'Roots for Growth' Podcast

Join me as I chat with Donna Davies about her experiences and how they have shaped her life.

Donna is a mum to 3 children, radio presenter, business owner, Mentor for MCR pathways,  and  an active learner. Most recently she has completed a psychology degree and is waiting for the final result.

Listen to Donna sharing what she has learned through a range of life events, tools and techniques which continue to help her to navigate through challenges, and her belief that it's 'never too late to take back the pen and write your own story'! 

You can catch Donna's radio show on Forth Valley Radio on Wednesdays from 6-8pm.

In this episode we hear from Jen McEwan and Jen Tervit ('the two Jens') at Clan Artisan, a Scottish business offering luxury food and gift hampers. 

Their business values are strong and they aim to support small, high-quality producers, buying direct whenever they can. I invited them both along to talk about their journey as entrepreneurs, how they came to be doing what they're doing today, and we also had an open and honest conversation about challenges in life and how significant their support is for each other.

They also share an exciting piece of news hot off the press which represents a big step forward for their business!

We spoke after the recording had ended and they also wanted to add this about their team:

"We also wanted to mention our amazing staff who have been waiting for our new shop to open to come back and work for us. Toni and John are fantastic individuals who bring so much to the Clan team. We can’t wait to be in the shop and all working together. "

I can't wait to pay them a visit! 

Trudie Aitken joins me for this episode, where she talks about letting go, imperfection, and profound experiences her family has gone through, including baby loss, suicide, domestic violence, and bereavement (Trigger Warning: this may be sensitive for some listeners). 

She speaks openly and honestly about how this has shaped her life, past and present, and leaves us with a deeply moving quote at the end.

Trudie is a Change Programme and Transformation Manager, Personal Development Coach and Master NLP Practitioner. She is currently on a break from the Corporate world and is taking a break to recharge her batteries, tap into her creativity, and continue her journey of learning.

I’m delighted to introduce you to a very special guest for this episode – Adam Millar. Adam is my nephew and I have invited him on as my guest to mark his 21st birthday.

Adam is a very happy, outgoing character who loves a party, whether it’s for him or someone else. Anyone who has read the book, Roots for Growth, will have read about Adam through the story about Happiness, and also from my interview with my sister.

We are recording this interview from the Isle of Skye, our second home and a place where our family has spent many happy holidays. Listen to Adam talking about what he loves doing when he's here, how he plans to celebrate his birthday, and what makes him happy.

In this episode, Debra Murphy shares stories from various aspects of her life.

Debra describes herself as a Yorkshire lass living in Scotland, an author, gluten and dairy free guru, Trainer/Speaker, cyclist, dog lover, and cake eater!

I was delighted to have Debra join me as I appreciate her thoughtful, joyful, and light-hearted approach to life.  Find out about The Magical Tearoom on the Hill, Beatrix, and Lego Therapy... all told in Debra's warm, engaging style.

Fiona Dalziel joins me for this special International Women's Day episode.

Fiona is an Intuitive Holistic Therapist at www.fionadalziel.com, Founder of Women Together Network, and an award-winning member of Girlguiding Scotland.

Listen to Fiona talking about her experiences as a woman in business, highlights and challenges of the pandemic, and some words of wisdom which she believes can help in these times.

#IWD2022 #IWD #BreakTheBias

This time I am joined by Julia Latif, co-owner of Our House of Spice, which is a family business specialising in authentic Indian spice kits which are based on family recipes.  Julia has also recently started a new role as Business and Finance Manager for digital marketing company, Sookio.

Julia takes great pride in championing equality, diversity, and women in business, and is currently an Ambassador for Women's Enterprise Scotland.

Listen to Julia talking about why her role as a WES Ambassador is important to her, and how a pivotal moment from family tree research uncovered a significant story which has shaped how she lives her life and runs her business. Julia advocates open, transparent and civilised conversations to address racism and bias, and shares examples of what she has experienced through conversations with different generations of her family.

#WESAmbassadors #IWD #IWD2022 #breakthebias

This time, I'm joined by Lauren McQuade from Soulkraft Coaching.

For the past 25 years Lauren has been on a journey, which has taken her from the depths of despair to the highest of highs - quite literally.  In her mid-twenties she was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder (also known as Manic Depression).  

This has posed many challenges over the years and even led her to her being admitted to hospital 5 times.  However, the silver lining to this cloud is that Lauren's difficulties with her mental health have led her to discover her life’s purpose - to teach others and spread the message about the skill of self-compassion, something that has been truly transformational in terms of her own mental health.   

Listen to Lauren speaking from the heart about why this work is important to her, connecting with her values and purpose, and ways of practicing self-compassion which we can apply for ourselves. 

Joining me this time is Kim Macleod, who is the co-founder of Indie Authors World and helps to make writers' dreams come true by turning their words into beautiful books that sell all around the world. 

As the No 1 Bestselling author of From Heartbreak to Happiness, Kim knows it is possible to live a happy life even after experiencing the great loss of her son Calum.  Love, kindness, connection, and happiness are the pillars from which she gains her strength. 

Listen to Kim sharing her experiences, and how she brings this into the work she does now.

Kim and the team at Indie Authors World (www.indieauthorsworld.com) supported me to self-publish Roots for Growth, and I can highly recommend speaking to her if you are thinking of writing a book! 

In this first episode of 2022, I'm speaking with Vicky Hope and Lindsey Porter.

Vicky is the founder of The Wee Retreat - a meditation practitioner, mother of 2 and Educational Psychologist, she is on a mission to help create a culture where everyone looks after their wellbeing. 

Lindsey Porter is the Nurture & Grow Programme Manager supporting the Wellbeing Practitioner service at The Wee Retreat. An author and yoga teacher, Lindsey is also passionate about the benefits of yoga for all minds and bodies.

We talk about the Nurture & Grow membership, what practitioners say they are looking for in terms of support, and personal insights, experiences, and reflections as wellbeing practitioners.

I thoroughly enjoyed the warmth and authenticity of this conversation, and you can expect to hear some useful perspectives. 

You can find out more about Vicky and Lindsey's work at www.theweeretreat.co.uk.