What does leadership look like when we slow down, step outside, and focus on learning over blame?

In this episode of the Peace is a Choice podcast, Natasha Wallace is joined by Tom Vaughton, founder and CEO of Varn, a search marketing agency built on curiosity, creativity and connection with nature.

Tom shares how SEO is evolving into search everywhere, as people aren’t just searching on Google anymore; they’re asking questions in AI tools and across social platforms, too. Natasha and Tom explore what it means to test marketing properly, link it back to real business metrics, and keep evolving as the landscape changes.

Tom also tells the story behind Varn’s woodland office, from a lockdown experiment under a tarpaulin to a purpose-built outdoor workspace with reliable internet. They reflect on how the environment shapes thinking, collaboration and culture, why a learning mindset matters and how VarnFest and VarnFest Future Leaders create space for honest leadership conversations in the great outdoors.

Connect with Tom:

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

Website: https://varn.co.uk/

Visit VarnFest: https://varnfest.co.uk/

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/

Website: https://www.natashawallace.com/

How do we lead with love, courage, and compassion at work?

In this episode of the Peace is a Choice podcast, Natasha Wallace is joined by Dr Fiona Beddoes-Jones, a leadership researcher and expert in compassion and authentic leadership.

Fiona shares how her leadership research unexpectedly became a study of love in the workplace and why the most effective leaders aren’t those who control or command, but those who lead with heart, courage, and emotional bravery.

Together, Natasha and Fiona explore what it really means to be an authentic leader through Fiona’s ABC framework: Authenticity, Bravery, and Compassion. They discuss why being true to yourself takes courage, why standing up for your beliefs is an act of leadership, and how compassion creates safer, more human workplaces.

Fiona also reflects on the deeper meaning of courage, from the Old French Coeur, meaning heart, and how real leadership is rooted in the willingness to care, to be vulnerable, and to love in environments that don’t always reward it.

Connect with Fiona:

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

Website: http://www.fionabeddoesjones.com/

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/

Website: https://www.natashawallace.com/

How do we turn pain into purpose and help young people find their voice?

In this episode of the Peace is a Choice podcast, Natasha Wallace is joined by Calvin Eden, co-founder of Loud Speaker and a youth empowerment speaker working with young people across the UK.

Calvin shares his journey growing up in North London and the loss of his best friend to a tragic murder at just 15 years old. Faced with this moment, he reflects on how grief and trauma could have taken him down a very different path and how choosing purpose shaped his life’s work.

Together, Natasha and Calvin explore the meaning of purpose, gratitude, and resilience, and why purpose beats money every time. They discuss confidence in the younger generation, the impact of social media, and why many young people struggle to find their voice in traditional education systems.

Calvin also shares why he co-founded Loud Speaker, how its high-energy workshops help young people build confidence and communication skills, and why creating spaces where young people feel seen and heard can be life changing.

Connect with Calvin:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calvin-eden-433b9999/

Loud Speaker Website: loudspeaker.org.uk

Loud Speaker Instagram: @loudspeakerlive

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/

Website: https://www.natashawallace.com/