A NORTH EAST business owner has opened up about the personal anguish which inspired her to launch a successful podcast.
Whilst struggling to conceive, Charlotte Nichols told a stranger that the real reason she was suddenly cancelling their meeting was because she was suffering a miscarriage.
That heartbreaking experience served as the catalyst for launching a podcast, PRsonal, which aims to “break down barriers” by addressing topics she believes are wrongly deemed to be taboo within the workplace.
“All too often you never really know what’s really going on in someone’s life behind their smile,” said Charlotte, founder of the PR agency Harvey & Hugo.
“In my case, I was going through miscarriages that I wanted to tell people about it, but I realised it was just something that isn’t talked about within business.
“But then in one instance I had to call someone I didn’t even know to cancel. He asked why and I just told him ‘I’m having a miscarriage’ – and it felt so liberating.
“And that person admitted they’d been through it a year earlier and were about to undergo IVF. This opened up a conversation and sparked a permanent friendship, and it made me realise there’s no reason why we shouldn’t talk about these real-life issues.”
Having only launched PRsonal in mid-2023, the show has already been nominated for an award at the International Women’s Podcast Awards.
The show has also helped Harvey & Hugo to establish a foothold in the podcast production market, while Charlotte recently staged a presenting and production masterclass with BBC star David Harper to help businesses ‘sparkly under the spotlight’.
And having received glowing feedback from viewers and guests, there are plans afoot to expand the firm’s podcasting capabilities in 2024 – with a separate show also on the horizon.
Having just released her first episode as a guest, in which she discusses the miscarriage incident which lead to the show’s creation, Charlotte attributes PRsonal’s success to the willingness of the business community to “cast off their shackles” and talk openly about issues that are more than skin deep.
“In just 26 episodes we’ve addressed everything from suicide, eating disorders, stoma bags, ghosts, periods, nose jobs and the menopause – and that’s just a fraction of the issues we’ve addressed,” said Charlotte.
“And I think the success of PRsonal is down to an undoubted for thirst for those within business to not only hear about what really matters in people’s lives, but for our guests to also get it off their chest and bravely try to break down barriers that have for far too long limited what we actually discuss.
“After all, shame dies when stories are told in safe places.”
To watch Charlotte’s PRsonal episode, click here. For more information on PRsonal, click here.