Living with Purpose (Podcasts)

James Bernard has built a career around helping businesses grow, adapt and make the most of the opportunities created by a rapidly changing world.With experience spanning entrepreneurship, business development and emerging technology, James has seen first-hand how quickly industries can evolve. His work sits at the intersection of business and innovation, but his perspective goes beyond simply keeping up with change. It is about understanding where the real opportunities lie and having the courage to pursue them.That raises an interesting question about purpose. When there are constantly new directions to take and new possibilities to explore, how do you decide what is actually worth pursuing?In this episode, we’ll hear more about James’ journey, the experiences that have influenced the way he approaches business and change, and the lessons he has learned along the way. We’ll explore ambition, adaptability and the choices that shape a fulfilling career, before asking James what living with purpose looks like from his perspective.

Karim Meghji brings a perspective shaped by experience, ambition and a belief in the importance of continuing to learn and evolve.Throughout his career, Karim has built experience across business and leadership, navigating the opportunities and challenges that come with building a meaningful professional life. His perspective offers a reminder that success is rarely about reaching one fixed destination. It is about the decisions we make, the people we learn from and the principles we choose to carry with us.For Karim, purpose is not necessarily found in having all the answers. It can come from staying curious, embracing change and being willing to ask whether the path you are on still reflects the person you want to become.In this conversation, we’ll explore Karim’s experiences, the lessons that have stayed with him, and the moments that have influenced how he thinks about success, relationships and fulfilment. We’ll also ask the bigger question: when you strip away the titles and achievements, what does it really mean to live with purpose?

Karen Falkler is an executive advisor, coach, investor and leadership specialist who believes that how we lead is inseparable from how we live.Through Falkler Advisory, Karen works with leaders and organisations to build stronger performance by looking beyond traditional measures of success. Her approach brings together leadership, wellbeing, communication and personal development, recognising that the person behind the role has just as much influence on outcomes as the strategy itself.Karen’s work is grounded in curiosity, honest conversations and the willingness to challenge the assumptions that can keep us stuck. She encourages leaders to pay attention, think differently and become more intentional about the way they show up, both professionally and personally.In this episode, we’ll explore the experiences and ideas that have shaped Karen’s approach to leadership, what she has learned about growth and self-awareness, and how being more intentional can change the way we experience both work and life. Most importantly, we’ll discover what living with purpose means to Karen.

Gabrielle Fitzgerald has spent her career asking a simple but important question: How can we turn good intentions into meaningful change?As the Founder and CEO of Panorama, Gabrielle works with leaders and organisations tackling some of the biggest challenges facing society. Her career has taken her from the White House to global health and philanthropy, giving her a unique perspective on what it takes to bring people together, navigate complexity and create lasting impact.But behind the impressive roles and achievements is a much more personal question: what drives someone to dedicate their life to making a difference?In this episode, we’re getting to know the woman behind the work. We’ll explore the experiences that have shaped Gabrielle, the lessons she has gathered along the way, and her thoughts on leadership, purpose and using your career to contribute to something bigger than yourself.Most importantly, we’ll discover what living with purpose means to Gabrielle today.

Keri-Lynne Shaw is a former senior HR executive, executive coach and founder of The Salary Bump.Keri-Lynne has built her work around a powerful idea: know your value, have the courage to ask for what you’re worth, and take control of the direction of your life and career.After decades in the corporate world, she now helps people stop playing small, negotiate with confidence and get back into the driver’s seat — not just professionally, but personally too.Her message is direct: knowledge isn’t usually the problem. The gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it is where courage comes in.So today, we’re going to explore Keri-Lynne’s own journey, what she’s learned about leadership, courage and self-worth, and ultimately, what it means to her to live with purpose.

Phil Holdcroft is a former RAF Wing Commander, combat helicopter pilot, endurance athlete, entrepreneur and founder of High Performance Journey.Phil spent 20 years in the Armed Forces, including operational tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, before making the leap into entrepreneurship and building a new chapter focused on helping leaders and teams perform at their very best. Along the way, he’s rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic, completed extraordinary endurance challenges and built his work around leadership, resilience, purpose and human potential.But this conversation goes beyond performance.We talk about identity, leaving behind a career that has defined you, finding purpose in a completely new season of life, and what it really takes to keep moving forward when the next chapter isn’t mapped out for you.

James has spent more than three decades working to improve the lives of children and families across the UK.In 2015, James was awarded an OBE for services to childcare, recognising a career built around making a real and lasting difference.Today, as Founder and Managing Director of Coram Hempsall’s, that mission continues.We’re going to explore his journey, the experiences that shaped him, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and ultimately what living with purpose means to him.

James Williams is a purpose-led growth leader, Olympic legacy architect, investor and board advisor who has spent more than 25 years proving that commercial success and positive impact can go hand in hand.His career has taken him across three continents, where he has built businesses, led high-performing teams and delivered some of the most recognised campaigns in sport and FMCG.James played a key role in Coca-Cola’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic activation, creating a commercial legacy valued at more than $375 million. More recently, he helped launch MYOM, a disruptive oat milk brand focused on health, sustainability and changing the way people consume everyday products.His leadership is grounded in inclusion, integrity and the courage to think differently. James credits dyslexia with sharpening his ability to see opportunities others may miss, communicate with clarity and bring fresh thinking into complex situations.Today, he works across a diverse portfolio of businesses and social impact organisations, advising FMCG startups, supporting purpose-driven sports ventures and helping boards build stronger cultures and more meaningful growth.James operates at the intersection of commercial performance, people and purpose, helping organisations unlock potential and build something that truly matters.

Natalie vega O’Neil is the President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Washington and North Idaho.Natalie has spent more than two decades in executive leadership across the social impact sector, with a strong focus on educational equity, economic mobility and early childhood education.She made history as the first woman and first person of color to lead Junior Achievement of Washington in its 73-year history, and also became the first Latina President of the NAEYC Governing Board.Her work has been centred around creating greater opportunity for underserved communities, transforming institutions and driving meaningful, lasting change.On this episode we talk about her journey, the lessons she has learned along the way, and what living with purpose means to her.

Today, we have a very special conversation with not one, but two leaders from Upaya Social Ventures.Joining us are A.B. Chakravarthy, known as Chakra, and Shruti Goel, Co-CEOs of Upaya Social Ventures.Chakra leads Upaya’s India operations and brings more than 14 years of experience investing in early-stage enterprises across agriculture, energy, health, livelihoods, water and sanitation, technology for development and waste management. His work has helped build scalable businesses, dignified jobs and long-term prosperity in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. Shruti is driven by a powerful belief that the world’s biggest challenges, from extreme poverty to climate resilience, need bold, market-based solutions that put dignity, inclusion and long-term impact at the centre. At Upaya, she leads strategic vision, impact strategy and evidence-building, helping prove that jobs can create a triple win for people, planet and profit. Together, Chakra and Shruti are reimagining how capital can be used not just to fund businesses, but to create pathways out of poverty, build agency, support rural livelihoods and unlock human potential.So today, we’ll be talking about purpose, impact investing, dignity through work, and what it really takes to build solutions that change lives from the ground up.