This is episode 250 of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR. I searched how many podcasts make it to 250 episodes and am advised it's less than 2%.We published our first episode on 1 March 2021 and have published weekly on Mondays at midnight in the UK ever since. Our initial aim was to celebrate the lives and career stories of senior leaders and rising stars in the global automotive industry.Along the way we evolved and added Side Mirror episodes to cover specific topics. Sometimes we invite along a guest expert and other times like this episode I fly solo.I'm going to take the opportunity of this being a landmark episode to share a little about what I hope to achieve from all these conversations and let you know about some exciting changes as we continue to evolve. I am happy to guess that a large proportion of our weekly audience is made up of transient listeners who join to listen to a specific guest, perhaps a friend or colleague or senior leader from their organisation. I'll say more about the value of this later.It's difficult to be sure but I have a sense from the data that we are privileged to also have a loyal core of regular listeners.  I don't believe you're a huge group but what you lack in numbers you make up for in taste and intelligence and I imagine looks and I am incredibly grateful for you showing up each week. The changes I'm going to talk about later will mostly affect you, I hope to your benefit, so please do keep listening to find out more.About AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—a simple, practical way to help leaders cut through silos, get people pulling in the same direction, and build ownership and accountability, so organisations perform better and their people thrive.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and delivered leadership programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae (The Fulfilling Performance Company) to support CEOs and senior leaders in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, peer mentoring, and coaching, we help reduce the unseen friction that drags on performance — and create teams where people deliver, grow, and work constructively togeth

In this Side Mirror, I want to talk about something we all experience — the knowing–doing gap.We live in a world where more knowledge is available to us than to any humans who lived before us. And yet… if knowledge alone were enough, we’d all be billionaires with six-packs by now.Clearly, there’s more to performance than just information.Today, I want to explore why that gap exists — and invite you to cross it by actually using the Fulfilling Performance framework, rather than simply understanding it intellectually.About AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—a simple, practical way to help leaders cut through silos, get people pulling in the same direction, and build ownership and accountability, so organisations perform better and their people thrive.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and delivered leadership programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae (The Fulfilling Performance Company) to support CEOs and senior leaders in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, peer mentoring, and coaching, we help reduce the unseen friction that drags on performance — and create teams where people deliver, grow, and work constructively together.I’m also the host of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, where I share the life and career journeys of key players in the automotive and mobility world to surface insights leaders can apply in their own context.Learn more about Fulfilling PerformanceCheck out Release the Handbrake! The Fulfilling Performance HubConnect with AndyLinkedIn: Andy FollowsEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukJoin a peer mentoring team: Aquilae AcademyThank you to our sponsors:ASKE ConsultingEmail: hello@askeconsulting.co.ukAquilaeEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukEpisode Directory on Instagram

Hacia Atherton is the author of The Billion Dollar Blind$pot, global speaker, and the first female CEO of a major plumbing company in Australia. After surviving a near-fatal horse-riding accident, Hacia turned personal adversity into a global mission—founding Empowered Women in Trades and championing a new era of leadership grounded in psychological safety, inclusive strategy, and bold cultural reform across male-dominated industries.In our conversation, we talk about Hacia’s family background as the fifth generation of a successful Australian business, and how the complementary strengths of her parents—her father’s business discipline and her mother’s creativity—have influenced and inspired her.We then follow an exploratory journey as Hacia heads toward commercial law, refines her choices, and consistently tests opportunities adjusting the mix of business and creativity until she’s truly forging her own path and bringing everything she’s learned to each new role.There’s a wonderful moment on the shop floor, learning to weld, when a simple piece of feedback reframes her thinking about gender in trades—a spark that ultimately contributes to founding Empowered Women in Trades.Her story is brutally interrupted by a serious accident in 2017. We talk about the incident, her long recovery, and how she applied positive psychology to keep moving forward—demonstrating servant leadership even in rehab.Finally, we discuss her book, The Billion Dollar Blind$pot, which explores the link between workplace culture and financial performance.I loved getting to know Hacia through this conversation and I’m excited to share it with you. I look forward to hearing what resonates. We don’t talk explicitly about Fulfilling Performance in this episode, but Hacia’s story is a live example. As you listen, I encourage you to notice the four Guiding Principles at work — Know Why, Be Clear, Equip Yourself, Support Others.Connect with HaciaLinkedInBillion Dollar Blind$pot bookWebsiteEmpowered Women in TradesAbout AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and

In this Side Mirror, I explore a blind spot that affects all of us. It’s something that slowly creeps in as we gain experience, and it quietly widens the gap between what we think our people understand and what they actually do.I’ll share a couple of recent examples — one from a global organisation trying to gather insight, and another from a leader who chose a more hands-on approach — plus a slightly embarrassing personal story from  early in my automotive career.All of them highlight the same human tendency… one that reduces Clarity, Capability, Culture and Purpose without us even noticing.About AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—a simple, practical way to help leaders cut through silos, get people pulling in the same direction, and build ownership and accountability, so organisations perform better and their people thrive.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and delivered leadership programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae (The Fulfilling Performance Company) to support CEOs and senior leaders in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, peer mentoring, and coaching, we help reduce the unseen friction that drags on performance — and create teams where people deliver, grow, and work constructively together.I’m also the host of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, where I share the life and career journeys of key players in the automotive and mobility world to surface insights leaders can apply in their own context.Learn more about Fulfilling PerformanceCheck out Release the Handbrake! The Fulfilling Performance HubConnect with AndyLinkedIn: Andy FollowsEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukJoin a peer mentoring team: Aquilae AcademyThank you to our sponsors:ASKE ConsultingEmail: hello@askeconsulting.co.ukAquilaeEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukEp

My guests often share stories from their careers of stepping into a new role which they know is going to require them to grow but is also going to allow them to leverage knowledge, skills and experience that they have developed in multiple previous positions. It's a very satisfying scenario to find ourselves in because we know that there's a good chance we will be able to bring more of what we've already got — our existing capability — to bear in this new position. It increases our opportunity to add value, perform well and experience fulfilment from doing so. I was able to draw on my own roots and background experience recently when invited to a customer event. My past roles in fleet management, leasing, retail automotive finance and mobility consulting meant that I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in the topics of the day alongside good people. What made it extra special was that it came with a completely unexpected and highly relevant link to the work that I do now to enable Fulfilling Performance.About AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—a simple, practical way to help leaders cut through silos, get people pulling in the same direction, and build ownership and accountability, so organisations perform better and their people thrive.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and delivered leadership programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae (The Fulfilling Performance Company) to support CEOs and senior leaders in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, peer mentoring, and coaching, we help reduce the unseen friction that drags on performance — and create teams where people deliver, grow, and work constructively together.I’m also the host of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, where I share the life and career journeys of key players in the automotive and mobility world to surface insights leaders can apply in their own context.Learn more about Fulfilling PerformanceCheck out Release the Handbrake! The Fulfilling Performance HubConnect with AndyLinkedIn: Andy F

Glenn is the Co-Founder of Simplify Holdings International, a company specialising in personal and automotive finance across New Zealand and Australia. Ten years ago, Glenn and his team spotted a gap in the New Zealand market—limited consumer finance options and an almost non-existent online experience—and built Simplify to solve it.Today, over 17,000 customers have used Simplify, and the business is on track to write over $150 million in finance volume this financial year. Glenn now plays a more strategic role in the group while the day-to-day is led by the team.In our conversation we talk about Glenn’s foundations: growing up just outside Melbourne, Australia, being told by a teacher at 16 that he’d prefer it if Glenn left school, and how he turned that moment into fuel. We revisit his early career in IT, leading teams older than him, and the leadership lesson that it’s more important to be respected than liked.We explore his move to BMW Australia, starting in customer service, building relationships across the organisation, and the practical value of curiosity. We discuss the impact of losing his mum, a period of travel and reflection, and the shift from finance broking as a sole operator to deciding—after a pivotal Tony Robbins event in Los Angeles—to build a bigger business.We then trace the path to Simplify: seeing the New Zealand opportunity, starting small, persevering through perceptions of being “too Australian,” growing a distributed team across NZ and Australia, installing a CEO, and stepping into a strategic role while keeping close to the team and partners.Connect with GlennLinkedInWebsiteAbout AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—designed to help people bring more of themselves to what they do and experience greater fulfilment and performance as a result.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and facilitated leadership development programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae to support leaders and teams in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, coaching,

When I introduce leaders to the Fulfilling Performance framework with its four Diagnostic Questions, they invariably appreciate its simplicity. They find Step 1 relatively easy. This is the part where we use the four questions to identify the most likely sources of unseen friction or handbrakes as we call them. I covered Step 1 in last week's Side Mirror episode where I explained how Fulfilling Performance is a simple tool we can use to act on engagement every single day. Step 2 is to consider options, decide on an action and create a plan to release the handbrake. Depending on the nature of the handbrake, Step 2 can be more complex and less straightforward. The options at your disposal and the quality of your plan will vary according to your level of leadership capability, experience and authority.When we get to Step 2 in our workshops, leaders often ask me to share handbrakes that I or previous participants have identified with examples of how they released them.So in this episode, I want to share four stories from my own career—each one showing a handbrake in action, linked to one of the Four Fundamentals: Clarity, Capability, Culture, and Purpose.They’re real examples of what happens when a Fundamental is lacking—and what could have been done to release the friction.About AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—a simple, practical way to help leaders cut through silos, get people pulling in the same direction, and build ownership and accountability, so organisations perform better and their people thrive.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and delivered leadership programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae (The Fulfilling Performance Company) to support CEOs and senior leaders in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, peer mentoring, and coaching, we help reduce the unseen friction that drags on performance — and create teams where people deliver, grow, and work constructively together.I’m also the host of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, where I share the life and career journeys of key players in the automotive and mobility world to surface insights leaders can apply in thei

I was listening to an interview with Ellyn Shook recently. Ellyn is the Chief Human Resources Officer of Accenture where she is responsible for 774,000 people. She told Michael Gervais on his Finding Mastery podcast that if companies could figure out how to give their leaders tools to act on engagement every day they would see a big difference. The Fulfilling Performance framework is that tool and in this Side Mirror episode I share how I introduce leaders to how it works and get them up and running with it in just a few hours.About AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—designed to help people bring more of themselves to what they do and experience greater fulfilment and performance as a result.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and facilitated leadership development programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae to support leaders and teams in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, coaching, and peer mentoring, we enable high performance that’s also fulfilling—for individuals, teams, and organisations.I’m also the host of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, where I share the life and career journeys of key players in the automotive and mobility world.Learn more about Fulfilling PerformanceCheck out Release the Handbrake! The Fulfilling Performance HubConnect with AndyLinkedIn: Andy FollowsEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukJoin a peer mentoring team: Aquilae AcademyThank you to our sponsors:ASKE ConsultingEmail: hello@askeconsulting.co.ukAquilaeEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukEpisode Directory on Instagram @careerviewmirror  If you enjoy listening to our guests career stories, please follow CAREER-VIEW MIRROR in your podcast app. Episode recorded on 15 October, 2025.

In this Side Mirror, I share a recent frustration that a leader presented to me in a one to one and I use it as an example of how we can apply the Fulfilling Performance framework to a real world business issue - specifically a dip in engagement and morale caused by an impending organisational restructure. About AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—designed to help people bring more of themselves to what they do and experience greater fulfilment and performance as a result.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and facilitated leadership development programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae to support leaders and teams in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, coaching, and peer mentoring, we enable high performance that’s also fulfilling—for individuals, teams, and organisations.I’m also the host of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, where I share the life and career journeys of key players in the automotive and mobility world.Learn more about Fulfilling PerformanceCheck out Release the Handbrake! The Fulfilling Performance HubConnect with AndyLinkedIn: Andy FollowsEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukJoin a peer mentoring team: Aquilae AcademyThank you to our sponsors:ASKE ConsultingEmail: hello@askeconsulting.co.ukAquilaeEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukEpisode Directory on Instagram @careerviewmirror  If you enjoy listening to our guests career stories, please follow CAREER-VIEW MIRROR in your podcast app. Episode recorded on 9 October, 2025.

In this Side Mirror, I want to talk about “the thing is not the thing.” It’s about those situations where what looks like the issue on the surface turns out not to be the real issue underneath.For the amusing bit on how the UK has been shaped by immigration over the years:Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, S03E02 About AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—designed to help people bring more of themselves to what they do and experience greater fulfilment and performance as a result.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and facilitated leadership development programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae to support leaders and teams in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, coaching, and peer mentoring, we enable high performance that’s also fulfilling—for individuals, teams, and organisations.I’m also the host of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, where I share the life and career journeys of key players in the automotive and mobility world.Learn more about Fulfilling PerformanceCheck out Release the Handbrake! The Fulfilling Performance HubConnect with AndyLinkedIn: Andy FollowsEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukJoin a peer mentoring team: Aquilae AcademyThank you to our sponsors:ASKE ConsultingEmail: hello@askeconsulting.co.ukAquilaeEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukEpisode Directory on Instagram @careerviewmirror  If you enjoy listening to our guests career stories, please follow CAREER-VIEW MIRROR in your podcast app. Episode recorded on 29 September, 2025.

In today’s Side Mirror, I reflect on a week working with three different teams in Melbourne—one was a peer mentoring group and two were the leadership teams at automotive OEMs. It was a fulfilling week, and their feedback reminded me how quickly people can grasp the Fulfilling Performance framework—and how much more they want time to practice releasing handbrakes once they’ve spotted them.So I want to share how you can move from identifying friction to defining practical actions—and why those actions need to be big enough to make a difference, but not so big that you try to “boil the ocean.”About AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—designed to help people bring more of themselves to what they do and experience greater fulfilment and performance as a result.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and facilitated leadership development programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae to support leaders and teams in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, coaching, and peer mentoring, we enable high performance that’s also fulfilling—for individuals, teams, and organisations.I’m also the host of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, where I share the life and career journeys of key players in the automotive and mobility world.Learn more about Fulfilling PerformanceCheck out Release the Handbrake! The Fulfilling Performance HubConnect with AndyLinkedIn: Andy FollowsEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukJoin a peer mentoring team: Aquilae AcademyThank you to our sponsors:ASKE ConsultingEmail: hello@askeconsulting.co.ukAquilaeEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukEpisode Directory on Instagram @careerviewmirror  If you enjoy listening to our guests career stories, please follow CAREER-VIEW MIRROR in your po

In this episode of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, we’re celebrating the career to date of Richard Savoie.Richard is the co-founder and CEO of Adiona, which uses AI to power millions of efficient, lowest-carbon deliveries around the world for brands such as Coca-Cola and Amazon. He’s a sought-after speaker and thought leader on transport, mobility, and AI.His career has taken him from New Hampshire to Boston, and eventually to Sydney, Australia, through roles at EMC, Smiths Medical, and Medtronic. Along the way, he’s gained experience across engineering, medical devices, and entrepreneurship — building resilience, adaptability, and the insight to eventually launch his own business in sustainable technology.In our conversation, we talk about Richard’s early years in Nashua, New Hampshire, where family challenges and early responsibilities shaped his determination. He shares how severe asthma inspired him first toward medicine, then pivoted him into engineering after falling in love with physics.We follow his path through Northeastern University, internships with Panametrics and EMC, and his transition into medical devices with Smiths Medical and Covidien. He reflects on career setbacks during the financial crisis, lessons from mentors, and the importance of empathy and relationships in leadership.We also talk about his relocation to Australia, his experience running a small medical device company, and the difficult decision to leave after equity disagreements — a setback that ultimately led him into entrepreneurship. Richard describes how Adiona’s optimisation technology, developed through a partnership with Coca-Cola, delivered dramatic reductions in emissions and on-road time, and how branding, support structures, and resilience are critical to startup success.Connect with RichardLinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/richsavoie/Website: https://www.adionatech.com/About AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—designed to help people bring more of themselves to what they do and experience greater fulfilment and performance as a result.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside th

In this Side Mirror episode, I’m joined by James Warren.James Warren is the Founder and CEO of Share More Stories, a human experience insights company. The company’s primary offering is the SEEQ Platform, which helps organizations and brands uncover the emotional drivers behind employee and customer experiences. James is a researcher, strategist, writer and facilitator who blends storytelling, AI, and insights to help companies better understand themselves, their customers, and their communities. With nearly 30 years of experience in marketing, insights, strategy, and innovation, he is passionate about the intersections of humanity, technology, brands, communities, and culture. An active community leader, he volunteers on several boards. He studied economics and literature at Princeton, and creative writing at Columbia. Originally from New York, James now calls Richmond home.In our conversation, James shares his journey from corporate life at Altria to creating a storytelling platform that helps organisations uncover the emotional drivers behind customer and employee experiences. We talk about vulnerability, leadership, and how creating space for people to share their stories can deepen connection and engagement. James also introduces SEEQ GPT, a new tool that uses generative AI to analyse stories and deliver context-rich insights while preserving human nuance.Connect with JamesConnect with James on LinkedInConnect with Share More Stories on LinkedInIG + YT: @warrenjwricIG + YT: @sharemorestoriesWeb: sharemorestories.com | SEEQPlatform.comAbout AndyI'm an experienced business leader and a passionate developer of people in the automotive finance industry, internationally.During over twenty years, I have played a key role in developing businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Corporate Finance UK, BMW Financial Services Singapore, BMW Financial Services New Zealand and Tesla Financial Services UK. At the same time, I have coached individuals and delivered leadership development programmes in 17 countries across A

In this episode of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, we’re celebrating the career to date of Daveena Saranna.Daveena is the EV Campaigns Manager at Green.TV Media, where she heads up Top Women in EV—making waves in both sustainability and media. With a career that includes Everything Electric, EZOO, Blenheim Palace, and the England Men’s & Mixed Netball Association, she’s mastered the art of blending content, sustainability, and being a 25-year-old woman with a big passion for what she does.In our conversation, we talk about Daveena’s entrepreneurial family story, beginning with her grandfather moving to the UK from India and her father going on to establish Europe’s largest independent Porsche dealership. We explore her early exposure to the family business, and how her parents’ complementary skills shaped her understanding of leadership and teamwork.We also cover her personal journey through education, including the challenges of dyslexia and a later autism diagnosis, and how she turned setbacks into determination—securing her place at Warwick University and becoming the first woman in her wider family to graduate with a first.Daveena shares her perspective on the importance of role models, particularly women in STEM, and how she’s creating community and visibility through Top Women in EV. We also hear about the mentoring and coaching that have helped her embrace her achievements, as well as her academic path to Oxford and her ongoing projects across sustainability and media.Connect with DaveenaLinkedInWebsiteAbout AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—designed to help people bring more of themselves to what they do and experience greater fulfilment and performance as a result.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and facilitated leadership development programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae to support leaders and teams in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, coaching, and peer mentoring, we enable high performance that’s also fulfilling—for individuals, t

In these shorter Side Mirror episodes, I introduce concepts, tools, and experts to help you enable Fulfilling Performance for yourself and the people you lead and care about. Today I want to talk about humility, mistakes, and leadership — inspired by a remarkable brain surgeon and what we as leaders can learn from his journey.Listeners in the UK can watch Confessions of a Brain Surgeon on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002hfbwAbout AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—designed to help people bring more of themselves to what they do and experience greater fulfilment and performance as a result.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and facilitated leadership development programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae to support leaders and teams in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, coaching, and peer mentoring, we enable high performance that’s also fulfilling—for individuals, teams, and organisations.Learn more about Fulfilling PerformanceCheck out Release the Handbrake! The Fulfilling Performance HubConnect with AndyLinkedIn: Andy FollowsEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukJoin a peer mentoring team: Aquilae AcademyThank you to our sponsors:ASKE ConsultingEmail: hello@askeconsulting.co.ukAquilaeEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukEpisode Directory on Instagram @careerviewmirror  If you enjoy listening to our guests career stories, please follow CAREER-VIEW MIRROR in your podcast app. Episode recorded on 28 August, 2025.

In this episode of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, we’re celebrating the career to date of Frank T. Ziede.Frank Ziede is a professional facilitator, corporate trainer, and keynote speaker whose work bridges the gap between leadership and genuine emotional engagement. His mission is simple: people matter most.From performing as a professional hip hop dancer with artists like Celine Dion, Ginuwine, and Usher, to becoming an award-winning filmmaker, Frank’s creative journey eventually led him to corporate facilitation, where he’s worked with brands such as BMW, MINI, Rivian, Toyota, Jaguar Land Rover, and many more.Frank combines a performer’s ability to inhabit a role with a deep understanding of emotional intelligence, helping people authentically represent their brand while delivering standout customer experiences. He’s also the author of the forthcoming book The Lost Art of Giving a Shit: Why Caring About Customers Pays Off — a timely, relevant, and entertaining call for more empathy and connection in the workplace.In our conversation, we talk about Frank’s upbringing in Mesa, Arizona, and the creative, art-filled environment that shaped his early life. We explore his performing arts high school years, his transition into acting and professional dance, and the mentors who helped him pivot into corporate facilitation.Frank shares how he adapts to embody different automotive brands, why emotional intelligence is essential for great customer service, and how his handwritten thank-you card practice has built trust and lasting relationships.We also discuss his filmmaking projects, his upcoming book, and his philosophy that customer experience starts with employees who feel valued, supported, and connected.Connect with FrankLinkedInWebsiteBlack Season 1 & 2 on Vimeo BLACK the Web Series - Season 1 & 2About AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—designed to help people bring more of themselves to what they do and experience greater fulfilment and performance as a result.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financ

No matter how bright and experienced we are, thankfully there are still exciting new developments that can surprise us with their potential.I am fortunate to have seen my belief in the power of Fulfilling Performance ignited in others. I’ve seen people pick up the framework, run with it, apply it in ways I hadn’t even thought of, and come back to share what they’d learned. When someone really gets it, they see the incredible range of situations it applies to, and it changes the way they think about performance forever.And yet, not everyone sees it right away. I’m left thinking: what do I need to do to help more people realise what an absolute gem this is? In this Side Mirror, I’m going to walk you through 13 reasons why Fulfilling Performance is such a game-changer.I’ve grouped them loosely so they tell a story—starting with why it matters, how it works, who it’s for, and finally, what it enables. My hope is that you’ll come away with a clear picture of why this framework is worth having in your toolkit—and why I’m so committed to sharing it.About AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—designed to help people bring more of themselves to what they do and experience greater fulfilment and performance as a result.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and facilitated leadership development programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae to support leaders and teams in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, coaching, and peer mentoring, we enable high performance that’s also fulfilling—for individuals, teams, and organisations.Learn more about Fulfilling PerformanceCheck out Release the Handbrake! The Fulfilling Performance HubConnect with AndyLinkedIn: Andy FollowsEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukJoin a peer mentoring team: Aquilae AcademyThank you to our sponsors:ASKE Consulting

In this episode of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, we’re celebrating the career to date of Glen Dyer.Glen is currently Managing Director at Iveco Trucks Australia. His career started at NatWest Bank, and he went on to build experience across banking, finance, and the automotive sector—holding key leadership roles at companies including Mercedes-Benz Financial Services in both the UK and Australia.His journey has included everything from frontline sales roles to leading major organisational transformations, including the launch of innovative financial products and the integration of multiple sales divisions across vehicles and finance.He’s a leader who has grown through experience—often by learning the hard way—and who now takes huge satisfaction in developing others to thrive in their own roles.In our conversation, we talk about Glen’s upbringing in London and his move to Newport Pagnell at age 12, and how his early experiences shaped his sense of identity and resilience.We trace his journey from his early banking roles—where the lack of recognition and rigid hierarchy frustrated him—to the realisation that sales, when approached systematically, could be an empowering path to success.Glen speaks candidly about the tough transition into leadership—being promoted without training, trying to carry the load for his whole team, and burning out in the process. He shares how the loss of his best friend, Paul Davis, at just 30, caused him to step away from work and go travelling for over a year. That time gave him fresh perspective and a renewed sense of purpose.We also talk about his time at Mercedes-Benz—both in the UK and in Australia—where with the support of good leadership and professional development, Glen thrived in roles that played to his strengths and stretched his capabilities.Now, as MD of Iveco Trucks, he continues to lead with authenticity, empowering others to succeed, and finding fulfilment in seeing his teams grow.Connect with GlenLinkedInAbout AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—designed to help people bring more of themselves to what they do and experience greater fulfilment and performance as a result.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the

In this Side Mirror, I compare two game-changing tools—one globally recognised, the other perhaps still flying under the radar. The smartphone redefined connection with the world; the Fulfilling Performance framework is redefining how we connect with ourselves and those we lead and care about. I explore what happens when we combine coaching, performance psychology, and real-world experience to activate human intelligence—with empathy—to enable high performance, growth, and fulfilment.About AndyI’m a business leader, coach, and the creator of the Fulfilling Performance framework—designed to help people bring more of themselves to what they do and experience greater fulfilment and performance as a result.Over the past 25+ years, I’ve led and developed businesses including Alphabet UK, BMW Financial Services in the UK, Singapore, and New Zealand, and Tesla Financial Services UK. Alongside this, I’ve coached individuals and facilitated leadership development programmes in 17 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America.In 2016, I founded Aquilae to support leaders and teams in the mobility sector and beyond. Through workshops, coaching, and peer mentoring, we enable high performance that’s also fulfilling—for individuals, teams, and organisations.Learn more about Fulfilling PerformanceCheck out Release the Handbrake! The Fulfilling Performance HubConnect with AndyLinkedIn: Andy FollowsEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukJoin a peer mentoring team: Aquilae AcademyThank you to our sponsors:ASKE ConsultingEmail: hello@askeconsulting.co.ukAquilaeEmail: cvm@aquilae.co.ukEpisode Directory on Instagram @careerviewmirror  If you enjoy listening to our guests career stories, please follow CAREER-VIEW MIRROR in your podcast app. Episode recorded on 14 July, 2025.

In this episode of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, we’re celebrating the career to date of Paul Ripley.Paul Ripley is one of the UK’s most experienced and decorated advanced driving coaches, with a 45-year career dedicated to helping people drive more skilfully, more safely—and with more enjoyment. Nicknamed “God’s Chauffeur” by The Daily Telegraph, Paul has worked with top global manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, and Rolls-Royce, and has appeared as the “Driving Doctor” on Channel 4’s Driven.His story began in Leeds, where he left school at 15 to pursue a career in music. He played professionally as a drummer, performed at iconic venues like the Royal Albert Hall, and went on to build and sell a successful amplifier business—funding the Ferrari that sparked his next career chapter.In our conversation, we talk about Paul’s journey from working-class roots and musical ambition to becoming a trusted advisor on road safety, a weekly columnist for The Telegraph, and a globally respected coach of high-performance drivers. He shares his philosophy of mindset over mechanics, and why emotional stability, self-reflection, and attitude matter more than raw speed behind the wheel.Paul’s story is one of ownership, mastery, and making a meaningful impact—not just in driving, but in how we approach performance in life.Connect with PaulLinkedInEmail: info@paulripley.coWebsiteIndustry accreditations:DVSA ADI, DIA Diploma Di, RoSPA ADA Gold, MDG Gold Level, RoSPA ADA Teaching Diploma, C&G 730 Diploma, Diamond Advanced Test, High Performance Course, MDG Diploma, IAM, Mercedes-Benz Performance Driving Masters (Melsheim),DVSA Grade One Advanced Cardington Test, MDG Masters (Human Factors), Royal Carmen of London, Diploma (Royal Logistics Corps), Performance Coaching Diploma (SJW). Awards:HRH Prince Michael Special Road Safety AwardBRAKE - Best Driver Safety Innovation Award 2018BRAKE - Best Fleet Driver Safety Product 2019Business Car Techies Award 2018WebFleet Best Product Innovation Partner 2019Author of the Acclaimed Book ‘Expert Driving’ Paul provides ExpertConsultancy Services for:UK Dept of Transport, DVSA, RoS