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Successful AF Pod
Successful AF is a podcast about redefining success on your own terms. Host Jess West — a leadership and burnout coach who's circled the drain on burnout more than once — sits down with people who did everything right, ticked every box, and still found themselves asking "is this it?" Through honest, unfiltered conversations about burnout recovery, career change and reinvention, her guests share how they stopped borrowing someone else's scorecard and started authoring success for themselves. If you've ever chased a version of success that was never built for you, this one's for you.
Episodes
24 episodes
You Can't Bubble Bath Your Way Out of Burnout
Another solo one, and this time I'm getting into something I talk about all the time in my coaching but haven't really unpacked on the pod: burnout isn't a bubble bath problem. It's a nervous system issue. It's a belief system issue. And no amo...
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Dancing With Pain: Living With Chronic Illness and Learning to Surrender — Lorraine Ansell
Lorraine Ansell spent 40 years in pain without knowing it. Waking up feeling like she'd been "hit by a plane," feet that hummed, a body that bruised at the slightest touch — she assumed everyone felt that way. It wasn't until lockdown, a TikTok...
Season 3: Stop Borrowing Someone Else's Scorecard — Jess Goes Solo
In the first ever solo episode of Successful AF, host Jess West kicks off season three with a reset on what this whole show is really about. After 21 conversations with guests redefining success on their own terms, Jess pulls together the threa...
Money, Mindset & Multi-Passion: You Can Have It All, Just Not at Once – Jessie Leong
What if the reason you feel bad about money has nothing to do with how much you have?Jessie Leong is a marketing manager by day and the founder of How I Fund This by night — a personal finance community of over 80,000 people built on one...
Can You Be Ambitious Without Burning Out? Riah Patel on Networking, Mentorship & Slowing Down to Succeed
Riah Patel has the career, the drive, and the results to prove it. A senior leader and surveyor in the real estate industry, she's spent a decade building an impressive career through sheer intentionality — moving from graduate scheme to busine...
When Your Doctor Won't Listen: Risa August on Brain Tumours, Radical Reinvention, and What Success Really Feels Like
What if you spent seven years knowing something was wrong with your body — and every doctor told you nothing was?Risa August is a two-time Ironman athlete, cyclist, author, and one of the most quietly compelling people I've ever spoken t...
From Invisible to Unstoppable: Building a Business That Heals with Marcela from On A Sew
Marcela spent years feeling invisible—so she built a business where everyone is seen, heard, and valued.Marcela's story is one you'll want to listen to twice.She grew up speaking only Spanish after moving from Columbia to the UK at ...
Breaking Cultural Expectations: From the Singapore Dream to Strategy Consulting - Clara Ho
Clara Ho crossed international borders with a passport every day just to get to school. Six hours round trip on the worst days. She was raised on the "Singapore Dream"—five C's that defined success: cash, credit card, condo, country club, and c...
Accessible Yoga for All Bodies: From Moving to London Alone to Building a Thriving Yoga Business - Maria Peace Yoga
Maria Caballero moved to London in 2013 with a thousand euros in cash, one friend, and a vision. She walked down Regent Street handing out CVs to every shop until someone gave her a chance. Fast forward to 2025, and she's built one of the most ...
Career Burnout to Business Success: Building Sustainable Growth Without Sacrifice - Charlotte Brown
Redefining Success: From Corporate Ladder to Life on Your Terms - Abi Schoenheimer
What does success really mean when you've climbed the ladder but still feel unfulfilled? In this raw and honest conversation, Jess West sits down with her friend of 15 years, Abi Schoenheimer, to explore the messy reality of redefining success ...
From Medical Doctor to Cacao Entrepreneur: Finding Success Through Self-Connection with Dr Ifey Ihonor of 8Within
Trigger Warning: This episode contains mentions of suicide and self-harm. If you're struggling with these issues, please reach out to a trusted professional or contact a crisis support service in your area.In this episode, host Je...
Overcoming Burnout: From Teacher Burnout to Psychology Career - Lyndsey Gormley
What happens when you realise success isn't about climbing the ladder, but about aligning your life with your values? In this Season 2 premiere, host Jess West sits down with Lyndsey Gormley, a therapist whose career transformati...
Courtrooms, Courage and Chasing Dreams - Charlotte de Wouters is Successful AF
What does it really mean to walk away from everything you've worked for to chase a dream that others don't understand?In this episode, Jess is joined by Charlotte de Wouters, who made the courageous career transition from a high-s...
Finding Calm in Chaos - from Rock Bottom to Radical Self-Responsibility - Katrina Burke is Successful AF
Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicidal ideation, chronic illness, and sexual assault. Please take care of yourself while listening.What happens when you've climbed all the ladders, ticked all the boxes, and...
Non-Linear Career Path: From Self-Doubt to Change Management Success - Lauren Brighton
In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West interviews Lauren Brighton, a London-based change manager whose non-linear career journey embraces being a generalist over a specialist. From creating legacy films to navigating the...
Holistic Health Approach: A GP's Guide to Wellness Without the Hype - Dr. Sonia Tsukagoshi
In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West sits down with Dr. Sonia Tsukagoshi, a London GP and holistic health coach practising sustainable wellness. Born in the UK to Japanese parents, Sonia has lived an incredibly ...
Career Resilience and Starting Over: From Romanian Architect to London Success - Lidia Teasca
In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West reconnects with Lidia Teasca, an architect whose story of career resilience and starting over will leave you speechless. When corruption in Romania left Lidia working seven days a w...
From Police Officer to Wellness Entrepreneur - Clare Muncey
In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West interviews Clare Muncey, a former Metropolitan Police officer who made a dramatic career transition from the Riot Squad to becoming a yoga teacher and social entrepreneur.
Female Fitness Entrepreneur: Building a Strength Training Empire - Santina Philips
Episode SummaryWhat if everything you've been told about business success is wrong?This week, host Jess West sits down with her longtime friend Santina Philips, female entrepreneur and founder of URSUS Fitness in H...
Shedding Armour, Sabbaticals and Letting Faith Lead - Toto Lambert is Successful AF
Episode SummaryWhat if the promotion you didn't get was actually the universe's way of setting you free?In this deeply moving episode, Jess sits down with her dear friend Toto Lambert, who went from Team Secretary to one of the ...
Creative Freelancer Success: From Dyslexia to Times Square - Photographer Lily West
Episode SummaryThis week, Jess sits down with someone truly special - her sister Lily West, a creative entrepreneur and freelance photographer who's built her dream creative business through determination and cr...
Career Change Confidence: Trusting Your Gut in Creative Industries - Chloe Hodge
What if everything you've been told about career success is completely wrong?In this inaugural episode of Successful AF, host Jess West sits down with arts professional Chloe Hodge for a raw conversation about career change confid...