A Facilitator's Journey: Real Life Stories
Episodes
Episode 46: Summer Reflections: My Facilitator's Journey!
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join me, Kirsty Lewis, founder of the School of Facilitation, as I reflect on my summer of 2025. From facilitating summits in London and Manila t...
Episode 45: Navigating Neurodiversity in Business
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, Kirsty Lewis and Tamzin Hall explore the themes of neurodiversity, the journey of entrepreneurship, and the importance of self-a...
Episode 44: Re-evaluating Success: From corporate to creative to scaling back
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, Mok reflects on his journey from corporate consulting to founding the Innovation Beehive, a company focused on unlocking creativ...
Episode 43: The Power of an Endurance Mindset in Business
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Kirsty Lewis interviews Clare Walkeden, a consultant, coach, and endurance athlete, about her journey in business and the importance ...
Episode 42: Websites and SEO - What Every Freelancer and Facilitator Needs to Know
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is your website really working for you - or is it quietly gathering dust?In this episode, I’m joined by Barb Davids, a website and SEO strategist wh...
Episode 41: Navigating the Legal Side of Business with Lucy Wheeler
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we dive into all things legal - what it is we need in our businesses as solopreneurs, through to partnerships or big entities. Trust ...
Episode 40: Me, my business and Neurodiversity
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kirsty and Hayley explore Hayley's journey into neuro-inclusion consulting, discussing the challenges and triumphs of running a business as a neurodiv...
Episode 39: Balancing Being Yourself and Business
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about kindness. Firstly to ourselves as facilitators and then to our businesses. How we navigate leaving the world of corporate to go ...
Episode 38: The Importance of Streamlining Operations and Processes in a Small Business
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is all about the importance of having your business processes streamlined and documented, whatever your size!Sneha Morjaria is the founde...
SOFest: Behind the scenes
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join me, Kirsty, as I share insights into the planning and financial aspects of SoFest.I share the exact costs of running the festival, how much money...
Episode 37: Common Challenges Faced by Entrepreneurs and the importance of community
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As business owners there are many common challenges we encounter, such as time management, financial planning, and the importance of having a clear vi...
Episode 36: Saying No, Finding Balance after Burnout & Redefining Success in our Business
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As facilitators, trainers, and business owners, we often find ourselves saying “yes” too much, overworking, and stretching our own boundaries—so...
Episode 35: Strategy, Facilitation & Finding Clients – A Real Talk with Faris Aranki
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a live getting to know you session. Faris and I didn't meet until I hit record and this is very much a raw conversation as we talk abo...
Episode 34: Money is Sexy: The Pricing Conversation
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is all about money and pricing. Listen if you want to stretch your thinking!Laura Payne-Stanley is a Success Management Consultant and a ...
Episode 33: Navigating the Business of Facilitation and Training
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about the pro's and con's of being an associate/sub-contractor vs having your own clients, pricing, and the power of niching.Murray Co...
Episode 32: Consultant or Facilitator? The impact of our language and words
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Taylor is a serial entrepreneur, who in his own words, is not known as a facilitator or a trainer, yet finds himself working with this community...
Episode 31: The power of persistence during times of change
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about Annette's journey from being a corporate trainer to establishing her own business in facilitation and training during the pandem...
Episode 30: Developing a Positive and Confident Mindset in a Freelance World
06 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode covers a multitude of topics from being self-employed to doing business in America, highlighting the importance of setting clear expectat...
SOFest: November Update
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to this short episode of A facilitator's Journey. Today is a SOFest update covering how the early bird launch went, some thank yous, and ...
Episode 29: Building a Business Through Connection and Curiosity
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about the importance of our network as we develop and grow our businesses, finding people who we connect with in an authentic way and ...
Episode 28: The Challenges and Rewards of Building a Business
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about running our own businesses, redefining success, being a solo mum, asking for help and what IS the difference between a B2C and B...
Episode 27: Two heads are better than one: why run a business with a partner?
23 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about how to work in partnership, creating clear ways of working from the start and aligning on values and work ethics.Chris Locke and...
Episode 26: Defining my Version of Success as a Freelancer
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a story about discovering your passion for learning, working out how you can leave the organisation you work for, become a freelancer ...
Episode 25: From Peacecorp to Corporate; The story of an international facilitator
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about what it is like to be a facilitator who travels the world, who works and has lived in multiple countries, experienced the nonpro...
SOFest: The Why, The What (and the worries)?
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this impromptu episode, I share an exciting announcement—SoFest, a festival for facilitators, trainers, and coaches, is happening Summer 2025.Joi...
Episode 24: The accidental profession: How DO we become facilitators?
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about how we find our way into the world of facilitation and training, what it means to have a co-founder walk by your side, and how y...
Episode 23: Lights, Camera, Facilitate: The transition from Model and Actor to Facilitator
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about becoming a facilitator and trainer later in life, how your previous life experiences can set you up for success, and what you ca...
Episode 22: The Birth of School of Facilitation
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kirsty shares her personal journey from leaving the corporate world in 2008 to the establishment of School of Facilitation in 2014.This solo episode l...
Episode 21: Navigating Growth from start-up to scale-back
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the SOF Podcast, host Kirsty welcomes Mark Walsh, an embodiment teacher, and business entrepreneur, to discuss his fascinating jour...
Episode 20: Prosperity Over Profit: Redefining our definition of Success
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Kirsty and Kurt Lindley as they dive into the life of running a business as a facilitator, trainer, coach, and consultant. They chat about everyt...
Episode 19: The Journey and Evolution of being an associate
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode with Caroline Boyd is about being an Associate (Sub-contractor) in the training industry. The benefits, the challenges, the dynamics of t...
Episode 18: The power of niching and how to do it
17 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To Niche or Not to Niche - That is the question!Many are told early on in their foray into freelancing that niching is a good idea. whilst logical it ...
Episode 17: The evolving journey of a freelancer
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, Kirsty and Claire Vintiner discuss various aspects of freelancing, including valuing oneself and one's work, reframing budgets, se...
Episode 16: If you build it, they will come: Creating a business on a solid pipeline (and PR)
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, Ged shares with me his journey of leaving the world of retail and starting his own business. We discuss the challenges he faced ...
Episode 15: Are you a business or a project shop?
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
James Gairdner started out in the corporate world in a variety of roles from commercial to marketing for a well known drinks brand and then diving int...
Episode 14: I left because of a sandwich: from corporate to associate to B:Corp business
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about moving from working in-house to becoming a B:Corp business, how associate relationships benefit from transparency and communicat...
Episode 13: The trials and tribulations of freelance life.
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Jones was a consultant with PA Consulting until she realised she needed to make a change and get out. For the last 11 years she has run Neon a bo...
Episode 12: Master the art of negotiating: essential skills and tactics for trainers and facilitators.
24 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode explores what negotiation is and how we can have better negotiation conversations. I noticed that sometimes selling and negotiation do no...
Episode 11: The power of two: creating good partnerships
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Richard Bellars and Darren Hilton join us in a captivating exploration of partnership dynamics as they unveil the intricacies of thei...
Episode 10: The parallels between a romantic relationship and a business break-up! With Meg Bolger
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode talks about the different relationships we have within our businesses - working with a sibling, our relationship with ourselves, leaving ...
Episode 09: Best we know the stuff we fail to notice! With Simon Kettleborough
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode explores how the inner world of the business leader creates the shape and flow of the business they lead. Our values, beliefs, experienc...
Episode 08: 10 Days That Changed Everything With Leanne Hughes
29 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Where does the decision to leave the corporate world come from?How do you know when the time is right?And what are the first few steps you can take as...
Episode 07: The mindset of scaling a training business with Mark Cranstoun
21 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Mark and Mark started Total Negotiation as a lifestyle business that was meant to give them time to enjoy their golf, horses, and family. What happen...
Episode 06: Competition, Collaboration and Community With Myriam Hadness
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Myriam Hadnes is a skilled and passionate facilitator. During the pandemic she wanted to create a space for facilitators and trainers to come toget...
Episode 05: How it all began! With Kirsty Lewis
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How exactly did I, Kirsty Lewis, end up running a boutique training business?This solo episode shares how I accidentally came upon the idea to leave t...
Episode 04: How we scaled our Duck factory! With Catherine & John Nicholson
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Scaling your business can be exciting and daunting, for you or not for you.Catherine and John Nicholson, founders of The Virtual Training Team, have g...
Episode 03: It's all about the money! With Rob Geraghty
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rob Geraghty is the owner of Presenting Virtually. A business that focuses on helping people design and deliver presentations brilliantly. Rob left Vo...
Episode 02: Moving Towards Retirement With Meriel Swain
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss the different thresholds we cross in our Facilitator and Trainer journey - the beginning, the finding of associate work an...
Episode 01: Conscious Decision-Making With Richard Stokes
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about decision-making in our businesses, the frameworks we use to say yes or no to work and how becoming more conscious in our decisio...