From policing the streets to policing social media, James Armstrong has seen the best and worst of online behaviour!

In this episode of The Engaging Marketeer, Darren Jamieson speaks to the co-founder of Social Firefly about his journey from Sussex Police to running a social media agency.

James shares what it was like managing social media for the police, dealing with trolls, using platforms like Snapchat to reach young people and helping communities through sensitive situations. He also explains what businesses can learn from public sector comms, why followers aren’t the metric to obsess over and how to create content people actually want to engage with.

If your social media feels like shouting into the void, this episode is packed with honest stories, practical advice and plenty of laughs.

More About James

James Armstrong is the co-founder of Social Firefly, a social media agency that helps organisations build stronger relationships with their audiences through meaningful, human-focused content. Before launching the business, James spent ten years with Sussex Police, where he progressed from Police Community Support Officer to digital communications manager, leading social media and public engagement across the force.

His background in policing gave him first-hand experience of community management, reputational risk, public sector communications and high-pressure messaging. He worked on campaigns covering issues such as child sexual exploitation, public safety and emergency response, including social media communications around the Shoreham air crash.

Today, James brings that experience into his work with businesses, charities and public sector organisations, helping them use social media as a genuine conversation tool rather than a broadcast channel. Through Social Firefly, he has worked with a wide range of clients, including local authorities, charities, cultural organisations and commercial brands. He has also spoken at events including BrightonSEO and CharityComms, sharing his expertise on social media strategy, paid social and audience engagement.

You can connect with James here:

Website: https://socialfirefly.co.uk/

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jjfarmstrong

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoFirefly

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jjfarmstrong/

X: https://x.com/So_Firefly

About your host:

Darren has worked within digital marketing since the last century, and was the first in-house web designer for video games retailer GAME in the UK, known as Electronics Boutique in the States. After co-founding his own agency, Engage Web, in 2009, Darren has worked with clients around the world, including Australia, Canada and the USA.

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/engaging-marketeer/id1612454837

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenjamieson/

Engaging Marketeer: https://engagingmarketeer.com

Engage Web: https://www.engageweb.co.uk

Support the show: https://engageweb.club

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if you couldn’t read or write until you were 30... then went on to become a published author, speaker and trainer working with names like Tony Robbins?

In this episode of The Engaging Marketeer, Darren chats with Brian Mayne, author, speaker and creator of Goal Mapping.

Brian grew up in a travelling funfair family, left school unable to read or write, lost everything after his nightclub business collapsed, then rebuilt his life through sales, personal development and goal setting.

He talks about learning to read at 30, working with names like Tony Robbins, getting published by Penguin Random House, being ripped off during the self-publishing process and why trusting your gut can sometimes save you from a very expensive mistake.

It’s a brilliant conversation about resilience, writing, confidence, sales, public speaking and what it really takes to keep going when life knocks you flat.

More about Brian:

Brian Mayne is a speaker, trainer and multiple published author best known as the creator of Goal Mapping. After growing up in a travelling funfair family and leaving school unable to read or write, Brian transformed his life through personal development and went on to work with global names including Tony Robbins. His books have been translated into multiple languages, and his Goal Mapping system is now used by coaches, trainers and organisations around the world.

You can connect with Brian here:

Website: https://goalmapping.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmayne/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrianMayneSpeaker/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goalmappingbrianmayne/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/brianmayne

X: https://x.com/Brian_Mayne

About your host:

Darren has worked within digital marketing since the last century, and was the first in-house web designer for video games retailer GAME in the UK, known as Electronics Boutique in the States. After co-founding his own agency, Engage Web, in 2009, Darren has worked with clients around the world, including Australia, Canada and the USA.

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/engaging-marketeer/id1612454837

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenjamieson/

Engaging Marketeer: https://engagingmarketeer.com

Engage Web: https://www.engageweb.co.uk

Support the show: https://engageweb.club

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if hypnosis isn’t as mysterious as the films make it look? 🕰️👀

In this episode of The Engaging Marketeer, Darren chats with Turan Mirza from Feelgood Hypnosis about how hypnosis really works, why so many fears and phobias are learned behaviours and how changing the way we think can completely change the way we feel.

From spiders and public speaking to smoking, nail biting, flying, roller coasters and even a remarkable story of trauma recovery after a parachuting accident, Turan explains how hypnosis can help people break old patterns, challenge deep-rooted beliefs and take back control of their own responses.

Darren and Turan also explore the surprising link between hypnosis, language and sales, including how suggestion, framing and the words we use every day can influence the way people think, feel and act. It’s a fascinating, funny and thought-provoking conversation that shows hypnosis isn’t about swinging watches or mind control - it’s about communication, focus and helping people create real change from within.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you can be hypnotised, whether anyone can become a hypnotist or why your brain does things on autopilot without you even noticing, this episode is well worth a listen.

More about Turan:

Turan Mirza is a hypnotist and hypnotic change work practitioner at Feelgood Hypnosis. He helps people change unwanted thoughts, feelings and behaviours, including fears, phobias, smoking, nail biting, anxiety and confidence issues. With experience dating back to 2010, Turan uses hypnosis to help clients understand and change learned responses, with a focus on practical, positive change rather than labels or disorders.

You can connect with Turan here:

Website: https://www.feel-good.today/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/feelgoodhypnosis

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/turan-mirza/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FeelGoodHypnosis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feelgoodhypnosis/

X: https://x.com/FeelHypnosis

About your host:

Darren has worked within digital marketing since the last century, and was the first in-house web designer for video games retailer GAME in the UK, known as Electronics Boutique in the States. After co-founding his own agency, Engage Web, in 2009, Darren has worked with clients around the world, including Australia, Canada and the USA.

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/engaging-marketeer/id1612454837

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenjamieson/

Engaging Marketeer: https://engagingmarketeer.com

Engage Web: https://www.engageweb.co.uk

Support the show: https://engageweb.club

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.