I Shouldn't Say This, But...

Епизоди

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  S6 Ep16: Google Told Me I Couldn't Be A Managing Director (Here's How I've Proved It Wrong) 17.09.2026 24мин

  I’m back for another catch-up with my producer Stefan - the second one now, so if you liked the last unfiltered chat, this is more of that.We're covering off everything that’s been going on in my life since the last one:  The ‘old man in a grey suit’ MD image that’s followed me since my first imposter syndrome session  Flying BA to speak at BA and making someone overcome with an emotion (which was a win, not a fail - trust me!) The shift that’s changed how I run my business thinking not about income I need but as an actual business with a P&L What "quiet" really means for someone who doesn't switch off, Communication across generations, what I learned at Social Chain and how I teach organisations this now Plus, an update on my TEDx announcement - from my vision board in January to now being less than two months away from actually doing it If you've ever wondered what actually goes on behind the scenes of building a business and a podcast at the same time, this one's for you.🎙️ Recorded at the beautiful Mollie's, Manchester. Proudly sponsored by We Are The Allies.Need creative firepower without the agency overhead? We Are The Allies connect brands with the UK's best freelance talent, fast. No endless briefs, no mismatches, just the right person for the job. Get in touch here.*This episode was recorded at the start of August. We've re-ordered the episodes to  publish our Guest episodes first.
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  S6 Ep15: They Told Me I Was Barren at 43. Here's How I Got Pregnant Naturally at 44 | Liberty Mills 10.09.2026 44мин

  At 43, Liberty Mills was told one of your ovaries is empty and you are barren. She could have accepted it. She didn't, having already reversed her lupus diagnosis and gave birth naturally two weeks before turning 25.I sit down with Liberty, a Fertility and Autoimmune Coach, to unpack how she did it and the philosophy she teaches clients: test, don't guess. Before any supplement or protocol, find out what your body is actually doing.We also get into a stat almost nobody talks about: 48% of infertility cases involve a male contributing factor. Plus how stress shows up in the body before you notice it, and Liberty's "golden hour" routine, journaling, movement, and learning something unrelated to your goals, in that order.In this episode: The diagnosis at 43, and the path to a natural conception at 44 Why "test, don't guess" comes before any supplement or pill The overlooked male fertility factor behind that 48% What stress actually does in the body, and the early signs most people miss Liberty's golden hour, step by step The best advice Liberty's ever received, and how she uses it If you've ever been handed scary language about your body and told to just accept it, this one's for you.🎙️ Recorded at Mollies, Manchester 🙏 Sponsored by We Are The Allies
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  S6 Ep14: I Shouldn't Say This But, Here's The Real Reason I Interview People 03.09.2026 7мин

  We're a good few episodes into the new series of I Shouldn't Say This, But, and I wanted to do something different this week - a solo recap of what I've personally learned, what's changed, and where we're going next, so buckle up!When I brought the podcast back, it wasn't just about creating more content. I wanted to create a safe space where leaders and founders could feel less alone talking about the things we really don't want to say out loud.To do that properly, I had to think hard about the guests and the topics. And honestly? The lessons have really stuck with me.In this episode, I take a deep dive into: Why it was the right time to bring the podcast back after 4 long years What I've taken from the guests' episodes and how it's actually shown up in my real life The new question I'm asking every guest and why you'll want to stick around to the end of each episode to hear their answers What's coming next: fertility, politics, the inner workings of the biggest brands and more Why increasing female voices in podcasting matters so much to me If you've ever wondered what's actually going on behind the scenes of this podcast, this one's for you.🎙️ Recorded at the beautiful Mollies Manchester. Proudly sponsored by We Are The Allies.
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  S6 Ep13: Why "Being Nice" Is Actually the Coward's Way Out. From the Harrods shop floor to founder: Heather Elkington 27.08.2026 1ч 19мин

  Heather started out being trained not to say the word "toilet" on the Harrods shop floor. She ended up running culture for a Footsie 100 business, sat in rooms twenty years her senior, telling herself her opinion didn't count.This episode is about what happened in between, and the philosophy she built off the back of it: nice vs kind. Why being nice is the coward's option. Why the strongest relationships in her life have come from saying the hard thing instead of softening it. And why she built a spreadsheet to figure out exactly how long she could survive before she quit her safe, well-paid job to bet on herself (plus the one message from her dad that pushed her over the edge).We finish on Custard, her new culture intelligence tool with an AI coach called Geraldine built in, and why she's refusing to grow it fast just because AI makes that possible now.If you've ever softened a message you should have said straight, this one's for you.
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  S6 Ep12: I Nearly Went Back to Employment (And Here's Why I Didn't) 20.08.2026 15мин

  We're three months into the podcast (five if you count the planning), and I wanted to do something different for this one: an unfiltered chat with my producer Stefan.In this episode, we get into: Why I chose Mollie's over a studio, and the branding lesson I took from watching Steven Bartlett build a recognisable set from his own flat The advice from Heather Elkington that changed how I thought about building "Katy" into a business (and gave me permission to spend a year just f***ing around first) What impact actually means to me when I'm choosing podcast guests, and why I want more "number twos" on the show, not just founders The realities nobody talks about when you go solo: paying your own tax, your VAT, your mortgage, and still trying to live a life while you do it Why I nearly walked back into employment, and what stopped me Business as choosing your own kind of hard, and why the "risk vs reward" conversation misses the point Why every business owner needs their cheerleaders, and what Karen Blackett taught me about the loneliness of leadership My "boost folder" method for using imposter syndrome as fuel instead of letting it flatten you This one's less about the milestones and more about the messy middle. If you've ever built something on your own and quietly wondered if it's worth it, this episode is for you.
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  S6 Ep11: The Government Wiped Out 124,000 Jobs. I Watched It Happen | Sacha Lord 13.08.2026 1ч 16мин

  Sacha Lord: Warehouse Project, Losing a Customer, and Why He Took the Government to CourtHe turned up to the Hacienda in his dad's suit and got turned away at the door. Thirty-five years later, Sacha Lord has built and sold the biggest club night and metropolitan festival in the UK, become Greater Manchester's night-time economy advisor, and taken the government to the High Court, and won.In this episode, I talk to Sacha's whole journey: from flogging faulty leather jackets on a market stall as a teenager, to running Sankeys during Manchester's gang years, to the night a customer lost his life at Warehouse Project and the decision that followed, to speak out publicly rather than issue a two-line statement. We get into the COVID years, when Sacha took Matt Hancock to court over the 10pm curfew and "substantial meal" rule, and won both. And we talk about what it's really like watching a friend become Prime Minister: the pride, the pressure, and the abuse his family have taken along the way.It's a conversation about building something from nothing, knowing when to sell, and why he thinks Manchester is having a moment it'll still be talking about in twenty years.Big thanks to our sponsor, We Are The Allies.
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  S6 Ep10: Your Leadership Team's Silence Is Costing You £17.8 Million a Year | Ash Jones 06.08.2026 1ч 16мин

  I sat down with Ash Jones, Steven Bartlett's first-ever personal brand manager (and first person to ever have the title), founder of one of the UK's first personal branding agencies and my good friend, to talk about the real cost of staying quiet when it comes to personal branding for you and the people in your team. We get into why you can't outsource your voice, the side doors that quietly open careers, why AI slop will never beat the cream that rises to the top, and the £17.8m question every leadership team should be asking itself right now.
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  S6 Ep9: I Got 1 Million Listeners on BBC Radio 4 (And My Imposter Syndrome Took Over) 30.07.2026 11мин

  This week I'm catching you up on one of the biggest moments of my year so far! Recording BBC Radio 4's The Bottom Line with Evan Davis, Andy Ransom (former CEO of Rentokil) and imposter syndrome expert Dr Valerie Young.The topic? Imposter syndrome, my specialist subject. Except the moment I found out a million people would be tuning in, my own imposter syndrome decided to show up in spectacular fashion. The irony wasn't lost on me.In this solo episode, I'm sharing: 🎙️ How the opportunity came about (spoiler: it started with a WhatsApp message) 🧠 Why imposter syndrome is actually about a false idea of "competency" and how redefining it changes everything 👶 How our childhood experiences quietly set our imposter syndrome levels ✨ The brain hack that turns nerves into excitement (your body genuinely can't tell the difference!) 💬 The two types of anxiety, and why one of them is actually good for youPlus, my mum's brilliant reaction when she heard the episode.If you've ever felt like a fraud right before your biggest moment, this one's for you.🎧 Recorded at Mollies, Manchester 🙏 Sponsored by We Are The Allies
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  S6 Ep8: My Husband Wasn't Paid for 9 Months, So We Built a 500 Freelancer Network 23.07.2026 38мин

  This week I'm joined by Pav, CEO of We Are The Allies, the incredible agency behind this podcast, and it's one of the best founding stories I've heard.Pav's career started in the accounts department of a Leeds agency (she didn't even have the GCSEs for it) and took her through the marketing departments of Morrisons, Poundland and Co-op before she finally went out on her own. But the real spark came from her husband Rick, a freelance creative director who went nine months without being paid on a major campaign. That injustice became the founding brief for Creative Allies, sketched out on the back of a napkin, literally.Seven years on, that napkin sketch is a network of 500 vetted freelancers across 46 creative categories, working with 400+ agencies and clients. We talk about how they built trust at scale (480 interviews before they'd take on 135 people), why freelancers deserve to be paid in 14 days not 9 months, their work opening doors for next-gen talent through Channel 4's Content Creatives programme, and what's next as they build out an AI division.It's a brilliant listen if you've ever wondered what happens when someone gets properly, righteously annoyed on someone else's behalf and turns it into a business.
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  S6 Ep7: Hustle Culture Is Lying To Women. The NHS Dietician's Truth About Hormones, Food & Burnout 16.07.2026 39мин

  Why You're Exhausted, Foggy and Under-Fuelled (And What To Do About It) | Jade Reilly, NHS DietitianIn this episode I sit down with Jade Reilly, a registered dietitian of over a decade with the NHS, personal trainer, Pilates teacher, and On running ambassador, to talk about what it actually takes to fuel a body that's trying to build a business, train like an athlete, and show up for everyone else, all at once.We get into why most of us are chronically under-fuelled without even realising it, why "hustle culture" was never built with women's hormones in mind, and what fasting actually does to female bodies (spoiler: the research nobody talks about). Jade also shares her own experience of burnout and losing her period, and why she believes eating shouldn't be about restriction, it should be about performance.We finish with a supplement quick-fire round where Jade rates everything from vitamin D to greens powders, and tells us honestly what's worth your money and what isn't.If you've ever skipped breakfast to get out the door, felt guilty about "not eating clean enough," or wondered why your brain feels foggy by 2pm, this episode is for you.In this episode: Why so many busy women are under-fuelled, not overeating Why fat is essential, not the enemy The truth about fasting and female hormones Hustle culture, built for a 24-hour hormone cycle that isn't ours Jade's honest supplement rankings, what's worth it, what isn't The question that changed how I think about food: who is the healthiest version of you?
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  S6 Ep6: "I've had death threats...over hair" The reality of building a personal brand online with Sarah Louise Keane 09.07.2026 58мин

  She's had death threats over hair. She won't stop.In this episode of I Shouldn't Say This But, Katy Leeson sits down with hairdresser, turned-content-creator Sarah (SLK), 21 years in the industry, founder of Host Manchester, and one of the most followed voices in UK hairdressing.Sarah opens up about the reality behind the highlight reel: the trolling, the violent threats, the message that made her want to quit for good (and the one message that made her stay). She shares how a holiday in Portugal changed the entire direction of her career, how a single webinar generated £150k in two days, and why she still gets imposter syndrome every single time she tries something new (including teaching on the other side of the world).We also get into the post that nearly broke the internet, "I'm a hairdresser, not a therapist" and why Sarah stood by it even when the backlash was brutal.In this episode: Building a personal brand from nothing (and why substance beats strategy every time) The 11 income streams that changed Sarah's life Dealing with trolls, hate and death threats online Why imposter syndrome never fully goes away — and why that's a good sign The truth about hairdressers as unofficial therapists Scaling from salon chair to Host Manchester and teaching internationally in Australia Sobriety, self-discovery, and finding your voice online This one's honest, it's funny, it's got a fair bit of swearing — and it might just change how you think about showing up online.🎙️ Recorded at Mollies, Manchester 🤝 Sponsored by We Are The AlliesFollow Katy: [@katyleeson] Follow Sarah: [@slkbleachexpert]
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  S6 Ep5: I'm Collecting Memories, Not Sleep Scores 02.07.2026 22мин

  Consider this your invitation to pull up a chair at Mollies and have a proper catch-up with me, because that's exactly what this episode is.It's been a whirlwind few weeks. I'm talking talks, coaching sessions that made me genuinely emotional, a fitness competition that nearly finished me off (but also proved what this body is capable of, 100kg deadlift?!), and a business that finally feels like it's moving the way I always knew it could.But this one isn't just about work. We get into the stuff that fills your cup back up, gratitude practices, Fozzie walks, Love Island, and why I will always choose dancing on a chair over monitoring my sleep score. Life is for living, and I refuse to optimise the joy out of it.I also share a question from a talk that completely stopped me in my tracks and sent me down a whole new rabbit hole around imposter syndrome, not just how you experience it, but how to spot it in the people you lead.If you've ever felt like you needed permission to be brilliant at work and a little bit silly at the weekend, this is the episode for you.🎙️ Recorded at the beautiful Mollies Manchester. Proudly sponsored by We Are The Allies.
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  S6 Ep4: 78% of UK Business Leaders Feel Out of Their Depth And Nobody's Talking About It 18.06.2026 11мин

  Your Impostor Syndrome Isn't Going Away. Here's Why That's Actually Good News.Imposter syndrome gets talked about like it's a beginner's problem, something you grow out of as your career matures. Katy's here to tell you that's not how it works.After 20 years in leadership, scaling businesses, sitting in boardrooms and speaking to thousands of people on stage, she still has weeks where she questions everything. And she's not alone. 78% of UK business leaders and 80% of MDs admit to feeling out of their depth, they're just not saying it out loud.This episode isn't for people just starting out. It's for experienced leaders who've already proved themselves and are still quietly wondering if today's the day someone finds them out.Katy shares how being made MD of Social Chain at 32 (six months into the role) brought her impostor syndrome crashing to the surface, what working with a therapist taught her about the stereotype she was unconsciously leading from, and why the impostor never fully disappears, no matter how much you achieve.But here's the reframe: what if it's not supposed to? What if your impostor syndrome isn't a flaw to fix, but a signal to follow?In this episode: The three ways impostor syndrome shows up in experienced leaders (and why we dress it up as high standards) Why your impostor is actually a growth indicator in disguise The "boost folder" technique that takes five minutes and changes everything How to close the gap between the leader you think you should be and the leader you actually are You're not on your own. And you never were.
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  S6 Ep3: Your People Are Your Biggest P&L Line, So Why Are You Ignoring Them? With Kelly Tucker 11.06.2026 48мин

  In this episode I sit down with Kelly Tucker, Founder of HR Star, for a conversation every founder and leader needs to hear.We get into why your people are your biggest P&L line but probably get the least attention, the subscription model of work, Gen Z expectations, hybrid working, new employment law changes, and what it actually takes to build a culture that delivers.If you are growing, hiring, or trying to hold onto your best people, this one is for you.I Shouldn't Say This, But is hosted by Katy LeesonRecorded at Mollies, ManchesterProudly sponsored by We Are The AlliesProduced by The ClubSubscribe so you don't miss an episode and follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram at Katy Leeson.
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  S6 Ep2: Why I Left. Why I'm Back. What Four Years Taught Me 04.06.2026 14мин

  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 LeesonRecorded at Mollies, ManchesterProudly sponsored by We Are The AlliesProduction by The Club ManchesterSubscribe so you don't miss an episode and leave a review if you enjoyed it, it helps more people find the show.Follow me:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katyleesonInstagram: @katyleeson
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  S6 Ep1: I Shouldn't Say This But... I'm Back 🎙️ 01.06.2026 1мин

  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.
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  S5 Ep15: Katy Leeson is Leaving the Building 30.03.2022 20мин

  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.
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  S5 Ep14: We are all influencers: Natalie Wills 24.03.2022 44мин

  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 worldNatalie:https://www.instagram.com/nattiw1/?hl=enhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliealisonwills/Me:https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_linkhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21
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  S5 Ep13: Entrepreneurship, community and the joy of work: Matt Clements and Giles Harrison 10.03.2022 42мин

  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/mattclements1https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilesharrison2/?originalSubdomain=ukhttps://sculpd.co.ukhttps://www.instagram.com/sculpdit/?hl=enMe:https://instagram.com/katyleeson?utm_medium=copy_linkhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53https://twitter.com/katyleeson?s=21
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  S5 Ep12: Creating Change & Communities with Social Media: Daisy Morris 24.02.2022 47мин

  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-founderMe:https://www.instagram.com/katyleeson/https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-leeson-39931a53/https://twitter.com/KatyLeeson