What if the working world wasn’t designed for you, and following the rules held you back from the leadership and life you actually want? In this episode of Legendary Leaders, Cathleen welcomes Nyree Ambarchian, co-founder of purpose-led communications agency Jack & Grace, for a bold and honest conversation about ditching outdated workplace norms and rewriting the “rules” of work.

Nyree shares her journey from diligently following the rules to challenging and rewriting them, both in her own career and in building her business.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to question inherited workplace “rules,” embrace authentic leadership, and create environments where people and planet can thrive.

Episode Timeline:

01:35 What might happen if we stopped following outdated workplace rules and started making work fit us instead?

07:56 Launching her purpose-led communications agency during the lockdowns leveled the playing field

10:44 Motherhood led Nyree to reevaluate workplace norms

13:29 Personal challenges with miscarriage and infertility

18:09 Support for miscarriage should never be a one-size-fits-all policy

25:02 Jack & Grace founded as an experiment to challenge industry norms

27:33 Why unlimited holidays didn't work at Jack & Grace

29:24 Salary transparency is a powerful tool for reducing inequality

37:20 All jobs at Jack & Grace are offered part-time as standard

49:50 Measuring success not just by profit, but also people and planet

Key Takeaways:

• Most workplace “rules” weren’t designed for the modern workforce and often exclude, rather than empower people.

• Open conversation about real-life challenges like miscarriage and menopause can transform organisational culture and support.

• Experiments in flexibility, salary transparency, and inclusive hiring aren’t just “nice” they drive retention, talent attraction, and genuine well-being.

• Measuring success by profit alone ignores the vital health of people and the planet - embrace the triple bottom line.

ABOUT Nyree Ambarchian:

Nyree Ambarchian is a Co-Founder of Jack & Grace, a purpose-driven communications agency. On a mission to use comms as a force for good, Jack & Grace is a B Corp and only works with organisations that value people, planet, and profit equally. Nyree has twenty years experience in communications, specialising in behaviour change campaigns, delivering work for the likes of Riverford, the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards, and Defra. Having obediently followed the ‘rules’ of work all her career, in 2018, Nyree became a mum. Finding herself no longer able to stick to ‘the rules’, the burn of failure hit hard. Until she realised the problem wasn’t her, it was the rules. That marked the start of her journey to rewrite the rules of work, so they work for more people.

Connect with Nyree :

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jackandgrace/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackgracecomms/

Website: https://www.jackandgrace.co.uk/

Connect:

Find | Cathleen O’Sullivan

Business: cathleenmerkel.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathleen-merkel/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legendary_leaders_cathleenos/

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