The Charlene Gisele Show

What does it take to lead in one of the most high-pressure and male-dominated industries in the world without losing yourself in the process? In this conversation, Bronwyn Boyle, award-winning cybersecurity leader and CISO at PPRO, shares what she has learned from more than 20 years in cybersecurity, technology strategy, resilience, and cybercrime prevention. With leadership experience across global banks, regulatory bodies, start-ups, and Big4 consultancies, Bronwyn brings a rare perspective on what it means to lead under pressure while staying human.

We explore the realities of being a woman in cybersecurity, the career lessons Bronwyn wishes she had known earlier, and why resilience in cyber cannot just be about systems, firewalls, and incident response, but must also include the psychological resilience of the people behind them. Bronwyn also shares how Cybermindz is helping cyber professionals better navigate stress, sleep disruption, burnout, and crisis response.

This episode is about leadership, mental resilience, digital anxiety, switching off in an always-on world, and why the future of cybersecurity depends not only on stronger systems, but on healthier people.

 

Chapters

00:00 Being a woman in a male-dominated industry

08:27 What Bronwyn would tell her younger self and women entering cyber

14:49 Why cybersecurity needs more women in leadership

17:57 Bronwyn’s path to the C-suite

20:12 Resilience, burnout, and learning before you hit the wall

22:54 The military-style resilience tools used in cyber

28:13 How Bronwyn leads junior talent through pressure and crisis

32:46 Sleep, digital anxiety, and the always-on problem in cyber

43:55 Why switching off is imperative for long-term success

50:32 Burnout, identity, and the trap of feeling irreplaceable

59:52 What organizations are doing better to support well-being

1:04:08 How Cybermindz supports cyber professionals

1:07:49 Why new talent should consider a career in cyber

 

What We Cover

The realities of being a woman in cybersecurity

Why women should not wait for permission or a tap on the shoulder

How strong male mentors and sponsors can help accelerate a career

Why representation matters in cybersecurity and technology leadership

Bronwyn’s route into the CISO role

The link between cyber work, burnout, and psychological resilience

How Cybermindz brings military-informed resilience tools into cyber

The impact of sleep deprivation, digital anxiety, and constant vigilance

Why leaders need to create space for people to admit when they are not okay

The importance of switching off, recovery, and non-work activities

What organizations can do to better support resilience and retention

Why cybersecurity is an exciting and deeply meaningful career path

 

Key Takeaways

Cybersecurity requires resilience not only in systems, but in people.

Women in male-dominated industries often need to take more agency in shaping their own path.

Diverse leadership leads to better decision-making and stronger outcomes.

Burnout often builds long before people realize they have hit the wall.

Short resilience practices can make a meaningful difference in high-pressure moments.

Sleep, recovery, and psychological safety are essential to sustained performance.

Digital anxiety is real and is becoming harder to ignore.

Leaders need to model healthier ways of working if they want teams to thrive.

No job is worth building a life around that leaves no room for perspective or recovery.

Cyber is a fascinating, fast-moving field with enormous opportunity for new talent.

 

Guest Resources

Learn more about Cybermindz: https://cybermindz.org

Get more info about the Hacking Games: https://www.thehackinggames.com

Connect With Me
🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlène-gisèle-bourliout/
✉️ Subscribe to my Life Less Burnt Out Newsletter: https://charlenegisele.com/newsletter/

Are you tired of being tired? In this conversation, Caroline Alan, also known as The Mineral Geek, explains why one of the most overlooked foundations of human health may be mineral replenishment. As the co-founder of BEAM Minerals and author of the newly released The Mineral Reset: The Essential Guide to Replenishing Your Body and Restoring Your Health, Caroline shares how plant-based humic and fulvic minerals can support health at the cellular level and why so many modern symptoms may begin with depletion at a much deeper level.

We explore Caroline’s own healing journey from gut inflammation, adrenal fatigue, recurring infections, and insomnia into a completely new understanding of how the body creates energy, regulates stress, and restores balance. She explains why even people who eat well may still be depleted, how modern farming and water filtration affect our health, and why minerals may be one of the missing links in energy, sleep, hormones, and resilience.

We also talk about hydration, gut health, fertility, perimenopause, performance, and the major misconceptions people have about magnesium, salt, and mineral supplements.

 

Chapters

00:00 Why minerals may be one of the most overlooked foundations of health

03:03 Caroline’s health journey and how minerals changed everything

13:44 Why even healthy eaters can still be mineral depleted

26:18 Water, filtration, and why remineralization matters

30:43 A mineral masterclass and the biggest misconceptions people make

39:59 Humic and fulvic explained and how they work in the body

56:01 Magnesium, salt, and common mistakes in the name of health

1:05:11 Fertility, pregnancy, and why minerals matter for women’s health

1:12:35 Perimenopause, menopause, and mineral support

1:15:00 Why minerals matter for men, performance, and longevity

1:19:22 Caroline’s new book The Mineral Reset and where to begin

 

What We Cover

Why mineral depletion may sit underneath symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, and gut issues

How minerals support cellular energy production and overall resilience

Why modern food systems leave even healthy eaters undernourished at a mineral level

Soil depletion, industrial agriculture, and the role of glyphosate

Why filtered and bottled water can contribute to mineral depletion

What minerals actually are and why balanced ratios matter

The difference between macro minerals, trace minerals, humic, and fulvic substances

Signs of mineral deficiency in busy professionals and high performers

Why plant-based mineral complexes may be more bioavailable than common mineral supplements

The risks of relying too heavily on isolated magnesium or salt-based electrolytes

How minerals relate to sleep, hydration, gut health, hormone balance, and stress

Why minerals are particularly important in fertility, pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause

Why men also need to think about minerals for performance, recovery, and longevity

How to get started with Caroline’s work, BEAM Minerals, and The Mineral Reset

 

Key Takeaways

Minerals are foundational to energy, resilience, and overall health.

Many modern symptoms may be linked to mineral depletion at a cellular level.

Eating well does not always guarantee adequate mineral intake.

Hydration depends on minerals, not just water.

Mineral balance matters just as much as mineral quantity.

Perimenopause, fertility, and performance all place greater demands on the body.

The Mineral Reset is the best place to start if you want to understand this topic more deeply.

 

Charlene’s Fertility Resource

Download Charlene’s complimentary Fertility Ready Guide to Optimizing Your Home Environment: https://charlenegisele.com/your-fertility-ready-home/

 

Guest Resources

Get Caroline’s newly released book: The Mineral Reset: https://mineralresetbook.com

Connect with Caroline Alan:

www.carolinealan.com

https://www.instagram.com/carolinealan.official/

https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinealan.official

https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-alan/

https://www.facebook.com/carolinealan.official

https://www.youtube.com/@carolinealan.official

Get more info about Beam Minerals:

www.beamminerals.com

https://www.instagram.com/beamminerals/

https://www.facebook.com/beamminerals

https://www.tiktok.com/@beamminerals

https://www.youtube.com/@beamminerals

https://www.linkedin.com/company/beam-minerals

https://x.com/BeamMinerals

https://www.pinterest.com/beamminerals/

 

Connect With Me

🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlène-gisèle-bourliout/

✉️ Subscribe to my Life Less Burnt Out Newsletter: https://charlenegisele.com/newsletter/

What does it really mean to talk about workplace stress through the lens of employment law?

In this conversation, Howard Hymanson, Head of Employment at Harbottle & Lewis, shares what he has learned from advising on discrimination, workplace bullying, burnout, stress claims, and some of the most high-profile internal misconduct investigations in recent years. Howard leads the employment practice at a firm that was ranked 12th in RollOnFriday’s Best Law Firms to Work At 2026 and 7th by Legal Business for client recommendations among the top 100 UK firms, which makes his perspective on workplace culture, performance, and well-being especially compelling.

We explore the legal and human realities of workplace stress, including when pressure is still manageable and when it becomes something more serious. Howard explains how duty of care applies to mental health as much as physical health, why some professionals wait too long before getting support, and what employers, managers, and senior leaders can do to spot warning signs before someone reaches breaking point.

Timestamp

00:00 What workplace stress claims actually mean in employment law

03:16 Howard’s legal career and how he came to specialize in employment law

10:31 Duty of care, mental health, and the rise of workplace stress claims

14:22 When someone should speak to an employment lawyer before matters escalate

18:44 Can high performance and well-being coexist in elite law firms?

23:46 What managing partners can do to support wellness without lowering standards

27:09 Howard’s personal approach to avoiding burnout and sustaining a long legal career

29:52 Why Howard prefers the idea of work-life blend over work-life balance

32:47 What Howard would say to an overworked senior associate on partnership track

36:02 Patterns that may make someone more vulnerable to workplace stress issues

44:28 Leadership, family life, and partnership in law

54:01 Telltale signs that someone may be approaching breaking point

57:32 What to do when a private medical condition starts affecting work

 

What We Cover

What workplace stress claims look like in the context of employment law

How stress, bullying, discrimination, and disability claims can overlap

When ambitious professionals should seek legal advice before reaching crisis point

Why prevention matters more than formal litigation

The tension between elite performance cultures and employee well-being

What law firms can do to build healthier and more sustainable working environments

How managers can better monitor utilization and protect high-performing talent

Howard’s approach to work, family, ambition, and long-term career sustainability

The concept of work-life blend and what it looks like in practice

What senior associates on partnership track should watch out for

Neurodiversity, vulnerability, and why some employees may need more support

Leadership, parenthood, and making room for both career and family

Early warning signs that someone may be nearing burnout or breakdown

Why honesty matters when a health issue starts to affect work

 

Key Takeaways

Workplace stress is not just a personal issue. It can become a legal issue too.

Duty of care applies to mental health as much as it does to physical safety.

The earlier someone gets support, the more options they usually have.

Formal litigation is often a last resort, not the ideal outcome.

High performance does not have to mean ignoring human limits.

Culture is shaped from the top and reinforced through everyday management.

Sustained periods of high demand without recovery can become dangerous.

Monitoring utilization matters, especially for the most capable and willing people.

Work-life blend may be more realistic than aiming for perfect balance.

Ambition is healthiest when it is paired with perspective, rhythm, and boundaries.

Neurodiversity and personal vulnerability require greater awareness from employers.

Managers should pay attention to changes in behavior, emotional regulation, and appearance.

 

Guest Resources

Howard Hymanson at Harbottle & Lewis: https://www.harbottle.com/people/howard-hymanson/

Howard’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardhymanson/

Howard’s article in The Times: Protecting cancer patients at work would give peace of mind: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/protecting-cancer-patients-at-work-would-give-peace-of-mind-qrpqql9k7

Howard’s article in Arts Professional: Understanding ‘day one’ dismissal rights in theatre: https://www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/feature/understanding-day-one-dismissal-rights-in-theatre

Connect With Me
🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlène-gisèle-bourliout/
✉️ Subscribe to my Life Less Burnt Out Newsletter: https://charlenegisele.com/newsletter/

What if aging is not something you simply accept, but something you can actively influence?

In this conversation, Dr. Elena Seranova looks at aging the way hackers look at locked systems. Armed with a PhD in stem cell biology, she launched NMN Bio as a direct challenge to the idea that your body’s timeline is fixed and to bring real longevity science into the hands of people who want more from life. Rigorous by training and unafraid to question anything labeled normal, she debunks bad science by building a new path forward. In her world, longevity is a system waiting to be rewritten.

We explore what it really takes to protect brain health, energy, focus, and recovery in a high-pressure world. Elena explains why modern professionals are more depleted than they realize, how stress, poor sleep, light exposure, and nutrient deficiencies can quietly affect concentration and performance, and what role supplements like magnesium, melatonin, NMN, and NAD can play in supporting cognitive and physical resilience.

 

Timestamps

00:00 Aging, the brain, and why modern life drains our energy

02:34 Elena’s background in neuroscience, aging, and stem cell biology

06:30 Nutrition, sleep, and the hidden drivers of brain fog and poor focus

11:19 Melatonin, sleep quality, and what to know about dosage

17:00 Magnesium, stress, and why high performers may need more support

21:40 Organic vs inorganic magnesium and what actually gets absorbed

27:22 How to think about supplement quality, safety, and what to check before buying

36:18 NAD vs NMN, energy production, and why they matter as we age

47:18 Elena’s daily approach to NMN, recovery, and long-term support

54:41 Practical stress-reset tools for high performers

59:06 The 40 Hz focus and sleep soundtracks Elena uses for deep work and travel

1:03:26 Pregnancy, supplement safety, and where to find Elena’s products

 

What We Cover

Brain fog, energy decline, and why high performers need to think differently about aging

How processed food, insulin spikes, and stress affect focus and cognitive performance

Why evening routines, light exposure, and circadian rhythms matter more than most people realize

Melatonin, GABA, and how to think about sleep support more intelligently

Magnesium and why form, absorption, and formulation matter

How to approach supplements without becoming overwhelmed

The difference between NAD and NMN and why Elena believes NMN matters for longevity

Jet lag, travel, and how to reduce the disruption of changing time zones

Practical ways to regulate stress without stepping away from ambition or responsibility

Why meditation, breathwork, and magnesium baths can support recovery

How 40 Hz sound can be used for deep work, sleep, and travel recovery

 

Key Takeaways

Modern life places a real cognitive and biological load on the brain.

Poor sleep, stress, light exposure, and nutrient depletion can quietly reduce focus and resilience.

Melatonin can be useful, but more is not always better.

The form of magnesium matters because absorption and function are not the same across products.

Third-party testing and transparent sourcing are basic standards worth checking for.

NAD is central to energy production, and NMN is one way to help replenish it.

Consistency in sleep and daily routine can support recovery more than one-off hacks.

Stress management does not have to mean stepping away from a full life.

Short, repeatable practices can help shift the body out of stress mode during the day.

Human connection and supportive relationships also play a real role in health and recovery.

Longevity works best when it is approached as a system, not a single solution.

 

Guest Resources

Visit Elena Seranova’s website: https://nmnbio.co.uk/

Connect with Elena on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaseranova/

Get Elena’s products here:
Day & Night Bundle: https://nmnbio.co.uk/collections/bundles/products/day-night-bundle-nmn-500mg-nad-brain-oh-mg-magnesium

Evening Magnesium: https://nmnbio.co.uk/products/oh-mg-relax-dream-repair-evening-magnesium

Elena's Jetlag reset protocol: https://nmnbio.co.uk/blogs/news/how-to-offset-jetlag-in-less-than-24-hours

Use the code “CHARLENE” to get a 5% discount.

Soundtracks Elena mentioned:
40 Hz for "deep sleep" on a plane: https://youtu.be/QqQ5fYc8WqM?si=mrHVEs3WmfSJc18G

40 Hz for morning deep work: https://youtu.be/TVNciuZac3I?si=MrHWeZggl9vZXqaI

 

If you enjoy this conversation, you can also go back and listen to Elena’s first appearance on the show for an earlier deep dive into her work and approach to longevity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zdxUK_au0c&t=2001s

Connect With Me
🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlène-gisèle-bourliout/
✉️ Subscribe to my Life Less Burnt Out Newsletter: https://charlenegisele.com/newsletter/

What does it really take to walk away from everything you know and build something entirely new? In this conversation, Preethi Nair, author, storyteller, and founder of a storytelling consultancy, Kiss the Frog, shares how rejection, redundancy, and eight months of pretending to go to work led her to self-publish, reinvent herself, and build a career through story.

We talk about the alter ego she created to promote her first book, the risks she took to get her work noticed, and how that journey eventually led to literary success. Preethi also shares the story behind Unravelling, why she turned down a traditional publishing deal, and how the project grew into a one-woman West End show where she performed 22 characters despite never acting before.

This episode is about reinvention, courage, identity, and why storytelling matters not just in books, but in leadership, business, and the way we shape our own lives.

 

Timestamps

00:00 Eight months in a suit: pretending to go to work after redundancy

01:49 Why Preethi became a management consultant instead of a writer

04:22 The day her leaving came and what happened next

06:17 Creating Prue: designing a fearless alter ego from scratch

08:39 Pitching journalists as Prue and stacking eight months of press coverage

17:28 The petrol crisis, a stranger's cottage in Yorkshire, and starting again

24:49 Turning down a publisher deal to self-publish on her own terms

28:24 Rehearsing 22 characters for 18 months to perform in London's West End

36:18 How storytelling became a strategic tool for leaders in banking and law

44:29 Why story is 22 times more memorable than data

49:01 How to find your theme and structure a story that lands

58:36 The one misconception about storytelling Preethi wants to correct

 

What We Cover

Preethi’s journey from rejection and redundancy to self-publishing success

The alter ego she created to promote her book and build confidence

What it looked like to keep going while pretending everything was fine

How she turned creative vision into strategy and action

Why she chose to walk away from a traditional publishing deal

What the Meisner technique taught her about honest communication and presence

How storytelling became a strategic business tool for senior leaders in banking and law

What performing 22 characters taught her about presence and identity

The connection between storytelling, self-belief, and reinvention

Why storytelling matters in leadership, teams, and organizational culture

How leaders can use story to make data more human and memorable

 

Key Takeaways

The story you tell yourself can either keep you stuck or move you forward.

Reinvention often begins before you feel ready or have outside validation.

Confidence can be built through action, even if it starts out borrowed.

Creativity works best when it is paired with strategy and persistence.

Success means more when it reflects your values, not just external approval.

Sometimes the right path means walking away from what once felt like the goal.

Stretching beyond your comfort zone can help you discover your real voice.

Storytelling is not only for authors or performers. It is a powerful leadership skill.

People connect more deeply with meaning and narrative than facts alone.

Great storytelling starts with clarity about the message you want people to remember.

 

Guest Resources

Preethi Nair’s website: https://preethinair.com/

Read Preethi's latest novel Unravelling: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unravelling-Preethi-Nair/dp/1998997294/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Connect with Preethi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/preethi-nair-29471a4/

Connect with Preethi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writerwala/

Connect With Me
🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlène-gisèle-bourliout/
✉️ Subscribe to my Life Less Burnt Out Newsletter: https://charlenegisele.com/newsletter/