Working Hard, Hardly Working

Ella Mills is an award-winning author, entrepreneur and champion of plant based living. She was the founder of Deliciously Ella in 2012, a plant-based food & wellness platform sharing delicious ways to feel better. Although it originated as a recipe website, Ella Mills has developed the business into a restaurant, a range of plant based food products, an app, a podcast and a collection of best-selling recipe books. Prior to starting Delicious Ella in 2011, Ella was diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome as well as ehlers-danlos and mast cell activation disorder, which followed four months in and out of hospital. The condition affected Ella’s autonomic nervous system and also meant she struggled with digestive issues, chronic fatigue, a series of infections and a whole host of other symptoms. After being prescribed a cocktail of medication that had no effect Ella hit rock bottom, both physically and mentally.It was at this point that Ella looked into other ways of managing her condition and turned to whole foods, a plant-based diet, and overhauled her lifestyle. Deliciously Ella has become a leader in the plant-based space. Together with her husband and Deliciously Ella CEO, they’ve published six best-selling cookbooks, including the fast-selling vegan cookbook ever; a lifestyle app with recipes, workouts and meditations; a central London cafe and several ranges of food products in over 7,000 stores across the UK, with customers ranging from Tesco to Boots, Waitrose and Costa. - the early life of Ella Mills- how Ella knew something was wrong with her health - the symptoms she developed- how her illness affected her physical and mental health- how Ella's illness changed her university experience- what caused Ella's lifestyle change- the start of Deliciously Ella- the media's response to plant based eating- would Ella have been treated by the press differently if she was a man?- dealing with judgement- how Ella met her husband and moved in after a week- Ella's mindset over her 8 year career - how Ella evolved Deliciously Ella- Ella's experience opening her first restaurant - Ella closing her restaurant and the media storm it ensued- the affects of the media storm on her employees- Ella's biggest learnings Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jenna Meek is a Manchester-based entrepreneur and CEO, whose passion for all things beauty led her to creating two powerhouse beauty brands. Her latest venture is as co-founder and CEO at REFY, Instagram’s hottest and most disruptive beauty brand, famous for its three-step brow collection which became an overnight social media sensation.Jenna launched her first business SHRINE, formerly Gypsy-Shrine, from her bedroom in Manchester. A brand born out of the festival culture in 2016, Jenna set up a cosmetic glitter and gem business initially bought and sold in festival tents around the country. However, within 2 years SHRINE saw worldwide success, hosting residencies at festivals including Under the Stars and Coachella, and being stocked at global brand Topshop. After creating an entire line of festival gems and starting the ‘glitter boob’ movement, Jenna relaunched SHRINE to sell creative hair products and dyes. Most notably, Jenna created the world's first line of reusable, semi-permanent hair drops that mix when mixed with ordinary conditioner would produce a colour customised to you.In November 2020 Jenna launched her second beauty brand REFY with model and influencer Jess Hunt. Launching with innovation at its core, REFY’s first product - the Brow Sculpt - was revolutionary, selling out within 6 weeks and becoming a firm fan favourite. After expanding its product range to include lip-liners, blush and primers, REFY is now stocked in Selfridges & Sephora across the UK, US & Canada and has online customers worldwide. The brand has also captured the attention of celebrities including Bella Hadid and Shay Mitchell and makeup artists Patrick Ta and Hugo Vango. They've since sold more than 2.5 million products, with more than 8 million visitors to their website and a 50 million GBP valuation.Today, Jenna shares her story of how she engineered one of Instagram’s favourite beauty brands and made REFY defy the odds of entrepreneurial success. - brief overview of Jenna’s career - the beginning of SHRINE - why did Jenna want to be an Entrepreneur? - how was the idea formed in SHRINE? - the effect of the pandemic - how did Jenna keep up with the demand the pandemic generated - Jenna’s decision to take on the hair industry - how the REFY partnership first started with Jess Hunt - why Jenna decided to start REFY - the timeline of REFY - what Jenna’s expansion plan looked like - how did the 1st launch go? - would Jenna have done anything differently? - how Jenna hired well - biggest hiring mistakes Jenna has made - Jenna’s experience as a working Mother - what is next for REFY and SHRINE? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Stirrup is the Co-Founder of Maeving, the UK’s first electric motorcycle manufacturer, but after going totally bankrupt in his first year as an entrepreneur, Will’s journey is one of honesty, realism and business burnout. Raised in South Africa, Will came to the UK for university and quickly found himself on a career trajectory to working in finance. After becoming the youngest person ever to become double ACA CFA qualified, and securing a role within the M&A team of a top tier investment bank, Will packed it all in and chose his dream of being an entrepreneur. He didn’t have a business idea, only the knowledge that whatever it was had to have a positive impact on the climate crisis. Fast forward 4 years, and his business Maeving have developed an affordable, lightweight urban motorcycle with removable batteries you can charge at a standard plug socket, selling out their first production run almost immediately. Will’s story is one of toxic work cultures, intense burnout and of someone who is still looking for the right way to do it all - if such a thing exists.  - Trailer - introduction into having an honest conversation about entrepreneurship - a brief overview into the start of Will's career - what Will learnt from his career in finance - Will's experience with burning out and feeling out of his depth - going from corporate careers to starting a business  - how to handle financially starting a business - the side hustles that you can do whilst beginning a business - why his business felt like passion project - the 1st year of Maeving - getting to the point of 'can we keep doing this?'  - what would Will do if his business fails now?  - how has Will become so resilient?  - how the pandemic nearly bankrupted Maeving - how Will has hired well - who is entrepreneurship for?  - what is this Entrepreneur's biggest mistake? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Tilse, more commonly known as ‘Sarah’s Day’ is an Australian fitness influencer and YouTuber best known for her fitness, diet and wellness content. Whilst studying to become a teacher, Sarah began her online journey by posting about her hormonal acne online as a way to source advice but also to help others who were struggling with it as well. This expanded into fitness, wellness and lifestyle content, and on the date of this recording Sarah has over 3 million followers across her Instagram and YouTube channels, and is the founder of multiple companies including Sarah’s Day, her personal brand, fitness ebooks and app, Sunee App - her recipe app, The Healthcode Podcast and The House of Groms, a creative strategy and production company. Sarah has also created products with several global brands including multiple drops on her own activewear line with White Fox, and her own protein and supplement powders with Tropeaka. Having shared her life online for over 10 years including the birth of her two sons, Sarah has grown up in the digital space, and has had a lot of learnings along the way. Going from 5am wake ups and spending hours in the gym each day adhering to an incredibly strict diet, to juggling several businesses and two children, Sarah has seen incredible success from her work online but of course there have been some sticky moments too. - brief overview of Sarah's backstory - how Sarah blew up on social media - Sarah's health and fitness journey - how Sarah met her husband.- the creation of her first e-book and how it caused a viral event - the financial success of the ebook and paying off $40k in debt - dealing with cancel culture and being part of toxic Fitspo culture - losing her period due to weight-loss - should we platform 20 year olds? - moving from fitness content to family vlogging - the concept of context collapse - would Sarah's Day do anything differently? - Sarah on becoming a Mother - do we really want children? Sarah on questioning having children - dealing with Mum advice online - mum guilt and being a working Mother - how Sarah dealt with the tough news about her second pregnancy - why Sarah doesn't speak about her son's condition Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shimona Mehta is an acclaimed tech pioneer with extensive experience in retail, technology, food and beverage. Awarded for being one of the UK’s most influential retail leaders, Shimona is best known for being the Managing Director of EMEA for Shopify - the leading e-commerce hub for independent brands. Designed to make buying and selling easy, Shopify offers businesses a range of tools to design, manage and grow an online store, hosting numerous high-growth brands including Deliveroo, Lindt, and Heinz. Delving deeper, Shimona and I get real on female leadership in the tech industry touching on the uphill battle for women to reach the top and also so they feel like they belong there. We have a Q&A on side hustles, we answer all your questions on Instagram on when you should know you need to leave your job, how you should build your business and how you should overcome failure.- The career path that took Shimona Mehta to become MD- Making the move from consumer goods to tech- How Shimona built career progression- The journey of setting up Shopify in London- What Shimona looks for when she hires- Shimona's experience with imposter syndrome- How Shimona became a good leader- The barriers Shimona has come across- The importance of managerial training- Why we need women in tech- Diversity and recruitment- How to start your side hustle Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josephine Phillips is the 24 year old visionary behind the Sojo app, the online platform on a mission to make clothing alterations and repairs mainstream. Founded to shape a more sustainable fashion future and dubbed by Vogue as the ‘deliveroo of clothing repairs’, Sojo connects buyers of pre-loved clothes with local seamstresses who can tailor the garments to fit. The app not only extends the lifespan of our clothes but allows us to fall in love with them all over again and has already been integrated by several brands including Ganni and Hurr. Sitting within the Gen Z category herself, Josephine is startlingly aware of her eco-conscious yet convenience-obsessed generation and her aim is to shift the mindset within this space, making sustainable choices more accessible for the masses. Having recently raised over $2.4 million in pre-seed funding invested by the likes of the Founder of Depop, Pangaia’s former COO, the president of menswear at Tom Ford and myself, this is just the beginning for Sojo, and the start of Josephine Phillips becoming a force of her generation within the sustainable fashion space. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephanie Miller, known online as Steph Claire Smith, is the COO and co-founder of Australian health and wellness app, Keep It Cleaner (KIC).From Melbourne Australia, Steph started her career modelling at aged 7. After moving to America to pursue modelling as a career, Steph was exposed to the extremely toxic side of the industry, which led to disordered eating, negative body image and an unhealthy relationship with exercise. She was told to start smoking as it’s a good suppressant for feeling hungry, the best fruit to eat were apples as they fill you up the most, and if you need energy have a black coffee or a diet coke. Realising that living like this was massively impacting both her physical and mental health, Steph moved back to Australia, where she met her business partner Laura.In 2015, Steph and Laura launched their first E-book ‘Keep It Cleaner’. They saw a gap in the market that was filled with a lot of fad diets, quick fixes and guilt around food. They wanted to take it back to basics and create a programme that makes you feel good and celebrate how a healthy lifestyle can be varied for everyone. Fast forward several years, and they’ve launched a KIC subscription platform filled with recipes and workouts, and have their own line of over 80 health food products stocked in supermarkets across Australia. Alongside her businesses, Steph also co-hosts the KIC podcast and in May 2021 gave birth to her beautiful son, Harvey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hannah Bronfman is an entrepreneur, angel investor, DJ, activist and author. She is among New York's most renowned health and well-being professionals, responsible for building the popular online portal HBFIT. Before this, Hannah built a reputation as a celebrity and influencer through her work as a set DJ, playing at events for high-profile brands including Gucci. Hannah’s first book “Do What Feels Good” was published in January 2019.Having spent most of her career balancing multiple streams of work, Hannah is no stranger to the hectic New Yorker lifestyle. As a DJ, Hannah's early twenties were particularly manic, the late nights and junk food leading to eventual burnout. As a result, Hannah pivoted and took measures to prioritise her health, documenting her recipes and workouts on Instagram along the way. Now, with fans located globally, HBFIT stands as a bible to anyone looking to put their well-being first, whether this is adding to your unique skincare routine or gaining access to productivity and business advice. Over the years, Hannah has established herself as an angel investor across multiple industries. Her investment ethos and strategic involvement is to help minority founders who make ‘better for you’ and ‘better for the planet’ products and platforms. Alongside this, Hannah talks about entering motherhood, after sharing her incredible journey with IVF online. Hannah is also a vocal advocate for social and racial justice and is dedicated to using her platform to increase her followers’ awareness of Black History and the challenges the world faces when it comes to diversity and racism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I introduce to you Mez, a young, courageous refugee with an extraordinary story. When he was just 13 years old, Mez fled his home in Eritrea to escape some of the worst human rights conditions in the world, including forced military conscription and widespread persecution, starting a perilous journey as a child refugee across the world. For an entire year, Mez experienced the chaos and terror of refugee camps, experiencing extreme and treacherous conditions that would leave him scared and struggling to get enough to eat. The physical environment was equally as dangerous, almost killing him on multiple occasions; from almost starving while travelling across the Sahara desert, to surviving a boat capsize in the Mediterranean sea, to hiding underneath a Eurotunnel train to get to the UK. Since arriving safely in the UK with just the clothes on his back, Mez’s life has completely transformed for the better. Fostered by the family of Jaz O’Hara, who has also featured on my podcast, Mez has gone on to remarkably learn English, pass his GCSEs and inspire others with his truly humbling story. Now Mez aspires to follow his dreams of becoming a mechanic while still continuing to raise awareness of the ‘life, death and limbo’ of the refugee crisis.Find out more about Mez and other stories like his: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xqOyOQIfQzF7NRkEaLTRN?si=ba373a23fd5242aa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rayna Greenberg and Ashley Hesseltine are the hilarious hosts behind Girls Gotta Eat, one of the biggest US comedy podcast’s all about dating, sex and relationships. With over 200 episodes and 2.5 million downloads per month, Girls Gotta Eat has been educating and entertaining listeners on all things sexual fetishes to finances, bringing in special guests including therapists, comedians and authors to offer expert advice. Dating, break-ups, sex fails, getting rejected and being ghosted have happened to everyone, and this podcast explores it all; featuring honest and hilarious conversation along the way.Earlier this year Ashley and Rayna also launched their own brand ‘Good Vibes Only’, a first-of-its-kind sex toy company that connects to an audio-erotica app, with an aim to make porn more accesible to women. With one of the vibrators in their collection having sold out twice, with a perpetual waitlist, Ashley and Rayna are killing the game and I’m so excited to be sitting down with them today to hear all about how they got to where they are today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kwajo Tweneboa, known as the hero of social housing, is a remarkable 23-year-old campaigner demanding urgent reform in public-sector housing. Amid the housing crisis, Kwajo has emerged as an influential voice online for social housing tenants, known best for naming and shaming some of the largest accommodation associations in the UK.Haunted by memories of his own housing hell, Kwajo joined the fight to improve conditions after his father, a care worker, died in their family home among a sea of cockroaches, mould and vermin. To make matters worse, just a week after his death Kwajo and his siblings were informed their tenancy contract had been evicted and therefore they must leave, in essence making them homeless. By some miracle, Kwajo and his family were allowed to stay, but for Kwajo this was understandably still not good enough - the conditions were still terrible.Astounded by how he had been treated, Kwajo channelled his anguish and publicly exposed his landlord for breaching housing standards, ignoring calls and allowing his family to live in unimaginable filth. His first post went viral, reaching the attention of mainstream news and his housing association who eventually came to fix the problems. Kwajo now uses his online presence to help others share their housing horrors, becoming an active proponent for change in the UK - his campaign backed by nearly 62,000 followers on Twitter.While a picture-perfect image for social housing still seems a world away, Kwajo's work on behalf of other tortured tenants has begun to make a real difference, his work sparking the conversation among significant journalists and MPs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth Day is an award-winning British author, broadcaster, and influential host of the hugely successful How to Fail podcast. A podcast that celebrates failure and lessons learned, every week How to Fail invites a new influential guest to open and talk honestly about challenges and vulnerabilities in their personal life, in a bid to show listeners that perfection doesn't exist.Elizabeth was inspired to start the podcast following a particularly challenging period in her own life - a time when nothing went according to plan. Approaching her forties, Elizabeth found herself single, divorced, and struggling to conceive the children she’d always dreamed of having. Accepting that life is full of failure, Elizabeth launched the podcast to show people how to turn failings into something more positive, and how it’s never too late to change your life. With influential people from a range of backgrounds desperate to talk about failure, the podcast virtually took off overnight, attracting A-list celebrities including Mel C and Alexandra Burke to come on and share their story. As well as being podcast host Elizabeth is also the best-selling author of several books, her newest called ‘Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict’ which comes out this April. Alongside this, Elizabeth has a long-standing career in print journalism and has won various awards of recognition, her writing featured in huge publication companies such as Vogue, Elle and Grazia.Today’s episode is for anyone who needs to celebrate the myriad of things that may be going wrong. In the episode Elizabeth shares her honest, uplifting story of her own experience of failure, as well as the insights gained doing interviews with people from all walks of life. The message of today’s episode is vitally important - things in life WILL go wrong, but failure and what we can learn from it, can inform a future of success.- Elizabeth's earlier years and time at Cambridge- Writing for her local newspaper at the age of 12- Elizabeth's life-changing work experience at The Evening Standard - The start of Elizabeth's novel-writing career - Elizabeth and I discuss the side effects of people pleasing- Elizabeth opens up about the divorce as one of her failures- The beginnings of the How to Fail podcast- Confirmation bias between men and women on perceptions of failure - Elizabeth's biggest failures - Elizabeth asks me my tips for creating a safe space when having an online presence - The biggest things Elizabeth's learned from the guests on her podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna Williamson is a broadcaster and lifestyle coach, best recognised for fronting the UK's most exclusive dating agency on E4's Celebs Go Dating. She is the best in the business for trusted lifestyle advice and holds accredited qualifications in counselling, life coaching, psychotherapy and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP).Anna's presenting career accelerated when she began hosting children's television, fronting shows on CITV, Nickelodeon, Channel 5 and the Disney Channel. However, behind the scenes and during production, Anna faced a complete emotional breakdown. Triggered by the pressures from live television and an abusive ex-partner, Anna's mental health spiralled out of control, leading her to seek help and ultimately take control of the future.As she began speaking about her experiences, Anna realised the damaging stigma attached to mental health issues and the power of therapeutic practice, inspiring her to train and qualify as a life coach and counsellor. Since then, Anna has admirably dedicated her entire presenting career to helping others work through their inward mental battles, and alongside supporting celebrities with their dating woes, she is also a chart-topping podcast host, established author and soon to be founder of The Relationship Place, a self-help hub for dating and relationship advice.https://therelationshipplace.co.uk/- Anna's background in children's TV and mental health struggles- Anna starting with Celebs Go Dating & The Relationship Place- What are the most common dating mistakes when trying to find your perfect match?- Discussing dating apps- How to navigate a relationship when a couple wants two different things- Anna answers your dating questions- How to manage feeling co-dependant on your partner Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jordan Stephens is an English singer-songwriter, performer, and rapper, best known for being one-half of hip-hop duo Rizzle Kicks who dominated the charts for several years, with their music still being heard on mainstream radio today. However, despite enjoying the success, Jordan came into the limelight when he was just a teenager, putting him through the hardship of the music industry at an extremely vulnerable age. Unaware he was suffering; Jordan veiled his depression with a toxic combination of booze and drugs to cope, hitting rock bottom when he tragically lost two people close to him.In writing his solo track ‘Whole’ about his depression, Jordan realised he needed help. After embarking on a long journey of self-discovery in intensive therapy, Jordan is driven to change the stigmas surrounding mental health and has launched his own mental health initiative -the ‘#IAMWHOLE’ campaign. Supported by fellow celebrities the campaign has had phenomenal exposure, reaching 120 million people in a day and even sparking conversation about mental health in government.A insightful episode on everything from music-making, to mental health and 'A Missing Piece' - his new children's picture book- Jordan's previous dreams of becoming a footballer- How Jordan's music career began- How the Rizzle Kicks single Down with the Trumpets blew up- Being signed and the rise of Rizzle Kicks- The highs and lows of rising to fame in your early twenties- Jordan asks Grace some questions!- The exploitation within the music industry- Jordan finding out he had ADHD- Fame and relationships Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jamie Genevieve is the 29-year-old founder of VIEVE, a makeup empire built on inclusivity, self-expression and positivity. She is a pro-makeup artist turned vlogging sensation, finding fame on YouTube for her original online makeup tutorials and lifestyle content.Having built a following of over 3 million people, Jamie decided to quit her full-time job and invested her influencer earnings in VIEVE, launched in 2020 with nude lipsticks, lipliners, highlighters and an eyeshadow palette. Despite launching amidst the pandemic, VIEVE had an incredible start, receiving backing from the investors behind Charlotte Tilbury and TALA, selling out all debut products within a week. Jamie herself has gone on to lead a career of outstanding success, securing VOGUE Beauty Influencer Mogul of the Year 2021 and becoming an honorary board advisor of the British Beauty Council earlier this year.Today's highly-requested episode shares the story of how a successful modern makeup brand can be born from an innate passion for artistry. Jamie shares her personal story of growth, including her strategy as a founder, navigating entrepreneurship, working with her husband and the brand's future.- Accidentally falling into the world of social media- The start of brand partnerships & the LA trip which changed her life- The beginning of Jamie’s makeup business, VIEVE- How Jamie starting building the team at VIEVE- Wearing multiple hats as a business founder and social media mogul- What’s the big goal with VIEVE?- When VIEVE became ready for investment- Jamie on working with her husband- The balance between hustle and health Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Karl Lokko is an ex-gang leader turned activist, campaigner, influencer and entrepreneur. Growing up on a tough estate swarming with gangs, Karl's childhood was far from plain-sailing, witnessing his first shooting when just 12 years old.Though at the time this had felt shocking, within four years Karl found himself behind the trigger, eventually becoming the ringleader of his own notorious gang. Before he was even 16, Karl had already been shot at, cut on his face, stabbed in the chest and watched one of his best friends get killed.Karl finally pivoted when he met Pastor Mimi Asher, the mother of a fellow gang member, who showed him a way out. Resulting from Mimi's courageous counselling and mentorship, Karl was able to gain perspective, zoom out on his situation, and turn a life of crime into a life worth living.Since then, Karl has dedicated his life and career to helping others do the same. Karl also leads the vision for Black Seed, a community and seed fundraiser to exclusively support black-led start-ups. With an embarrassing 0.24% of venture funding reaching black founders, Karl is leading the Black Seed team to tackle the systemic racial disparities in investment, their vision to find the next black unicorn and transform Brixton into Silicon Valley.Today’s episode will completely blow your mind. As he describes it, Karl’s story reflects the journey of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly - the complete transformation of his life into something utterly unrecognisable. - Karl's childhood in South London  - Where Karl's involvement in gangs began - When Karl couldn't join a gang, he created one - The problems within the system perpetuating gang culture  - How and why Karl eventually turned his back on crime - The beginnings of Karl's first business - a rehab centre. - The initial idea for Black Seed - The horror show that are Black Founder statistics https://www.instagram.com/blackseedvc/?hl=en Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TRIGGER WARNING Courtney Black is the 26-year-old serial entrepreneur and 2x Sunday Times Bestselling author who transformed her personal training career into a multi-million-pound fitness business during the pandemic.Courtney is the founder of the Courtney Black App, an online fitness platform she launched just two weeks before the lockdown with every penny in her savings. Initially launched as an app to be used in tangent with equipment found in a gym, Courtney was devastated when COVID closed sports centres nationwide, forcing her to rethink her business. At a time when people were looking for ways to stay healthy while locked away, Courtney began posting a series of live home workouts on her Instagram, for which she received unplanned media attention and conversion to her app.As her workouts went viral, Courtney also used her platform to expose fitness fads and myths bred online that she, sadly too, had once fallen for. Having suffered through a vicious cycle of restrictive dieting and undereating, Courtney understands what it means to have an unhealthy relationship with food, an obsession that left her dangerously underweight and still haunts her today. In today's episode, Courtney shares her story of how she went from barely surviving, to thriving. She has not only overcome and recovered from a lingering eating disorder but has grown and scaled a business amidst a global pandemic. Topics:- 'The restriction cycle' and Courtney's personal battle with an eating disorder.- The story of how she built the Courtney Black App and made it worth millions.- How can drowning in hard work often act as a detriment to success?- From founder to leader: Courtney's entrepreneurial journey. - What's next for Courtney and her app? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fisayo Longe is the founder and CEO of Kai Collective, the womenswear brand offering attainable clothing with luxury aesthetics. A brand crafted intentionally to make women feel their most confident Kai Collective is one of London's 'most talked-about online boutiques, Fisayo was personally recognised for her success on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Art & Culture list in 2021.Fisayo launched Kai back in 2016, a time when her popular fashion and travel blog 'Mirror Me' gained popularity and simultaneously began to attract large brand partnerships. Exchanging accounting for fashion and entrepreneurship, Fisayo went on to focus on Kai full time, her iconic Gaia collection her main product for growth. Still a bestselling print to this day, the Gaia dress went viral in after Fisayo wore it to a BAFTA party in January 2020. Despite the pandemic, the Gaia dress sold out immediately with thousands left waiting, ending up in the wardrobes of several A-listed celebrities including Saweetie and Jackie Aina.Recently, rather than forcing herself to continue running the business, Fisayo took the brave decision to publicly step back from Kai to get herself a break and add a little work-life balance. Reconnecting with her business, Fisayo realised that taking care of herself meant she was also taking care of your business, as her break sparked inspiration, creativity and productivity. As result, Fisayo's brand continues to evolve and flourish - I can't wait to see which celebrities wear Kai next!Topics:- Self-doubt and imposter syndrome in an industry with no experience- Fisayo's inspiration and concept for Kai Collective- 'I was on Right Move looking for the house I was going to buy the next day in cash' : Fisayo's initial misconception about business success.- The power of limited edition products and community in business- 'Copycat culture' in the fashion industry- Burnout and business breaks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharmadean Reid MBE is a leading entrepreneur and beauty visionary on a mission to digitally connect like-minded females. She is the founder of The Stack World, an exclusive platform for female founders, leaders and entrepreneurs to connect and share experiences.Sharmadean is a serial entrepreneur with three impressive startups. Before launching The Stack, Shamadean first took the beauty industry by storm with her business WAH Nails, which featured in collaborations with global brands including Nike and Marc Jacobs. A beauty enthusiast at heart, Sharmadean also developed 'Beautystack' - a booking platform for beauty professionals to gain clients and show off their unique style.Expanding her life-long mission for female-driven empowerment Sharmadean then launched the Stack to connect like-minded women. With gender equality and female entrepreneurship at its core, Sharmadean started The Stack to provide exclusive business opportunities, education and networking for business-minded women at the cost of just a small monthly fee. Sharmadean stands up for all females and has also expressed her concern over the lack of diversity in investment funding, among just 1 of 10 female founders to receive venture capital funding in the UK in the past decade.Topics:- Founding the trendiest nail bar in London WAH Nails- The story of BeautyStack and the jump to tech.- The Stack World: the exclusively female portal for business- How the odds are stacked against female founders in business Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oliver Patrick is a leading physiologist, entrepreneur, and expert in lifestyle management who is on a mission to teach others the skills required to build stress resilience. A multiple business owner, Oliver is both co-founder of the world’s most advanced health evaluation service Viavi and founder of the first lifestyle medicine gym, Viavi:be. He is also an admirable public and keynote speaker for functional and lifestyle medicine, for which he has extensive clinical experience.Prior to entrepreneurship, Oliver was Head of Physiology at Nuffield Health, where he helped to set up the largest team of applied physiologists, well-being advisors and nutritionists in the UK. So far Oliver has already completely revolutionised the concept of traditional health screening frameworks - his primary aim to contemporise the delivery of well-being services within the corporate and hospitality marketplace for all levels of access.In Oliver’s words as a society we are in the midst of a stress epidemic, and though largely considered a psychological problem, unknowingly, prolonged cognitive strain is one of the most significant contributors to ill physical health. Oliver suggests that our ability to mentally flourish lies in our lifestyle choices and the personal routes we take – on reflection this episode communicates a powerful message that I personally consider very important, making it a gracious addition to my podcast.Topics:- Early career, experiences and education.- How he helped to develop the World's Most Advanced Health Evaluation Service.- The Fight vs Flight response to stress.- Hustle culture and stress at work- When does stress become detrimental to our health?- A lesson on how to reset and recalibrate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaz O’Hara is the founder of The Worldwide Tribe, an organisation and online community committed to supporting refugees and asylum seekers globally. The platform uses methods of innovative storytelling to share the narratives of refugees embedded in the crisis, inspiring others to get active and inform a new lease for change. Since its founding in 2015, The Worldwide Tribe has been met with overwhelming love and support by its followers, physical and monetary donations inundated by concern and care for the refugee crisis.Jaz’s devotion to The Worldwide Tribe is inspired penultimately by her adopted younger brother Mez, an Eritrean who made a dangerous voyage across the world to flee compulsory military service. Amazed by her brother’s story, Jaz made a life-changing visit to a refugee camp in Calais, where she saw first-hand the terrifying conditions and extreme challenges that she realised all refugees have in common. Arriving back in the UK Jaz quit her job in fashion and devoted her career to the refugee crisis, intending to raise awareness, share stories and encourage people to help in any capacity.Now a Human Rights Activist, Ted X and United Nations Speaker and Podcaster, I am blown away by the process of advancement Jaz has made to the global refugee community. Because of this, I have decided to donate all streaming revenue from this episode to The Worldwide Tribe. I urge you to go and see what they do, and if you’d also like to donate yourself please use the link below:https://www.justgiving.com/prism-worldwidetribeTopics:- Introducing her refugee foster brothers - 'My adopted refugee brothers; the inspiration for everything I do'- Jaz's life-changing trip to the notorious Calais 'Jungle' - a refugee camp in a humanitarian emergency.- Making the switch to the charity sector from a career in fashion.- Founding The Worldwide Tribe: a space for refugee storytelling.- Hindering misconceptions of refugees and how we can help.https://www.patreon.com/theworldwidetribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon Mottram is the Founder of Rapha. Hailed as one of the greatest marketers and business innovators in modern cycling; he made cycling cool. Having founded the brand in 2004, Rapha has transformed the industry and blurred the lines between fashion and cycling through its stylish, high-quality performance products, creative and engaging storytelling, direct to consumer model and innovative approaches to physical retail and membership.Simon has been a passionate cyclist for more than 30 years and has successfully transferred his passion to the Rapha brand and internal culture. Prior to setting up Rapha, Simon specialised in brand strategy and marketing and worked for various firms and agencies - experience he later utilised to attract attention to his own brand. Rapha has since been deemed a ‘marketing machine’ and over the years has mastered the art of community marketing, reliant on a strong membership programme that connects over 17,000 cyclists worldwide.After an exceptional decade of sales Simon sold the business for a cool $200 million to the heirs of America’s retail giant, Walmart. Though he remains active at Rapha as a shareholder director and founder, in December 2021 Simon stepped down as CEO to allow his business to excel and be taken to the next level. I am also pleased to have him on board my own vision for TALA as an investor.Topics:• Early years in finance and experience in branding• Start-up years at Rapha and finding the niche• Building authenticity and exclusivity into the brand• Maintaining brand culture in the face of growth• The future for Rapha and ‘semi-retirement’• How to succeed as an entrepreneur Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Candice Braithwaite is the Sunday Times best-selling author, presenter, journalist and founder of Make Motherhood Diverse: an initiative fighting for equal representation for mothers and parents. Initially a content creator and 'mumfluencer', Candice began posting on her socials in 2015 to document her journey of motherhood, keen to disrupt the flawless 'yummy mummy' facade online. The authenticity of her account resonated with thousands online, empowering her to write her first of three bestseller books.During the episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Candice about her revelations about being a black woman and mother. She shed light on a shocking statistic; that black women are 5x more likely to die in childbirth than white women. Candice herself went through a particularly turbulent first birth experience, meaning she could not be present in the first six weeks of her daughter's life.Throughout Candice's story, there is grit, courage and perseverance. Her experiences of systemic racism, her concerns as a black woman, and her view as to what must now be done are told with light-hearted humour and energy. Candice also speaks for the first time about an online public attack from a fellow mumfluencer that forced her to 'go mute' online.Topics:- From marketing to mumfluencer: a whistle-stop tour of Candice's career- Candice's mission: to make motherhood more inclusive- The Instagram trolling scandal (an inside scoop)- Systemic racism in healthcare and the inadequate care of black mothers- Breaking the stigmas surrounding motherhood and abortion - 'I don't need your abortion story - your body your choice'- The #1 problem with maintaining transparency online- Dating and relationships Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michelle Kennedy is the founder and CEO of Peanut, one of the fastest-growing social networking apps for women focusing on fertility, pregnancy, motherhood and menopause, which has raised $23m to to date. Peanut was founded in 2017 when Michelle had her first baby, serving as a gift to like-minded mothers during their most uncertain and uncanny moments. Women now use the Peanut app for all sorts of reasons, whether that be trying to find a playdate for their children or networking with other working mums.Having worked as Deputy CEO of dating behemoth Badoo, Michelle has extensive experience using swipe-right technology to match people online, her expertise invaluable to Peanut. While Peanut continues to flourish, Michelle has joined the chase for the next unicorn brand and is now a strategic investor in several early and late-stage start-ups including TALA.While the internet is full of advice for women, in this episode Michelle shares the prestigious tale of how Peanut changed the female demographic forever. Michelle talks candidly about the importance of surrounding yourself with other great women, both in business and personally, being open to new experiences and knowing how to fail fast without getting broken by it. Michelle stands out as a true example of how to be a respected leader in today's society: ambitious and driven yet taking challenges with a heart and passion unlike no other.Topics:- Whistle-stop tour of career: tech and the dating industry- Building and expanding the concept for Peanut- The personal toll of entrepreneurship- The beauty of making business mistakes- 'Women making products for women' - it just makes sense. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason Mahendran is a Senior Investor at Active Partners, one of the UK’s leading investment firms committed to the search for the next prosperous unicorn brand. Through his venture capital and investing experience, Jason has helped to build several outstanding consumer-based, founder-led brands including the reputable LEON, Honest Burgers and Rapha. Active Partners have also recently invested in my own brand TALA in our $5.7m seed round, Jason himself joining the board.While getting your head around investment may seem like a minefield, obtaining funding could be the difference between making one's business a success, or having it never take off the ground. Investors like Jason offer so much more than just funding - they also provide founders with business advice, industry contacts and innovation, riding all the highs and lows along the way.Today I get the inside scoop on entrepreneurship from an investor's standpoint, including the process of securing investments, marshalling resources and utilising opportunities to achieve the unicorn. Topics: • Early years in the retail sector at the Woolworths Group• Investible businesses and their equally investible founders• Should I seek funding for my business?• 'The reality of pitching is NOT Dragons Den'• Investment in TALA (I get roasted) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

*Trigger Warning* Nicola Kilner is the co-founder and CEO of DECIEM, ‘the abnormal beauty company’ and hub of science-backed beauty brands that pave the future for skincare. Part of the DECIEM family ‘The Ordinary’ has taken the skincare world by storm, providing an evolving collection of clinical technologies and treatments at drugstore prices. In just 9 years DECIEM has completely revolutionised the beauty industry, its long-term mission to curate brands that educate and inform consumers about products best for their skin.Starting her career as a sponsored beauty buyer for Boots, Nicola is not short of corporate beauty exposure. As a CEO Nicola has navigated $2.2 billion-dollar sale to Estée Lauder, achieving nearly £500m in annual sales and in 2021 she made the Forbes 40 Under 40 list. She is also, much to my delight and surprise, one of my investors at TALA.In our heartfelt conversation Nicola and I discuss the extraordinary growth of DECIEM, her personal successes as a CEO and friendship with co-founder Brandon Truaxe who tragically passed in 2019. Today, with one product being reported to be sold every second, I delve into Nicola’s story of success, heartbreak, and phenomenal business growth.Topics:• Early career and sponsorship from Boots• Building 10 brands at once and the fun of being a start-up• Co-founding and Nicola’s close relationship with Brandon• Brandon’s public mental health decline• Taking on new responsibilities: becoming a mother and becoming sole CEO• Phenomenal growth during COVID-19• Building an inclusive company, women in the workplace, flexible and remote working Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Tolani Shoneye, writer, producer, host of 10/10 Would Recommend and 1/3 of The Receipts Podcast - a leading award-winning UK podcast and one of my personal favourites for YEARS. While Tolani is best known for hosting The Receipts, she has established herself as a trusted voice that resonates with millennial women on and off the mic. A former beauty editor for Buzzfeed UK, Tolani's credits include Elle, The Independent and Refinery29. Her breadth as a creative is undeniable as a one-time playwright for the Young Vic, with commissioned monologues under her belt and TV credits including hit Netflix series Top Boy. TopicsBuilding a career based on your talentsTesting and learning to build a careerThe joy of storytellingThe importance of taking opportunities and dreaming bigDealing with grief at work Buy the Working Hard, Hardly Working book here: http://linktr.ee/whhw Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracebeverley/Keep updated on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-beverley-574a10102/Shop Sustainable Style at TALA: http://wearetala.comGet everything you need to reach your fitness goals at SHREDDY: http://shreddy.comWorking Hard, Hardly Working is produced by Burning Bright Audio, the series producer is Ben Tulloh, editing by Ben Tuloh and video editing by Chris Ahjem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Nicola Elliot, Founder and Creative Director of NEOM Organics - one of the first, and fastest growing wellbeing brands in the UK, which specialises in 100% natural fragrances. Nicola’s inspiration for NEOM came whilst working as a magazine editor, when she realised the wellbeing of her friends and colleagues was suffering due to the demands of their fast-paced lives. She chose to retrain in aromatherapy and fast forward to today, NEOM has 4 standalone stores and is stocked with renowned retailers. I'm so thrilled to have her on today.TopicsWomen in work and women in entrepreneurshipTurning a side hustle into a businessIdentifying your ideal customerWorking mothersBuy the Working Hard, Hardly Working book here: http://linktr.ee/whhw Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracebeverley/Keep updated on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-beverley-574a10102/Shop Sustainable Style at TALA: http://wearetala.comGet everything you need to reach your fitness goals at SHREDDY: http://shreddy.comWorking Hard, Hardly Working is produced by Burning Bright Audio, the series producer is Ben Tulloh, editing by Ben Tuloh and video editing by Chris Ahjem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is George Heaton, Co-Founder of luxury British streetwear brand Represent. Represent was founded by George and his brother Mike in 2012 after he started creating T-shirts while studying at the University of Salford. The brand now has more than 150 stockists worldwide, including Selfridges and Harvey Nichols in the UK. Inspired by British designs, the brothers showcase their ranges at top fashion destinations worldwide, and their pieces have been featured in top publications from British GQ to Vogue Paris. I discovered George and Represent recently and was instantly struck by their strength of brand, a quality as essential as it is rare in creating a powerful business today. I’m delighted to be joined by George today. TopicsHow Represent made the transition from T-shirt brand to a high-end streetwear Rules to live your life byPivoting a businessConscious scaling vs. going viralHow Represent found its USPThe rule of continuous improvementKnowing your strengthsBuy the Working Hard, Hardly Working book here: http://linktr.ee/whhw Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracebeverley/Keep updated on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-beverley-574a10102/Shop Sustainable Style at TALA: http://wearetala.comGet everything you need to reach your fitness goals at SHREDDY: http://shreddy.comWorking Hard, Hardly Working is produced by Burning Bright Audio, the series producer is Ben Tulloh, editing by Hunter Charlton and video editing by Ben Tulloh. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Dr Grace Lordan, Associate Professor in Behavioural Science at LSE and the author of recently published Think Big, Take Small Steps and Build the Future you Want, which is all about how to create a framework that will move you towards your goals. Her academic writings have been published in international journals and she currently advises the UK Government as a board member on the Skills and Productivity Board. I first met Grace when we were guests on the Going for Goal podcast by Women’s Health talking all things procrastination. I was fascinated by her take on these topics, and I am thrilled to have her on today.Dr Grace Lordan is the author of Think Big Take Small Steps and Build the Future you want, and her website is www.gracelordan.comInstagram @g.lordanTwitter gracelordanTopicsThe science of workWhy you don't need to work 24/7Challenges of writingBuilding resicileneceWhat you need to look for if you want a fulfilling careerUsing behavioural science to boost your pitchImportance of practising gratitudeBuy the Working Hard, Hardly Working book here: http://linktr.ee/whhw Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracebeverley/Keep updated on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-beverley-574a10102/Shop Sustainable Style at TALA: http://wearetala.comGet everything you need to reach your fitness goals at SHREDDY: http://shreddy.comWorking Hard, Hardly Working is produced by Burning Bright Audio, the series producer is Ben Tulloh, editing by Ben Tulloh and video editing by Chris Ahjem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Reece Wabara, CEO of Manière De Voir - former professional footballer turned e-commerce powerhouse. West Midlands born Reece began his career playing for Manchester City in the Under 16s team and went on to play for the England U21 squad before a strategic pivot into the fashion industry. MDV, the design-driven brand founded by Reece in 2013 has gone on to see incredible growth, listed in the most recent Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100, and with 187% year on year increase in net revenue, worn by stars from Raheem Sterling to Anthony Joshua. Reece is vocal online about his views on strategy and leadership, and I’m very excited to have him here today to delve deeper into what got him here.TopicsImportance of brand identityCreating affordable luxuryReinventionThe definition of successReece's journey to starting MDVInstagram vs realityReading to further yourselfBuy the Working Hard, Hardly Working book here: http://linktr.ee/whhw Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracebeverley/Keep updated on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-beverley-574a10102/Shop Sustainable Style at TALA: http://wearetala.comGet everything you need to reach your fitness goals at SHREDDY: http://shreddy.comWorking Hard, Hardly Working is produced by Burning Bright Audio, the series producer is Ben Tulloh, editing by Silvia Malnati, video editing by Chris Ahjem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Shopé Delano, VP of Marketing at Charlie Oscar, a new-era group of digital consumer brands, and Founder of her own upcoming workwear brand Kind Regards . Shopé's internet life began back in 2010, with a fashion blog and youtube channel that saw her work freelance with the likes of Nike, Puma and ASOS. After a successful stint in academia, she entered the world of startups and venture capital, working with the likes of Depop, Forward Partners and now Charlie Oscar. I originally came into contact with Shopé after her viral open letter to working women - I read it and just had to message her about just how nail-on-head it was - so we got talking about the topics in my book, and her work. I’m incredibly excited to have her join me today.TopicsBrand buildingContent creationThe pressure to have a 'purpose'The representation of working womenFinding enjoyment in your career, especially at the beginning Girlboss cultureThe art of doing nothingThe dangers of comparing yourself to others on social mediaBuy the Working Hard, Hardly Working book here: http://linktr.ee/whhw Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracebeverley/Keep updated on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-beverley-574a10102/Shop Sustainable Style at TALA: http://wearetala.comGet everything you need to reach your fitness goals at SHREDDY: http://shreddy.comWorking Hard, Hardly Working is produced by Burning Bright Audio, the series producer is Ben Tulloh, editing by Stuart Beckwith and video editing by Chris Ahjem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Steven Bartlett, the 28-year-old founder of social media marketing agency Social Chain. From a bedroom in Manchester, Steven dropped out of his university course and built what would become one of the world’s most influential social media companies at just 21 years old, before taking his company public at 27 with a market valuation of almost £200m. Steven’s debut book, 'Happy Sexy Millionaire, is a Sunday Times Bestseller and more recently Steven and I chatted on his own podcast about self-belief, mental health, running a business and pretty much everything in between. I’m excited to have him here today to continue that conversation.Topics: Quitting in order to succeedExiting a multi-million dollar businessA business case for doing the right thingBuilding your confidence every dayThe compounding effect of self-doubtHis future business plansBuy the Working Hard, Hardly Working book here: http://linktr.ee/whhw Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracebeverley/Keep updated on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-beverley-574a10102/Shop Sustainable Style at TALA: http://wearetala.comGet everything you need to reach your fitness goals at SHREDDY: http://shreddy.comWorking Hard, Hardly Working is produced by Burning Bright Audio, the series producer is Ben Tulloh, editing by Stuart Beckwith and video editing by Chris Ahjem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Conna Walker, Founder and CEO of House of CB and Mistress Rocks. Conna started House of CB at just age 17 with a £3,000 family loan. Since then House of CB has grown into a multi-million-pound business with over 40 retail locations and a worldwide community of over 3m. Worn by Chrissy Teigen, Jennifer Lopez, the Kardashians, and many more... Conna’s business is an innovator in brand marketing and her goal is to embrace the female form in order to champion female empowerment. Conna is one of the youngest, and most successful entrepreneurs in the online fashion retail space, I’ve always admired her vision and clarity of brand identity, and I am so excited to chat to her today.Topics:Does your business need a USP?Being a 'Girlboss'Being a business owner in the public eyeHaving confidence in your visionThe cycle of creativityThe reality of running a businessBuy the Working Hard, Hardly Working book here: http://linktr.ee/whhw Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracebeverley/Keep updated on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-beverley-574a10102/Shop Sustainable Style at TALA: http://wearetala.comGet everything you need to reach your fitness goals at SHREDDY: http://shreddy.comWorking Hard, Hardly Working is produced by Burning Bright Audio, the series producer is Ben Tulloh, editing by Hunter Charlton and video editing by Chris Ahjem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast series, author and entrepreneur Grace Beverley moves away from the traditional 9-5 work rhetoric, to get a better understanding of what ACTUALLY goes on behind the scenes and how that looks for us as individuals. Are you good at taking time off? What’s the side to your work life that no one else sees? How do you avoid burnout? Each week Grace and her guest open an honest dialogue about these topics, and share practical tips to help make our work and home lives more balanced, successful and fulfilling.This podcast accompanies the launch of Grace’s debut novel and Sunday Times Best Seller; Working Hard, Hardly Working. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.