On JobsWorth this week, I’m joined by Alannah Brown, founder of non-alcoholic cocktail brand HotDrop Drinks.

In a little over 12 months, she has learned about an industry she’d never worked in, turned an idea into a fully fledged brand, gone to market with three products, and done all of this alongside a full-time job in insurance.

If the first question that jumps into your head is “HOW?”, then don’t worry, I spend a good chunk of the conversation asking exactly that.

We get Alannah’s take on building boundaries between life and work, find out what it takes to remain productive when you’re spinning alllll of the plates, and learn how the pressure of building a brand-new business from the ground up has affected her over the last year.

We also explore the inspiration behind the brand, how drinking culture has evolved over the past ten years, and discuss why so many big brands get it wrong when trying to appeal to non-drinkers.

Alannah is on a mission to make HotDrop the go-to brand when alcohol isn’t on the cards. Once you’ve listened to this episode, it’s hard to imagine a world where that’s not going to happen.

Please enjoy… Alannah Brown.

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This week I’m joined by Emily Koppit and Jessica Bond, experiential creatives and founders of Nine Productions.

In a world where we digest so much information through our screens, Em and Jess have built a brand committed to amplifying human connection through engaging, immersive, and sensational events. And over the last 10 years, they’ve done it for some of the world’s best-known brands.

We discover how they met, demystify the weird and wonderful world of experiential marketing, find out why they’re on a mission to challenge tradition and break away from industry norms, and learn about their commitment to signposting opportunities for anyone wanting to work in the creative world.

Nine was born following a serendipitous invite to an event where Em and Jess floated the idea of a collaboration and manifested an opportunity to deliver a client pitch that would change their lives forever. Prepare to be inspired — and reminded that sometimes you just need to get out of your own way.

We talk about the freedom to make mistakes, being intentional about the experience you gather throughout your career, and the influence of strong female role models in a male-dominated industry - as well as how Em and Jess feel about stepping into that role themselves.

Please enjoy… Emily and Jess.

The JobsWorth website is here www.jobs-worth.com

Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast

Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en

Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/

Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective

Subscribe to my newsletter 'The Job Journal from GTC'; https://subscribepage.io/TheJobJournal

Learn more about my proper job; https://www.globaltechcollective.com/

Contact the show on hello@jobs-worth.com

Our first guest of 2026 is naturopath, colon hydrotherapist and business owner, Laura Hart-Raja.

Laura’s episode has been a long time in the making. We first sat down towards the end of 2024 and had an amazing conversation that never saw the light of day (blame the dodgy USB cable and, errr, me).

But she is back, this time at Leigh Marina, with the Thames Estuary as our backdrop and the grey December sky really doing its thing.

We learn about the people who inspired her growing up, her earlier career as a private nanny, and why wellness and nutrition have been a focus of hers from a young age.

We also find out what led her to explore a career as a naturopath, hear about the moment she shed her imposter syndrome to start her own business, and we find some time to bust a few myths surrounding colonics too.

Laura is our first guest to ever get excited (openly, at least) about poo. But despite her specific set of skills, it is her desire to help people that has made her so passionate about what she does for work, and (I can say this, having had first-hand experience) so very bloody good at it.

Please enjoy… Laura Hart-Raja.

The JobsWorth website is here www.jobs-worth.com

Watch the show on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jobsworthpodcast

Follow the show on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/jobsworthpodcast/?hl=en

Follow me on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhawker/

Follow me on TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@globaltechcollective

Subscribe to my newsletter 'The Job Journal from GTC'; https://subscribepage.io/TheJobJournal

Learn more about my proper job; https://www.globaltechcollective.com/

Contact the show on hello@jobs-worth.com