While we do admit the weather could have been better, July has been one exciting month in the Passion Pod world. You see, we’ve reached, gulp, 100 of these natters with passionate, brave creatives going after careers that sure aren’t easy but boy are they fulfilling!

Passion Pod founder, interviewer and all round creative-lover Emily Chiswell had a bit of a rumination on what 100 passion pods meant to her as well as expressing her heart felt thanks to everyone who’s listened to these podcasts.

We also chatted to Wildflowers, a band who just played at Glasto and take a refreshingly business-like approach to making a living making sweet music. They pool their skills together and view marketing, production, recording as all essential ingredients for success. They are also the only passion pod guests to treat our listeners to a track at the end of the interview – what a bonus!

After interviewing lots of creatives, there are some job titles that crop up again and again – writer, actor, painter etc – so we always sit up and listen when a brand new one comes along and I think we can safely say we’ve never had a Science Children’s Entertainer before. But then why should that be a surprise when our podder Cressida pretty much invented the job with her own company Fun Science, begun when she was still at university! Cressida is on a mission to show that science is a fun subject and she does this through children’s parties where she invites kids to make their own magnetic slime and even set their hands on fire (safely, we hasten to add!) Cressida started Fun Science with 200 quid and lots of time and energy. At 24 she’s a boss and Fun Science events are run across the UK. This is one eye-opening pod!

We ended the month on a high with the uber inspiring Holly, the camerawoman behind Raise The Roof charity which has set up a vocational training school in Kenya as well as lots of sustainable businesses and social enterprise and a gender programme called Raise Her Voice. Volunteering in the country while still a student led Holly to set up the charity. She spoke movingly on how daunting the problems in the community can sometimes seem and the importance of accepting her limitations and asking for help. She also said that unlike some altruistic missions, Raise The Roof focuses on listening to the Kenyan people, finding out what their solutions are and trying to action these solutions with the help of the government, business partners and the community. This is one pod full of tips for combining a career with a passion project and having the belief that one person can really make a difference. Take a listen!

One last big thank you from us at Passion Pods – if it weren’t for your lovely receptive ears we wouldn’t be doing what we love and meeting these absolute gems of humans. Really. So thank you, thank you and thank you again!