? You could also have a browse of our site via the keywords on our homepage; if you’re planning a career change but you’re not sure where to start, click ‘career pivot’ and you’ll find profiles of women who have completely changed their career path.  

And lastly, we’re here! If there’s a question or idea niggling away at you and you’re not sure where to turn, then please do get in touch and we’ll do our best to help!

Alice

What it's like to be a ... finance manager

This post is in our series What’s it like to be…, giving a glimpse into the realities of certain jobs. Ever wondered what someone who works in marketing actually does all day? What are the lesser-known qualities you need to work in finance? What unexpected surprises does being a teacher hold? This series is here to help answer these questions!

This week we’re having a chat with Bianca, a finance manager.

What job do you do?

I'm Retail Finance Manager for Superdrug

How did you end up in that role?

 After sixth form, I went to Nottingham University to study Maths, then joined Deloitte on an audit grad scheme. I spent four years at Deloitte, gaining my ACA while I was there, then moved to the Arcadia Group (the umbrella company for high street brands such as Topshop, Topman and Miss Selfridge). Since then I’ve done a number of different finance roles in retail and hospitality, and also managed to squeeze in a year travelling across Africa and South East Asia, before joining Superdrug in 2019.

Superdrug is a company I’d always kept my eye on - great brand, successful business model and it’s based in my hometown of Croydon! So when I saw the vacancy advertised on LinkedIn, I jumped at the chance of applying.

What's your general working day like?

Very varied! A ‘typical’ day might consist of a meeting with key stakeholders to discuss strategy or forecasts, a development catch up with one of my team and a few hours of financial modelling. Now that we are remote working I seem to spend lots of time on Microsoft Teams video conferencing!

Is there anything you do in your job that you never expected you'd be doing?

Walking through one of our Distribution Centres in a high-vis vest and steel toe-capped boots!

Is there anything you thought you'd be doing but you don't?

This is a hard one – nothing springs to mind. I think the role has largely met my expectations.

Are there any qualities that you didn't realise you'd need for this job?

Being a problem solver and a numbers lover, when I first started out, I thought that would be my primary focus throughout my career.

However, as you progress, your role pivots towards stakeholder engagement and people development, as it is more about teaching your team how to do things than doing everything yourself because your remit expands and it is no longer possible.

You also become the primary point of contact for the part of the business that you manage so you spend a lot of time in meetings updating everyone else on what is going on and working out what we are going to do next.

Any words of wisdom for someone thinking of working in finance? 

I’d strongly advise studying towards a professional accounting qualification of some sort. And a love for problem-solving and Excel spreadsheets also helps!