The authors

Barrie Hopson

Barrie’s current portfolio career includes… chairman of Axia Interactive Media, director of Live Happier, writer, presenter, consultant and chair of his local community association. He has a long history of involvement in the area of career development having established the Counselling and Career Development Unit at Leeds University in 1976 and subsequently went on to found Lifeskills International.

A fellow of the British Psychological Society he has written 40 books including the bestselling 12 Steps to Success through Service, The Lifeskills Teaching Programmes , Build Your Own Rainbow, and The Rainbow Years: the Pluses of Being 50+. His latest venture is livehappier.com a site dedicated to helping people to “Live Happier: The Ultimate Life Skill” – the title of his first ebook. His last book was ‘And What Do You Do? 10 Steps to Creating a Portfolio Career’. Barrie has worked widely as a consultant to commercial and educational organisations worldwide. He runs 10k charity races for the Stroke Association as his wife had a major stroke last year and will run his first half marathon this year.

Katie Ledger

Katie’s portfolio includes… being a communications consultant, conference facilitator and producer, presenter, author and TV reporter for BBC Click.

She helps individuals, teams and organisations to communicate in a compelling way. Katie spent 12 years working as a tv news presenter for Five News, ITN and the BBC.

Currently, she works for many companies such as Microsoft, Sony, Reed Elsevier, 3 Mobile, Wiley Publishing, Waterstones, HMV and the Met Police. She’s therefore well equipped to cope with the high-pressure situations she regularly faces dealing with two small children, two cats, one husband (with portfolio career) and a very busy but fulfilling work style.