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I Shouldn't Say This, But...

Katy Leeson
Imposter Syndrome
Social Chain
Leadership
Entrepreneurship
Manchester
Personal Branding
HR Star
AI In Marketing
BBC Radio 4
We Are the Allies
Freelancers
Personal Brand
Hairdressing
Social Media
Personal Values
Work-Life Blend
Sleep Scores
Hybrid Work
Gen Z
United Kingdom Employment Law

Being a leader can be genuinely lonely. I Shouldn't Say This, But… exists because of that.

Hosted by Katy Leeson, former MD of Social Chain, now founder of Courageous, this is the podcast for leaders and founders who want the conversations they can't seem to have anywhere else. The real ones. About doubt, people, culture, hard decisions, and what building something actually costs you.

No perform... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes144Founded8 years ago
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EntrepreneurshipBusinessBusiness NewsNews

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Artwork for I Shouldn't Say This, But...

Latest Episodes

We're three months into the podcast (five if you count the planning), and I wanted to do something different for this one: an unfiltered chat with my producer Stefan.

In this episode, we get into:

* Why I chose Mollie's over a studio, and the bra... more

Sacha Lord: Warehouse Project, Losing a Customer, and Why He Took the Government to Court

He turned up to the Hacienda in his dad's suit and got turned away at the door. Thirty-five years later, Sacha Lord has built and sold the biggest club night a... more

I sat down with Ash Jones, Steven Bartlett's first-ever personal brand manager (and first person to ever have the title), founder of one of the UK's first personal branding agencies and my good friend, to talk about the real cost of staying quiet whe... more

This week I'm catching you up on one of the biggest moments of my year so far! Recording BBC Radio 4's The Bottom Line with Evan Davis, Andy Ransom (former CEO of Rentokil) and imposter syndrome expert Dr Valerie Young.

The topic? Imposter syndrome,... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Sacha Lord
Hospitality and events entrepreneur; founder of Warehouse Project, Sankeys, Part Life, Parklife
Independent entrepreneur; Manchester nightlife figure
Episode: S6 Ep11: The Government Wiped Out 124,000 Jobs. I Watched It Happen | Sacha Lord
Ash Jones
Personal branding expert, founder of Ingo Company, former Great Influence executive
Ingo Company; Great Influence
Episode: S6 Ep10: Your Leadership Team's Silence Is Costing You £17.8 Million a Year | Ash Jones
Jade Reilly
Dietitian and fitness expert with NHS background
National Health Service (NHS)
Episode: S6 Ep7: Hustle Culture Is Lying To Women. The NHS Dietician's Truth About Hormones, Food & Burnout
Sarah Louise Keane
Hairdresser, educator, founder of Host
SLK / Host
Episode: S6 Ep6: "I've had death threats...over hair" The reality of building a personal brand online with Sarah Louise Keane
Kelly Tucker
Founder of HR Star, HR expert
HR Star
Episode: S6 Ep3: Your People Are Your Biggest P&L Line, So Why Are You Ignoring Them? With Kelly Tucker

Host

Katy Leeson
Host of the show; founder of Courageous; former MD of Social Chain; leads candid conversations with leaders and founders.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 222 ratings
  • Brilliant topics and practical advice

    New to this podcast today - catching up on the burnout episode - but will definitely be listening to the back catalogue. Really informative and useful advice.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    loveapoddy
    United Kingdom5 years ago
  • Really helpful

    I found your episode on procrastination very helpful (and enjoyable too!) Thanks :)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    gridrunner
    United Kingdom6 years ago
  • I shouldn’t rate this a 1 star,but...

    Guys, don’t have a heart attack! I’ll change this back, but I think it’ll be worth taking a dive in to online reviews and the pros and cons about them e.g Trust Pilot, Feefo and other online review sites like Trip Advisor and Yelp!

    (Story example: The Shed in East Dulwich)

    Best,

    Kulvir

    2018 Edit: Changed to 5 star, I like the podcast and they’ve mentioned that they’d cover review sites, but the 1 star rating affects their ranking algorithm. I’m looking forward to hearing the reviews episode i... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Kulvir L
    United Kingdom6 years ago
  • Utter honesty and reassurance

    This podcast talks about real issues, real situations, real reactions and real feelings.

    It really resonated with me for a number of reasons but especially as I have been having a very tough time recently and just trying to figure everything out. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SarahMona
    United Kingdom6 years ago
  • What is this?

    I thought this sounded like an interesting business podcast. But the episode that I listened to seemed to be a random meander that didn’t have much context. Maybe it is just for employees of a specific biz. It seems to be a ramble. Maybe I just got a bad episode but I’m not willing to invest more of my time in hopes that there’s more substance elsewhere.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Neb688
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners note tonal shifts or pacing differences across episodes but still find it valuable for leadership discussions.
Listeners praise the show's honesty, practicality, and relatable leadership stories.
Fans value actionable insights on personal branding, burnout, and building cultures in growth environments.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

S6 Ep8: My Husband Wasn't Paid for 9 Months, So We Built a 500 Freelancer Network
Q: How does the onboarding and matching process work for clients and freelancers?
Clients onboarding triggers a briefing review, a human-led talent match, access to freelancer portfolios, and a process that adapts to briefs and day rates; freelancers are paid within 14 days of job completion, and the network gradually scales its categories based on demand.
S6 Ep8: My Husband Wasn't Paid for 9 Months, So We Built a 500 Freelancer Network
Q: What motivated you to start the Allies network after years in client-side and agency work?
The founder explains wanting more creative control and a reliable way to connect freelancers with the right opportunities, plus a personal story of a freelancer husband not being paid for months underscored the need for a system that values timely compensation and professional respect.
S6 Ep3: Your People Are Your Biggest P&L Line, So Why Are You Ignoring Them? With Kelly Tucker
Q: Before we get into that, will you tell me and the listeners a little bit more about you and your journey?
Kelly shares her path from HR roles to founding HR Star, emphasizing a proactive, culture-first approach and founder-to-founder coaching as key to her business model.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About I Shouldn't Say This, But...

What is I Shouldn't Say This, But... about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show concentrates on leadership, entrepreneurship, and workplace culture through candid, no-nonsense conversations with founders, CEOs, and industry leaders. Episodes balance personal stories—burnout, loneliness in leadership, and values—with practical lessons on brand building, team dynamics, and navigating high-stakes decisions. A standout is the willingness to tackle tough topics openly, from imposter syndrome to freelancer ecosystems, often featuring guests who illustrate real-world paths to sustainable growth. Listeners seeking honest perspectives on the costs and challenges of leading a business will likely find this series compelling and actionable.

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How many listeners does I Shouldn't Say This, But... get?

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Which podcasts are similar to I Shouldn't Say This, But...?

These podcasts share a similar audience with I Shouldn't Say This, But...:

1. Vogue & Amber
2. On The Mend
3. Begin Again with Davina McCall
4. How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
5. Strangers on a Bench

How many episodes of I Shouldn't Say This, But... are there?

I Shouldn't Say This, But... launched 8 years ago and published 144 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on I Shouldn't Say This, But...?

Recent guests on I Shouldn't Say This, But... include:

1. Sacha Lord
2. Ash Jones
3. Jade Reilly
4. Sarah Louise Keane
5. Kelly Tucker

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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