In this episode of Creating the Curve, Anna is joined by Inclusion Educator, writer, and speaker Orla McKeating, founder of Still I Rise Stories.

Together, they explore what inclusion actually looks like in practice, beyond policies, buzzwords, and tick-box exercises. Orla shares how storytelling creates safer, more human spaces for difficult conversations, particularly around race, neurodiversity, identity, disability, and belonging.

The conversation moves from childhood and education into workplaces and entrepreneurship, unpacking why culture is so hard to define, why psychological safety matters more than perks, and how founders and leaders can unintentionally exclude people even when their intentions are good.

Anna and Orla talk candidly about power, privilege, discomfort, resilience, management, and why community is one of the most under-valued tools for building inclusive, sustainable businesses. This episode is honest, thoughtful, and grounded in real experience, not theory.

It is a must-listen for founders, leaders, educators, and anyone trying to build environments where people can genuinely thrive, not just survive.

Find our guest Orla at: https://www.stillirisevoices.org

Find out more about Creating the Curve or join the community here:
https://creatingthecurve.co.uk

What if changing direction in your business isn't a sign of failure - but a sign you're paying attention?

In this solo episode of Creating the Curve, Anna Bravington reflects on last week's conversation with Sally Measom and goes deeper into the uncomfortable but very real space where success, identity and change collide.

Drawing on her own winding career path, from programming to photography, content, strategy, and finally teaching and training, Anna explores how many of us build businesses based on what we think we should do, rather than what we actually want or enjoy.

This episode is about giving yourself permission to evolve. To question long-held assumptions about success, growth and longevity. And to recognise that businesses, like people, are allowed to change as life changes.

Anna talks about:

• Why not knowing what you want to do "when you grow up" isn't a problem — even in your 40s

• The difference between being good at something and wanting to do it

• How sunk cost fallacy keeps founders stuck in businesses that no longer fit

• Why change is so often wrongly labelled as failure

• How businesses can be built for different seasons of life and don't all need to grow

• The quiet pressure founders feel to keep going, even when something feels off

• Why success doesn't have to mean longevity, scale or constant growth

This is a nudge to reflect on whether your business still serves the life you're living now and a reminder that it's OK to pivot, pause, shrink, or redesign things so they work better for you.

If you've been feeling unsettled, stuck, or questioning your direction, this episode will help you feel a little less alone and a little more permissioned to change your mind.

Find out more about Creating the Curve or join the community here:
https://creatingthecurve.co.uk

What if the reason you feel stuck isn't because you're failing, but because you've outgrown the version of success you were aiming for?

In this episode of Creating the Curve, Anna Bravington is joined by author, coach, and former Commercial Director Sally Measom, to talk about identity, belief systems, and what it really means to live life your way.

Sally shares her journey from a demanding commercial career to writing her book Live Life Your Way, and together they explore how childhood messages, self-talk, and unchallenged assumptions quietly shape our choices - often long into adulthood.

This is a thoughtful, honest conversation about slowing down, questioning the stories we tell ourselves, and giving ourselves permission to change course without guilt.

Together, Anna and Sally discuss:

• How early beliefs about who we are can limit what we think is possible

• Why being "good at something" doesn't mean it's the right thing to do forever

• The pressure founders put on themselves to keep going, even when they're unhappy

• Why joy, play, and rest aren't distractions - they're essential

• How pressing pause can lead to clearer decisions, not lost momentum

• Why it's OK to change your mind, redefine success, and build a business that fits your life now

If you've ever thought "Is this really it?" (in business or in life), this episode is a nudge to stop, reflect, and remember that you're allowed to choose differently.

Buy Sally's book, Life Life Your Way: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Live-Life-Your-Sally-Measom/dp/1739616707

And Visit Sally's website: https://www.livelifeyourway.co.uk

Find out more about our Creating the Curve or join our community here:
https://creatingthecurve.co.uk