Episode Title: Heart, Healing and The Longest Day

Shownotes: In this deeply moving episode of The Longest Day Podcast, Leah Brown FRSA sits down with the brilliant composer, musician, and producer Nitin Sawhney CBE to discuss his life-altering experience of surviving a heart attack and how it inspired his latest orchestral composition, Heart Suite. From the trauma of the event to the catharsis of creating music, Nitin opens up about how this experience reshaped his understanding of life, fear, and creativity, and coastal community development, while also sharing lessons on leadership and staying energised through long days.

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Episode Title: Heart, Healing and The Longest Day

Shownotes: In this deeply moving episode of The Longest Day Podcast, Leah Brown FRSA sits down with the brilliant composer, musician, and producer Nitin Sawhney CBE to discuss his life-altering experience of surviving a heart attack and how it inspired his latest orchestral composition, Heart Suite. From the trauma of the event to the catharsis of creating music, Nitin opens up about how this experience reshaped his understanding of life, fear, and creativity.

In this powerful and intimate episode of The Longest Day, Leah Brown sits down with Samanah Duran, an entrepreneur and founder of BeYourOwn, and most recently LinkSpaxe (connecting companies with the best professional freelancers and contractors who can drive their success forward).

In this deeply insightful episode of The Longest Day Podcast, Leah Brown FRSA is joined by Rocio Perez, a transformational coach, speaker, and creator of the MindShift Experience. Rocio shares her powerful story of awakening to a more fulfilled life after an unexpected diagnosis of a brain tumour at the age of 34. From struggles with unfulfilment to navigating a life-changing health crisis, Rocio reflects on the tools and wisdom she gained through adversity and how it has shaped her mission to help others create their own versions of a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life.

In this conversation, Leah Brown FRSA speaks with Scarlett V Clark about her personal journey, cultural challenges, and the drive that led her to create Smart Girl Tribe. Scarlett shares her experiences of moving from Italy to England, the social difficulties she faced, and how her mother’s support helped her navigate through tough times. They discuss the importance of embracing diversity, the evolution of Smart Girl Tribe and female leadership in media, and the resilience required to be a trailblazer. Scarlett offers advice for young people facing challenges, emphasising the importance of speaking up and being mindful of the media they consume.

In this episode of The Longest Day podcast, host Leah Brown FRSA sits down with Alys Carlton, former mergers and acquisitions lawyer, executive coach, Non-Executive Director, and Chair of the Football Association of Wales to talk about a season marked out by grief and gratitude. Alys shares the extraordinary journey behind her “longest day” a 24-hour period that spanned a deeply personal loss and a pivotal career milestone. In this candid conversation, Alys opens up about navigating grief, professional ambition, and finding strength through challenging circumstances.

In this episode of The Longest Day, host Leah Brown FRSA speaks with Lord Ed Vaizey, former MP for Wantage and Culture Minister, about his unique career path, his relationship with authority, and his views on mentorship and leadership. Ed shares entertaining stories from his past, including the challenges of being fired multiple times and how these experiences shaped his perspective on work and autonomy. Ed reflects on personal experiences, including the impact of his fathers death at a young age and privilege, and how both shaped his perspectives. Tune in to hear Ed Vaizeys candid reflections on his career, his approach to politics, and the lessons hes learned along the way.

In this episode, Leah Brown FRSA welcomes Sarah Lewis OBE OLY, a British Olympian, to share her incredible leadership journey through a career filled with huge highs and real lows. As one of the podcast’s most dedicated listeners, Sarah reflects on her longest day experiences, from navigating complex international sporting events to her unexpected dismissal. She recounts significant moments, including a challenging visa issue during her first major competition, a fatal accident at an event, and high-stakes doping scandals.

In this enlightening episode, kicking off Season Five, Leah Brown FRSA interviews Alison Cork MBE, who shares her transformative journey through her “longest day”. Alison discusses the pivotal moment when she decided to take control of her health and how this decision reshaped her life. The conversation delves into the inner critic that many women face, the importance of self-acceptance, and how these experiences influenced her professional life and entrepreneurial endeavours.

In this enlightening episode, kicking off Season Five, Leah Brown FRSA interviews Alison Cork MBE, who shares her transformative journey through her “longest day”. Alison discusses the pivotal moment when she decided to take control of her health and how this decision reshaped her life. The conversation delves into the inner critic that many women face, the importance of self-acceptance, and how these experiences influenced her professional life and entrepreneurial endeavours.

Ray Mia recounts his longest day in 1979, living above his fathers junk store in Liverpool in a household that didnt celebrate Christmas.

He outlines his experiences of growing up as an individual of color in a predominantly white society, highlighting the challenges of navigating cultural identity and belonging. Ray shares his experiences of feeling excluded and confused due to his cultural and religious differences growing up in Seaforth, Liverpool, winning an assisted place at a fee-paying school, his experience at Oxford University, and beyond. He discusses his experiences with identity and belonging, the importance of family, and how his upbringing has shaped his decision-making processes.

Through the conversation, Ray reflects on his career as a media executive, explores the complexities of creative decision-making and the role of disappointment in personal and professionalgrowth.

The first black, female elected Mayor of Liverpool from 2021-2023, Joanne Anderson, is our guest for this episode. Listen in on how she managed the catastrophic withdrawal of the offer of a big energy provider; the bad press and the general fear caused were lessons for her. She is fearless in her criticism of those who would take credit away from those it is due. With the support of the citys Director of Culture and his team, she led Liverpools successful hosting of Eurovision 2023.

In this weeks episode, we speak with the Rt Hon David Lammy, Labour MP of Tottenham. He looks back to the beginning of the August 2011 Tottenham riots, triggered by the shooting of Mark Duggan and which led to nationwide riots, as his longest day. He supported the victims and the people of Tottenham a key experience in his advocacy for the families affected by the Grenfell tragedy. Find out how his roots in Tottenham, the support of a team willing to speak the hard truths to him, and his personal faith in God got him through the crisis.

Our guest is Richard Hooper CBE, the founding deputy chair of the UK Communications Regulator, OfCom. Under the Labour and Conservative governments, he chaired reviews on the Royal Mail and copyright licensing. He is the author of Making Meetings Work. Richard speaks about his Longest Day chairing a board in disarray in one day. His 3-step approach of asking what is the issue?, what skills are needed around this board-table?, and what is the solution? have served him well. With truth and trust restored, a board can run like a rhythmic rowing team where everyone on board, forgive the pun, has ample opportunity to say what they think and get on with achieving success.

Welcome to season two of The Longest Day! To kick things off we interview Nick Grono, the co-founder and leader of Freedom Fund, a global fund that aims to end worldwide, modern slavery. He is a leader who prioritises the humanity of people at the centre of the crisis. His longest day was witnessing the September 11th terrorist attacks whilst in New York working for the Australian government. Join Leah as she speaks to Nick, and hear about his desire to make the greatest impact on the vulnerable by working at the level of their communities.

Leroy Logan MBE PhD FRSA, a highly distinguished former police officer, discusses his longest day being confronted by a misconduct allegation. Discussing the trials of being a black authority figure standing firm against potential power abuses, Leroy discusses the motto ‘innocent until proven guilty’ alongside his fight for justice, what perseverance looks like in a witch-hunt, and the crucial role of public opinion in a crisis. His strength and commitment to public service, coupled with themes of faith, discipline, and youth advocacy, make for a compelling listen.

Klaus M Nielsen is a man who has navigated various roles across diverse continents and cultures. From left-wing activist, video game designer, and international EDM DJ to monk and mentor, Klaus exemplifies the power of spiritual exploration and personal growth. Facing burnout, Klaus found tranquility in being a monk, but it also led him to his longest day. Join us as we explore Klaus’s extraordinary path and find inspiration for our own journeys.

Anna Woods is founder and CEO of Positive Retail and a leadership coach. Faced with a career crisis a decade ago, Anna emerged stronger and more committed to fostering a positive work culture. Her longest day involved standing up for herself in a toxic organisation. Emerging with new skills and a commitment to better leadership, Anna shares valuable insights, the necessity of a people-centric work ethos and challenges of entrepreneurship.