Squiggly Careers
Hosted by Squiggly Careers
Two career development experts offer practical frameworks and advice for navigating non-linear, 'squiggly' careers.
A career development podcast that translates business concepts and psychological frameworks into practical, actionable advice for personal growth. The show features a mix of formats: short, solo-hosted "Squiggly Shortcuts" that offer a quick tip; co-hosted discussions that dissect a concept like "zero distance"; and interviews with authors and experts to "borrow brilliance" from their work.
“The hosts excel at creating memorable, simple frameworks for complex career challenges, like their 'four-person network' model or the 'borrowing brilliance' concept. Their emphasis on actionable 'pod-sheets' and visual exercises (like using Post-it notes) makes the advice feel immediately applicable.”
Who hosts this show
Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis are the founders of the award-winning company Amazing If, with a mission to make 'squiggly' careers better for everyone. Together, they have co-authored three Sunday Times bestselling books: "The Squiggly Career," "You Coach You," and "Learn Like a Lobster." Their TEDx talk, "The best career path isn't always a straight line," has been viewed by millions, and their weekly podcast has millions of downloads. Amazing If works with major organizations like Microsoft, Google, and Visa to help people develop the skills to succeed in modern, dynamic career paths.
Credentials & credits
- Founders of career development company Amazing If
- Authors of three Sunday Times bestsellers
- TEDx speakers
- Helen Tupper: CEO of Amazing If, former leadership roles at Microsoft, Virgin, and BP
- Sarah Ellis: Chief Learning Officer at Amazing If, former leadership roles at Barclays and Sainsbury's
- Helen Tupper: MBA scholarship from FT & 30% Club's Women in Leadership
Other ventures
- Amazing If (company)
- "The Squiggly Career" (book)
- "You Coach You" (book)
- "Learn Like a Lobster" (book)
- TEDx Talk: "The best career path isn't always a straight line"
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01🤔 How do you build curiosity in a team?Jun 25, 2026 · 42s
- 02Why Your Career Doesn't Need a Bigger Network (It Needs a Better One)Jun 25, 2026 · 8 min
- 03What "Zero Distance" Really Means (And Why It Changes Everything at Work)Jun 23, 2026 · 50 min
- 04What If Learning Slower Made You Better at Your Work Than Learning Faster?Jun 18, 2026 · 4 min
- 05What If You Stopped Making Plans and Started Running Experiments Instead?Jun 16, 2026 · 41 min
- 06Why Career Conversations Feel Daunting (And the Script That Changes That)Jun 11, 2026 · 5 min
- 07Six Career Opinions From Emma Grede - Which Ones Do Helen and Sarah Agree With?Jun 8, 2026 · 48 min
- 08
Notable episodes
- 01What "Zero Distance" Really Means (And Why It Changes Everything at Work)
A prime example of the co-hosts 'borrowing brilliance' from a business concept and turning it into a practical self-reflection exercise using Post-it notes.
- 02What If You Stopped Making Plans and Started Running Experiments Instead?
Demonstrates the show's collaborative interview style, deep research, and focus on deconstructing expert ideas into actionable steps for the listener.
- 03Why Your Career Doesn't Need a Bigger Network (It Needs a Better One)
A classic 'Squiggly Shortcut' episode that showcases their ability to simplify a daunting topic (networking) into a memorable, four-part framework.
What you'll be asked on this show
The interviews, often led by Sarah Ellis, are deeply researched and collaborative. An interview typically opens by reading a specific quote from the guest's work to frame the conversation. The host is an active participant, connecting the guest's ideas to the show's existing frameworks (like 'Learn Like a Lobster') and sharing her own team's application of the concepts, such as their 'Mistake Moments' channel. Questions are designed to deconstruct the guest's expertise into actionable steps for the listener, focusing on definitions, first steps, common pitfalls, and personal examples. The style is less of a Q&A and more of a shared learning experience.
The show alternates between solo-hosted 'shortcut' episodes, co-hosted deep dives by Helen and Sarah, and guest interviews. The hosts' chemistry is that of long-time business partners: supportive, familiar, and built on shared frameworks. Their style is relentlessly practical and action-oriented, frequently prompting listeners to pause and reflect or complete a specific exercise.
Questions Squiggly Careers keeps coming back to
10 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Squiggly Careers reaches for it.
craft
2- Q.01
“What does [a core concept] mean to you?”
Often asked early, after reading a quote from the guest's book, to establish a shared definition for the conversation.
- Q.02
“What's one thing in your book that people don't ask about, but you wish they would?”
A signature-style closing question that uncovers hidden gems or less-discussed ideas from the guest's work.
process
3- Q.01
“How should someone get started with a 'tiny experiment'?”
This question transitions the conversation from theory to practical, entry-level application for the listener.
- Q.02
“Can you talk to me about your [acronym/framework]?”
A direct prompt for the guest to explain their specific, memorable model (e.g., PACT framework).
- Q.03
“How can I help them?”
This question is posed to the listener to reframe networking and sponsorship as a value-exchange, not just taking.
personal
1- Q.01
“What's a personal experiment you've tried that you learned a lot from?”
Used to elicit a personal story from the guest, making abstract concepts more concrete and relatable.
advice
2- Q.01
“What's the biggest 'watch-out' when people start doing this?”
A forward-looking question designed to provide cautionary, practical advice for listeners inspired to try the ideas.
- Q.02
“What would one 'even better if' have been?”
A gentle way to solicit constructive feedback and identify specific areas for improvement.
mindset
2- Q.01
“How do you think about the difference between outputs and outcomes?”
The host asks this to clarify a concept she personally finds challenging, modeling a learning mindset for the audience.
- Q.02
“In what situation do you feel completely free of time pressure?”
A reflective question used in solo episodes to help listeners identify states of 'flow' and 'spaciousness'.
Signature segments
- · Borrowing Brilliance
- · Squiggly Career Shortcuts
- · Pod-sheets (worksheets)
- · Framework-based advice (e.g., PACT)
- · Curious Career Conversations
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically authors, academics, or experts with a specific, actionable framework that aligns with the show's philosophy. The hosts book people whose ideas they can 'borrow brilliance' from, focusing on concepts that can be translated into practical career experiments for the audience.
- Anne-Laure Le Cunffon What If You Stopped Making Plans and Started Running Experiments Instead?
- Emma Gredeon Six Career Opinions From Emma Grede - Which Ones Do Helen and Sarah Agree With?
- Aneesh Ramanon Why the Way You Communicate Could Be Holding You Back ft. LinkedIn's Aneesh Raman
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Based on observed sponsors like Post-it and their corporate client list (Microsoft, Google, Visa), the likely sponsor angle targets brands focused on productivity, professional development, and learning. A secondary angle is B2B, attracting corporate clients for the hosts' company, Amazing If.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Squiggly Careers
People also ask
- Who are the hosts of Squiggly Careers?
- The podcast is hosted by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis, the co-founders of the career development company Amazing If.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, the podcast releases new episodes multiple times a week, including longer discussions and short 'Squiggly Shortcut' episodes.
- What is the format of the show?
- It's a mix of formats: co-hosted discussions between Helen and Sarah, short solo-hosted episodes with a single actionable tip, and interviews with expert guests.
- What is a 'squiggly career'?
- It's a term the hosts use to describe modern, non-linear career paths characterized by frequent change, fluidity between roles and industries, and a focus on personal values and strengths over a traditional career ladder.
- How can I pitch a guest for the show?
- The show primarily features authors and experts with specific, actionable frameworks. The best point of contact would likely be through their official company website, AmazingIf.com.
- Where can I find the show's resources, like 'pod-sheets'?
- The hosts mention that show notes, transcripts, and downloadable resources are available on the Amazing If website.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]About | Amazing Ifamazingif.com
- [02]The Squiggly Career: The No.1 Sunday Times Business Bestseller - Google Booksgoogle.co.uk
- [03]Why squiggly careers are better for everyone | Helen Tupper & Sarah Ellis | TEDxLondonted.com
- [04]Helen Tupper Biography | All American Speakersallamericanspeakers.com
- [05]Sarah Ellis Biography | All American Speakersallamericanspeakers.com
- [06]Helen Tupper | The Marketing Societymarketingsociety.com
- [07]Helen Tupper | Nottingham Trent Universityntu.ac.uk
Podcasts like Squiggly Careers
Saad Rashid - YouTube Automation
Saad Rashid
A Pakistani host interviews creators of 'faceless' YouTube channels, breaking down their niche strategies, AI workflows, and revenue generation.
Silicon Valley Girl
Silicon Valley Girl
An entrepreneur interviews the founders and scientists building the next wave of AI to uncover practical strategies for career and business growth.
The Arena
The Arena
A daily sports debate show where 3-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas and a panel of former pros give unfiltered takes on basketball news.
Backstage with Millionaires
Pankaj Chauhan
A weekly news show and documentary-style channel breaking down the biggest stories and trends in the Indian startup and venture capital ecosystem.
Thomas Brush
Thomas Brush
A podcast for aspiring indie game developers, hosted by a solo dev who interviews peers about the practical and emotional journey of making games.
Middle Nation
Middle Nation
A political commentator analyzes global events from a pro-Muslim, anti-imperialist perspective, advocating for decolonization and sovereignty.
The Founder's Dream | Abhishek vyas
The Founder
A Hindi-language business podcast featuring long-form interviews with Indian startup founders about their real-world journeys and industries.
Rusty Quill Podcasts
Rusty Quill Podcasts
A network feed from a London-based production house specializing in full-cast speculative fiction and horror audio dramas.