Breaking Bias, one audience at a time.
Welcome to The Agenda Lounge. I’m Marisa.
I use my lived experience to create a safe, no-fluff space where every agenda is heard.
I will break down stigma, smash barriers, and turn honest conversation into practical action. Through storytelling, hands-on workshops and human-led training, I help people and organisations build belonging, resilience and real social value.
Come as you are. Leave with connection, clarity and the confidence to act.
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From lived truth to lasting CHANGE.
I grew up in a home where voices were quieted by addiction, I learned to find mine and use it. That lived experience, sharpened by 20 years of private-sector leadership, gives me a rare, practical lens: "I know what resilience looks like in real life, and I know how to turn that truth into workplace action."
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I open the room for the hard conversations that organisations avoid and translate them into clear, measurable change.
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I blend story with strategy, delivering interactive workshops, practical DEIB frameworks, leadership coaching, and strategic advice on social mobility and social value, all designed so your people can act, not just nod.
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My work is rooted in creating real opportunities for people from lower socio-economic backgrounds. I connect authentic networks with pragmatic pathways, helping you design programmes that lift barriers, shift behaviours and deliver measurable social value.
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If you want a warm, no-fluff partner who brings credibility, lived experience and commercial know-how to your DEIB and social value work, let’s talk. Book me to turn your intentions into inclusive behaviours that stick.
Founder.
Marisa Lloyd
I know what it feels like to wonder if your past will define your future. My childhood mirrored my mum’s in so many ways, both of us carried the weight of her addiction and the uncertainty of the social services system. Yet our stories took very different paths. Her fight ended too soon, leaving her voice unheard. Mine, however, is just beginning. And, I’m determined to make it count.
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That determination is the heartbeat of The Agenda Lounge.
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I founded this community not just to honour the struggle I’ve inherited, but to celebrate the strength I’ve forged from it. I’ve spent two decades in recruitment learning how workplaces operate and all too often, talent gets passed over because someone’s background doesn’t “fit the mould.” I’m here to change that.
Whether you’re a young person wrestling with self-doubt or a business leader seeking fresh perspectives, The Agenda Lounge is for you.​
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Embed Social Mobility in Your Strategy
I partner with businesses to build mentorship circles, remove bias from job descriptions, and connect directly with communities. These aren’t just “nice extras”, they slot perfectly into your social value goals and show your teams you mean it when you say, “Everyone belongs here.”
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Drive Growth Through Inclusion
I’ve seen firsthand how socio-economic diversity ignites innovation. People who’ve fought for every opportunity bring tenacity, fresh ideas, and loyalty that outperforms any LinkedIn “ideal candidate.” Companies that open their doors wider, who back their inclusion talk with real investment, see higher engagement, better problem-solving, and yes, stronger revenue.
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Through The Agenda Lounge I prove that what you’ve been through can be your greatest advantage. Let’s rewrite the script, turn stigma into strength, loss into leadership, and build classrooms and workplaces where every story has room to grow.
Ready to start? Book a session, commission a workshop, or explore partnership opportunities.
Collaboration.
I teamed up with The Lighthouse Charity to support their
“Speak Up. Reach Out.” campaign.
Dragging the awkward, quiet stuff into the light and had proper, no-filter conversations about what people usually tiptoe around.
Being from Essex, I speak straight: I told the stories folks pretend not to hear, warts and all. We laughed, we cried, and yes, a bit of banter helped loosen the tension so people could actually say the hard stuff.
It was messy, human work that chips away at stigma.
Want to turn awkward into action? Book a discovery call or contact The Agenda Lounge to talk partnership.
Early Careers.
I offer a comprehensive portfolio of services designed to support education by aligning with lived experiences.
An holistic approach empowers individuals to cultivate skills, resilience, and determination, fostering personal and professional growth.
Let me guide you on your journey towards empowerment and achievement.
'The Agenda' Talk
Dive into The Agenda Lounge, a high-energy 45-60 minute motivational session where lived experience meets practical action.
I share my raw, unfiltered journey: from relentless adversity and impossible odds to carving a life and career far beyond where I started.
You’ll leave with battle-tested techniques to spark determination, shape powerful stories and stand taller, whatever your starting point.
Ideal for secondary schools, colleges and universities looking for an electrifying, lounge-style learning experience.
Beyond Labels: Teaching with Human Eyes
I bring my lived experience into a straight-talking, heart-first talk for teachers who want to notice the kids behind the behaviour. This isn’t theory, it’s real stories, practical phrases and small classroom moves that change how you show up. You’ll leave energised, with a fresh mindset and simple actions to make students feel seen, reduce stigma and turn everyday moments into real support.
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Want this as a staff briefing, assembly or inset? Book a discovery call or contact The Agenda Lounge to plan a session that fits your school.
Ready, Set, Work: Soft Skills for Real Jobs
I run a fast-paced, hands-on session that turns everyday smarts into the soft skills employers actually hire for. Through short, honest stories and practical challenges, I show students how to make mistakes look like growth and potential look like proof.
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What you get: quick, usable outcomes
• The five soft skills employers want. Shown, not lectured.
• Micro-interviews and live feedback so students learn what hiring managers hear.
• A one-page “Hire Me” toolkit: interview lines, example stories and next steps.
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Formats: 45-min assembly, 90-min workshop, or half-day careers lab.
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Ideal for Years 9–13 / Ages 13–18.
Students are mature enough to reflect, rehearse interview language, and benefit immediately from micro-interviews and skills-mapping
Corporate.
I proudly offer services that address employment barriers linked to stigma. My mission is to provide valuable insights and cultivate a genuine sense of belonging, empowering individuals to navigate their own career journeys with confidence.
I will support managers to hire for potential, not polish, so the right people get seen.
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Let’s build workplaces where your past isn’t a deal-breaker and everyone gets a fair shot.
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'The Agenda' Talk
An electrifying 45-minute leadership lab where my real-world journey, from breaking through barriers to charting unexplored paths, becomes the blueprint for purpose-driven corporate storytelling.
Leaders will learn how to weave personal and organisational values into compelling narratives that spark social value initiatives and galvanise teams. You’ll leave with battle-tested frameworks to turn setbacks into strategic advantage, inspire authentic connection, and drive inclusive behaviours at every level of your business.
Ideal for ERG sessions, Management Training or Annual conferences craving an electrifying, lounge-style learning adventure.
Enhancing your
Social Value Strategy
'Community to Work' reimagined for the corporate sphere: a dynamic, hands-on session that codifies the essential skills, creative problem-solving, agile collaboration, and confident communication needed to embed social value into your core strategy.
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Through interactive breakout challenges and real-life corporate case studies, you’ll map out how to pilot projects that benefit both community and company, learn from inevitable missteps, and build the resilient mindsets needed to iterate toward ever-stronger stakeholder impact.
Creating Connection
Dive into “Creating Connection” tailored for leaders who shape DEIB from the top.
You’ll engage with strengths-based strategies, active listening practices, psychological safety mapping, and open, stigma-free conversations that cultivate cultures where every team member feels recognised, supported, and empowered.
Through immersive, hands-on scenarios, you’ll learn to dismantle silos, champion mental wellbeing, and foster a lasting sense of belonging that fuels both individual growth and organisational resilience.