ProGRESS

In spite of business liquidation and a divorce, award-winning f:Entrepreneur Beccy Dickson and now ex-husband Macey Mitchell decided to remain business partners, founding Branded Bio, which supplies sustainable walls and backdrops full of living green plants and flowers for events, to interior designers and even to cover electric vehicle chargers and furniture. In fact it was a living plant-covered bus touring round Westminster in London that sparked Beccy's appearance on the podcast.Stuck on holiday on the island of Madeira during an enforced extended Covid lockdown, Beccy and Macey spent time talking about where and what next, and settling a future path. But if that makes being a female entrepreneur sound a bed of roses, Beccy is quick to point out the graft behind the spectacular living walls that now make up the mainstay of their business.Beccy didn't have a clear route to becoming an award-winning small business owner. She left full-time education aged 15, with few formal qualifications. Through family connections, Macey helped her land a job with a small wine branding business, where a mentor believed in her potential and encouraged her further.It wasn't until she was a mum that Beccy returned to college to study for her GCSEs, initially thinking she'd like to train as a teacher. Across the years she has worked variously in sales, marketing and as a creative director, but it was a chance commission that led Beccy to find her passion. The print production agency she and Macey were running was asked to quote to brand a living wall and suddenly her interest was sparked and her outlook on life changed.Beccy is candid that her cousin, a long-time champion of sustainability, now teases her about being green and the awards she has won for it. Beccy jokes she may be an accidental sustainability passionista.Creating living green backdrops can use 1000 plants, all of which have to be looked after and watered to remain looking good. It's hard physical work that requires high energy levels on top of all the usual business worries. When she's not juggling family demands in a multi-generational house alongside the business office in the back garden, Beccy goes to the gym and swims to stay strong.She wants to pass on sustainability lessons to the next gen, including her children. And Beccy urges everyone to try to make a difference to the planet's future."We all have to do our little bit," she says.Links mentioned in the podcastBranded Bio websiteBranded Bio Instagramf:EntrepreneurSmall Business BritainSME business population (Table C)You might also like to listen to:Mark Sumner, Leeds School of Design at Leeds University S1 E6Rachel Warren, professor of global change and environmental biology S1 E7Content © Sandra KessellOriginal music © Lyze KessellEmail Hello@myPro-GRESS.co.uk

A creative child who was also interested in science, Helen Walsh was encouraged by her teacher parents to explore all her interests, something that stood her in good stead for her future career.Helen was fascinated by sharks as a child – though growing up in Stoke she was about as far away from the sea as it is possible to be in the UK. An animal lover and budding conservationist, even then, Helen was also a keen fan of The Really Wild Show, a BBC children's programme. Back then it was presented by Michaela Strachan, Terry Nutkins and conservation campaigner Chris Packham, someone she later met through her work.Helen gained a first-class BSc in Zoology at the University of Nottingham, then an unexpected phone call led to her enrolling in a Masters in biological photography and imaging, something that resulted in the career she still does.From the time she left university and stepped into the world of communication and public engagement, Helen has been encouraging people to learn about wildlife conservation, the countryside and their natural surroundings. From starting work for the West Midlands Biodiversity Partnership. She went on to work in media and communications for Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust, (fondly known as BBOWT to local supporters), before setting up as a freelance.Today, Helen splits her time between her own business, Lonely Cottage Productions, and a publications business, Nature Bureau, designing, photographing and writing for scientific, environmental and wildlife-themed projects. In that time she has supported many projects and campaigns and helped organisations raise their profile with the public.Now a parent, Helen starts and ends her day with walking her children to school, who help her retain her optimism for the world's future too, since they often come home with information and suggestions about better ways to live.Links mentioned in the podcastLonely Cottage ProductionsNature BureauUniversity of Nottingham MSc in biological photography and imaging.You might also like to listen to:Jake Fiennes, National nature reserve director and general manager, conservation, Holkham Estate S1 E8Sarah Kessell CEO of The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales S1 E5About ProGRESS:Host Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially Responsible jobs, courses or activities and asks for real-world insights into the pathways and careers that led to them.Content © Sandra Kessell Original music © Lyze KessellEmail: Hello@myPro-GRESS.co.uk

Dr Matthew C Halteman is a professor of philosophy at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan and a fellow at the Oxford Centre of Animal Ethics. Beside his academic work, Matthew is on the board of directors for The Better Food Foundation and Creature Kind, and he's the author of Hungry Beautiful Animals: The Joyful Case for Going Vegan.Matt urges us to stop looking for moral perfectionism and accept mistakes and dead ends are part of being human. He encourages listeners to look for light coming through the cracks, and he advocates shifting from scarcity mode to an abundance mindset to stay positive. His career and veganism comes from finding his way, rather than a particular plan, shaped by being an anxious young person at a time when there was less support and understanding. He thought he'd train for a career in law but instead turned to philosophy, which opened his mind and made better sense of the world.The story of Matt's first meeting with his then-girlfriend's scary father, a successful businessman, is poignant and personal. To Matthew's surprise and relief, his now father-in-law was a strong advocate of philosophy studies among young executives.A bulldog called Gus, and friend and fellow philosopher Nathan Nobis, of Morehouse College, Atlanta, and Matt's wife Susan, helped him change his omnivorous eating habits. And while veganism is his own ethical and philosophical choice, it's not something Matt would insist his children followed throughout adulthood (though he'd be pleased if they did).Finally, and curiously, Matthew is an avid follower of Arsenal Football Club – the English Premiership (soccer) team also known as The Gunners. He's also interested the vegan football team Forest Green Rovers, which is supported by planet and plant advocate, Dale Vince.LinksMatthew C. HaltemanArsenal Football ClubForest Green RoversNathan NobisYou might also like to listen to:Imogen Overy S2 E6Lydia Carrington S2 E1Glen Burrows S2 E5About ProGRESS:Host Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially Responsible jobs, courses or activities and asks for real-world insights into the pathways and careers that led to them.Instagram ProGRESS Content © Sandra Kessell Original music © Lyze KessellEmail: Hello@myPro-GRESS.co.uk

Jonathan Mearns OBE, has a job role topical to the festive season.Jonathan is a founder of London Christmas Tree Rental. The company rents out living Norway Spruce trees in England's capital city over the Christmas period. Trees are picked up by their temporary owners, then returned to their nursery after a brief encounter with the indoors. The idea of renting out Christmas trees sprang to life when, one January, Jonathan saw dozens of desiccated and discarded trees awaiting refuse collection on London's streets and thought 'There's got to be a better way than this.' Research showed that seven million trees were chucked, cast off or chipped every year and Jonathan's new business plan began.But that's not where Jonathan's career story starts, or even where it’s going to end. A former police officer, who was awarded an OBE for services to international counter-terrorism in the King's New Years Honours 2023, Jonathan is now a life and career coach, an ambassador for IAfrika children’s home in Nairobi, where he promotes and financially supports children’s education in Kenya. And when he's not doing all of that he's an adventurer and mountaineer. In fact, it was an encounter with his own mortality on a mountain that prompted him to write a book, One Mountain, Two Minds: Taking the Mountain Metaphor to the Next Level.Jonathan is open about his lack of glowing school reports and still recalls one parents' evening when his primary school teacher made dire predictions about his future. Instead he has had an exciting, challenging, life affirming career. He maintains a positivity that is palpable – even on a screen via Zoom connection – and he's not done yet.Mentioned in this podcastJonathan MearnsThe Earthshot PrizeIAfrika children’s home in Nairobi, KenyaLondon Christmas Tree RentalYou might also like to listen to:Jo Faulkner-Harvey, head of charity fundraising S3 E5Duncan Goose, founder of Global Ethics and One Water S1 E10Kurt Henderson, senior product designer Byway Travel S2 E4Rachel Johnson, student mental health social worker S3 E8About ProGRESS:Host Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their pro-Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially Responsible jobs, courses or activities and asks them to share real-world insights into the pathways and careers they've experienced.Instagram: @theProGRESS_podcastOriginal content © Sandra Kessell Original music © Lyze KessellEmail: hello@mypro-gress.co.uk

Rachel Johnson's career was going swimmingly. In the two decades since graduating from University of Leeds, she had worked her way up through various early careers and student research organisations, such as Milkround, Not Going to Uni, UCAS and Cibyl at Group GTI, an independent market research agency specialising in student research projects across the UK and Ireland. She was a business director, owned her own flat and when holidays came around, Rachel was ticking off a bucket list of places to see. Rachel was continuing with the running she had taken up during the pandemic and quietly, in her spare time, she volunteered at Samaritans, the charity that offers 24/7 listening support to people struggling to cope.Then in 2024, Rachel handed in her notice to take up a place as a trainee mental health social worker. And while that might have been a mic-drop moment for people she worked with, it was something Rachel had been considering for some time.In this episode Rachel explains:• why she took such a momentous decision• what it's been like to return to tutorials 20 years after graduating from the University of Leeds• how it has been to re-learn essay writing• the reflective practices in place that help social workers cope with case work• how she feels about going on placements at the front line as a trainee mental health social worker.Rachel offers advice for anyone considering treading the same path as her to become a social worker, whether they are fresh out of university or, like her, making a career change. She also talks about what happens next, after summer 2025, when she receives her postgraduate diploma and masters degree.Mentioned in this podcastLinksThink AheadCibyl, Group GTISamaritansYou might also enjoy:Duncan Goose, founder of Global Ethics and One Water S1 E10Lydia Carrington, sustainability manager, Edgbaston Stadium S2 E1Rae Wilkinson, award-winning sustainable garden designer S1 E1Jo Faulkner-Harvey, head of charity fundraising S3 E5About ProGRESS:Talking about pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially responsible jobs, courses or activities and real-world insights into the pathways and careers that led to them.Instagram: @ProGRESSOriginal content © Sandra KessellOriginal music © Lyze KessellEmail: hello@my-progress.co.uk

Danielle Neal is a procurement officer for Norwich City Council. They gained a first class honours degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of East Anglia, (UEA), studying a course that included a year in industry.Initially, and because of their strong background in business studies, Dani thought their future would be lie in accounting and finance, but because of their interest in conservation and a desire to do something about climate change they switched courses.Since graduating in 2018, Dani has been working in local government, and dovetailing environmental and conservation with hobbies that include biological recording, crafting and knitting, cinema and occasional travel.When Dani attended university open days, they were drawn to the campus and community at UEA, as well as the strong reputation of both its business and environmental departments. And while there, they found lots of benefits to joining societies and volunteering, all of which helped them build connections and gain experience while also boosting wellbeing.Dani talks of their view of Gens Y and Z, how they see their working life and purpose, how they find optimism through their faith in humans building community and the continued advancements in science and technology.Top green, ethical, sustainable and socially responsible advice from Dani:• Use your free time while studying to volunteer, engage with work shadowing and find what you enjoy. Ask questions – the people in the field you want to work in are the best to advise you.• Do something that inspires you. We can all do something positive in EVERY role. • Read up on your employers' environmental policy. Check for volunteering opportunities at work and see what you can do in your everyday life.Mentioned in this podcast University of East Anglia Environmental SciencesRSPB volunteeringNorfolk Wildlife Trust volunteeringShop LocalYou might also like:Sarah Kessell CEO, the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales S1 Ep5Stuart Mabbutt, AKA The Wildman S3 Ep3 and Ep4Rachel Warren, climate change scientist S1 Ep 7About ProGRESSHost Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially responsible jobs, courses or activities and asks for real-world insights into the pathways and careers that led to them.Instagram @theProGRESS_podcastOriginal content © Sandra Kessell Original music © Lyze KessellEmail: hello@my-progress.co.uk

Jo Faulkner-Harvey studied theatre design but left her degree early when she was offered an amazing internship. It meant working on productions and prop-making behind the scenes on such classic films as Alien. But a twist of fate a few years later found her back in Northamptonshire, working at Silverstone racing circuit before she landed a job at Oxfordshire's hospice, Katharine House.In this episode Jo talks about switching from her first love, art, and developing a passion for charity fundraising. She explains what she looks for when she's recruiting for her own teams, transferable skills and experience and the importance of downtime away from her all-consuming job.Jo gives her opinion on the benefits of working in the third sector versus a big-money big-business career and her personal views on charity CEOs receiving decent salary packages. She also reveals why The Shakespeare Hospice in South Warwickshire is having to find an extra £50,000 this year. In this episode we discuss why charity donors and supporters are like investors in a business and the power of celebrity endorsements for charities.Jo retains her optimism for the future, and talks of her respect for Gens Y and Z values and discernment and how they are already making a difference to businesses' and charities' outlooks.And in common with all our episodes, this podcast is full of tips for what you can do if you want a career like our guest's.Mentioned in this podcastThe Shakespeare HospiceKatharine House HospiceMacmillan Cancer SupportHomeless OxfordshireRetina UKChris McCausland on BBC Strictly Come DancingEnjoyed this episode? You may also like:Nicki Black, fashion and creative director S2 E3Duncan Goose, founder of Global Ethics and One Water S1 E10Rae Wilkinson, award-winning sustainable garden designer S1 E1Dr Mark Sumner, sustainable fashion lecturer S1 E6About ProGRESS:Host Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially responsible careers, courses and activities and asks for real-world insights into the paths and decisions that led to them.Instagram theprogress_podcastWeb: https://www.mypro-gress.co.ukOriginal content © Sandra KessellOriginal music © Lyze Kessell Insta @lyzetheartist

Part 2 If you've heard of Stuart Mabbut, it's likely to be through his podcast or his business Wildman Environmental Learning.His sensory nature workshops enable people to connect with the natural world, and sometimes an unlikely beginning leads to a life revelation. When he’s not doing that, Stuart is a wildlife sound recordist and producer, an author, public speaker, radio host and a wildlife gardening consultant.In Part 2 of our interview Stuart discusses the first time he was discriminated against because of his disabilities and what he learned from that experience. He also talks about how he networks, how he chooses his interns, and what makes a CV stand out, and his very surprising hobby.He also talks about his campaign, The Genuine Disabled Countryside Access Task Force, which highlights the issues encountered by people with different disabilities. These include how to get a wheelchair through a kissing gate, how to read a map with vision impairments and many other barriers. His YouTube videos are enlightening and revelatory, as he invites a film crew to join him trying to access the countryside in his wheelchair.Mentioned in this podcast:Wildman Environmental WorkshopsThe People’s Countryside Podcast:YouTube @WildmanEnvironmentalLearningSee also:AccessAble accessibility guideIf you've enjoyed this episode you might like to listen to:Stuart Mabbutt aka The Wildman Part 1 S3 Ep3Sanjukta Jitendhar​​​​, architect, Mikhail Riches S1 Ep 9Sarah Kessell CEO of The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales S1 Ep 5Rae Wilkinson, award-winning sustainable garden designer S1 Ep 1About ProGRESSHost Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially responsible jobs, courses or activities and asks for real-world insights into the pathways and careers that led to them.Instagram: theprogress_podcastOriginal content © Sandra KessellOriginal music © Lyze KessellEmail: hello@mypro-gress.co.uk