My Duvet Flip by Jack Parsons

Episode Guest

Sam Schlimper is Managing Director at Randstad Enterprise, where she works with global organisations to redesign work, unlock human potential, and build future-ready talent strategies. With deep experience across recruitment, financial services, and advisory, Sam is passionate about creating meaningful work that energises people and organisations.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:23 What gives you energy and wh...

Episode Guest

Pete Harris is the President at Pipedrive, with a career spanning from auditing at Deloitte to global leadership. Known for his grounded wisdom and purpose-driven mindset, Pete brings clarity and compassion to every room he walks into - or in Pete's case, runs into!

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:55 Meet Pete Harris – President at Pipedrive

3:00 The Flight That Changed Everything

6:20 Why Pete Turned Down P...

Episode Guest

Alex Glover is Managing Director of Programmatic at Brainlabs, where he leads global innovation in data-driven advertising. His passion for programmatic strategy and graduate development is helping shape the next generation of media talent.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:12 Meet Alex Glover, MD of Programmatic at Brainlabs

0:40 The job Alex nearly took (and why he didn’t)

1:48 Discovering advertising through cu...

Episode Guest

Donna Whitehead is the Vice Chancellor and CEO of the University of Brighton. A proud working-class leader from Hartlepool, Donna brings a bold, purpose-driven vision to higher education.

Episode Timestamps

0:00 Introduction

1:22 From Council Estate to CEO

2:59 Donna’s First Job: Paper Round Hustle

4:23 Learning Discipline and Drive

6:01 “Shy Bairns Get Nowt”: Grit as a Mindset

7:08 Pride in Her Hartlepool Roots

8:42 Impos...

Episode Guest

Andrew Lever is the Co-Founder and CEO of Brand Partnership Group, a leader in brand-focused sales and marketing services. With a career spanning Unilever, Coca-Cola, and Samsung, Andrew brings calm leadership and consistent growth to every organisation he touches.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:41 Why Andrew was one of the show’s first believers

2:03 The power of consistency in careers and partnerships

3:00 An...

Episode Guest

Paula MacKenzie is the CEO of Pizza Express, with a career spanning leadership roles across the food, drink, and hospitality sectors. Known for her drive and authenticity, Paula brings a bold, values-led approach to business and team culture.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:24 Paula’s First Job – Paper Rounds and Earning Freedom

2:23 Young Paula Saves for a Stereo – The Power of Incentives

3:38 What Drives Paula’s D...

Episode Guest

Nick Foster is the General Manager for Mars Pet Nutrition in Northern Europe, where he leads with a passion for purpose, people, and pets. With nearly 20 years at Mars, he’s held diverse roles across sales, marketing, and supply chain, always driven by a desire to be a good ancestor.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:23 Meet the General Manager of Mars Petcare

1:00 From RAF Dreams to a Business Career

2:05 Finding Pur...

Episode Guest

Tom Wallis is the Chief Customer Officer at Compare the Market, with a dynamic career spanning consulting, startups, and brand leadership. He's known for blending data-driven thinking with creative marketing to lead iconic campaigns.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:48 Tom’s Early Career and First Job

2:53 Lessons from Temping and the Power of Observation

4:55 Joining Accenture and Consulting Foundations

6:54 ...

Episode Guest

Rhys Degruchy is the Graduate Development and Support Leader at Halo, where he mentors new talent and helps shape the next generation of high performers. With a background in physics and a passion for people, Rhys is driven by trust, autonomy, and a relentless desire to improve.

Ben Thorpe is the Infrastructure Manager at Halo, having grown through the ranks over seven years. Obsessed with progress and delivery, Ben...

Episode Guest:

Tim Mason is the CEO of Eagle Eye and a veteran of British retail, best known for his 30-year career at Tesco where he helped launch the Clubcard. He brings decades of experience in marketing, loyalty, and digital transformation.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:41 Meet Tim – The Duvet Flip Moment

1:56 Tim’s First Job: From Fruit Farm to Boardroom

3:06 What Makes a Great First Employee

4:48 The Power of Enthusias...

Episode Guest:

Matt Callaghan is the Chief Operating Officer at easyJet Holidays, where he leads customer experience, operations, and long-term strategy. With a background spanning Deloitte, British Airways, and frontline leadership at Heathrow, Matt brings a rare blend of operational grit and strategic vision.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

1:23 Why Matt Said Yes to My Duvet Flip

2:14 First Job at Next: Life Lessons from Retail

4...

Episode Guest:

Sam Sims is the Chief Executive of National Numeracy, with a career rooted in empowering individuals through confidence-building and lifelong learning. His work focuses on supporting those often overlooked to realise their potential with the right tools and encouragement.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:32 Meet Sam Sims, CEO of National Numeracy

1:13 What National Numeracy does

1:54 Sam’s early work and first j...

Episode Guest:

Lukas Kaminskis is the CEO of Boom Training and Turing College, two organisations focused on transforming tech education across Europe. He’s a serial entrepreneur passionate about building learner-first experiences that unlock economic mobility.

Benas Sidlauskas is the Chief Business Development Officer at Boom Training and Turing College. A long-time co-founder with Lukas, Benas is driven by creating scalable educ...

Episode Guest:

Richard Walker is the Executive Chairman of Iceland Foods and a passionate advocate for responsible business. He also founded the sustainable property firm Bywater, blending purpose, grit and leadership to champion people and planet.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:48 Why business is a force for good

1:34 Richard’s first job and early lessons in customer service

3:44 What makes a great communicator?

4:53 Battlin...

Episode Guest:

Nick Bent is the CEO of upReach, a UK-based social mobility charity helping university students from less-advantaged backgrounds secure top graduate jobs. With a background spanning government, business, and the third sector, Nick co-founded upReach to level the playing field for talented young people.

German Bencci is the CEO and founder of CodeYourFuture, a volunteer-driven organisation training individuals from ...

Episode Guest

Briya Campbell is the Senior Data Enablement Manager at Compare the Market, where she champions innovation and inclusion in the data space. With a dynamic background spanning retail and tech, Briya is passionate about mentorship, representation, and driving commercial impact through data.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:23 Meet the Guest: Senior Data Enablement Manager at Compare the Market

1:03 Bria’s Background: ...

Episode Guests

James Turner is the CEO of the Hg Foundation, leading its mission to drive social mobility through technology and education.

Elona Mortimer-Zhika is a Board Trustee at the Hg Foundation and a passionate advocate for diversity, inclusion, and access to tech careers.

Episode Timestamps

0:00 Introduction

0:49 Meet James and Elona from the HG Foundation

1:27 Why tech access is a social mobility issue

2:29 James’ journey...

Episode Guest:

Matthew Wragg is the CEO at Gattaca Plc. Parent company to Matchtech, Infosec People and Gattaca Projects , where he’s spent over two decades rising through 12 roles to lead the company. Known for his people-first approach and belief in learning through hard graft, Matthew brings deep insight into recruitment, leadership, and resilience.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

1:20 Matthew’s first job and “get the hel...

Episode Guest:

Tanuja Randery is the Managing Director for Amazon Web Services (AWS) in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. A passionate advocate for digital skills and inclusive leadership, she has helped train over 31 million learners globally.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

1:20 From Early Jobs to Self‑Discovery

3:50 Breaking Into McKinsey: Network & Opportunity

6:15 Doing Excellent Work & Beyond the Ask

8:40 ...