Episode Guest:

Prashant Narula is Managing Director of Ciklum UK, where he helps organisations use technology and AI to build better products and experiences. He is passionate about leadership, resilience and helping people grow through honest, values-led careers.

Episode Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

0:19 Why success is about what you give, not what you get

1:00 The true traits of a great leader

1:55 Meeting Prashant Narula

2:14 Prashant’s first job on the factory floor

3:09 The importance of a great manager early in your career

4:31 How honesty landed Prashant his first role in tech

5:28 Why honesty, resilience and reliability matter most

7:21 Why resilience is more important than ever today

8:41 Build a multi-skilled support network

10:08 How to network by giving value first

11:24 From beginner to leadership roles in hypergrowth companies

12:30 Leading teams through tough times

13:04 The leadership principles that actually work

14:48 Enabling teams vs micromanaging

15:02 Can everyone become a leader?

16:21 Career advice that changed everything

17:02 Make your work visible to leadership

18:52 When careers feel messy and chaotic

19:42 Why chaos early in your career is a good thing

20:22 Lessons in resilience from Ukrainian teams

22:51 The importance of understanding different cultures

24:05 Why learning never stops

25:02 The power of 30 minutes of daily learning

27:30 Why you shouldn’t compare your career to others

27:39 Inside Ciklum and what they do

31:01 The risks and opportunities of AI

32:09 Why now is the best time to join Ciklum

33:29 The invisible habits behind success

34:22 Stop worrying about what others think

36:23 Final thoughts

36:47 Prashant’s duvet flip

Episode Partners:

📊 Compare the Market

Discover how you can make a difference at Compare the Market, the company behind one of the UK’s most popular comparison sites. From tech and data to marketing and operations, they’re on a mission to simplify decisions for millions.

https://bit.ly/4i53Svj

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you’re struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you’re struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Episode Guest:

Alan Vallance is Chief Executive of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), a role he took up in April 2024. He is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant and an experienced leader of major professional bodies, having previously led the Chartered Insurance Institute, the Royal Institute of British Architects and held senior roles at the Law Society.

Episode Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

0:23 Meet Alan Vallance, CEO of ICAEW

1:03 The Power of Networking in Your Career

1:18 Why Networking Is Non-Negotiable

1:22 What Gets Alan Out of Bed (His Duvet Flip)

1:56 First Jobs and Early Career Lessons

3:08 The Importance of Teamwork Early On

3:46 Passion, Cars and Career Direction

5:07 Rejection vs Redirection

6:28 Why Getting a Job Is a Full-Time Job

7:02 Why Personalised Applications Matter

8:00 How to Be Authentic in Interviews

9:25 Biggest Job Application Mistakes

10:36 The Reality of Today’s Job Market

11:41 60,000 Applicants for 2,000 Jobs

12:25 Why You Shouldn’t Apply for Too Many Jobs

13:12 Lessons from EY and Becoming an Accountant

14:46 Accountancy vs AI: Is It Future Proof?

16:24 How AI Is Changing the Profession

18:21 Why Accountancy Is Still a Great Career

20:10 Moving to Australia and Global Opportunities

22:49 Leadership, Crisis and the Weather Bureau

24:23 The Power of Your Network

26:29 How to Grow Your Career the Right Way

27:54 What ICAEW Does and Why It Matters

30:22 Building Careers and Changing Lives

32:18 Alan’s Duvet Flip

Episode Partners:

📊 Compare the Market

Discover how you can make a difference at Compare the Market, the company behind one of the UK’s most popular comparison sites. From tech and data to marketing and operations, they’re on a mission to simplify decisions for millions.

https://bit.ly/4i53Svj

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you’re struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you’re struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Episode Guest

Andrew Hawkins is Technology Director at Compare the Market, where he focuses on building world-class engineering capability and helping teams embrace AI-led transformation. He is known for his thoughtful, people-first approach to leadership, with a strong emphasis on curiosity, impact and continuous learning.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:22 Andrew’s first job and early career lessons

2:14 Taking risks and stepping into the unknown

3:40 The failure that changed Andrew’s career

4:39 Failure is framing: a powerful mindset shift

5:34 Using failure to build resilience and confidence

6:06 Curiosity, open-mindedness and career growth

7:22 How to become more curious in your career

8:17 Dropping fear and leaning into new opportunities

9:20 Why AI feels like the early internet

10:04 How to think about AI in business and problem-solving

11:02 Why AI won’t replace engineers

12:27 Andrew’s non-linear career journey

13:09 Do what makes you happy and plays to your strengths

14:11 Why traditional career advice is broken

15:03 Transferable skills from unexpected jobs

15:37 Why having fun at work matters

16:31 Handling periods when you don’t enjoy your job

17:14 Self-awareness and taking responsibility for change

18:10 When to adapt vs when to move on

19:05 How Andrew joined Compare the Market

20:07 The role of AI in business transformation

21:04 Why company values matter when choosing a job

22:46 Top interview tips to stand out

24:07 Building rapport and being yourself in interviews

26:15 The best question to ask in a tech interview

27:34 How companies should approach AI transformation

29:20 Becoming a world-class engineering organisation

30:19 Why now is the most exciting time in tech

31:38 Lessons from the early internet boom

32:32 Will AI replace human conversations?

32:50 What keeps Andrew motivated at Compare the Market

34:11 Why technology is all about people

34:44 The best career advice Andrew follows

36:12 Andrew’s duvet flip: making an impact every day

37:05 Final thoughts and reflections

Episode Partners

📊 Compare the Market

Discover how you can make a difference at Compare the Market, the company behind one of the UK’s most popular comparison sites. From tech and data to marketing and operations, they’re on a mission to simplify decisions for millions.

https://bit.ly/4i53Svj

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you’re struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you’re struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Episode Guest:Sharon Dockerty is the Chief People and Places Officer at Lloyds Banking Group, leading people strategy, workplace experience, and culture across a workforce of around 80,000 colleagues. She’s built her career across major organisations including Heathrow and Vodafone, with a leadership style grounded in resilience, straight talking, and backing young people to thrive.Episode Chapters:0:00 Introduction1:18 What Gets You Out of Bed in the Morning2:07 Sharon’s First Job Selling Flowers at 103:24 Sharon’s Journey from Humble Beginnings3:49 The Four Chapters of Sharon’s Career5:05 Why Career Paths Are Rarely Planned6:39 Learning to Work Hard and Create Opportunity7:48 Advice for People in Career Chapter One8:13 How to Know if You’re Working with the Right People9:07 Choosing Positive People in Your Life11:41 What Sharon Would Do Differently Early in Her Career13:12 Building Heathrow Terminal 513:52 What It Means When Leaders Take a Risk on You15:10 Changing Safety Culture in Construction17:38 Lessons from Lifelong Learning19:31 Leading Through Crisis at Heathrow21:29 The Leadership Lesson That Changed Everything22:38 Handling Pressure and Protecting Your Team24:21 Are Young People Less Resilient Today26:12 Inside the Role of Chief People and Places Officer27:30 Leading 80,000 People at Lloyds Banking Group28:32 How Leaders Know if Culture Is Working29:37 From Leaving Home Young to Banking Leadership31:02 Why Apprenticeships Matter32:36 Apprenticeship Opportunities at Lloyds33:58 Why Tech and Data Are the Future34:27 Why Lloyds Banking Group Matters to the UK36:31 Helping Britain Prosper37:20 Advice for Young People About Money37:45 The Power of Saving Early41:51 Sharon’s Duvet FlipEpisode Partners:📊 Compare the MarketDiscover how you can make a difference at Compare the Market, the company behind one of the UK’s most popular comparison sites. From tech and data to marketing and operations, they’re on a mission to simplify decisions for millions.https://bit.ly/4i53SvjDisclaimer:The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.If you’re struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-adviceIf you’re struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Episode Guest:

Meet Lloyd Mann, VP of Culinary and Global Executive Chef at Sodexo, sharing his career journey and what get's him to flip the duvet in the morning, here on My Duvet Flip!

Episode Partners:

📊 Compare the Market

Discover how you can make a difference at Compare the Market, the company behind one of the UK’s most popular comparison sites. From tech and data to marketing and operations, they’re on a mission to simplify decisions for millions.

https://bit.ly/4i53Svj

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you’re struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you’re struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Episode Guest

Ryan Harvey is Head of AI Engineering at Compare the Market, where he builds teams and capabilities to apply AI in ways that accelerate delivery and increase the impact engineers can have. He’s passionate about mentoring, practical problem-solving, and helping the next generation thrive as the world of work rapidly changes.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:27 From a Chip Shop in Cyprus to Tech Support

3:07 Automating the Job: Learning to Work Smarter

5:16 Where Ryan’s Love for Tech Began

8:27 What Makes a Great Software Engineer?

11:45 Learning the Hard Way: Early Career Mistakes

14:06 Cheers and Chores in Engineering

16:54 Startup Life vs Corporate Engineering

19:05 The Pressure of Mission-Critical Software

20:20 Why Compare the Market?

22:09 How to Stand Out in an Engineering Interview

24:04 The Power of Mentors (Inside and Outside Tech)

30:12 The Best Career Advice: Seek Forgiveness, Not Permission

32:23 The Future of Engineering in the AI Era

34:52 AI Won’t Replace Engineers – It Will Elevate Them

37:48 Are We Underestimating Junior Engineers?

41:46 How to Break into Software Engineering Today

43:43 What Gets Ryan Out of Bed in the Morning

Episode Partners

📊 Compare the Market

Discover how you can make a difference at Compare the Market, the company behind one of the UK’s most popular comparison sites. From tech and data to marketing and operations, they’re on a mission to simplify decisions for millions.

https://bit.ly/4i53Svj

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you’re struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you’re struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Episode Guest

Sam Walley

Sam is a Commercial Graduate at Compare the Market, currently rotating through teams as part of the company’s graduate scheme. He’s passionate about taking opportunities outside his comfort zone and building a successful career in the commercial world.

Kelly Howes

Kelly is a Software Engineer Apprentice at Compare the Market, having transitioned into tech through coding bootcamps and hands-on learning. She’s passionate about inclusive workplaces, lifelong learning, and building software that makes a real impact.

George Owens

George is a Risk and Compliance Apprentice at Compare the Market, where he works across the business supporting governance, risk, and regulatory understanding. He enjoys the variety of the role and developing confidence by getting involved from day one.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Meet the apprentices and graduates at Compare the Market

0:28 First impressions of the interview process

1:27 Advice for young people applying for apprenticeships and grad roles

1:53 Welcome to My Duvet Flip with Sam, Kelly and George

2:06 Sam’s background and education journey

2:48 Stepping outside your comfort zone at university

3:38 Growing up on a dairy farm and learning hard work

4:29 Discovering commercial work and internships

5:43 Finding the Compare the Market graduate scheme

6:26 What the commercial graduate scheme looks like

6:38 Life two months into the grad role

7:23 Preparing properly for interviews

7:33 Skills learned so far and financial confidence

8:15 Sam’s first week at Compare the Market

8:52 Company-wide events and culture

11:42 Kelly’s non-traditional career journey

13:12 Running a dance school and learning leadership

14:47 Discovering coding during the pandemic

15:53 Applying for the software engineering apprenticeship

16:56 Feeling welcomed during the interview process

17:26 What a software engineer apprenticeship involves

18:46 Learning while working in a real tech team

19:23 Why apprenticeships are a powerful route into tech

19:39 Supportive and inclusive culture at Compare the Market

20:18 Kelly’s advice for future apprentices

21:04 George’s university experience and career thinking

22:14 Adapting to change during COVID

22:36 Finding the risk and compliance apprenticeship

23:16 What risk and compliance work really looks like

24:16 Surprises in the workplace and flat hierarchy

25:26 Learning by being trusted early

26:19 Personal development and the Talent Academy

26:44 Advice for anyone applying to Compare the Market

27:36 What gets Sam, Kelly and George out of bed each morning

28:34 Final thanks and closing thoughts

Episode Partners

📊 Compare the Market

Discover how you can make a difference at Compare the Market, the company behind one of the UK’s most popular comparison sites. From tech and data to marketing and operations, they’re on a mission to simplify decisions for millions.

https://bit.ly/4i53Svj

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you’re struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you’re struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Episode Guest

Niamh Savill is a Senior Solutions Architect at Halo CRM, where she works across consultancy, product development, and customer solutions. With a background in languages, she brings a people-first, curious approach to solving complex technical challenges.

Episode Timestamps

0:00 Introduction

0:33 Meet Niamh and Why She Said Yes to My Duvet Flip

1:31 Niamh’s First Jobs and Early Lessons About Work

2:42 What Early Roles Teach You About Communication

3:10 How to Communicate Better at Work

3:52 Finding Halo Through Indeed

4:33 From Language Degree to a Tech Career

5:01 Niamh’s Journey at Halo CRM

6:49 Building Confidence and Putting Your Hand Up

7:47 Learning on the Job and Asking Questions

8:02 Niamh’s Best Day at Halo and Travelling for Work

8:58 What Halo Taught Niamh About Being Yourself

9:42 How Niamh Describes Halo’s Culture

10:34 Being a Woman in Tech

11:22 Advice to Young Women Applying for Tech Roles

12:08 Do You Need a Tech Background to Work in Tech?

12:58 A Day in the Life of a Senior Solutions Architect

13:51 Why Relationships Matter at Work

14:31 Dealing With Imposter Syndrome

15:36 Finding Best Friends at Work

16:27 Paul’s Leadership Style at Halo

17:44 Can Ambition and Drive Be Trained?

18:53 Niamh’s Advice to Anyone Applying to Halo

19:12 What Gets Niamh Out of Bed in the Morning

Episode Partners

Check out the latest from Halo:

https://halograduates.com and https://www.instagram.com/halonextgen/

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you’re struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you’re struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/