Conversations of Inspiration

How do you evolve with your brand as a founder?  For over three decades Boden has been serious about style that makes you smile, and this week, Holly sits down with Johnnie Boden CBE to revisit his story since they first met in 2018.  Having weathered recessions, Brexit, Covid and now a cost of living crisis, Boden has established itself as a quintessentially British brand, that is also taking the US market by storm.  Johnnie shares his secrets of how he has kept Boden on track, how he defied the fashion fads that destroyed his rivals and the single most valuable piece of advice he has ever received. It’s a conversation about life as much as it is business, as Johnnie reflects on how he believes that growing up with his brand is the key to remaining motivated, passionate and in love with his company. If you enjoyed this episode, we think you’ll love Holly’s Conversation of Inspiration with Henry Dimbleby MBE, Co-founder of Leon. Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

Jacqueline Gold CBE, Chief Executive of Ann Summers, made it her life mission to empower women both in the boardroom but also in the bedroom, and unashamedly too. She tackled taboos, redefined an entire industry and made a lasting impact on the next generation of women in business.  As Jacqueline once said, “As women, we should boldly lift our heads above the parapet and celebrate our own successes”.  Jacqueline’s Conversation of Inspiration is one that Holly was truly honoured to hear in 2020, and is one she will hold close forevermore.  In honour of the incredible life of Jacqueline we are sharing this special podcast episode to remember and celebrate her strength, resilience, courage, and a legacy that will never be forgotten.

It’s a tough job but someone has to do it. Chantal Coady OBE – AKA The Chocolate Detective — is on a mission to help you uncover the finest and most ethical chocolate around. Fuelled by a lifelong love of all things chocolate, Chantal’s business journey began at just 23, opening Rococo on the Kings Road, and stocking in the likes of Liberty, Heals and British Airways. However, there have also been extreme lows, after a terrible experience saw her lose her first business in 2019.  Now returning to her creative chocolate roots, Chantal is using her years of knowledge and experience to guide the revolution for ethical, delectable chocolate with the utmost transparency — a mission she has been driving for the past 40 years.  This is a life-affirming conversation that reminds us all that in whatever we pursue, passion might be the only thing that can heal us. If you enjoyed this episode, we think you’ll love Holly’s Conversation of Inspiration with Jo Malone CBE, founder of Jo Loves.  Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

As women, how on earth is it possible to build a business and grow with it over decades — whilst raising a family, weathering the storms of life and remaining inspired, motivated and engaged throughout? Baroness Ruth Rogers CBE is someone who has done just that and today, her pioneering Michelin starred restaurant The River Cafe remains one of the most in-demand culinary institutions in London, 36 years after she led a food revolution. In this episode, Ruth shares stories of discovering her passion for seasonal ingredients, the progression of female chefs she’s witnessed, and how far we still have to go. She even reveals her top tips for building the foundations of a strong business and a truly happy workforce.  It’s a conversation which is both inspiring and heartbreaking in equal measure, and one that speaks volumes of the legacy that Ruth has created. If you enjoyed this episode, we think you’ll love Holly’s Conversation of Inspiration with Chrissie Rucker OBE, founder of The White Company.  Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

Do you want to learn how to do, think and be better – for our planet and in life itself?  You are not alone. And it’s not just us in a personal capacity, either. Mark Shayler — thinker, doer, creator, speaker and author — helps brands too. He shows how big companies can think like small ones and small companies can think like big ones, to make sure they stand apart, remain relevant in our society and most importantly, retain their creative magic.  An expert in helping businesses innovate and prioritise sustainability, Mark sews the positive seeds of change that transform companies and help make our world a better place. You’ll come away from this conversation overflowing with imaginative ways you’ll want to evolve, not only in the way you do business, but also in the way you live. Mark explains that the key lies in, “Not letting the success of yesterday get in the way of today”. Listen to find out why.  If you enjoyed this episode, we think you’ll love Holly’s Conversation of Inspiration with Kate Robinson, author, speaker and co-director of Nevergrey.  Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

What does it mean to be a cultural provocateur? When your mission is to awaken, to communicate, to reveal truth and even to provoke action — all through the art of photography?  In this exclusive interview, Holly speaks to Rankin, one of the most influential photographers of our time, renowned for his ability to capture the essence and truth of his subjects rather than simply taking their pictures. And that’s not all… Having worked with everyone from the Queen of England to the Queen of Pop, Rankin is often seen as being a ‘celebrity photographer’. However it’s his ability to seek to leave the world better than he found it — and to to push boundaries as well as conversations — that sets him apart. Rankin speaks to Holly about his rise to fame, why he believes that sometimes, “The best way to be creative, is to be bored” and how he has used his art to help himself and others cope with grief. This episode reveals an intimate portrait of the man behind the lens, and is one that you definitely won’t want to miss. If you enjoyed this episode, we think you’ll love Holly’s Conversation of Inspiration on the nature of creative storytelling with Greg Hoffman, Nike’s former CMO and author of Emotion By Design.  Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

Have you ever been in need of a safe space to share your most personal questions or concerns as a woman and just not known where to turn? If so, it’s an experience shared by many — especially the 2.5 million people who’ve joined Peanut; the groundbreaking app set up by Michelle Kennedy to ensure that no woman ever has to navigate womanhood alone.  Whether it’s to connect, form friendships or just to have really open conversations with other women about the complicated areas of fertility, menopause and motherhood to name a few, Peanut is a platform that’s enabled positive progress for many.  Michelle talks to Holly about the ignition of her business idea following a successful career in the dating industry at Badoo and Bumble, navigating the world of tech as a female, and how she believes each of us has a responsibility to change the dialogue around the challenges that occur, for future generations. Dubbed ‘the village for the digital age’, Peanut is a powerful force and one that is breaking down the modern taboos around womanhood, whichever stage of life we are at. Listen to find out how to join the movement, too… If you enjoyed this episode, we think you’ll love Holly’s Conversation of Inspiration with Jacqueline Gold CBE, CEO of Ann Summers.  Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

Want to meet the man who’s revolutionising the mental health movement?  With our mental health care system in crisis and people struggling more than ever before, Danny Gray (founder of men’s makeup brand War Paint), saw a need for change. So he launched a revolutionary mental health platform called JAAQ. Driven by his own learned experiences as a teenage victim of bullying, and having been diagnosed with Body Dysmorphic Disorder himself, Danny is on a mission to remove the stigma around male makeup, whilst also making expert mental health knowledge accessible to all.  Danny really is not only changing, but saving lives — all through the art of answering some of life’s most difficult and complex questions. Listen to find out how.   If you enjoyed this, we think you’ll love listening to Joe Wick MBE’s Conversation of Inspiration. Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

For most, living in a world where social media is only a positive and empowering place is nothing but a dream. Yet this week Sue Fennessy, founder and CEO of WeAre8, is here to share how she is making it a reality.  Describing this venture as her ‘civic duty’, Sue has created a social media app that not only has zero tolerance for hate, but that could also generate millions of pounds shared across charities, creatives and users each and every month in the process. How? Simply by offering users the chance to enjoy the app in exchange for watching just a few minutes of adverts per day.  In this empowering and emotional episode, Sue talks to Holly about the current value exchange of digital advertising. She also explains the power of the female founder, and how WeAre8 aims to contribute towards solving the global economic crisis by reconnecting millions of brands and people — whilst saving our young from the bleak reality of social media as we know it today.  So how can you help Sue on this mission to change the world? Listen to find out… If you enjoyed this Conversation of Inspiration, we would recommend heading over to listen to Josie Naughton, founder of Choose Love’s episode now.   Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

Want to know how Goldie MBE became one of the most compelling artists of our time? Well look no further as this week, this maverick’s story will leave you captivated, surprised and completely inspired.  You might know him for his pioneering drum and bass music in the 90s, his gold teeth, or his acting career, but in this exclusive interview, Goldie shares how he defied the odds, having experienced abuse, heartbreak and battling addiction in his early years, to now seeing beauty in every waking moment.  After a difficult childhood spent in the care system, Goldie channelled his creative spirit into the world of art and music, carving out a stellar career and legacy in the creative world.  With success and destruction as part of his story, Goldie shares how The Hoffman Process, using creativity as an outlet, and nurturing a family that he adores, have helped him to build a life of contentment and happiness. Along this colourful journey, Goldie also reveals what he now considers to be the three most important things he couldn’t live without.  Goldie reflects with Holly on how short life really is, the many lessons he’s learnt whilst healing from his past, and if his infectious positive energy doesn’t have you completely inspired, his words of wisdom and encouragement to ‘get up and do something you’ve never done before’ will. It’s a rollercoaster of an episode.  If you enjoyed this, we think you’ll love listening to Mo Gawdat’s Conversation of Inspiration. Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

This week Holly speaks with Sharmadean Reid MBE, founder of The Stack World, a revolutionary media platform that enables mission-driven women to make meaningful connections and move the needle on gender equality.   A serial entrepreneur and mother, Sharmadean is known for her impact on culture and women’s empowerment with the aim of helping women achieve a higher purpose and a stronger economic status.  In this conversation Sharmadean shares the impact her own culture and upbringing had on her view of the world, the impact raising money had on her confidence as well as how cultural relevance, the world news agenda, and her own ideas created a fertile ground from which to launch her ideas. It’s a vision of equal opportunities and a fair future for all — and one in which the community-led Stack World plays a pivotal role in pushing the boundaries for all women in the post-pandemic world. If you enjoyed this episode, head on over to hear Holly’s talk with Dame Stephanie "Steve" Shirley — Technology Pioneer, Businesswoman and Philanthropist, about the magnitude of what can be achieved when you refuse to settle.  Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

At the end of each podcast series, Holly likes to take a moment out of the hustle and bustle of small business life, to sit and reflect on the special conversations she’s been lucky enough to have.  So if you haven’t yet listened to every episode this season, or if you loved them all so much that you want to recall key moments – settle down with a cup of tea and get ready to take notes from some of the most successful founders on the planet.  In this series, each of Holly’s guests have shared tales from their business journeys so far, building some of the most recognised brands in the world. Each guest opened up about the highs and lows of their unique journeys, but the one key similarity Holly recognised amongst every founder is their ability to pivot when the going gets tough, in order for their businesses to survive.  Here, Holly has selected a key moment from each of her conversations that have stayed with her – including ungooglable pieces of advice, inspiring moments and some emotional memories we can all take lessons from.  This round-up episode features snippets from Holly’s conversations with Trinny Woodall, founder of Trinny London, Kate Robinson, co-founder of The Creative Revolution and Never Grey, Dishoom’s founder Shamil Thakrar, Helen and Sarah, squiggly career experts and co-founders of Amazing If, Josie Naughton, founder of Choose Love, Marisa Hordern, creator of Missoma, Renee Elliott, founder and mastermind behind Planet Organic and Beluga Bean, NEOM’s founder Nicola Elliott, and Charlotte Wood, founder of Polar Post and Queen of Christmas.  Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

In this captivating conversation, Charlotte Wood, founder of the magical Polar Post, shares her wisdom on building a brand that truly embodies kindness, nostalgia and the spirit of Christmas. With the help of the elves, Charlotte’s founding mission was to revive the lost art of calligraphy for a new generation and create remarkable works of art in the form of letters, so that every child can feel as though Father Christmas is speaking directly to them.  Since founding her enchanting business, Polar Post has gone from strength to strength, but with the many highs on her Christmas journey so far, have also come many lows. Here, Charlotte bares her soul, sharing her early struggles with school, and how Polar Post actually sprung from a place of darkness, when she was battling postnatal depression. Charlotte also shares her advice when coping with guilt as a working mother, dealing with copying, working with charities, and the power creativity has in turning your world “from grey to technicolour”. Her creations are a labour of love that sprinkle magic on our doormats, up chimneys and under our Christmas trees, year on year. All you have to do is believe. If you enjoyed this episode, head on over to hear Holly’s talk with Jo Tuchener Sharp, founder of Scamp & Dude, which we think you’ll love too.  Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

How do you know what business to start or how to scale it? This episode marks Holly’s very last lightbulb moment of the series, and so she wanted to share with you the answers to the questions she so often gets asked. Taken from her conversation with Keith Abel, founder of Abel & Cole, Holly reflects on the moment that Keith recognised he had a golden opportunity when selling his organic potatoes, which was the pivotal moment that changed his life forever. When Keith shared this with Holly, it marked a revelation for her too. She shares how we all experience our very own lightbulb moments each and every day, but the art is not only to recognise them, but also to seize them with both hands. If you want to take control of your future, this is the guidance you need — and it takes less than 15 minutes to hear it.  You can hear Keith Abel’s full episode here.  Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas, and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

How do you build a disruptive brand in a new sector, whilst keeping it accessible for all? In this episode, Nicola Elliot shares her lessons as she recounts her story building the cult status, well-being brand Neom Organics. Growing up in Yorkshire, a self declared naughty child, Nicola carved out a glittering career in advertising in her twenties before burn out forced her to refocus her energies in a different direction. Nicola recounts the early days of Neom, the risks, the setbacks, and challenges she faced, as well as the early green shoots of success that followed, catapulting the business to iconic status. Neom is a brand that in Nicola’s words has been built brick by brick, and ignited the movement for natural, environmentally friendly well-being products. Nicola explains that Neom’s products are for those that are “just trying to do their best” – for ourselves, and the environment.  Nicola’s success story is a result of pure determination, and she shares with Holly how in her opinion, it is our responsibility as parents to teach our children to have strength and grit as a form of protection.  It’s a conversation that prompts all of us to remember that building a brand is so much more than a final destination, and that how we get there is every bit as important. If you enjoyed this episode, head on over to hear Holly’s talk with Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company, which we think you’ll love too.  Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

This might just be the most humbling lightbulb moment Holly has had this whole series. In just 15 minutes, you can learn the life-changing skill of freeing yourself from your past and controlling your present — allowing you to achieve anything you put your mind to. Letting the past distract her is a battle that Holly has faced herself over the years, especially when recalling certain times at notonthehighstreet. But it wasn’t until she met with the formidable Dr. Edith Eger, that she suddenly realised it’s possible to readjust our mindsets and undo this harmful pattern.  Edith is wisdom personified. She shares so many pieces of incredible advice when it comes to only focusing on the positives in our lives and what empowers us, and this really struck a chord with Holly — especially coming from someone who has lived through something as traumatic and horrific as the Holocaust.  Holly explains how she learned that it’s not arriving at the destination that is the prize, but actually the journey itself. This is a lightbulb moment that will stay with you forever. And if you ever find yourself focusing on the past – just remember to be more Edith!  You can hear Dr. Edith Eger’s full episode here.  Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas, and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

Renée Elliott had no real inkling of what her purpose was, until walking down the aisle of a health food store in Boston. Little did she know that this moment would ignite her dream, and lead to her opening the first organic supermarket in the UK in 1995 — Planet Organic.  With no prior experience but a determination to build a business that would make a difference to people's lives, Renée learnt ‘on the job’ when she had an idea to bring organically grown food to the mainstream shopper.  However, Renée’s world was turned upside down when her business partner tried to take ownership of the business in a period where Planet Organic was thriving. Renée opens up about this achingly stressful experience, how she battled through it, and how it has shaped the person she is today.  Renée is a true trailblazer we can all learn from, with an inspirational mindset and shares with Holly the guiding principles she’s learnt on her journey so far. She’s an unapologetically emotional, female founder, continuing her mission to spread positivity and encourage people to live the healthiest, happiest life possible — as demonstrated through her second business, Beluga Bean.  This conversation is a tonic for anyone that needs to hear why, “Everything will always be okay”.  If you would like to work with Renée at Beluga Bean, you can email her at renee@belugabean.com, and if enjoyed this episode, head on over to hear Holly’s talk with Greg Hoffman, Nike’s former CMO, which we think you’ll love too.  Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

Imagine how happy you could be if you were able to find the beauty in everything. Want to learn the art in less than 15 minutes? Taken from her conversation with Anya Hindmarch CBE, one of Holly’s ultimate female business icons, Holly recalls Anya explaining the story of designing her much loved crisp packet handbags, and how you really can make everyday ‘ordinary’ items extraordinary.  Hearing Anya tell this tale ignited a lightbulb moment for Holly, as it took her back to when she realised that her calling was to seek out the neverending beauty within small businesses – which is how her first business, notonthehighstreet, was born.  Holly explains how ever since, she has been on a quest to scale the unique, and in doing so has become a proud leader of the small business community. She also sheds light on how we as humans are totally one-of-a-kind and beautiful in our own way, and so surely this should be reflected in our businesses? What are the ways you could take run-of-the-mill items and transform them into something wonderful? When did anyone say that products like handbags can't be fun? If you'd like some inspiration, we think you're going to love this... You can hear Anya Hindmarch CBE’s full episode here.  Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas, and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

This week Holly speaks with Marisa Hordern, founder of London based jewellery brand, Missoma. Born at the kitchen table, Missoma started as a side hustle. Now, after over a decade of incredible hard work and grit, Missoma is an iconic jewellery brand beloved by millennials and A listers alike. Often referred to as an overnight success, Marisa sheds light on this misconception, and the first seven years she battled through to get her business off the ground, where at her lowest point, she considered terminating Missoma all together.  However, with love, passion and determination, Marisa recognised that ‘going through the trenches, makes you appreciate things more’, and looking back shares what decisions she made to turn the tables in order to be where she is today.  Talking about the pivotal moments on her journey, from creating a new niche for demi-fine jewellery in the industry, to changing her business model from largely wholesale business to an online retailer, which really changed the game.  Marisa also shares with Holly her top pieces of advice from her business journey so far – from building a loyal team, to the importance of digital marketing in our modern age, and sharing her expertise on sustainability and being honest with your customers.  It’s a conversation that speaks to the bravery and passion in all of us, of what might just be possible if we are prepared to trust our gut, challenge the status quo and most importantly, be confident in ourselves and our dreams. If you enjoyed this episode, head on over to Holly’s conversations with Sahar Hashemi, founder of Coffee Republic, which we think you’ll love too.  Plus for more unfiltered insight, subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

This week, Holly shares why business is not just a one way road to success, but also reveals the key to overcoming the darkest, most difficult times that so many founders face by mastering the art of problem solving.  When Holly spoke with Lord John Bird, she was in total awe of his knowledge, his experience, and his overwhelming confidence in his vision – but what has really stayed with her is how he turned his business around, when The Big Issue was in terrible financial trouble and just months away from closure.  John’s experience struck such a chord with Holly, as his story is much like her own. Holly’s first business notonthehighstreet in its earliest days almost met its demise multiple times due to cashflow issues, and it was down to Holly to save her business each time. Here, Holly recalls those hardest days, and shares the steps she took to turn it around.  So are you facing a problem that you just can’t solve? Or do you need a little inspiration to see how the tables really can turn? Listen now to hear how both Lord John Bird and Holly changed their futures for the better… You can hear Lord John Bird MBE’s full episode here.  Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas, and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.