Varnfest: Future Leaders – A Day of Insight, Growth & Inspiration

On Wednesday 14th May, I had the pleasure of attending Varnfest: Future Leaders at the stunning woodland office in Bradford-on-Avon. The event, hosted by Varn, brought together an inspiring lineup of speakers who challenged us to think differently about leadership, personal growth – and my personal favourite – embracing failure. 

Here are my key takeaways from each of the incredible talks: 

Make Managing People Your Superpower 

Ryan Webb & Madie Hubschmid from @bind.media kicked off the day with a refreshing take on leadership. They reminded us that managing others isn’t about following a one-size-fits-all rulebook, it’s about adaptability and prioritising your team. The key is to lead by example, communicate effectively and empower those around you. Leadership is a skill we can all grow into, whether are managing down, up or sideways!  

Personal Branding: Showing Up As Your Unique Self  

Tasmin Lofthouse from @fikadigitaluk brought vulnerability and authenticity into the room and she invited us to dig into our personal stories and embrace the power of our unique lived experiences. The openness in the space was incredible to witness and be part of. My biggest takeaway? Be intentional with your personal brand – whether it’s at work, in your everyday life or your out of office email. 

Sleep: The Foundation of Sustainable Success 

Dan Collins shared the science behind sleep and its deep connection to our productivity, health, and decision-making. He helped us reframe rest not as a luxury, but as a non-negotiable tool for performance. A key message that hit home: we can’t pour from an empty cup and 17.5 degrees is the optimal temperature for a bedroom! 

Navigating Difficult Conversations 

Fiona Craig from @wearegoodthinking gave us practical, compassionate strategies to tackle one of the toughest aspects of leadership: difficult conversations. One powerful insight was how we often engage in multiple conversations at once, the external exchange and the internal emotional response. Fiona helped us see how approaching these moments with empathy and clarity can transform discomfort into opportunity. She reminded us that feedback, when delivered with care and purpose, is one of our most powerful tools for growth. 

The Art of Failure 

Mo from @philosophyofmo, in partnership with @babbasahub and @opulencegrowth, ended the day on a high with humour, insight and honesty. He got us all moving (literally – we had to change seats) and shared his powerful perspective on failure. One quote that stuck with me: “I believe we are all born failures.” His message was clear – failure is not only natural but a fundamental part of how we grow and succeed. Rather than fearing it, we should embrace and learn from failure and continue to ‘fail forward’ with resilience and purpose. 

Final Thoughts 

Varnfest: Future Leaders was more than just a day of talks, it was a space to reflect, connect, and grow. As someone who values representation, I was proud to hear real insight from my peers on how diversity, inclusion and neurodivergence are essential lenses through which every topic should be explored – and talked about more often.

Huge thanks to all the speakers and organisers for a brilliant day. Here’s to building a future filled with empowered, authentic and resilient leaders.