Shows
In The Mixx: People and TalentFrom Retail to Recruitment Leader: Jamie Burrows on Talent, Branding & Better HiringWelcome to the season finale of In The Mixx, hosted by Chris and Gemma of the MIXXOS Group. And we’re closing Season 1 with a bang — joined by none other than Jamie Burrows, founder of a recruitment training and coaching practice transforming how organisations develop their people and build high-performing teams.This episode dives deep into the realities of the modern recruitment and talent landscape, why human connection is becoming the biggest competitive advantage, and why many TA teams are unintentionally falling behind agency recruiters. Jamie brings a mix of raw honesty, hilarious storytelling, and...
2025-12-191h 12In The Mixx: People and TalentLeading With Heart: Navigating HR, Restructures & Resilience with Anita ScalesIn this powerful and deeply honest episode of In The Mixx, hosts Chris and Gemma sit down with Anita Scales, HR Business Partner at the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team.Anita opens up about her extensive HR career across industries including Formula One, aerospace, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and EV technology. She reflects on the evolution of her people-first approach, the emotional weight of leading difficult restructures, the importance of clarity and communication, and the ongoing battle between “heart vs. head” in HR.The conversation dives into:Anita’s unconventional path i...
2025-12-1253 minIn The Mixx: People and TalentWhy People Still Matter: A Deep Dive into Modern HR with Sara Longley of SKF GroupIn this episode of In The Mixx, hosts Chris and Gemma sit down with the brilliant and brilliantly human Sara Longley, People Experience Country Lead for the UK at SKF Group. With nearly 30 years in HR, Fellowship status with the CIPD, and experience across fire services, ambulance trusts, manufacturing, and more, Sara brings a rare blend of candour, compassion, and straight-talk practicality.This episode dives into the real side of HR — far beyond policies and procedures. Sara opens up about:Her decades-long journey from receptionist to senior HR leadershipHow HR has shifted from “tea...
2025-12-0544 minIn The Mixx: People and TalentTransparency, Fairness & The Future of Talent: A Deep-Dive with Alys MartinIn this episode of In The Mixx, hosts Chris and Gemma sit down with Alys Martin of Terrapinn — an experienced People leader known for championing transparency, fairness, and truly human-centred HR.Alys brings a refreshingly honest, no-nonsense perspective on what’s really happening inside HR and recruitment today. From broken interview processes and outdated hiring mindsets, to the rise of AI and the need for businesses to properly value their people, this one is packed with insight.Together, they dig into:Alys’ unconventional career journey from publishing to TV, to...
2025-11-2857 minIn The Mixx: People and TalentKeely Herring: Owning Neurodiversity and Changing How We HireIn this powerful episode of In The Mixx, hosts Chris and Gemma talk with Keely Herring, Talent Acquisition Lead at Personal Group, about her journey, her advocacy for neurodiversity, and how she’s helping reshape what inclusive hiring really looks like.Keely shares how her personal experiences with dyslexia and self-doubt became the driving force behind her passion for equality, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDI&B). She offers candid insight into the realities of neurodiversity in the workplace—and how understanding difference can transform culture, leadership, and hiring outcomes.This...
2025-11-2148 min
Podcaster DiariesForget Views — This Is the REAL Reason to Start a PodcastIn this episode of Podcaster Diaries, Sunjay sits down with Gemma Downing-Mapp and Christopher Mapp, founders of Mixxos, to dive deep into the real behind-the-scenes of building a successful business podcast from scratch.From converting an empty office into a working studio 48 hours before launch, to juggling careers, parenthood, guest logistics, brand identity and consistency — this conversation reveals everything most podcasters never share.This episode explores the real reasons Chris and Gemma started their HR and Talent–focused podcast “In The Mix,” examining why perfectionism holds most people back and how...
2025-11-1753 minIn The Mixx: People and TalentBuilding Communities and Championing Inclusive Talent — with Nerida Rooney of RICSIn this episode of In The Mixx, hosts Chris and Gemma sit down with Nerida Rooney, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at RICS, for a powerful conversation about community, inclusion, and the future of talent acquisition.Nerida shares her journey from Australia to the UK and her rise through the recruitment world, revealing how communities have shaped her career and why authentic human connection remains at the heart of professional growth. She discusses her work driving global talent transformation, building diverse pipelines, and redefining what meaningful inclusion looks like in hiring.
2025-11-1455 minIn The Mixx: People and TalentWork Ethic, Risk, and Resilience: Lucie McMillan on Global HR and Cultural BalanceIn this episode of In The Mixx, Chris and Gemma sit down with Lucie McMillan, manager of Human Resources for EMEA at Rochester Electronics. Lucie shares her personal and professional journey from the Czech Republic to the UK, discussing how her cultural background, determination, and strong work ethic have shaped her global HR career.Lucie reflects on her early experiences as a nanny in England, her entry into HR through the food and beverage industry, and how stepping outside her comfort zone helped her grow into a leadership role. She offers thoughtful insights on...
2025-11-0754 minIn The Mixx: People and TalentLeap of Faith: Redefining People, Culture, and Learning with Jules QuinnThis episode of In The Mixx dives deep into the world of people, purpose, and transformation in education with Jules Quinn, Group Director of People Services at Milton Keynes College Group.Jules shares her non-linear career journey—from financial services to teaching to senior HR leadership—and the leaps of faith that shaped her path. The conversation explores how culture, kindness, and connection drive retention and engagement across education, why transferable skills matter more than perfect CVs, and how Milton Keynes College is rethinking talent attraction in a skills-short market.Ch...
2025-10-311h 04In The Mixx: People and TalentFrom Lipsticks to Leadership: Natalie Gibbings on Redefining Talent, Culture & Women’s HealthIn this inspiring episode of In The Mixx, hosts Chris and Gemma sit down with Natalie Gibbings, Head of Talent Acquisition at Aiimi, to unpack her incredible and unconventional career journey — from makeup artistry to leading talent strategy in one of the UK’s most forward-thinking data and AI consultancies.Natalie opens up about:✨ How she fell into recruitment and learned to blend empathy with strategy.🏗️ Building Aiimi’s first internal TA team from scratch — transforming reactive hiring into a proactive, culture-driven powerhouse.🏢 Turning Aiimi’s Milton Keynes HQ into a community...
2025-10-2454 minIn The Mixx: People and TalentFrom Burnout to Breakthrough: Nitin Sharma’s Unfiltered Recruitment JourneyIn this first raw and honest episode of In The Mixx, co-hosts Chris and Gemma kick off with Rectools.io founder and RecTalk host Nitin Sharma to unpack his remarkable journey through the highs and lows of recruitment, entrepreneurship, and mental resilience.From walking into a job interview and leaving with a job at Michael Page, to co-founding and scaling a recruitment agency that ultimately collapsed under pressure, Nitin shares what really happened behind the scenes—including how personal tragedy, broken partnerships, and financial burdens nearly pushed him over the edge....
2025-10-1758 minIn The Mixx: People and TalentTRAILER - From Burnout to Breakthrough: Nitin Sharma’s Unfiltered Recruitment JourneyIn this first raw and honest episode of In The Mixx, co-hosts Chris and Gemma kick off with Rectools.io founder and RecTalk host Nitin Sharma to unpack his remarkable journey through the highs and lows of recruitment, entrepreneurship, and mental resilience.Episode releases Friday 17th October.
2025-10-1500 min
Whats your Problem?Episode 5: Gemma Downing-Mapp - Mixxos GroupMeet Gemma Downing-Mapp, business owner, mother and family orientated individual. If you wait for that opportunity it might never manifest - learn how Gemma went from a disillusioned school child to a motivated business owner, working her way up and learning from her mistakes.
2025-07-1754 min
1% Better Recruitment PodcastEP 27 - From £200k - £2m Revenue, Why Keeping Your Standards High Is So Important w/ Gemma DowningGemma is the co-founder of a recruitment company called Mixxos. I met Gemma at the recruitment agency expo in Birmingham and was blown away by her passion for the industry. In today's episode, we cover the following topics: 🔥 Gemma's story and an intro to Mixxos 🔥 How they grew from just two founders to 15 heads. 🔥 How they went from £200k revenue to £2m revenue 🔥 Why keeping your standards high is so important🔥 Why service is such an important attribute for recruitment 🔥 Actionable strategies for building a personal brand and the significance...
2025-03-041h 17
The BMX Commentator PodcastHe Crashed At The Worlds And Became An Entrepreneur Instead - A Chat With Chris MappEpisode 23 sees us chat with Chris Mapp, who most people know as the man behind the BMX Hype race team. What a lot of people don't know about Chris is that he is the driving force behind one of Britain's most innovative recruitment companies - Mixxos.
Chris shares the stories of his BMX career starting as a 6 and under who was too scared to ride down a start hill, to becoming a member of the infamous Crupi Europe squad counting Liam Philllips and Marcus Bloomfield as team mates as they raced around Europe and the world.
2025-02-071h 01
Talking RecruitmentEpisode 48: Empowering people, elevating standards: The Mixxos wayIn this episode, Neil Carberry speaks with Gemma Downing and Chris Mapp, Co-owners of REC member, Mixxos Group. They discuss their business journey and how driving standards as a recruitment agency has empowered them to aim higher.
In this episode, we discuss:
How Mixxos has grown in terms of people, technology, and personal branding.
How they balance business success with charity, community, and local presence.
How standards are upheld to allow them to choose the right partners.
How to deliver consultative client service and unmatched candidate care.
How Mixxos has integrated EDI into their daily operations, from internal policies to...
2024-11-1337 min
REC Scale Up PodcastEpisode 48: Empowering people, elevating standards: The Mixxos wayIn this episode, Neil Carberry speaks with Gemma Downing and Chris Mapp, Co-owners of REC member, Mixxos Group. They discuss their business journey and how driving standards as a recruitment agency has empowered them to aim higher. In this episode, we discuss: How Mixxos has grown in terms of people, technology, and personal branding. How they balance business success with charity, community, and local presence. How standards are upheld to allow them to choose the right partners. How to deliver consultative client service and unmatched candidate care. How Mixxos has integrated EDI into their daily operations, from internal policies to...
2024-11-1337 min
The ups and downs of a small business ownerFrom Working Class to Business Success: My Journey from Italia Conti to Building a Business Legacy – grit, growth & grace.Does this sound familiar? You've been told to just "push through" and "tough it out" to achieve your goals, but you still feel stuck and overwhelmed. The constant pressure and lack of progress can leave you feeling drained and demotivated. Let's uncover a better way to power through and achieve success without the burnout.
In this episode, you will be able to:
Master the art of successful business rebranding and propel your company to new heights.
Uncover the crucial role of company culture in attracting top talent and building a winning team.
2024-06-171h 03
RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment InsightsSimple Strategies for Explosive Growth with Mixxos Group Founders Chris Mapp & Gemma DowningWelcome to another episode of RecTalk, hosted by Nitin Sharma, the founder of rectools.io - the world's largest whole-of-market directory of recruitment suppliers. In this episode, we're joined by the dynamic duo behind Mixxos Group, Chris Mapp and Gemma Downing.Mixxos Group is a standout recruitment agency known for its consistent year-on-year growth, target-smashing performance, and unwavering commitment to superb service. Chris and Gemma share their insights on the simple yet powerful strategies that have fueled their success. We dive deep into how they're achieving these results, the motivations driving their approach, and actionable tips for you to...
2024-06-121h 06