During a recent CIBTAC audit for Developing Educators Academy, one simple conversation with an examiner made me stop and reflect on my role as an academy owner.

We often focus on teaching and assessing, but running a training academy requires more than delivery skills. It also requires a clear understanding of quality systems, compliance, and oversight.

In this episode of I’m No Rookie, I share what that audit highlighted and walk through the key qualifications every training academy owner should either hold or be working towards.

This episode is especially useful if you are a therapist considering starting your own academy, or you already run one and want to strengthen your quality processes.

What you’ll learn

• Which education and training qualifications matter at the academy level
• The different assessor qualification routes and why they exist
• Why the Internal Quality Assurance qualification becomes essential as you grow
• How these qualifications support audits, quality management, and compliance

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If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to I’m No Rookie on your favourite podcast platform. Your reviews and shares help more beauty, spa, and wellness professionals find the podcast and feel supported in their journey.

💬 Follow and connect with me:

• LinkedIn: Ayo Bamgbose
• Facebook: Developing Educators Academy
• Website

Have you ever said yes to something you were excited about, only to find yourself rushing through it because your diary was already packed? I know that feeling well. There was a time when I thought being busy was the same as being successful, but I’ve since learnt the hard way that busyness is no badge of honour.

In 2021, I began a full-time Master’s program in International Spa Management at the University of Buxton, while also working full-time as an international beauty and spa trainer. At first, I thought it was possible. But between flights to places like Hong Kong, jet lag, and long days of training, I quickly realised I couldn’t keep up. My supervisors eventually stepped in and told me to move to part-time study. Without that, I would have burned out completely.

The experience taught me a powerful lesson: overloading your plate doesn’t just exhaust you, it steals your enjoyment. I watched friends take opportunities I simply couldn’t because I wasn’t present enough to grab them.

Fast forward to my PhD journey, and I found myself making the same mistake again. I signed up for a Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training, completed Functional Skills Maths over the summer, and continued to push myself without a break. Progress, yes, but also frustration, tiredness, and little space to appreciate what I had achieved.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• Why busyness doesn’t equal success.
• The opportunities you miss when you overload yourself.
• How balance sustains confidence and energy.
• Three practical tips for creating more space in your commitments.

If you’ve ever felt stretched too thin or found yourself saying yes too quickly, this episode will give you the encouragement and tools to start choosing balance instead.

Listen now and take the first step towards a more enjoyable year.

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If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to I’m No Rookie on your favourite podcast platform. Your reviews and shares help more beauty, spa, and wellness professionals find the podcast and feel supported in their journey.

💬 Follow and connect with me:

• LinkedIn: Ayo Bamgbose
• Facebook: Developing Educators Academy
• Website

There are two sides to my confidence. One comes from my knowledge, my experience, and the results I help my students achieve. The other comes from how I feel in my own body. For me, education and well-being are inextricably linked. When one slips, the other feels harder.

At the end of 2021, I was at my heaviest. Grief, lockdown, and the busyness of work had left movement at the bottom of my list. One December day, I decided enough was enough. I wanted to take my life back. By the end of 2022, I had lost 98 pounds. Beyond the numbers, I had gained energy, endurance, and the freedom to walk into a room feeling completely myself.

But life isn’t a straight line. In 2023 and 2024, movement started to fall away again. I was deep into my first year of a PhD, overwhelmed, and just surviving each day. By the summer of 2025, I found myself almost back where I started. The difference this time? I knew I could do it again, and I knew I needed stability and routine to make it work.

So I started with baby steps. Walking to the gym. A few minutes on the treadmill. Light weights. Coming back again the next day. And slowly, it became part of my rhythm. As I record this, I’m eight weeks in, fourteen pounds down, and already feeling the shift.

Here’s why this matters for teaching. Education isn’t only about what you know, it’s about how you show up. Whether you’re preparing for your micro-teach, leading a class, or stepping onto a conference stage, the way you feel in your body changes the way you carry yourself. Confidence in your skills matters. Confidence in your skin matters too.

In this episode of I’m No Rookie, I’m sharing the lessons I’ve learnt about pairing education with well-being. We’ll talk about why your presence in the classroom goes beyond lesson plans, and how small, consistent steps in your health can make a big difference to your teaching career.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why your well-being is linked to your teaching presence
• How to rebuild confidence step by step
• Simple ways to keep yourself motivated for the long term

Subscribe & Share

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to I’m No Rookie on your favourite podcast platform. Your reviews and shares help more beauty, spa, and wellness professionals find the podcast and feel supported in their journey.

💬 Follow and connect with me:

• LinkedIn: Ayo Bamgbose
• Facebook: Developing Educators Academy
• Website

Have you ever considered teaching but decided that taking on a full-time lecturer role might be too much? You are not alone. Many of us reach a point where we want to share what we know, but we are not ready to commit to a timetable and the politics that sometimes come with permanent roles.

In this episode of I’m No Rookie, I share why I am choosing the guest lecturing path. This is not about me having less experience or not being ready. It is about being intentional with how I want to position myself. After years of teaching in the spa and wellness industry, training internationally, supporting small businesses, and now training others to become educators, I realised I did not need more experience. What I needed was clarity on where to place myself next.

The idea of guest lecturing came up in a conversation with my supervisors during my PhD. They reminded me that guest lecturers bring their specialist areas, passions, and research into the classroom in flexible ways. For me, that means sharing niche topics like AI in education, the student voice, and improving learning outcomes for dyslexic learners. For you, it could mean advanced treatment techniques, leadership in wellness, or the business skills you have built up over time.

Guest lecturing is not a second-best option. It can be the perfect fit if you want to:

• Test the waters in education without committing to a full-time role
• Share your subject specialism in a way that feels meaningful
• Keep your flexibility while building credibility
• Explore opportunities to teach locally or even internationally

Something to think about: what could you talk about for an hour, without needing to rely on notes? That might be the seed of your guest lecturing path.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why I’ considering guest lecturing over a full-time lecturer role
• How to start identifying your own specialist area
• Practical steps to position yourself as a guest lecturer
• Why flexibility and passion matter more than just ticking boxes

Subscribe & Share

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to I’m No Rookie on your favourite podcast platform. Your reviews and shares help more beauty, spa, and wellness professionals find the podcast and feel supported in their journey.

💬 Follow and connect with me:

• LinkedIn: Ayo Bamgbose
• Facebook: Developing Educators Academy
• Website

We often discuss how to give feedback, but not enough about how it feels to receive it.

If you’ve ever been left confused, disheartened, or even frustrated by feedback that missed the mark, you’re not alone. Whether you’re the one giving it or receiving it, feedback can either lift someone up or knock their confidence completely. And I’ve experienced both.

In this episode, I open up about a personal story that stayed with me, not because of the lesson I learnt, but because of how unclear, unhelpful, and dismissive the feedback was. And then, I share what happened when I finally received feedback that made me feel seen.

Whether you're an assessor, trainer, or new to the classroom, this episode will help you reflect on what makes feedback meaningful.

What You’ll Learn

• What unhelpful feedback can do to a learner’s confidence
• Why feedback should go beyond “tick-box” corrections
• The key elements of student-centred feedback (including the full F.E.E.D.B.A.C.K. acronym)

Resources Mentioned

🎧 Bonus course: The Art of Giving Feedback Included in all our education and training qualifications Learn more about our courses

Subscribe & Share

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to I’m No Rookie on your favourite podcast platform. Your reviews and shares help more beauty, spa, and wellness professionals find the podcast and feel supported in their journey.

💬 Follow and connect with me:

• LinkedIn: Ayo Bamgbose
• Facebook: Developing Educators Academy
• Website

Starting a PhD isn’t something most people do lightly. Especially when it’s self-funded. Especially when you’re neurodivergent. Especially when the journey isn’t mapped out clearly in front of you.

In this reflective episode, I share what my first year of doing a full-time PhD really looked like. From the unexpected hurdles and admin disasters to the moments that helped me find my footing again, this episode is for anyone considering a PhD or already on the journey and feeling unsure.

This isn’t about scare tactics. It’s about offering the honest version, the version I wish someone had shared with me.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why I waited three years before applying for my PhD (and what finally gave me clarity)
• What the application process involved, and the surprises I didn’t see coming
• How being dyslexic shaped both the struggles and the wins
• The emotional and financial impact of those early months
• The moment I found community and how it changed everything
• Why I chose to do mine full-time, and what I’m making space for beyond the thesis
• Five things you should consider before you apply

Whether you’re deep in the process or just feeling that itch to start something more, this episode will give you a clear, grounded look at what that first year might really involve.

🗂️ Mentioned in This Episode:

• Doctoral Loan (UK): GOV.UK Doctoral Loan Information
• Developing Educators Academy: Website

Subscribe & Share

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to I’m No Rookie on your favourite podcast platform. Your reviews and shares help more beauty, spa, and wellness professionals find the podcast and feel supported in their journey.

💬 Follow and connect with me:

• LinkedIn: Ayo Bamgbose
• Facebook: Developing Educators Academy
• Website

If you’ve been holding back because you're waiting for the 'right time' or 'perfect plan,' this episode is exactly what you need to hear. In this episode, Ayo Bamgbose shares the truths many entrepreneurs won’t tell you about starting your own academy. You’ll discover the mindset shifts, real-world lessons, and small practical steps that make all the difference when building your dream.

What You’ll Learn:

✔️ Why financial stability is crucial before making the leap

✔️ How perfectionism could be holding you back (and what to do instead)

✔️ Why building real relationships matters more than fast sales

✔️ How to stay adaptable when your first offer isn’t your final one

✔️ Why celebrating small wins is the key to long-term success

Subscribe & Share

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to I’m No Rookie on your favourite podcast platform. Your reviews and shares help more beauty, spa, and wellness professionals find the podcast and feel supported in their journey.

💬 Follow and connect with me:

• LinkedIn: Ayo Bamgbose
• Facebook: Developing Educators Academy
• Website

You’ve been in the treatment room for years. You’ve built up your skills, built trust with your clients, and maybe now… you’re ready to teach what you know. But then you hear it: “You’ll need your English and Maths.”

And suddenly, it feels like you’ve taken a step backwards.

In this episode, I’m sharing why these qualifications still matter, and how they’re not just hoops to jump through. They’re tools that can actually make you a better educator.

You’ll hear me talk about:

• The role of minimum core elements in education and training qualifications
• Real examples of how I embedded Maths and ICT into my Spa Management classes
• Why English and Maths at Level 2 are essential if you’re planning to apply for QTLS
• Where to find free English and Maths courses if you're based in the UK

Subscribe & Share

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to I’m No Rookie on your favourite podcast platform. Your reviews and shares help more beauty, spa, and wellness professionals find the podcast and feel supported in their journey.

💬 Follow and connect with me:

• LinkedIn: Ayo Bamgbose
• Facebook: Developing Educators Academy
• Website