How do you turn broken tech into life-changing opportunities? Mike Tarbard, co-founder and CEO of Every Child Online and Everyone Digital, has spent five years answering that question... and the results are impressive!

Dave and James welcome Mike to discuss digital inclusion, online safety, and how refurbished IT equipment is creating pathways for young people who would otherwise have no access. From collecting surplus tech from businesses to wiping data securely, from training centres to creative upcycling, this is a charity that's doing things differently.

What they discuss:

💻 How 50,000+ devices have been refurbished and distributed to schools and charities, and they're just getting started
🎓 Digital inclusion isn't just about education, it's about belonging and self-esteem
🔒 The online safety crisis: bullying, sextortion, and predators
♻️ Creating jewellery and gifts from old circuit boards
🤝 How ESG credentials help businesses win tenders whilst supporting their community
🏢 Expanding to new premises and outreach centres across the region
📚 The importance of practical work experience alongside qualifications

As always, enjoy, with your 'Quick Brew' ⏱️☕🎙️

🤝 Connect with Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-tarbard/

🙏 Learn more about Every Child Online: https://everychildonline.co.uk/

📖 Read Mike's book recommendation: The Magic Faraway Tree Collection by Enid Blyton: https://amzn.eu/d/0c8y6FXz

❤️ Thank you to our sponsors, Loomyna. Your AI conversation coach - helping managers, leaders, and HR professionals rehearse, refine, and communicate with clarity, confidence, and care.
🔗 https://wellityglobal.com/meet-loomyna/
🤑 Don't forget to use the discount code: BREW10

#digitalinclusion #everychildonline #onlinesafety #charity #tech #cybersecurity #corporatesocialresponsibility #businesspodcast #aquickbrew #podcast

Sometimes the best episodes are about the simplest things: paying it forward and remembering that kindness still matters.

Dave and James kick off their 40th episode discussing James's decision to refocus on an AI project inspired by recent health scares, and David's work as a charity ambassador for Every Child Online and Everyone Digital.

What follows is a celebration of random acts of kindness.

What they discuss:

🤝 Why paying it forward matters when the world feels cynical
💻 Refurbishing tech and making cufflinks from circuit boards
👴 The elderly couple and a £3 bottle of water
🤝 InfoSec at the Excel and the Cyber House Party igloo
📱 Why people engage with one-minute shorts instead of full episodes
🎬 Film actors that never have anything in their cups...

A genuinely positive episode about community, connection, and the fact that small acts of kindness cost nothing but make everything better.

As always, enjoy, with your 'Quick Brew' ⏱️☕🎙️

#podcast #kindness #community #charity #volunteers #everychild #cybersecurity #mentalhealth #payitforward #businesspodcast #aquickbrew

00:00 The Perfect Introduction

01:03 Focus on Personal Projects and Side Hustles

03:02 Charity Initiatives and Community Support

05:33 Acts of Kindness and Paying It Forward

10:21 Challenges of Modern Transactions - Just Take My Money!

12:00 The Importance of Paying It Forward

12:47 Community Engagement in Cybersecurity

14:17 Positive Initiatives and Charitable Causes

17:23 Recognition and AQB Host Identities

19:20 Humor and Family Dynamics

21:20 Come On Guys, Watch The Pod!

22:16 James' Stunt Mug

23:48 Acts of Kindness in Daily Life

25:47 Wrapping Up

26:35 AQB_intro_short.mp4

What happens when vulnerability becomes your superpower?

Dave and James 'Hehe' Sharples welcome Lauren Cross, award-winning "vulnerability warrior" and blogger, for a conversation that spans mental health, authenticity, and why not everyone will like you, even if you're a peach...

From her win at the Great British Workplace Wellbeing Awards to sharing her journey through anxiety, solo parenting, and food addiction, Lauren proves that being open about struggles creates the psychological safety others need.

What they discuss:

🏆 The best celebration ever witnessed at the awards

💪 Why vulnerability isn't weakness

📝 Blogging through dark times and finding community

🎭 How authenticity beats perfection every time

✨ Lauren's word of the year conceptFrom

Michael Jackson appreciation to the Tom List (yes, it's a thing), this episode weaves between deep vulnerability and joyful tangents.

As always, enjoy, with your 'Quick Brew' ⏱️☕🎙️

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📖 Read Lauren's book recommendation: Always Winning by Ashley Walters 🔗 https://amzn.eu/d/0439Hzf9

-----❤️ Thank you to our sponsors, Loomyna.

Your AI conversation coach - helping managers, leaders, and HR professionals rehearse, refine, and communicate with clarity, confidence, and care.

🔗 https://wellityglobal.com/meet-loomyna/

🤑 Don't forget to use the discount code: BREW10

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#podcast #mentalhealth #vulnerability #authenticity #wellbeing #anxiety #personaldevelopment #blogging #psychologicalsafety #businesspodcast

In this episode of A Quick Brew, hosts James 'Time2Talk' Sharples and Dave welcome Sadie Restorick, a prominent figure in workplace wellbeing.They discuss the critical role of managers in supporting their employees, the importance of mental health initiatives, and the ever-changing post-pandemic landscape of workplace wellbeing. Sadie shares insights on global trends, the concept of wellbeing washing, and emphasises the significance of self-care and effective communication in the workplace. There is also exciting news as Sadie confirms sponsorship of the pod via her new AI conversation coach: Loomyna 🎉Loomyna helps leaders manage difficult conversations successfully.

Learn more about Loomyna using: www.wellityglobal.com/meet-loomyna ... and don't forget to use offer code: Brew10 for your exclusive discounts!

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📖 Read Sadie's book recommendation | Essentialism by Greg McKeown🤝 Connect with Sadie on LinkedIn

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As always, enjoy with your Quick Brew ⏱️☕🎙️

What's the difference between learning martial arts and learning to survive real violence?

Dave and James 'MMA' Sharples welcome Reece Reeve from SOS Combatives CIC for a raw conversation about reality-based self-defence.

From the physiological effects of adrenaline to why the people who need training most are least likely to seek it, Reece breaks down the 'reality gap' between sport fighting and street survival.

What they explore:

🥊 Why traditional martial arts don't prepare you for real violence

⚡ The effects of adrenaline when the odds are stacked against you

🎯 Post-attack self-preservation techniques you've never considered

💪 Building genuine confidence through uncomfortable training

Reece shares his mission to teach street-relevant self-protection whilst using the funds raised to support local causes and charities. From senior citizens to women survivors of domestic abuse, his work is bridging the gap between training and reality.

As always, enjoy, with your 'Quick Brew' ⏱️☕🎙️

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🤝 Connect with Reece on LinkedIn

📖 Read Reece's book recommendation | The Reality Gap: Facing Violence Without Illusion by Syd Hiskey

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❤️ Thank you to our sponsors, Loomyna. Your AI conversation coach - helping managers, leaders, and HR professionals rehearse, refine, and communicate with clarity, confidence, and care.

🔗 https://wellityglobal.com/meet-loomyna/

🤑 Don't forget to use the discount code: BREW10

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Are you collecting business cards or building genuine relationships?

Dave and James welcome Lesley McDowell from Baumann Partners to explore the art of networking done right.

From the pitfalls of "panic networking" to the power of meaningful follow-ups, Lesley shares why quality always beats quantity when it comes to building your professional network.

What they discuss:

🎯 Why three quality connections beat 50 business cards

🧠 The two brain systems that drive snap judgments

🍩 Creative follow-up tactics that actually work

💡 The Gymshark focus: knowing your audience and sticking to it

🤝 Why female-led businesses are changing the landscape

From the rise of crypto in FX brokerage to Lily Allen's billion-dollar Bitcoin mistake, this conversation proves that preparation, focus, and genuine human connection still trump everything in business.

As always, enjoy, with your 'Quick Brew' ⏱️☕🎙️

-----❤️ Thank you to our sponsors, Loomyna. Your AI conversation coach - helping managers, leaders, and HR professionals rehearse, refine, and communicate with clarity, confidence, and care.

🔗 https://wellityglobal.com/meet-loomyna/

🤑 Don't forget to use the discount code: BREW10

-----#podcast #networking #businessdevelopment #sales #relationships #womeninbusiness #FX #bitcoin #personalbrand #businesspodcast

When was the last time you waited six months to get paid for work you'd already delivered?Dave and James 'Finance' Sharples welcome Kat Edwards from 1Finance to discuss the cash flow crisis facing small and medium businesses, the reality of payment terms that can cripple growth, and why personal branding matters more than ever.What they explore:💰 Why cash is still king⏰ The shocking truth about payment terms🤝 How human connection beats AI in financial services📱 Why LinkedIn credibility drives business decisions👶 Building a business during a pandemic with three kids under four!From invoice factoring to the power of positive thinking, this conversation reveals why the human element in finance should never be replaced by algorithms. Kat also shares how "done is better than perfect" became her business mantra.As always, enjoy, with your 'Quick Brew' ⏱️☕🎙️------🤝 Connect with Kat on LinkedIn🏢 Learn more about 1Finance📖 Read Kat's book recommendation | Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life by Bob Proctor-----❤️ Thank you to our sponsors, Loomyna. Your AI conversation coach - helping managers, leaders, and HR professionals rehearse, refine, and communicate with clarity, confidence, and care.🔗 Learn more about Loomyna🤑 Don't forget to use the discount code: BREW10-----

To mark our 'Silver Anniversary' episode, we're joined by copywriter and LinkedIn voice Joe Emery, a man who knows better than most just how brutal the current job market really is. Joe brings raw honesty and perspective to the conversation, and shares details of how one of his early LinkedIn posts received 11 MILLION impressions!Highlights include:💼 Navigating a market that feels stacked against you🤖 AI as a tool vs. AI as a threat📱 Using LinkedIn authentically🤝 Helping others find work🧠 Mental health and why vulnerability isn't weakness🏠 The remote work debate and what return-to-office mandates really signalIf you're job hunting, feeling the pressure, or just want to hear a candid conversation about the world of work, this one's for you.Enjoy, with your Quick Brew!------🤝 Connect with Joe on LinkedIn📖 Read Joe's book recommendation | Atomic Habits by James Clear📚 Notable references for anything written by Roger Moore and Paul McKenna.------❤️ Thank you to our sponsors, Loomyna. Your AI conversation coach - helping managers, leaders, and HR professionals rehearse, refine, and communicate with clarity, confidence, and care.🔗 Learn more about Loomyna.🤑 Don't forget to use the discount code: BREW10------