QuadCast: A Digital Marketing Podcast

Sara and Emily are joined by Laura Currall, founder of Vision PR, to talk about how PR and SEO can work together to build visibility, authority and trust. They discuss backlinks, media coverage, thought leadership, consistent brand messaging, AI search and why joined-up marketing often delivers more than treating each channel separately. Find out more about Vision PR: https://www.visionpr.co.uk/ Connect with Laura on LinkedIn

In this episode, Sara and Lewis are joined by Lyn Lapworth from Eco For All to talk about making sustainability realistic, affordable, and manageable for busy people. Lyn shares how she helps individuals and businesses make simple, everyday changes that reduce overwhelm, save money, and improve both personal well-being and environmental impact. Whether you’re just starting your sustainability journey or looking for easier ways to do more, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can actually stick to. Learn more about Lyn at eco-for-all.co.uk and on LinkedIn .

Sara and Lewis joined by Lauren Gatenby, Managing Director of Renzo Consulting, to talk modern HR, workplace inclusivity, and what it really takes to support people at work. From leaving school early and building a career in HR, to launching her own consultancy and navigating an ADHD diagnosis, Lauren shares her journey into self-employment and how it’s shaped her people-first approach to business. They discuss burnout, productivity, and flexible working, why “one-size-fits-all” doesn’t work for employees, and how small changes in communication and culture can make a huge difference. Lauren also explains how employers can better support neurodivergent staff, build psychological safety, and align their internal culture with their external brand. Whether you’re running a growing business, managing a team, or rethinking how your workplace operates, this episode offers practical insight into creating healthier, more inclusive, and more effective working environments. Find Lauren at Renzo Consulting and LinkedIn .

In this episode, Sara and Lewis are joined by Phoenix Humphreys, founder of Raise to Rise , a business dedicated to helping small and new charities access funding in a way that's realistic, ethical, and sustainable. Phoenix shares her journey from corporate facilities management to charity fundraising consultancy, and how, since launching Raise to Rise, she's supported more than 30 charities with securing funding. If you're part of a charity, CIC, or community organisation navigating funding challenges, this episode is packed with practical insight, reassurance, and real-world advice. Find Phoenix at raisetorise.co.uk and LinkedIn .

This week, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Anne East to talk career zigzags, long-form writing, and the curious joy of falling down research rabbit holes. From Cosmopolitan work experience to a decade in retail buying, to a local authority web author job and finally 10 years of freelancing, Anne shares how she built a flexible career around writing, parenting and sheer persistence. Anne talks methodical writing, agonising over intros, why cleaning the kitchen is often the best cure for writer’s block, and the power of clear, simple copy over unnecessary complexity. They also talk about the underappreciated gem that is Alien vs Predator, the beauty of listening to Chopin in the rain, and the glory that is Alan Menken's score for Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Find Anne on LinkedIn Visit her website, Black Stag Copy

In this episode of QuadCast, Sara is joined by ⁠Liz Maughn⁠ from ⁠Empower Mental Health Training & Consultancy⁠ for an open and practical conversation about mental health at work. Liz shares her journey from decades in social care to becoming a mental health first aid trainer, and why proactive support is essential for every business. They explore how mental health first aid works, the signs leaders and colleagues should look out for, why prevention saves time, money and stress, and how organisations can build policies and cultures that genuinely support people. If you’re a business owner, manager, or employee who wants to make your workplace safer, healthier, and more supportive, this conversation is a great place to start. Find Liz on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Visit Empower Mental Health Training & Consultancy's ⁠website⁠ 🔗 Explore More from AlphaQuad 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠https://www.alphaquad.co.uk/⁠⁠ Music from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#Uppbeat⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (free for Creators!): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ License code: G9SCINP8RPI9FMYA

This week, Lewis is joined by Mitchell Wood, a poet turned freelance copywriter. From leaving school at 16, discovering poetry, and completing Open University creative writing degrees, to going in-house before finally taking the freelance leap for family and flexibility, Mitchell shares how he built a generalist career spanning cosmetics, construction, sustainability, cooking, pets, accounting...and a whole load of LinkedIn ghostwriting. They get into Spider-Man, the uncanny valley, Poldoore's unique blend of jazz and funk, and that time Marco Pierre White read Mitchell’s script on camera. Find Mitchell on LinkedIn Visit his website: contentwithmitch.co.uk

This week, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Suzanne Frear to talk career pivots, storytelling, and why good enough is often more than good enough. From 18+ years facilitating and admin-ing in a European bank in Germany, to maternity leave experiments with newsletters, to finally walking away post-Brexit to go all-in on words, Suzanne shares how she rebuilt a career around writing, community and human connection. There’s chat about working with everyone from osteopaths and aesthetics clinics to antique dealers in the Outer Hebrides, and why not niching by industry has actually become her niche. They also dig into ghostwriting so clients “hear themselves” on the page, allyship charities, social-change film festivals, and the importance of being your own biggest fan. ...and once again, Lewis recommends The Exorcist and Barbra Streisand's memoir... Find Suzanne on LinkedIn Visit her website

This week, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Sam Whitlock to talk freelancing, tone, and why copy’s real power sits far beyond “words on a page.” From studying copywriting at university and seven years agency-side, to going solo to slow the pace and go deeper, Sam shares how he prototypes ideas fast, workshops with clients, and solves communication problems (not just content requests). They dig into open briefs that start with “what fun could we have?” and lead to brand strategy, employer brand, and culture, finding your own voice vs. finetuning your brand voice, and why content marketing is shifting. Find Sam on LinkedIn Visit samuelwhitlock.com Check out Yes Friends and join their newsletter

This week, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Sheryl Hickey to talk bold brand voice, audience-first storytelling, and why authenticity beats “post daily” content every time. From “storyteller on wheels” tour guiding and a lockdown travel blog, to editorial work and going freelance, Sheryl shares how screenwriting and acting classes sharpened her timing, how she niches into travel, wellness and sex-positive brands, and why emails and About Us pages are her happy place. They also dig into AI, the two-track writing process, ADHD focus rituals, and the shift from content noise to strategy, consistency and real connection. Find Sheryl on ⁠ LinkedIn⁠ Visit Sheryl's website, Shez Writes

This week, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Stuart Davis to talk freelancing, finding your tone, and why value is such a keyword in copywriting today. From early days freelancing straight out of university, to years working with agencies on tech and manufacturing content, to carving out his own consultancy approach, Stuart shares how he balances briefs, adapts tone of voice, and why he's proud of the full body of work rather than any single project. They also dive into AI, the challenges of networking as a reserved creative, and the value of collaboration with other disciplines. Find Stuart on LinkedIn Visit his website, Creative Imp

This week, Lewis is joined by Kirsten Parnell-Vernon, Senior Copywriter at Tiger Marketing. Kirsten shares her story of discovering copywriting by way of a linguistics degree, a master’s in forensic linguistics, and Cancer Research UK comms. They get into living a brand, why pen-and-paper is still the ultimate thinking tool, and how to thrive when ten deadlines collide. Kirsten talks niche clients, long-form B2B, pushing cheeky tone of voice even when it’s not your “natural,” and the simple joy of a client saying, “You’ve nailed it.” There’s a frank take on AI, from ethics to Kerry Harrison’s “AI sandwich”, plus a love letter to Martin Amis’s work, and a surprising writing soundtrack recommendation. Find Kirsten on LinkedIn and Substack . Find Tiger Marketing at tigermarketing.co.uk .

This week, Lewis is joined by Adam Brannon, Senior Content Strategist at Herd and founder/editor of Movie Metropolis, to talk copy, cinema, and where those worlds collide. From a Cubs Christmas story that was “too dark,” to Press Association days writing TV/film listings, to leading content at Herd, Adam shares how he plans rigorously for clients, removes ego to honour brand tone, and why one LGBTQ+ sexual-health article became a proud “speak to the audience you’re missing” moment. They also nerd out on Jurassic Park, the Marvel-style quip problem, and writing to film scores...and Barbra Streisand. Find Adam on LinkedIn Find Movie Metropolis at moviemetropolis.net , on Instagram and on Facebook Find Herd at herd.io

This week, Lewis is joined by Cassdy Grigg, freelance copywriter (and our first international guest!), to talk yearbooks, SaaS, and making freelancing work on her own terms. From award-winning high school yearbooks and in-house SaaS marketing to surviving layoffs and building a freelance career, Cassidy shares how she writes audience-first, why websites and emails are her sweet spot, and how she uses AI transparently. They also talk about curing writer's block by literally talking it out, the strange dichotomy between Instagram and LinkedIn with their "style over substance" and "substance over style" attitudes, and how LinkedIn got fun once Cassidy stopped overthinking it. Find Cassidy on LinkedIn . Visit Cassidy's website . Subscribe to Cassidy's newsletter, Sloppy Copy .

This week, Lewis is joined by Michelle Robinson, a former NHS mental health professional who pivoted into copywriting after a single Facebook post led to ten same-day enquiries. They talk freelancing from zero to sustainable, values-led work; writing for therapists and agriculture; and why “what’s in it for me?” beats technical jargon every time. Michelle shares her whiteboard-first process, her cure for writer’s block, and how to balance safe options with a wild-card idea clients didn’t know they wanted. There’s a clear-eyed take on AI, plus mentoring, imposter syndrome, and the Stephen King must-read that sharpened her craft. Find Michelle on LinkedIn and at michellerobinsonwriter.com

This week, Lewis is joined by Ash Billinghay, a freelance copywriter with a knack for irreverence, client-winning tone, and the occasional rant about bad advertising. From AOL chatrooms and Joanna Lumley’s welcome message to writing tone of voice guidelines for First Direct and becoming the voice of Samsung’s training academy, Ash traces his journey from agency life to freelance freedom. They also dive into advertising’s big problem with data, KFC’s cult-like chicken ads, and why data will never tell you to put a gorilla and Phil Collins together. Also featuring rants about AI, love letters to Bob Mortimer and Dave Trott, and a creative process that involves putting a teabag in your brain. Find Ash at ashbillinghay.com and on LinkedIn

In this episode, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Amy Hawthorne to trace her route from a chemical plant grad job to years of travelling, to landing agency roles in Melbourne, and the moment she asked, “What the hell is a copywriter?” That question kick-started a career that now spans brand voice workshops, bold lifestyle work, and helping challenger brands stand out. From drawing tone-of-voice inspiration from The Great Gatsby, Wicked, and even Paris, to building a swipe file that keeps ideas fresh, Amy shares how she avoids repetition, why small brands give copywriters the most freedom, and the projects that pushed her out of her comfort zone (hello, crypto and Gen Z social). They also get into AI: useful for targeted research, but never for the writing, plus the ethics, the energy cost, and why polished-but-generic isn’t the goal. Amy’s advice for newer copywriters is refreshingly direct: get a job first, do the work, learn the systems, then go freelance. If you’re curious about crafting distinctive voices, running idea-rich workshops, and keeping copy unmistakably human, this one’s for you. Connect with Amy at thecopyhouse.uk and on LinkedIn .

In this episode, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Lauren Holden to talk about her route from local journalism to agency life, and why one “dream job” wasn’t what it seemed. Lauren shares how she quit with nothing to go to, how healthcare became her unexpected niche, and the honest reality of writer’s block. From pitching NME and running music columns to conceptual campaigns about ice cream (yes, really), Lauren opens up about collaboration, client feedback, and why she’ll always defend the em dash. She also gives her take on AI tools. If you’re curious about finding your voice across industries, balancing tone with client goals, and keeping your writing human in a noisy digital world, this one’s for you. Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn , Instagram , and at laurenholden.co.uk .

In this episode, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Eddie Hall to talk about his unusual path into copywriting, from a criminology degree to landing his first in-house job just a week after graduating, to bouncing back from redundancy and building a full-time freelance career. From the power of a single landing page to change a customer’s mind, to the frustrations of AI content checkers, to why “it loves a dash” (and why everyone on LinkedIn suddenly loves the Oxford comma), Eddie shares honest insights, resilient lessons, and a sharp take on what clients often misunderstand about good copy. If you’ve ever questioned whether copywriting can truly make an impact, or want to hear two writers laugh about commas, jazz, and why AI should stay far away from our entertainment, this is the episode for you. Connect with Eddie on ⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠ .

In this episode, host Lewis sits down with freelance copywriter Emily Redman to talk about her journey from journalism graduate to agency life, and why she recently took the leap into freelancing. From rewriting AI-generated copy to working on high-stakes projects for billion-dollar brands, to admitting her creative process is “chaotic” (in the best way possible), Emily shares candid insights, plenty of laughs, and a refreshing take on the “niche vs. generalist” debate. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to go freelance, or want to hear two writers swap stories about travel, late-night deadlines, and even classical piano playlists, this is the episode for you. Connect with Emily on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ .