Conversations of Inspiration

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.