Favourite Positions
Favourite Positions is a platform and podcast designed to help you find your dream role.
Founded by Alex Young in 2022, the platform was born from her own frustration with outdated career advice and rigid workplace expectations. Early in her career, Alex was often told she was “too young” to lead or made to feel uncomfortable in environments rife with sexism and performative policies. Like many, she was left disillusioned – not by hard work itself, but by systems that held people back.
Instead of conforming, she looked to those building better businesses – the founders, leaders and creatives shaping inclusive, purpose-led workplaces that prioritise well-being, impact and autonomy. Their stories lit the path forward.
Favourite Positions began as a way to share those stories – and has since grown into a trusted space for candid conversations about work, identity and ambition in a changing world.
Today, Favourite Positions is home to a growing community of over 10,000 people.
Alex’s work has been featured by the BBC, Channel 4, Cosmopolitan, Metro and Start Up Magazine. She is the recipient of the Excellence Scholarship at Imperial College London, where she’s continuing to grow the platform alongside her MBA.
Tune in for honest episodes that showcase the people reimagining work for a new generation.
Whether you’re early in your career, switching paths or leading a team, Favourite Positions is here to help you carve your own path and find work that truly fits.
Favourite Positions
Episode 09: Career Unlocked - Dean Connell
Episode description:
In this thought-provoking episode of Career Unlocked, Alex sits down with Dean Connell, a creative director with over two decades of experience in the interior design industry and the founder of the innovative design consultancy, I-AM.D.C. Dean shares his journey from growing up in inner-city London to becoming a leading voice in sustainable and circular design. He discusses the pivotal moments that shaped his career, including his transition from working at Phones4U to studying interior design at Kingston University and eventually launching his own design consultancy. Dean opens up about his unique philosophy that takes cues from nature to transform traditional workspaces and hospitality environments into sustainable, circular spaces. He also shares his passion for moving beyond 'tick box' sustainability and creating lasting, desirable pieces that transcend functionality. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of design, sustainability and the evolving nature of work.
Key points discussed:
- Dean’s early life in inner-city London and his transition from working at Phones4U to studying interior design
- The importance of focusing on specific skills and developing discipline in one’s career
- Dean’s experiences working as a junior designer and the evolution of his career in the interior design industry
- Founding I-AM.D.C and the inspiration behind challenging the 'take, make, waste' mentality in design
- The integration of circular principles into his work and the importance of creating lasting, repairable and adaptable furniture
- Dean’s approach to moving beyond 'tick box' sustainability and fostering a community committed to circular design
- The impact of technology and innovation on the future of workspace design and how AI and VR may influence the industry
- Dean’s views on the importance of community and user-centered design in creating sustainable and functional workspaces
- Insights into Dean’s most rewarding career moments, including working in Japan and developing the Sessions project
- Upcoming projects and initiatives at I-AM.D.C, including collaborations with Patch co-working spaces
Resources and links:
- Connect with Dean Connell: LinkedIn
- I-AM.D.C: Website
- Patch Co-Working Spaces: Website
- Living With Buildings: The Sessions House Project: Website
Stay up to date with us on Instagram and LinkedIn:
As always, please reach out and let us know how you’re finding the series and feel free to send us any suggestions for topics you’d like us to explore in future episodes! Thank you for listening and supporting the platform. We're so grateful that you're here.
Follow Favourite Positions on LinkedIn and Instagram, connect with Alex here.
