Everyday Leadership

Hosted by Sope Agbelusi

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Episodes

326

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-GB

About the show

Everyday Leadership is a podcast that explores the leadership experiences of real people and how they lead from the inside out, not just the outside in. Hosted by Sope Agbelusi, exec coach and Founder of Mindsetshift, the show provides an in-depth look at each guest's personal and professional journeys, exploring their origin story, successes, failures, faith and unique perspectives on leadership. Whether entrepreneurs, parents, CEOs, pastors, investors, business leaders, or everyday individuals, each guest provides an authentic, unrehearsed account of their leadership experiences. Through open and honest conversations, listeners will gain new insights into what leadership truly means and how it can be practically applied to their lives. Join Sope Agbelusi on Everyday Leadership as he goes in deep and keeps it real with today's most inspiring leaders.

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60 recent

August 18, 202658 min

What Success Makes You Afraid to Lose | Syreeta Brown

Success can give you status, security and recognition. It can also make you afraid to move. In this episode of Everyday Leadership, Syreeta Brown and I explore what happens when achievement becomes part of your identity, the title starts to define you and protecting what you have built begins to limit what comes next. We talk about the courage life slowly conditions out of us, why intentionality is only tested when pressure arrives, and how to separate who you are from what you do. Syreeta also shares what motherhood, advocacy and raising a daughter with autism taught her about patience, listening, rest and leading people without trying to force them into who you think they should become. This conversation will help you think differently about: Why success can become a form of security you are afraid to leave How corporate titles shape identity The difference between happiness and joy Why transformation requires risk The hidden exhaustion of always being “on” How intentions collapse under pressure Why representation is more than visibility What it means to lead from purpose rather than position Why rest is part of leadership, not a reward for surviving it Syreeta Brown is an award-winning senior executive with more than 20 years of experience across financial services, technology and telecommunications. She has held senior leadership roles at BT, Citi and Virgin Money, where she became the first Black female Chief People Officer of a FTSE 250 UK tier-one bank. She is also the author of Bigger Than The Moon: A Parent’s Journey With Autism. One of the strongest lines from this conversation is: “You don’t transform from a place of security.” The question is, what has your success made you afraid to lose? Connect with Syreeta Brown: Book: Bigger Than the Moon, A Parent's Journey with Autism LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/syreeta-brown-fcipd-cmgr-ccmi-583a414/ Connect with Sope Website (https://mindsetshift.co.uk/) Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@everydayleadershippodcast) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sopeagbelusi/) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sopeagbelusi/) Did you find this helpful? If you like this episode, please leave a review or share it with someone who could benefit from listening. We're always keen to get feedback so if you have any thoughts, send us an email at hello@mindsetshift.co.uk (mailto:hello@mindsetshift.co.uk)

August 4, 202628 min

You Will Never Outperform the Identity You Agreed With | Sope Agbelusi

You will never outperform the identity you have quietly agreed with. In this solo episode of Everyday Leadership, Sope Agbelusi returns after a few months away from the podcast to explore the hidden agreements that shape our behaviour, ambition, risk, business and future. This episode is about identity. The identity that says “I’m not creative.” The identity that says “I only work with big organisations.” The identity that says “once I’m big enough, then I’ll deserve support.” The identity that makes founders invest in strategy, tools, hiring, branding and systems, while refusing to invest in the one asset everything runs through: themselves. Sope explores why strategy has a ceiling when identity has not shifted, why many UK founders treat development as discretionary overhead rather than growth infrastructure, and why fear can often dress itself up as prudence. He also shares a personal story about fatherhood, risk, provision and the moment he had to become the person the situation required. This episode is for founders, leaders and builders who know the next stage of their life or business cannot be built from the identity that got them here. In this episode: • Why identity comes before strategy • The invisible agreements running your behaviour • Why “I’m not creative” was never just a sentence • The difference between US and UK founder mindsets • Why founders invest in everything except themselves • How logic can police the size of your vision • Why you need to go big first, then build the plan • The three questions every founder should sit with Three questions from the episode: 1. What have I agreed to be that I have never actually examined? 2. Where is my behaviour perfectly consistent with an identity I claim to have outgrown? 3. If I really believed I was the person I say I am becoming, what would I do this week that I’m not doing? Everyday Leadership is back. Leadership is not a title. It is who you become when pressure starts costing you something.

March 3, 20261 hr 0 min

Why Success Isn't On a KPI Spreadsheet: Gloria Chao on Freedom, Fulfillment and Doing PR Differently

What does it actually take to get media coverage without a PR agency, a big budget, or knowing the right people? Gloria Chou found out the hard way. After applying to a thousand PR jobs and getting rejected from every single one, she cold-called newsrooms with shaking hands, got phones slammed in her face, and reverse-engineered what actually works. She built the CPR pitching method from scratch. It's now trained into AI models. But this conversation goes somewhere deeper than PR. Because Gloria hit the numbers. The seven-figure milestone, the growing team, the influence. And felt nothing. Dead in the eyes. When she finally traced it back to the root, it led her to her mother, to years of unresolved resentment, and to a plant medicine ceremony that changed everything. In this episode, Sope and Gloria get into why traditional PR and SEO are losing ground to AI visibility, how ChatGPT is becoming the new discovery engine for your audience, why your business will only rise to the level of problems you can solve, how unresolved anger quietly shows up as micromanaging and burnout, and the one question that now drives every decision Gloria makes. If you have hit your goals and still feel like something is off, this one is for you.

February 17, 202621 min

The Intention Gap: Why Your Best Leaders Can't Access What They Already Know

Why Your Best Leaders Are Burning Out (And What to Do About It) | Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, Workplace Burnout Your leadership development budget might be making things worse. Not because the programmes are bad. But because we're solving the wrong problem. Most leaders don't lack capability. They lack access to what they already know when pressure is highest - what I call The Intention Gap. And it's driving leadership burnout across organisations. In this episode on leadership burnout and intentional leadership, you'll discover: Why traditional leadership training creates exhaustion instead of preventing it The Intention Gap: why talented executives default to reactive leadership under pressure Real stories from C-suite leaders who've lost themselves climbing the corporate ladder The Unlearn, Unlock, Unleash framework for sustainable leadership A practical exercise to shift from reactive to intentional decision-making before your next meeting Perfect for: Startup founders, senior leaders, executive coaches, HR directors, and anyone in leadership development wondering why capable leaders struggle to apply what they know. Key Insights: "The problem isn't that leaders lack capability. The problem is they can't access it when it matters most." "What got you to director doesn't get you to VP. What got you to VP doesn't get you to the C-suite. And what got you to the C-suite absolutely will not sustain you while you're there." "When you can't access your intention, when you're operating from reaction instead of purpose, that gap opens up. Maybe not as dramatically as the twisties, but it shows up." "You don't close the intention gap by adding more. You close it by removing what no longer serves you." "The world doesn't need more perfect leaders. It needs more real ones." This isn't about adding more leadership skills. It's about removing what blocks your access to authentic leadership when it matters most. We explore burnout prevention through intentional leadership practices, drawing on executive coaching insights and real transformation stories - including lessons from Simone Biles on recognising when performance pressure creates dangerous gaps. Free Resource: Take the Intention Gap Scorecard to assess where you're operating from reaction versus intention across six leadership dimensions.

February 3, 20261 hr 1 min

What They Don't Tell You About Being CEO: Fiona McKenzie on Growth, Exits, and Starting Over

What does leadership really feel like when you step into the CEO role and realise the weight is real? In this episode of Everyday Leadership, Sope Agbelusi speaks with Fiona McKenzie, CEO of Revere, about the reality of leadership under pressure. Fiona shares her journey from Account Director to CEO, taking over from the founders, building a leadership team, scaling culture, and leading the business through a successful sale to Marketbridge. All while raising a family and navigating decisions most leaders never talk about publicly. This is an honest conversation about modern leadership, not theory. You will hear Fiona unpack • What it truly means to become a first-time CEO • The leadership habits that stop working at the top • How to let go of control without losing performance • The real process of selling a business while still leading it • Strength, vulnerability, and speaking up as a leader • Why leadership decisions often feel lonely • How to navigate identity shifts after an exit This episode is essential listening for CEOs, founders, senior leaders, and anyone stepping into bigger responsibilities who wants clarity, not clichés. Connect with Fiona McKenzie: LinkedIn | Marketbridge Connect with Sope Website | Youtube | Instagram | LinkedIn

January 20, 20261 hr 7 min

Creating Mixtape Madness Without Permission | Kwabz Ayim on Culture, Ownership and Leadership

What does it really take to build something that lasts, without permission, without hype, and without losing yourself? In this episode of Everyday Leadership, Kwabz Ayim, co-founder of Mixtape Madness reflects on 15 years of shaping UK music culture from the ground up. This is a grounded conversation about responsibility, ownership, and the unseen work behind influence. We explore: How frustration turned into action Why culture often creates value without owning the outcome The responsibility that comes with platforming others Why systems and structure matter more than visibility What marriage and parenting teach you about leadership How ego quietly corrupts success if left unchecked This episode is for people who care about building with integrity, leading with intention, and creating impact without performance.

January 6, 20261 hr 2 min

Why Innovation Gets Rejected Before It Wins | Notpla Co-Founder Pierre Paslier

Why does innovation get rejected before it wins? In this episode of Everyday Leadership, Sope speaks with Pierre Paslier, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Notpla, a sustainable packaging company creating biodegradable, plastic-free alternatives to single-use plastic using seaweed. Pierre shares the full journey of building Notpla, from early fundraising rejection and financial pressure to raising £850,000 through equity crowdfunding and winning Prince William’s Earthshot Prize. Together, they explore leadership, resilience, and what it takes to build climate innovation in systems designed to resist change. This episode is for founders, leaders, and innovators navigating rejection, funding pressure, and the challenge of building something new. Connect with Pierre: Notpla Linkedln IG Connect with Sope Website | Youtube | Instagram | LinkedIn Did you find this helpful? If you like this episode, please leave a review or share it with someone who could benefit from listening. We’re always keen to get feedback so if you have any thoughts, send us an email at hello@mindsetshift.co.uk

December 16, 202526 min

The Rollercoaster You Didn't Buy a Ticket For: Why 2025 Broke Leaders & What 2026 Demands

If 2025 felt like a rollercoaster you didn't buy a ticket for, you're not alone. Here's why this year broke the leadership playbook. In this episode of Everyday Leadership, we dive deep into why 2025 was fundamentally different for leaders and what 2026 demands from founders and senior executives. According to the World Economic Forum, 2025 experienced notably higher levels of global change than recent years, driven by accelerated AI adoption, intensified geopolitical tensions, and climate impacts. For SME founders and corporate leaders, this showed up as continuous waves of complexity: economic pressures, rapid technology transformation, and shifting employee expectations all converging at once. What You'll Learn: → Why 2025 hit different: the data behind unprecedented leadership challenges → The convergence problem: managing AI transformation, economic uncertainty, and human expectations simultaneously → The "unlearn" framework: why adding more leadership frameworks isn't the solution → Mindset as operating system: building psychological flexibility and resilience for continuous change → Managing the human side of AI: reskilling teams, redesigning roles, and maintaining trust during automation → What 2026 requires: purpose-led, AI-augmented leadership and personalised development → Why separating work and personal development makes you weaker, not stronger → The leadership traits that determine who thrives vs who breaks under pressure This episode is for founders running SMEs, senior corporate leaders, C-suite executives, and anyone responsible for leading teams through uncertainty. If you're exhausted from trying to outwork change, if you sense something fundamental needs to shift in your approach, this conversation is for you.

November 25, 20251 hr 6 min

Turning Down 8.1 Million Changed My Life with Dr Nicholas Michels

Dr Nicholas Michels grew up in comfort until one moment changed everything. At ten years old his mum walked into his room and told him his parents were getting divorced. Overnight he went from a comfortable childhood to watching his mum work three jobs just to survive. In this conversation, Nicholas shares the truth about • Using sport to escape the pain of his home life • The moment a stranger taught him compound interest and changed his future • The marriage conversations that showed him he was getting it wrong • Why he turned down 8.1 million to protect his integrity • The difference between money as blessing and money as hardship • How faith shaped the way he sees wealth • Why most people are outwardly successful and inwardly stressed • The mindset he had to unlearn to become who he is today This is a real look at money, identity, childhood, marriage and leadership. No filters, no performance, just truth. Connect with Dr Nicholas Michels - www.MichelsFamilyFinancial.com Free Gift from Dr Michels This chapter changed my life, and thousands of others in an amazing way. We have received so many success stories about how it helped create simple, small, actionable steps to begin building an incredible life. And we want the same for you. Step 1: Go to RichByChoiceBook.com Step 2: Select the green button "Get Your Free Gift Here" Step 3: Enter your email Step 4: Select the chapter you would like. (Compounding by Choice) Step 5: Enjoy your free chapter!

November 18, 20251 hr 13 min

The Hidden Side of HR: Kameka McLean on the Tough Calls No One Talks About

In this episode of Everyday Leadership, Sope Agbelusi speaks with Kameka McLean, Group Head of HR at Walker Crips. Her story starts in Jamaica and stretches across more than forty countries where she has led major transformation projects, built teams, shaped organisational culture, and held firm to her values in rooms where many would stay silent. Kameka talks about the realities of arriving in the UK at sixteen, facing barriers she never expected, and building a career without a roadmap or role models. She opens up about finding her place in HR, managing pressure at senior levels, navigating global change programmes, raising standards inside organisations, and the personal mindsets that helped her grow. This conversation is about leadership identity, integrity, resilience, family motivation, culture, transformation, and the courage to stand firm when it counts. It is direct, honest, and full of insight for anyone who leads or wants to lead. What We Cover • The early experiences in Jamaica that shaped her drive and purpose • Moving to the UK as a teenager and dealing with unexpected barriers • How she built a career in HR without role models or guidance • The moment she had to integrate six thousand employees across twelve locations • How she handles organisational politics and senior pressure • Why integrity guides every decision she makes • The weight of being the only one in the room and how she navigates it • The importance of family, identity, and personal values • What she had to unlearn in order to grow as a leader Key Quotes “I felt out of place, but I never let that stop me.” “I will not do anything that goes against my integrity.” “Sometimes you need to pause before you respond. It saves you trouble.” About Kameka McLean Kameka McLean is the Group Head of HR at Walker Crips. She has led global transformation and integration programmes across multiple regions and sectors. Her work spans people strategy, organisational design, culture, talent, employment law, and senior leadership advisory. She is known for her clarity, honesty, and ability to bring humanity into high pressure environments.