In this episode, Angela speaks with Mairead McCarthy, about stepping away from a corporate career without knowing exactly what would come next. What began as a decision to “try something for a year” gradually evolved into an award winning wellbeing business working with organisations across Ireland.

Together they explore what happens when a role no longer fits, how small decisions can lead to bigger change, and why building something sustainable often starts with taking a step rather than making a leap.

• Why leaving corporate is often a “push” rather than a “pull”.

• The impact of leadership and management changes on career decisions.

• The idea of “trying it for a year” instead of committing long-term.

• Turning a side interest into a business over time.

• The difference between wellbeing as a cost vs an investment.

• The reality of running a business and doing everything at the start.

• Creating boundaries and building something that actually fits your life.

Mairead McCarthy is the founder of WellPlace Workplace Wellbeing Services. After more than 16 years working in corporate roles across training, project and programme management, she stepped away to explore a long-standing interest in yoga and wellbeing.

What started as a small step into self-employment has grown into a business supporting organisations with a broader approach to workplace wellbeing, working with a network of specialists to deliver flexible, tailored programmes.

Website: https://wellplace.ie LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mairead-mccarthy Instagram: instagram.com/wellplaceireland

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/angelajscottuk/

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Email: angela@joynergi.com

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This is a short solo episode recorded after two very different events this week, one in person and one online, where the same underlying pattern kept showing up in different ways. I wanted to capture it while it was still fresh. I explore the tension between “all or nothing” and “enough” and how the standards we hold can shape whether we move forward or get stuck.

I talk about why this happens, what’s usually sitting underneath it, and how it shows up across work, business and life more broadly. And I introduce a different way of thinking about it. If you’ve ever felt the pressure to do everything properly, to have it all figured out before you start, or to wait until you can do something “right”, this will likely resonate.

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Leadership often looks clear and confident from the outside. But inside complex organisations, the reality can feel very different.

In this episode, Angela speaks with organisational psychologist and leadership practitioner Leah Stockley about the gap between what leadership looks like on paper and how it actually feels in practice. Drawing on more than three decades inside large organisations, Leah shares what happens when culture shifts, values get overridden and even senior leaders realise they have far less control than people assume.

Together they explore why the system often wins, how identity gets tangled up in leadership roles, and what it takes to create meaningful momentum without burning people out.

• The hidden constraints senior leaders face inside organisations

• Why leadership culture can shift faster than people realise

• The illusion of control in complex corporate systems

• What happens when a role you believed in stops aligning with your values

• Why small, intentional actions often drive the most meaningful change

Leah Stockley is an organisational psychologist, leadership practitioner and founder of Let’s Flow. With more than 30 years of experience across global banks, consultancies, FinTech and start-ups, she has led large teams across both business and technology.

After completing an MSc in Organisational Psychology mid-career, Leah now focuses on helping leaders create meaningful momentum through small, intentional actions that improve both business outcomes and the human experience of work.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/leahstockley Website: letsflow.sg/

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