When Stu first approached me about co-hosting the Oddcast, I bit his hand off. Not literally — I’m not some sort of rabid, fame-hungry chihuahua. But I just had this deep-rooted sense that this was going to be something that fed my soul on so many levels. It felt like a kind, slightly self-indulgent gift to myself.
And who doesn’t love a gift?
The truth is, we were already having the sorts of conversations we have in the Oddcast all the time anyway. So why not record them, slap on a fancy logo, and share them with anyone who might need a laugh, a bit of solidarity, or a reminder they’re not the only one.
BUT it needed to be the right vibe, because a lot of the ND podcasts I’d experienced so far were more ‘support group’ energy. And I couldn’t see myself leaning forward in my chair, wearing steel-rimmed glasses, going “and how does that make you feel?” Don’t get me wrong, there is enormous value in that approach, but it’s all a bit clinical: not something you’d binge with a cup of tea and a packet of biscuits. We wanted it to be lighter, more relatable, and rooted in celebrating what we bring to the table — rather than mourning anything we don’t.
I’d been thinking about a podcast for some time but couldn’t picture what that would look like. So, like many of my ideas, I fixated on it for weeks, then put it in a box in my brain marked “lost dreams” to collect dust amongst all the magnificent wiring up there. Then along came Stu, in his incredible tailoring, with a clear vision that put into words what I couldn’t. So, I hitched my trailer to Sparkly Suit Man™ (I’m defo contacting Marvel with this one), and here we are.
Here’s what we’re doing here: finding comedy in the chaos of our day-to-day. Not to belittle difficult situations, but because when you laugh, things just feel smilier (is that a word? It is now!). We recognise the different ways things can work for us and celebrate the differences, rather than use them as a stick to hit each other with. Although that would make for a fun podcast, wouldn’t it? Note that down, Stu.
So welcome to the Business Oddcast. This is a space where we get to scream, loudly and unapologetically: “We’re fucking amazing.“
What We’re Doing Differently
Other ND podcasts often lean into the “here’s what’s wrong with us” angle. Ours? Not so much. Yes, there are struggles — burnout, demand avoidance, ADHD loops to name but a few — but there’s also humour, creativity, and oodles of group empathy. With a dollop of no judgement to boot.
You might also find yourself dragged down a long and random rabbit-hole tangent that I’ve decided to go on. Because I’m the queen of all things tangent. So buckle up and be reassured that Stu will circle us back to the original topic at some stage.
There will also be soapbox moments, where one of us taps into some past rage and decides to vent it momentarily. So, you can either look away or cheer us from the sidelines. It’s just all part of the journey. We’re flipping the script: less doom and gloom, more “here’s the messy truth, and here’s how we get through it.“
Why It Matters (The Tribe Bit)
Being ND in business can feel lonely. You’re juggling burnout, weird work rhythms, and a brain that sometimes flatly refuses to cooperate. It’s easy to think you’re the only one. God, we’ve all been there. In a room surrounded by people and feeling the loneliest you’ve ever felt.
That’s why this podcast exists: to hold up a neon sign that says “You’re not alone. You’re one of us.” Well, it’s certainly one of the reasons anyway!
But don’t fear, there is no pity in this party of spicy goodness. So if you’ve come for that, then you’ll need to take your Wotsits and your REM album, and jog on. Actually, leave the Wotsits… because who doesn’t love that bright orange cheesy goodness.
That takes me back to being very drunk, in the mid-90s (actually, I think I was drunk for the whole of the 90s), in a terrible karaoke bar in Menorca, singing a more depressing version, if that is possible, of *Losing My Religion* by REM. I’m using the term ‘singing’ very loosely here. After about an hour of flat-out refusing to join in the fun, I had gone full karaoke queen, and was limbering up for ‘Islands in the Stream’: yes, I was planning to be both Dolly and Kenny. The sambuca had made me invincible! Or maybe delusional. One of the two anyway. So, after a while of me not playing nicely, and refusing to leave the stage, a scuffle ensued as the guy running the event tried to wrestle the microphone off me. Not my finest moment!
I digress…
Tips Without the Preach
We’re not here to hand out shiny 10-step plans or productivity hacks you’ll forget about by Tuesday. What we are here to do is share the stuff that actually works for us — usually discovered the hard way — along with the fails, the facepalms, and the odd accidental win. Think of it less like a workshop, more like swapping survival notes with friends.
And we’re definitely not here to “fix” anyone, because none of you awesome humans are broken! Also, from an insurance point of view, I can’t make that promise — I’ve been trying it on myself for 50 years and it’s not going brilliantly. There is a long list of therapists in the south-east who could back me up on that.
What we are here to do is build a space where you might find your people, laugh at the chaos with us, and hear from brilliant guest speakers who share their own experiences of being ND in business. Between the laughs, the honest chats, and the guest insights, we want you to feel like you’ve found your tribe.
And if you don’t? Well, please leave us a nice review anyway, so we don’t have to start busking. It’s been a long while since I dusted off my recorder, and honestly — no one needs to see that.
Come in, the water’s lovely, and there are no strange-looking plaster thingys floating in it.
Click here to see us in glorious technicolor – or if you just want the podcast click here