Podcast
The Secrets of Learning & Development
Hosted by Valerie & Julia · EN
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 listeners
Join 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 Bend
Executive Career Coach
https://www.premier-coaching.co.uk
https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-bend-premier-coaching
Valerie Merrill
Learning & Development Trainer & Advisor
https://www.merrillconsultants.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/merrillvalerie/
18episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Season 4 Round-Up
1w ago00:08:33Tap to summarizeIf you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! A look back at some of the most memorable moments from Season 4, as Julia and Valerie revisit the guest insights, standout quotes and thought-provoking reflections that stayed with them. From leadership and confidence to identity, resilience and growth, this round-up offers a rich snapshot of the conversations that shaped the season. We are thrilled to share 'The Secrets of Learning and Development' Podcast has won Podcast of the Year 2025A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support. It means the world.Support the showSupport the ShowHelp us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support
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Finding Your Voice: Sarah Clay on Reinvention, Confidence and Starting Before You’re Ready
2w ago00:31:06Tap to summarizeIf 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/y6q5d7Website: 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_QTDkWe are thrilled to share 'The Secrets of Learning and Development' Podcast has won Podcast of the Year 2025A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support. It means the world.Support the showSupport the ShowHelp us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support
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Bonus Episode: Unlock the Strengths You're Already Using
3w ago00:11:05Tap to summarizeIf 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 2025A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support. It means the world.Support the showSupport the ShowHelp us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support
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Why coaching still matters in the age of AI
4w ago00:17:20Tap to summarizeIf 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 2025A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support. It means the world.Support the showSupport the ShowHelp us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support
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When Someone Sees More in You: Nigel Lowe’s Journey to Partner at PA Consulting
Apr 1600:24:28Tap to summarizeIf 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 LearningsOne 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-87710a2We are thrilled to share 'The Secrets of Learning and Development' Podcast has won Podcast of the Year 2025A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support. It means the world.Support the showSupport the ShowHelp us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support
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Charlie Warsawski The Truth About Coaching Nobody Warns You About
Apr 900:41:38Tap to summarizeIf 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 LearningsLetting go of old habits is part of becoming a better coachCharlie 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 accreditationCharlie 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=enPodcast or YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@loveyourcoachingWe are thrilled to share 'The Secrets of Learning and Development' Podcast has won Podcast of the Year 2025A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support. It means the world.Support the showSupport the ShowHelp us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support
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The Foundation You Actually Need: Why Self-Worth comes before strategy
Apr 600:08:12Tap to summarizeIf 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 2025A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support. It means the world.Support the showSupport the ShowHelp us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support
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When Everything Changed: Louise Pengilley on Reinvention, Energy and Finding a New Way to Work
Mar 2600:27:49Tap to summarizeIf 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 and her husband’s life-altering cancer diagnosis. This isn’t a story of polished pivoting. It’s about brave choices, shifting priorities 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, including priorities, pace and purposeWhy energy, mindset and wellbeing matter when building a business that supports real lifeWhat 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 LearningsSimplicity 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 2025A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support. It means the world.Support the showSupport the ShowHelp us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support
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Bonus Episode: Valerie Merrill Why Social Capital Matters More Than Ever
Mar 1900:12:15Tap to summarizeIf 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 2025A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support. It means the world.Support the showSupport the ShowHelp us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support
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Rethinking L&D Through Curiosity and Community: Lavinia’s Offbeat Journey
Mar 1200:30:05Tap to summarizeIf you enjoyed this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! In this episode of The Secrets of Learning and Development, we meet Lavinia Mehedintu, co-founder of Offbeat, whose journey from disengaged student to learning architect has reshaped how we think about professional growth. What began as a single LinkedIn post during lockdown has grown into a global newsletter, thriving membership hub and the intimate Offbeat Fest centred not on scale, but on real connection.Lavinia opens up about:Why traditional learning never clicked for herThe mindset shifts that came with entrepreneurshipWhat it really means to build a learning environment not just push contentHow burnout taught her the importance of boundaries, identity and doing meaningful work on your own termsIf you're curious about the real stories behind purposeful business-building and want fresh insight into what’s possible when learning meets community, this episode is for youKey TakeawaysLearning Flourishes in the Right Environment - Not in the Right ContentLavinia emphasised that real learning doesn't come from cramming information or pushing more content. It comes from designing environments where people feel safe, autonomous and connected. Her concept of being a “learning architect” is rooted in this idea, it's not about delivering more, it's about shaping spaces where people want to learn.Entrepreneurship is as Much About Self-Discovery as It Is About BusinessLavinia spoke candidly about the emotional journey of building Offbeat. Burnout, identity fusion and the pressures of growth all led her back to therapy and into a deeper understanding of how important it is to protect her own wellbeing. Her big lesson: separating your personal identity from your business is essential for long-term sustainability and mental health.Guest Information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laviniamehedintu/ https://www.offbeat.works/lavinia@offbeat.works https://www.youtube.com/@offbeatlearningWe are thrilled to share 'The Secrets of Learning and Development' Podcast has won Podcast of the Year 2025A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our listeners for your encouragement, shares and support. It means the world.Support the showSupport the ShowHelp us continue making great content and get a shout-out on the show!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2389736/support
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