Runway to Excellence - The Official SJR London Podcast - Details, episodes & analysis

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Runway to Excellence - The Official SJR London Podcast

Stephanie Jackson

Arts

Frequency: 1 episode/88d. Total Eps: 26

Welcome to the Runway to excellence! The exciting new podcast hosted by Stephanie Jackson of SJR London.

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Data updated on 27/09/2026

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https://www.sjrlondon.com/
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https://www.sjrlondon.com
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How to Build a Luxury Jewellery Brand From Nothing | Hannah Martin (Cartier, Central Saint Martins)

Monday, August 10, 2026 • Duration 01:32:42

How do you build a luxury jewellery brand from nothing? Jewellery designer Hannah Martin (Central Saint Martins, Cartier Paris) reveals how she built her independent fine jewellery business over 20 years — surviving near-bankruptcy, a business partner betrayal, and building a cult luxury brand without investors.In this episode of Runway to Excellence, the luxury fashion and jewellery industry podcast from SJR London, host Stephanie Jackson sits down with Hannah Martin, the iconoclastic British jewellery designer who trained at Central Saint Martins, won a scholarship into the high jewellery department at Cartier Place Vendôme in Paris, and walked away to launch Hannah Martin London — a bold, gender-fluid fine jewellery brand designed to make your heart beat faster.Hannah shares the real story of starting a jewellery business with no money: sending DIY lookbooks to fashion editors, the business partner who signed 50% of her shares to himself and nearly destroyed the company, and how she rebuilt to create one of the most loved independent luxury brands in the UK. From designing jewellery for musicians and Wayne McGregor's dancers to getting her pieces on Lola Young at the Brit Awards without a PR agency — this is a masterclass in creative entrepreneurship, luxury branding, resilience, and playing the long game in business.We also discuss Hannah's book, Iconoclast — a 20-year retrospective for the creatives, dreamers, and rule breakers — available at hannahmartinlondon.com.This podcast is brought to you by SJR London, the trusted talent partner for Luxury Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle recruitment. To discover how SJR London delivers talent that defines luxury, visit https://www.sjrlondon.com.In this episode on building a luxury jewellery brand, you'll learn…⏱️ 01:38 — How Hannah Martin became a jewellery designer: from origami to art school⏱️ 05:06 — Studying jewellery design at Central Saint Martins: "love at first sight"⏱️ 06:26 — Working at Cartier Paris: inside the high jewellery department at Place Vendôme⏱️ 10:32 — The Cartier design lesson she still uses: obsessive attention to detail⏱️ 12:05 — How to start a jewellery brand with no money: the DIY press strategy that worked⏱️ 15:32 — What Central Saint Martins is really like — and the mindset that creates icons⏱️ 21:43 — Career advice for creative graduates: follow your gut, even when it's not "smart"⏱️ 24:03 — Designing emotional jewellery: The Perfect Drug collections explained⏱️ 28:07 — Hidden luxury: the upside-down gemstone ring that became a bestseller⏱️ 34:03 — Designing jewellery for performers: musicians, dancers, and Wayne McGregor⏱️ 37:37 — How to build a brand community: why word of mouth beats advertising budgets⏱️ 40:55 — Hiring luxury sales staff: what makes a great luxury salesperson⏱️ 42:32 — Luxury retail snobbery: "never judge anyone for what they look like"⏱️ 46:28 — How creative founders run a business: creativity vs spreadsheets⏱️ 54:10 — Celebrity product placement without a PR budget: Lola Young at the Brits⏱️ 57:10 — Pricing luxury products: justifying fine jewellery prices as gold doubles⏱️ 1:00:18 — What luxury customers really want in 2026: scarcity, story, and craftsmanship⏱️ 1:06:05 — The business partner betrayal that nearly bankrupted the brand⏱️ 1:08:47 — Appointment-only retail: why a private gallery beats a Bond Street shopfront⏱️ 1:16:16 — Overcoming self-doubt as a founder and asking for help in business⏱️ 1:21:48 — Overnight success vs the long game: building a sustainable business⏱️ 1:24:54 — Iconoclast: the book behind 20 years of rule-breaking in luxury jewellery⏱️ 1:31:19 — What defines excellence in business: integrity in everythingConnect with SJR London:🌐 Website: https://www.sjrlondon.com/🎙️ Listen to Runway to Excellence on Spotify & Apple Podcasts📲 Follow SJR London on Instagram, TikTok & LinkedIn

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How to Build a Luxury Swimwear Brand From Scratch | Alexandra Miro

Monday, August 3, 2026 • Duration 01:02:10

How do you build a successful luxury fashion brand? Alexandra Miro shares how she went from working at Versace, Prada and Selfridges to building one of Britain's leading luxury swimwear and resortwear brands.

In this episode of Runway to Excellence, the luxury fashion and retail podcast from SJR London, host Stephanie Jackson sits down with Alexandra Miro to discuss fashion entrepreneurship, luxury retail, e-commerce, branding, wholesale, product development and what it really takes to build a premium fashion business from scratch.

Alexandra shares why she was fired from every office job she ever had, how luxury retail shaped her understanding of customers, how she secured Selfridges as one of her first stockists, why she brought production in-house, what she learned from opening her first physical retail store, and why there is no such thing as overnight success.

Whether you're building a fashion brand, working in luxury retail, launching an e-commerce business or simply fascinated by the business behind luxury brands, this episode is packed with practical insights from over a decade of entrepreneurship.

This podcast is brought to you by SJR London, the trusted talent partner for Luxury Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle recruitment.

In this episode you'll learn...

⏱️ 01:43 — Growing up with a passion for fashion and creativity
⏱️ 03:33 — Being fired from every office job
⏱️ 04:08 — Working at Versace, Prada & Selfridges
⏱️ 08:46 — Building an early luxury e-commerce business
⏱️ 10:14 — Why she started a luxury swimwear brand
⏱️ 11:30 — Launching with just five swimsuits
⏱️ 12:07 — How she got stocked by Selfridges
⏱️ 15:57 — What luxury retail teaches you about customers
⏱️ 21:48 — The biggest challenges of building a fashion brand
⏱️ 23:57 — Bringing production in-house
⏱️ 26:08 — Opening the first Alexandra Miro retail pop-up
⏱️ 29:13 — Understanding the luxury customer
⏱️ 34:10 — Hiring the right people
⏱️ 37:14 — Wholesale vs direct-to-consumer⏱️ 42:54 — Building a business as a single mother⏱️ 46:22 — Designing for confidence and real women⏱️ 51:45 — Why physical retail still matters⏱️ 56:58 — The biggest lessons in entrepreneurship⏱️ 1:00:31 — What excellence means in luxury fashion

Why Great Luxury Retail Is About Emotion, Not Product with Eric Christopher Hall

Monday, June 29, 2026 • Duration 01:38:16

What does it really take to build a 30-year career across the world's greatest luxury houses — and why does the future of retail come down to emotion, not product?

In this episode of Runway to Excellence, Stephanie Jackson sits down with luxury retail leader Eric Christopher Hall, whose journey took him from the fish counter at Waitrose to the shop floors and corporate offices of Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Burberry, Gucci, and Prada.

Eric shares the unfiltered story behind his rise: how a shy, unconfident kid found his voice on the shop floor, the moment a Selfridges manager told him "if you can sell baked beans, you can sell clothes," and the lessons that shaped him into one of luxury's most respected client experience and retail performance experts. From styling total looks at Dolce & Gabbana and learning the art of clienteling at Gucci, to relocating to Milan without speaking a word of Italian, this is a masterclass in resilience, leadership, and the human side of luxury.

The conversation also explores Eric's new mission — Emotive Retail — and his upcoming book, Retail Is Human: The Art of Emotive Retail, a movement to bring genuine human connection back to a sector under pressure from data, KPIs, and AI.

This podcast is brought to you by SJR London, the trusted talent partner for Luxury Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle recruitment. To discover how SJR London delivers talent that defines luxury, visit https://www.sjrlondon.com.

In this luxury retail podcast episode, you'll learn…

- How to build a long-term career in luxury fashion — starting from the shop floor

- Why the best talent is found on the floor, not in the application pile

- The real difference between facilitating a sale and creating magic

- The art of clienteling and building genuine client relationships

- What separates good client advisors from truly exceptional ones

- How to lead, empower, and inspire high-performing retail teams

- Why "catalysts" on the floor drive store energy and performance- Moving from shop floor to corporate — and why so few make the leap

What Actually Gets You Hired! How to Succeed in Luxury Retail | Leadership, Hiring & Career Growth with Roisin Hurley

Episode 18

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 • Duration 01:23:32

In this episode of Runway to Excellence, Stephanie Jackson sits down with Brand & Retail Consultant Roisin Hurley to explore the realities of working, hiring, and leading in the luxury retail industry. From early career decisions to leadership roles, this conversation unpacks what separates those who succeed in luxury from those who struggle to progress.

Roisin shares valuable insight into what luxury brands are really looking for when hiring, how to stand out in a competitive market, and the importance of attitude, service excellence, and cultural alignment. The discussion also explores leadership in retail environments, building high-performing teams, and maintaining standards in fast-paced, customer-focused settings.

This podcast is brought to you by SJR London, trusted talent partner for Luxury Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle recruitment - for more on how they deliver talent that defines luxury, visit https://www.sjrlondon.com/

This episode covers…

What it takes to succeed in luxury retail careers
How luxury brands hire and assess talent
The importance of attitude, presentation, and service standards
Career progression in fashion, beauty, and retail
Leadership in high-performance retail environments
Building and managing successful teams
The difference between good candidates and exceptional ones
How to stand out in competitive luxury roles
Cultural fit and brand alignment in hiring
Long-term career development in the luxury sector

Key Moments:

0:00: From MAC Counter to Global Director at Burberry

How Charlotte Staerck Built The Handbag Clinic And Changed Luxury Resale Forever

Season 1 · Episode 23

Sunday, April 5, 2026 • Duration 01:01:27

Charlotte Staerck, founder of The Handbag Clinic, shares how she built one of the UK’s leading luxury resale and restoration businesses from the ground up. Starting on the shop floor at 16, she developed a sharp commercial instinct that shaped her approach to retail, pricing, and customer trust.

In this episode, Charlotte explains how she turned handbag repairs into a scalable resale model, why authenticity and data drive valuation, and how luxury handbags became recognised as investment assets. She also details the realities behind growth, including being targeted by organised theft, navigating counterfeit risks, and adapting to shifts in manufacturing quality post Covid. This conversation gives a clear view of how the luxury resale market actually works and what it takes to build a business that customers trust with high value products.

This episode covers…

• How The Handbag Clinic started from repairs and evolved into resale

• Why working on the retail shop floor builds commercial instinct

• The reality of scaling a luxury business in London

• How to price and value designer handbags using real data

• Why handbags are now seen as investment assets

• The impact of counterfeits and how authentication works

• What customers actually care about when buying luxury

• The role of sustainability in fashion resale

• Building trust and repeat customers in high value markets

• The operational reality behind running a luxury brand

#21 Pavan Beauty: I Nearly Gave Up… Then Selfridges Changed Everything

Monday, February 16, 2026 • Duration 59:45

How do you get your brand into Selfridges - and what really happens when you pitch on Dragon’s Den UK?

In this episode, luxury beauty founder Pavan reveals how she built a retail-ready brand from a one-metre pop-up to national TV investment.

In this episode of Runway To Excellence, Stephanie Jackson sits down with Pavan Ahluwalia Dhanjal BEM, founder of a pioneering henna brand Pavan Beauty, that redefined experiential retail inside Selfridges and expanded globally.

From holding a Guinness World Record to successfully gaining investment from Dragon’s Den (before eventually turning it down), retail trend changes, and scale-up investment conversations, Pavan shares the truth behind building and scaling a beauty business in premium retail.

This podcast is brought to you by SJR London, trusted talent partner for Luxury Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle recruitment - for more on how they deliver talent that defines luxury, visit https://www.sjrlondon.com/

This episode covers:

How to get into Selfridges as a small brand
Retail pop-up strategy and proof of concept
What Dragon’s Den is really like behind the scenes
Scaling from service to product in beauty
Hiring in luxury retail environments
Founder resilience and navigating grief while building a business

If you work in luxury retail, beauty, fashion or are building your own brand - this conversation is essential.

Key Moments:

00:00 – How Pavan Beauty turned niche henna art into a mainstream beauty brand

02:20 – Growing up in East London: immigrant parents, entrepreneurship and work ethic

07:50 – Retail jobs, discipline and why office life didn’t fit a creative founder

09:40 – Falling in love with henna and spotting a gap in the Western beauty market

12:00 – Breaking a Guinness World Record and pitching henna to the BBC

#20 Vicky Curry - What the Right Attitude Can Do

Episode 20

Wednesday, December 3, 2025 • Duration 46:46

This episode is a real full-circle moment for me. I first met Vicky at one of my very early assessment centres, almost 11 years ago, where I gave her a chance as a temporary employee in luxury retail. She grabbed the opportunity with both hands and has since built an incredible career managing large teams for the likes of Harrods and now lecturing at the Fashion Retail Academy.I couldn’t be prouder. I’m so excited for you to hear her story and see just how far the right attitude, resilience and work ethic can take your career.

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#19 Claire Hugil - Building a Standout Career and Brand in Luxury Retail

Episode 19

Wednesday, November 5, 2025 • Duration 54:31

In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Claire Hugill, a seasoned luxury retail leader whose impressive career spans Harrods, Selfridges, and Alexander McQueen. From managing flagship retail teams to driving digital transformation, Claire has seen every side of the industry, and now runs her own consultancy, Atelier Consultancy, advising high-end brands on how to thrive in an increasingly competitive market.

Claire shares her personal journey through luxury retail, offering invaluable insights on how to build a successful and fulfilling career, as well as practical advice for brand leaders looking to elevate their business. Whether you’re an aspiring retailer, brand founder, or simply passionate about the world of luxury, this episode is packed with wisdom, authenticity, and inspiration you won’t want to miss.

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#18 Abigail Wilmore - Wellbeing and Leadership in Luxury HR

Episode 18

Wednesday, December 4, 2024 • Duration 01:01:14

In this episode, I sit down with Abigail Wilmore, an accomplished HR leader with over 25 years of experience in luxury fashion and beauty, including roles as Chief People Officer at Tom Ford Fashion, Stella McCartney, and Dr Barbara Sturm, as well as HR Director at Kering (formerly Gucci Group). Starting her career on the shop floor with no university degree, she discovered her passion for Human Resources early on and has since become a champion of human-centred workplace cultures. As the Founder of People Flow and a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, Abigail is dedicated to leading with empathy and driving positive change in the workplace. She is also a triple-accredited Executive Coach and a sought-after speaker who advocates for diversity, inclusion, and sustainable people strategies.

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#17 Sue Rahmani - Transforming Retail and Spirituality

Episode 17

Wednesday, August 21, 2024 • Duration 51:31

In this episode of Runway to Excellence, I sit down with Sue Rahmani, an inspiring leader whose work bridges the worlds of spirituality and luxury retail. Sue, a recently published author in the book 'Activating Divine Human', and the Retail Training Manager for super brand Celine (LVMH), brings a unique blend of thought-provoking and empowering insights. Sue consistently challenges the status quo with positivity and controversy, making her a voice that inspires and provokes deep reflection. Connect with Sue: Instagram: @suerahmani LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-rahmani-05237740/ Below are the links to purchase Sue's book 'Activating Divine Human' 🔗: Within the 1st 48 hours of its release it reached the Number 1 Best Seller Internationally in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, France and Brazil and so far only received 5* reviews. US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGJG6DY UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DCGJG6DY CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0DCGJG6DY AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0DCGJG6DY MX: https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B0DCGJG6DY DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0DCGJG6DY FR: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0DCGJG6DY ES: https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0DCGJG6DY IT: https://www.amazon.it/dp/B0DCGJG6DY NL: https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B0DCGJG6DY JP: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0DCGJG6DY BR: https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B0DCGJG6DY IN: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0DCGJG6DY

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Runway to Excellence - The Official SJR London Podcast - Details, episodes & analysis

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Runway to Excellence - The Official SJR London Podcast - Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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