In this episode, we sit down with Tricksy Tom, Tom Cocker, a professional magician and entertainer who turned a childhood love of card tricks into a full-time career performing on stages, holiday parks, and events across the country. We talk about the reality behind the “magic” — from intense rehearsal and dealing with things going wrong on stage, to building confidence, handling pressure, and navigating the entertainment industry.

They open up about finding their creative voice, the grind of performing night after night, how social media now shapes the world of magic, and why the most powerful moments happen when tricks don’t go perfectly.

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Opening ✦ It's a Kind of Magic

03:42 – Discovering Magic as a Kid

07:18 – Turning a Hobby into a Career

12:05 – Performing on Stage for the First Time

16:33 – Dealing with Nerves and Mistakes

21:47 – The Reality of Life on the Road

26:14 – The Magic Behind “The Trick”

31:39 – Finding a Personal Style

36:52 – Social Media & Modern Magic

42:11 – When Things Go Wrong (and Why It’s Good)

47:03 – Memorable Audience Moments

52:26 – Advice for Aspiring Performers

56:10 – Final Thoughts & Outro

Rob welcomes Vincent and Jennifer Smart, the husband-and-wife team behind Urban Farm Mushrooms, to talk about their fascinating journey from traditional service businesses to mushroom cultivation. They discuss discovering their love for fungi, learning to grow and market their products, and the challenges of selling mushroom-based food supplements in a world still learning about “food as medicine.” Expect plenty of humour, insight, and inspiration — plus a few “magic mushroom” stories along the way.

CHAPTERS

00:00 – All Mushrooms Are Magic
01:12 – Meet Vincent and Jen Smart
03:00 – From Window Cleaning to Entrepreneurship
06:10 – Finding Passion in Fungi
09:30 – The Leap Into Urban Farm Mushrooms
13:00 – Building a Business as a Couple
16:40 – Challenges of Selling Mushrooms
20:15 – Educating the Market
23:00 – Mushroom Magic vs. Misconceptions
26:30 – Favourite Mushrooms and Why
30:10 – Growing and Training Mushrooms
33:00 – Cordyceps: The Zombie Fungus
36:15 – Life Beyond the Lab
39:00 – The Joy of Helping Others
41:10 – Advice, Kryptonite, and Superpowers
44:00 – Where to Find Urban Farm Mushrooms
45:50 – Closing Pun & Future Plans

This week, Rob Baines sits down with Alice Potter, founder of Eighth House HR, to talk about her journey from teaching primary school children to guiding adults through the challenges of the workplace.

Alice shares how her time in the classroom prepared her for HR, the importance of clear communication, and why getting HR involved early can save businesses time, stress, and money. From funny classroom stories to jaw-dropping HR horror tales, this episode dives into what really happens behind the scenes when people, policies, and personalities collide.

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome
01:10 – Meet Alice Potter from Eighth House HR
03:00 – From Classroom to Career Change
06:45 – Lessons from Teaching That Shape HR
10:20 – The Realities of Primary School Life
13:40 – How Teaching Prepared Her for HR Challenges
17:00 – The Turning Point: Entering the HR World
19:15 – “Getting HR Involved” – What It Really Means
22:00 – Why Small Businesses Need HR Early
25:10 – Communication: The Secret to a Healthy Workplace
28:00 – HR Horror Stories and Workplace Confessions
31:20 – Handling the Awkward Stuff Professionally
34:00 – Life Outside HR: Dogs, Kids, and Dough Kneading
36:15 – Comparing Teaching and HR
38:10 – Final Five: Superpowers, Films, and Advice
40:30 – Wrap-Up & Where to Find Alice