Beautiful Misfits

We all need to do our bit to create a better future than the **** show we’ve got right now. Let’s make a commitment to be that bit more conscious, think about how we live, buy, who we bank with, work and vote for. Even the smallest changes knit together to create a greater whole. In this episode of Beautiful Misfits, I’m talking to the wonderful Thomasina Miers. After winning Masterchef, Tommi co-founded Wahaca – the chain of Mexican restaurants that had sustainability baked in from the beginning. They’ve been carbon neutral since 2016 and are forging a new path on how food can be good for planet – and people. In addition to all that, Tommi is a passionate campaigner around all things food. From working to get chefs into schools to create truly nutritious food for children, to campaigning to fix our broken food system – she's passionate about it all – because bad food is literally killing us and the planet.  She’s tireless, inspiring and I loved talking to her. Let's take Tommi's ideas for a better world and run. TW: This episode contains references to mental illness and suicide. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

As a fifth-generation baker from the esteemed Hobbs House Bakery family, Tom Herbert grew up with yeast in his in his genes and a ready-made career to fall into. But after a series of events including a visit to refugee camps in Calais, Tom realised he couldn't just take the easy path, and felt an urgent need to contribute to something more purposeful. He founded The Long Table in Stroud – a project which I love and have eaten at many times myself – that looks at tackling all aspects of food inequality, starting with community dining. Tom is a believer that simple solutions, community spirit, and kindness can change the world. I'll raise my baguette to that! To support The Long Table visit https://www.thelongtableonline.com/donate Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Success isn’t always a straight line. Trinny Woodall burst onto our TV screens on What Not To Wear alongside Susannah Constantine in the noughties. Twenty years on she’s got a million Instagram followers and a beauty business – Trinny London – that turns over something like £50 million a year. Those are the headlines. But there is so much more than that. Because while Trinny has gone through the highs of public success, she’s also experienced the lows of addiction in her twenties, complex bereavement, and a failed dotcom business – with everything in between. And after all of that, she took the leap into the beauty business after decades in fashion aged 53. It took a long time for us to meet. And I’m not sure why we didn’t before. But I’m so glad we finally got the chance to because Trinny is a soulful woman. Join us on today’s episode as we talk about fashion, family and whether to lean into a male-dominated business world.  Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Imagine your daughter being so scared for your safety that she fainted when you took too long popping out for a pint of milk? This is what happened to Gina Miller, the woman who took the government to court in the midst of the Brexit furore. She wasn’t trying to stop Brexit. She was fighting for our democracy. But she was  so abused and threatened for standing up to the system that she feared for her – and her children’s – safety. In this episode of Beautiful Misfits I talk to Gina about her extraordinary story. Her life has been one of many challenges – from a serious sexual assault when she was a teenager to fighting for her daughter who was born with significant extra needs – and yet she is still hopeful. And Gina believes we all have a choice: to give in to all the negatives, or believe in our collective power to create a better future. So now she’s launched a political party to campaign for it. She’s inspirational. I hope you enjoy.  Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

I’m in my 60s. Florence Given is in her 20s. But we came together to chat everything from body image to the new kind of protest movements unfolding on social media. And what I realised is that so many of the issues that older women have faced are still being negotiated by younger women today. The good news though is that they’re getting vocal about them. Florence is an illustrator, artist and author, who’s also got a huge following on social media. And she’s loved by Gen Z women - and older ones too - for her willingness to talk about everything from feminism and sex to her own sexuality and how young women – and men – navigate relationships today. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Fear is a big one isn’t it? The fear of failure. The fear of stepping out of our lane and getting flattened. But in today’s episode of Beautiful Misfits, I talk to Dr Sharon Blackie about why confronting our fears is one of the vital keys to unlocking change in ourselves and the world around us. She did this. She was so afraid of flying - and failing in a big corporate life - that she took the radical step of training a pilot. Today Sharon is an author and teacher whose work centres on how to bring back balance into a world that’s gone so off course in many ways. And the ancient wisdom found in the stories of our past that provide the answers we need for the future. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

On this week's Beautiful Misfits, I'm joined by the general manager UK at Ankorstore. Tarun Gidoomal and I share a belief in the vitality of the relationships at the heart of retail - shops are about emotion, not just buying and selling. I learned about the value of local shops after my mother died. As a teenager, feeling completely lost without her, I’d get off the school bus each day wondering what I was going to cook my dad and brother that night. But it was the local butcher and grocer who helped me work it out, saved me bits, offered me kindness. They were a light in a very dark time. Tarun, like me, has experienced loss in his life and has come to understand that what tests us most can also help us grow. Join us on today’s episode of Beautiful Misfits as we chat loss, moving past the behaviours that protected us in pain but no longer serve us, and the power of shops to create beautiful business for beautiful living.  Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

This week's Beautiful Misfits guest is Ione Gamble. I absolutely loved talking to this intelligent, questioning, energetic and – crucially – hopeful young woman. Ione is a writer, editor, art director and founder of Polyester Zine. She is also, in her own words, a ‘gross girl’. Diagnosed weeks after her birthday with Chrohn’s disease – a debilitating inflammatory bowel disease – Ione’s young adult life has been shaped by illness, and hospital wards.S he channels all this into her work as she questions many of the stories still being told to us as women - particularly about physical beauty. Because despite all the body positivity, beauty is all too often still slim, white and able bodied. But how many of us feel we actually fit these archetypes? Ione joins me to talk about all of this - plus the the world of fashion, social media and how ‘good taste’ is often just about propping up the existing power structures.  Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

From fashion to interiors and retail, Jasper Conran has tapped into his creativity across a range of disciplines to build a glittering career. But his journey to get there has taken many stages of transformation and resistance. We talk about the legacy of coming from a family that ‘has it all’, the loneliness of his childhood, the eating disorder and self-esteem problems Jasper suffered as a teenager – and how he had to carve out his own path by defying expectations of his father (Sir Terence Conran), of himself, and of the industry. He’s a gentle soul, wonderfully funny and, after knowing him for many years, I loved sitting down with him to talk. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Imagine a world in which we had true gender equality, a world in which women and girls could unleash all their power and come together with boys and men to create something new. Jude Kelly founded the Women of the World festival in 2010 to focus on just that – to celebrate the achievements of women and confront global gender injustice. She is also a storyteller, and prior to WoW built a decorated career as a theatre director and producer. Today she mentors, campaigns, and her work has left a huge impact on me personally. At the heart of it all – of course – is a very human story of a woman deeply connected to her creative feminine power, making her way in a world that doesn’t always make that easy. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Candice Brathwaite shares my belief in consciousness, soul, spirituality – the innate power that exists inside us all. She's used it to overcome personal struggles, and to manifest her ideas into reality. All despite the world trying to silence her. Now a best-selling author of titles such as Sista Sister and Cuts Both Ways, and an influential voice sharing her story of black motherhood – Candice has battled through racism, beauty standards, and colourism. She's also received public backlash when she's broached taboos or fought for those made to feel "other" by society. But she approaches it all – the fun, the light, the complex and challenging – with positivity and joy. And this is because she realised she had "the key" to transformation inside herself all along. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

How do you feel about failure? For many of us, it’s one of the scariest places we can go. But the legendary founder of Pret A Manger and Itsu embraces it. We’re too scared of failure, says Julian Metcalfe. We must use it as an opportunity to learn.   In a new episode of Beautiful Misfits, I talk to Julian about everything from the power of empathy to the pursuit of excellence. He talks movingly about the impact of the death of his mother and how striving for excellence inspires him. We need more leaders like him. There’s a shift coming, the world is changing and Beautiful Misfits like Julian can guide us.  Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Lemn Sissay is a poet, a thinker, a rebel. His mother thought she was putting him into temporary foster care as a baby. But he was swallowed up by the system. Then aged 12, he was sent back into it when his adoptive parents kicked him out. Lemn grew up alone in so many ways. But alongside this pain there was beauty and light in the form of creativity. Lemn has built an impressive career, but more importantly, he’s a truly soulful man. This conversation hit me powerfully – and Lemn is a true Beautiful Misfit. As he says, the question anyone who identifies as “unique” should ask is, “do you give yourself the permission to explore that?” Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

My guest this week has been called “the most influential woman in fashion”. We both met starting out at Topshop in our 20s, before Jane Shepherdson went on to put Topshop at the beating heart of cultural relevance in a way no other high street brand had been before. But then – to the surprise of the outside world – she walked away from it all. To me, Jane is a beautiful misfit because we share something very important – she was not driven by money, or growth, but instead by creative instinct. As fast fashion grew, and the internal culture of the company under Philip Green became too much to bear – Jane needed to find distance from the machine she now saw as a monster, and sought out a new way to channel her creative energy.   She explains the anger she felt at having to let go of her “baby”, the protection she had to put around her team, and why she’s dedicated her career ever since, to doing fashion differently.  Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Beautiful Misfits don’t accept the status quo. They know instinctively the way we’re living today is broken. But they believe the world can be a better place. And they fearlessly take the imaginative leap to change it. Join Mary as she talks to the authors and businesspeople, designers and poets, who are using their unique perspective to create a better, more beautiful, future. Their life lessons are sometimes funny, at others moving, but always insightful. And one thing is clear: we’ve never needed these beautiful misfits more. New episodes every week – subscribe now.

Emma Jones CBE knows the journey of entrepreneurship first hand – she founded, scaled and successfully sold a home-grown tech company, all before she hit thirty. Ever since she's been on a mission to help other SME's reach their own visions of success. Now running Enterprise Nation – and as a partner of Mastercard's Strive UK platform – she sits at the helm of a vibrant community of small businesses and business advisers that exists to shortcut the route to trusted business support. Speaking with Mary, Emma explains why 'purpose' and 'passion' are crucial factors for anyone looking to start a company that is resilient and can continue to connect with customers through tough times. She also shares tips on how entrepreneurs can stay better connected and share skills in the new landscape of remote and blended working. For more on how Mastercard's Strive UK could help your business, visit www.mastercard.co.uk/strive Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Kelly Devine believes that micro and small businesses are the lifeblood of the UK economy. As part of the team behind Strive UK – an initiative set up by Mastercard as a free resource for small business owners across the country – Kelly is working to help these businesses to navigate the digital economy, build relationships and communities, and ultimately realise their growth ambitions.  Alongside Mary, she discusses the huge potential of the sector, and why these entrepreneurs are the changemakers of the future.  For more on how Strive UK could help your business, visit www.mastercard.co.uk/strive Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Patrick Grant knows that fashion has the potential to be about far more than the clothes we wear: from supporting disadvantaged communities to the ultimate anti-dote to throwaway consumerism.  And he’s working at many levels of the industry to put these ideas into practice: from the Savile Row tailor Norton & Sons to the social enterprise Community Clothing - which works with factories in some of the UK’s most deprived areas.  He’s also helped inspire thousands to reconnect with the increasingly lost art of making and repairing clothes – through his work as a judge on the BBC’s The Great British Sewing Bee and as the driving force behind The Big Community Sew which saw thousands volunteer to make Covid masks.  Join Mary as she talks to Patrick about the huge potential that fashion has for creating a positive impact. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Dale Vince isn’t your average entrepreneur.  After leaving school at 15, he spent ten years living off grid in buses, trucks and underneath tarpaulin.  In 1996 he founded Ecotricity with one windmill in Gloucestershire. The company now employs over 600 people and supplies green energy to 117,000 homes.  He’s also chairman of Forest Green Rovers - the world’s first vegan and UN-certified carbon neutral football club. And his most recent launch is Sky Diamond – sustainable gems created by taking carbon out of the atmosphere. Dale’s work is inextricably linked with his values. Join Mary as she talks to him about what inspired him to carve his unique path. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

When Yvon Chouinard became a member of the Southern California Falconry Club in 1953, he was taught how to abseil down cliffs to view the birds’ nests and it sparked a lifelong love of climbing and the outdoors. Twenty years later he founded the clothing company Patagonia. Today it’s a billion-dollar business whose mission statement reads: “We’re in business to save our home planet.” Patagonia is at the forefront of a host of initiatives from recycling to renewable energy. It gives money to grassroots environmental non-profits, repairs garments and supports 64,000 workers through Fair Trade.  They publish films and books, fund environmentally and socially conscious start-ups, campaign and innovate in organic and regenerative farming practices. Patagonia is a living, breathing embodiment of a values-driven business. In this episode, Mary talks to Patagonia’s environmental action and initiatives director Beth Thoren about the brand’s vision for the future - and just how critical good business is to the fight to save the planet. To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

FOR a long time, the world of beauty was stuck in the old ways of perfume counter selling, excess packaging – and those giveaway foundation samples in magazines that only ever came in some shade of peach. As a teenager of Nigerian heritage, Simi Lindgren felt invisible when she opened up those samples. But last year she founded online beauty marketplace Yuty that has radical inclusivity at its heart.  It uses AI to take into account everything from a shopper’s skin type to facial formation to make truly personal recommendations. Every product on the site also meets strict standards on ethics, cruelty and sustainability.  With investor and consumer interest growing in sustainable - and in particular beauty - brands, Yuty has just secured £500,000 in pre-seed funding. Join Mary as she chats with Simi about tech, representation and pushing boundaries in the beauty industry. To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

Ella’s Kitchen is a lot more than a baby and toddler food company. Its core mission is to improve children’s lives by developing healthy relationships with food.  But it’s also a B Corps - which means it takes its responsibilities to people and the planet very seriously. It lobbies on company tax rules. It donated over 900,000 food pouches during the pandemic.  Ella’s Kitchen faces challenges, however – not least the fact that their products are packaged in single-use plastic. There’s also, as we know, the constant debate about just how healthy food pouches are.  Join Mary as she talks to CEO Mark Cuddigan about his vision for the company – and his work to ensure that all businesses put people and the planet alongside profit. To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

More than three billion people watched the last World Cup final. The reach–and potential impact–of sport is almost limitless. But while social issues are increasingly creating a stir in sport, the environment isn’t yet making quite such an impact. Michael Doughty wants to change all that. A former professional footballer, he’s co-founder of Hylo athletics–renewable, carbon-negative and recyclable trainers–and is on a mission to put considerations for the planet at the heart of the conversation around sport. But does Michael think football–and the love of consumerism that still often drives it-will ever really fully embrace the environmental message? And how does a start-up put ideas and values into practice in the early days of business? To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

Food is under increasing scrutiny and meat is high on the agenda. Everyone - from the authors of the UK’s national food strategy to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – are telling us to eat less of it. But Glen Burrows, co-founder of the Ethical Butcher, argues that meat isn’t the problem. It’s industrial farming methods that are at fault. So how does that work? And, given that our love affair with meat may be slowing down but doesn’t look as if it’s going to end any time soon, what should we as consumers be doing to buy better? To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

Frieda Gormley and her husband Javvy M Royle dreamed up the idea for their interior brand at the kitchen table. Ten years on, House of Hackney is one of the most influential – and aspirational - British interiors brands. Best known for its use of colour, pattern and craftsmanship, House of Hackney also takes its wider responsibilities very seriously. It’s a B Corps, which means it meets the highest standards of social and environmental performance – in everything from its materials to supply chains. And it was founded on three guiding principles: creativity, compassion and consciousness. With our homes more important now than ever post-pandemic, how can we ensure that they are kinder – both to us living inside them, and also the people and planet surrounding them? Join Mary as she chats to Frieda about home, inspirations and using an ancient Celtic calendar to root their business in the natural world. To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

In the UK last year, if you were a woman, just 2.9 per cent of venture capital went to you. If you were a black business founder you saw just 0.2 per cent of all investment capital. And if you were a black woman, it was a mere 0.02 per cent. "Those numbers mean there are a lot of individuals who are not being funded who have great ideas, and that some who don’t have such great ideas are getting funded, so that’s the issue,” says Eric Collins, CEO of Impact X, a venture capital fund that’s putting its money into backing under-represented entrepreneurs. Also on the programme, we announce our first two Portas Reports, available to purchase here and featuring: 9 principles to build genuine trust – unpacked, explained and quantified 47 examples of progressive businesses to learn from 30 “what-if” questions to stretch your creative and commercial thinking A library of additional resources from inspiring thought leaders Purchase your copy now To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

John Schoolcraft’s LinkedIn profile lists everything from dishwashing to shop assistant, DJ to Alice Cooper’s security guard among his previous jobs. But there’s one that he will forever be synonymous with: global chief creative officer at Oatly. Along with CEO Toni Petersson, John has transformed the unknown Swedish alt-milk brand into a global superstar with sales of $421 million in 2020. At the core of this challenger brand however are three values Oatly remains razor-focused on: nutritional health, sustainability and transparency. But how, in a world so packed with products and messaging, did John create the kind of global impact that Oatly has achieved? And now that it’s got so huge, how does Oatly protect itself from accusations of selling out? Can big really be kind? Mary finds out. Mary's new book, Rebuild: how to thrive in the new Kindness Economy is available to buy now. To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

Richard Walker has taken his father’s business in a new direction since taking the helm. A passionate believer in the good that all businesses can do, and the critical importance of their role in combatting environmental damage, he’s committed to initiatives including banning palm oil in own-brand products to waging war on plastic. It’s created a lot of kickback and Richard has been on the end of some pretty stringent attacks. But he’s got broad shoulders. Join him and Mary as they talk business doing better and how supermarkets can contribute to lasting change. Mary's new book, Rebuild: how to thrive in the new Kindness Economy is available to buy now. To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

We’re doing our bit, we’re buying green energy right? Not always. In fact, a third of the energy that’s marketed as renewable is in fact greenwashed by companies using loopholes in legislation. Juliet Davenport set up Good Energy in 1999, the UK’s first 100% renewable electricity supplier. Today the company produces its own electricity, generated in Britain from sun, wind, water and bioenergy, on their own solar and wind farms – as well as a network of 1600 renewable generators. In this episode, Mary talks to Juliet about how she started her own energy company, really buying green and how we as consumers can wisely choose who we buy from.  Mary's new book, Rebuild: how to thrive in the new Kindness Economy is available to buy now. To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

Anna Blackburn is the first non-family member to run the jeweller Beaverbrooks. She’s also its first female managing director. And she’s more than doubled profits since she took the helm of the business. Anna has done this by building on a foundation already in place at Beaverbrooks which has always invested in its people. But taking this ethos a step further has allowed her to prove that The Kindness Economy betters the bottom line. As one of the few non-owner interviewees that Mary has had on the podcast, it’s a great insight into the change someone can create in a business they didn’t start themselves. Mary's new book, Rebuild: how to thrive in the new Kindness Economy is available to buy now. To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

Sheep Inc is a new kind of fashion brand and its knitwear leaves behind zero emissions, zero harm and zero waste. The attention to detail needed to create this kind of accountability is staggering - involving everything from sourcing wool from regenerative farms to solar-powered knitting machines. Even the sheep that produce the company's wool are fed food that makes them burp less – and produce less methane. Sheep Inc is also a radically transparent brand and you can access entire provenance of your jumper by just scanning its tag. Mary as she talks to co-founder Edzard van der Wyck about what made him want to create this kind of fashion forward brand - and whether the industry as a whole is ever going to clean itself up. Mary's new book, Rebuild: how to thrive in the new Kindness Economy is available to buy now. To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

People who buy from sportswear specialist Rapha don’t just buy product - they buy into a global brand that’s all about connection. Whether it’s a clubhouse, cycling group or via technology, Rapha’s people connect first through their shared passion for sport - before tapping into a far deeper sense of community. In this episode founder Simon Mottram talks about wellness, his devotion to detail and how Rapha is now pushing into new areas to connect with different groups of people.  Mary's new book, Rebuild: how to thrive in the new Kindness Economy is available to buy now. To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

The frozen food brand Cook is a true family business. Co-founder Edward Perry was inspired by his parents’ frozen cake company to set up Cook and then joined in the business by brother James and sister Rosie, who’s now co-CEO. An early B Corps, Cook has donated two million meals to children living in some of the most poverty-stricken areas of the world and gave away more than 200000 meals to the needy during Covid. Thanks to initiatives to employ ex-offenders, a profit share and the living wage, they’ve also consistently been voted one of the Sunday Times’ top 100 businesses. But the company has faced some tough times financially too and Rosie tells Mary about how vital it was to stick their core values during them. They also discuss how food has taken centre stage over the past year - from panic buying to eating at home again (and again) - and how the wider food industry has made some big steps in recent years with increased organic production and a focus on reducing waste and plastic, but there’s still a lot to be done.  Mary's new book, Rebuild: how to thrive in the new Kindness Economy is available to buy now. To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter

The Kindness Economy returns this Thursday. Follow us now!

Michael Green is CEO of the Social Progress Imperative - an organisation that’s helping national and local government accurately measure what life is like for ordinary people. It’s a fascinating move towards measuring more than just money and ensuring the wellbeing of people is maximised. Plus, Mary chats with two of her key Portas people about what they’ve learned from working with businesses to implement the Kindness Economy, and their hopes for its future.  To purchase the Kindness Economy Report, click here: https://portasagency.com/the-kindness-economy-report/p/the-kindness-economy To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Want subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration? Click here: http://eepurl.com/dgJfwL Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram: www.instagram.com/portasagency/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/portas Twitter: https://twitter.com/portasagency?s=20

Architecture is not just about what we build - but how we live. And Amanda Levete CBE believes our homes, shops, offices and public spaces can be radically reimagined in the future. In this fascinating discussion she tells Mary how we can apply those ideas to our vacant department stores as much as the new structures we design. Plus, Mary talks to one of the Portas team about The Kindness Economy in action... looking at businesses this week that are making a difference.  To purchase the Kindness Economy Report, click here: https://portasagency.com/the-kindness-economy-report/p/the-kindness-economy To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Want subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration? Click here: http://eepurl.com/dgJfwL Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram: www.instagram.com/portasagency/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/portas Twitter: https://twitter.com/portasagency?s=20

Kate Raworth calls herself a rebel economist and it’s true. Now a Senior Research Associate at Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute, she was in fact switched off economics at university because it didn’t answer the questions she cared about like protecting the environment and challenging inequality. Luckily, she later reconnected with the topic and her 2017 book ‘Doughnut Economics’ has been published in 18 languages. She talks to Mary about the key principles. Plus, Mary talks to one of the Portas team about The Kindness Economy in action... looking at businesses this week that are making a difference.  To purchase the Kindness Economy Report, click here: https://portasagency.com/the-kindness-economy-report/p/the-kindness-economy To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Want subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration? Click here: http://eepurl.com/dgJfwL Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram: www.instagram.com/portasagency/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/portas Twitter: https://twitter.com/portasagency?s=20

You’re more likely to get divorced than you are to change your bank. But have you ever questioned how your money is being invested? Join Mary as she talks to Triodos UK CEO Bevis Watts about sustainable banking, the huge potential of the financial sector to create positive change and how we can all get involved. Plus, Mary talks to one of the Portas team about The Kindness Economy in action... looking at businesses this week that are making a difference.  To purchase the Kindness Economy Report, click here: https://portasagency.com/the-kindness-economy-report/p/the-kindness-economy To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Want subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration? Click here: http://eepurl.com/dgJfwL Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram: www.instagram.com/portasagency/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/portas Twitter: https://twitter.com/portasagency?s=20

After years of new, new, new, the resale fashion business is booming as more and more of us get savvy about fashion’s impact on people and planet. Vestiare Collective is at the forefront of this movement and in this episode, Mary talks to co-founder Fanny Moizant about what inspired her – and the very feminine values she’s put at the heart of her business.

Can something as simple as making a cup of tea change the world? Maybe not quite. But it certainly can help if the tea is made by a company like Pukka Herbs – who have put respecting people and protecting planet at the heart of what they do. Join Mary in conversation with Pukka co-founder Sebastian Pole as they talk hope, environmentalism and what each of us can do to create change. Plus the latest updates from the Portas team about the businesses this week that are making a difference.  Find out more about the Kindness Economy report: https://portasagency.com/the-kindness-economy-report/p/the-kindness-economy Get in touch with team Portas: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Want to subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration? Click here: http://eepurl.com/dgJfwL Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Instagram: www.instagram.com/portasagency/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/portas

Ethics are at the heart of beauty brand Lush which campaigns on political issues, animal & human rights. Hear co-founder Mark Constantine talk about what his team brings to his business and his passion for the potential that business has to do good. Plus the latest updates from the Portas team about the businesses this week that are making a difference.  Find out more about the Kindness Economy report: https://portasagency.com/the-kindness-economy-report/p/the-kindness-economy Get in touch with team Portas: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Want to subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration? Click here: http://eepurl.com/dgJfwL Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Instagram: www.instagram.com/portasagency/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/portas

James Watt believes business, not governments, are the true drivers of change. And he’s making sure BrewDog, the company he co-founded, is doing all it can to tackle climate change. In the first episode of this new series, Mary talks to James about why it’s time for all of us to think carefully about the companies we buy into.  Plus, Mary talks to one of the Portas team about The Kindness Economy in action... looking at businesses this week that are making a difference.  Find out more about the Kindness Economy report: https://portasagency.com/the-kindness-economy-report/p/the-kindness-economy Get in touch with team Portas: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Want to subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration? Click here: http://eepurl.com/dgJfwL Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Instagram: www.instagram.com/portasagency/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/portas Twitter: https://twitter.com/portasagency?s=20

Join Mary Portas in this brand new series, as she talks to inspiring entrepreneurs - in everything from fashion to architecture - about how they’re helping make the business world a kinder place and we what we can all do to help. Starts Thursday. Subscribe: https://podfollow.com/maryportas

Happy International Women's Day! Join Mary and her closest advisers from Portas Agency as they offer advice and guidance for a range of talented women working in UK business today - plus a familar voice surprises the team...

The founder of Richer Sounds is one of the UK's leading lights of responsible capitalism - in this interview with Mary, he takes us through the way he has run his business, why he decided to give control to his employees, and the launch of the Good Business Charter. Elsewhere in the last episode of this series, we join Mary and colleague Emily Bryce Perkins (Portas Agency's culture director) at the firm's Christmas party preparations, and reflect on a decade of change in UK retail and culture.

The CEO of Europe's biggest media agency, with a staff of over 4000, Josh Krichefski speaks to Mary and Portas Agency's Culture Director Emily Bryce-Perkins about the stories they share about mental health, and how it's raised awareness and empathy in the company. Plus, there's a surprise guest in the final moments of the show (at least, it's a surprise for him).

British Jamaican entrepreneur Sharmadean Reid has founded two successful businesses and shows no sign of slowing down. In this empowering conversation, she discusses the origins of WAH Nails, Beautystack and the role family and friends have played in her career. Meanwhile, Mary is live in New York, and Portas' Culture Director Emily Bryce-Perkins has some troubling feedback from a previous episode.

The first woman in charge of insurer Lloyds of London talks to Mary Portas and Portas Agency's culture director Emily Bryce Perkins about how she got to the top of this 333 year-old financial institution - and what all women can learn from her experience. Discover more about Portas at portasagency.com

The editor of Men's Health, the UK's best selling men's magazine, chats to Mary Portas and her culture director Emily Bryce-Perkins about the challenges men face in an equal society. Plus, there's talk on Christmas windows, the new Harvey Nichols documentary and why Anita Roddick should have been a Dame.

Theatre director and founder of the Women Of The World festival Jude Kelly drops in to Portas to speak to Mary about her new project, the WOW foundation. Also on the show, Mary is joined by Emily Bryce-Perkins, co-host and Culture Director of Mary’s creative agency and consultancy Portas, to discuss Marks & Spencers' latest figures and Microsoft Japan's four-day week experiement.

The UK's most popular psychotherapist joins Mary and Emily Bryce-Perkins, co-host and Culture Director of Mary’s creative agency and consultancy Portas, to learn what parenting techniques can be applied in boardrooms, too. Plus, in this first episode of a new series, we workshop Mary's upcoming TED talk, learn who's doing business with kindness and hear an amazing piece of advice from a 91-year-old.

Telegraph writer Bryony Gordon had hidden her true self from others, and herself, for many years - until finally, one day, she wrote a column about her experiences of alcoholism, OCD and anxiety. Mary & Emily speak to Bryony about how her colleagues, bosses, friends and family reacted to her 'coming out' and how she came to own the skin that she's in, taking thousands with her as she told her story. This is the last episode of the first series - be sure to listen to the other wonderful people we've spoken to in the past couple of months, and subscribe to hear many more in the autumn...

What kind of a podcast would we be if there wasn't a little treat every now and then? In this episode, Mary Portas and Emily Bryce-Perkins introduce two extracts from the book, Work Like A Woman, which inspired this podcast. This audiobook extract is published by Penguin. For more information, and to buy your copy, visit their website.

The chief executive of Greggs, Roger Whiteside OBE, joins Mary and Emily to discuss how he's grown the baker, but not at the expense of his workforce. Over his career he's seen the worst excesses of alpha management culture... yet kept true to himself. How did he do it, and what can we all learn?

Mary & Emily return to The Attic to talk POLITICS... and are joined by a campaigner who, amongst many notable achievements, persuaded the Bank of England to put Jane Austin on the £10 note. Now Caroline Criado Perez - OBE, don't you know - is on a mission to address the huge disparities in scientific research between men and women, and how that affects our everyday life. Her book, Invisible Women, is out now.

This week we bring you a special edition of Work Like A Woman, where Mary was interviewed by broadcaster Miranda Sawyer in front of a live audience at the Shaw Theatre, London. Together they discuss Mary's roots, her progression through some of the most well-known high street brands, to the highs and lows that brought her to this point. Thanks to Penguin Random House for producing this live event, the staff at the Shaw Theatre, and our sponsors Natwest. To find out more just search NatWest: Rethinking Business .

What does it take to hold a room? The world of stand-up comedy is still dominated by male comedians, but as writer-turned-comic Viv Groskop tells Mary Portas, it's all about finding your voice. Also on the programme, we peak behind the scenes of The Work Like A Woman book tour and Mary reveals the many names she's been called in the workplace. Thanks to the sponsors of this episode, Natwest. Find out more about how they're rethinking business here.

Journalist and author Elizabeth Day made, as we all do, some questionable decisions when she started in her chosen career - some were in her power to change... others less so. In our feature interview this week Elizabeth tells us how those mistakes shaped her and how it helped shape her voice. Plus, Mary & head of culture Emily Bryce-Perkins discuss the week in business (including Jamie Oliver's recent misfortune) and we hear about the time Mary tried selling Kinky Knickers to a rather antiquated business. This podcast is sponsored by Natwest. Stay tuned to hear how their staff Work Like A Woman...

Everyone in the UK is entitled to ask for flexible working hours - but most of the time that request is denied. Mary and Emily sit down with Flex Appeal founder Anna Whitehouse (aka Mother Pukka) to discover what we can do to change the culture. Plus: Mary delivers her verdict on the week's business news, including the recent goings on at Richer Sounds.

Alongside Portas Agency's culture director Emily Bryce-Perkins, and a host of guests from Bryony Gordon to Elizabeth Day, Mary talks work culture, kindness, flexible working, the mental load and much more.