Conversations of Inspiration

In a rare and candid conversation, Jodie Kidd shares with Holly her journey. A journey full of twists and turns and highs and lows, that ultimately brought her full circle to becoming the proud owner of her local pub.Recounting her youth spent growing up in the British countryside surrounded by horses, to the whirlwind life as one of the most celebrated supermodels of her generation; Jodie shares how she has overcome her own mental health battles, discovering the power of saying ‘no’ and her determination to challenge herself to pursue the unexpected.Vision, fearlessness and hard work are at the core of Jodie’s story and her fascinating multi-hyphenated career which has seen her take power into her own hands and create a life less ordinary.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 talks to Sophie Sellu, founder of Grain & Knot. Born from a love of nature and the need for purpose in creation, Sophie makes beautifully tactile, fully functional kitchen utensils using modern design and traditional tools and methods. After being made redundant and deciding to attend a wood carving course,  Sophie bought an axe and a set of knives and set about carving her own future, by embracing a craft that she loved.Embracing ‘slow’ is part of Sophie’s philosophy and she discusses the early days of honing her woodcarving skills, the joy of sharing the mental health benefits of crafting and her desire to build a soulful and sustainable brand.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.

A familiar face across our TVs, this week broadcaster and founder, Jake Humphrey shares a rare insight into his background and personal philosophies - both of which he credits with finding success today. Growing up in Norfolk, Jake’s childhood was not an easy one after suffering severe bullying at school. After failing his exams and being fired from McDonalds, someone took a chance on Jake and changed the course of this life forever.In this conversation, Jake shares his belief that one must take 100% responsibility in life - as well as his family motto to ‘never sit in the comfy chair’ - and how these philosophies have been pivotal in his journey to one of the leading broadcasters in the UK. Honest, heartfelt and emotional this conversation covers Jake’s rise through the BBC to his decision to leave to join BT Sport and start his successful production company culminating in his desire to pay it forward to a new generation.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 festive special, Holly revisits some of her favourite interviews and guests from 2020. Delving back into the archives, Holly is joined by guests including Sir Tim Smit, Kanya King CBE, Paul Lindley OBE, Jacqueline Gold CBE, Lord John Bird, Jay Blades, Samantha Renke and Marcia Kilgore as they reflect on their own personal journeys, their highs, lows and lessons along the way.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 with Aron Gelbard, co-founder of Bloom & Wild. A founder passionate about making people happy, Aron knew he could only build a brand that evoked emotion. A florist first and foremost, that has broken new ground in an already established industry, Bloom & Wild has set the industry standard where others now follow. With little knowledge of either tech development or floristry, Aron pursued an idea that was virtually unheard of. Using technology to deliver thoughtful and empathetic marketing that has since helped grow the brand to one of the most beloved florists in the UK. This conversation is a rare insight into creating a company that marries two opposing worlds and how clever use of technology can play a very human role in building a brand. 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 with Andy Hunter, founder of Bookshop.org, brings us a modern day David vs Goliath story. His mission is to make it as easy as Amazon to shop responsibly and ethically, ensuring that books and local bricks and mortar bookshops remain part of popular culture.With a highly innovative business model that has thrived during the pandemic, Andy shares with Holly where his love of books first originated, how he is creating a movement for socially conscious consumers and the importance of independent bookshops within our high communities across the world.If there was ever a call to action to support our independent businesses and to continue the drive towards a culture of ethical, conscious consumerism, it’s this. 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.

As the son of the founder of Mr Whippy, perhaps Angus Thirlwell was always destined to build his own brand. But his path to success has not been without some hard won lessons and deep personal insight into his own motivation in life. Angus’s vision for Hotel Chocolat has always been to not only reimagine an industry, but also bring back core values and purpose into the confectionary market at a time when the heritage of chocolate was being lost in the UK. From innovative products and the best quality ingredients, to buying a plantation and reinvigorating cocoa farming in St Lucia, Hotel Chocolat stands out against the competition for all the right reasons.Angus shares his story and talks of how diversifying his product led to success and how putting customers at the heart of the business has helped to cement the status of a truly remarkable brand.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.

How do you build a business by challenging the conventional? In this episode, Alexia Inge shares her lessons as she recounts her story building the online beauty empire Cult Beauty. Growing up in a village in Somerset, Alexia’s background in the fashion and PR world gave her an insight into an industry that had always previously been dominated by much larger brands. But it was whilst recovering from a serious car accident that Alexia came up with a plan for a one stop online shop selling the best beauty products that actually worked. Cult Beauty was built by women for women and in this episode, Holly meets a kindred spirit who shares many of the same experiences - from building an online brand with no tech background to their personal lessons on raising funds. Not only does Holly and Alexia’s conversation shine a light on the importance of community and the power of small, it’s a real celebration of female founders. 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.

Hidden behind a secret door, in a fantastical shop, lies an ingenious organisation that is unlocking societal change in the most creative of ways. In episode 1 of series 10, Holly meets Alistair Hall, one of the founders, and Kirsty Telford Deputy Director of the charity, The Ministry of Stories and its retail space Hoxton Street Monster Supplies. The Ministry of Stories, aims to inspire young people to transform their lives through the power of creative writing, and is hidden behind a secret door in a magical shop. The epitome of retail theatre, Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, not only brings the writing school to life and sparks the imagination of every child that walks through their doors, it also acts as a commercial driver to the charity. In this episode Holly discusses with Alistair and Kirsty the future of both retail and charity and how both industries are crying out for entrepreneurialism to combine them and create entertaining, educational experiences that make them meaningful to the community. 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.

The final and truly inspiring installment of a conversation that Holly believes will fundamentally change your life. In part 2 of our Conversation of Inspiration ‘Building Legacy through Passion’ Sir Tim Smit shares with Holly his first vision of Eden and the incredible journey leading to where it is today. Billed as the 8th Wonder of the World and celebrating its 20th anniversary next year, Eden is a paradise like no other and remains one of the most recognised landmarks of the 21st century. Sir Tim takes us on an adventure of passion, collaboration and instinct, culminating in the most remarkable and thought provoking ‘Letter to his Younger Self’. Not only a reflection of the past and a glimpse into the future, but a celebration of the joyous explosion of now. 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.