PODCAST · business
Smashing The Ceiling
by Naomi Mellor
Welcome to Smashing The Ceiling, the show where we showcase the lives of women with interesting, unusual and inspiring careers, those who have achieved amazing things, some who've got a really cool or unusual job, and some who've just had a fascinating life.Each week I sit down with one amazing human to dig a little deeper into the HOW of it all - how did they get where they are, how they picked themselves up when things didn’t go right, and how their mentors, motivations and mistakes have led them to achieve the things they have.
Episodes
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Annabelle Buckland - on audio obsessions and an adult diagnosis of ADHD
My guest today is a woman I met a couple of years ago whilst wearing a delicious pair of sequinned dungarees and accepting an award at the International Women’s Podcast Awards. Her name is Annabelle Buckland, and she’s an radio host, podcast producer and general audio whizzo. She also has ADHD....
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Jia Wertz - from Forbes and fashion to film-making and fighting for freedom
My guest today has gone from shy wallflower to recipient of international film awards and a column in Forbes. Jia Wertz is a filmmaker, entrepreneur, podcaster, activist and writer, who, like many of our guests, has had a working life with some unexpected twists and turns. Jia had a super...
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Samantha Baines, Part 2 - on starring in Magic Mike Live with Channing Tatum and accidentally writing a children's book
This is Part Two of my chat with Sam Baines, my first guest for Season 6 of the podcast, and a woman that I’ve know for a few years after she was shortlisted at the inaugural International Women’s Podcast Awards back in 2021. It’s fitting that she’s first this season, because she’s been the first...
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Samantha Baines, Part 1 - on life as a comedian, becoming a deaf activist and the secret bit of Heathrow airport
We're back for Season 6! My first guest is a woman that I’ve know for a few years after she was shortlisted at the inaugural International Women’s Podcast Awards back in 2021. Her name is Samantha Baines, and it’s fitting that she’s first this season, because she’s been the first woman to do a…
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Season 6 Trailer
We’ve been away for a little while, but we are back! I’m Naomi Mellor, and I’m delighted to let you know that there’s a new season of Smashing The Ceiling just around the corner, with all sorts of delights awaiting you. In this podcast we chat to women with unusual, interesting and inspiring...
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Justine Nagaur - on holistic care, spiritual healing and recovering from chronic pain
If you’re into meditation and healing, you may know what a Tibetan sound bowl is. If not, you’ve got a treat in store, as we’ll be digging deep into the world of holistic health in this episode. My guest today is Justine Nagaur, a spiritual healer, teacher, mentor, and creator of bespoke crystal...
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Caroline Kremer - on healing injuries, unexpected circumstances, and career re-invention
How often do you think about your own breathing? I bet you are right now. How fast do you breathe? How deeply? Most of the time it’s completely unconscious. We just do it, and we rarely consider how we breathe unless we’re exercising and out of breath, or ill and out of breath, as many of us have...
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Dot Zacharias - on sleep deprivation, life at a tech startup and the power of yoga Nidra
This week, we’re talking, amongst other things, about sleep. My guest today is Dot Zacharias, COO and co-founder of Nourish, a wellbeing app designed for busy mums to find a little calm in their lives, which aims to protect maternal mental health and provide support. But that description...
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Sinéad McGrath - on endometriosis advocacy, becoming a golf influencer and women in the law
My guest this week is endometriosis advocate, golf influencer and brilliant lawyer Sinéad McGrath - as you might imagine, the subjects we covered in this conversation are many and varied. Sinéad sits on the Executive Committee of the Junior Lawyers' Division at The Law Society, and after saying...
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Catie Friend - on unexpected career challenges, solo travel and life in the mountains
My first guest of 2022 is Catie Friend, who says of her adventures that she “will always be a completer rather than a competer”. Given the challenges she’s completed, which include the world’s toughest ski mountaineering race and the half Marathon des Sables, and the things she’s done in her...
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Siobhan Daniels - from nursing to broadcast journalism to pro-age campaigning, and life in a campervan
Siobhan Daniels grew up in a care home as one of eight children amongst the elderly people her family looked after. She's subsequently had an incredibly varied and colourful life, first working as a nurse in the NHS before joining the BBC as a trainee in broadcast journalism. Siobhan spent 30…
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Vicki Prais - on international human rights and a lifetime of advocating for others
When you think about human rights, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe it's the treatment of prisoners overseas, or working conditions and pay in a place of employment, or freedom of speech, or the right of an individual to live freely and safely in whatever manner they choose? Maybe...
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Kirsten and Aiyven Mbawa - on the power of imagination, and teen entrepreneurship
To open Season 4, I’ve got two guests with me with this week, and if you’re looking for inspiring women in your life, then these two are it. Kirsten and Aiyven Mbawa are sisters from Northampton, England and they’re 13 and 12 years old respectively. Nothing unusual there. What is unusual is that...
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Tigz Rice - on burlesque, boudoir and her unique photography career
To many people, the world of burlesque may seem distant, mysterious and unknown. You might have heard of Dita von Teese, but how much do you know about the art of it, the glamour, and the people, who are, by all accounts, a brilliant bunch of welcoming human beings? My guest today is Tigz Rice…
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Hannah Roper - on life as a country musician, teacher, policeman and survivor
Hannah Roper is an incredible woman with a varied career forged out of a combination of inspiration and necessity. Not many people can say that they've worked as a teacher, a policeman, a country music singer and an entrepreneur. Hannah has worked in both primary and secondary education, founded…
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Elizabeth Ogabi - on becoming a changemaker and progressing your side hustle
We hear so much about side hustles and entrepreneurship and it seems that every second person on social media is starting a successful new business and scaling it to 7 figures from their kitchen table. But if you've had an idea, how do you get started? How do you balance your day job and the need...
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Nikki Trott - on conscious business, the value of service and selling umbrellas
Have you ever had a moment when you met someone for the first time, but you felt like you'd known them your entire life? It's a weird and rare but wonderful thing. I had that feeling when I chatted to Nikki Trott prior to this interview, and I knew I had to have her on the show. Nikki is an...
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Victoria Jenkins - on life as an adaptive designer, disability advocate and unexpected entrepreneurship
My guest this week is an incredible woman, whose life and career were turned upside down by circumstances. We talk often on this podcast about how circumstances shape the careers of women, but in the case of Victoria Jenkins, the circumstances were becoming disabled in her mid twenties. Before...
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Mira Patel - on learning the value of hard work, and why teenagers need a helping hand
We've often talked on this podcast about how our upbringing shapes our attitudes to work, ambition and success. Mira Patel's parents ran a newsagent, and she started working in the shop at an early age, before forging a successful career in HR. She understands the value of hard work and...
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Imogen Tinkler - on foraging, fairytales and altered career aspirations
When you're in a box career-wise, it can be hard to get out of it. Sometimes it's pressure from others, or from society that keeps you in that box, or sometimes it's your own internal monologue telling you that you can't do anything else. Sometimes, life events send you on a different path.…
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Anita Whittaker - on sex positive parenting, and life as a pirate DJ
Here’s a question for you. Would you describe your mum as sex positive? My guest today, Anita Whittaker, garnered the term “the sex positive mum you all wish you had” after appearing in Channel 4 show ‘Mums Make Porn’. This happened after a television company read her original blog, Only Boys and…
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Monique Hodgson - on a glittering international career, and her mission to redefine motherhood
Sometimes you meet someone whose energy, creativity, and drive just blows you away, and Monique Hodgson is one of those people. Monique is a Latin American trailblazer, on a mission to redefine motherhood through her company, Mumble Forum. Monique established in 2019 as a platform to unite women...
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Amanda Ogen - on making it in Hollywood, and why persistence pays off
If like me, you had a misspent youth watching as much Friends, Sex and the City and The O.C. as you could, you’ll probably love today’s guest, Amanda Ogen. Amanda was obsessed with film and TV from a young age and despite being from New Jersey, couldn’t wait to move to Hollywood. After interning…
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Iffat Gill - on creating meaningful social change through digital entrepreneurship
Some people take half a lifetime to discover their passion, but others know their calling from an early age. Iffat Gill was only 25 when she was first invited to speak at a UN Conference, after founding her first not-for-profit in Pakistan at the age of 22. Iffat grew up in Libya and received her...
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Kristine Kilty - on a life in fashion, and receiving career advice from Gwen Stefani
They say you should never meet your heroes, but what if you do, and it turns out to be amazing? In the case of Kristine Kilty, she met her style icon, Gwen Stefani, whilst working at Vivienne Westwood in London, and her career trajectory altered irrevocably from there. Kristine is a fashion…
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Veronica Bolton Smith - on why Africa has always been her inspiration
We are BACK! Season 3 is here, and my first guest this season is Veronica Bolton Smith who, spoiler alert, is a dear friend and a total inspiration. Ronnie is a powerhouse, and her career has been so varied and interesting that I can’t wait for you to hear her story. She started work in the House...
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Season 3 Trailer
We've been away for a while, but we are back! This week marks the start of Season 3! We’ve been on a long hiatus since Season 2 as I moved house (again), contemplated what I was doing with my life (again) and well, there was a global pandemic. Who would have thought that was going to happen. I…
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A little update...
Hello hello hello! I realise it’s been a while since you’ve heard from me, so I thought I’d slide into your ears with a little update. First things first. If you’re from the vet world and you’ve been listening to Borborygmi here - good news! It turns out mixing your genres isn’t a smart idea, so...
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Kerrie Hedley on women in veterinary leadership
Today’s episode is a special collaboration for Smashing The Ceiling, as I’ve produced this conversation in partnership with Veterinary Woman, a platform to help and inspire women to develop the confidence to overcome challenges and follow their passions. They want to encourage women to be at the...
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Emma Mosey - from writing novels to donning her wellies
Today is our 50th episode! I am also SO pleased that for this milestone I’m joined by a woman that I am honoured to call a friend, someone that I’ve known for a very long time and whose career has taken a number of twists and turns, with huge success along the way. Emma Mosey grew up in Cheshire...
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Kelly Pollock - on action, activism and politics
Imagine if your Instagram bio read, "First of her name, smasher of the patriarchy, mother of sons, leader of committees, warrior for social justice, dweller by the water, knitter of hats, Master of Religious Studies". WHAT AN INTRO! Today we're talking to Kelly Pollock, she of the amazing bio…
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Career Skills - Networking
We're back on career skills this week, and today we are talking about NETWORKING. Love it or loathe it, building your network is key to building your career. For most of us, the word networking brings to mind excruciating post-work events with people you don’t know standing around in ones and…
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Lilach Saperstein - cardiology? radiology? No, audiology!
The sound of a child's laughter, the waves crashing on the shore, the birds in the trees in the morning - there are so many sounds in our every day lives that we take completely for granted. We go to the dentist to have our teeth checked, and to the optician to have our eyes looked at, but when…
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Gloria Mitchell - from homelessness to a Stanford MBA
Gloria Mitchell is an audacious woman. From bluntly telling the owner of a night school that she was homeless and needed help, to going on her first business trip in a limousine whilst living in her own car, Gloria’s story is one of twists and turns on her route to success. Adopted as a little…
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Josephine Anselin - on making your career an adventure
Josephine Anselin has a true spirit of adventure. After a childhood spent in multiple countries, her adult life has taken her from her home in Luxembourg to the oil rigs of the North Sea, the wilds of New Zealand and the islands of Indonesia. I chatted to her about her career as an engineer in…
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Starting a new chapter with some self-reflection
We are BACK for Season 2! Welcome to a new series of Smashing The Ceiling, where today we are looking forwards by looking back, and kicking off the season with an episode on self-reflection. It's easy to scoff at the idea of sitting down and pondering your life, your mistakes and your epic...
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Season 2 - a sneaky little trailer...
The eagle-eared amongst you may have noticed that the podcast has been on a little summer holiday...but put it in your diaries, we will be back on Sunday 1st September! #podcast #shepodcasts #summerholiday #weareback #backinthegame
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Jen Kneale - on saving lives at sea and kayaking with sharks
Jen Kneale has an affinity with the sea that stems from a lifetime spent on the ocean. It’s no exaggeration to say that a love of the sea runs in her veins: like her father and grandfather before her she is now a coxswain - or captain - of the lifeboat on the Isle of Man. Jen was the first female...
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Madeleine Black - a survivor's story of a hopeful future
My guest today is Madeleine Black, a true survivor, whose story offers hope to those who have also suffered at the hands of others. We are not, she says, defined by what knocks us down - we are instead defined by how we get back up. After being gang-raped at the age of 13, and raped on three...
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Ash Fox - on being a part of 1,500 marriage proposals
Ash Fox is someone with a rare joie de vivre and enthusiasm for life, whose joy is infectious and whose presence makes you feel good. She is also a grafter, and today tells me the story of how she became New York's first and most successful proposal planner and photographer. Ash herself admits…
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Career Skills - Listening
Today we’re kicking on with the third episode of our series on career skills for the workplace, which are being slotted around our fabulous guests in 2019. I thought it would be useful to look at a few different areas that might help you at work this year, and explore a little about why they’re...
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Jane Green - on how looking up at the stars brought her new opportunities
Jane Green is someone with many a story to tell, from being head-hunted to the Foreign Office aged 18, to spending years on the high seas in the merchant Navy, to becoming one of the UK’s most successful and prominent female astronomers. Jane is a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, who...
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Goli Kalkhoran - on leaving the law for life as an entrepreneur
My guest this week, Goli Kalkhoran, was one of those people with what looked like the 'perfect' career path: excellent grades at school and university, a smooth path to law school, a great first job in a corporate law firm and a steady progression to be a public prosecutor. But what happens when...
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Freda Yuan - on how coffee changed her life
Freda Yuan lives for coffee: the aroma, the taste, the experience and the benefits it brings in life. Her job title is 'Head of Coffee' at Origin Coffee Roasters, day-to-day she oversees procurement of coffee - including green coffee - from a variety of countries, and holds responsibility for...
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Jerri Williams - on life in the FBI
For most of us, our experience of FBI agents comes only through box sets and movies, and we have no idea what life is really like on the inside of one of the world's most famous government agencies. One person who does is Jerri Williams, who served for 26 years as a special agent in the in the…
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35. Bonus - The 5 D's of Achieving Your 'Thing'
This week's episode is about taking on adventures in life, whether personal or professional, & how to achieve your goals. It doesn't really matter what your 'Thing' is, but if there's a goal you want to achieve or a challenge you want to complete in 2019, then this is the podcast for you. Naomi...
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34. Sarah Swan - on healing the disordered mind
Imagine trying to live your life with the person you dislike the most standing at your shoulder the whole time. Imagine the cruellest things they ever said to you, the way it made you feel, and how the stress associated with that impacted your happiness, your productivity and your life. What if…
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33. Career Skills - Conflict Resolution
Today we’re into the second episode of our new series on career skills to help you in the workplace. These podcasts are here to help you progress your career, and will be periodically slotted in between our fantastic guests over the next few months. This series was inspired by discussions with a...
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32. Kate Healy - on the psychology and practicality of money
Kate Healy has, she says, always been interested in money: how people use it, why some people squander it, why others are obsessed with it and how some use a little to produce a lot. Money still carries a stigma, a taboo around it that she would love to help break down, and to encourage more…
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31. Jaclyn Whittal - storm chaser, meteorologist and musician
Jaclyn Whittal is the kind of woman we love on this podcast: she is brave, fearless and she says 'Yes' to almost every opportunity that comes her way in life. This approach has led her down a winding career path involving Shania Twain and a role as Sandy in the German version of Grease, to her...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to Smashing The Ceiling, the show where we showcase the lives of women with interesting, unusual and inspiring careers, those who have achieved amazing things, some who've got a really cool or unusual job, and some who've just had a fascinating life.Each week I sit down with one amazing human to dig a little deeper into the HOW of it all - how did they get where they are, how they picked themselves up when things didn’t go right, and how their mentors, motivations and mistakes have led them to achieve the things they have.
HOSTED BY
Naomi Mellor
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Smashing The Ceiling have?
Smashing The Ceiling currently has 80 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Smashing The Ceiling about?
Welcome to Smashing The Ceiling, the show where we showcase the lives of women with interesting, unusual and inspiring careers, those who have achieved amazing things, some who've got a really cool or unusual job, and some who've just had a fascinating life.Each week I sit down with one amazing...
How often does Smashing The Ceiling release new episodes?
Smashing The Ceiling has 80 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Smashing The Ceiling?
You can listen to Smashing The Ceiling on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Smashing The Ceiling?
Smashing The Ceiling is created and hosted by Naomi Mellor.
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