Podcast Takeaways: 3 Things Anyone Can Learn From Vanessa Feltz

One of the things I love about the podcast is the range of different people I get to spend quality time with, and the show with media royalty Vanessa Feltz was properly interesting.

The conversation with some guests is quite linear and narrow, and I love those deep-dives, but some guests have such a wide range of interests and ideas that it’s a whirlwind of talkable tangents and conversational cubby-holes. And Vanessa is perhaps the best example of this.

We got into topics are diverse as freedom of speech, the MeToo movement, the value of university today, learnings from A-listers, and her harrowing experiences of live TV, plus many more.

The woman once known as the British Oprah Winfrey revealed all in the full episode, which is a thoroughly entertaining and informative listen here.

Meanwhile, here’s my top three learnings from the powerhouse that is Vanessa Feltz..

Integrity is Everything

Vanessa is a real thinker, and has a strong ethical core, which guides her decisions and life choices. She’s one of those people who would rather walk away from an opportunity if it contradicted her sense of right and wrong.

You can see this in her fierce belief in the importance of actual journalism - not sensationalised clickbait - and how she endeavours to make every interview she does as responsible and honest as possible.

In the often murky history of tabloid media this makes her stand out, and is one of the reasons she has thrived, and why both viewers and listeners, and interviewees come back to her time and again.

When we meet people who are clearly aligned with their personal integrity I think it means we more readily trust them, as we can predict they are more likely to treat us fairly. That’s one of the key things I look for in businesses I invest in - can I rely on the business owner to behave ethically and consistently?

How closely do you follow your personal values? Do you make choices based on what is right or are you more likely to abandon principles for opportunity?

I don’t judge anyone for being at either end of this scale, but certain success paths demand a high degree of integrity, and from my experience people who live lives in sync with their moral code are happier. I know I am.

Adapt and Stay Relevant

When Vanessa started in the UK media there were four TV channels, five national radio stations, and less than ten national newspapers. That was it. Today, news and interviews available on millions of TV channels, radio stations, news outlets, podcasts, social accounts, and more. That’s quite different.

One constant is Vanessa Feltz, who has worked very successfully for four decades and counting, with countless interviews with everyone from A-listers to people with heart-breaking stories to tell.

But, while Vanessa’s core curiosity and interests are broadly the same, the platforms she has worked on have changed over the years.

In that time she has had top-rated TV shows, award-winning radio shows, podcasts, must-read newspaper and magazine columns, and as technology has developed, so has Vanessa.

This has given her a real point of difference from her peers, as she has both the experience and mass audience that you gain from doing the job for a long time, alongside the reassuring ability to work across evolving platforms, that is needed in the modern era.

This is a really big learning for anyone who has worked extensively in an industry for a decent amount of time, I think, as it shows how to combine that earned experience and reputation with new developments.

If you’ve done what you do for more than ten years, ask yourself ‘am I becoming too entrenched in the old ways of doing things, or can I better understand newer techniques and technology?’.

Balance and Legacy

Vanessa is a consummate professional, who clearly values her work, and wants to do the best job possible. But that’s not all of who she is, and that’s a key thing for all of us to remember next time we’re losing our shit over something in our businesses.

She’s also a mum, a friend, and many other things, and they’re all roles Vanessa takes as seriously as her day job.

It’s so easy in life to get caught up in the minutiae of a problem at work today, but the chances are anything you worry about today in your business will be forgotten about by tomorrow let alone next year. However, regrets in your personal life can be a lot harder to shift.

That’s not to say that business isn’t important - it’s critical if you want to live the kind of life most people dream about - but instead a timely reminder to keep things in perspective, and ensure you are spending enough time and energy on the people that are important to you.

On a similar note, Vanessa also talks about wanting to create a positive legacy after she’s gone, and I can relate to that, also.

Ever since I had my first daughter nearly eighteen years ago - fuck, time flies! - I’ve wanted to ensure that I give her the kind of life every kid dreams of, and that desire to carve out a positive legacy on the world has only grown since becoming a dad again last year.

It all comes back to finding your ‘why?’, I think, and Vanessa knows hers inside out. Do you?

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