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Hi YATMers, I'm Padma Dayananda. In my last stint as the global head of ESG social impact I had to spark real change across 40 countries.
After 24 years in digital transformation, today, I help social enterprises leverage social value to achieve sustainable business growth.
After a roller coaster ride of reinventing myself, I work with Women in Tech to overcome the self-limiting barriers to be seen and celebrated without the overwhelm and guilt of compromising their personal lives.
As a mum of two girls (and a cheeky dachshund), creating a fairer, more inclusive world isn’t just my work, it’s my why. I launched mission Future10K to connect and inspire 10,000 girls in the next 2 years to pursue careers they truly aspire for.
Here is my recommended read for you. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, though it drove me crazy, it gave me clarity that our life is a sum total of choices we make. There ARE NO wrong choices. Isn’t that liberating! We eventually get to where we need to be. So let’s just live our lives moment by moment.
Let's make sure we connect today
Here I am on LinkedIn​
Here I am on Insta​
The smartest voice doesn't win today, figuring out together does.
Collective knowledge outperforms isolated genius.
It's not just about the value of being seen, it’s about being in it together, learning in real time with other people, and discovering a deeper confidence when you’re part of a wider group trying to make sense of things too.
I have seen it myself and can explain how it works and help you build your side.
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The Power Of Collective Interpretation
We have an abundance of data, opinion and instructions from others. At the same time, we need each other more than ever, not just for support, but to help us understand what’s around us.
In the past 18 months, I have realised that the learning doesn’t just happen from the person at the front of the room, it takes place around us.
Our best sense-making comes from each other.
Community is essential for filtering truth, sparking creativity, and building trust. It serves as our collective brain, sounding board, and reality check.
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Belonging As The Starting Point For Learning
Through years of building the YATM community, I know that belonging comes before breakthrough.
Let me clarify. Before someone books to come to an event, decides to subscribe, shares an insight or puts their hat in the ring to lead an event, there has to be a feeling this is a safe space.
People need to recognise they are part of it. Community is not just about getting people on side, it’s nurturing a place where contribution feels natural.
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The Individual Still Matters, The Group Unlocks More
One of the biggest lessons I've learned since I started YATM in 2013 is that while individual contributions are important, the momentum of the group takes things further.
The best work often starts as something small and personal, a blog post, a question, an experiment, but it only grows legs when people notice, contribute, build on it, and take it somewhere new.
Last week, we had a session, in YATM Club with YATM friend and marketing heavyweight, Mark Schaefer. The focus was on Mark’s latest book, Audacious and rather than it being a two-sided Q&A, everyone was invited to participate and contribute to the discussion, making it a collaborative event.
What happened was that the group shaped the session. We all pushed each other and worked to understand the theme of being human in an AI driven world.
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What We Build Together Becomes A Platform
When we managed to find our way through Covid, it started to galvanise this sense of connection to each other with YATM and finding these moments to benefit from it.
I have come to understand something important: the collective doesn’t just support people; it also strenghtens them.
This happens at every YATM Lunch Club, every Thursday newsletter reply (want to test it out, reply to today's email, I'm here), and every time someone shares a story they were nervous to give, only to be met with encouragement and not silence.
The collective spirit inspires people to try again, explore different approaches, and view themselves not as imposters, but as valuable contributors.
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The Challenge For The Rest Of 2025: Beyond The Echo Chamber
It’s great that we can broadcast and receive the applause and acknowledgement from people, but are they really part of what you're doing? Can they help shape it?
A community that thrives on shared knowledge doesn’t act as an echo chamber. Instead, it invites people to disagree, to challenge, build new angles, make a step to something that feels new and take what's been said and push it somewhere else.
That’s the kind of space we’re trying to hold at YATM, a place where people feel ownership. When people can contribute, that’s how a collective approach works.
You create something more valuable than what any one person could do alone.
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The Hidden Advantage. You're Not Doing This Alone
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The best marketing today isn’t just about what you know or how well you can execute, it’s about how effectively you can open things up.
Can you turn a piece of writing into a conversation or presentation? Can you invite someone into your thought process, instead of waiting until it looks perfect?
When you create these kinds of spaces, whether they’re events or just one-to-one encouragement, you unlock something new: you’re no longer reliant on your energy alone. Others carry the momentum with you.
That’s not just being efficient. It’s sustainable.
Here are some ideas to try out your side if you’d like to build a collective approach to your work.
1. Invite Input
You make the space that is easy for people to share perspectives, questions, and even uncertainties.
The goal isn’t just gathering answers, it’s building a culture where contribution is normal, welcomed, and celebrated. Over time, this collective effort builds confidence among everyone involved.
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2. Give People Space To Try (Not Just Polish)
Perfection hinders participation. Create environments where people feel safe to test, prototype, and share work-in-progress thinking, not just finished outputs.
Today it’s easier to appear perfect than to embrace messiness.
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3. Document As You Go
Show your work. Instead of presenting only the end result, highlight the process, the iterations, and even the moments where you feel lost. This builds trust and makes learning visible.
I only know this now by sharing what hasn’t worked whilst I was in the moment. The scrapbook approach to work and life will thank you, a little bit further down the line.
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4. Celebrate Lightbulb Moments (Especially When They Come From Others)
When someone sparks a new idea or contributes, show genuine excitement. Highlight and build on it.
This reinforces that the collective shapes the future, not just a few voices at the top.
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5. Prioritise Participation Over Passive Consumption
The culture shifts when people aren't just audience members but they know they are active contributors. You have to make it easier for people to jump in, suggest and take small leadership moments.
When someone agrees to lead a Lunch Club, other people help support the whole decision too.
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6. Let Curiosity Lead
Design spaces and moments where curiosity drives the agenda, it’s not just all about efficiency or expertise.
The best collective knowledge cultures grow when it's safe to wonder out loud. We now have Swapsies sessions in YATM Club, this come about through knowledge people have in creative disciplines.
It’s not about being definitive. It’s about being open. When people feel part of something, they take more risks. And when they take more risks, everyone grows.
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Let’s Round-Up
If there’s one thing I’d encourage you to do right now, whether you're building a business, writing a newsletter, or just trying to figure out what work means to you, it’s this: don’t try to figure everything out on your own.
Make room for others to share their knowledge with you.
Involve them in the process before you've completed your work. Share what you’re working through, not just what you’ve already mastered.
What we know together beats what we know alone.
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Share this with someone else đź’Ś
​https://www.youarethemedia.co.uk/you-need-the-right-people/​
Time Wasting
Explore a 3D globe and listen to radio stations from around the world.
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This Week Around The Web
GROWTH, CREATION & YOUR INDEPENDENCE
​Finding your edge in a world of automated content - from Mark Schaefer
​Everyone I know is worried about work - from Rosie Spinks
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THE COMMUNITY YOU CAN BUILD
​Independent journalists prioritise community building for growth - from Axios
​True stability starts with ownership - from Trevor Young
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GROWING YOUR NEWSLETTER
​18 ways to improve email deliverability - from MailerLite
​How to use social proof in email marketing - from Email Octopus
​Creator Day is two weeks today (15th May).
Delivering events are an absolute joy. I love bringing people together and for us all to recognise that we're better together.
It's tough out there at the moment. Relationships, confidence, the truth and answers don't have to be found on your own asking AI, why can't we be together and make the most of the special moments we can create?
If you are joining in, I'll see you soon. If you haven't yet booked and undecided, every moment is centred around you. The theme for this year is how you stay relevant.
We've even created an evening by the water where your tea (or is it dinner) is taken care of! I told you, we're looking after you.
I look forward to what's in store. We've got a special occasion to spend together.
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Use YATMnewsletter to save £45 on your Creator Day place, book here​
What If Writing Was Taken Away?​
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We’re at a crossroads. AI can help us write faster, but if we’re not careful, it can strip away what makes our voices, us.
If we automate too much, we risk losing the personal connection that makes writing powerful.
I know that writing is about being myself and sharing my thoughts with you.
So write. Write even when it’s hard. Write to think. Write to connect. Write to figure things out. Write to be seen.
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People Of YATM
"People ask what YATM is, amidst all the other communities and networking events, and I tell them I'm not quite sure how to describe it⏤but I know I like it.
It feels enthusiastic, welcoming, and more concerned with connection and joy than personal gain.
Yet you also do gain from it: relationships, insights, opportunities. It's just the right vibe for me!"
Come and join in
There's always activity for you in YATM...
🏡 This morning at 9.15pm is when we Work Together in YATM Club, join here​
đź’Ą Is London easier for you? Lunch Club kicks of the year on 4th Sep, coming soon
✏️ We have a joint event with Bournemouth University in June, more to come
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​Click here to watch the end of newsletter video. See you soon.
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