Skip to content

100 Catherine Weetman – never too old to be bold

Circular Economy Podcast Episode 100 Catherine Weetman You're never too old to be bold!

Catherine Weetman shares a bit of her backstory, including why she ditched her corporate career to help businesses get clear on how going circular is better for people, planet AND profit:

Today’s episode is a bit different – Peter Desmond, who has been a great mentor and supporter over the last five years, was encouraging me to tell people a bit more about me and how I came to do this – my ‘why’, if you like.

I was feeling really uncomfortable talking about my story, and then fate stepped in to lend a hand… someone I’m a big fan of – Sarah Archer – invited me to be a guest for her very popular Speaking Club Podcast.

Sarah Archer is a speaking and marketing coach, writer, comedian, performer, and ex-HR Director. This mix means she is uniquely qualified to teach us how to create content that makes our audience stop, engage and fall in love with our message.

Sarah is on a mission to show authors, experts, coaches and aspiring change makers how to create a signature talk that uses stories – in a way that aligns to your values and without losing your personality! I’m trying to make more impact with my talks, and Sarah’s been helping me out with that.

In this episode, you’ll hear Sarah’s interview with me, asking what sparked my interest, why I decided to call time on my corporate career and go all-in with helping people shift towards the beautiful, fair, regenerative future that we know is possible.

Podcast host Catherine Weetman is a circular economy business advisor, workshop facilitator, speaker and writer.  Her award-winning book: A Circular Economy Handbook: How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business includes lots of practical examples and tips on getting started.  Catherine founded Rethink Global in 2013, to help businesses use circular, sustainable approaches to build a better business (and a better world).

Stay in touch for free insights and updates… 

Read on for a summary of the podcast and links to the people, organisations and other resources we mention.

 Don’t forget, you can subscribe to the podcast series on iTunes, Google Podcasts, PlayerFM, Spotify, TuneIn, or search for “circular economy” in your favourite podcast app.  Stay in touch to get free insights and updates, direct to your inbox…

You can also use our interactive, searchable podcast index to find episodes by sector, by region or by circular strategy. Plus, there is now a regular Circular Economy Podcast newsletter, so you get the latest episode show notes and links delivered to your inbox on Sunday morning, each fortnight. The newsletter includes a link to the episode page on our website, with an audio player. You can subscribe by clicking this link to update your preferences.

Links we mention in the episode:

  • A Circular Economy Handbook: How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business – buy from any good bookseller, or direct from the publisher Kogan Page, which ships worldwide (free shipping to UK and US) and you can use discount code CIRCL20 to get 20% off. It’s available in paperback, ebook and Kindle. If you buy it from online sources, make sure you choose the new edition with an orange cover!
  • Sign up to get the podcast player and shownotes for each new episode emailed to your inbox

Sarah Archer Social Media & Website Links:

Books, organisations and people we mentioned…

Catherine was interviewed by Sarah Archer…

Speaking is the most powerful marketing and motivational tool, and we use it everywhere in business, from pitches to presentations … but people often make mistakes that can sabotage their success, and that’s what Sarah Archer helps you avoid, so that you can get more success when you talk. 

Sarah is on a mission to show authors, experts, coaches and aspiring change makers how to create a signature talk that uses stories to get more compliments and conversions. This is so that you can have more impact, invitations and income as a speaker – in a way that aligns to your values and without losing your personality! 

Sarah is a speaking and marketing coach, writer, comedian, performer, ex-HR Director, and host of The Speaking Club Podcast, (which is in the top 1.5% of podcasts and in over 190 countries). This mix means she is uniquely qualified to teach you how to create content that makes your audience stop, engage and fall in love with your message.

Interview Transcript

Click here to open the transcript…

Want to dig deeper?

Why not buy Catherine’s award-winning book, A Circular Economy Handbook: How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business. This comprehensive guide uses a bottom-up, practical approach, and includes hundreds of real examples from around the world, to help you really ‘get’ the circular economy.  Even better, you’ll be inspired with ideas to make your own business more competitive, resilient and sustainable. 

Please let us know what you think of the podcast – and we’d love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes, or wherever you find your podcasts.  Or send us an email

Podcast music

Thanks to Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow, otherwise known as the brilliant, inventive and generous folk duo, O’Hooley & Tidow for allowing me to use the instrumentals from the live version of Summat’s Brewin’ as music for the podcast. You can find the whole track (inspired by the Copper Family song “Oh Good Ale”) on their album, also called Summat’s Brewin’.  Or, follow them on Twitter.

Ep81 Rene Bethmann – Vaude Sports

81 – René Bethmann – circular designs for outdoor sports gear

How do we navigate the tensions of having brilliant products that help us enjoy outdoor activities, yet which are difficult to repair and recycle? René Bethmann specializes in textile and apparel technology, and is leading new approaches to the design of more circular products and materials at Vaude Sports. René focuses on emotional durability, repairability and renewable or recyclable materials.…
Ep79 Jordi Ferre – value from wine waste

79 Jordi Ferre – creating value from wine waste

You may be surprised to learn that, Instead of becoming waste for landfill, grape skins and other unused parts of grapes from the wine-making process can then go on to create important ingredients to support healthy living, which are used in supplements, foods and beverages. Alvinesa Natural Ingredients based in Spain, is a “circular economy” leader of sustainable plant-based ingredients.…
Ep77 Steve Haskew Remanufactured laptops

77 Steve Haskew – the world’s first Kitemark for remanufactured laptops

Steve Haskew of Circular Computing, is back to tell us about how Circular Computing was awarded the world’s first BSI Kitemark™ for Remanufactured Laptops from the British Standards Institute. Steve explains what a Kitemark is, and why it’s important. Steve also tells us how the Kitemark has opened up conversations with new customers and partners, and why it’s important to…

Leave a Reply