I’m joined by Lee Chambers, Founder and CEO of Male Allies UK, and honestly, his story is a masterclass in reinvention.

We go all the way back to growing up on a council estate in Bolton, being the kid who couldn’t stand unfairness, and how that same “I’ll step in” energy shaped everything that came after.

After a career spanning corporate finance and building and exiting a tech company, Lee now helps organisations engage men in inclusion and build effective allyship.

He’s a Great British Entrepreneur Award winner, was named 2023 UN Women Changemaker of the Year, and received the Freedom of the City of London in 2024 for services to equality in business.

In this episode, we talk about what it really takes to rebuild after life knocks you sideways, and how allyship gets practical when it’s grounded in everyday choices, not just good intentions.

Highlights:

(03:15) - Growing up in Bolton, social justice instincts, and being “the kid who stepped in”

(07:29) - University pressures, mental health struggles, and journaling before it was trendy

(11:50) - Redundancy as a turning point, boiler room living, and starting a business anyway

(16:29) - The health crisis that changed everything, losing mobility, then fighting to walk again

(21:45) - Becoming a stay-at-home dad, loneliness, and the eye-opening baby group moment

(34:35) - What Male Allies UK actually does, engaging men in inclusion and building real allyship

You can connect with Lee Chambers at:

https://www.maleallies.co.uk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leechambers-1/

And get your copy of Lee’s book here: Momentum: 13 Ways To Unlock Your Potential.

Connect with Lucy:

Website - https://bookmagic.ai

TikTok - @lucymccarra

Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/

In this episode, I’m chatting with the brilliant Jane Duncan Rogers, coach, author, former corporate HR high-flyer, accidental pioneer, and someone who has reinvented herself more times than most of us change phone contracts.

Jane grew up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, learned to switch on confidence on purpose, and followed her curiosity through therapy, community living, travel, and building meaningful work.

We also talk about what changed when Jane’s husband died, and how grief pushed her into a surprising new chapter, helping people face the practical realities of death without fear taking the wheel. If you’re standing on the edge of a change, Jane’s advice is simple, and quietly brave.

Highlights:

(02:27) Growing up in Belfast, and the moment she realised “normal” was not normal

(05:08) How shy teenage Jane built a confidence persona, one awkward question at a time

(10:04) A sudden death, a spiritual detour, and the decision to walk away

(14:06) Cleaning toilets on a Greek island, then accidentally joining the management team

(21:28) Widowhood at 54, the “hard questions”, and why end-of-life planning became her mission

(29:03) Her best reinvention advice, do it, you will learn something either way

Connect with Jane:

Writer of Embracing Ageing on Substack

Author of 3 books

TedX speaker: How to Do a Good Death

Website: www.janeduncanrogers.com

- Facebook

- LinkedIn

Connect with Lucy:

Website - https://bookmagic.ai

TikTok - @lucymccarra

Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/

This final episode of 2025 is one of the most meaningful I have ever recorded.

I share the moment I learned I had been awarded an MBE for services to publishing and diversity, and the wave of disbelief, emotion and gratitude that followed. This honour is not only mine, it belongs to every woman who has ever stepped into authorship, every writer whose voice was once quiet, and every person who believed in reinvention later in life.

I look back at the early years of the Business Book Awards, the shock that sparked my mission for greater diversity, the women who joined my writing programmes and the extraordinary community that grew from those first conversations. I talk about the birth of the Phoenix Theory, my new partnership with Advantage Media Company and the exciting work ahead.

As we enter 2026, I invite you to ask what wants to rise in you next.

Highlights:

(01:42) The moment I opened the letter announcing my MBE

(04:55) How the Business Book Awards revealed a powerful truth

(07:30) Why women’s voices needed championing and how Abu was born

(09:48) The rise of the Phoenix Theory and what it represents

(11:35) Becoming a partner at Advantage Media Company

(12:55) A New Year invitation to notice what is ready to rise in you

Connect with Lucy:

Website - https://bookmagic.ai

TikTok - @lucymccarra

Instagram/Threads - @lucymccarraher

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarraher/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lucymccarraherauthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LucyMcCarraher/