In this episode, we sit down with Mervyn Reid Nelson - body confidence coach, photographer, and founder of You at Yours - to explore what it really means to feel at home in your body.

Mervyn shares how his journey from wedding photographer to body confidence coach revealed a bigger truth: it’s never really about the photos, it’s about what happens when you stop hiding, let go of self-criticism, and allow yourself to be seen.

Instead of chasing perfection or filters, Mervyn’s work is about creating spaces where people can rediscover joy, confidence, and self-acceptance - exactly as they are. From navigating social media pressures to redefining what confidence looks like across generations, this conversation is both honest and uplifting.

We talk:
📸 Why the photo is just the byproduct of real transformation
💬 How culture, family & society shape our body image
🔒 Why safety, trust & boundaries are at the heart of confidence
🌊 From Oxford Circus to Tower Bridge: powerful client stories of liberation
🔑 What it means to stop waiting for “someday” and love yourself now

If you’ve ever felt held back by body image, struggled with self-esteem, or wondered how to show up more fully in your life, this episode is for you.

KEY MOMENTS:

00:00 Intro & meet Mervyn

01:00 Why Mervyn pivoted from wedding to body confidence photography

03:00 Where our low self-esteem comes from

06:00 How You at Yours balances empowerment and authenticity

12:00 How to feel confident without external praise and affirmation

16:00 The different photoshoots You at Yours offers

21:00 What happens at a You at Yours shoot

21:00 What does confidence really mean and what are we getting wrong

27:00 Can you really “fake it til you make it”?

32:00 The difference in how different generations approach being seen

39:00 How Mervyn’s work is challenging mainstream beauty standards

42:00 How working in this space has changed the way Mervyn sees himself

48:00 The advice Mervyn would give to his 10-year old self

54:00 The most difficult part of Mervyn’s job emotionally

58:00 Small shifts people can make when struggling with low self-esteem and body image

1:02 Unexpected challenges of building You at Yours

1:06 Hot takes on the beauty industry, confidence, being photogenic and loving your body

1:12 Mervyn gives his advice on a listener dilemma

1:16 What Mervyn wishes he knew sooner

1:18 Episode wrap up

🎙 Hosts: Senna & Serenity
💛 Guest: Mervyn Reid Nelson (@youatyours)
📍 Listen now on Spotify & YouTube
🔗 Follow us @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod

In this episode, we sit down with Jaini, the intuitive channel, energetic guide and founder of Alchemy with Jaini, to explore what it really means to get unstuck in life.

Instead of quick fixes or surface-level self-help, Jaini shares how deep, soul-led tools like astrology and energy work can help you understand your patterns, clear subconscious blocks, and come home to who you really are.

If you’ve been doing all the things and still feel stuck, this conversation is for you.

We talk:

🌙 How astrology reveals your soul’s blueprint

🌀 Healing the parts mindset work misses

💫 The power of channeling, hypnosis & energy work

🔑 What it means to live with purpose and actually believe in yourself

KEY MOMENTS:

00:00 Intro

01:00 Meet Jaini

02:00 How Jaini got into astrology

04:00 Combining mindset work and soul strategy

07:00 What your birth chart can tell you about your purpose

09:00 Why you have the same star sign but a different personality

10:00 What the most misunderstood things about astrology are

12:00 How people can use their birth chart practically in daily life

13:00 Senna’s birth chart reading!

17:00 Why feeling stuck doesn’t mean you’re broken

20:00 The most common blocks Jaini sees in people’s lives

23:00 How people can rewire their patterns and move forward

26:00 How to use pain as fuel

29:00 Jaini’s hypnosis and healing work

32:00 Jaini’s entreprenurial work with Carrie Green

33:00 Using Stan Store for your online business

35:00 Hot takes on star signs, healing and mindset blocks

36:00 Listener dilemma

39:00 What Jaini wishes she knew sooner

42:00 Wrap up and where to find Alchemy with Jaini

🎙 Hosts: Senna & Serenity

💛 Guest: Jaini (@alchemywithjaini)

✨Jaini's Stan Store: https://stan.store/alchemywithjaini

📍 Listen now on Spotify & YouTube

🔗 Follow us @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod

In this episode, we sit down with Sophie Turner, energy scientist and founder of Rhae - the world’s first hormone-syncing app - to unpack periods, power, and patriarchy.

Sophie shares why hormonal health is still so misunderstood, what inspired her to create Rhae, and how she’s challenging outdated narratives around women’s bodies. We dive into her mission to end shame, give women back their power, and build tools that help us understand our cycles, nervous systems, and emotional truths.

From trans inclusion in hormonal health to redefining what self-care really means, this conversation is raw and refreshingly honest.

We talk:

💛 How hormones shape confidence, energy, and identity

🩸 Why the patriarchy keeps us disconnected from our bodies

🧠 The power of nervous system repair and emotional literacy

🚀 Sophie's journey to building Rhae and her vision for the anti-wellness era

If you’ve ever felt confused by your cycle, burnt out by wellness culture, or just want to learn what your body’s been trying to tell you - this episode is for you.

KEY MOMENTS:

00:00: Intro & meet Sophie

01:00: Why Sophie is building Rhae

06:00: How Rhae helps discover hormonal issues

09:00: The patriarchy and underfunding of women’s health

15:00: The anti-wellness era

21:00: Building an inclusive business

24:00: Using AI to create personalised healthcare

28:00: Growing Rhae behind the scenes

30:00: Bringing powerful women together on Playing to Win

39:00: Sophie’s work as an Energy Scientist

45:00: Ancestral patterns, hormonal imprints & emotional timelines

51:00: Hot takes: men’s periods, pilates & matcha, burnout and emotional overwhelm

54:00: Listener dilemma

55:00: Final reflections & what Sophie wishes she knew sooner

🎙 Hosts: Senna & Serenity

✨ Follow us: @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod

🔗 Follow Sophie & Rhae: @thisisrhae / @thisissophiet

🎧Listen to Playing to Win on Spotify and YouTube

We use Descript to edit all our episodes — it makes life so much easier. ⁠⁠Try it here⁠⁠: https://get.descript.com/y157svgo3gej

In this episode, we sit down with Ama Owusu-Afriye - founder and host of the Nova & Boba Start-ups Podcast - to explore what it really takes to build a podcast from scratch.

Ama shares how she launched Nova & Boba after her first start-up, grew it from zero to thousands of streams, and turned it into a go-to platform for Gen Z founders and early-stage start-up stories.

We talk about pitching dream guests, building confidence behind the mic, and growing an audience when no one knows your name yet. It’s an honest conversation about finding your voice, staying consistent, and creating the space you wish existed.

We cover:

💭 Why she started Nova & Boba

🚀 How to grow a podcast from nothing

💡 Learning to take up space as a Gen Z founder

🎧 Lessons in confidence, consistency, and community

If you’re dreaming of starting something of your own - this episode is for you.

KEY MOMENTS:

00:00 – Intro & Meet Ama

02:00 – Why Ama started the Nova & Boba podcast

04:00 – Gen Z & the rise of entrepreneurship

05:00 – Ama’s interview with Georgie Holt & building confidence

07:00 – Ama’s early entrepreneurial moments (Galaxy Cookie Crumble)

09:00 – Building an educational platform & balancing creativity

16:00 – Dealing with trolls & taking risks

17:00 – How Ama sources guests & grows the podcast

19:00 – Getting big-name guests & changing the pitch

20:00 – Marketing strategy & early growth hacks

21:00 – Why “bubble tea” is part of the brand

23:00 – Running a podcast team & managing interns

25:00 – Bubble tea personality analysis

26:00 – Lessons from her first business

29:00 – Dealing with rejection, failure and setbacks

32:00 – Tips for new podcasters

33:00 – Hot takes: growth, rejection & social strategy

37:00 – Listener dilemma

40:00 – Final reflections & what Ama wishes she knew sooner

🎙 Hosts: Senna & Serenity

💛 Follow us: @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod

✨ Listen to Nova & Boba on Spotify and YouTube

📲 Follow @novaandbobapod

We use Descript to edit all our episodes — it makes life so much easier. ⁠Try it here⁠.

In this episode, we’re joined by Nicola Gunby — exited founder of My Rev and co-founder of CLIQ, the app making real-life friendships easier (and more meaningful) to build.

We talk about what it takes to grow an early-stage start-up, raise over £500K with no marketing spend, and build a business that solves a real human problem — all while working with your partner and navigating the ups and downs of being a female founder.

We also dive into:

💡 The lessons Nicola learned from exiting her first business

📱 What makes CLIQ different from your typical social app

🧠 Mindset tips for building confidence as a founder

🔥 Our spiciest Hot Takes on start-ups and self-promotion

💬 A listener dilemma on how to get out of your comfort zone

Whether you're a future founder or just someone looking for honest advice and inspiration, this one’s for you.

KEY MOMENTS:

0:00 - Intro

06:00 - Exiting MyRev & how that shaped the approach to building CLIQ

11:00 - The mission of CLIQ in tackling loneliness

14:00 - Achieving success without a traditional marketing push

17:00 - Pitching to investors and what they are looking for

25:00 - Staying motivated as an entrepreneur

27:00 - Practical tips for building a business alongside your 9-5

30:00 - The importance of surrounding yourself with like-minded people

33:00 - The fear of entrepreneurship and getting started

37:00 - Handling failure, rejection and setback

39:00 - How to find a co-founder for your business

42:00 - Building the initial MVP and market research

46:00 - Hot takes on being an entrepreneur today

51:00 - Listener dilemma

55:00 - What Nicola wishes she knew sooner

57:00 - Where to find CLIQ and what is coming up

🎙 Hosts: Senna & Serenity

💛 Follow us: @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod

✨ Connect with Nicola: @nicolargunby | @findyourcliq

We use Descript to edit all our episodes — it makes life so much easier. Try it here.

Art, community and finding your people through shared passions 🎨💫

In this episode, we’re joined by Yinsey Wang and Katie Morrowick — co-founders of Muses in the City, a community platform making arts and culture more accessible, inclusive and joyful.

We talk about how they built a space that celebrates connection through creativity, the power of heritage and storytelling, and what it really means to build a meaningful community in 2025.

We also dive into:

🖼️ How arts spaces spark deeper friendships

💬 The creative practices that keep them inspired

🔥 Our spiciest Hot Takes on art and culture

💡 A listener dilemma on reigniting your creative spark

Whether you're a gallery lover, a weekend poet, or just looking for a new way to meet like-minded people, this one’s for you.

KEY MOMENTS:

0:00 - Intro

01:00 - Meeting the girls & our Taylor Swift connection

05:00 - The story behind Muses in the City

08:00 - How Muses in the City has helped people’s personal growth

12:00 - London’s culture scene & how these spaces bring people together

14:00 - Yinsey & Katie’s favourite Muses in the City experience

18:00 - Why community is so important in 2025

23:00 - Hot takes on the arts and culture scene

31:00 - How Yinsey balances being a full-time lawyer, model, museum advisor and running Muses

35:00 - Embracing your multipassions and not being afraid of being judged

37:00 - How Katie stays creatively inspired as an audiobook narrator, writer, painter and musician

42:00 - Listener dilemma

44:00 - Yinsey & Katie’s biggest muse, favourite creative work and what they wish they knew sooner

48:00 - Where to find Muses in the City and what’s coming up

🎙️ Hosts: Senna & Serenity

💌 Connect with Muses: @musesinthecity

💛Follow us: @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod

We use Descript to edit all our episodes — it makes life so much easier. ⁠Try it here⁠.

In our first real episode, we’re unpacking the life lessons no one teaches you — from career twists to outgrowing friendships, trusting your gut, and making peace with not having it all figured out.

Think of this as a pep talk from your future self.

KEY MOMENTS:

0:00 - Intro

02:00 - Careers & hustle culture

08:00 - Friendships & social life

14:00 - Relationships & dating

23:00 - Money

28:00 - Hot takes on careers, social life and relationships

🎙 New episodes monthly on Spotify and YouTube

💛 Follow us on socials: whatiwishiknewsoonerpod

We use Descript to edit all our episodes — it makes life so much easier. ⁠Try it here⁠.

Welcome to What I Wish I Knew Sooner - the podcast where we unpack the lessons we learned the hard way, so you don't have to.

In this short intro, get to know your hosts Sen & Seren, hear why we started this podcast, and what to expect from each month's drop.

We're diving into the kind of real-life conversations you wish someone had with you earlier - from career pivots and mental health to love, identity, and the messy stuff in between.

💛 New episodes every month

🎤Honest chats, helpful takeaways, and a few laughs along the way

🎧 Perfect if you...

• Are navigating adulthood and want real, relatable advice
• Love self-development and have an entrepreneurial mindset
• Have ever thought "why did no one tell me this?"

✨What to expect...

• Monthly episodes on real-life challenges
• Guest stories, solo reflections & personal lessons
• Honest advice, warmth, and humour

🔔 Subscribe on Spotify and YouTube so you never miss an episode

📲 Follow us on Instagram and TikTok

💬 Have something you wish you knew sooner? Let us know in the comments!