Introducing My New Podcast, The Boardroom
Business is often framed as numbers, decks and strategy…
But the real game? People.
In The Boardroom, I sit down with founders and entrepreneurs for unscripted conversations about:
• owning your narrative
• building something that actually fulfils you
• what really happens behind the success stories
No formal interviews.
No polished PR answers.
Just real conversations that reveal what’s usually left unsaid.
If you’re building a business, a career, or your own way of thinking, this is for you.
🎙 The Boardroom - Launching 09.02.26
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Is AI Creating a Bubble? | Alan Trefler on How AI Will Change Jobs
Monday, July 13, 2026 • Duration 39:08
Artificial intelligence is changing business faster than almost any technology we've seen before.
But is AI creating another tech bubble?
In this episode of The Boardroom, I'm joined by Alan Trefler, Founder and CEO of Pegasystems, the multi-billion-dollar software company he started more than 40 years ago.
We discuss why Alan believes today's AI boom is creating unrealistic expectations, how enterprise software is evolving, and why businesses need to think differently about using AI if they want long-term success.
We also talk about how AI will transform jobs, why programming is changing forever, the rise of "vibe coding", and what young people should be studying to prepare for the future.
Along the way, Alan shares the story of building Pegasystems from three people with an idea into one of the world's leading enterprise software companies, including the lessons he learned from landing some of America's biggest banks as his very first customers.
#theboardroom #dragonsden #entrepreneurship #ai #innovation
I also write a free weekly newsletter about business, investing and entrepreneurship. You can read it here:
https://richardfarleigh.substack.com.
📲 Follow Richard Farleigh:
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🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship, investing, strategy, and the real side of business.
Chapters
00:00 Is AI creating a bubble?
00:24 Meet Alan Trefler, Founder & CEO of Pegasystems
01:42 Chess, computer science and the start of a career
02:44 The idea that became Pegasystems
04:30 Solving enterprise workflows
05:22 Bootstrapping the company
06:38 Winning the first customers
09:06 Landing two of America's biggest banks
09:45 Building products with customer feedback
11:58 Preventing customers from building it themselves
13:31 Why today's software industry is confused
14:50 What everyone is missing about AI
20:24 The hidden cost of AI
22:18 Who will win the AI race?
24:23 Is AI becoming a bubble?
24:45 How AI will transform jobs
26:29 The rise of "vibe coding"
28:15 Smaller teams, faster software
30:22 Can established software companies survive AI?
31:37 The US, China and the AI race
32:19 Cybersecurity and AI risks
35:30 What young people should study for the future
39:00 The skills AI can't replace
42:22 Final thoughts
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The Truth About London's Wildest Trading Floors | Drugs, Insider Trading & Psychopaths
Monday, June 29, 2026 • Duration 38:38
What was life really like inside the City of London during the financial boom?
In this episode of The Boardroom, I sit down with former stockbroker, journalist and bestselling author Geraint Anderson, better known as City Boy, to discuss one of the most controversial periods in modern finance.
Geraint shares how he went from selling trinkets on beaches in Goa to earning huge bonuses in investment banking before exposing the culture of excess from the inside. We discuss the reality behind the headlines, from insider trading and lavish client entertainment to whether finance really attracts psychopaths.
#theboardroom #dragonsden #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurship #cityboy #investmentbanking #finance
I also write a free weekly newsletter about business, investing and entrepreneurship. You can read it here:
https://richardfarleigh.substack.com.
📲 Follow Richard Farleigh:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/richardfarleigh/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-farleigh-7a0a1616/
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🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship, investing, strategy, and the real side of business.
If you enjoyed this conversation, you can find Geraint's books here:
How to Con Friends and Manipulate People, out on 2nd July
Geraint's latest satirical book explores the psychology of manipulation, psychopathy and power through the voice of a fictional psychopath.
Click Here: https://geni.us/YsMum
Chapters
00:00 The Truth About City Life
01:35 From Goa to Investment Banking
05:47 Traders vs Salespeople
08:40 What Really Drives Success?
10:32 The Birth of City Boy
13:16 Footballers, Brokers & Party Culture
15:03 Why Geraint Left Finance
16:03 How to Win in Investment Banking
18:23 "The Hand Deserved To Be Bitten"
19:38 Are There Psychopaths in Finance?
22:07 Richard Takes the Psychopath Test
23:49 Can Psychopathy Be an Advantage?
26:12 The Traits of High Performers
27:46 Richard on Attachment & Success
30:00 The Psychology of Business & Leadership
37:08 Final Thoughts
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Why Are All The Dragons Saying Yes? | Are They Investing in Businesses... or Stories?
Monday, June 22, 2026 • Duration 36:31
Are Dragons investing in great businesses, or simply backing great stories?
In this episode of The Boardroom: Dragons' Den Watchalong, I sit down with comedian Andrew Maxwell to watch another episode of Dragons' Den and break down the pitches from the perspective of a former Dragon.
From sustainable skincare and golf gadgets to fintech startups and food brands, we analyse what separates a compelling pitch from a genuinely investable business.
Along the way, I explain how investors think about valuations, why fundraising can sometimes matter more than revenue, the hidden realities of Dragon partnerships, and the questions entrepreneurs should be asking before accepting investment.
We also discuss how Dragons' Den has evolved over the years, whether the Dragons have become less ruthless, and why modern founders are often far more polished than those who entered the Den two decades ago.
Would the original Dragons have made the same decisions? And are today's investors focusing enough on the numbers behind the story?
A fascinating conversation about investing, entrepreneurship and the realities of building a successful business.
#theboardroom #dragonsden #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth
I also write a free weekly newsletter about business, investing and entrepreneurship. You can read it here:
https://richardfarleigh.substack.com.
📲 Follow Richard Farleigh:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/richardfarleigh/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-farleigh-7a0a1616/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@richardfarleighhq
🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship, investing, strategy, and the real side of business.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Are Dragons Investing in Businesses or Stories?
00:18 Sustainable Skincare Enters The Den
02:07 The Psychic Medium Twist
03:41 How Dragons Actually Value Businesses
06:28 When Multiple Dragons Want In
08:49 Has Dragons' Den Gone Soft?
11:45 Why Reggae Reggae Sauce Worked
12:55 The Golf Ball Cleaner Pitch
15:18 Can A Niche Product Become A Big Business?
17:10 Do Husband & Wife Founders Have An Advantage?
18:10 The Mortgage App That Caught The Dragons' Attention
21:20 What Investors Really Want To See
23:24 Why Raising Millions Matters
24:15 The Truth About Multi-Dragon Deals
25:38 Another Husband & Wife Team Enters The Den
26:10 Flavour Bomb's Big Opportunity
27:21 When The Numbers Start To Fall Apart
30:00 The Challenge Of Scaling Food Businesses
33:00 Final Verdicts & Key Lessons
35:31 End
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Taking on Uber | Tayfun Keskin & Efkan Altinok on Building a Community-Led Startup, Ride Nuff
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 • Duration 30:17
What happens when you spend years working inside an industry and realise the business model itself is the problem?
In this episode I sit down with Tayfun Keskin and Efkan Altinok, the founders of Ride Nuff and former Uber drivers who decided to build a different kind of ride-hailing business.
After more than a decade working in the industry, they saw drivers earning less, working longer hours and struggling to cover rising costs. Rather than accepting the status quo, they spent three years developing RideNuff, a subscription-based platform designed to give drivers more control over their earnings while offering customers a fairer alternative.
We discuss how they identified the opportunity, raised their first funding from a community of supporters, navigated regulation, launched in London and began attracting attention from drivers and operators around the world.
This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, disruption, platform economics, fundraising and what it takes to challenge an established market leader.
#theboardroom #dragonsden #entrepreneurship #business #uber
I also write a free weekly newsletter about business, investing and entrepreneurship. You can read it here:
https://richardfarleigh.substack.com.
📲 Follow Richard Farleigh:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/richardfarleigh/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-farleigh-7a0a1616/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@richardfarleighhq
🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship, investing, strategy, and the real side of business.
Chapters
00:00 "It's possible to drive all day and make a loss"
00:43 What is RideNuff?
01:15 Why we decided to create a fairer alternative
03:02 How ride-hailing commissions impact drivers
04:31 The financial pressures facing drivers today
06:24 The original idea behind RideNuff
07:53 Crowdfunding and raising our first capital
09:10 Building the app and launching operations
11:05 Early traction and customer growth
11:52 Interest from around the world
13:48 Challenging Uber's business model
15:06 How RideNuff drivers increase their earnings
17:01 Competition, barriers and scaling the business
18:45 Algorithms, incentives and platform economics
19:22 Expansion plans and fundraising
21:30 Why belief matters in entrepreneurship
22:31 Creating change through business
24:17 The entrepreneurial journeys behind RideNuff
28:19 Building a business that works for everyone
30:05 Final thoughts
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Has Dragons' Den Lost Its Edge? | Watching Dragons' Den for the First Time in 20 Years
Monday, June 8, 2026 • Duration 29:53
What happens when an original Dragon watches modern-day Dragons' Den for the first time in over 20 years?
In this episode of The Boardroom: Dragons' Den Watchalong, I sit down with entrepreneur Jon O'Donnell to revisit the Den and analyse whether the show still reflects the reality of investing.
As they watch a series of pitches unfold, I share behind-the-scenes insights from his own time on Dragons' Den and explains the questions I believe every investor should be asking. Together we discuss valuations, margins, scalability, investor psychology and why great businesses are built on more than compelling personal stories.
Has Dragons' Den evolved into better entertainment at the expense of business education? Would the original Dragons have approached these deals differently? And what can entrepreneurs learn from the way investment decisions are made in the real world?
A fascinating conversation about investing, entrepreneurship and how one of Britain's most iconic business shows has changed over the last two decades.
#theboardroom #dragonsden #entrepreneurship #business
I also write a free weekly newsletter about business, investing and entrepreneurship. You can read it here:
https://richardfarleigh.substack.com.
📲 Follow Richard Farleigh:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/richardfarleigh/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-farleigh-7a0a1616/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@richardfarleighhq
🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship, investing, strategy, and the real side of business.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Watching Dragons' Den with a Dragon
01:45 My first Dragons' Den viewing in 20 years
04:20 The first pitch: What would I ask?
07:15 The importance of margins and paying yourself properly
10:10 Investing in people vs investing in businesses
12:20 The deal I didn't expect
13:40 £2.5 million valuations in the Den
15:00 The £2 million question nobody asked
17:30 Behind-the-scenes Dragons' Den stories
19:45 Analysing the self-defence franchise pitch
21:30 Why are so many deals getting funded?
23:00 Has Dragons' Den become reality TV?
24:30 What entrepreneurs are no longer learning from the show
26:30 How real investors evaluate opportunities
27:05 Dragons' Den then vs now
28:20 Final verdict and what's next
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Levi Roots Reveals What REALLY Happened in Dragons' Den
Monday, June 1, 2026 • Duration 09:13
In one of the most iconic pitches in Dragons' Den history, Levi Roots walked into the Den with a guitar, a homemade sauce and a dream.
What followed became television history.
In this special episode of The Boardroom, I sit down with Levi Roots to revisit the Reggae Reggae Sauce pitch that changed both of their lives.
Levi shares the untold story behind receiving the invitation to Dragons' Den, why he refused to watch the show before appearing, how he accidentally got his numbers completely wrong in front of the Dragons, and why I ultimately decided to back him anyway. I reveal the moment he realised that Levi himself was the real investment, not just the sauce.
Together we explore what happened after the cameras stopped rolling, how a £50,000 investment turned into a national success story, and the Sainsbury's order that transformed Reggae Reggae Sauce from a family recipe into a household brand.
This is the definitive behind-the-scenes story of one of Britain's most memorable entrepreneurial journeys.
#TheBoardroom #LeviRoots #dragonsden #entrepreneurship #business
I also write a free weekly newsletter about business, investing and entrepreneurship. You can read it here:
https://richardfarleigh.substack.com.
📲 Follow Richard Farleigh:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/richardfarleigh/
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🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship, investing, strategy, and the real side of business.
Chapters
00:00 One of Dragons' Den's Greatest Comebacks
00:07 How Levi Roots Was Invited Onto The Show
01:10 Why Levi Refused To Watch Dragons' Den
02:15 Walking Into The Den With A Guitar
02:55 The Famous Reggae Reggae Sauce Pitch
03:35 The Numbers Mistake That Nearly Killed The Deal
04:08 Dragons Start Pulling Out
04:46 Richard Farleigh Makes His Move
04:58 "You Were The Product, Not The Sauce"
06:05 Levi Accepts The Investment Deal
06:50 What Happened After Dragons' Den
07:20 The Sainsbury's Order That Changed Everything
08:05 Outselling Heinz Ketchup
08:35 Richard Explains The Reality Of Co-Investing
08:55 Levi's Emotional Thank You To Richard
09:14 End
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90% of Startups Fail… Here’s Why
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 • Duration 09:32
Everyone talks about startup success.
Almost nobody talks honestly about failure.
I explain the uncomfortable realities behind why most businesses never make it.
From survivorship bias and bad valuations to hidden costs, competition, and the psychology of founders… this is a grounded look at entrepreneurship without the fantasy.
If you’re building a business — or thinking about starting one — this episode might save you years of frustration.
Entrepreneurship can create extraordinary outcomes.
But only when you understand the reality of the game.
#entrepreneurship #startups #business #founders #startupadvice
I also write a free weekly newsletter about business, investing and entrepreneurship. You can read it here:
https://richardfarleigh.substack.com.
📲 Follow Richard Farleigh:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/richardfarleigh/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-farleigh-7a0a1616/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@richardfarleighhq
🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship, investing, strategy, and the real side of business.
00:00 — The 90% Startup Failure Reality
00:48 — Survivorship Bias & Founder Delusion
01:22 — Why Competition Is Brutal
02:14 — How Big Companies Kill Startups
02:55 — The “Unknown Unknowns” Problem
03:46 — Why Most Ideas Aren’t Valuable
04:33 — Startup Valuations Explained
05:16 — Why Management Beats Intelligence
05:52 — The Real Problem Selling To Corporates
06:17 — Why Billionaire Advice Is Misleading
06:42 — Business Plans vs Reality
07:08 — The Hidden Costs Of Business
07:25 — Why Everything Takes Longer
07:38 — Knowing When To Quit
07:53 — Final Thoughts
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Building a Business in Simple Steps | Joanna Jensen on the Childs Farm Journey
Monday, May 18, 2026 • Duration 40:01
What does it really take to build a successful consumer brand from scratch?
In this episode of The Boardroom, I speak with Joanna Jensen, founder of Childs Farm, to discuss the unconventional path that took her from property and investment banking to building one of the UK’s best-known family skincare brands.
Joanna shares how personal necessity inspired the creation of Childs Farm after struggling to find products that helped her daughter’s eczema-prone skin. She explains the realities of scaling a consumer brand, negotiating with suppliers, getting products into major retailers, and why “no” is never the end of the conversation.
I also write a free weekly newsletter about business, investing and entrepreneurship. You can read it here:
https://richardfarleigh.substack.com.
📲 Follow Richard Farleigh:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/richardfarleigh/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-farleigh-7a0a1616/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@richardfarleighhq
🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship, investing, strategy, and the real side of business.
Chapters
00:00 – Introducing Joanna Jensen
00:50 – Leaving School & Early Ambition
01:54 – Starting Her First Property Business
05:25 – Entrepreneurs & Adapting to New Technology
06:42 – Taking Risks Young
08:23 – Moving to Hong Kong
09:27 – Entering Finance Without a Maths Background
12:35 – Intellectual Curiosity & Career Changes
13:04 – The Importance of Speed & Attention to Detail
14:20 – Why Closing the Loop Matters in Business
15:20 – Efficiency, Meetings & Respecting Time
15:49 – Negotiation Tactics That Save Thousands
17:30 – Startup Hustle & Managing Cash Flow
18:34 – The Danger of Overspending on Ads
19:38 – Why Most Small Businesses Fail
20:23 – Free Business Research Entrepreneurs Ignore
22:05 – Returning to London & Investment Banking
24:23 – Leaving Finance to Raise Children
26:14 – Financial Crisis & Starting Again
28:14 – The Inspiration Behind Childs Farm
29:16 – Creating Products for Eczema-Prone Skin
31:20 – The Story Behind the Childs Farm Name
32:29 – Helping Children With Sensitive Skin
34:02 – Getting Childs Farm Into Retail Stores
35:12 – Why Receptionists Matter in Business
35:51 – The Viral Facebook Post That Changed Everything
36:54 – Joanna’s Books & Advice for Entrepreneurs
38:11 – Final Thoughts
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From Reselling Trainers to Serving Footballers, Founders & Millionaires | Ed Somner Bogard
Monday, May 11, 2026 • Duration 37:49
What starts with selling trainers during COVID can eventually lead to private jets, luxury watches and ultra-high-net-worth clients.
In this episode, I sit down with Ed Somner Bogard, founder and director of EMJ Exclusive, to unpack the remarkable journey from sneaker reselling to building a fast-growing luxury concierge business.
Ed explains how he scaled a shoe reselling operation buying thousands of pairs each week, pivoted into PlayStations during the global chip shortage, and eventually built relationships with footballers, YouTubers and successful entrepreneurs.
The conversation explores entrepreneurship, sales, networking, luxury markets, hiring, AI, trust, customer relationships and why most people overthink starting a business.
Ed also shares behind-the-scenes stories from the world of private aviation, sourcing rare watches, luxury travel and managing requests for high-profile clients around the world.
I also write a free weekly newsletter about business, investing and entrepreneurship. You can read it here:
https://richardfarleigh.substack.com.
📲 Follow Richard Farleigh:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/richardfarleigh/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-farleigh-7a0a1616/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@richardfarleighhq
🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship, investing, strategy, and the real side of business.
Chapters
00:00 From Shoes to Planes
00:27 What EMJ Exclusive Actually Does
01:02 Starting a Business During COVID
02:02 Buying 1,000 Pairs of Shoes a Week
02:53 From PlayStations to Footballers
04:35 The Ethics of Sneaker Reselling
06:33 Building a Business With No Money
09:08 Drifting Into Entrepreneurship
10:17 How PlayStations Opened New Doors
11:40 Flying Rare Cats to Ibiza on a Private Jet
13:04 The Reality of Private Aviation
14:43 Building Relationships With Wealthy Clients
17:26 How EMJ Exclusive Makes Money
19:15 Why Customer Relationships Matter More Than Margins
20:18 Scaling the Team & Business Growth
21:43 Hiring Great People Early
22:33 Trust vs Sales Skills
23:17 Relationship-Based Selling
24:41 Building Through Word of Mouth
25:19 Learning to Manage People
28:26 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
29:08 Why Most Founders Overthink Starting
30:43 Proving a Business Before Raising Money
31:33 AI, CRM Systems & Luxury Concierge Tech
32:40 Handling Online Criticism & UK Business Culture
35:02 Why the UK Needs More Entrepreneurs
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From Apprentice Winner to 8-Figure Business | Lee McQueen on People & Hiring Beyond CVs
Monday, May 4, 2026 • Duration 35:59
What if the way you hire people is fundamentally broken?
In this episode of The Boardroom, I sit down with Lee McQueen, winner of The Apprentice UK, who went on to build multiple seven and eight-figure businesses.
We break down what actually drives growth in business today:
Why hiring based on CVs is outdated
What to look for instead (behaviour, mindset, performance)
Why most businesses struggle with sales
The importance of environment, standards, and execution
Lee shares lessons from scaling companies, hiring top talent, and building high-performance teams along with the hard truths most founders avoid.
If you’re a business owner, leader, or operator, this is a practical conversation on what it really takes to grow.
I also write a free weekly newsletter about business, investing and entrepreneurship. You can read it here:
https://richardfarleigh.substack.com.
📲 Follow Richard Farleigh:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/richardfarleigh/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-farleigh-7a0a1616/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@richardfarleighhq
🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship, investing, strategy, and the real side of business.
Chapters
00:00 – “No Revenue = No Business”
00:36 – Winning The Apprentice & Early Career
01:57 – Raising Money & Market Timing
03:28 – The CV Controversy Explained
07:26 – Why Hiring Based on CVs Is Broken
09:32 – How to Actually Assess Talent
11:01 – Standing Out in Job Applications
12:22 – Why Most Candidates Fail
14:17 – From No Money to First House at 18
16:42 – Getting Into Sales & Recruitment
18:20 – Environment & Who You Surround Yourself With
20:07 – Education vs Real-World Performance
22:51 – What Do You Actually Want?
24:24 – Why People Ignore Advice
25:00 – Sales: The Real Business Problem
27:00 – Reframing Sales (Not What You Think)
28:27 – Value vs Price
30:33 – Business as Experimentation
32:26 – Life After The Apprentice
35:03 – Final Advice for Founders
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