Technology is a leading trend in hiring, likely to continue into 2021, so this month, Jane is joined by technologist and former kindergarten teacher, Jeremy Schifeling.

Jeremy interned at Apple, gaining the internship by demonstrating how he was able to apply the knowledge and experience he’d gained as a teacher, to a new and different field. He now works as Principal Product Marketing Manager for Khan Academy, and developed Break into Tech, a set of resources that helps people looking to change their careers find new pathways to working with technology.

As Jane celebrates six years of the Career Farm podcast, we take a look at current market trends, to help you take a proactive approach to your career. You can download the report for free.

Steve Glaveski is the author of Time Rich, a seal entrepreneur, investor and founder of a startup incubator. He joins Jane to talk about time management, saying no, and putting what we learn into action.

Steve experimented with a six-hour workday, and in his book, he challenges the notion that presence equals productivity and presents his philosophy of the ways in which our working time is hijacked: TYRE (Time, saying Yes, Residual work, path of least Effort).

More productivity and time management tools can be found on the Time Rich website. You can also listen to Steve’s previous appearance on /Grow Your Own Career/.

Founder and CEO of sustainable pet brand Project Blu, Geryn Evans, talks to Jane about building a responsible brand, valuing businesses, and the risks an entrepreneur might undertake when they have attractive intellectual property.

Geryn prides his company on its genuinely disruptive approach to pet furnishings, by using recycled materials and avoiding fabrics with a high carbon footprint.

After leaving a large US consultancy firm and joining the family business, Geryn developed his interest in product design but became disheartened by what he saw as a race to the bottom in quality. After forming Ralph & Co, which supplied dog beds to leading retailers, he formed Project Blu to focus on sustainability, and was accepted to an accelerator programme in February 2020.

Jane and Geryn discuss the key traits of successful entrepreneurs, approaches to risk, and how to be a self-starter.

Hanna has made her career in marketing, which provides her full-time employment, but when her job gave her a little headspace in March 2018, she made use of that time by starting Acala, a zero-waste, plastic-free health and beauty online shop.

Hanna used her digital marketing experience to promote the business, which her employer was happy for her to do (although not on company time!), and within the first 18 months the site turned over around a quarter of a million pounds.

Hanna and Jame also discuss the perils of drop shipping, managing social media, and working with influencers.

Renowned coach and business owner Simon Clifford shares his journey from teaching to sports scientist to successful entrepreneur, and how he bet early on young enthusiastic footballers and coaches, lowering the barrier to entry by making his knowledge and experience more affordable.

Simon is known for introducing English footballers to Brazilian training techniques, via his Brazilian Soccer Schools franchise. He also works as a technical consultant for TV and film, including Bend it Like Beckham, The Damned United and the Netflix series The English Game.

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Dr Lynda Shaw shares ways to trick your brain out of interview stress, and ways you can help combat the sense of overwhelm and anxiety that’s worsened for many during lockdown.

Dr Shaw is a self-confessed travel junkie, who ran a number of successful businesses before becoming a working mother. She studied anthropology, psychology and neuroscience, focusing on the unconscious processing of emotion, and is the author of books that help readers take control over their brains.

In recounting a story from one of her most difficult moments in business, Dr Shaw highlights the importance of taking time out, being proactive and asking for help.