Anatomy of a Leader with Maria Hvorostovsky

Hannah Russell is an open book. She’s curious, tenacious and totally owns her errors and her success. Her first company was Layer Home, which she successfully ‘exited’ as it was sold to a competitor. She seems to be “allergic” to that word, however. In her words she saw this exit as a failure at the time, but would not have it any other way as it would not have led her to create her second business: Mags Creative - a podcast production agency. We explore fear, failure and the concept of success. We talk about VC funding for startups and how it’s not always the right path. That you can build businesses differently and don’t have to subscribe to the same route to success. And we discuss how podcasts can improve your leadership skills and as well as what makes an excellent podcast both for individuals and companies. ---------------------------------- HANNAH RUSSELL ---------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahruss/ Website: https://www.magscreative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mags.creative/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mags__creative ------------------------------- FOLLOW ME ON ------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: www.hvosearch.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Need help HIRING - head over to - www.hirewithmaria.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

Hasna Kourda, the Tunisian born Founder of Save Your Wardrobe, is considered, methodical and pragmatic. A recovering perfectionist. She has been fighting the good fight about customer consumption and the importance of circularity way before it became fashionable. With only 2% of funding going to female founders she had to learn on the go how to pitch for her idea (in the early years even sending her husband in to ‘look’ like the lead) and assess investors on whether they are right for her business in the first place. She learnt that saying ‘no’ to investors even when you have no money isn’t always a mistake and that separating yourself from your business is important to keep your sanity. ------------------------------- EPISODE #27: ------------------------------- You can listen to the full episode here OR WATCH it on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC-YIz5pEMM9vigbYOxK2Kw ------------------------------- WE DISCUSS ------------------------------- 02:35 - Your  first job and early years 05:56 - Starting Saving My Wardrobe 10:04 - Surprises about skills 12:09 - Working with few resources / parallel with sustainability 13:37 - Raising funds 16:57 - Creating a balance when your husband is also your business partner 24:08 - Hiring the best people 28:26- How are you different now from when you started? 29:53 - What do you wish you learnt sooner? 33:31 - Mistakes that shape you 36:49 - What does leadership mean to you? 42:09 - Any misconceptions about you? 43:59 - Impossible question ----------------------------------------- HASNA KOURDA ----------------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasnakourda/ Twitter: @hasnakourda - https://twitter.com/hasnakourda ----------------------------------------- SAVE YOUR WARDROBE ----------------------------------------- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saveyourwardrobe/?hl=en Website: https://www.saveyourwardrobe.com/ Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/saveyrwardrobe Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/saveyourwardrobe/ Save Your Wardrobe has a new partnership with Zalando - https://zalandocareandrepair.saveyourwardrobe.com/ ------------------------------- FOLLOW ME ON ------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: www.hvosearch.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Need help HIRING - head over to - www.hirewithmaria.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW. The best review will get a mention in the next episode! Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/cruen/in-the-nowLicense code: SDXCT4ELUCOHZOKN

Have you ever felt like you were surrounded by idiots? Like they just couldn’t understand the simplest things? Human interaction is complex and nuanced. What we say doesn't always get interpreted in the way we mean it. There are filters through which we view the world and the people in it. Make sure YOU are not the idiot in the room - watch Episode 29 with Thomas Erikson, or better yet read his book “Surrounded by Idiots”. Thomas is a Swedish communication expert, speaker, lecturer, business consultant, and an international bestselling author. He has been teaching his personality system (which is based on the DISC personality model) for 20 years to the likes of Coca-Cola, Microsoft and many others. In this Episode we discuss how to spot each personality at a party, why there are still bad bosses, and how if there was a perfect leader, it would probably be a woman. Here are the colour codes: Red / Dominant - speak their mind, ambitious, get things done, bulldozer, aggressive, impatient, tyrannical Yellow / Influencer - optimistic, chatty, confident, outgoing, bad listener, easily distracted, answer questions intended to be for someone else Green / Steady - good listener, good team player, caring, friendly, loyal, conflict averse, slow Blue / Conscientious - diligent, detail focused, pessimist, perfectionist, don’t speak up, aloof, cold-hearted, insensitive, will use a calculator to double check excel is correct ------------------------------- WE DISCUSS ------------------------------- 01:57 - Why is the book called “Surrounded by Idiots”? 07:39 - How do you get people who are not curious to take this knowledge on board? 09:38 - Where does the fascination with people come from? 11:53 - Thomas’ background and personality type 19:45 - Red’s are overrepresented in leadership roles 22:39 - Bad bosses (when low self-awareness disastrous for the business) 25:45 - Different leaders for different situations - good and bad times 35:34 - If there was a perfect leader - it’s probably a woman 39:31 - Asking for a friend - reds stepping on toes 48:13 - I walk into a party - how can I tell who is who? 52:19 - How to choose leaders 01:04:04 - What do you wish to achieve with your work? ---------------------------------- THOMAS ERIKSON ---------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaseriksonauthor/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thomas.erikson.surrounded.by.idiots/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomaseriksonwriter/ - @thomaseriksonwriter  Website: https://www.surroundedbyidiots.com/en/ https://www.surroundedbyidiots.com/en/ ------------------------------- FOLLOW ME ON ------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: www.hvosearch.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Need help HIRING - head over to - www.hirewithmaria.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

Have you ever felt like you were surrounded by idiots? Like they just couldn’t understand the simplest things? Human interaction is complex and nuanced. What we say doesn't always get interpreted in the way we mean it. There are filters through which we view the world and the people in it. Make sure YOU are not the idiot in the room - watch Episode 29 with Thomas Erikson, or better yet read his book “Surrounded by Idiots”. Thomas is a Swedish communication expert, speaker, lecturer, business consultant, and an international bestselling author. He has been teaching his personality system (which is based on the DISC personality model) for 20 years to the likes of Coca-Cola, Microsoft and many others. In this Episode we discuss how to spot each personality at a party, why there are still bad bosses, and how if there was a perfect leader, it would probably be a woman. Here are the colour codes: Red / Dominant - speak their mind, ambitious, get things done, bulldozer, aggressive, impatient, tyrannical Yellow / Influencer - optimistic, chatty, confident, outgoing, bad listener, easily distracted, answer questions intended to be for someone else Green / Steady - good listener, good team player, caring, friendly, loyal, conflict averse, slow Blue / Conscientious - diligent, detail focused, pessimist, perfectionist, don’t speak up, aloof, cold-hearted, insensitive, will use a calculator to double check excel is correct ---------------------------------- THOMAS ERIKSON ---------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaseriksonauthor/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thomas.erikson.surrounded.by.idiots/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomaseriksonwriter/ - @thomaseriksonwriter Website: https://www.surroundedbyidiots.com/en/ https://www.surroundedbyidiots.com/en/ ------------------------------- FOLLOW ME ON ------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: www.hvosearch.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Need help HIRING - head over to - www.hirewithmaria.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

Campaign magazine dubbed him "One of the most talented people in media" and Evening Standard's rated him as the “Top 1000 Most Influential Londoners”. Bruce Daisley is outspoken, direct and absolutely obsessed with workplace culture. So much so, he wrote a Sunday Times bestselling book - The Joy of Work. He has a new book coming out soon called Fortitude - all about the glorification of resilience and its implications. And boy, I resonated with it so much. In Episode 28 we discuss the 4 hour work week, toxic environments, what makes workplaces thrive, resilience and how hybrid working is the worst of both worlds. ------------------------------- WE DISCUSS ------------------------------- 01:39 - Bruce’s first job & what characterises good workplace cultures - can you enjoy your work despite bad bosses 08:34 - How empires rise and fall 10:59 - What is the responsibility of the leader to set culture? 17:25 - Burnout, meetings and personal control 23:05 - 4 day week & optimising the workplace collaboration 27:53 - Hybrid working is the worst of both worlds 33:13 - Spontaneous meetings & relationships with our community 36:55 - Fortitude, resilience, toxic cultures 45:47 - What can companies do? ----------------------------------------- BRUCE DAISLEY ----------------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucedaisley/ Twitter: https://bit.ly/3k32DAs - @brucedaisley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brucedaisley/ - @brucedaisley Website: https://eatsleepworkrepeat.com/ Newsletter: https://makeworkbetter.substack.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/eat-sleep-work-repeat/id1190000968 ------------------------------- FOLLOW ME ON ------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: www.hvosearch.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Need help HIRING - head over to - www.hirewithmaria.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

Bruce Daisley is outspoken, direct and absolutely obsessed with workplace culture. So much so, he wrote a Sunday Times bestselling book - The Joy of Work. Campaign magazine dubbed him "One of the most talented people in media" and Evening Standard's rated him as the “Top 1000 Most Influential Londoners”. Bruce has a new book coming out soon called Fortitude - all about the glorification of resilience and its implications. And boy, I resonated with it so much. In Episode 28 we discuss the 4 hour work week, toxic environments, what makes workplaces thrive, resilience and how hybrid working is the worst of both worlds. ----------------------------------------- BRUCE DAISLEY ----------------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucedaisley/ Twitter: https://bit.ly/3k32DAs - @brucedaisley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brucedaisley/ - @brucedaisley Website: https://eatsleepworkrepeat.com/ Newsletter: https://makeworkbetter.substack.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/eat-sleep-work-repeat/id1190000968 ------------------------------- FOLLOW ME ON ------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: www.hvosearch.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Need help HIRING - head over to - www.hirewithmaria.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

With less than 2% of funding going to female founders, it is tough when you are faced with the decision to walk away from investors. It takes courage, self-awareness, and conviction in your idea to do that. My latest guest Hasna Kourda the Founder of Save My Wardrobe did exactly that. She learnt that saying ‘no’ to investors even when you don’t have the cash is not always a mistake. Hasna is considered, methodical and pragmatic. A recovering perfectionist. She has been fighting the good fight about customer consumption and the importance of circularity way before it became fashionable. She had to learn on the go how to pitch for her idea (in the early years even sending her husband in to ‘look’ like the lead) and assess investors on whether they are right for her business in the first place. EPISODE #27: You can listen to the full episode here OR WATCH it on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC-YIz5pEMM9vigbYOxK2Kw ----------------------------------------- HASNA KOURDA ----------------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasnakourda/ Twitter: @hasnakourda - https://twitter.com/hasnakourda ----------------------------------------- SAVE YOUR WARDROBE ----------------------------------------- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saveyourwardrobe/?hl=en Website: https://www.saveyourwardrobe.com/ Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/saveyrwardrobe Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/saveyourwardrobe/ Save Your Wardrobe has a new partnership with Zalando - https://zalandocareandrepair.saveyourwardrobe.com/ ------------------------------- FOLLOW ME ON ------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: www.hvosearch.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Need help HIRING - head over to - www.hirewithmaria.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW. The best review will get a mention in the next episode! Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/cruen/in-the-nowLicense code: SDXCT4ELUCOHZOKN

Hasna Kourda, the Tunisian born Founder of Save Your Wardrobe, is considered, methodical and pragmatic. A recovering perfectionist. She has been fighting the good fight about customer consumption and the importance of circularity way before it became fashionable. With only 2% of funding going to female founders she had to learn on the go how to pitch for her idea (in the early years even sending her husband in to ‘look’ like the lead) and assess investors on whether they are right for her business in the first place. She learnt that saying ‘no’ to investors even when you have no money isn’t always a mistake and that separating yourself from your business is important to keep your sanity. ------------------------------- EPISODE #27: ------------------------------- You can listen to the full episode here OR WATCH it on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC-YIz5pEMM9vigbYOxK2Kw ------------------------------- WE DISCUSS ------------------------------- 02:35 - Your  first job and early years 05:56 - Starting Saving My Wardrobe 10:04 - Surprises about skills 12:09 - Working with few resources / parallel with sustainability 13:37 - Raising funds 16:57 - Creating a balance when your husband is also your business partner 24:08 - Hiring the best people 28:26- How are you different now from when you started? 29:53 - What do you wish you learnt sooner? 33:31 - Mistakes that shape you 36:49 - What does leadership mean to you? 42:09 - Any misconceptions about you? 43:59 - Impossible question ----------------------------------------- HASNA KOURDA ----------------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasnakourda/ Twitter: @hasnakourda - https://twitter.com/hasnakourda ----------------------------------------- SAVE YOUR WARDROBE ----------------------------------------- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saveyourwardrobe/?hl=en Website: https://www.saveyourwardrobe.com/ Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/saveyrwardrobe Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/saveyourwardrobe/ Save Your Wardrobe has a new partnership with Zalando - https://zalandocareandrepair.saveyourwardrobe.com/ ------------------------------- FOLLOW ME ON ------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: www.hvosearch.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Need help HIRING - head over to - www.hirewithmaria.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW. The best review will get a mention in the next episode! Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/cruen/in-the-nowLicense code: SDXCT4ELUCOHZOKN

Sarah Crook is a brand builder through and through having worked with Club 21 (Prada, Armani, Donna Karan), Stella McCartney, Christopher Kane and Peter Dundas. In Episode 26 which concludes Season2, Sarah and I talk about what first time CEOs should be thinking about when working with creatives especially if they are the founders, building trust and honing that gut instinct. ------------------------------- EPISODE #26: ------------------------------- You can listen to the full episode here OR WATCH it on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC-YIz5pEMM9vigbYOxK2Kw ------------------------------- WE DISCUSS: ------------------------------- 01:22 - Sarah’s favourite brand she worked with 04:25 - What’s the most important part to building a brand? 09:08 - Biggest lesson from Club 21 13:12 - Working with Stella McCartney 18:15 - First CEO role 20:21 - Toughest decision as a CEO 31:31 - Creating a great relationship with a Creative Founder 38:00 /37:39 - Failure 41:25 - How to build a great team 44:57 - What is leadership in 3 words 46:47 - Advice to younger self ----------------------------------------- SARAH CROOK ----------------------------------------- LinkedIn: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-crook-2211b47/ ------------------------------- FOLLOW ME ON: ------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram: @MariaHvo - https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ Twitter: @MHvorostovsky - https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky Clubhouse: @MariaHvo - https://www.clubhouse.com/@mariahvo HVO Search: www.hvosearch.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Get in touch if you need help HIRING your senior leadership team ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Subscribe, Rate, and leave a REVIEW. The best review will get a mention in the next episode!

Sarah Crook is a brand builder through and through having worked with Club 21 (Prada, Armani, Donna Karan), Stella McCartney, Christopher Kane and Peter Dundas. In this Episode we talk about what first time CEOs should be thinking about when working with creatives especially if they are the founders, building trust and honing that gut instinct. ------------------------------- EPISODE #26: ------------------------------- You can listen to the full episode here OR WATCH it on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC-YIz5pEMM9vigbYOxK2Kw ------------------------------- WE DISCUSS: ------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- SARAH CROOK ----------------------------------------- LinkedIn: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-crook-2211b47/ ------------------------------- FOLLOW ME ON: ------------------------------- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram: @MariaHvo - https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ Twitter: @MHvorostovsky - https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky Clubhouse: @MariaHvo - https://www.clubhouse.com/@mariahvo HVO Search: www.hvosearch.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Get in touch if you need help HIRING your senior leadership team ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Subscribe, Rate, and leave a REVIEW. The best review will get a mention in the next episode!