In this episode, I reconnect with a colleague from the start of my career Justin Skinner to explore a career shaped by curiosity, adaptability, and a passion for improving customer experience.

From early days in PR to helping launch Direct Line Group’s first digital presence, Justin has consistently stepped into roles where there was a problem to solve. His journey spans industries—from insurance to entertainment—culminating in a transformative 11-year stint at Cineworld Group, where he helped redefine the cinema experience for the digital age.

Most recently at Merlin Entertainments, Justin focused on rebuilding teams post-Covid—placing trust, connection, and coaching at the heart of leadership.

💡 Key Themes & Insights

1. Curiosity as a Career Compass
Justin’s career wasn’t linear—it was driven by intrigue and opportunity. Moving industries wasn’t a risk; it was a chance to apply principles in new contexts.

2. Digitising the Analogue World
At Cineworld, Justin helped transform a stressful, outdated cinema experience into a seamless digital journey:

• Online booking and seat selection
• Reduced queues and friction
• Reframing staff roles from transactional to hospitality-focused
• Pricing innovation inspired by platforms like Amazon

This work helped set the standard that competitors would later follow.

3. Leadership = Empowerment + Trust
Two standout influences:

• Leaders who provided guardrails but freedom
• Environments where teams were trusted to shape strategy and deliver outcomes

Justin now applies the same philosophy in his own leadership.

4. Building Credible Teams
A simple but powerful idea:

At Merlin, rebuilding a post-Covid team meant:

• Hiring strong individuals
• Investing in connection and trust-building
• Creating space for vulnerability, feedback, and alignment

5. Coaching as a Performance Lever
Justin invested in team coaching (including a two-day offsite at Chessington), recognising that:

• Self-awareness drives collaboration
• Diverse personalities strengthen outcomes
• Strong relationships enable teams to navigate pressure together

6. Click & Connect Marketing
Justin’s next chapter focuses on a simple but timely idea:

As AI and data reshape business, Justin believes:

• Digital enables scale
• But human connection drives real progress

🧠 Standout Quote

🚀 What You’ll Learn

• How to navigate a non-linear career across industries
• Why digital transformation starts with customer experience
• The importance of empowerment in leadership
• How to build high-performing, connected teams
• Why human connection matters more than ever in a digital and AI-driven world

🎯 Takeaway

Technology evolves. Industries shift.
But the ability to stay curious, adapt, and build meaningful human connections—that’s what endures.

🔗 About the Guest

Justin Skinner is a senior digital and commercial leader with experience across financial services, entertainment, and transport. He is now exploring new opportunities through his consultancy, Click & Connect Marketing, alongside a Non-Executive Director role at Heathrow Express.

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In this episode of Coach Class, I sit down with Ted Bradshaw — cognitive behavioural therapist, coach, and educator — to explore the space where psychology meets coaching.

Ted shares his journey from being a nervous, anxious teenager to working in NHS mental health services, and how his early curiosity about people — combined with a love of problem-solving — led him into CBT. Along the way, he reflects on a simple but powerful question that still drives his work today:
why aren’t we taught the tools to understand our minds earlier in life?

The conversation explores:

• The relationship between therapy and coaching, and where the boundaries lie
• How CBT works in practice — combining empathy with structured thinking
• The role of thought patterns and self-beliefs in shaping behaviour
• Why understanding anxiety can make it feel less overwhelming and more manageable

Ted and I also discuss how our understanding of mental health has evolved:

• Previous generations often lacked the language to describe anxiety, sometimes appearing withdrawn rather than “anxious”
• Today, we’re better at naming mental health experiences, but still learning how to live with them
• The impact of Covid on young people, including increased worries around safety, germs, and social situations

A key theme throughout is Ted’s idea of helping people move from being the subject of their thoughts to observing them — a shift that can create space, perspective, and choice.

The episode also touches on:

• The importance of accessible, practical psychological tools
• How people learn differently — and why coaching and teaching need to adapt
• Ted’s growing body of work, including his Substack and podcast, Things I Want My Kids to Know, where he explores topics like social anxiety, panic attacks, and overthinking

Ultimately, this is a conversation about making sense of how we think and feel, and equipping ourselves — and the next generation — with the tools to navigate life with greater awareness and resilience.

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In this episode I sat down with Karl Martin, a highly respected commercial leader whose career spans some of the UK’s biggest retailers, including Asda and Sainsbury's.

Karl reflects on the moments that shaped his leadership — from his early days finding his way into retail to leading high-pressure commercial roles, and the lessons he carries from a career built on instinct, experience, and backing himself.

The conversation explores leadership through influence, the importance of direct feedback, career-defining moments, and why success is ultimately about building a life on your own terms.

Early influences and finding retail

Karl didn’t set out with a grand plan to work in retail.

While studying at Manchester Metropolitan University, he took a placement at Sainsbury's and discovered he loved working in stores — particularly in fresh produce.

A decisive moment came at a company event, where he made a beeline for the most senior director in the room, sat next to him, and started a conversation. That led to an opportunity in buying — and set him on his path.

Careers often begin not with a plan, but with a decision to put yourself forward.

Creating your own opportunities

Karl’s early career is full of moments where he stepped forward rather than waited. From pushing himself into conversations to taking on roles he didn’t fully understand, he learned that confidence follows action.

His advice today is clear:

• Don’t just send emails.
• Get yourself in the room.

Leadership happens in the gaps

One of Karl’s most powerful insights is simple:

Organisations have structure, but the real work happens in between it.

As leaders become more senior, success depends less on hierarchy and more on influence — working across teams and getting things done without direct authority.

The power of direct feedback

Karl is known for being direct. He reflects on the importance of honest, timely feedback — even when it’s uncomfortable. In Rebecca’s case, what felt like a tough conversation became a defining moment in her leadership journey.

The best leaders don’t avoid difficult conversations — they use them to help others grow.

Backing yourself

A recurring theme in Karl’s story is trusting your own judgement. From stepping into buying roles to navigating complex challenges, he learned to back himself — even when the path wasn’t clear.

You can’t connect the dots looking forward. You have to take opportunities as they come and make sense of them later.

Learning from others

Karl has been shaped by mentors, colleagues, and a core set of books, including:

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• Man’s Search for Meaning
• Who Moved My Cheese
• The First 90 Days

At one point, he created his own “Desert Island Discs” — a record of the people and lessons that shaped his career.

Work, life and perspective

Perhaps most distinctive is Karl’s relationship with work. He has always worked to live. Sport, music, and family come first — with work sitting alongside them, not above them.

Even after senior roles, his career has been shaped by choice: stepping back, exploring new ventures, and deciding what comes next on his own terms.

Advice to the next generation

Karl’s advice is straightforward:

• Push yourself.
• Put yourself out there.
• Don’t rely on sending messages and hoping something comes back.

Because careers are built through action, relationships, and the willingness to step i

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