Dream Chasers

Alison O'Leary | The Dream Chasers Show

I am a Dream Chaser, as well as a certified Life and Career Coach, who delights in helping people pursue the career and lifestyle changes their inner self truly craves. In 2008, I made a radical discovery – my full and seemingly fulfilling life was making me seriously ill. I realised that things had to change and fast. As a result this meant moving my life out of the centre of London, and away from my corporate high-paced job, to rural Wales and re-training to embark on a completely new profession and working for myself. Dream Chasers are people who are ready to make actionable moves to craft their ideal career and life, aligned with what brings them joy and delight, on their own terms. This show is intentionally designed to infuse you with inspiration and practical advice on how to live true to yourself, go after your goals and radically conquer any obstacles standing in your way. You can expect to learn from like-minded Dream Chasers who are on their journey to transition to a new way of living and working, or from those who have already achieved their own version of happiness and success...their way. I have candid, uplifting and energetic conversations with friends, fellow experts, colleagues and clients, intended to give you a dose of humour, positivity and practical foresight. Living your life, true to you, is simple and daring. This show is here to give you solid insights and guidance to pursue your own transformation as you go in the direction of your epic dreams, happiness and greater meaning. read less
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Episodes

EP010 | Bringing 'Big Yes' energy to everything you do. A career change born from a need to rediscover fun, with Susan Hyatt
09-05-2024
EP010 | Bringing 'Big Yes' energy to everything you do. A career change born from a need to rediscover fun, with Susan Hyatt
In this episode:Ever felt like you are tired and burnt out, despite earning a decent income and having the outward markers of a good life…and then weirdly wracked with guilt because you ‘should’ be much more grateful than you feel?That was Susan Hyatt in the early 2000s. She got to a point in her life where she was ticking all the right ‘success’ boxes that we’ve been conditioned to believe are the formula to winning at life. But, on the inside, she was tired, sad and had begun to believe that finding the kind of work and life that actually felt fun and worthwhile had completely passed her by.She reached a breaking point and whilst in search of help, a book literally fell on her head at her local Barnes and Noble store. One that coaxed her to do some exercises to draw out what actually made her happy. That sparked the beginning of her journey and completely spun her off on a magical trajectory to where she is today. Loving life, serving the people that value her, and inspiring significant change in others too.Susan’s story will have many things in it that you might recognise in your own life and your own internal narrative.Join us. You won’t regret it.- - -𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Susan Hyatt is a Master Certified Life Coach, Bestselling Author, and TEDx Speaker.She’s on a mission to ignite 'Big Yes Energy' in women everywhere. From boosting your bank account to supercharging your self-confidence, from elevating your energy levels to amplifying your joy, Susan is the go-to expert for women who want more.With 17 years of coaching experience under her belt, Susan has guided thousands of women through their personal revolutions. She's a crusader against diet culture and a vocal advocate for closing gaps – in wages, confidence, and yes, even orgasms.She is also the creator of BARE - a ground-breaking process that’s inspired women all over the world to stop shrinking their bodies and start expanding their lives.Susan's impactful work has graced national TV, leading podcasts, and top magazines including O: The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Woman’s World, and Call Her Daddy. Her dedication to women's empowerment and entrepreneurship also earned her a spot as a finalist for the prestigious Athena Award.When she's not hyping up her clients, leading epic retreats, or making a scene, Susan can be found weightlifting, marathon training, globetrotting, or cosying up in her hygge corner. She’s also not shy about advocating for equality at home, regularly reminding her husband about the importance of sharing the "invisible workload," so she can continue to earn big and play big.𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗢’𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Alison is a highly experienced, certified life and career coach and is an active ideal life advocate. She’s the founder and designer of the Work Wonderland™ process, her proprietary model that helps people make career and life choices that truly align with their values, strengths, passions, skills and life goals. Alison hails from a high-paced, London-based corporate background, working for more than 20 years in the field of PR and Communications, until she made her own radical transition to her ideal life, living and working from a remote mountainside in Wales.Today she focusses her life coaching on supporting professionally successful people in making career changes that facilitate transformational life change. When Alison is not working, you can find her outdoors - walking beaches at the crack of dawn; experimenting with the universe and consciousness; trying her hand at paragliding; and delighting in the magic of the superhero’s quest. She is also Marvel movie obsessed.==================All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes,...
EP009 | Pursue heartfelt happiness, above all else. Jeremy’s example to us all, with Alison O’Leary
25-04-2024
EP009 | Pursue heartfelt happiness, above all else. Jeremy’s example to us all, with Alison O’Leary
In this episode:I'm coming at you in all my vulnerability. This show is all about pursuing happiness, but my personal experience over the last two months has really challenged me to the core on this. My beloved husband, Jeremy, the love of my life, was diagnosed almost out of the blue with terminal cancer on the 7th of Feb 2024, and 11 days later, I lost him. As you might imagine it's been an insanely difficult and very emotional time but my anchor has actually been Jeremy himself, believe it or not.I have decided to record this episode and share this deeply emotional time with you because the way that Jeremy lived his life and what he modelled for me throughout our 20 amazing years together is the ultimate example of knowing yourself, of not compromising in ways that are harmful to yourself, and pursuing heartfelt happiness above all else.By sharing this very personal story of my husband and how he lived his life, I hope it provides some inspiration to go after and live whatever kind of life you want and wholeheartedly deserve. - - -𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗢’𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Alison is a highly experienced, certified life and career coach and is an active ideal life advocate. She’s the founder and designer of the Work Wonderland™ process, her proprietary model that helps people make career and life choices that truly align with their values, strengths, passions, skills and life goals.Alison hails from a high-paced, London-based corporate background, working for more than 20 years in the field of PR and Communications, until she made her own radical transition to her ideal life, living and working from a remote mountainside in Wales.Today she focusses her life coaching on supporting professionally successful people in making career changes that facilitate transformational life change. When Alison is not working, you can find her outdoors - walking beaches at the crack of dawn; experimenting with the universe and consciousness; trying her hand at paragliding; and delighting in the magic of the superhero’s quest. She is also Marvel movie obsessed.==================All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes, or on YouTube.
EP008 | Proud to be 100% myself. How My Values Define Me, with Dan Gamble
21-03-2024
EP008 | Proud to be 100% myself. How My Values Define Me, with Dan Gamble
In this episode:If you ever needed a confirmation that making bold moves by listening to your instincts and being true to your own values is priceless – then this episode with Dan Gamble is for you!Dan’s insights and views really shine a light on how important our values are to our sense of wellbeing and happiness, and our mindset.You'll here how Dan’s upbringing and challenging adolescence shaped his Respect and Drive values, and enhanced his emotional intelligence skills, helping him make right-fit work and life choices, and become the proficient comms professional he is today.Dan walks us through some of the bold decisions he has made over his life so far, based on his gut instinct of what would and wouldn’t work for him. He uses his core values as his decision compass to great effect and you will hear how much so throughout our discussion. Join us!- - -𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Dan Gamble is a career PR professional with 20 years’ experience in the global tech space. He has worked both agency side and inhouse, and represented global tech brands and notable CEOs. In 2011, Dan left London and moved to Vancouver, and 10 years later, launched his own agency, DGPR. Since then, his team has expanded to Vancouver and Toronto, and has partnered with some of Canada’s most notable tech businesses and exciting entrepreneurs.He was recently named on Business in Vancouver's 40 Under 40 list, and he is a regular Forbes contributor sharing his thoughts on PR & Communications, Entrepreneurship and LGBTQIA+ issues.A true advocate for the PR profession, shortly after moving to Vancouver, he co-founded a community of 300+ PR & Comms professionals called YVRPR. Dan blends creativity with logic, and is an advocate for equality and diversity in all forms.𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗢’𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Alison is a highly experienced, certified life and career coach and is an active ideal life advocate. She’s the founder and designer of the Work Wonderland™ process, her proprietary model that helps people make career and life choices that truly align with their values, strengths, passions, skills and life goals.Alison hails from a high-paced, London-based corporate background, working for more than 20 years in the field of PR and Communications, until she made her own radical transition to her ideal life, living and working from a remote mountainside in Wales.Today she focusses her life coaching on supporting professionally successful people in making career changes that facilitate transformational life change. When Alison is not working, you can find her outdoors - walking beaches at the crack of dawn; experimenting with the universe and consciousness; trying her hand at paragliding; and delighting in the magic of the superhero’s quest. She is also Marvel movie obsessed.==================All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes, or on YouTube.
EP007 | ‘Let’s Pretend’. How I retrained to become a Nutrition Coach, with Sian Aherne
07-03-2024
EP007 | ‘Let’s Pretend’. How I retrained to become a Nutrition Coach, with Sian Aherne
In this episode:Do you dream of making heartfelt, purposeful change, but struggle with fear, self-doubt and procrastination, which ultimately stops you going after what you want?If so, you are definitely not alone! Many of my clients have experienced exactly this, and Sian Aherne is one of them.In this episode, I talk to Sian about the fear and discomfort that has held her back for years, and the approaches she’s now applying that have helped her navigate it and get unstuck to embark on a new career path and build her own business. Through perseverance and a fabulous “Let’s Pretend” approach, she is now qualified in her new field and is running her practice as a nutrition coach alongside her PR and Comms freelancing.If you do listen – you can also learn about my concept of little acts of proactive discomfort (a sneaky way of tricking yourself into trying new things and having mini adventures in being brave!).- - -𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Sian Aherne spent 20-something years in PR and communications working with all sorts of organisations, but often pondered purpose and what else life could look like. After numerous false starts over the years, she's finally taking a leap. Alongside her day job, she's now a certified nutrition coach, working work one-on-one, in small groups and with corporates to help people feel more energised and improve their mood. If you would like to know more about Sian, or would like to connect with her, please do connect on LinkedIn.𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗢’𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Alison is a highly experienced, certified life and career coach and is an active ideal life advocate. She’s the founder and designer of the Work Wonderland™ process, her proprietary model that helps people make career and life choices that truly align with their values, strengths, passions, skills and life goals.Alison hails from a high-paced, London-based corporate background, working for more than 20 years in the field of PR and Communications, until she made her own radical transition to her ideal life, living and working from a remote mountainside in Wales.Today she focusses her life coaching on supporting professionally successful people in making career changes that facilitate transformational life change. When Alison is not working, you can find her outdoors - walking beaches at the crack of dawn; experimenting with the universe and consciousness; trying her hand at paragliding; and delighting in the magic of the superhero’s quest. She is also Marvel movie obsessed.==================All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes, or on YouTube.
EP006 | Natural movement and dynamic aging. A career change story, with Mike Mullins
22-02-2024
EP006 | Natural movement and dynamic aging. A career change story, with Mike Mullins
In this episode:Meet Mike Mullins, from Liverpool, who has spent over 30 years working in the education sector, most recently supporting parents and carers of children with special educational needs or disabilities around their legal entitlements. In May 2023, he embarked on a career change to pursue what he is most passionate about and is now working as a Mobility Coach.If you’re not familiar with that term, Mike’s work is all about helping people optimise their body to meet its fullest potential. The aim is to age healthily, promote wellness, and change people’s mindset around physical limitations. Come join us as we talk about Mike’s career change from education to self-employment in the wellbeing space.- - -𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Mike Mullins has 30+ years of experience in education, supporting parents and carers of children with special educational needs or disabilities, around their legal entitlements. Today he runs his own business as a Mobility Coach working to support people to optimise their health and wellbeing, to reach their fullest potential.  Mike is passionate about promoting the value in aging healthily and encouraging people to change their mindset regarding physical limitations. He is a qualified MovNat coach, a 5th dan Aikido instructor and a keen advocate of breathwork and meditation. He lives in Liverpool with his family. 𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗢’𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Alison is a highly experienced, certified life and career coach and is an active ideal life advocate. She’s the founder and designer of the Work Wonderland™ process, her proprietary model that helps people make career and life choices that truly align with their values, strengths, passions, skills and life goals.Alison hails from a high-paced, London-based corporate background, working for more than 20 years in the field of PR and Communications, until she made her own radical transition to her ideal life, living and working from a remote mountainside in Wales.Today she focusses her life coaching on supporting professionally successful people in making career changes that facilitate transformational life change. When Alison is not working, you can find her outdoors - walking beaches at the crack of dawn; experimenting with the universe and consciousness; trying her hand at paragliding; and delighting in the magic of the superhero’s quest. She is also Marvel movie obsessed.==================All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes, or on YouTube.
EP005 | Listen to your body’s responses, there is wisdom deep within, with Alison O’Leary
08-02-2024
EP005 | Listen to your body’s responses, there is wisdom deep within, with Alison O’Leary
In this episode:Have you come to believe that work and life are the same for everyone or at least in the western world, AND that you just have to “do your best”, “battle through it”, and make compromises, which often means that you end up chasing goals and expectations that society, culture and others lay out for you, when it’s not what you truly need or want?That was me. In this episode I share my own personal story on how my body gave me very clear signals that I was not living true to myself. Even to the point where my digestive system shut down completely.I also share how I’ve now learnt to listen to my body and what it says, and how this helps me make daily decisions about what food I eat, the work I do, the movement I fit into my day, and the people I spend my time with.My body’s physically breakdown was the trigger that set me on the path to my own career and life change, and its messages are the reason my coaching business is called Live True. Come join me.- - -𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗢’𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Alison is a highly experienced, certified life and career coach and is an active ideal life advocate. She’s the founder and designer of the Work Wonderland™ process, her proprietary model that helps people make career and life choices that truly align with their values, strengths, passions, skills and life goals.Alison hails from a high-paced, London-based corporate background, working for more than 20 years in the field of PR and Communications, until she made her own radical transition to her ideal life, living and working from a remote mountainside in Wales.Today she focusses her life coaching on supporting professionally successful people in making career changes that facilitate transformational life change. When Alison is not working, you can find her outdoors - walking beaches at the crack of dawn; experimenting with the universe and consciousness; trying her hand at paragliding; and delighting in the magic of the superhero’s quest. She is also Marvel movie obsessed.==================All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes, or on YouTube.
EP004 | When Scary Met Exciting. How I Became a Published Author, by Elijah Lawal
25-01-2024
EP004 | When Scary Met Exciting. How I Became a Published Author, by Elijah Lawal
In this episode:Have you ever dreamt of writing a book and becoming a published author?Many have, but get derailed by a lack of professional writing experience, confusion over where to start, the deflation of rejections, and the belief that it’s simply not possible.It’s easy to succumb to the perceived barriers and limitations that our minds and “accepted wisdom” throw up in response to this goal, so in this episode, I invite Elijah Lawal to share how he went from defining his goal to become a published author, to making that dream a reality.You’ll hear insights from Elijah on how he approached his writing; his tips on the practical process of pitching and finding an agent; how he dealt with rejections; and his lessons learned on the journey to getting published.- - -𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Elijah Lawal is a British Nigerian published author and screenwriter based in San Francisco. In 2019, his first non-fiction book, ‘The Clapback: Your Guide to Calling out Racist Stereotypes’, was published by Hodder & Stoughton. It was well received and led to lots of media coverage, and as a result, Elijah was recognised as one of the top 30 Black authors by the Black British Business Awards.Elijah’s day job is as a Communications and Public Affairs Manager for Google, and he also sits on the leadership team of the Black Writers Guild, an organisation aimed at working with publishers to ensure meaningful and purposeful change in making the industry more inclusive at all levels.𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗢’𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Alison is a highly experienced, certified life and career coach and is an active ideal life advocate. She’s the founder and designer of the Work Wonderland™ process, her proprietary model that helps people make career and life choices that truly align with their values, strengths, passions, skills and life goals.Alison hails from a high-paced, London-based corporate background, working for more than 20 years in the field of PR and Communications, until she made her own radical transition to her ideal life, living and working from a remote mountainside in Wales. Today she focusses her life coaching on supporting professionally successful people in making career changes that facilitate transformational life change. When Alison is not working, you can find her outdoors - walking beaches at the crack of dawn; experimenting with the universe and consciousness; trying her hand at paragliding; and delighting in the magic of the superhero’s quest. She is also Marvel movie obsessed.==================All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes, or on YouTube.
EP003 | My Ex-PR Story Telling Skills Helped Me to Become a Celebrant, with Eleanor Willock
11-01-2024
EP003 | My Ex-PR Story Telling Skills Helped Me to Become a Celebrant, with Eleanor Willock
In this episode:Many dream of making a fulfilling career change, but get stuck in a cycle of fear around making the wrong choice, throwing away years of existing experience, and the big one – taking a big pay cut or not making enough money.It’s easy to get stuck in analysis paralysis, circling around wanting to make a change, but feeling like it’s just not possible, so in this episode, I invite Eleanor Willock to share her experience as she transitions from PR and communications into her second career as a celebrant, creating wedding ceremonies, vow renewals and naming days for people.You’ll hear how Eleanor chose her new career path and what gave her the confidence to select it; the skills she’s using to make her transition; and how she’s approaching the move practically from a financial point of view. - - -𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Eleanor Willock is an Independent Marriage Celebrant. Always curious and interested in making the most out of life, she has worked internationally in three continents with some of the world's biggest tech and public sector brands. In 2023, she ended her 25-year career in public relations and comms to find out what else she might be good at. She lives in Somerset with her family. 𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗢’𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Alison is a highly experienced, certified life and career coach and is an active ideal life advocate. She’s the founder and designer of the Work Wonderland™ process, her proprietary model that helps people make career and life choices that truly align with their values, strengths, passions, skills and life goals.Alison hails from a high-paced, London-based corporate background, working for more than 20 years in the field of PR and Communications, until she made her own radical transition to her ideal life, living and working from a remote mountainside in Wales.Today she focusses her life coaching on supporting professionally successful people in making career changes that facilitate transformational life change. When Alison is not working, you can find her outdoors - walking beaches at the crack of dawn; experimenting with the universe and consciousness; trying her hand at paragliding; and delighting in the magic of the superhero’s quest. She is also Marvel movie obsessed.==================All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes, or on YouTube.
EP002 | The Liberation of Beginner's Mind. From Tax Accountant to Comedian, with Samantha Day
28-12-2023
EP002 | The Liberation of Beginner's Mind. From Tax Accountant to Comedian, with Samantha Day
In this episode:Have you ever dreamt of making a wildly different career change but told yourself it’s not “realistic” or possible?Our minds place all sorts of limits on what we can and can’t do, and what’s permissible, so in this episode I invite Samantha Day to share her story and insights on how she made the seemingly impossible shift from tax accounting to stand-up comedy.In her inimitable style, you’ll hear about how Samantha made the decision to leave her 30-year career for something new and incomparable; the thought-provoking psychological approaches she uses to deal with fear and doubt; and the practical steps she took to get started and build her profile. - - -𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Samantha Day spent 30 years working as a tax accountant in the city of London, before making a career change that couldn’t be more polarised. In her early 50s she embarked on a transition from accounting to stand-up comedy, turning a very new hobby into a real job that she earns a living from. In the four years she’s been at it, she’s won numerous comedy awards, is regularly gigging around the country, and she’s had two really successful runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗢’𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Alison is a highly experienced, certified life and career coach and is an active ideal life advocate. She’s the founder and designer of the Work Wonderland™ process, her proprietary model that helps people make career and life choices that truly align with their values, strengths, passions, skills and life goals.Alison hails from a high-paced, London-based corporate background, working for more than 20 years in the field of PR and Communications, until she made her own radical transition to her ideal life, living and working from a remote mountainside in Wales.Today she focusses her life coaching on supporting professionally successful people in making career changes that facilitate transformational life change. When Alison is not working, you can find her outdoors - walking beaches at the crack of dawn; experimenting with the universe and consciousness; trying her hand at paragliding; and delighting in the magic of the superhero’s quest. She is also Marvel movie obsessed.==================All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes, or on YouTube.
EP001 | Why this show, why me, why YOU?
08-12-2023
EP001 | Why this show, why me, why YOU?
In this episode:Before you jump into my upcoming interviews and hear from many of my clients and friends who have navigated the thrilling, scary and exciting concept of career and life transition…I thought you may like to know a bit about me, your host.Why do I care about this subject so much? Why am I driven to support people who feel that either something is missing or they just want more out of their work and their life? Well, in this short intro episode, I answer that very question by sharing my own career transition journey which saw me leap from a high-paced, London-based corporate role, working for more than 20 years in the field of PR and Communications, and radically transition to my ideal life - living and working from a remote mountainside in Wales.Yes, I'm going to ‘port’ you back 15 years and give you a little insight into my own life at that time and how I figured out that my work and lifestyle was making me very ill. There’s a good ending I promise and it brings me to this uplifting work today where I get to share these amazing, real-life career and life transition stories with you.- - -𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗢’𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗜𝗢:Alison is a highly experienced, certified life and career coach and is an active ideal life advocate. She’s the founder and designer of the Work Wonderland™ process, her proprietary model that helps people make career and life choices that truly align with their values, strengths, passions, skills and life goals.Alison hails from a high-paced, London-based corporate background, working for more than 20 years in the field of PR and Communications, until she made her own radical transition to her ideal life, living and working from a remote mountainside in Wales.Today she focusses her life coaching on supporting professionally successful people in making career changes that facilitate transformational life change. When Alison is not working, you can find her outdoors - walking beaches at the crack of dawn; experimenting with the universe and consciousness; trying her hand at paragliding; and delighting in the magic of the superhero’s quest. She is also Marvel movie obsessed.==================All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes, or on YouTube.