Playing To Win – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to the first-ever episode of Playing to Win. In this no-BS kickoff, Rhae founder Sophie lays it all out: why we’re building Rhae, why Playing to Win exists, and why this is the podcast you need in your life.Get ready for unfiltered convos, game-changing insights, and a whole new way to think about success. And if you want to be first in line for the Rhae app (trust us, you do), join the wait-list now.https://www.rhae.ai/

This one’s for the girlies rewriting the rules. Nicola Gunby, co-founder of Cliq, spills the tea.

From dropping out of uni to selling her first business to Revolution Beauty to building Cliq, the viral new platform redefining social media and bringing real life back.

We talk self-doubt, tuning out the sceptics, and the energetic signs that kept her going when she was ready to give up (yes, the park bench story will give you chills).

If you’re a beauty professional, a women building something big, or you’re stuck manifesting your next level, this is a sign.

In this episode of Playing to Win, Sophie sits down with Rachel Harris, @accountant_she , award-winning accountant, entrepreneur, and founder of Strive X, to break down what it really takes to succeed as a woman in business from a working class background, especially in male-dominated industries.

We cover how to get your business valued, secure investment, and build a high-value network that fuels your success. Plus, we tackle imposter syndrome, sharing powerful mindset shifts to help you own your space in the boardroom and beyond.

✨ Exclusive Insight: Rachel is working with the UK government on a new media unit designed to combat misinformation and provide trusted news for business owners. This initiative will use verified content creators to distribute key policy updates that impact entrepreneurs.

If you’re a business owner, start-up founder, or ambitious professional, this episode is packed with expert insights on business finance, investment strategies, and overcoming self-doubt, don’t miss it.

@thisisrhae

Revenge pxrn. Deepfakes. The toxic rise of the manosphere. In this explosive episode, we dive into the terrifying reality of image-based abuse and the digital war on women. Joining us is Lucy Morgan, Purpose Editor at Glamour, who’s leading the fight to change the law, educate, prevent, and hold big tech accountable. We break down Netflix’s latest drama Adolescence, expose the dark corners of online misogyny through personal experience, and ask, where are the good men in all this? If you’re not angry yet, you will be. This one’s unmissable.

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses image-based abuse, misogyny, sexual violence, child exploitation, men’s mental health, and suicide and other sensitive topics that may be distressing for some viewers. Please listen with care and if you are affected you can reach out for support through the links below.

Resources:

https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/image-based-abuse-roundtable

https://notyourporn.com/

https://www.everyonesinvited.uk/

https://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions about death, which some listeners may find distressing.

In this episode of Playing to Win, we sit down with Steph Melodia, a top 20 UK female founder, marketing strategist, VC scout, and podcast host, to uncover the brutal realities of securing investment as a female entrepreneur and the shocking state of women’s healthcare in the UK.

We dive into:

💰 Why female founders, especially women of colour, receive less than 2% of venture capital funding.

⚖️ The unconscious bias, confidence gap, and “motherhood penalty” that hold women back.

📈 The facts investors can’t ignore: Female-led businesses deliver higher returns than male-led ones.

🚀 The funding routes available (government grants, angel investors, VC) and how to navigate them.

🔥 Why investment isn’t just about money, it’s a strategic growth tool for ambitious women.But this conversation is bigger than business. Steph shares her decade-long battle with an undiagnosed debilitating health condition, a harsh reality faced by millions of women failed by the UK healthcare system. She reveals how she’s been dismissed, ignored, and left searching for answers while trying to run a business and live a full life.This episode is a wake-up call. The gender health gap is real, and it’s costing women their careers, well-being, and even their lives.

💪 If you’re a founder trying to grow, an investor looking to back female entrepreneurs, or a woman who’s ever felt unheard, this one’s for you.

https://www.stephaniemelodia.com/

@stephMelodia

🔥 Connect with Us:

Instagram & TikTok: @thisisrhaeWebsite:

www.rhae.ai

#podcast #change #girlpower #bedford #empowerment #podcastclips #startup

In this episode of Playing to Win, Sophie is joined by award-winning author, entrepreneur, podcast host and strategist Alice Benham for a full circle moment where they dive deep into what it really takes to build a business that’s both strategic and soul-led.

They explore:

- How to balance masculine drive with feminine receptivity

- Why “messy action” might be the missing piece of your perfectionism

- The energetic cost of forcing versus flowing

- What happens when you stop choosing between structure and softness

- How to build a vision while staying deeply connected to yourself

If you’ve been feeling like success means having it all figured out, this episode is your reminder, that your most powerful business moves come when your head and heart are in harmony.

Remember, strategy without soul will burn you out. And soul without structure will keep you stuck. The power is in the dance between the two.

⚖️ This week Sophie is joined by financial wellbeing coach Laura Ann Moore to explore the energetic foundations of wealth, the link between nervous system safety and financial expansion, and how women lead when self-trust becomes their currency.Together they unpack the emotional codes behind money, how to dissolve scarcity at the root, and what it means to hold more, with ease, power, and precision.Remember, we all have access to the same information, it’s what we do with it that changes everything.

🔥 Connect with Us:Instagram & TikTok: @thisisrhaeWebsite: www.rhae.ai#podcast #change #girlpower #bedford #empowerment #podcastclips #startup

In this episode of Playing to Win, Sophie sits down with award-winning journalist and Senior Writer at Stylist, Amy Beecham, for a powerful conversation that dives into identity, ambition, and the media’s complicated relationship with powerful women.Together, they explore the lasting impact of being labelled a ‘Gifted & Talented’ child, the failures of the education system, and how these early experiences shape the trajectory of driven women. The conversation turns to media narratives - from Meghan Markle to the Blue Origin space flight - and the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways women are framed, diminished, or distorted in public discourse.They also unpack what it means to be a feminist today - and why “how not to be a feminist” might be a more honest starting point.Amy’s sharp cultural commentary and grounded honesty make this a must-listen for anyone questioning the systems they were raised in and rewriting the rules for themselves.Read more of Amy’s work on her Substack, Wasting Potential: https://open.substack.com/pub/wastingpotential?r=1cmzz6&utm_medium=ios

This week on Playing to Win, Sophie's joined by the unstoppable force that is Elissa Corrigan, Founder of the powerhouse female health brand Elle Sera, and a familiar face from Desperate Scousewives and Bear Grylls: The Island.

We dive deep into the unexpected path that’s led her here, one that’s been less about strategy and spreadsheets, and everything about energy, instinct, and unapologetic trust in her own intuition.

Elissa opens up about:

- The wild ride from reality TV to becoming a wellness disruptor

- Her mission to shake up the shame around aging and women’s health and make the supplement industry sustainable

- What it really looks like to build a brand from your gut, not a guru

- How owning your story, every chaotic, imperfect chapter, is actually your superpower

This is one of those conversations that feels like truth serum for your soul. If you’ve ever felt the pull to do life differently, to trust yourself more, or to build something meaningful without following the ‘rules’ - this one’s for you.