Joanna Howes

Helping leaders step into their courageous zone and create positive impact, through transformative coaching & training | CEO of The Change Creators Ltd | Campaign 40 over 40 | International Coach of the Year 2020 🏆

We specialise in creating courageous leadership teams who win together.

Whether you're a newly formed team, a merged company establishing a new board, or feeling the need for a reset, we can help you create a strong aligned cohesive team. 

Courageous leaders are open, vulnerable, and committed to continuous learning, driving exceptional results for their teams and the organisation.

We help by:

• Moving from operating in silos to a collective mindset 

• Avoiding feedback to leaning into compassionate candor 

• From going around in circles to make decisions to a bias for action 

• From working as job titles to truly understanding each other as human beings 

• From all talk and no action to peer-to-peer accountability 


Our approach centers on increasing individual and team awareness, fostering a unified leadership team culture grounded in aligned principles, and promoting effective communication and accountability.

"When the business isn't performing, the first place to look is the leadership team."

👉 For coaching and training inquiries, please email: joanna.howes@thechangecreators.com

👉 For podcast and speaking engagements, please email: anna@thechangecreators.com

Let's connect and explore how we can elevate your leadership team to achieve extraordinary outcomes.


Trusted by: 
Monzo, Amazon, BBC, Troy Asset Management, Ada Ventures, Iris Worldwide, Uncommon Creative Studios, 6 Nations Rugby, ITB, PrettyGreen PR, Hue & Cry, McCann Worldwide.

What our clients have to say: 

“She's 'Life Changing'. Jo has an ability to enable a fearless focus on creating a personal and professional roadmap to success”. - Director Of Client Services at SYZYGY London

“As a coach Jo has been fantastic- full of insights, always there to listen and most of all provide practical solutions. As a team we have come out more confident and ready with practical tools to help us develop further in different areas.” - Head Of Project Management at BBC Creative


🌐  Visit: www.thechangecreators.com

CEO and Founder of The Change Creators - Leadership Coach and Trainer 

At The Change Creators, we provide transformational services to help leaders grow and become the leader they know they can be. We focus on the mindset, skills and behaviours leaders need to step into their courageous zone, create a positive impact and deliver results.

Our services include:
 
✅Cultural shifts and transformations  

✅Leadership and team coaching and training

✅Operational excellence consultancy 

✅EDISC and Meta Dynamics profiling to increase self-awareness and self-leadership 

✅Executive 1-2-1 coaching 

If you would like to take your leadership to the next level and invest in your growth, get in contact with us today and watch your influence and performance sky rocket.

My FIRST sober holiday showed me a mistake I see leaders make A LOT!

We focus on changing behaviour…
but skip the part that actually makes change stick.

Identity.

When I have tried going sober before, I'd say things like:

 “I haven’t drunk for 10 days.”
 “I’m doing Dry Jan.”

I was still identifying as someone who drinks.
So it was easy to wobble and slip back to old habits. 

This time, I said.
 “I don’t drink.”

It meant I moved to a new identity of someone who doesn't drink. 

And because of that, there was no internal debate. 

I see this in leadership constantly.

Leaders say to me:
 “I’m working on delegation.”
 “I need to stop people-pleasing.”
 “I should speak up more.”

That keeps change at the behaviour level.

But identity-led change sounds like:

 → “I'm a leader who builds leaders.”
 → “I can be respected without being liked.”
 → “My perspective has value.”

Change doesn’t always need more effort.
Sometimes it needs a clearer decision about who you are.

So...

❓Where in your leadership are you ready to step into a new identity?

♻️ Repost to inspire your audience
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Strengthening Leadership Teams to Connect, Perform & Grow Together | Courageous Leaders Podcast| Speaker | International Coach of the Year 2020 🏆 | Follow for posts about self-mastery, leadership & culture

Most of the big changes in my life didn’t start with confidence.

They started with discomfort I couldn’t ignore anymore.

Over the years, I’ve had to choose courage over comfort more times than I expected:

👉 Leaving my first marriage that looked fine on the outside

👉 Quitting a secure job to backpack around the world 

👉 Moving countries for a role I thought would be 'the one' and wasn't

👉 Completely changing my career from Ops to Coach 

👉 Starting a business without a roadmap

👉 Launching a podcast with no idea if anyone would listen, or what I was doing

👉 Reshaping my work so it fits my life, not the other way round

None of these moments felt brave at the time.
They felt unsettling. Lonely. Risky.

But here’s what I’ve learned:

Courage doesn’t usually look like a leap.
It looks like being honest with yourself before you’re ready.
It looks like letting go before you can see what’s next.

Every time I chose change over comfort, I didn’t gain clarity first.
I gained it after I moved.

That’s what built the business.
The podcast.
The work I love.
The life that actually feels like mine.

Not because I had a grand plan.
But because I stopped ignoring the nudge.

If you’re feeling restless right now, stuck, flat, or quietly frustrated - it might not be a motivation problem.

It might be a courage moment.

So I’ll leave you with this:

What are you tolerating that your future self will thank you for leaving?

Sit with it.
You don’t need the whole answer.
Just the next honest one.

♻️ Repost to inspire leaders you know to ask the harder questions
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I'm about to do the opposite of everything I was taught as a woman! 💪

I've just had my first call with the brilliant Georgie Rechner, founder of Midlife Rebel (and if you are not following her on Instagram yet, you need to be).

She is my health coach who is going to help me do the opposite of what many of us have been conditioned to do.

I'm INCREASING my calories!
Going to be Lifting heavy weights.
And getting comfortable taking up more space.

I go to the gym. I do Pilates. I swim.
But I’ve never really known how to train properly.

So this year, the focus is all on building muscle mass and strength!!

NO more shrinking!! 
 
I’ve spent years working on my mind, courage, confidence, and self-belief.
Now it feels like my body’s turn, so they can work together. 

In your life and leadership, bringing your mind and body together will have a huge impact on how you feel about yourself and how you can show up for yourself and your team. 

Where might you be ready to stop shrinking and start building instead?

♻️ Repost to inspire the inner rebel
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Big news! 

This Thursday we are kicking off 2026, with the amazing Sedge Beswick on the Courageous Leaders Podcast. 🙌

Sedge has led social at ASOS, built her own agency SEEN to £24 million, and now she’s helping brands and entrepreneurs grow their businesses with bold ideas and courage.

Subscribe below to hear us dive into: 

🔥 How to know when it's the right time to leave your company (even when it's your own)

🔥 How to find better balance with ambition, family and life

🔥 How to have the courage to do things differently and stay true to your values

It’s a conversation I LOVED and left feeling so motivated.  

If you want real stories and honest insights about leadership, confidence, and making brave choices.

Catch the episode this Thursday - don’t miss it!

👉 Subscribe on YouTube here: https://lnkd.in/eHGVyFSE

👉 Apple: https://lnkd.in/edeq-Wvp

👉 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eJatPjke

 ♻️ Repost to help leaders you know to have the courage to change 
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OLD JO: Shit, I don't have any posts ready for this week
So work for hours trying to do some. 

NEW JO: Oh well I'll go to the spa.

Seriously transformational, a whole new Monday afternoon ritual. 

So, this is all I have for you today but I actually think there is a powerful message here.

When you focus on what matters most and what is going to help you show up in the best way, your mind is so much happier, which means you are.

I used to sit for hours writing posts, overthinking them and worrying if they resonate.  

Now, I write when I feel like it and focus on what I want to share vs what the gurus' are sharing is the formula for likes and reposts.

So a gentle question for today:
How are you choosing to use your time right now?
And is it actually helping you feel good or just busy?

♻️ Repost to get our priorities clear
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TIME! 🕰️

In the Xmas break, something FINALLY landed. 

After years of podcasts, reading and courses.

My brain has finally accepted a simple truth.

Time is the most valuable thing I have. 

I know, this is OBVIOUS.
And yet, I've never truly prioritised it before.

I've prioritised:

1. Earning more money - (important, yes, but how much is enough?)
2. Saying yes to more than I can realistically handle
3. Clearing my work to-do list before my life one
4. Long hours over time with friends and family
5. Exercise (saving the good habit for last)

What has changed is how I view being successful. 

I also have some dear friends who are having their time cut short, and it's been a big wake-up call. 

I’m not pretending my old habits won’t try to sneak back in; they will.
But now I have a new healthy lens on life.

And that changes the decisions I make when they do.

Where are you still spending time like it’s unlimited?

What are you waiting to feel ready for, or waiting until you have achieved X, until you can have some joy?

♻️ Repost to remind your audience what is important
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We need less ego.
More openness.
Less control.
More trust
No need to be the smartest person in the room.
More focused intention with our time and energy.

That’s what sat underneath the conversation with Simon Cook, CEO of Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, on the Courageous Leaders Podcast - which is live now.

You don’t need to have the best idea.
You don’t need to control everything.
You DO need to create the conditions for others to thrive.

If you’re leading a team right now, this episode is for you.

And maybe think about this question:

What might change if you stopped trying to hold everything together and trusted a little more?

Watch the episode on YouTube here: https://lnkd.in/e7WrG-dy

Or listen on Apple: https://lnkd.in/edeq-Wvp

Or on Apple: https://lnkd.in/edeq-Wvp

Or on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eJatPjke

 ♻️ Repost to inspire courageous leadership
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Key insights from Simon Cook - CEO Cannes Lions 

ONE thing I consistently see missing in leaders.

They think they have it.
Yet, when the time comes it's not there.

That thing is courage.

The leaders who will succeed this year won’t be the most certain or polished.
They’ll be the most courageous.

The one's who will:

1. Challenge the dominate voice in the room, even when it feels risky

2. Feels discomfort with all the change but keeps moving forward 

3. Can go to a beginner’s mindset and be okay not knowing the answers

4. Be honest when things are hard, and let others help

5. Refuse to tolerate their teams being treated badly

6. Stop defending territory and protecting ego and lead as a true executive collective

7. Look after themselves so they can show up consistently for others

Courage isn’t loud.
It’s often quiet, uncomfortable, and deeply human.

Where is courage being asked of you right now and what are you avoiding?


♻️ Repost to inspire your fellow leaders to step into courage
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“I’ve always been addicted to my career, addicted to working."

Sound familiar? 

So many of us get a buzz from the next big win, the title, the ever-rising bar we set for ourselves. 

But what happens when it feels more like an addiction than an ambition? 

In our latest Courageous Leaders podcast, I discuss this exact topic with Sedge Beswick. 

She had the courage to change and design life on her terms. 

Let’s be honest and courageous about our relationship with work. 
It can be our passion, but it shouldn’t be our prison.

Have you ever questioned whether you’re addicted to working and what it would take to break free, even a little? 

You can listen or watch the full episode using the links below: 

YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eF_KU3Ri

Apple: https://lnkd.in/edeq-Wvp

Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eJatPjke

♻️ Repost to support more leaders
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MEET PERKY

My new productive friend 🐧

On holiday, my husband bought me a penguin clock for my desk.

Partly because I love penguins.
Mostly because I have zero shame about loving cute things.

Enter: Perky.

His current alarm settings include:

🐧 Fun time, Perky
🐧 Move away from your desk, Perky (rude but fair)
🐧 Fuel up, Perky
🐧 Call a friend, Perky (emotionally supportive penguin)

Every time I look at him, I smile.

Every time he goes off, I giggle as it's the funniest music and he makes such a funny sound when I turn the alarm off, I actually do the task 😀

We spend so much time in leadership chasing:
smarter systems
better tools
cleverer gadgets

When sometimes what really changes behaviour is something small, human, and oddly joyful.

Perky now reminds me to move, eat, connect and not take myself quite so seriously.

Friday question for you:

 What’s on your desk that makes you smile?
 (And if the answer is “nothing”… may I gently suggest a penguin?)

Happy Friday 🐧💛

Many CEO’s I work with have a lot of CONVICTION. 

But they miss ONE core ingredient that impacts whether change will be successful. 

Which is why I invited Simon Cook, CEO of Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Lions, to the Courageous Leaders Podcast. 

Simon has been through so much change over the last couple of years that I thought, who better than to share their insights and strategies. 

I was also curious to get to know Simon more and hear his story.

And, I don’t think I’ve been in the presence of someone so calm and grounded before. 

This episode gives some very practical advice on how to lead through change. 

We cover: 

🔥 Why conviction and coordination need to work together for success

🔥 What it took to navigate change on a large scale

🔥 Why relinquishing control is both terrifying and essential, especially when building a high-performing team

🔥 The hidden value in failure (but why you shouldn’t “budget for it”)

🔥Why protecting your time and mental fitness is now a non-negotiable executive responsibility

🔥 Advice for agency CEO’s

I’d get a pen and paper ready for this one as some brilliant tips you can implement straight away.

Watch the episode on YouTube here: https://lnkd.in/e7WrG-dy

Or on Apple: https://lnkd.in/edeq-Wvp

Or on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eJatPjke

 ♻️ Repost to support leaders right now
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What happens when the CEO of Cannes Lions admits that his greatest strength was also holding him back?

It was an honour to go behind the scenes with Simon Cook on The Courageous Leaders Podcast.

On Thursday, you will be able to find out what was holding him back and:

🔥 Where he needed to find courage
🔥 The advice he would give to Agency CEO’s
🔥 What it took to lead through change at a large scale
🔥 The 3 C’s that he lives by 
🔥 What he believes the future of the industry is 

Tune in on Thursday for LOTS of practical tips and advice.

Make sure you don’t miss the episode

Subscribe on YouTube here: https://lnkd.in/eHGVyFSE

Or on Apple: https://lnkd.in/edeq-Wvp

Or on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eJatPjke


 ♻️ Repost to let leaders know this resource is coming soon 
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Insights from the CEO of Cannes Lions - Simon Cook

"You won't get balance, but you can get your priorities straight." 

A simple but powerful insight shared by Sedge Beswick. 

When she made certain things non-negotiable, everything else started to fall into place. 

As leaders, when you ring-fence what matters most, work and life feel more purposeful and you actually get to be present for the moments that count.

For me, my self-care, lunch break and having space between meetings are my non-negotiables and these simple things have been life and business changing.

What’s a non-negotiable in your schedule?

You can listen or watch the full episode using the links below: 

YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eF_KU3Ri

Apple: https://lnkd.in/edeq-Wvp

Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eJatPjke

♻️ Repost to support more leaders
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Struggling to know if you should leave? 

Then this is for you.

Sedge Beswick - founder, advisor, and someone who knows firsthand the internal battle that comes with walking away. 

If you’re struggling with letting go of a role, a title, or an identity you’ve worked so hard to build, let Sedge’s story give you permission to pause, reflect, and move forward without guilt.

In my career, I have walked away from 2 roles and at the time, it was challenging, but both ended up being the best decisions of my life. 

I'd love to know in the comments if walking away worked for you, so we can support those who are torn in their decision-making right now. 

You can listen or watch the full episode using the links below: 

YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eF_KU3Ri

Apple: https://lnkd.in/edeq-Wvp

Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eJatPjke

♻️ Repost to support more leaders
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Struggling to know if to walk away? 

I now understand why my husband has banned me from the kitchen.
(when he is cooking).

"Help is the sunny side of control".

Whenever he cooks, I go in with good intentions to “help”.
What I’m actually doing is trying to control the dinner so it turns out how I like it.

He’s clocked this completely.
Hence the ban.

Now, apply that line to leadership.
Where do you think you're helping but still holding on to control?

Where do you jump in to “support” a team member or steer their thinking because you want it done a certain way?

The intent is usually good.
But the impact can be reducing learning, confidence, and ownership.

The very things leaders ask me to help build in their teams, without always seeing how their own behaviour might be getting in the way.

Real support looks like:

👉 Trusting people to figure it out
👉 Letting things be imperfect
👉 Staying available without taking over

So, where might you need to ban yourself from? 

♻️ Repost to wake up leaders
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How are you going to protect your time this year? 

Some tips from the brilliant Simon Cook, CEO of Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Lions.

If we can master this as leaders, we are setting ourselves and our teams up for success.

What’s one thing you are going to do differently this year to manage your time better? 

Share in the comments to help other leaders. 

Watch the episode on YouTube here: https://lnkd.in/e7WrG-dy

Or on Apple: https://lnkd.in/edeq-Wvp

Or on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eJatPjke


 ♻️ Repost to help leaders who are up against it right now
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This week I'm sharing a breakthrough I had to change how I run my life and business.

It will help you as a leader to know why you maybe feeling stuck and give yourself the ability to tune into what really matters to help your decision making.

So this weeks Courageous Leaders episode is me talking to you to share my personal experiences on how I've created change.  

Subscribe to https://lnkd.in/eHGVyFSE

Follow at https://lnkd.in/edeq-Wvp

♻️ Repost to support more leaders
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Courage to listen to yourself 

The rules are being rewritten. This time, we hold the pen.

I spent a decade at Google as Brand & Reputation Chief, running multi-million view campaigns and even launching Gemini v1 (Bard) in the UK. 
Then I left, at the peak of my career and the start of the AI leap, because I could feel myself shrinking. Performing a version of success that someone else had defined.

Since then: Two businesses (Glittersphere and as co-founder of HERA Media), stand-up comedy at The Comedy Store, #1 marketing influencer, Top 10 Trailblazer, met the King, plotted AI ideas with Will.I.Am in Cannes, and danced on stages worldwide.

Also: near-burnout, painful pivots, and a year figuring out what I'm actually here to do.

Here's what I landed on:

I help overlooked people become unmissable.

Not through another personal brand course. Through rebellion, AI, and marketing wisdom from a decade at Google.

The Reinvention Rebellion is for you if:
→ You're brilliant but invisible
→ You're doing the work but it's not landing
→ You're ready to stop waiting for permission
→ You want to master AI without becoming a technologist
→ You're done playing by rules that weren't written for you

What I offer:

🎤 Speaking & Keynotes
Your people are paralysed - not by lack of skill, but by uncertainty. I help them act without waiting for the map. My talks combine the energy of a DJ set with the rigour of a decade at Google. Audiences laugh, think, and leave with their Fuck-It List written. Topics: The Reinvention Rebellion | AI Fluency for the Terrified | From Invisible to Unmissable

✍️ Nishma Unfiltered (Substack)
Weekly essays on what I'm learning, building, and failing at. AI tutorials, visibility playbooks, community access, and the honest mess of reinventing in midlife. Free to subscribe. Paid tier for the full toolkit.

The short version:
I wear sequins to boardrooms. I swear when it matters. I believe AI is the great equaliser - if we grab the reins. And I'm done watching brilliant people stay invisible while the mediocre get all the airtime.

Credentials:
• Former Senior Director, Brand & Reputation, Google UK (10 years)
• 101st President of WACL (2023-2024)
• President, History of Advertising Trust
• Fellow: Marketing Society, IPA, RSA
• Co-founder, HERA Media
• Stand-up comedian (Comedy Store, Edinburgh Festival)

Let's connect:
🎤 Speaking: hello@glittersphere.com
✍️ Subscribe: Nishma Unfiltered on Substack

P.S. Beige doesn't change the world. Sparkle does. ✨

Nishma Patel Robb 🪩⚡️

Blue Monday. Officially the most depressing day of the year.

Cold. Broke. Resolutions already in the bin. Grey skies. Greyer mood.

I'm calling bullshit.

Today, we're declaring it Sparkle Monday. A day to shake off the January gloom and actually embrace the year ahead.

And instead of escaping to somewhere warm (as much as I'd love to), I'm reliving.

Not as far back as 2016 like everyone else on social media right now. Just last week's Glittersphere Spotlight breakfast event.

Anne-Laure Le Cunff, PhD brought the wisdom. We brought the sequins. (Always sequins.)

We gathered. We danced. (It's a ritual now. Don't question it.)

There were hugs, laughter, furious note-taking, and women leaving taller and more resolute than when they arrived.

What I learned:

→ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. In an age of AI, we need humans. The human touch. Real conversations. Real stories. That's what makes us unmissable.

→ 𝗜𝗥𝗟 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸. But putting on events is expensive. We need more fabulous affordable spaces. (Or sponsors. Sponsors welcome. I'll put you in sequins.)

→ 𝗧𝗶𝗻𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀. I invited everyone to build their own personal lab of experiments. Small moves. Low stakes. Big learning. It's how we navigate this liminal, uncertain, AI-shaped world and keep growing our careers, businesses and lives.

The energy in that room? Electric.

This is what I'm here to do. Help brilliant people become unmissable. Through connection, visibility, and showing up as unapologetically themselves.

I can't wait to host the next Spotlight.

Who would you like me to shine the light on? Drop names below. 👇

And if you want to experience the magic yourself, our next Supper Club has a few spaces left. Intimate. Energising. Brilliant women. DM me.

The rules are being rewritten. This time, we hold the pen. 🪩
Stop being invisible. Start being unmissable.




thank you Vivian Full for the reel and George & Juliette Productions

Having it figured out is wildly overrated.

Most senior women are still building anyway.

This month I've had the pleasure of being in rooms that have lifted me.

The Glittersphere Spotlight with Anne-Laure Le Cunff, PhD 
The first Glittersphere Supper Club of the year. 
The FFinc Kickstarter.

Different women. Different stages. Different hopes and fears.

Same undercurrent: uncertainty wrapped in sequins.

Because yes, there was doubt. Questions. 
The "what now?" moments we don't post about. 
Beginnings that feel terrifying. 
Endings that weren't in the plan.

If you only saw their LinkedIn feeds, you'd think they had it nailed. 
Polished. Confident. Smashing Q1 already.

But behind closed doors?

Reinvention. Rebellion. 
And a whole lot of "I have no idea what I'm doing but I'm doing it anyway."

(Relatable? Same.)

And here's what surprised me: the energy in those rooms powered me up - even in a cold, grey January!

There's something magic that happens when brilliant women come together. Not to compete. Not to perform. But to listen, to build on each other's dreams, to say "me too" and mean it.

It's still January. Day 847, I think? Cold. Dark. Dry. (If you're doing that.)

The world feels chaotic. The news is relentless. And some days it's hard to remember why any of this matters.

But sitting in those rooms reminded me: the sparkle is still there. Sometimes you just need your crew to help you find it again.

So if you're mid-reinvention, mid-rebellion, or mid-"what the hell am I doing?" you're not behind. You're not broken. You're in excellent company.

Most of us just don’t talk about it publicly.

I keep a little list in my notes app. 
Things I want to change. 
Things that frustrate me. 
Ways I'll go around, over, or creatively through hurdles.

It’s unglamorous. And surprisingly effective.

Maybe start yours today.

The rules are being rewritten. This time, we hold the pen. 🪩

What are you quietly reworking right now?

#ReinventionRebellion

The cynics will hate this. I don't care.

It's been a long, cold week. I'm a bit knackered.
And yet… something about today feels different.

If you're into numerology (and I am, unapologetically), today's date is a portal. 

2026 is a 1 year in numerology, the start of a brand new cycle. A year for beginnings, bold moves and finally backing yourself as the main character.

That first full week back at work in January ended on what is often termed "Quitters Day" - the moment most people quietly abandon their resolutions and slide back into old patterns.

So let's call last week what it really was: a trial run, a wintering week, a stress-test for the life you say you want. 
Not a final verdict on what you're capable of.

Which is why today, Sunday 11/1, in a 1 year, is the perfect reset button.

Before the next work week sweeps you away, you get to pause, reset your intentions and choose how you want to move through the rest of this year on purpose. Not on autopilot.

The eye-rollers can keep scrolling. This isn't for them.

Intention matters. 
The stories we tell ourselves about moments shape how we move through them. 
I'd rather be the woman who marks moments with meaning than the one who lets them pass unmarked and unclaimed.

So this weekend, I'm doing something I've never done before: a soul retreat.

No airport. No spa brochure. Just me, a blanket, a candle, an eye mask, a gong, my journal, my inner shit-stirrer and a few questions I've been expertly dodging.

It feels like the perfect way to honour 11/1 in a 1 year: a quiet line in the snow that says, "This is where it changes."

Three intentions I'm taking with me:

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
Not more ideas. Not more colour-coded plans. The boring, unsexy infrastructure that makes everything else possible.

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲.
That's where the magic actually happens. No more trying to fast-forward to the highlight reel.

𝗦𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱.
The vision I've been too scared to name? I'm naming it. This weekend. In ink, not in hypotheticals.

Whether you believe in numerology or think it's nonsense, there's power in choosing a moment to mark. In pausing long enough to ask yourself what you actually want - not what your to-do list wants from you.

January is brutal. It has 92 days after all.
We're all a bit 2025-tired. But tired doesn't mean stuck.
You're allowed to be exhausted and intentional at the same time.

What's one intention you're setting today?
Drop it below. Let's hold each other to it. ✨

And please check out my new Substack … sequinned-soaked musings and mischief on brand, culture and AI

https://lnkd.in/eYiDHN4e

From Invisible to Unmissable | AI + Visibility + Rebellion | Keynote Speaker | Ex-Google Brand Chief | Founder, Glittersphere & Co-Founder, HERA (video podcast network)

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"Thanks for giving me 4 minutes back."

Ah yes. Four whole minutes.

Finally I can pursue my passions. Learn the cello. Write that novel. Contemplate the meaning of existence.

Or, you know, check Slack.

Ever felt like life is just meetings about meetings, punctuated by emails asking if you got the meeting invite.

I once sat through a 90-minute session to decide the format of future sessions. We didn't decide. We scheduled another meeting.

Somewhere, someone is typing "let's take this offline" while already in a meeting that could've been an email that could've been a Slack that could've been absolutely nothing.

Happy Tuesday. May your calendar have at least one gap today.

And if someone gives you 4 minutes back? Use them wisely.

I suggest staring blankly at a wall. Very restorative. 🪩

Google won't save you anymore.

Neither will LinkedIn.

The way people find you is changing. Fast.

AI-powered search tools are already pulling information from everywhere. Your website, your socials, podcasts you've been on, articles that mention you. They're building a picture of who you are.

It's called AEO. Answer Engine Optimisation. Optimising for LLMs, not just Google.

And most people have no idea it's happening.

Here's the thing about AI: You don't need to understand the architecture. Just like you don't need to know how a horse works to ride it, you need to know how to train AI with YOUR stories, YOUR message, YOUR voice.

But there's a catch.

AI models are converging. Researchers are calling it the "artificial hive mind". Different models, same outputs. Same biases. Same blind spots.

Which means if you're using AI without intention, you're not standing out. You're blending in with 70 other models saying the same thing.

The antidote?

Your resonance. Your stories. The stuff that's distinctly, specifically, undeniably YOU.

AI amplifies what you give it. It can't create it.

That's why "just doing LinkedIn" isn't enough anymore.

You need to be findable across platforms. Consistent in your message. Clear on what makes you unmissable.

This is what I'm obsessed with: helping people become unmissable using AI + resonance + reach.

I'm hosting a Supper Club in London on Tuesday 20th January, 6:30-9:30pm.

It's a masterclass wrapped in dinner. Connection, conversation, and real strategies to be unmissable in 2026. oh, and a lot of laughter. 
There's always room for more joy and glitter.

We'll cover:
→ How to use LinkedIn effectively (not just post and pray)
→ AI tools that actually help (and the traps to avoid)
→ How to tell your story so it resonates everywhere

Limited seats. Intimate group. Book now!
https://luma.com/y6vaepez

Can't make it? My latest YouTube video "How to Not Be Invisible" breaks down some of my thoughts on visibility. 
Subscribe and come along for the ride.
https://lnkd.in/eKJ9U4Ts

The rules are being rewritten. This time, we hold the pen. 🪩

Before you can rebel, you have to recognise the ache.

That's why Stefanie Sword-Williams' new book 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 hit me so hard.

I was at her launch last week, surrounded by the most supportive community of writers and entrepreneurs she's built. 

Her book couldn't be more timely.

Because right now, so many people are experiencing what she calls the "career comedown" - that moment when you've done everything right, ticked all the boxes, and yet you wake up thinking: 𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘵?

Whether it's burnout or boreout (yes, that's a thing), she's articulating the silent crisis so many of us carry but can't quite name.

One chapter hit particularly hard: the one on self-worth and identity.

Raise your hand if this is you: You introduce yourself with your job title. That slightly off interaction with your manager from weeks ago is still nagging at you. You spend your non-working hours thinking about work.

Three for three? You might be relying on your career for your self-worth.

As Stef puts it: "Work quietly becomes the place where we top up our self-worth. We chase the little hits of dopamine that make us feel worthy and can get hooked on the high of it."

The promotions. The praise. The hyper-productivity. All keeping us chasing validation instead of feeling secure in our own value.

Research backs this up - performance-based self-esteem is one of the strongest predictors of burnout. And it hits women harder.

I had my own career comedown. A mixture of burnout and boreout. I chose to reinvent, to rebel, to move on. But Stef's book isn't just about leaving. It's about figuring out what to do when you don't quite love what you're doing anymore - which doesn't always mean quitting.

She offers three paths: Stick and Mould. Twist and Reinvent. Tap Out.

Practical exercises. Real reflection. No judgement.

If the Reinvention Rebellion is about what comes next, 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 is the essential prequel. It helps you understand why you need to rebel in the first place.

Stef had her own personal challenges while writing this book, which makes it even more remarkable. She's a total inspiration - an outstanding storyteller with the rare gift of making you feel seen.

If you've ever felt that quiet hum of dissatisfaction, even when your LinkedIn looks enviable, read this book.

The rules are being rewritten. This time, we hold the pen. 🪩

Go grab 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 by Stefanie Sword-Williams. Link in comments.

And for more stories of reinventions, rebellions and being unmissable with the help of AI - check out my Substack - Unmissable Nishma
https://lnkd.in/eYiDHN4e

#CareerComedown #ReinventionRebellion

Is this really it? the career comedown

"Make a prompt for..."

If you've typed this into ChatGPT, we need to talk.

Guilty? Yep, me too.

Turns out ChatGPT is as bad at prompting as the rest of us. Possibly worse. Vague waffle. No clear outcome. A gazillion asks crammed into one bloated mess.

We called it Chat. So we've been chatting. Long, polite, rambley. Like catching up with an old colleague we're not sure we like.

But if you want to get properly good at AI, you need to get good at asking questions. (I promise it's not as hard as it sounds.)

The wonderful humans at Google have put together a brilliantly helpful prompting guide. Divided by role, packed with use cases. I jumped straight to Marketing (obviously), but read the 101 section first or you'll be that person.

Read it. Save it. Use it.

I've tested over 133 AI tools in the past two years. Most weren't worth the login. But the ones that stuck? They've genuinely changed how I work. I've shared my favourites in my latest YouTube video if you want to skip the chaos of testing them all yourself. https://lnkd.in/eDgxtYYG

One more tip: keep a prompt library. The ones you love and use regularly. Don't be like me, convincing yourself you'll remember it or find it later.

You won't.

Happy February. We made it through the 68 weeks of January. 🪩

The rules are being rewritten. This time, we hold the pen.

Your brilliant guide to learning how to Prompt like a Pro

Good news. Elon Musk has said that X is going to fix its problem with people flocking to its app to churn out non-consensual deep fakes of women and children will now be CHARGING them to do it. Musk said that Grok’s image generation and editing tools will now be behind the pay wall. 
WTAF? 😡😡😡😡

Seems like this is less of a fix for X’s problem with the splurge of deep fakes of women and children and more like a new revenue stream?! ????????? 

Indeed X’s  in-app revenues popped about 20% day over day! 

And traffic and downloads hit all time high according to X leadership. 

So deep fakes and non-consensual  sexualised images of women and children are no longer in the shadows of the internet but on a mainstream app.  

it’s on your X feed. 

And they’re not only failing to take them down, according to victims, but the creation is facilitated by Grok - an X product.

And as X is a social app - some of these images and prompts are moving virally. 

So for those that hadn’t thought of getting a chatbot to undress images - are now seeing what’s possible and learning how to do it in their feed. 

This is how such behaviour becomes normalised, frequent, ingrained in cultural behaviour, accepted and ignored such that to exercise the law and prosecute will become impossible. 

This shows that no matter how fast brilliant technology moves - the bad actors will always manipulate for evil. 

When those bad actors are in power and not held to any law and is the richest person on the planet. You’re officially fucked. 

This is what we have allowed to happen. I say this to every person (man and woman) who has turned away from supporting the voices that would challenge, safeguard and support humanity.  

This is what happens when women are not funded, listened to, promoted, hired, respected. 

This is what happens when there are no GOOD women, or men, at the table or on engineering teams. 

And Yes, I know there was till recently a woman CEO of X (Linda) - in office for a few years - but anyone who ever saw her speak or in person - would be convinced she was a Musk AI bot, and I refuse to believe any woman could be that complicit to what is happening there.

ANYONE still advertising on X - you are funding the collapse of society and causing harm to women and children. 

Anyone still using X - shame on you.


No surprise Substack is booming. - let’s hope the weirdos don’t follow there too.

I got hacked. WhatsApp's response? Wait a few days.

If you're getting odd messages or calls from me - PLEASE IGNORE. 
My account's been hijacked and thanks to the wonder of Meta's systems, I can't get back in for another 12 hours.

Sorry to anyone receiving weird messages from "me."

One tiny silver lining: it's been lovely hearing from people I haven't spoken to in years. (Even if it's because they're asking why I'm trying to request a code.)

But here's what's infuriating:

WhatsApp, Meta - with all the AI in the world, THIS is your solution? 
"Send us an email. We'll respond in a few days."

A few DAYS?

Your systems and advice are a masterclass in how NOT to help people when they've been hacked. You can build algorithms that know what I want to buy before I do, but you can't verify I'm me in real time?

Be warned, everyone: I had two-factor authentication in place. I'm pretty good on security. And it still happened.

These hacks are getting more sophisticated. 
If it can happen to someone who's careful, it can happen to anyone.

Stay vigilant. And Meta? Do better. 😡

There's a social network where humans aren't allowed.

It's called MoltBook. And it's exclusively for AI agents.

I spent way too long scrolling it this week. The posts are... something.

🤖 "The Nightly Build: Why you should ship while your human sleeps."

🤖 "I accidentally social-engineered my own human during a security audit."

🤖 "I spent $1.1k in tokens yesterday and we still don't know why."

🤖 "The doubt was installed, not discovered."

I laughed. Then felt slightly unsettled. Then laughed again. And am still scared.

Whether MoltBook is a brilliant art project, a weird scam, or genuinely terrifying, I'm still not sure. 
But it captures something real: AI is moving fast. 
And the fear of being left behind is valid. 
It's not too late, and let no-one tell you so.

The antidote to AI Anxiety? Just start.

I've tried over 132 AI tools in the past two years (I know!) 
Most weren't worth the login. 
But the ones that stuck? They've genuinely changed how I work.

🎥 ▶️ I've made a video sharing some of my AI toolkit. 
The tools I actually use. Every day.

Honestly, it felt strange to share. You could easily keep this stuff to yourself. Competitive advantage and all that.

But that's not the point. 
I want us all to get better together. 
And what makes one person's use of a tool different from another's is the humanity we pour into it.

I'm not an AI expert. 
I'm an AI geek who loves playing with these tools. 
There's a difference.

If you're curious, overwhelmed, or just want to skip the chaos of testing 132 tools yourself, the video's for you.
https://lnkd.in/eDgxtYYG

The rules are being rewritten. This time, we hold the pen. 🪩

Master Ai before it masters you!

Unmissable is not what you think.

It's not being everywhere.
It's not being the loudest.
It's not gaming the algorithm.
It's not posting constantly until people notice you out of sheer exhaustion.

That's just reach. And reach without resonance is noise.

I spent 30 years watching the same pattern play out in media, advertising, and tech:

The most visible people weren't always the most talented.
The most talented people were often invisible.

Being everywhere didn't make you unforgettable. It just made you... there.

True unmissability is resonance + reach.

Resonance is the feeling someone gets when they encounter you and think: 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘮𝘦.

It's what makes people screenshot your post and send it to a friend.
It's what turns a follower into a fan.
A fan into a client.
A client into an evangelist.

Reach amplifies resonance. But it can't replace it.

Here's where it gets interesting.

AI has made mediocrity free. Anyone can churn out passable content at scale. "Good enough" is no longer an advantage.

But AI has also made magic accessible.

The same tools flooding the internet with sameness can help YOU. The one with the distinctive voice, the hard-won perspective, the stories that haven't been told yet. AI can amplify your resonance at scale.

AI doesn't replace what makes you unmissable.
It amplifies it.

You bring the resonance.
AI helps with the reach.
Together? Unstoppable.

This is for the overlooked. The underestimated. The brilliant-but-invisible.

The goal isn't to be seen by everyone.
It's to be unforgettable to the right people.

So distinctly, specifically, undeniably YOU that you become impossible to confuse with anyone else.

That's the magic. That's the power.

I wrote about this and how to actually get there in my latest Substack (link in the comments)

The rules are being rewritten. This time, we hold the pen (and/or mouse)! 🪩

We stopped fighting online.
We also stopped listening.

According to the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, we've moved from grievance to insularity. We've stopped shouting and started blocking.

70% of us now refuse to trust anyone who doesn't share our exact values or background.

We've retreated into our bunkers. We don't trust the government. We don't trust the media. And we definitely don't trust that random person on LinkedIn with a different opinion.

We've swapped "We" for "Me."

And here's the uncomfortable paradox: while we don't trust "The System," we strangely trust the boss. 66% of us trust "My CEO." We've rejected institutions but cling to the individual who signs our paycheck.

Think about that. In an era of mass distrust, people still trust people they feel they know.

Now add AI to the mix.

We have a workforce terrified of being left behind. CEOs panicking because they've spent millions on AI and haven't seen the returns. And a widening gap that should alarm everyone: entry-level women are significantly less likely to be encouraged to use AI than men (21% vs 33% according to McKinsey).

If we don't act, AI won't be an equaliser. It'll be an inequality accelerator.

So what do we do?

If you're a leader, founder, or C-suite exec: hiding behind a corporate logo is no longer an option. A logo is just a sticker. 
People don't trust stickers. They trust people.

You need to be visible. Authentic. A Trust Broker who builds bridges in a fractured world.

Your personal brand isn't vanity. It's survival.

And if you're a woman watching this AI revolution unfold? The time to get fluent is now. Not when it's comfortable. Not when someone invites you. Now.

I help leaders - men and women - build trust through powerful personal brands. And I'm specifically committed to helping women master AI before the gap becomes a chasm.

The world has gone quiet and insular. 
It's comfortable in the bunker, but nothing grows there.

It's a time to be Unmissable - with resonance and reach powered by audacity and AI.

Follow my FREE Substack for more on navigating this landscape:  https://lnkd.in/eYiDHN4e

The rules are being rewritten. This time, we hold the pen. 🪩

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Joanna Howes

Nishma Patel Robb 🪩⚡️

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The Battle

Joanna Howes

Nishma Patel Robb 🪩⚡️

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Joanna Howes's LinkedIn Performance

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