After four years away, I'm back!

In this first episode, I'm taking it right back to the beginning, from press buyer to managing director of Social Chain, growing the agency from 30 to 130 people and 650% revenue growth, to working alongside Gary Neville, and now returning with a brand new chapter of I Shouldn't Say This, But.

I talk about how the podcast was born out of a need to build a personal brand authentically, why I stepped away, and what the last four years of personal growth, coaching, consultancy, and speaking have taught me about leadership, values, and knowing yourself.

This season I'll be sitting down with some of the biggest brands and leaders in the world, diving into AI, HR, finance, leadership challenges, and what really goes on behind the scenes of the fastest growing businesses.

Get ready because I'm back and I'm so excited!

I Shouldn't Say This, But is hosted by Katy Leeson
Recorded at Mollies, Manchester
Proudly sponsored by We Are The Allies
Production by The Club Manchester

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Follow me:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katyleeson
Instagram: @katyleeson

I Shouldn't Say This But is back, and I've got a lot to say and share.

I'm Katy Leeson, former MD of Social Chain, founder of Courageous, and I'm bringing back one of the UK's top-ranked business podcasts with a clear mission: to help leaders and founders scale without losing their people or themselves.

No fluff. No performance. Just the stuff most of us won't say out loud.

Hit follow and get ready, new episodes are on their way.

I Shouldn’t Say This, But … this podcast has taught me more than I could have ever imagined.

And this episode is going to be my last. At least for a while.

When I started the podcast 4 years ago, I couldn’t have imagined the journey it would take me on, the conversations it would generate or the relationships it would help me foster.

Steven Bartlett had tasked me with creating a brand for myself, and I was determined to give it purpose beyond simply being a KPI.

As I sat down to record this episode, I knew that goal had been achieved.

So I hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane. And I hope it gives you an insight into why I do this, and I what I want to do next.

As always, thank you for listening.

Natalie Wills is the Global Director of Marketing at Zalando and a fellow advocate for the power of social media for good.

In this episode, we discuss:

- The importance of authenticity online 
- Why we are all influencers 
- What we can learn from the way young people use social media 
- The importance of leading with your values
- Zalando’s approach of casting diversity of influencer talent and talent whose values resonate with their own
- The way social media is driving transparency in the real world

Natalie:

https://www.instagram.com/nattiw1/?hl=en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliealisonwills/

Me:

https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53

https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Matt and Giles founded Sculpd alongside their business partner Guy Vero at the peak of Lockdown, and have since sold over 100,000 at-home pottery kits.

Beyond that, they’ve built partnerships with some of the most influential brands in the UK, including Bloom & Wild, Missoma and Papier.

In this episode, we discuss:

- The challenges that come with building a business in Lockdown

- The role of social media in the formation of the Sculpd community

- The importance of finding joy in your work


Matt and Giles:

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mattclements1

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilesharrison2/?originalSubdomain=uk

https://sculpd.co.uk

https://www.instagram.com/sculpdit/?hl=en

Me:

https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53

https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Daisy is the person behind The Selfhood - who makes digital interactions feel more human and puts connectivity at the heart of content strategies for brands and their audiences.

She birthed The Selfhood after noticing a huge gap in the market for business owners and creatives to understand social media and digital marketing in a fun, human and relatable way after spending years in the jargon filled world of ad agencies.

In this episode we discuss:

-The role of social media in creating change.
-The balancing act of finding a space to rest as a content creator.
-The importance of building community as people are desperate to feel part of something.

Daisy:
https://www.instagram.com/the_self_hood/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daisy-morris-52742393/

https://www.theselfhood.com/about-the-founder

Me:
https://www.instagram.com/katyleeson/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53/

https://twitter.com/KatyLeeson

James Routledge co-founded Sanctus -  a purpose-driven organisation that supports employee mental health through proactive and preventative one-to-one coaching in the workplace. 

He is also the author behind ‘Mental Health at Work’ - a book filled with stories, learnings and guidance for anyone on their mental health in the workplace journey.

In this episode, we discuss:

* The culture of permission arising around mental health
* Social media as a force for good in the mental health fight 
* Why rest doesn’t only mean sleep

James:

https://www.instagram.com/jamesroutledge_/

https://www.instagram.com/jdroutledge/

https://twitter.com/jd_routledge

Sanctus:

https://www.instagram.com/sanctus/

Me:

https://www.instagram.com/katyleeson/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53/

https://twitter.com/KatyLeeson

Chloe Brotheridge is an Anxiety Hypnotherapist, Coach, Podcast Host and Author who is dedicated to helping women free themselves from anxiety. 

In this episode, we discuss:

- The importance of distinguishing your dream from the one’s being pushed by other people

- Tips for a more purposeful and positive social media experience

- How we can combat our inner critics


Chloe:

https://www.instagram.com/chloebrotheridge/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/CBrotheridge?s=20

https://calmer-you.com/free

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chloe-Brotheridge/e/B01MZEC2LL%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share



Me:

https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53

https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Gina is an activist, author and artist who uses her platforms to encourage real-world change.

In this episode, we discuss:

- The uncomfortable reality of activism
- The intersection of social media and activism

- The importance of setting work/life boundaries
- The changes social media companies need to start making
- Young people’s relationship with social media


Gina:

https://www.instagram.com/ginamartin/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/ginamartinuk?s=20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K_n-x-W7pY

https://www.waterstones.com/book/be-the-change/gina-martin/9780751577891


Me:

https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53

https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Jay Flynn founded the Virtual Pub Quiz back at the start of the pandemic, and is living proof of the power of social media to be used for good.

In this episode, we discuss:

- Jay’s incredible journey from pub landlord to household name (and the social media mistake that started it all)
- The challenges that have arisen as a result of digital stardom
- The impact of the Virtual Pub Quiz on Jay’s life
- The positive potential of social media


Jay:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLcSqjJWHJeDWD_SbdorBRw

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jays-Virtual-Pub-Quiz-Book/dp/1913406407

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jays-Virtual-Pub-Quiz-2/dp/1913406776/ref=pd_lpo_1?pd_rd_i=1913406776&psc=1

https://www.instagram.com/thevirtualpubquiz/?hl=en


Me:

https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53

https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21

Anna Codrea-Rado is a journalist, author and podcaster whose article ‘Do I have Productivity Dysmorphia?’ has changed they way both I and so many others view our achievements.

In this episode, we discuss: 
* The impact social media is having on our view of success 
* The importance of finding joy in our free time

* The productivity dysmorphia trap

And so, so much more.


Anna:

https://www.instagram.com/annacod/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/annacod?s=20

https://www.linkedin.com/in/annacodrearado/?originalSubdomain=uk

https://www.annacodrearado.com/podcast

https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2021/09/10640493/what-is-productivity-dysmorphia

https://linktr.ee/yourethebusiness



Me:

https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_link

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53

https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21