Episode six – Industrial Design & Product Innovation
With Steve May-Russell
Neale chat’s to Steve May-Russell, CEO of Small Fry, about industrial design and product innovation. Steve shares his journey into the industry, starting from discovering his passion for 3D design.
He takes us through Small Fry’s approach to product development, including the importance of understanding customer needs and market research. Before deep diving into their Hoover project – where Small Fry helped revitalise the brand by improving product quality and customer satisfaction.
Stressing the importance of empathy in design – distinguishing between sympathy and true understanding of user needs – this is an episode not to miss!
Episode five – Personal Brand, Content Creation, Enabling Yourself & Others
With Paul Norford
Join us for episode five, because we’re spending half an hour with content creator, YouTuber, mentor, public speaker, LinkedIn strategist and all-round nice guy – Paul “True Norf” Norford.
Norf shares his career journey from training as a radio presenter, engineer, marketeer, speaker and finally content creator. Detailing his YouTube journey, we discuss the challenges (and surprise successes) of content creation.
You’ll also gain insights about personal branding, social media strategy, and advice for aspiring YouTubers starting their journey.
Episode four – Mentoring Start-Ups & Entrepreneurs, WiReD, Photography
With Charles Stewart
A computer science and particle physics student, global traveller, published photographer, photo professional for People and Vogue Magazine, investment seeker for Pearson Group, founder of WiReD Magazine.
He then went on to launch, FT.com, BBC News Online, UpMyStreet.com and several ground breaking UK Internet businesses in the early noughties. Success turned him into an investor, running a venture capital unit within Rothschild in the UK, and then a social venturer, creating the WheelsPlusWIngs Foundation China and SE Asia.
Now based in Switzerland, teaching entrepreneurship, investing in tech and media startups, advising CEOs on innovation, (coaching volleyball) and making images again… Ladies and gentlemen – join us for half an hour with Ian Charles Stewart.
Episode three – Another Bright Spark Episode Three Transcript
With Caroline Hayes
In this episode we’re chatting with Caroline Hayes editor of the prestigious (and much loved) trade publication Electronics Weekly. EW provides electronic design engineers and professionals all the latest component, industry and tech news and is the home of the coveted Elektra Awards.
Caroline talks to us about her career, her early aspirations for PR and how she “fell” into the electronics industry. We discuss the importance of peer reviewed industry awards, supporting the current and future Women Leaders in Electronics – and the state of the industry as a whole.
Warm, well informed and humorous, Caroline was a joy to chat to – enjoy!
Episode two – An engineering career with Jason
With Jason Jibrail
Meet Jason – our Senior Softie. In this episode of Another Bright Spark he discusses his interest in engineering, starting from dismantling his toys as a child, nearly becoming a lawyer before the shift to engineering due to his practical inclinations.
He studied aeronautical engineering at Loughborough, eventually specializing in electrical engineering with a focus on FPGA.
Jason’s career path hasn’t always been plain sailing and in he openly talks about his personal struggles as well as his successes, balancing technical work with management responsibilities, leading to having to leave a previous position because he was doing too much. An honest insight, by a fabulous character.
Episode one – We chat recruitment
With Sharn Lalkiya
In our debut episode of the Another Bright Spark podcast we delve into the career of Sharn Lalkiya, from her early sales days to internal corporate recruitment to setting up her own recruitment business TechWaves Recruitment.
Sharn talks about the challenges of running her own business, the pros and cons of doing things “her way”, why she hires on personality (not skills!) and the responsibility of helping people change careers.
In this episode you’ll get some get tips -for both organisations and applicants, as we discover some of the latest recruitment trends and gain insights into the health of the current EV, renewables, engineering space.
