How To Own The Room

How do you find the courage to keep changing the course of your career and try something new? Viv speaks to Amy Poon, who grew up in her family's famous Poon's restaurant business, and pursued various careers including art dealing and PR, before settling on her current career as a food entrepreneur. Her Chinese food heritage brand, Poon's London, produces award-winning sauces, while her beautiful central London restaurant, Poon's at Somerset House, has won accolades for its elevated Chinese home cooking. Amy's father Bill Poon was the first Chinese chef to be awarded a Michelin star in 1980 and Amy's first job was as the coat check girl in her parents' restaurant whose customers were people like Mick Jagger and Barbra Streisand. Amy tells Viv how growing up in the restaurant world gave her great communication skills; how she's never had a strategic career plan (and that's ok!); and why her 'magic soup' is always on the menu. Poon's London The new edition of How To Own the Room: Women and the Art of Brilliant Speaking is out now, featuring more in-depth analysis of everyone from Michelle Obama to Virginia Woolf — and extra-practical, actionable advice on honing your own speaker style @vivgroskop

How can you use disappointment to fuel your future success? Viv talks to Maria Semple, who wrote the bestselling novel, Where D'You Go, Bernadette, after bouncing back from the disappointment of her first novel not making it big. Her new book, Go Gentle is the darkly funny story of Adora Hazzard, a woman who thinks she's got it all figured out in later life — she lives in a "coven" with other cool, older women — only to have the past come back to haunt her in the shape of an unresolved MeToo moment in her earlier career. In Maria Semple's own previous life before becoming a novelist, she held her own in TV writer rooms in the 1990s and early 2000s, on shows like Beverly Hills 90210, Saturday Night Live, Arrested Development, Ellen and Mad About You. Maria tells Viv about discovering her true vocation as a novelist; how being raised in a creative Hollywood family made her effortlessly confident around show-business people; and she gives an insider's view of working - often as the only woman on the team - in TV writers rooms in the 1990s. Maria Semple's new novel is Go Gentle @MariaSemple The new edition of How To Own the Room: Women and the Art of Brilliant Speaking is out now, featuring more in-depth analysis of everyone from Michelle Obama to Virginia Woolf — and extra-practical, actionable advice on honing your own speaker style. @vivgroskop

How do you cultivate self-belief when barriers get in the way of your goals? Viv talks to I.Stephanie Boyce, a solicitor who went on to become president of the Law Society - the first person of colour to hold that title. Yet, in her early years, she had been told that law would not be an attainable career for her. This year, she was awarded a CBE in the New Year's Honours list, in recognition of her service to the legal profession, to diversity and to access to justice. She now works as a speaker, leadership consultant and strategic advisor, and is a campaigner for justice, inclusion and equal rights. She's a real champion of the underdog, a powerhouse in the field of law and a no-nonsense public speaker. Stephanie tells Viv about how to command authority in meetings; the importance of active listening; and what part a teenage job in a burger restaurant played in her growth as a public speaker. The new edition of How To Own the Room: Women and the Art of Brilliant Speaking is out now, featuring more in-depth analysis of everyone from Michelle Obama to Virginia Woolf — and extra-practical, actionable advice on honing your own speaker style. @vivgroskop

How can you develop a leadership style that is calm and non-forceful? Viv talks to Sanna Marin, the former Prime Minister of Finland, who was the youngest ever elected female leader of a country, when she took that position at the age of 34. One of her major achievements when in power was overseeing Finland joining NATO in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and she lead Finland's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her premiership was also marked by a lot of media attention on her personal life. Sanna tells Viv what it's like to cope under extreme pressure; how to manage public speaking in a second language; and what advice about leadership she would pass on to others. Sanna Marin's book is 'Hope in Action: a Memoir About the Courage to Lead'. The new edition of How To Own the Room: Women and the Art of Brilliant Speaking is out now, featuring more in-depth analysis of everyone from Michelle Obama to Virginia Woolf — and extra-practical, actionable advice on honing your own speaker style. @vivgroskop

How do you build the confidence to risk being more off-the-cuff in professional life? Viv talks to Cariad Lloyd - the actress and comedian - about making things up on the spot whilst being both in control and really, really funny. Cariad has acted in Peep Show and Inside No 9 and is a regular on shows like QI and Have I Got News For You. One of the creative forces behind the hit Jane Austen improv show, Austentatious, she's also written several children's books as well as a brilliant book about grief, You Are Not Alone. She's known for Weirdos Bookclub - the podcast she presents with Sara Pascoe - and her own hit podcast Griefcast, a series of in-depth conversations about grief. Cariad tells Viv about being a good listener; believing in positive feedback and learning to fail with joy! The new edition of How To Own the Room: Women and the Art of Brilliant Speaking is out now, featuring more in-depth analysis of everyone from Michelle Obama to Virginia Woolf — and extra-practical, actionable advice on honing your own speaker style. @vivgroskop

Welcome back to How to Own the Room with Viv Groskop: the podcast where inspirational women reveal the secrets of brilliant speaking. Yes! A new series of How to Own the Room is about to land. So make sure you're subscribed, clear your diary and get ready for a brand new set of tips and tricks from women who have been there, done that, and kept a spare T-shirt in the dressing room for spillages! The first guest is actress, improviser and comedian Cariad Lloyd: she cut her teeth on The Alan Partridge Show before launching her own hit podcast Griefcast. Viv will be sharing more ideas, revelations and insights in a series packed with excellent guests, who really know what they're talking about. This is the place to tune in for a confidence boost and some moral support. And don't forget to order your copy of the new paperback edition of How to Own the Room: Women and the Art of Brilliant Speaking, featuring more in-depth analysis of everyone from Michelle Obama to Virginia Woolf — and extra-practical, actionable advice on honing your own speaker style. @vivgroskop

How do you swap a soul-crushing job for one that sustains you? Viv talks to the writer, Carrie Sun, whose new memoir, Private Equity, is about to be released in US and UK. The story draws on Carrie's own experience of being headhunted to be Executive Assistant to a billionaire. The competitive role was glamourous but 24/7, unrelenting and led to burnout in the face of a pitiless boss. Carrie critiques capitalism and systems of misogyny, giving extraordinary insight into extreme hustle culture within a closed world. Viv and Carrie unpick these complex threads and counsel keeping a sense of perspective and plotting a way out when you need to escape. Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is out now. Find out more about Private Equity. @vivgroskop

How do you find the confidence to pursue the work you want and ace an interview? Viv chats to Kate Stephens, the CEO of Smart Works, an amazing charity with celebrity backers whose mission is to help marginalised women break the cycle of rejection and deprivation that comes from long-term unemployment. Since 2013 they've helped over 30,000 women prepare for job interviews by giving them coaching, styling and an outfit to wear at their interview chosen from new clothes donated by fashion brands and retailers. Kate tells Viv how respect and kindness can unlock confidence. Being welcomed and nurtured is key to enabling women to shine in an interview situation. Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is out now. Find out more about Smart Works. @vivgroskop

How do you find the self-belief to pursue a brilliant idea, convince investors in your vision and pick yourself after setbacks? Viv chats to Joanna Jensen, the founder, former CEO and now brand ambassador of Child's Farm, a family skincare brand she developed from her kitchen table. It's an unabashed success story, built from the challenges of a recent divorce and two young children, and driven forward by Joanna's conviction and hard work. She tells Viv how necessity, belief in the product and utter determination was the rocket fuel that powered her along. Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is out now. @vivgroskop

How do you connect with audiences on a deeper, truer level? Viv talks to award-winning journalist and author, Angela Saini, about combatting pseudo-science and reaching people by peeling back the layers of thinking. Her celebrated books include: Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong, Superior: The Return of Race Science and her latest The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule. Angela tells Viv how her grounding in news journalism in her 20s helped hone her skills to write succinctly, to deadline and to time in a way that helps her in every aspect of her work now – from writing to public speaking. There's a meticulousness to Angela's approach that combines keen organisation with keeping an open, ready to adapt and think differently. It's a winning formula that Viv delves into and pulls out some nuggets to take away. The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule by Angela Saini is out at the end of February 2024. Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is out now.

How do you create the best panel experience? Viv talks to professional moderator, Alexandra Antwi-Boasiako, about managing nerves, getting the best out of interviewees on stage and handling feedback. Based in her home city of Hamburg, Germany, Alexandra hosts an array of sessions – from author interviews to tech start-up pitch events and festivals such as the African Book Festival in Berlin. It's about taking charge of a space in a way that makes everyone relax. And while it all seems to come naturally, Alexandra hasn't always been so confident in front of an audience. In fact at school she was known as the quiet kid. Find out what made the difference and set her on a different path, picking up some priceless tips along the way. Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is out now. @vivgroskop

How do you learn to say no and do what makes you happy? Viv talks to the actress, Patsy Palmer, best-known for her role as Bianca Jackson in EastEnders, who now lives in Malibu, California. Exuding chill vibes from the sofa, Patsy talks to Viv about how finding her happy places – including weekly DJ sets - came from following her own instincts for joy and not living up to anyone else's expectations. Patsy is unapologetically content in her sunny slice of heaven where she lives with her husband, children and dogs and which couldn't be further from Albert Square. She is owning her sun-filled room most radiantly. Listen in to catch some of her rays! Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is out now. @vivgroskop

How do you find your voice and your confidence when people expect you to be only one thing? How can you overcome thoughts that keep you small? Actress and writer Evanna Lynch joined the cast of the Harry Potter series as Luna Lovegood for the fifth film in 2006 at the age of 14. She went on to star in a number of independent films and in the TV crime series Silent Witness. In 2021 she published her debut memoir, The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting, a candid account about her life focusing on fragility, creativity and how she put herself back together after overcoming an eating disorder. In this conversation on happy high status, we get into the subject of self-sabotage, why boundaries matter, how to find your voice as you get older and how sometimes confidence comes from a quiet place, even a boring place. Is it OK to say no to a lot of things? How can you feel confident about doing that? Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is out now. @vivgroskop Evanna Lynch's The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting is out now.

How do you bounce back from a major knock to your confidence? How do you maintain focus and poise even when you're exhausted or overwhelmed? In this fourth in our series of Happy High Status takeover episodes, Viv talks to Sophie Ellis-Bextor, singer/songwriter and the powerhouse behind one of the best things to come out of the pandemic: Kitchen Disco. Sophie first became known in the late 1990s as a teenager, as the singer of the indie rock band The Audience. The band was unceremoniously dropped by their label in 1999 and Sophie almost dropped out of music completely. But after bouncing back with a debut album that sold 1.5 million copies, she found her voice as an international dance/pop artist with another six albums, including her latest, Hana. All whilst casually having five children along the way. How do you find the energy to be confident when you're depleted? How do you handle criticism and rejection and stay positive? There's no better role model for fun happy high status than Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Viv's book Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident is out now.Sophie Ellis-Bextor's album Hana is out now.

Can you be "too confident"? How entitled is too entitled? In this third of a series of Happy High Status takeover episodes, Viv talks to broadcaster and journalist James O'Brien, LBC presenter and author of How They Broke Britain (coming in Nov 2023), about challenging difficult and entitled people (especially certain privately-educated politicians), coming to terms with his own insecurities and finding a kind of humility after experiencing a major setback in his forties. Plus James reveals how he went from being someone who felt sick talking to people at parties to feeling comfortable in himself. Is it a good idea to put on your own "cloak of entitlement" when questioning someone who loves the sound of their own voice? What do you do when faced with people who are so confident that they're tipping into arrogance? And how can we all listen to each other a bit better and make space for different points of view? Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is out now. @vivgroskop James O'Brien's new book How They Broke Britain is out in Nov 2023.

What happens when you swivel the lens away from yourself? In this second of a series of Happy High Status takeover episodes, Viv talks to Olympic athlete and world champion javelin thrower Fatima Whitbread, star of I'm a Celebrity and Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Win and fundraiser for Action for Children. Fatima examines how the extremes of a difficult childhood and of athletic excellence in adulthood affected her confidence. Fatima was abandoned as baby and grew up in a series of children's homes where she experienced neglect and abuse before being adopted by her javelin tutor in her teens. She developed her confidence by identifying key people she could trust and by learning to "swivel the lens" away from herself and onto others, not only in order to feel less like a victim but as a way of building self-esteem. What if the key to self-assurance lies not in your relationship with yourself but in how much you can support and shine a light on others? Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is out now. @vivgroskop To support Fatima Whitbread's latest fund-raising go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fatimawhitbread

Can you be both insecure and confident at the same time? In this first of a series of Happy High Status takeover episodes, Viv talks to award-winning comedian Tom Allen, star of The Apprentice: You're Fired and Bake-Off: Extra Slice, about his life on and off stage and what he has learned about managing nerves, coping with the reactions of audiences and critics and, most of all, living with self-criticism. Tom tells Viv that it's a mistake to assume that comedians perform from a place of self-assurance: instead he has learned that his version of happy high status comes from being "confidently insecure." (Happy high status is a term from acting and comedy that is a sort of shorthand for "your best self.") He shares tips on dressing for confidence (like Fred Astaire, please), how to avoid being apologetic around people when you really should be taking charge and how to feel entitled to speak. How do you "make space for yourself" in a hostile environment? How do you recover your confidence when it's at a low ebb? Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is out now. @vivgroskop For more on Tom Allen, for tour dates and his new book Too Much, go to www.tomindeed.com

How do you achieve and stay authentic? Viv talks to Angela Cretu, CEO of Avon, one of the biggest beauty brands in the world. Growing up in Communist Romania she says she learnt about gender and social equality, while ideas of self-expression or personal ambition weren't present. After the revolution in 1989, Angela joined Avon at the age of 24 as the company moved into this emerging market and she flew - building new teams at home and internationally. She tells Viv how important it was for her to share insecurities with a mentor about facing confident male colleagues from the established western markets. Angela learnt that her voice mattered, her perspective mattered and finding strength in her own self while enabling others have proved to be key to her success. Before going on stage she recommends immersing yourself in the energy of the room. And Angela will always make sure her eyes look amazing. Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is available for preorder. @vivgroskop

How do you follow a dream? Viv talks to the fashion legend, Lucinda Chambers, who worked at Vogue from the age of 21, eventually working her way up to become fashion director at the iconic magazine. Chatting in Lucinda's beautiful west London home, she tells Viv about how she learned graft in her childhood and about working hard to follow creative sparks. Despite being in the glamorous world of fashion, Lucinda reveals that she never took it for granted and made sure her feet stayed on the ground while the sparkles danced among the style and the glossy pages of the magazine. She's now co-founder of Collagerie, a curated online shopping platform for fashion and interiors, which she runs with former Vogue colleague Serena Hood. And her advice is simple… it's all in the baby steps. Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is available for preorder. @vivgroskop