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Squiggly Careers

The Squiggly Career

Squiggly Careers is a weekly podcast that will help you take control of your career development. Hosted by the founders of Amazing If (https://www.amazingif.com/), Sarah Ellis and Helen Tupper, together they cover all things work: from how to manage stress and overcome your confidence gremlins to micro-aggressions and discovering your strengths. Each episode is full of ideas, actions, hints, and tips that you can put into practice straight away. 


Every so often they take a break from talking to each other to interview other people who are leading the way in making work better. Past guests include entrepreneur and philanthropist Dame Stephanie Shirley, author of The Joy of Work Bruce Daisley, and neuroscience expert Amy Brann. 


The Squiggly Careers podcast has been recommended by Harvard Business Review, Stylist, Marie Claire and Management Today.


For more ideas, tools and inspiration every week, you can also sign up to their newsletter Squiggly Careers in Action.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  • 600 episodes
  • Updated Thursday

Episodes600

Newest first
  • March 24 · 39 min

    How to Stop Cynicism from Stalling Your Career Growth

    <p>In this episode, Helen and Sarah borrow brilliance from a talk by Lord Michael Hastings at the London Interdisciplinary School about leading responsibly in an uncertain world. The conversation sparks the question: what happens when cynicism creeps into our careers?</p><br><p>They explore how everyday thoughts like “there’s no point applying", ” “the system is rigged,” or “nothing will change anyway” can quietly stall progress in a squiggly career. Instead of staying stuck in that mindset, Hel

  • March 17 · 41 min

    The 4 Attachment Styles and How They Show Up at Work

    <p>In this episode, Helen and Sarah borrow brilliance from the psychology of attachment styles and explore what this concept can teach us about working relationships. Sparked by a Harvard Business Review article on managing insecure leaders, they unpack the four main attachment styles and what they might look like in the workplace: secure, anxious, avoidant-dismissive, and fearful-avoidant.</p><br><p>If you’ve ever wondered why certain working relationships feel easy while others feel surprising

  • March 10 · 45 min

    A Practical Guide to Prototyping at Work

    <p>This week’s episode comes to you from a very snowy New York, where Sarah and Helen are launching the US edition of Learn Like a Lobster - in the middle of the biggest blizzard in ten years. Despite battling icy steps and snowy conditions, they’re diving into a topic that could transform how you approach ideas at work: prototyping.</p><p>Borrowing brilliance from Nesta, Sarah and Helen explore a practical 4-part framework to help you move from “this might be a good idea” to something tangible,

  • March 3 · 35 min

    How to Change Behaviour at Work

    <p>In this episode, Helen and Sarah borrow brilliance from a powerful Harvard Business Review article by James Elfer, Siri Chilazi, and Edward Chang on the science of behaviour change at work.They unpack the “Four T’s” model, a practical framework used in big organisations to drive measurable behaviour change. But instead of keeping it theoretical, they apply it to real team challenges like:</p><br><p>- Reducing interruptions in meetings</p><p>- Prioritising important work over easy tasks</p><p>

  • February 24 · 29 min

    3 LinkedIn Top Voices to Follow for a Smarter, More Future-Proof Career

    <p>How do you make your LinkedIn feed work harder for your career instead of just scrolling past the same ideas on repeat? In this episode, Helen and Sarah are Borrowing Brilliance from LinkedIn’s Top Voices list. They share three people worth following right now and why. This episode is all about curating smarter inputs, breaking out of echo chambers, and learning faster from the right voices.</p><br><p>Episode 537</p><br><p>🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster</p><p>🇺🇸 PRH US - https://bit.ly/3Kx

  • February 17 · 36 min

    Deck of Brilliance: 3 Ways to Think Differently When You’re Stuck at Work

    <p>Do you ever find yourself going round in circles with the same problem or struggling to come up with fresh ideas at work? In this episode, Helen and Sarah are borrowing brilliance from the Deck of Brilliance - a creative thinking tool packed with prompts to help you break out of your default patterns and see things differently. Together, they explore three simple techniques that help you reset your thinking, unlock new ideas, and make better decisions when you feel stuck.</p><br><p>🦞 Learn L

  • February 12 · 9 min

    Squiggly Shortcut: An Introverts Guide to Networking

    <p>In this Squiggly Shortcut, Sarah shares practical, low-pressure ways to network when you’re more introverted than extroverted. Rather than forcing yourself into energy-draining events or awkward small talk, Sarah reframes networking as learning, connection, and curiosity and offers simple strategies that feel more natural and sustainable.</p><br><p>Episode 529</p><br><p>🦞 Learn Like A Lobster:</p><p>🇺🇸PRH US - <a href="https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https:/

  • February 10 · 1 hr 5 min

    Squiggly Careers Live: How You Can Keep Learning at Work (Even When It Feels Hard)

    <p>In this special live episode of Squiggly Careers, Helen and Sarah take to the stage to explore one of the trickiest parts of career growth - learning through the uncomfortable, uncertain, and messy moments. Borrowing brilliance from lobsters, they share the idea from their new book Learn Like a Lobster of 'shell shedding' — the vulnerable transitions we all go through when we outgrow old roles, identities, or ways of working.</p><br><p>Through honest stories, practical tools, and conversation

  • February 6 · 22 min

    CEO Shell-Shedding Moments: Learning How to Let Go & Lead Differently with TEDs Logan McClure Davda

    <p>This is the fifth and final episode in our Shell-Shedding Moments series, a series where CEOs and leaders share the vulnerable moments, the challenges, mistakes, and personal revelations that most people never see. In this episode, Logan McClure Davda, CEO of TED, reflects on stepping into leadership at one of the world’s most influential idea-sharing organisations and the personal shifts that came with it. From making the hard decision to leave a dream role, to learning how to move from “doi

  • February 5 · 22 min

    CEO Shell-Shedding Moments: Purpose, Perspective and Learning from Mistakes with Nick Bent

    <p>This is the fourth episode in our Shell-Shedding Moments series, a series where CEOs and leaders share the vulnerable moments, the challenges, mistakes, and personal revelations that most people never see. In this episode, Nick Bent, CEO of UpReach, opens up about the moments that tested him, from handling technology mishaps to resetting organizational culture. He shares how embracing challenges, maintaining perspective, and surrounding yourself with the right people are key to navigating tou

  • February 4 · 24 min

    CEO Shell-Shedding Moments: Kill or Continue? Making Hard Decisions with Fight Story's Georgie Holt

    <p>This is the third episode in our Shell-Shedding Moments series, a series where CEOs and leaders share the vulnerable moments, the challenges, mistakes, and personal revelations that most people never see. Today's episode is with Flight Story CEO Georgie Holt, who shares why great ideas are rarely obvious or easy, why comfort is the enemy of growth, and the necessity of experimentation to drive real progress.</p><br><p>🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:</p><p>🇺🇸PRH US - <a href="https://bit.ly

  • February 3 · 28 min

    CEO Shell-Shedding Moments: How to Fix Friction at Work Fast with Helen Tupper

    <p>In this special CEO Shell-Shedding Moments episode, Sarah interviews Helen, about the uncomfortable moments that help us grow. From difficult interviews to co-founder friction and communication challenges, Helen shares what happens when things feel hard at work and how to fix friction fast before it festers. If you’ve ever replayed a mistake, avoided an awkward conversation, or felt stuck in a working relationship, this episode is full of practical ideas to help you learn quickly and move for

  • February 2 · 23 min

    CEO Shell-Shedding Moments: Opening Up about Mental Health at Work with Zaid Al-Qassab

    <p>Welcome to Shell-Shedding Moments, a series where CEOs share the vulnerable moments, the challenges, mistakes, and personal revelations that most people never see. Today's episode is with CEO Zaid Al-Qassab who opens up about his experiences with depression, the challenges of leading while managing mental health, and the power of vulnerability in the workplace. Zaid shares how embracing these moments can strengthen resilience, deepen connections, and create healthier work environments.</p><br

  • January 29 · 9 min

    How to ask for help at work (without feeling awkward)

    <p>In this Squiggly Shortcut episode, Helen shares a practical, step-by-step framework for asking for help at work in a way that feels confident, clear, and effective.</p><br><p>Many of us struggle to ask for help because we fear looking incompetent, don’t want to burden others, or try to push through on our own. Helen breaks down how to neutralize that anxiety, identify what kind of help you need - support, solutions, or a sounding board- figure out who can give it, and frame your ask so it’s a

  • January 27 · 39 min

    5 formulas for a high impact introduction

    <p>How do you introduce yourself in a way that turns a polite “nice to meet you” into a genuine “tell me more”? In this episode, Helen and Sarah are Borrowing brilliance from Rebecca Okamoto’s TED Talk How to Introduce Yourself and Get Hired. They unpack five simple formulas you can use to make high-impact introductions — whether you’re meeting someone new, speaking at an event, or kicking off a meeting. This episode is all about short, practical introductions that help you be heard, remembered,