The Fearless Foodie Podcast

In food manufacturing and retail, saying yes can feel like the only option. Whether it's a retailer request, an impossible deadline or another last-minute change, there's often an expectation that we'll somehow make it happen.
But what happens when saying yes costs more than we realise?
In this Season 4 finale episode, I share a lesson from my own career involving a watermelon launch that went badly wrong. We agreed to timelines we couldn't realistically deliver because we didn't want to disappoint a new customer. In the end, we damaged the relationship anyway, while putting the team under enormous pressure.
It's a situation many people in food will recognise. Teams get used to finding a way, even when they've already explained why something isn't possible. Eventually, that willingness to deliver becomes an expectation, and the pressure keeps building.
I explore why credibility isn't about saying yes to everything. It's about being honest about what's achievable, understanding the consequences and having the confidence to challenge requests when something doesn't stack up.
We also look at what respectful pushback actually sounds like. Rather than simply saying no, it's about explaining the reasons, offering alternatives and working together to find a solution that protects both the customer relationship and the people responsible for delivering.
For leaders, there's an important message here too. Telling people to "just make it happen" isn't a plan, particularly when resources, quality or wellbeing are already under pressure.
Ultimately, your yes needs to mean something, but so does your no. Being upfront about what's possible isn't letting people down. Sometimes it's the very thing that protects trust, performance and your team.
Timestamps
00:00 – Why yes can be the most expensive word with retailers
01:31 – The watermelon launch and what went wrong
05:14 – Damaged credibility and the impact on wellbeing
07:10 – Why teams are exhausted by always making it happen
09:40 – Do retailers really expect you to say yes to everything?
11:46 – What credibility actually looks like
14:32 – How to push back respectfully
19:18 – Being honest about limits and offering alternatives
20:14 – Why "just do it" isn’t a leadership strategy
23:03 – Making sure your yes and no mean something
24:34 – Protecting wellbeing as well as performance
Connect with The Fearless Foodies
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https://foodies.fearlessfoodies.co.uk/podcast
Connect with me here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amywilkinsoncoach/
Useful Links & Support
Fearless Relationships
Supporting people outside commercial roles to hold their ground, have clearer conversations and build confidence when challenging decisions.
https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk
Work with Fearless Foodie
Leadership development and team support tailored to food manufacturing and retail environments.
https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk
A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors
IFP Labs
Specialist laboratory services supporting food businesses with fast, reliable testing and technical expertise.
https://www.ifp-labs.com/

Mentoring is often talked about as something experienced people do to help someone earlier in their career. But the best mentoring relationships can offer something valuable on both sides.
In this episode, I’m joined by Will Dickinson from Premier Foods, Caitlin Cannon from Kinisla and Laura James from Tesco to talk about their experiences with the Flourish in Food mentoring scheme, as mentors, mentees and sometimes both.
We explore why having someone outside your own business can be so valuable. An external mentor can offer a different perspective; help you recognise blind spots and give you honest feedback without the dynamics that can sometimes come with conversations inside your organisation.
Caitlin and Laura share what mentoring has given them, including greater confidence, accountability and a way to build connections beyond their day-to-day roles. We also talk about how daunting networking can feel when you’re starting out and how mentoring can provide a much easier route into building relationships across the industry.
But mentoring isn’t only valuable for the mentee. Will shares why supporting someone else can help you recognise how much experience and knowledge you already have, while developing your own leadership and people skills at the same time.
One of the biggest misconceptions we challenge is that you need 20 years of experience before you can mentor somebody. Sometimes being just a few steps ahead means your experience is particularly relevant to someone coming through behind you.
We also look at how Flourish in Food matches mentors and mentees, why being clear about what you want from the relationship matters and the genuine friendships that can develop along the way.
Whether you’re looking for support yourself or wondering if you have something to offer as a mentor, you might have far more to gain from mentoring than you realise.
Timestamps
00:00 – Why external mentoring matters in food and retail
02:40 – How Flourish in Food started during lockdown
05:06 – A mentee’s experience and the value of support
07:55 – Moving from internal to external mentoring
10:11 – Getting honest feedback from outside your business
12:10 – Building confidence and your network
14:00 – What mentors gain from mentoring
16:02 – Connecting across generations and experiences
20:06 – Why you don’t need 20 years of experience to mentor
23:39 – Mentoring as development for future leaders
25:54 – Applying for a mentoring scheme
28:40 – Friendships and genuine connection
29:13 – Why supporting mentoring in food matters
32:26 – Advice if you’re sitting on the fence
Connect with The Fearless Foodies
The Fearless Foodie Newsletter straight to your inbox. No fluff, no spam.
https://foodies.fearlessfoodies.co.uk/podcast
Connect with me here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amywilkinsoncoach/
Useful Links & Support
Featured Guests
Will Dickinson https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-dickinson-212b8881/
Caitlin Cannon, Assistant Brand Manager, Kinisla https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlin-cannon-032333158/
Laura James - https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-james-669a99263/
Flourish in Food
The mentoring scheme discussed throughout this episode, connecting mentors and mentees across the food industry.
https://flourish-in-food.wixsite.com/website-1
Work with Fearless Foodies
Leadership development and team support tailored to food manufacturing and retail environments.
https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk
A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors
IFP Labs
Specialist laboratory services supporting food businesses with fast, reliable testing and technical expertise.
https://www.ifp-labs.com/

Who gets into the room, who gets heard and who gets the opportunity to progress? In food and drink, those things aren’t always determined by talent alone.
In this episode, I’m joined by Rebecca Oliver Mooney, who has more than 20 years of commercial experience across major FMCG businesses and challenger brands, to talk about equity, opportunity and what needs to change in our industry.
We explore some of the barriers that still influence who stays and progresses, from caring responsibilities and working environments to everyday bias around who gets noticed, supported or promoted.
Rebecca also shares her own experiences of moving between large corporates and challenger brands and how that shaped her understanding of privilege, opportunity and what feels “normal” depending on where you’ve built your career.
A big part of our conversation is about what we can actually do. Rebecca talks about the importance of allyship, mentoring and using your own position to create opportunities for other people. Change doesn’t only sit with women’s networks or the people experiencing the barriers. We all have a part to play.
We also talk about imposter syndrome, which Rebecca reframes as “improver syndrome”. Instead of seeing self-doubt as evidence that you don’t belong, perhaps it’s a sign that you’re stretching yourself, learning and growing.
Rebecca shares the work Raising the Glass is doing to create a more supportive drinks industry through mentoring, community and practical support for women-founded businesses.
Ultimately, this conversation comes back to a simple question for anyone in a leadership position: are you leaving things better than you found them? Small actions, from inviting somebody into the room to advocating for their progression, can have a much bigger ripple effect than we realise.
Timestamps
02:00 – Rebecca’s career across FMCG and challenger brands
05:06 – Setting up diversity-focused incubators
09:54 – The drive for equity in food and drink
13:36 – Why Raising the Glass was founded
15:19 – Practical support for women and allies
21:10 – Experiences that can push women out of the industry
25:03 – How bias and culture shape careers
28:32 – Queen bee dynamics and supporting others
32:06 – Systemic issues and self-belief
33:37 – Reframing imposter syndrome
36:00 – Finding your tribe and building support

Connect with The Fearless Foodies
The Fearless Foodie Newsletter straight to your inbox. No fluff, no spam.
https://foodies.fearlessfoodies.co.uk/podcast
Connect with me here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amywilkinsoncoach/
Useful Links & Support
Raising the Glass
An industry initiative supporting women and allies in drinks through mentoring, community and practical support.
https://raisingtheglass.co.uk/
Connect with Rebecca Oliver Mooney https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-oliver-mooney-65730614/
Work with Fearless Foodies
Leadership development and team support tailored to food manufacturing and retail environments.
https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk
A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors
IFP Labs
Specialist laboratory services supporting food businesses with fast, reliable testing and technical expertise.
https://www.ifp-labs.com/

Constant pressure can become so normal in food manufacturing and retail that being busy almost feels like part of the job. But what happens when we keep pushing long after our body is telling us to stop?
In this episode, I’m joined by burnout specialist, coach and author Kelly Swingler to explore what burnout really looks like, why it is so often misunderstood, and what happens when we ignore the warning signs.
Kelly shares her own experience of rising through the ranks while experiencing repeated burnout, including serious physical consequences and hospital stays. We talk about the mindset that keeps high achievers pushing through and why being the person who can always cope can make it even harder to recognise when something is wrong.
We also explore how easily the word burnout gets used to describe being tired or overwhelmed. True burnout goes much deeper, and recovery isn’t something that can necessarily be fixed with a holiday or a few days away from work.
Kelly shares practical advice for recognising the signs in ourselves and others, including the idea of “breadcrumbing”. Rather than confronting someone and telling them they are burning out, we can create opportunities for them to recognise what might be happening through conversations, articles and shared experiences.
For anyone who already feels close to the edge, we talk about what realistic rest and recovery can look like. It doesn’t always mean making dramatic changes overnight. Small restorative actions can be an important place to start.
We also look at the wider culture around burnout. Individuals can make changes, but organisations and leaders also have a responsibility to question environments where relentless pressure and overwork have become normal.
One of Kelly’s strongest reminders is also one of the simplest: a business can replace you. Your family and the people who love you can’t.
Timestamps
00:00 – Why burnout matters in food manufacturing and retail
03:35 – Kelly’s career and first experience of burnout
07:17 – Values, moral injury and long-term pressure
08:07 – When burnout becomes physical
13:00 – Recovery and the mindset that keeps us pushing
22:08 – Why burnout is more than being tired
29:35 – Recognising burnout in yourself or your team
32:14 – Breadcrumbing and supporting someone who may be struggling
37:05 – What realistic rest and recovery can look like
43:49 – Individual responsibility and workplace culture
44:28 – Why you are irreplaceable outside work
Connect with The Fearless Foodies
The Fearless Foodie Newsletter straight to your inbox. No fluff, no spam.
https://foodies.fearlessfoodies.co.uk/podcast
Connect with me here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amywilkinsoncoach/
Useful Links & Support
Connect with Kelly Swingler on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyswingler/
You can also find details of Kelly’s books and work through her website.
https://www.kellyswingler.com
Fearless Resilience
Practical workshops supporting resilience and wellbeing in food teams.
https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk
Work with Fearless Foodies
Leadership development and team support tailored to food manufacturing and retail environments.
https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk
A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors
IFP Labs
Specialist laboratory services supporting food businesses with fast, reliable testing and technical expertise.
https://www.ifp-labs.com/

For many people working in food manufacturing and retail, the word "selling" feels uncomfortable. Technical specialists, product developers and operational teams often see it as something other people do.

But as Karen Green explains in this episode, we're all selling something. Whether it's a new product idea, a business case, a promotion or ourselves in an interview, our ability to communicate value has a huge impact on the opportunities we create.

I'm joined by Karen, former retail buyer, sales leader and author of Buyerology, to explore how we can become more confident communicators without feeling inauthentic.

One of the biggest themes throughout our conversation is that successful self-promotion isn't about becoming louder or more confident than everyone else. It's about understanding the person you're speaking to and helping them understand the value you bring.

Karen introduces her Buyerology 3 × 3 Matrix, a simple framework that encourages us to think about three things before any important conversation:

• The organisation.
• The individual.
• Their role within the business.

Taking time to understand each of these helps us prepare better conversations, stronger presentations and more meaningful relationships.

Some of the practical takeaways from the episode include:

• Self-promotion works best when it feels authentic.
• Preparation builds confidence before difficult conversations.
• Understanding your audience is just as important as understanding your own message.
• Adapting your communication style helps build stronger relationships without compromising your values.

We also talk about career progression and why opportunities don't always come from waiting to be noticed. Sometimes they come from learning how to communicate your strengths clearly and confidently.

This episode is a reminder that influence isn't about being the loudest person in the room. It's about building trust, understanding people and making it easier for others to see the value you bring.
Timestamps
00:00 – Why selling yourself feels uncomfortable

01:45 – Karen Green's career and the story behind Buyerology

04:04 – Why everyone is selling something

06:43 – Practical advice for self-promotion and interviews

09:26 – Understanding people, not just businesses

12:01 – Applying the Buyerology framework

16:36 – Authenticity and confidence

22:42 – Adapting your communication style

26:47 – Cultural and generational differences

30:13 – Karen's advice for building confidence

30:38 – How to connect with Karen and Buyerology
Connect with The Fearless Foodies
The Fearless Foodie Newsletter straight to your inbox. No fluff, no spam.
https://foodies.fearlessfoodies.co.uk/podcast

Connect with me here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amywilkinsoncoach/
Useful Links & Support
If this episode resonated, especially around communication, influence and career development, here are a few places to continue the conversation.

Connect with Karen Green
Follow Karen for insights on retail buying, communication, influence and career development.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thekarengreen/

Buyerology
Learn more about Karen's Buyerology framework, her book and additional resources.
https://buyerology.co.uk/

Work with Fearless Foodies
Leadership development and team support tailored to food manufacturing and retail environments.
https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk

A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors

IFP Labs
Specialist laboratory services supporting food businesses with fast, reliable testing and technical expertise.
https://www.ifp-labs.com/