For our 50th episode — and the one-year anniversary of Connecting the Dots — Jennifer Halsall, Grace McNamara, and Dr. Lou Atkinson sit down for a reflective, future-focused conversation about the themes, lessons, and leadership insights that defined season one.

Across two seasons, the podcast has brought together voices from fitness, health, women’s health, longevity, tech, physical activity, and business. In this anniversary episode, the team looks back at the conversations that stayed with them, the patterns that emerged, and what they believe is coming next for the sector.

This is a fireside-style retrospective on women’s leadership, data-driven health, recovery, gender dynamics, longevity, GLP-1s, diversity of thought, and why cross-sector collaboration matters more than ever.

00:01 – Welcome & why this episode matters
Setting the stage for a look back at our most impactful conversations.

01:04 – How the podcast began
Grace’s global network, the nudge to record, and the spark behind the show.

02:45 – Global perspectives
From Saudi Arabia to Nashville — what cultural context taught us.

04:11 – Leadership, partnership & the Nashville episode
Reflections on the power couple conversation with Shahara and Mark.

05:28 – The LEAD programme & Sade Akindele
How the Life Wheel exercise became one of the year’s standout tools.

07:16 – Positive psychology & whole-life leadership
Lou explains the science behind the Life Wheel and why it works.

11:34 – The myth of “having it all”
Burnout, expectations, invisible labour, and the pressure on women.

12:39 – The case for slowing down
Why recovery is a leadership skill — not a luxury.

14:47 – Stress, rest & behaviour change
Insights from Krista Scott-Dixon and the science of parasympathetic reset.

19:50 – Sleep, wearables & confronting your data
Grace shares her sleep metrics and the tools she’s adopting.

20:30 – Vagus nerve stimulation
Lou explains why it’s emerging and how it supports sleep and stress regulation.

24:05 – Longevity: hype vs evidence
Jennifer on the growth of the sector and the need for accessible solutions.

27:26 – Menopause as a key customer segment
Insights from Davitt Meenahan and real-world clinical trends.

29:24 – The gaps in women’s research
Representation, hormones, and why the science still lags behind.

32:38 – Why openness matters
Normalising menopause, brain fog, and real lived experience.

33:40 – The business case for women’s health
Purchasing power, retention, absenteeism, and leadership strategy.

36:50 – Leadership pipelines & transparency
Why board and executive pathways remain opaque — and what must change.

38:23 – Network = net worth
Visibility, community, and breaking the habit of staying quiet.

41:29 – The Collective Network
What we learned from building a 300+ global community.

43:36 – LinkedIn and visibility
Why modesty and career progression are a bad mix.

47:51 – Sponsorship vs mentorship
The distinction that changes careers.

54:07 – GLP-1s and the future consumer
Lou on the next wave and what organisations need to get right.

59:21 – Behaviour change, inactivity & long-term risk
Connecting GLP-1s, kids’ activity trends, and systemic challenges.

1:05:10 – Accessible longevity
The rise of affordable scanning, testing, and personalised care.

1:08:16 – Will longevity absorb fitness?
A discussion on the sector’s evolution.

1:10:50 – Looking ahead to 2026
Cross-sector collaboration, evidence-based practice, and women leading the future.

Timestamps