Conversations of Inspiration

Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill is the epitome of female strength. Not only physically, but mentally resilient; determined, grounded and focused - purely driven by her passion for sport and her competitive nature. A true representation of what you can achieve when you have the confidence to know that you are in the right place at the right time. Jessica shares with Holly her lifelong dedication to sport, the sacrifices she chose to make when she was younger and her belief that preparation and commitment are the keys to success and give you the focus to keep driving towards your dreams. The poster girl of the London 2012 Olympics, Jessica also recounts the moment she won that gold medal and made a whole nation proud.This is a conversation that will inspire, motivate and ignite your passions and will leave you believing anything is possible. #AD Conversations of Inspiration is brought to you with support from Dell Technologies. Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? It's worth following Holly Tucker MBE and Holly & Co on Instagram, and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on our website, where Holly downloads her thoughts, and exclusively shares small business finds and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

This week’s episode of Conversations of Inspiration sees Holly speak with psychotherapist, speaker and author, Anna Mathur. Anna is a strong believer that needing help and support isn’t failure; it’s a prerequisite of being human.  It’s easy to feel like a failure. It’s easy to feel guilty for not giving enough of yourself to your work, to your family, to your friends, and it's easy to feel alone with these thoughts. Anna has an amazing way of normalising these emotions, encouraging us to accept our humanness and giving us the gift of being able to find compassion for ourselves.A total breath of fresh air, Anna has a really honest and open view of her own life which allows you to look at yours through a different lens, lower the bar for yourself and accept that you are enough.  If you are in need of a warm hug, grab yourself a cup of tea, curl up, and listen to this conversation. It has the power to change your life. #AD Conversations of Inspiration is brought to you with support from Dell Technologies. Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? It's worth following Holly Tucker MBE and Holly & Co on Instagram, and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on our website, where Holly downloads her thoughts, and exclusively shares small business finds and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

Natalie Campbell, CEO of Belu Water is the very embodiment of female empowerment.After deciding at 15 that her life's mission was to be a CEO (thanks to Puff Daddy), she embarked on her journey with such drive and determination that she started her own business at the age of 19.  With a personal ethos around finding your ‘why’ and a philosophy that if it feels ‘too much’ then take a step back and breathe. In order to be her best self, Natalie has lived her life with agency - for herself and on her own terms.She openly discusses her 6 figure salary and tells Holly that the only way we will be able to close the gender pay gap is by empowering women to talk openly about their salaries and to be confident in the value they bring.She embodies the entrepreneurial mindset and runs at walls, knowing that she will do whatever it takes to get around them, through them, over them or under them - with whatever it takes. With a personal mission to create a world where people can feel good, do good and live better, Natalie’s career is defined by her ability to change the unchangeable and to see possibility always.#AD Conversations of Inspiration is brought to you with support from Dell Technologies. Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? It's worth following Holly Tucker MBE and Holly & Co on Instagram, and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on our website, where Holly downloads her thoughts, and exclusively shares small business finds and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

This week Holly speaks to James Daunt, founder of Daunt Books and CEO of Waterstones. James is a passionate champion of independent high streets, so much so, that his reason for joining Waterstones as CEO was to turn the ship at the brink of failure in order to prevent what would have been a devastating loss to British independent book selling. James’ view is that our high streets were in decline long before the pandemic struck. He is a firm believer that in order to regenerate, it is essential to have an entrepreneurial mindset to bring much needed flair to retail; creating truly immersive experiences that breathe fresh life into what has been before. Join the conversation to find out how James came to found Daunt Books. Learn what ignited his simple, ingenious idea that reinvented a whole industry - and how you can be inspired to challenge the status quo, observe the masses and do the opposite, to bring entrepreneurial thinking into any aspect of life. Hailed as the savior of bookstores, this conversation is filled with James’ vision, passion and future thinking as a golden thread throughout.#AD Conversations of Inspiration is brought to you with support from Dell Technologies. Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? It's worth following Holly Tucker MBE and Holly & Co on Instagram, and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on our website, where Holly downloads her thoughts, and exclusively shares small business finds and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

In this week’s episode of Conversations of Inspiration Holly talks to designer and founder Jenny Packham. Raw, open and searingly honest, this interview will leave you in no doubt of the burning energy and powerful impact that living creatively can have on the world. Jenny Packham is one of the UK’s most successful fashion brands, her designs have graced red carpets and been worn by the most influential and iconic women of our time and redefined bridalwear. As a child, an early love of sewing and textiles was instilled by her grandmothers, igniting a lifelong passion. After graduating from fashion school in the late 80s Jenny went about building a luxury brand that has endured for more than 30 years. Holly and Jenny discuss the rocky early days of creating a business, how vital it is to let creativity channel through you and how it’s impossible to make a science of it. This episode covers the importance of being obsessed with the detail, the significance of building a brand that connects on an emotional level and the impact that the global pandemic has had on the bridal industry. #AD Conversations of Inspiration is brought to you with support from Dell Technologies. Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? It's worth following Holly Tucker MBE and Holly & Co on Instagram, and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on our website, where Holly downloads her thoughts, and exclusively shares small business finds and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

Finding personal fulfilment through creativity and regenerating after times of darkness define this week’s conversation with Anna Lewis, founder of creative small business, Sketchy Muma. Anna has the unique ability to draw beautiful, honest and heartfelt illustrations that depict experiences and feelings that somehow seem to capture moments in time that resonate with so many.  Holly and Anna talk about building a brand by harnessing the power of raw emotion through personal experience and being brave enough to share it with the world.  Anna’s journey shines a light on the simple human struggles of everyday life and how, during her own darker days, specific moments of clarity gave her the power to regenerate herself.  Driven by her strong desire to give the gift of ‘now’ to her daughter in the future, Anna restored her lust for life and found her purpose through illustration. A beautiful tale of how your passions and dreams will always shine through if you let them. Trigger warning: discussion around miscarriage and cancer. #AD Conversations of Inspiration is brought to you with support from Dell Technologies. Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? It's worth following Holly Tucker MBE and Holly & Co on Instagram, and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on our website, where Holly downloads her thoughts, and exclusively shares small business finds and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

Self belief, taking risks and a lust for finding the path less travelled defines this week’s Conversation of Inspiration with Ben Fogle. With a successful TV career, a passion for the environment and more than 20 years of monumental global challenges, Ben’s life has been one of highs and lows, but the golden thread throughout has been his continued strive towards pushing outside of his comfort zone.Ben speaks of how all his experiences have shaped him as a person, and how his aspirations to take on some of man's greatest feats and his unwavering passion for the wilderness, led him to living a life of colour and adventure.It’s a conversation that embodies Ben’s desire to live a rich and full life and one that explores the relationship between resilience, self-belief and achievement.Trigger warning: discussion around the tragedy of stillbirth from 39min27sec to 42min17sec.#AD Conversations of Inspiration is brought to you with support from Dell Technologies. Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? It's worth following Holly Tucker MBE and Holly & Co on Instagram, and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on our website, where Holly downloads her thoughts, and exclusively shares small business finds and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

Sebastian Pole, co-founder of Pukka Herbs, shares his journey of creating a mission-led business rooted in ethics and herbalism. The podcast highlights staying true to values, building a business balancing purpose with profit, and the power of turning a passion for herbs into a sustainable company.

With a strong mission to share her passion for the power of botanicals,  Liz Earle MBE has revolutionised the wellbeing sector and forever changed the connection between beauty and health.Liz shares her story from her early career spent writing for beauty magazines, researching every available product to co-founding her iconic skincare line. Harnessing her belief that beauty comes from the inside out, Liz set about changing the face of beauty forever.This episode follows Liz’s journey, from the early days of turning her vision into a reality, to always trusting your gut and to founding a new business in her 50’s.#AD Conversations of Inspiration is brought to you with support from Dell Technologies. Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? It's worth following Holly Tucker MBE and Holly & Co on Instagram, and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on our website, where Holly downloads her thoughts, and exclusively shares small business finds and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

This week we celebrate the 100th episode of Conversations of Inspiration. In her most in depth and personal interview to date, Holly recounts her own journey. Interviewed by the small business community as well as close friends and family - Holly delves into who, and what, has shaped her journey to date.A look back at her childhood and the incredible rollercoaster she has been on since, Holly reflects on the people and places that have shaped who she is today. Recounting some of her lowest moments, greatest lessons and biggest hopes and dreams for the years ahead. Not only an insight into the real Holly Tucker but also a celebration of you, her wonderful small business community, who has always been with her every step of the way. Insightful, revealing and a whole side of Holly not heard before.Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? It's worth following Holly Tucker MBE and Holly & Co on Instagram, and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on our website, where Holly downloads her thoughts, and exclusively shares small business finds and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.