Real Stories. Raw Lessons. Timeless Wisdom.
What I Wish I Knew at 30 is the podcast that bridges generations — where host Fran Harper, entrepreneur, coach, and storyteller, invites guests from the worlds of food, business, sport, and travel to share the truths, turning points, and lessons they wish they’d known earlier in life.
Born from years of heart-to-heart conversations with young people, this show captures the wisdom, resilience, and humour of those who’ve lived, learned, and now want to give back. Each episode is a deep dive into mindset, purpose, growth, and human connection — because the insights of one generation should inspire the next.
If you love authentic conversations that make you reflect, laugh, and rethink what really matters at every age, this is your invitation to learn from experience, not just time.
🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube — and start discovering what you wish you knew at 30.
Real Stories. Raw Lessons. Timeless Wisdom.
What I Wish I Knew at 30 is the podcast that bridges generations — where host Fran Harper, entrepreneur, coach, and storyteller, invites guests from the worlds of food, business, sport, and travel to share the truths, turning points, and lessons they wish they’d known earlier in life.
Born from years of heart-to-heart conversations with young people, this show captures the wisdom, resilience, and humour of those who’ve lived, learned, and now want to give back. Each episode is a deep dive into mindset, purpose, growth, and human connection — because the insights of one generation should inspire the next.
If you love authentic conversations that make you reflect, laugh, and rethink what really matters at every age, this is your invitation to learn from experience, not just time.
🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube — and start discovering what you wish you knew at 30.
Discover how filmmaker and charity CEO Donna Lyon transformed trauma, addiction, and adversity into a life of purpose, creativity, and empowerment. In this compelling episode of What I Wish I Knew at 30, host Fran Harper dives into Donna’s journey from “surviving” to “leading,” and how her organisation Left Right Hook helps survivors heal through storytelling, movement, and community.
Donna opens up about rebuilding her life after addiction, the power of vulnerability, her faith, and why taking action, before mindset catches up, is the key to long-term transformation. She also explores the challenges facing young professionals today, the impact of trauma on creativity, and why healing is never linear.
In this episode you’ll learn:
• How Donna overcame addiction and rebuilt her life
• Why creativity and movement (like boxing) can support trauma recovery
• The power of vulnerability in leadership and storytelling
• How Left Right Hook empowers survivors of childhood sexual abuse
• Action-based mindset shifts that help overcome inertia
• Why personal growth requires courage, discipline, and community
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Who Is Donna Lyon
02:14 Donna at 30: Life in Turmoil
06:48 Hitting Rock Bottom & Seeking Help
10:26 The Five-Year Journey Through Recovery
13:45 “You Don’t Change Your Thinking by Thinking”
16:20 Finding Purpose Through Filmmaking & Storytelling
20:55 The Birth of Left Right Hook
25:12 Vulnerability as a Superpower
28:36 Creativity, Movement, and Multimodal Healing
31:58 The Realities Young Professionals Face Today
35:42 Leading with Compassion & Lived Experience
39:07 From Pain to Purpose
42:18 What Donna Wishes She Knew at 30
45:01 Final Takeaways & Closing Notes
Connect & Resources:
Guest: Donna Lyon, Ph.D. | Producer | Researcher | Survivor | Boxer | Founder | CEO
Website: https://leftwritehook.org/our-story
Host: Fran Harper | Head of Sales & Marketing - Global Paramount 21 Ltd - Podcast Host What I Wish I knew at 30
Website: https://www.franharpercoaching.com/podcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1DgzhgbR0Zq3 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what
YouTube: / @whatiwishiknewat30
Follow the show What I Wish I Knew at 30:
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/wiwikat30/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/fran.harper.79
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/whatiwishiknew
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