CareerTalk with Don Haddaway, Artisiam

The first episode of series five of the CareerTalk podcast opens with a genuine conversation between Don Haddaway, a 35‑year industry veteran turned independent CX consultant, and Leigh Hopwood, CEO at CCMA.

In this episode, Don shares what it’s really like to work as a CX consultant, from the variety of the role to the constant need to learn. He explains that he never calls himself an expert. Instead a big part of his week is spent on research and staying current.

He also reflects on some of the achievements in his career, including his first super‑size contact centre project at Sky, which remains one of his proudest moments.

It’s a warm and insightful start to the new series, and a real look behind the curtain of consultancy life.

Listen to the episode in full:

Listen to previous guests from series four, including:

• Kirk Bradley, Head of Operations, Bupa
• Brenda Beavon, Customer Services Solutions Director, ArvataConnect
• Jon Hall, Customer Experience Manager, Fibrus
• Hannah Ratcliff-Barnes, HSBC
• Rachel Hulme, Head of Operations, Liberata
• Michael O’Brien, First Customer Contact
• James Wilson, Barclays Customer Care

Don’t miss episode two, streaming live on LinkedIn on Friday 30 January 2026 from 12:00.