Quietroom Out Loud

Since 1843, Dickens’ tale of a miser’s redemption through ghostly intervention has been as much a part of Christmas as virgin births, men in red and eggnog. Hear the whole thing, from start to finish, just as the author intended (except it’s read by Vincent Franklin). God Bless us, everyone!

Highlights from the finale of 'Shaking Up Pensions', a series of events bringing new ideas to old problems.

3 mini takeaways from our sell-out event.

A new kind of bank grew out of the financial crisis – a bank with a 200 year heritage but a fresh outlook. CEO Paul Pester asked “What would you change about banking?” and the answers set a course for the revived TSB. Can a bank navigate today’s financial uncertainty by throwing out sales targets and putting purpose before profit? And is it conceivable that a bank follow Richard Branson's advice to “have a bit of fun”? Plus our own Rhys Williams shares 5 top tips to transform your big business idea.

Rob Gardner has co-founded a pensions consultancy, built an education charity, and just launched his first children’s book, aimed at getting kids to start building good financial habits. In this episode, we put Rob to the test. Can he convince 14-year-old Jessie to start saving her pocket money? Our own Rhys Williams also shows you how to persuade someone to take a bit of short-term pain for some long-term gain.

Science writer David Bodanis has entertained and informed readers with books such as ‘E=mc2’ and ‘Einstein’s Greatest Mistake’, in which he brings to life ideas that used to be inaccessible to all but the privileged few. We asked him how he does it, and how you can borrow his techniques, whatever you’re writing. Our own Rhys Williams also shares some top tips for making big ideas connect with even bigger audiences.

How can leaders inspire the public take positive action? Paul Twivy, one of the best-known innovators in global advertising, shares his insights with Quietroom Out Loud. With 25 years’ advising Comic Relief under his belt, Paul Twivy has been the first port of call for three UK prime ministers, each seeking to motivate the public to support social change. He believes that the responsibility for social change lies with individuals, from the public to big business – a vision that he outlines in his book Be Your Own Politician: Why It’s Time for a New Kind of Politics. We spoke to Paul about effective campaigning, why the Big Society didn’t take off as planned, and why he thinks CSR is the future of commerce. We also share the secrets behind a piece of fundraising copy we believe will compel audiences to sit up, pay attention and donate.

Our guest today is one of the few MPs to change government policy from the opposition back benches. She is also, according to The Daily Mirror, the third most Twitter-addicted politician in the UK. For our second show, Stella Creasy shares her insights into creating campaigns that get people fired up. She also talks about why she sometimes feels like 'Walthamstow's mum' and explains why her peers in 'Hogwarts gone wrong' need to learn that a fair future depends not on institutions, but on creating networks that invite everyone to take part. We wrap up by comparing the rhetoric of two very different politicians – self-confessed policy wonk Ed Miliband and pint-wielding, would-be everyman Nigel Farage.

Today, you can do almost everything online, from listening to music to ordering a taxi. Traditional industries are crumbling one by one, and the pace of change is getting quicker. Andrew Keen, author of ‘The Internet is Not the Answer’, explains what every business needs to know to survive in the new ‘networked economy’. We also share the secrets of a brilliant advert created by the world's number one technology company.