Explore every episode of the podcast The Smarter Podcast with Emily Austen

Today’s guest has spent the last decade shaping one of London’s most iconic cultural brands into something bigger than nightlife. Caitlin McAllister is the Managing Director of Ministry, where she’s helped transform the business from a legendary nightclub and record label into a multifaceted empire spanning shared workspaces, wellness, global touring, publishing, and even fragrance.

With a background in live events and a passion for creating experiences that feel human first, Caitlin’s career is a testament to the power of hospitality, community, and relentless high standards. From launching The Ministry workspace to overseeing weddings, fitness raves, and international tours, she’s driven by the belief that if you’re going to do something, you should do it brilliantly.

In this conversation, we talk about leadership, resilience, and why knowing when to push and when to let go is the real skill of building a career that lasts.

Here’s Caitlin McAllister—let’s get into it.

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Today’s guest is someone who truly embodies what it means to juggle it all with grit and grace. Erin Dana Lichy was selling real estate developments in New York before she turned 23, went to grad school at NYU for sustainable development, and then threw herself into entrepreneurship—learning the hard way when her first business failed, but using that experience as her “real business school.”

Fast forward to today: Erin is a powerhouse. She’s a mom of four, a cast member on The Real Housewives of New York City, the co-founder of a mezcal brand born out of her love for Tulum, and now the author of a beautiful new book that blends her family traditions, entertaining, and food into something inspiring and accessible.

In this conversation, she shares her lessons on resilience, building businesses from scratch, balancing motherhood and ambition, and why trusting your gut is the smartest move you can make.

This is a story of hustle, reinvention, and doing it all on your own terms. Here’s Erin Dana Lichy—let’s get into it.

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Today’s guest is chef Kate Austen – the winner of The Great British Menu 2024, and someone who knows a thing or two about pressure. In this episode, we talk about what it takes to walk away from a steady job in pursuit of something bigger, the mental and physical toll of competing on national TV, and what happens when you go from working behind the scenes to suddenly being in the spotlight. Kate shares the reality of putting your entire career on the line for one main course, how she handled the highs and lows of the process, and what’s next after such a defining moment. She’s also my sister – which means I’ve been taste-testing her experiments long before the judges did.

Our sponsor is Happy Mammoth. Head to www.happymammoth.com for 15% off with code SMARTER.

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Today’s guest is someone who truly redefined the fitness accessories space. Natalie Holloway is the co-founder of Bala, the brand that turned ankle weights into must-have wellness accessories and became a global movement along the way. After burning out in advertising, Natalie and her husband Max swapped agency life for a sabbatical – and ended up creating one of the most design-forward, purpose-driven fitness brands out there. From bootstrapping and shipping Shark Tank orders by hand, to navigating wild growth, burnout, and building a business with three kids under four – Natalie’s story is as inspiring as it is honest. This one’s for anyone who’s ever Googled 'how to find a factory' at 2am.

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Today’s guest is one of those people who makes you sit up, take notes, and seriously question why we’re still doing things the way we are.

Tash Grossman is the founder and CEO of Slip, the B2B startup transforming dull, forgettable digital receipts into powerful post-purchase marketing tools. She's a former management consultant who swapped client decks for startup chaos—and did it with the clarity of someone who lives her life on a Google spreadsheet.

In this episode, we talk about everything from what inspired the business (hint: it involves a Zara return gone wrong) to the emotional toll of fundraising, hiring, and being a 20-something female founder in a room full of older white men called Paul. Tash shares how she built Slip from a bold idea into a scalable tech business, what she’s learned about leadership, and why she’s more afraid of failure than spiders, heights, or horror movies combined.

We also get into the realities of hustle culture, the myth of balance, and why launching a startup young is both a blessing and a strategic advantage. Whether you're deep in founder life or just addicted to ambitious women rewriting the rules, this episode is full of unfiltered lessons, smart thinking, and one very relatable fear of morning sickness ruining a Series A.

Our episode sponsor is Happy Mammoth. Head to www.happymammoth.com for 15% off with code SMARTER. 

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This week’s guest is someone who understands that good marketing isn't just about campaigns—it’s about people. Jo McClintock is the VP of Brand & Marketing at Trainline, and one of the most commercially creative marketers working in tech today.

From launching new customer segments at Screwfix in her early twenties to repositioning Moonpig as a modern gifting destination, Jo’s built her career by pairing data with deep human insight. She’s worked across travel, telco, and ecommerce—helping brands grow, reposition, or rebuild—always with an eye on what actually drives behaviour.

In this conversation, Jo talks candidly about what it means to build people's trust, what most early-stage businesses get wrong about their customers, and why marketing is less about stunts—and more about substance. We also talk parenting, burnout, navigating wedding planning while running a team, and her refreshing take on building a career without a university degree.

Jo is sharp, honest, and deeply insightful—and this episode is full of practical gold.

Our sponsor this week is Happy Mammoth. Head to www.happymammoth.com for 15% off, with code SMARTER.

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Today’s episode is a deep dive into grit, gut instinct, and the kind of entrepreneurial vision that reshapes an entire industry.

Vanita Parti launched Blink Brow Bar in 2004 — back when threading was virtually unheard of on the British high street, let alone in department stores. What started as a single chair tucked between lingerie rails in Fenwick has since become a nationwide brand, credited with bringing brows into the beauty conversation in a completely new way.

We talk about everything from cultural shifts and copycats to customer loyalty and scaling with soul. Vanita shares what it was like to pitch an unproven idea, face rejection from big-name retailers — and then get those same calls back once word started to spread. We also get into the intensity of founder obsession, the reality of growing a service brand at scale, and why the post-pandemic world pushed her to rethink everything from store footprint to DTC.

It’s a conversation about branding, bravery, and building something that lasts — and one that proves you don’t need to be first to everything, but you do need to do it differently.

This episode sponsor is Happy Mammoth. Head to www.happymammoth.com for 15% off with code SMARTER.

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Today’s guest is someone who has built a career not just on killer plots—but on a deep understanding of what it means to be human.

Gregg Hurwitz is the bestselling author of 26 thrillers, the creator of the Orphan X series, and a writer whose work spans everything from comics and screenplays to Shakespearean tragedy. Yes, really. He holds a master’s from Oxford in exactly that.

Gregg has written for Marvel and DC, consulted on blockbuster films, helped script the World Cup opening ceremony, and still manages to release a novel a year—each one tightly plotted, psychologically rich, and wildly addictive.

We talk about everything from how he turned a teenage obsession with storytelling into a life’s work, to what thrillers can teach us about morality, masculinity, and the “strange language of intimacy.” He opens up about creative discipline, the reality of Hollywood deal-making, the evolution of the Orphan X character across ten novels—and why, if you’re writing fiction, it better be the story you have to tell.

This conversation spans from fifth-grade mystery novels to Shakespeare, from childhood dictionaries to stunt-plane research trips—and somewhere in the middle, we even manage to touch on Bond, Measure for Measure, and what it takes to write something truly timeless.

Here’s Gregg Hurwitz.

Today's episode sponsor is Happy Mammoth. Head to www.happymammoth.com with code SMARTER for 15% off.

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Today’s guest is someone I’ve been so excited to speak with: Sabina Nawaz. Sabina is a global CEO coach, TED speaker, and now, the author of the brilliant new book You're the Boss: Become the Manager You Want to Be and Others Need. With decades of experience coaching senior leaders in over 30 countries — from Fortune 50 companies to nonprofits and government agencies — Sabina has seen it all when it comes to what makes great managers thrive... and what quietly undermines them.

In this conversation, we talk about:

• Why being promoted is actually the riskiest moment in your career
• How pressure — not power — corrupts leadership behaviour
• The fine line between action and micromanagement
• And how the best bosses stay human, even under extreme stress

Sabina also shares her own journey — including how she once went from “best boss ever” to “boss from hell” almost overnight, and what it took to turn that around.

This episode is full of hard-earned wisdom, practical tools, and compassionate insights for anyone navigating leadership — whether you’re a first-time manager or a founder scaling fast.

So if you’ve ever struggled with delegation, wrestled with feedback, or wondered why leadership sometimes feels a little bit lonely… this one’s for you.

Head to www.happymammoth.com with code SMARTER for 15% off.

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Today’s guest is one of the most quietly powerful women in the entertainment industry — and someone who has shaped the careers of some of the most influential names in British media, music, and culture. Mary Bekhait is the Global CEO of YMU, the talent management powerhouse behind household names in TV, sport, music, digital, and literature. Her journey from a freelance music journalist and record store assistant to the boardroom is anything but linear — and it’s exactly that eclectic, strategic, and deeply human approach that has defined her leadership style.

In this episode, Mary lifts the curtain on what it really means to manage elite talent — from helping household names navigate global careers to scaling creator-led businesses in the age of equity deals, social-first strategy, and content IP. We talk about longevity in the spotlight, boardroom ambition, managing scandal with clarity, and what it takes to lead with impact — all while raising a daughter and reshaping one of the UK’s most influential agencies in the post-COVID era.

Mary doesn’t chase the spotlight herself — but she’s been instrumental in building and protecting the people who do. So if you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to go the distance — in fame, in leadership, or in life — this one’s for you.

Happy Mammoth is our episode sponsor, and they are offering listeners 15% off online now. Head to www.happymammoth.com

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Meet Ashley McDonnell – Global Brand Leader at Puig

From a Dior exhibition at 16 that lit the spark, to now shaping the future of luxury at Puig, Ashley McDonnell has taken one of the most intentional – and impressive – routes through the luxury industry. Raised in rural Ireland, she set her sights on Paris early and carved her own path through the French “Grande École” system, earning her place at HEC Paris, the alma mater of nearly every major luxury CEO.

Her early career saw her managing digital transformation for LVMH at the group level, before joining Dior HQ in Paris to lead the global digital strategy for their travel retail division. She then made a strategic leap to Google, where she managed LVMH's ad portfolio, before returning to luxury to help build the next generation of global beauty brands at Puig. And that's before she decided to start Ireland's first ever global fashion week.

Now based in Paris, Ashley brings the same grit, clarity, and global perspective to every brand she touches – combining best-in-class luxury thinking with future-facing digital expertise.

For 15% off Happy Mammoth, head to www.happymammoth.com with code SMARTER.

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This week’s guest is a cultural powerhouse. Candace Bushnell — the woman behind Sex and the City — didn’t just write a column; she sparked a global phenomenon that redefined modern womanhood on screen and beyond. But her story doesn’t stop with Carrie Bradshaw.

In this candid, wide-ranging conversation, Candace opens up about legacy, longevity, and what it really takes to build a lasting career in a world hooked on the next big thing. From navigating the brutal realities of publishing and television deals to the personal cost of creating something that outgrows you, she shares the unfiltered truth about staying relevant — and sane — in the spotlight.

We talk politics, money, the pressure to follow up a smash hit, and the difference between being a writer… and making writing your life. Bold, brilliant, and refreshingly honest, Candace brings decades of hard-won wisdom to the mic.

This is one for anyone chasing creative success — and wondering what happens when you catch it.

Thanks to our sponsor, Happy Mammoth. Head to happymammoth.com and enter code SMARTER for 15% off.

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My guest today is the brilliant and endlessly creative Dylan Lauren, founder and CEO of Dylan’s Candy Bar — a business she launched in 2001 that has since become one of the most iconic and joyful retail experiences in the world. You’ve probably seen the rainbow-striped stores, the oversized lollipops, the celebrity fans, or the jaw-dropping candy displays that look more like pop art installations than shop fittings — and that’s all by design.

In this conversation, Dylan shares the story of how she built a brand that blends fashion, art, and pop culture — inspired by everything from Willy Wonka to FAO Schwarz, from childhood travel to growing up in a famously creative household. We talk about:

• What it’s like to launch a retail concept when no one’s done anything like it before
• How she stayed true to her vision while learning the ropes of finance, operations, and scaling
• The tension between trends and timelessness
• And how she carves out time for creativity, family, and sanity in a business built on color and chaos

We also touch on leadership, collaboration, burnout, and why some of the best business ideas still come from simply trusting your gut — and keeping a sketchbook close.

If you’re an entrepreneur, a retail obsessive, or someone looking to blend joy with business savvy, this one’s for you.

Thanks to our sponsor, Happy Mammoth. Head to Happymammoth.com and use code SMARTER for 15% off.

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Amanda shares her path from liberal arts student to Wall Street analyst, private equity investor, and later brand builder for Supergoop! and Olaplex. She emphasises her passion for merging creative brand storytelling with hard commercial discipline. At Supergoop!, she helped convert sunscreen into a daily wellness staple by innovating formulas like the iconic “Unseen” and focusing on mission driven growth and retail strategy. As she stepped into the CEO role at Olaplex, Amanda prioritised understanding the science, the salon stylists, and global market nuances while assembling a leadership team to scale the brand’s story and restructure its foundation. The episode also touches on her leadership philosophy, marketers’ use (and misuse) of AI and virality, her firm belief in clarity of brand DNA, and the challenge and thrill of balancing high stakes global business travel with being a mother.

Thanks to our sponsor, Happy Mammoth. Head to Happymammoth.com and use code SMARTER for 15% off.

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Jess and Sidney chatted to me about disrupting a dusty category, working together as best friends, the best piece of advice they've ever been given about building a business, challenges in the industry and how they work out their roles and responsibilities within the business.

More about the brand from the founders;

There’s always been murkiness surrounding how fine jewelry is made. Growing up in Antwerp with families in the diamond trade, we were frustrated by the lack of transparency in the industry. A diamond often exchanges hands over 20 times after being mined, making it almost impossible to know where it definitely came from and under what conditions it was pulled from the earth.

Kimaï is our way of channeling our heritage into a modern jewelry brand that delivers true traceability. By using recycled gold and lab grown diamonds, which are physically and chemically identical to mined, we can cut out all the murky middlemen and control the whole jewelry process, from design to delivery.

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Samuel McKnight MBE is a hairstylist known for his work with celebrities including Princess Diana, Kate Moss and Lady Gaga, and for his collaborations with fashion houses like Chanel, Fendi, Balmain and Burberry. In the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, Sam launched his new product line, which has gone from strength to strength.

We sat down to discuss indulgence in nostalgia, the best advice Charlotte Tilbury has ever given him, where he gets his inspiration and how he's achieved staying power.

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Marcia Kilgore is a serial entrepreneur. She sold her first business LVMH in 2004 for a rumoured £25 million. Next up was Soap & Glory, which she sold to Boots in 2014 with over £100 million in revenue. Soaper Duper and Fitflop are globally successful businesses. Marcia’s latest mission, is Netflix for Beauty, and she wants you to have a piece of the Beauty Pie. It’s the first business Marcia has raised money for (over £100 million), and she chatted candidly with me about her extensive business journey. We talked about her obsession with customer experience, work life balance, and her secret sauce. 

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Conna Walker is the real deal. She started her now multi million pound brand as a teenager, and now, over a decade later, House of CB is one of the most successful online retailers in this space. Conna, splitting her time between London and LA, spoke candidly with me about how she's launched the iconic affordable luxury brand, with collections loved by Beyonce, J-Lo and Kylie Jenner, to name but a few. With millions of followers on social media and having been voted Forbes 30 under 30, Conna chatted to me about the launches that didn't work, how to keep company culture alive when you're scaling quickly, how her family shaped her business journey, and her thoughts on a company exit.

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Eva Alexandridis founded 111 Skin with her husband, the hugely successful Dr Yannis. The brand started as a solution for aftercare for patients who had undergone surgical procedures. With a BA in International Business + a Masters, learning and travelling shaped Eva's world view. 111 Skin has grown to become a huge global brand. In over 85 luxury hotel spas, a list of enviable celebrities that swear by the product, including Olivia Palermo, Ashley Graham, Rosie Huntington-Whitely to Priyanka Chopra, Bella Hadid and Margot Robbie and a viral sheet mask, Eva has made the brand a household name, in a difficult market to crack. In this candid chat, Eva shares with me the reality of her business journey, the highs and lows and what she would do differently with what she knows now.

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This week, Harper’s Bazaar commissioned Emily to write a piece about how the the Spring 2023 Budget will affect entrepreneurs and business owners in the UK. As a cause close to her heart, Emily jumped at the opportunity and has recorded a special podcast episode, reading in full the published article, that can be found below:

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/people-parties/bazaar-at-work/a43334748/spring-budget-entrepreneurs-start-ups/

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Welcome to the Busi-ness Podcast!

In this episode, I’m joined by Dan Warne, CEO and founder of Sessions. Prior to Sessions, Dan was the Managing Director at Deliveroo, an app you’ve probably heard of. He was part of the business during a time of exponential growth, ultimately leading to IPO, which was met with mixed reviews. We talked a lot about growing and scaling businesses, and what happens when you realise that the dream job you’re so invested in, isn’t going to work for you in the long-term.

He’s now running an amazing company, Sessions, which aims to lower the barriers to entry and is streamline the processes for restaurants and more importantly, the hospitality industry. Sessions is democratising the restaurant industry, which has taken such a battering in the last few years.

Dan has a wealth of knowledge and insights into the industry. I hope you enjoy this episode.

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Welcome to the Busi-ness Podcast!

I’m thrilled this week to bring you a really interesting, honest podcast with my friend Namrata, the founder of cult skincare brand, Plenaire.

You’ve probably seen Plenaire all over your Instagram feeds and popping up in a variety of amazing retailers across the UK. Whilst it’s an incredibly exciting time for businesses like Plenaire, it is absolutely not without its challenges.

Namrata and I had an incredibly candid chat about where she is this week and in her business cycle. With an amazing career behind her and an amazing career ahead, we discussed some of the challenges she faces day-to-day; mentally, physically, emotionally. We also had a really accurate and honest look at the market and its performance. We looked at what it means to run a startup in these uncertain times. It’s such an important episode for anyone who’s starting to run a business and I really hope you can connect a little and realise that you’re absolutely not alone!

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Welcome to the Busi-ness Podcast!

In this week’s episode, I speak with Amy Liu, founder and CEO of clean beauty brand, Tower 28 Beauty. Whilst growing up, Amy had suffered with severe eczema and struggled to find products that worked for her. After several years working in the beauty industry, Amy set out to create products that worked for her and launched Tower 28 Beauty.

We spoke about entering a highly saturated marketplace and the issues surrounding regulations in the beauty industry. We discussed building a brand around inclusivity and whether her founder journey had been influenced by stereotypes and the glorification of entrepreneurship. Amy also spoke candidly about creating a product for everyone and the fear of becoming a fad.

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Welcome to the Busi-ness Podcast!

Today, I chatted with Will Sandbach and Abbie Roden, co-founders of D2C wine brand, Amie Wine. 

Amie was born in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the brainchild of Abbie, a marketer and photographer, and Will, who’d recently left his previous job as a director in the wine business. Launching the business in the June of the first lockdown, the pair seized the moment, tapping into the rosé market with a cool and more affordable direct-to-consumer brand that delivered straight to their customer’s doors. The lockdown project took off, thanks to wild support across social media.

We spoke about the influence of social media on their brand and the advantages and disadvantages of growing a business and community on Instagram. We also discussed penetrating a very traditional industry and overcoming snobbery in the wine industry. I hope you’ve got a glass of wine and you enjoy listening to this episode.

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Welcome to the Busi-ness Podcast!

Haeni Kim, founder of cult clothing brand KITRI, began her business journey in luxury fashion. Stemming from a desire to create lifelong, unique pieces, Haeni launched KITRI in 2017, bridging the gap between high street and hero pieces that don't put you out of pocket. Five years later, the brand has had an army of KITRI girls. The brand is a firm favourite of celebrities and Instagram stars, with the 2 hugely successful collaborations with Jessie Bush under its belt. Expect bright colours, bold prints and pieces you'll want to wear forever.

Haeni and I covered a number of topics, including the standards we set for women through social media, why it's impossible to have a good relationship with online platforms, the challenges facing women in their entrepreneurial journeys, why competition can be bad for our mental health and why we have to be disciplined about where our focus lies. We talked about how KITRI is tackling some of the sustainability challenges that face the sector, the fear of greenwashing and whether founders should be afraid of call-out culture. KITRI is really setting the tone for the future of fashion brands and buying better and I really hope you enjoy listening to this business story.

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Welcome to the Busi-ness Podcast!

This week, on the podcast, I’m really excited to bring you a very special episode, with a friend and an old client of mine, Julian Hearn, founder of Huel. Julian started Huel six years ago, following two previous businesses; one successful, the other, not so, but the latter led to the launch of Huel.

He talked to me really openly about his business journey, the sacrifices he’s had to make and the original plan for Huel. He danced around the subject of the business IPOing this year, but either way, they have announced that they’ve done over £100million in revenue. This is an extraordinary achievement for a business that’s hardly raised any money and Julian still has a huge amount of the equity of the business. You’ll see the brand everywhere, from social media to t-shirts and the culture of the business is so special. Julian is an incredibly impressive, thoughtful and kind man, with so many exciting new thoughts and ideas. I really hope you enjoy this special episode.

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Welcome to the Busi-ness Podcast!

Today’s episode was recorded live in London, at the Hoxton in Southwark, with LG Gram, an amazing part of the LG business, who I’ve been working with as part of their Hustle Hub, a Facebook community where entrepreneurs can come together to chat and share stories and advice. 

I’ve been really lucky to be working with them this year and as a part of this work, I was fortunate enough to record this very special episode live with Tommy Mallet, founder of Mallet London.

You may know Tommy from his role on reality show, TOWIE, but Tommy and I sat down to discuss his incredible apparel brand, which is now worth over £10million, with stores all over the UK and global expansion well underway. Tommy was recently named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. His business journey is far from normal and it was incredibly fascinating to hear him talk about his drive and how he created the business. He talked to me about how disappointed he was with how he was represented on TOWIE and how he thought he’d be an instant success on the show. He talks openly about finding the balance between his family and his business and managing relationships both in person and online. He’s got an insatiable drive for success and spoke openly about what happened when he became a millionaire, his mental health, his family and the tensions that many entrepreneurs feel. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did recording it.

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Welcome to The Busi-ness Podcast.

Today I am joined by Chris Sheldrick, Co-founder & CEO of what3words.

With a background in the music industry, Chris noticed that traditional addresses for venues and precise stage doors or loading bays were not accurate enough. As a result, he set out to make a simpler version of addresses using just three words…meet what3words.

Working with co-founders comes with swings and roundabouts but Chris explains how his team had an ideal natural balance, with everyone responsible for their separate areas of business.

Faced with a unique proposition, Chris unusually felt he wasn’t faced with direct competitors. Instead, Chris spent his time understanding what his consumers currently use and how he can simplify this.

Partnering with large companies such as Lamborghini is an essential part of what3words’ strategy. It’s evident that even though not everyone owns a Lamborghini, consideration, awareness, and credibility can be built through strategic partnerships.

Focusing on the entire world, Chris and his co-founders faced a huge challenge during targeting. Receiving lots of opinion on where to direct the business, the team identified a combination of these which worked for them.

Having never fundraised previously, Chris explains that there’s no written playbook and talks through just some examples of funding which may be suitable for some businesses.

There’s a lot to learn from such an industry changing business in a unique space.

I hope you enjoy this episode of The Busi-ness Podcast.

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Welcome to the The Busi-ness Podcast.

Today I am joined by Amanda Harrington, founder of InParlour and Amanda Harrington London. Driven by skin cancer running in her family, Amanda’s mission is to provide an alternative and safe means to tanning. 

Stretched, overworked and exhausted from balancing mum-life combined with flying around the world to spray tan VIPs, contemporaries encouraged Amanda to bring out her own line of products to increase her reach… meet Amanda Harrington London. 

Eight years in the making, Amanda discusses the unmentioned length of time that launching a business can take, including the two years that it took to get out of her at-the-time role in InParlour.

Finding a reliable manufacturer who believes in what you do is a long-road. Amanda likens the search to finding a life-partner and emphasises the importance in this. She explains this was just a tiny part of the big switch from a service-based business to product.

Aiming to stand out, Amanda explains how applying a different technique to mainstream brands allowed her to build a desirable brand with results of consumers raving about her products.

Slowed-down supplied chains, forced to shut InParlour and faced with huge challenges, Amanda explains how she turned around the pandemic to work in her favour despite setbacks.

I learnt a lot speaking to Amanda and I hope you will to. 

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Today I am joined by Simone De La Rue, Founder & CEO of Body by Simone, a dance-based fitness business. Simone has run her US business for over a decade and has trained some of the world’s most famous celebrities, as well as appearing on Khloe Kardashian’s Revenue Body.

With a passion for dance and a love of moving her body, Simone identified the need for consumers to have easy access to exercise and cardio, that doesn’t feel like a chore. 

Reflecting on the last 18 months with her business all but shutting down, the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in Simone’s four studios quickly turning to two. Heartbroken, Simone reminds us that this was a harsh reality check on how misleading social media can be.

We talked about marketing + how receiving lots of press coverage in the early days fast tracked Simone’s business but she explains that celebrity endorsement is not something to rely on – it’s all in the product being sold. Starting her business, Simone says she felt ‘clueless’. 

10 years on, Body by Simone focuses on content to stay relevant amongst constantly emerging health and fitness ‘fads’. 

Her biggest challenges include retaining highly-skilled staff whilst juggling the emotions and many personalities of employees. 

I ask what productivity means to Simone and in response, she explains what she means by ‘run your day not let your day run you’ 

I hope you can take some of Simone’s words of wisdom and apply them to your endeavours. 

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Welcome to the Busi-ness Podcast.

Today, I speak to Venetia Archer, Founder and CEO of on-demand beauty booking platform, Ruuby. Venetia launched Ruuby in 2015, at a time where on-demand tech platforms such as Deliveroo and Uber were taking off in the UK. Taking a leap from her career as a Geopolitical Risk Analyst in to the Beauty industry, Venetia earned a spot in Forbes 30 Under 30 2017 list and today, Ruuby connects over 500 highly skilled beauty professionals with clients across London, offering a host of services, including blowdries, massages, manicures and makeup, with plenty more exciting things in the pipeline. The business kicked off their regional rollout this year, launching Ruuby in Manchester.

Venetia spared a moment between running a business and being a mum to a young baby, to chat to me about how she defines success and why focusing too much on the competition can hinder your growth. We discussed learning resilience in the face of rejection, celebrating the wins and reminding yourself that what you're doing is fun. She shared with me why she started off by applying for a start up loan, rather than diving straight into a fundraise and how she went on to acquire another business within 3 years of Ruuby launching. We chatted about the advantages and disadvantages of being a sole founder, the importance of sharing your problems and why it's best to keep things simple in order to stay organised. It was so great to finally catch up with Venetia and I hope you can take some practical and inspirational tips from her story.

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Welcome to the Busi-ness Podcast.

Andy Shovel is my guest this week. Serial entrepreneur, he founded his fourth business, THIS, IN 2019. After realising we should all be eating less meat and noticing how bad the current offering was, Andy and his co-founder Pete, wanted to create a business that tasted great, impacted the planet and made it easier for everyone to switch to meat alternatives. Andy kindly gave up his time on a Sunday to chat to me and we covered topics such as how to work with a partner, how to raise money and where to raise it from, why a sense of humour is a critical trait for those working at THIS, why entrepreneurialism isn't for everyone and what the future of the meat-free market looks like. Andy is hugely likeable and thoughtful and I thoroughly enjoyed chatting to him about his exciting business.

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Welcome to the Busi-ness Podcast.

My guests today are Simon Polet and Benoit Fortpied, co-founders of sustainable merchandise business, Merchery. Childhood friends, Simon and Benoit always knew they wanted to build a business together and three years ago, they launched a side project selling reusable water bottles, alongside their respective jobs. After becoming hugely popular with businesses on the hunt for branded bottles, the pair noticed a huge gap in the corporate merchandise market for beautiful and sustainable products and Merchery was born. Since launching in May 2020, Merchery has created stunning and sustainable merch for brands such as Deliveroo, Spotify and Oatley, with plenty of exciting projects in the pipeline, including expansion in the US and some serious tech development to improve the customer experience even more.

We covered several topics, including the moment they realised their project was more than just a side hustle and the advantages and disadvantages of launching a business in the midst of a global pandemic. We chatted about the corporate merchandise industry and how Merchery is shaking it up with sustainability and modern tech at the forefront of its mission. The pair spoke openly about their relationship as both friends and co-founders, their attitude towards competition and what success means to them. It was so interesting to chat to Benoit and Simon and hear their honest and refreshing insights and experience.

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Welcome to the Busi-ness Podcast.

This week, I chat to Ariel Booker and Josh White, co-founders of Europe’s leading canned water brand, CanO Water. After an eye-opening trip to Thailand, which left them shocked by the amount of litter on the beaches, Josh and Ariel, along with their third co-founder Perry Fielding, were determined to find a more sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bottles and CanO Water was born. Launching in 2015, the brand has grown exponentially, down to the founders passion, authenticity and guerrilla approach. Since then, the brand has sold over 20million cans and is currently celebrating a mega fundraising round, with backing from the former European President of Heineken. This year, Ariel, Josh and Perry made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and the brand is making serious moves in the food and drinks sector, but remains dedicated to their core mission of making a difference. 

We talked about how authenticity is at the core of the brand’s messaging and how the how the concept came to fruition. We discussed their hardcore guerrilla approach, the importance of showing up everywhere and how they remained focused in getting the brand seen. Ariel and Josh spoke honestly about their relationship as co-founders and how they would make things happen, no matter what people told them. Naturally, we discussed sustainability, originality and being the first in their sector to do something different. I was fortunate enough to know and work with the boys at their launch several years ago, and I’m so excited to have been able to capture this conversation and share it with you

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Welcome to The Busi-ness Podcast!

Prior to launching cult stationery brand Papier in 2015, Taymoor Atighetchi started his business journey as an antiques dealer on Portobello Road Market. During his time at university, Taymoor then co-founded student news outlet The Tab, which is where his love for building brands began. Combining a love for art, design and beautiful stationery with a desire to create a brand that would define its category from day one, Papier was born. 6 years later, Papier has surpassed 1million customers and has some seriously exciting projects in the pipeline, including further product development and expansion into the US, to reach even more paper people. 

Taymoor sat down with me to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being a solo founder, retaining company culture and combating communication issues as a business grows. We spoke about understanding when and where to raise capital and accepting that not everybody will buy into your vision. Taymoor explained why Papier was never going to be a side hustle and how sustainability was part business model from day one. We talked about defining your own success and why the best piece of advice he’s ever received is to stop talking and just get on with it. I loved chatting to Taymoor about his business journey, which definitely isn’t linear. He’s such a compelling founder. I really believe in his brand mission + I hope you do too.

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Welcome to the Busi-ness Podcast.

Brand and retail expert Millie Kendall co-founded the British Beauty Council in 2018, on the back of an impressive 20 year career. Having been instrumental in the success of brands such as L’Occitane and Aveda, launching her own cosmetics brand Ruby and Millie, running her own PR and Communications agency and receiving an MBE for her services to the cosmetic industry, Millie launched the British Beauty Council with a mission to support and champion the best interests of the British beauty industry. 

Despite being the epitome of busy, Millie sat down to chat with me about being a storyteller and why talking and listening to people is integral to creating the best ideas. We discussed how social media has transformed the beauty and wellness industry, why doing something well doesn’t necessarily mean that it was easy and why we should always sleep on important decisions. Millie spoke candidly about the effects of politics on business, having the right intentions when starting out and how the British Beauty Council is future-proofing the beauty and wellness industry. It was so interesting to chat to Millie and listen to the insights and experiences from her exceptional career.

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Welcome to the Busi-ness Podcast.

Jessica Mason launched bedding and sleepwear brand Piglet in 2017, following an impressive career in marketing and PR, working with global brands such as Nike, Rayban + Aesop. Born out of Jessica's desire for high-quality basics in her home that were both cosy and beautiful, Piglet started small, but has since grown rapidly. Jessica chatted to me about having the opportunity to look under the hood, and see what really excites customers. We talked about learning the ropes on other people’s checkbooks, how to spot a gap in the market, and how unrealistic versions of home life spurred her on to create Piglet. We talked about how to avoid being sucked into the Instagram perception of what a founder should look and act like, the practical steps that Jessica took to launch the business, + why her first employee was her mum. Jessica currently lives in New York, having moved there to support the growth of the business. Her perspective is refreshingly normal and unfrilly, and I hope you enjoy listening to her business journey

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Welcome to The Busi-ness Podcast.

When Pip Black made the move from advertising to launch cult fitness studio chain Frame with co-founder Joan Murphy in 2009, their mission was simple: to stop exercise feeling like a chore and put the fun back in fitness. Stemming from the desire for commitment free exercise that was actually enjoyable, Pip and Joan dedicated themselves to creating a fitness concept that would fit seamlessly into people's day-to-day lives, catering to both their mood and body and encouraging a better frame of mind. 12 years later, the brand boasts 7 studios across London, over 50 different classes and a dedicated community of FRAMERS across the UK.

Pip and I discussed having absolute dedication to your brand mission and values, believing wholeheartedly in what you do and being confident in the knowledge that things don't always go to plan. Pip spoke candidly about social media anxiety and why Frame is bringing the feel good factor online, the unrealistic allure of entrepreneurialism and how the past 18 months has impacted women in business. Pip is a hugely successful entrepreneur and I hope you are able to take some learnings from her inspiring story.

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