Call To Action

This week, armed with a first-aid kit and copy of Bushcraft 101 we head through the hinterlands of Gloucestershire to catch Sarah Townsend for a chinwag.    As a freelance copywriter, Sarah has over 20 years’ experience traversing the tumultuous territory of self-employment and now she’s written the book on it. Boasting over 100 5-star Amazon reviews, Survival Skills for Freelancers provides practical advice on the nuts and bolts of freelance work.    She chats to us on a load of topics, including the struggles of freelancing before (and after) social media, how to avoid isolation, burnout, the dreaded ‘comparisonitis’, the importance of boundaries, tips for working from home and tonnes more. Plus, there’s talk of copywriters who charge by the word and how a tomato could be your secret productivity weapon.   Pause Man vs Wild, fire up the Trangia and enjoy. ///// Follow Sarah on Twitter  And LinkedIn  Here’s her book Survival Skills for Freelancers  Pick up a copy on Amazon  Check out Sarah's copywriting website and sign up for her newsletter     Sarah’s book recommendation is: On Writing by Stephen King  /////

This episode is a Call to Action first as we’ve landed a supersized bumper catch; the power couple Alex Jamieson & Bob Gower. Alex was one of the co-creators and co-stars of the Oscar-nominated documentary Super Size Me, and is also the best-selling author of 5 books, a highly-sought-after wellness expert and success mentor, and has also been interviewed by Oprah.   Bob is the amazing author of Agile Business: A Leader’s Guide to Harnessing Complexity, as well as an in-demand speaker and consultant, working with leaders at huge multinationals like Chanel, Ericsson, and Ford. They talk to us on their early careers, how they met, their new book Radical Alignment, what it was like to work together, the writing process, behavioural change work with people and organisations, their All-In Method, and more. ///// Check out Alex & Bob’s book Radical Alignment (out August 11th) And the Radical Alignment website Here’s Alex's website, LinkedIn and Instagram And Bob's website & LinkedIn Read more on John Gottman's Four Horsemen And don't miss AOC's speech on sexism in Congress Alex and Bob's book recommendations are: The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss Systemantics by John Gall Thinking in Systems by Donella H. Meadows /////

We’ve lurked stage left disguised as a Victorian wench to nab musical theatre fan and exceptionally talented writer gem Higgins this week.  A creative problem solver and a strong mental health advocate, gem rules ‘The Twitters’ with her unrivaled gift of creating the perfect GIF for any moment. She can also read an entire book in one bath soak (one can only imagine how wrinkly she would get if she took War & Peace into the tub). She talks to us on the inspiration behind her hugely popular ‘Sit Fucking Still’ donation to the ISOLATED Talks fundraising campaign, paper cutting as an artistic medium, Twitter as a community, her mental health and dealing with exceptionally tough times, the writing process, papier-mâché turds, how shit Slack is and so much more. So run a nice hot bath, listen, get wrinkly, and enjoy. ///// Follow gem on LinkedIn On the Twitters And Instagram Here is her Medium profile  And her ISOLATED Talk Check out her website Where you can specifically see how she likes to stick googly eyes on things   gem’s book recommendations are: Consider This by Chuck Palahniuk Unleash the Power of Puerility by Mark Denton The Cost of Living & Hot Milk, both by Deborah Levy  The Lonely City by Olivia Laing Once More We Saw Stars by Jayson Greene  Rootbound by Alice Vincent  Coming Undone by Terri White  gem is a voracious reader, and you can see all the books she has read in recent months here /////

We’ve lurked in the wings of the Café De Paris, Piccadilly to catch the hugely successful entrepreneur and former burlesque dancer Paulina Tenner this week.    Paulina is the founder of Grant Tree, an open culture company that pioneered an open salary scheme to help tech start-ups navigate the complex world of government funding.   She talks to us on her ‘vomit edit’ writing process for her new book; ‘What the Business Leader Learnt From the Stripper’, Open Culture and Holacracy, how she got into burlesque and what it brought to her business chops, why today’s leaders need to be more of a C.U.N.T., blagging a position as a company director when barely out of UCL and tonnes more. Put your fishnets on, boys and girls, and have a listen. ///// Follow Paulina on LinkedIn On Twitter And she’s also on Instagram Here is her website & book And her ISOLATED Talk Watch Freddie Mercury and Queen perform The Show Must Go On Paulina’s book recommendations are: Reinventing Organisations by Frederic Laloux In Over Our Heads by Robert Kegan /////

We’ve laid down lures of cool Friday drinks to catch the ‘Pharrell Williams’ of statistics; happiness expert Nic Marks. Nic is the CEO and Founder of Friday Pulse, helping organisations understand employee wellbeing, as well as being a leading statistician and TED speaker, and is arguably best known for his work in creating The Happy Planet Index; the first global measure of sustainable well-being. He’s worked with The British Government and The Kingdom of Bhutan and has been featured in publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian and Wired. He talks to us on the drivers of happiness, how businesses can measure and monitor happiness, Aristotle, shining toilet brass, tips for managing teams during the pandemic, how to have a good Zoom call, neuroscience and loads more. It’s packed like a pandemic second date picnic hamper (too soon?) so go consume until your ears are content. ///// Follow Nic on LinkedIn  And on Twitter  Check out his personal website  And the website for Friday Pulse which helps companies measure happiness, and is free for all organisations with under 1000 employees during the COVID-19 crisis. Nic’s book recommendations are:  21 Letters on Life and its Challenges by Charles Handy  Becoming Myself & Love’s Executioner by Irvin D. Yalom   The Strange Order of Things  by Antonio Damasio Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts   Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell  /////

We’ve cast a net off the coast of Adelaide this week to catch one of the globe’s greatest researchers and Sci-Fi fans, Jenni Romaniuk. Jenni is Research Professor and Associate Director (International) at that conveyor belt of marketing stars, the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, where she has advised many of the world’s biggest brands. She is the author of two must-read books; Building Distinctive Brand Assets and How Brands Grow Part 2, co-authoring the latter with industry legend Professor Byron Sharp, as well as being an engaging and entertaining keynote speaker at global industry conferences. She chinwags to us on her first job as a talented mixologist in a football club bar making fruit cups, her two books, how to build mental availability, best practices for managing and measuring distinctive brand assets, and tonnes more. You’d be a fool not to fill your ear canals up. ///// Follow Jenni on LinkedIn. Check out her books: Building Distinctive Brand Assets and How Brands Grow Part 2. Here is the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute’s website. Book Recommendation:   A Scandalous Life by Mary S. Lovell  /////

An internationally acclaimed copywriter and author who is partial to some wolf nipple chips (who isn’t?), Ryan Wallman is Creative Director and Head of Copy for Wellmark, a Melbourne-based creative agency specialising in healthcare.   He has written for numerous industry publications, including Marketing Week, and is a co-author of the bestselling marketing book Eat Your Greens. More recently, Ryan smashed out his own masterpiece; The Drum Roses award-winning satirical scalpel that is Delusions of Brandeur; a hilarious, piss-taking how-not-to-guide for getting on in the marketing industry.   Praise for the book has been knockout:   “I love this book. Anything I spend my time on, I either have to learn something or be entertained, with this book I get both.” – Dave Trott   “Not only is this a marvellous book – but no one but Dr. Wallman could have written it.” – Rory Sutherland   Ryan chirps to us on the origins of Delusions of Brandeur, rumours of a sequel, what the world of medicine can teach marketing, the work of the Wellmark agency and the vital role Twitter played in his career change. His claims of being a world-class whistler are also put firmly to the test. Get your ears out and listen. ///// Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. And on Twitter. Here is his agency Wellmark’s website. Check out his book, Delusions of Brandeur, including some top merch and a Monty Python inspired video of supreme silliness. The ISOLATED Talk from Gem Higgins. Book Recommendations: Alchemy by Rory Sutherland  The Choice Factory by Richard Shotton /////

We’ve laid an intricate trap of clever beer and wine based nudges this week to catch Richard Chataway, Vice President of the BVA Nudge Unit UK, founder of the Communication Science Group (CSG) and quite simply one of the most talented behavioural science practitioners in the world.    He chats away (sorry) on a load of topics, including an early temping job at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’s examinations (written, ahem) department, direct marketing, behavioural science and how it can help in the Coronavirus crisis, the writing of his new book ‘The Behaviour Business’, his past roles for the UK and Australian governments, ethical issues around nudging and tonnes more interesting stuff. And his passion for Ipswich Town.   Go listen now and discover why stellar brands like IKEA, Google, Sainsbury’s and Starbucks have looked to him for behavioural science guidance. ///// Follow Richard on LinkedIn. And on Twitter. Here is the Communication Science Group’s website. And the BVA Nudge Unit website. Here is his book, The Behaviour Business. And the associated podcast. Book Recommendations: Drunk Tank Pink by Adam Alter  Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely  Decoded by Phil Barden  The Art of Choosing by Sheena Iyengar  Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman  Where Did It All Go Wrong by Eaon Pritchard The Choice Factory by Richard Shotton  Alchemy by Rory Sutherland /////

We’ve masqueraded as a waiter with dreams of Hollywood this week to catch LA’s finest CX designer Matt Watkinson. Matt is co-founder and CEO of Methodical and an internationally renowned author, speaker, and consultant on customer experience and business strategy, speaking at events for the likes of Microsoft, Salesforce, American Express, and the FBI. His first book, The Ten Principles Behind Great Customer Experiences, won CMI’s Management Book of the Year, and his second book, The Grid, was shortlisted for 2019’s Management Book of the Year. He talks to us on his very unique early career path (he has never actually been employed), how designing an award-winning website for Argos launched him into the UX and ultimately the CX stratosphere, 10 CX principles to follow, his books, his frustrated dreams of being a pianist and so much more. Go gorge and enjoy. ///// Follow Matt on LinkedIn. And on Twitter. Here is Methodical’s website. Watch Matt's COVID-19 Business Battle Plan and support ISOLATEDTalks.com.   Matt has written two books: The Grid The Ten Principles Behind Great Customer Experiences  Book Recommendations: Thinking in Systems by Donella H. Meadows The Nature of Technology by W. Brian Arthur Financial Intelligence by Karen Berman Mastery by Robert Greene /////

We’ve cut a cheeky round hole in the ice to catch former figure skater and strategic consultant and business leader Liana Dinghile, this week. A proud Londoner with a mix of Sicilian and Scottish heritage, Liana works with Tonic Creative Business Partners, having previously been at Siegel + Gale and Dragon Rouge. She has helped guide some of the world’s most successful organisations, working with the likes of Bayer, Sainsbury’s, British Airways and Hewlett Packard. She talks to us on her early career as a figure skater, how she got into the industry with TUI, making the move from client to agency side, what makes a good strategy and examples of brands that nail it, positive work cultures, her love and knowledge of wine, and barrels more. ///// Follow Liana on LinkedIn And her agency, Tonic Here is Tonic’s website Liana is also a member of the BIMA Mentoring Council Book Recommendations: Laws of Simplicity by John Maeda Rise by Gina Miller /////