Michelle is joined by the brilliant Barbara Nixon - success and leadership coach for senior execs and founder-led businesses - for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about growing up, breaking free from the corporate world, and reclaiming the confidence we had as kids before life slowly eroded it.

Barbara shares how she went from mischievous youngest child (who once just changed schools without really asking permission) to corporate high-flyer, to jumping off the career ladder mid-recession with zero plan and a lot of midnight panic in a Welsh cottage. They also get into the magic of talking to strangers on trains, why the rebel might just be part of the good girl story, and the one question Barbara thinks every woman should ask herself right now.

Funny, honest and genuinely thought-provoking - this one will have you thinking about your childhood self long after it's finished.

Show Notes:

Guest: Barbara Nixon — success and leadership coach and consultant working with MDs, directors and senior leaders in founder-led businesses. She helps executives elevate and grow, both in and out of work.

What we talk about:

0:00 — Intro & how Michelle and Barbara met (spoiler: Covid, the internet, and a mystery matchmaker)

2:40 — Did Barbara feel pressure to be a good girl growing up? The youngest child advantage — and changing schools without telling anyone

5:50 — When the confidence started to erode: A-levels, university, first child, and stepping onto the conveyor belt

7:00 — 13 years in corporate retail: what she loved, why she was known for asking the questions nobody else would, and why she eventually walked away

10:30 — Jumping into business with no plan, midnight panic in a Welsh cottage, and the loneliness nobody warns you about

28:00 — The conversation that's blowing Michelle's mind: is the rebel actually part of the good girl? Plus Barbara's one question every woman should ask herself

Barbara's question to sit with:"What do you need to learn from your younger self that you can use now?"

Connect with Barbara:

Find Barbara:

Website: ⁠www.barbaranixon.co.uk⁠

Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaranixon1/⁠

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@iambarbaranixon

Confident Leaders Scorecard: https://barbara-dn4exwq0.scoreapp.com/

Follow Michelle

Website - https://www.michelleminnikin.com/

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mminnikin/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goodgirldeprogramming

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleminnikin

Buy Good Girl Deprogramming

Ebook and Paperback available at all good bookshops (and Amazon - https://amzn.to/3AQHuFf)

Audible - https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0D9MKBDBW/?source_code=AUKFrDlWS02231890H6-BK-ACX0-406719&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_406719_rh_uk

Take the Good Girl Roles Assessment

Find out if you’re a Good Girl at https://goodgirlroles.com/

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends!

It’s been a while… and we’re back.

In the first episode of 2026, Michelle is joined by educator, tutor, author and business owner Caroline Bowmer – her co-author on Good Girl Deprogramming – Girl’s Edition and the accompanying Caregiver Guide.

This honest, funny, and deeply grounded conversation explores what it really means to grow up as a “good girl,” why perfectionism starts so young, and how we can support girls aged 10–14 to trust themselves before self-doubt takes hold.

Together, Michelle and Caroline talk about teenage brains, school pressure, fear of failure, people-pleasing, and why adolescence isn’t a problem to fix – it’s a vital transformation to protect.

This episode is for parents, carers, educators, and anyone who wants the next generation of girls to grow up freer than we did.

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome back to the Good Girl Deprogramming Podcast

01:17 – First episode of 2026 and why it’s been a while

02:05 – Growing up as a “Good Girl” and perfectionism

07:40 – How the girls’ book came together

10:45 – Test readers, early impact, and school transitions

16:00 – The teenage brain and the chrysalis metaphor

22:40 – Pressure, exams, and fear of failure

27:40 – Michelle’s journey into Good Girl Deprogramming

31:00 – Why self-love is still radical

33:40 – What we hope this book gives girls

35:10 – What’s next and final reflections

In this episode we explore

• Why “being good” can quietly damage girls’ self-worth

• How teenage behaviour is communication, not defiance

• The importance of supporting trusted adults alongside girls

• Why self-love is the foundation of confidence and autonomy

• How to reduce pressure without removing care or standards

Mentioned in this Episode

• Good Girl Deprogramming – Girl’s Edition (ages 10–14) - out on 16th Jan 2026

• The Good Girl Deprogramming Caregiver Guide

• Good Girl Conditioning

• Perfectionism, people-pleasing, and fear of failure

If you enjoyed this episode

Please like, subscribe, and share. It really helps this message reach the people who need it.

Join the conversation

What would you have needed to hear at age 12? Let us know in the comments.

Episode 30 - What Is a Bad Person? Unravelling Good Girl Conditioning with Alex Barker

Alex is a Captain of Be More Pirate, a book turned social movement and home for professional rule breaking (look out for season 3 of our podcast coming soon...)

Alex is author of How to: Be More Pirate, a speaker, facilitator, and a coach for women. For the past four years she has delved into the world of good girl conditioning with Pass the Mic; a speaking programme designed to help women find and own their voice.

What we talk about:

• 1:48 – Alex shares how being the eldest child shaped her “good girl” tendencies.

• 4:00 – Ballet, boobs, and being shamed for not fitting the mould.

• 9:27 – The subtle but powerful role of media, Spice Girls vs. societal approval.

• 14:45 – The evolution from good girl to fierce boundary-setter.

• 23:30 – The small ways we override our needs (and how to reclaim your day).

• 35:34 – The big provocation: What is a bad person, really?
  

Follow Alex on social media:

Website - https://alexbarker.co.uk/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alexandrabrkr & https://www.instagram.com/bemorepirate/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-barker-46745471/

Follow Michelle on social media:

Website - https://www.michelleminnikin.com/

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mminnikin/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goodgirldeprogramming

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleminnikin

Buy Good Girl Deprogramming

Ebook and Paperback available at all good bookshops (and Amazon - https://amzn.to/3AQHuFf)

Audible - https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0D9MKBDBW/?source_code=AUKFrDlWS02231890H6-BK-ACX0-406719&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_406719_rh_uk

Take the Good Girl Quiz

Find out if you’re a Good Girl at https://goodgirlquiz.co.uk/

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends!