Rayhanneh Mazinani's journey from beauty sales to the second-hand car trade is one of self belief, business acumen and determination. As the managing director of vehicle sourcing company TRAYD, she a true pioneer. There are no other women doing what she is doing in the UK motor trade.

Her story is about breaking through barriers, not just of gender but also race. As a woman in a man's world she faced her fair share of competitive conflict, but she was not going to let this deter her. She quickly discovered that being female was her superpower. Her ability to slow down the sale, build rapport and become a trusted advisor were the secrets to her success.

Her aim now is to make more women aware that the world of vehicle sales is a fantastic place for them to thrive, and that their unique qualities can be their superpower too.

In this episode, she talks to Leona about:

• Dealing with aggression and why women are "special beings"
• How her drive and enthusiasm led her to set up Trayd
• What the motor trade has to offer women and why you should get into it

LINKS

Leona Deakin https://leonadeakin.co.uk/

Trayd www.trayduk.co.uk

Podcast production by Ginger Wizard Productions https://www.gingerwizard.co.uk/

Lauren York always wanted to work in TV but as a junior member of a production company she was told she didn't have what it takes. Today she is the owner of a nationwide business supplying locations to big budget productions.

Her journey has not been easy. She came up against many blocks on her path but she knew what she wanted. But it took all of her focus, resilience and determination.

In this episode Leona finds out about:

• How one boss telling her she was no good at TV fuelled her
• Imposter syndrome and how we should deal with it
• Learning from bad managers to become a better boss
• Diving in at the deep end and making a success of it

DON'T FORGET - Leave a review of this podcast to be in with the chance of winning a free hour coaching session with Leona

LINKS

Leona Deakin https://leonadeakin.co.uk/

UK Locations https://www.uklocations.co.uk/

Podcast production by Ginger Wizard Productions https://www.gingerwizard.co.uk/

Dr Kathryn Scott is Chief Executive of Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Science has been part of her DNA for most of her life, and at an early stage in her journey she was interested in biology.

But her background and her roots are not those that are usually associated with Chief Executives - So how did she get there and is hers a story that illustrates anyone can do it?

In this episode, Leona talks to Kathryn about:

* Her mission to promote exercise to reduce the risk of cancer returning

* How her roots in Bradford aren't the usual ones for a CEO

* The rewards of being a charity CEO

* The fight to promote ways of staying cancer free

DON'T FORGET - Leave a review of this podcast to be in with the chance of winning a free hour coaching session with Leona

LINKS

Leona Deakin https://leonadeakin.co.uk/

Yorkshire Cancer Research https://www.yorkshirecancerresearch.org.uk/

Podcast production by Ginger Wizard Productions https://www.gingerwizard.co.uk/

What do you do when a war comes to your doorstep?

For anyone faced with that scenario, survival is, of course, a priority. But once you are safe, is it possible to use that experience for a positive outcome? Are there lessons we can all learn?

Yana Smaglo is a Ukrainian living in the UK. She fled the war in Ukraine when it began in 2023. She was already a successful fashion designer, but had to flee her own country with just a laptop and a few items of clothing.

Today she has started again, and has even appeared on the TV to win investment from Dragons Den.

In this episode Leona talks to Yana about:

• Fleeing the war in Ukraine
• Coming to the UK and setting up her business
• How a strong sense of purpose drives us
• The power of persistence and a positive mindset

DON'T FORGET - Leave a review of this podcast to be in with the chance of winning a free hour coaching session with Leona

LINKS

Leona Deakin https://leonadeakin.co.uk/

Nenya: https://www.nenya.online/

Yana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yana-smaglo-188798155/

Yana's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ysmaglo/

Podcast production by Ginger Wizard Productions https://www.gingerwizard.co.uk/

... Or can a world exist where softer, more feminine qualities prevail?

Professor Beverly Alimo-Metcalfe is a psychologist who specialises in leadership. Her ground-breaking research into what it takes to be a great leader is seen as a benchmark.

Beverly has a lifetime of experience looking at leadership and how women are perceived in the workplace. Her's is a story of determination and sheer willpower to break through barriers and trailblaze for female leaders.

In this episode Leona is also joined by Beverly's daughter, Juliette Alban-Metcalfe, chief executive of the Real World Group. They help people to be better leaders, and aim to improve the workplace for all employees.

In this episode Leona talks to them about:

• The affect you can have on other people
• Staying positive
• How mindset and approach is vital
• Beverly's landmark study and how it nearly didn't happen

DON'T FORGET - Leave a review of this podcast to be in with the chance of winning a free hour coaching session with Leona

LINKS

Leona Deakin https://leonadeakin.co.uk/

Real World Group https://realworld-group.com/

Podcast production by Ginger Wizard Productions https://www.gingerwizard.co.uk/

This episode was recorded at the Bramble Bakehouse in Guiseley, Leeds https://bramblebakehouse.co.uk/

Siobhan Blake is the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in the West Midlands and the National CCP Lead for the CPS on rape and serious sexual offence prosecutions.

It's a huge and tough job, so how do you not let it creep and seep into your personal life? In a way, it's something we can all take heed of; we all have people and experiences in our lives that we probably should keep at arm's length.

Siobhan's journey is one of determination, empathy and a pathological hatred of bullies.

Leona talks to her about:

• The impact of dealing with all of life's bad people
• How it's possible to see the good instead of the bad
• Why you shouldn't mess with middle-aged women
• Society and the role it plays in defeating offenders
• Her journey into law
• How she helped changed the judicial experience for victims

DON'T FORGET - Leave a review of this podcast to be in with the chance of winning a free hour coaching session with Leona

LINKS

Leona Deakin https://leonadeakin.co.uk/

Siobhan Blake https://www.cps.gov.uk/article/prosecuting-rape-siobhan-blake

Podcast production by Ginger Wizard Productions https://www.gingerwizard.co.uk/

PLEASE NOTE: This episode was recorded in October 2024, before the end of the Gisèle Pelicot rape case.

SOME LISTENERS MAY BE UPSET BY THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS EPISODE. FOR HELP: https://rapecrisis.org.uk/

Lisa Shepherd is co-owner of the Biskery and a mum. They hand-make branded biscuits for businesses including Meta, Google and Lloyds Bank.

This is a literal kitchen-table business that has grown and scaled, but that's not the point of the Biskery.

They exist to make life fairer for working women, in a lot of ways they fly in the face of business convention. They are focussed on their staff and put kindness in the workplace front and centre of everything they do.

But that's not easy.

So how do they do that?

Leona chats to Lisa about:

• How the Biskery was born from the kitchen table
• Kindness, and how it is a cornerstone of their values
• Our workplaces and why they need to change
• Having a family and why that fundamentally changed her
• Why bosses should respect what employees are going through every day
• The Biskery and why it's much more than just a business

DON'T FORGET - Leave a review of this podcast to be in with the chance of winning a free hour coaching session with Leona

LINKS

Leona Deakin https://leonadeakin.co.uk/

The Biskery https://www.thebiskery.com/

Lisa Shepherd https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-shepherd-leeds/

Podcast production by Ginger Wizard Productions https://www.gingerwizard.co.uk/

What makes successful women tick? We all know that there are plenty of men filling some of the biggest jobs in the world, but what about the women?

What did they have to do to get to the top?

How did they face the obstacles that stood in their way?

When did they decide that "no" wasn't an option any more?

Psychologist and Author Leona Deakin is on a mission to explore what attributes female leaders have, what drives them and what we can all learn from those who have already trodden this path.

LeadHERship Journeys is a weekly podcast and will go live on 15th January 2025. Leave a review and you can be in with a chance of winning a free coaching session with Leona!

Find out more about Leona here.