Conversations of Inspiration (Holly Tucker MBE)

For the first episode of Conversations of Inspiration, Holly travelled to Cambridge to have tea with Julie Deane OBE, to hear about the rollercoaster ride that was the meteoric rise of the Cambridge Satchel Company. 

Over the course of their conversation, Holly & Julie talked about the importance of a supportive family and what motivated Julie to start her business. Having incredibly learned to code in days, Julie had (and still has) a fierce ‘do it yourself’ attitude. They also delved into the difficulties of scaling a business and how companies change as they grow. With Julie referring to herself as ‘the female Walter Mitty’ - this interview is warm, witty and truly inspiring!

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 visited Ella Mills in her kitchen to hear what Ella has learned from starting her wildly successful healthy eating company, Deliciously Ella.

Since starting her Instagram blog in response to her illness, Ella has grown the Deliciously Ella brand to include 3 bestselling cookbooks, a deli based in central London, and her own range of health foods.

Holly and Ella chatted about bringing a brand to life, the struggles of opening and running a physical space, working with people whose strengths complement your own, and much more!

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 episode, Holly welcomes Molly Gunn, founder of Selfish Mother and The FMLY Store. Selfish Mother began life as a blogzine after Molly left her 9-5 as a fashion journalist, which grew with the success of the 'Mother' Tee in 2014. These tees have now raised almost £1M for charity.

Holly sat down with Molly in her offices in Bruton in Somerset, to talk 'mumpreneurs', flexible working and raising money for charity.

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, Jo Malone CBE talks to Holly in the offices of Jo Loves about entrepreneurial spirit, finding the 'heart' of a business, fostering the next generation of SME's, and much more. One of the UK's best known entrepreneurs, this conversation is full of wisdom you only learn after travelling the seas of building iconic brands.

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 heads to Andy Poplar's studio space near Leeds. In this incredibly honest and at times emotional conversation, Andy sheds light on why he left his city job to fulfil his creative dreams. The company he started, Vinegar & Brown Paper, has gone from strength to strength, and is a masterclass in how to build a brand with authenticity.

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 a world where bad news dominates our headlines, Emily Coxhead created The Happy Newspaper: a newspaper which only shines a light on good news.

Since starting with £500 raised through Kickstarter and handing out copies in care homes and hospitals, Emily has grown the Happy News into something quite magical. 

Holly sat down with Emily on her sofa to talk about how not only Richard Branson is one of her greatest fans but also, how feeling low helped her come up with the idea in the first place. The strains of starting a business as a graduate and how she has turned her idea into more than just a newspaper.

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.

Since launching as a menswear catalogue in 1991, Boden has grown to become synonymous with a colourful and creative spirit, which founder Johnnie Boden personifies. Holly visited Johnnie, now creative director of the company, in Boden's London offices to hear about what led him to start Boden, finding creative fulfilment, and a very special letter (not to be missed) to his younger self at the end.

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 is joined by Pip Jamieson, founder of The Dots, a networking website which has been dubbed Linkedin for creative professionals. Together they talk about their experiences as women in business, diversity in all its forms, dyslexia, and how creativity could be the key to surviving in an automated future..

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 is joined by Steve Wheen, The Pothole Gardener. A creative and artist who set out to bring happiness to the every day by creating miniature gardens in potholes across the country. What started as a side project, went on to become a viral sensation. Together they discuss how sometimes its the smallest things which make the biggest impact, the importance of creativity and the beauty in finding the right collaborations.

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.

Do businesses have a responsibility to be a force for good in society, or do they exist solely to make profit? COOK is one of a growing number of B corps in the UK: businesses that are committed to being a force for good in society. In this episode of Conversations of Inspiration, Holly sits down with COOK’s co-founder Edward Perry to hear how he took the idea for COOK from his mother's homemade cooking and grew it into the successful company it is today. 

They also talk about how to find your business's values, creating and maintaining a positive company culture, and how the smallest details can make the biggest difference. A must listen for those seeking the recipe for success when it comes to building a successful and ethical business.

Find out more about B corps: https://bcorporation.uk/

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 Jo Tutchener-Sharp who shares her incredible story. 

After leading a glamorous life in beauty PR, and running her own hugely successful agency, Jo had a life-altering moment which caused her to reevaluate everything. With a determination to do more good in the world, Jo launched Scamp & Dude - a company with true passion and purpose. Holly and Jo discuss the role of social media influencers, how to deal with copying as well as the some of the highs along the journey so far.

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.

Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, also known as The Black Farmer, is someone who has always followed his own path. After arriving from Jamaica at the age of 3, growing up in a terrace house in Birmingham, and being diagnosed as dyslexic - it might have seemed like the odds were stacked against Wilfred. But time spent on his fathers allotment led him to dream of one day owning his own farm. After a successful career in Television and PR, Wilfred realised this dream; buying his own farm and launching his brand ‘The Black Farmer’. 

Holly visited Wilfred to hear his incredible story of following his dream through adversity, not conforming and being proud to stand out, and how recently overcoming leukaemia, gave him the strength to finally tell his story through his new book - Jeopardy.

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 meets Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of LEON. Sharing his journey from gossip columnist and business consultant to restauranteur, Henry discusses the importance of being a founder with purpose. He talks about his huge ambition from day one at LEON to build as a global brand, as well as how to navigate the difficult transition that is being a founder exiting a business.

With entrepreneurial spirit in his blood, Henry was never going to sit back after handing over the reins, and his passion to change the world continues to drive him in his new projects, which he discusses with Holly. Throughout this interview Henry’s sense of humour shines through - including his life changing advice from Zena the Warrior Princess (!), and of course a brilliant letter to his younger self.

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 episode, Holly meets Zack - a phenomenally talented maker, who crafts lifelike and delicate birds by hand out of little more than paper and wood. 

In his deeply personal conversation, Zack reveals why birds became his source of inspiration, the journey from struggling as a maker to the beginnings of becoming successful, and how ultimately his urge to create, set him free. 

This episode is truly inspiring and Zack is a testament to the powerful belief that the combination of talent, craft and passion can set you to free to live a life, you finally love.

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 meets founders of F equals, Danielle and Natalie. As twins, they were natural co founders and, 4 years into building their business, are going from strength to strength as they find themselves in a political landscape which is crying out for a brand such as F equals.

The company was founded when both sisters found themselves at a cross roads and decided to bring together their individual skills, expertise and belief, that women in business, were under represented. The F equals story is one of pure authenticity, with passion and purpose firmly at its heart.

A content company first and foremost, they have also found celebrity fans who've worn their T-Shirts; from Holly Willoughby to Thandie Newton. In a conversation ranging from feminism, to social media, the power of a brand name and how to balance free content with running a profitable business, Danielle and Natalie share with Holly some of the biggest lessons they've learnt during the early years of building their business.

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.

You might not immediately know the name Dave Buonaguidi or be able to pronounce it, but he's truly one of a kind, and the ultimate pin-up in the world of advertising. He's made it his life's work to go against the grain and shake up the creative world. This straight talking, creative and expletive-ridden interview is one of life's one of a kind conversations!

After many years in advertising, Dave set up St Lukes, the world's first advertising co-operative, which was ahead of its time.

After leaving he became Creative Director at Channel 4, before founding the renowned ad agency Karmarama.

Dave talks very frankly about his lessons along the way as well as his values when founding these companies (including his 'no wanker' policy!) He also talks about his latest company, knowing the end is coming and the excitement of working with small, passionate businesses making impact against the giants!

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 meets Richard Reed CBE, co founder of Innocent and now co founder of JamJar Investments.

The story of Innocent is a phenomenal one - simply built on 3 friends deciding at university they wanted to start a business together that allowed them to hang out everyday. They settled on smoothies as 'the product' (decided on a hangover!) and the entrepreneurial rollercoaster ensued. With numerous highs along the journey, as well as epic lows during the financial crisis, Richard shares his journey and lessons learned along the way. Today, Innocent is regarded as the front runner in creative marketing and breaking the mould by doing things just a bit differently.

In 2013, Innocent was sold for a reported £320 million to Coca Cola! So what does an entrepreneur do the day after ‘making it’? Well, in Richard’s case, he started a new business!

Emotional, honest and soulful, this conversation is a rare insight into Richards philosophy on business, his view on doing good in the world and the importance of thinking outside the box.

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.

By her own admission "an accidental jeweller", Annoushka Ducas has built an empire that revolutionised the jewellery industry. Links of London was the first brand to bring personalised, well crafted and highly gift-able jewellery under one beautiful brand to the high street. Annoushka and her husband John launched Links of London in 1990 and built the brand over 15 years until they made the difficult decision to sell. Within 18 months Annoushka launched her second brand, Annoushka Jewellery. 

In this episode, Annoushka discusses how her business got her through grief, the emotions after selling Links of London, and where her entrepreneurial spirit comes from. She shares her views on following trends and the future of the high street today. 

A mother of 4 daughters, Annoushka has built both businesses on a philosophy of absolutely loving what she creates and designs jewellery for women to buy for themselves. It’s this attitude to female empowerment that also drives Annoushka through her other missions, including mentoring school programmes for girls, working with Give A Future and her role as a patron with the Prince's Trust 'Women Supporting Women' initiative.

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 meets Freddie Garland, founder of Freddie's Flowers. Fresh out of university, Freddie started work as one of Abel & Cole's delivery drivers. Cutting his teeth selling subscription models and having parents who were florists - Freddie spotted the potential for a floral subscription delivery service.

With little knowledge of the mechanics of running a business based in subscriptions, Freddie set out on his journey to success. Despite a few hard learnt lessons along the way; an ill fated milk float serving as a delivery vehicle and some sourcing issues, Freddie's Flowers has gone from strength to strength.

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 meets Bill Collison, the founder of Bill’s restaurants. In this episode, Bill shares his journey from the very early days as a barrow boy all the way to taking on investment to grow the business into what it is today.

As a Romany gypsy, Bill grew up planting and foraging, which helped fuel his love for fresh, seasonal produce. It was this love of fruit and vegetables which led Bill to work for a brief time as a chef, before going back to work for his dad. Together, they started selling local, seasonal produce in a small shop. With instinctive creativity, and an inherent eye for design, the shop become hugely successful. With a growing array of homemade pies and soups alongside his fruit and veg, Bill’s Saturday girl (and now wife!) convinced him to think bigger and open a cafe. The first Bills in Lewes went from strength to strength and five years later a second site opened in Brighton which found equal success. Bill’s is now a family of over 80 restaurants!

Crediting its success to the team (or as he describes them, family) who shared the same vision, Bill shares his advice for small businesses starting out in the food industry today. As well as his view on the future of the high street (and how to survive).

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 meets Tamara Lohan MBE, founder and CTO of Mr & Mrs Smith: a travel company that's grown from a single curated book of 35 hotels in 2002, to an online community of over 1.5 million members with offices in London, New York and LA. With the competition high and automation the current currency, Tamara explains what it's taken to grow a brand that focuses on the details. 

In this meeting of minds, they discuss the early days of building Mr & Mrs Smith, what it's really like being a female tech founder and why curation is vital to future proofing of business.

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 artist and illustrator Veronica Dearly. 

Veronica brings joy to the world with her smart, relatable, funny and very real illustrations, which she prints onto cards, gifts and shares daily, with her Instagram community. 

Her well-timed, highly empathetic posts often go viral and are shared with thousands of people around the world - not bad for someone who didn’t have any conventional training, was a young mum and had started life as one of the shyest people she knew!

In this episode, Veronica shares the ups and downs of her business journey so far as well as discussing how she uses her art to spread joy and political messages, as well as how she overcame the things that she found the most terrifying in business and life. 

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 a truly soulful and enlightening interview this week, Holly meets Lord Karan Bilimoria, founder of Cobra Beer.

Lord Bilimoria founded Cobra Beer after spotting a gap in a market that had hardly changed in over 200 years, with a student debt of £20,000 in hand - and not much else. His story of building this iconic brand, as well as the ethics and values he places at the heart of everything he does, is truly remarkable.

With a rich heritage of successful relatives, Lord Bilimoria has harnessed the lessons of his family history and put those values at the very core of his business. He discusses with Holly what makes a good leader, how to take your product to market and disrupt the norm, as well as sharing his view on Brexit and what the future holds in this uncertain time.

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.

Will Butler-Adams is a CEO with a refreshingly down to earth, humorous and purpose driven attitude to building a business.

In his 17 years leading the company, Brompton Bikes has grown 15% year on year, but despite its growth, Brompton has fiercely retained its company culture.

After taking an unexpected spin around Brompton HQ, Holly & Will sat down to discuss how to build a company with purpose beyond the product, how to lead a team and what defines a great leader.

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 Rowan Gormley, founder of Naked Wines and CEO of Majestic Wines. 

Rowan grew up in South Africa, but moved to the UK, after following his wife to London where he worked for none other than Richard Branson! 

After setting up Virgin money, and then Virgin wines, he was unceremoniously fired, leading him to start his own company Naked Wines. 

Disrupting the world of wine with his business, through his crowdfunded platform - Rowan’s mission is to change the wine industry so that the makers and customers are given a fair price for the best wine. So far, Naked Wines has pumped over £100 million pounds into supporting over 200 wine-makers all around the world. 

Rowan sold his business to Majestic in 2017 and is now at the helm of both businesses as CEO. 

In this meeting of minds, Holly and Rowan discuss the role that independents and face to face will play in our future, the ethos of loyalty underpinning business decisions, rather than 'quick wins', as well as the ultimate importance of the power being put in the hands of the customer.

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 sits down with Joanne Hawker, cards and accessories designer, to talk community and small business - two of her favourite topics. A designer by day, Joanne is also well known as the brains behind the Instagram challenge and phenomenon, ‘March Meet the Maker’.

‘March Meet The Maker’ is a tool to help shine a light on the makers across the world, by challenging them to share their ideas, favourites and what inspires them. 

In this conversation, Joanne discusses her journey from working full time on a Pepper Farm in Devon, to realising her dream of quitting her job, and running her own successful small business. She talks about why she had a calling to create such a movement of people and what the power of community has given her and the creatives that she champions.

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 episode, Holly explores the rich heritage and history of signwriting with Ash Bishop - founder of The Brilliant Signs Company. 

Ash started out in the Army at Sandhurst, until he decided that it was time to walk in his great-grandfather’s footsteps and followed the family trade of sign-writing. 

He decided to resurrect one of his most admired sign businesses, ‘The Brilliant Signs Company’ which was originally founded 1888, but fell into disrepair. Ash ‘reclaimed’ it in 1999, where he learned and refined his craft, creating the most beautiful glass signs and sign-painting around the UK, and across the world. 

In this conversation, Holly and Ash discuss his unusual journey, what it was like starting out in an industry which was almost killed off due to technology, as well as his mission to ‘restore the high street through his beautiful craft - injecting that much-needed soul back onto our streets, and in turn, bringing a community together.

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 fascinating insight, into the rollercoaster journey of someone who is right in the midst of scaling her business. This week, Holly speaks to the ‘Queen of Nut Butter’ Pippa Murray, founder of Pip & Nut. A must listen episode for anyone who dreams of starting their own food or drink business, especially those future female founders who can look at Pip’s journey and be inspired to start theirs. Holly & Pip discuss scaling from the kitchen table, investment and building a team.

As a runner, Pip was always on the lookout for delicious things to eat before heading out into the great outdoors. As a firm believer that food should be super tasty, yet packed with nutrients and energy, she began making her own nut butters from her kitchen table.

Fast forward a few years and Pip launched her first nut butter onto the shelves of Selfridges in January 2015, today, Pip & Nut is stocked in over 5,000 stores around the UK and Europe. Listen out for some great tips and advice if you are building a food or drink 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 Holly meets Joe Wicks, aka the Body Coach, to discuss building a huge social following and a brand, with a purpose.

Now a TV presenter and author, specialising in cooking and fitness books, Joe started his career as a personal trainer, but he only experienced success when he started posting 15-second recipe videos on social media. 

Joe grew his brand to become one of the most followed fitness accounts on Instagram, his first published cookbook Lean in 15 was one of the best-selling book in 2015, having sold over 1 million copies. He has also created a "90 Day Plan" with workouts and meals that are tailored to the individual. 

His empire has grown to employing over 40 members of staff and counting, but with a strong sense of purpose and passion for helping others - it's a business that reaches far beyond instagram.

We also talked about how he built his business using social media, but at the core he’s using it all for good. They covered subjects such as fitness, mental health, how he can champion children to be healthier and most importantly, that perseverance and purpose are the two key qualities in being a successful entrepreneur.

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 episode, Holly meets one of her business idols - Chrissie Rucker OBE, founder of The White Company. 

In this conversation, they discuss Chrissie's incredible 25 year journey, how she has weathered the storms of retail, juggling a business whilst raising a family (with an entrepreneurial husband to boot!) and her work with the Princes Trust ‘Women Supporting Women’ and how we can all help encourage, inspire and champion women to start their own business. 

Chrissie founded The White Company in 1994, from her kitchen table, starting as a small mail order business from her back room and growing to a well loved, admired brand and an icon of the British High Street. She now has 50 stores around the UK and 2 in America, turning over £200 million pounds with an online presence to rival her shops. Her journey is one of those British tales to be proud of.

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 on Conversations of Inspiration Holly meets the ‘Queen of Brand’ Rita Clifton CBE.

Rita is the ultimate expert in brand and offers such an expert and unique insight that will be invaluable to all small business for this aspect of their business. In this conversation, Holly and Rita discuss what it takes to build a powerful and long last brand, she shares her tips for small business and ways they can implement her decades of industry knowledge into their own businesses, as well as her experiences as a female in a male dominated world.

A Cambridge graduate, Rita started her career in advertising, becoming Vice Chairman at Saatchi & Saatchi, then London CEO and Chairman for over 15 years at the global brand consultancy Interbrand. In 2013, she co-founded BrandCap, which has performed amongst the 1% most successful business start-ups in the UK. It is safe to say, she knows what she is talking about!

She has worked on the most famous ad campaigns including the iconic British airways 'Face' advert, and actually helped to create the concept that ‘brand’ is a valuable asset in business - in fact it can be the most valuable asset!

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 on Conversations of Inspiration, Holly meets Keith Abel, founder of Abel & Cole.

A successful and well loved entrepreneur, Keith started his entrepreneurial journey as a salesman selling potatoes door to door, where a chance encounter led him to discovering organic vegetables. 

At a time when everything grown was covered in chemicals, Keith quickly realised people would pay more for organic, chemical-free produce and so Abel and Cole was born, over 30 years ago. 

Leading the way in subscription models, Keith shares his business lessons, recounting his highs and lows with a huge dose of humour and charm. But shining throughout, is Keith's passion for nurturing and supporting talent, as well as his commitment and belief that in order to build a successful company, you must also build a strong, passionate team around you.

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.

Show Notes

This week on Conversations of Inspiration, Holly meets Alice Gabb - a self taught calligrapher who now creates commissions for some of the UK biggest brands. 

In this conversation, Alice shares lessons from her journey so far, the power of knowing your numbers, as well as the need for communities in this digital age. Alice's letter to her younger self is particularly powerful - and a must listen for any teenage girls in your life.

Alice started her small business selling hand printed fine stationery at Broadway Market, where she was voted ‘London’s Coolest Stall Holder’ which propelled her business forward.

One of the first to specialise in modern calligraphy in the UK , Alice’s expertise has grown and with her desire to pass on her skills and knowledge to others, now teaches workshops all over London and Europe, delivering in store experiences for brands such as Ted Baker and Boden. 

Her recent trip to America discovered a passion for activism and social change, creating beautiful flags to spread hopeful messages, and is now shining through in all her work.

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 investor Tom Teichman, the founder of Spark Ventures & The Garage Soho. 

Known as ‘Britain’s most-successful digital start-up backer’ Tom has invested in companies such as LastMinute.com, Moshi Monsters and Made.com. 

He also played a key role in Holly's business journey, when he invested in Notonthehighstreet. Together they recount the serendipitous way in which Tom and Holly met, and the incredible journey they embarked on.

Now Tom runs his latest venture from his Soho townhouse incubator office with his co-founder, the advertising guru Sir John Hegarty. Investing and mentoring small businesses with a focus on technology-enabled consumer brands.  

In this conversation, Holly and Tom discuss his incredible journey from arriving in England as a refugee, taking inspiration from his entrepreneurial parents, to becoming one of the most well known and respected venture capitalist investors in Britain. 

A highly personal interview, Holly and Tom discuss the importance of intuition and emotion in business, how finding the ying to your yang in a business partner makes for a stronger business, and the key points he looks for when investing in a business.

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 meets Asma Khan, founder of the restaurant Darjeeling Express.

An episode filled with spectacular advice and insight, Asma shares her early life experiences in India and how they shaped her journey to this point. Born a second daughter in India, Asma felt the intense impact of feeling unwanted which she now sees underpins her belief in using her business as a force for good and helping other women feel valued. 

Asma has had an extraordinary journey, starting in India with an arranged marriage which subsequently saw her relocate to England, where she studied law and gained a phd. Despite academic success, Asma felt empty, lost and lacking her purpose in life, and so, she began cooking. 

Here began the next chapter of her journey - from hosting supper clubs in her house and building a small female community around her, she garnered a huge following of loyal fans and was soon offered her own pop up in Soho. She employed the women in her close circle, to work there, where they soon quit their nannying, cleaning jobs to be chefs in her kitchen!

Today, Asma's restaurant's mission remains that of empowering women and taking a chance on women who are not trained chefs and giving them an opportunity in life to shine.

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 on Conversations of Inspiration, Holly speaks to Eleanor Tattersfield, founder of Marby and Elm. 

A fellow stationary addict, Holly joined Eleanor in her east London emporium like shop to hear her journey from student and waitress to Liberty stockist and business founder.  

This episode covers everything from where Eleanor finds her inspiration, to running a high street space, customer experience in retail and the importance of community. 

So open, funny and self-deprecating - Eleanor offers such useful tips and advice on how to approach some of the biggest retailers like Liberty, as well as thoughts on setting up a retail space and what it means to run a family business.

Born to entrepreneurial parents, the seed of running her own business was planted from an early age, but it was only after having her children and a chance google for some personalised stationery and a spontaneous purchase of a letterpress off eBay - that Eleanor found her true calling.

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 was recorded in front of a live audience of 300 people in central London for the first ever Conversations of Inspiration Live event.

Thomasina Miers OBE is best known as co-founder of restaurant chain Wahaca and winner of Masterchef. Thomasina’s journey has not been easy, with a ten-year spell of depression, it was a chance meeting that set her on her path to happiness, founding a business doing exactly what she loves. 

It was whilst traveling around Mexico, her love affair with food really took shape and she discovered a cuisine she’d never tasted back home in the UK and it was at that moment she decides to bring authentic Mexican cuisine to London.

So ensued a steep learning curve with a continued passion and vision to put sustainability and affordability at the very heart of her business. 

Seven cookbooks later, a columnist and a 25 strong chain of restaurants, Thomasina shares her words of wisdom and incredibly honest account of her journey with our live audience.

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 the incredible Sahar Hashemi OBE, founder of Coffee Republic.

Launched in 1995, Sahar co-founded Coffee Republic alongside her brother Bobby, becoming the UK's first coffee bar. Scaling her business up to 110 coffee shops within 5 years, Sahar’s success was astounding.

After struggling to get investment because the bank managers stated that Britain was a nation of tea drinkers, Sahar's determination paid off and saw Coffee Republic at the forefront of coffee culture, changing the way Britain’s consume forever.

In this enlightening founder to founder conversation, Sahar shares her experiences of scaling a business, her battles with the imposter syndrome, and how selling her business was the most heartbreaking,
painful moment of her life.

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 episode, Holly meets the legendary Sir John Hegarty, founder of BBH advertising agency and The Garage Soho. With a phenomenal creative career, John was the first ever person to be Knighted for his services to the advertising and creative industries and his BBH agency has been named Agency of the Year more than six times. John started out in the advertising world in the 60’s, moving up the ranks quickly and helping to set up agencies TBWA and the infamous Saatchi and Saatchi. Then founding his own business in the mid 80’s, John started to become famed for his groundbreaking work, securing clients such as Audi and Levis within months.

A conversation filled with inspiration, knowledge, wisdom - this episode will leave you empowered with a new perspective on brand, and a clear mission to find the creative twist in everything.

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 on Conversations of Inspiration, Holly speaks to jeweller Alex Monroe at his ‘buzzing’ headquarters boutique in London. With 30 successful years in the business, Alex’s insight and attitude will provide a huge source of inspiration and advice for creative small businesses looking to combine creativity with commerciality. With fans such as Emma Watson, Sienna Miller and a regular in Vogue - Alex Monroe is a masterclass in growing your brand whilst maintaining your integrity and creativity.

In this enlightening episode, Holly & Alex discuss his journey so far, the process for anyone who wants to create products that lasts a lifetime and how he's kept true to his brand after 30 years. His letter to self is an incredibly touching and special conclusion to the podcast this week.

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 episode was recorded in front of a live audience in Bristol for the second date on our live tour of Conversations of Inspiration, in partnership with NatWest.

In this conversation, Holly & Levi discuss his difficult early years, the decision to turn his life around and the passion and determination that powered him to success today, as well as, of course his unforgettable appearance on Dragons Den which would go on to supercharge his brand.  Born in Jamaica, he came to the UK at the age of 11, not being able to read or write, and found himself struggling to find his place in Brixton in the 70’s. 

After stints in prison, Levi turned his life around through his sheer determination and returning to his two true passions in life - music and food, and combining them into a business.  His appearance on Dragons Den set his life on a new trajectory, and after gaining investment and mentorship from Peter Jones, Levi's Reggae Reggae sauce went from strength to strength.

Since then his life has been a whirlwind of success, expanding his range to include cooking sauces, ready meals, soft drinks and desserts, he has published six cookbooks and a business book, released a new album and most recently, Levi realised his ultimate dream of opening his Caribbean ‘Rasta-rant' in Westfield Stratford. 

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 meets Roger Wade, the founder of Boxpark, - to hear about his mission to use his business as a force for good, to bring together communities and make them thrive, safer and happier.   

Holly & Roger discuss the future of the high street, their shared passion for independents, and how though his visionary concept for Boxpark, Roger is disrupting the world of retail.

Roger started his career in advertising, being fired twice before moving to the US where he discovered his passion for American streetwear and recognised the huge market there was for it back in the UK. So on the third time of being fired, he realised that he needed to be his own boss, and start his own business.

He founded Boxfresh in 1989, initially selling streetwear from his market stall, but eventually growing the business to being an international company turning over £20 million a year, before selling it and founding his latest venture Boxpark. Known as ‘the world’s first pop up mall’, Boxpark is a unique shopping concept made up from shipping containers, offering independents a much more affordable and flexible retail space.

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 episode, Holly meets passionate and inspiring Petra Barran, the founder of KERB. Throughout this conversation, Petra and her love not only of food, but for inspiring and helping small businesses build their own companies and dreams shines through.

With the goal to become part of the fabric of London, this was a podcast designed for those who need to see, how big things can come from the smallest of beginnings - even, out the front of an ice cream van!

Petra began her small business journey from an ice cream van, selling her homemade chocolate at markets and festivals, where she discovered her passion for independents vendors and the small business community.  This passion began to take over her life and so she decided to start her new business bringing together the most exciting street food talent on the streets of London and so KERB was born.

Her first site for her street food market was in Kings Cross back in 2012 and since then Kerb has grown to five sites across London, with over 90 traders, serving up over 10,000 dishes a week. Launching in’kerb’ator programme her business also helps to support and progress their small business traders building community of entrepreneurs who are driving change across the city’s food landscape.

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 on Conversations of Inspiration Holly speaks to Fearne Cotton, founder of Happy Place. 

A true entrepreneur in the making, Fearne is creating a strong brand from her purpose and passion - building a business doing exactly what she loves. In this episode, Holly and Fearne discuss the difficult transition to taking the leap into starting her own business, the juggle as a working mum, navigating social media as well as the solace she has found in putting creativity at the very heart of everyday. 

Fearne started her working life from a young age when she won a competition to be a TV presenter. Her warmth and openness won over the British public straight away and she went onto present shows such as Top of the Pops, Comic Relief and then became the first ever female presenter of the Radio 1 chart show. After suffering from a spell of depression Fearne’s career took on a new direction. She decided to leave her top job at Radio One and instead, publish books focused around happiness, with tools to help others who might also be struggling.   

She launched her podcast ‘Happy Place’ in 2017, which draws on her own experiences and shares advice from experts and celebrities, helping everyone to find their happiness. Her brand continues to grow along with a huge allegiance of fans. Her books, podcast, brand collaborations and now her Happy Place Festival, are a testament to her success.

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 on Conversations of Inspiration, Holly meets Tina Bernstein, founder of Mapology Guides.

In this thought provoking episode, Holly & Tina discuss how Tina used her struggles with mental health to help empower others, and how she now lives the Good Life through founding her business.

A designer, blogger, and entrepreneur, Tina started her creative career studying at the renowned art school, Central St Martins. However, after suffering from a nervous breakdown at 26, Tina moved into the world of psychology.  She noticed the lack of colour, design and illustration in self-help guides, so decided to create her own guides to help others.

Mapology Guides was born as a tool to empower individuals to adopt their own approach to mindfulness, well-being and personal development, with her love for printed maps and illustrations gave her the idea for this format. 

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 episode was recorded in front of a live audience of 300 in the beautiful surroundings of Manchester Cathedral. Mark Constantine, co founder of the iconic brand Lush, is the ultimate role model of someone who can turn their life around through following their purpose and passion.

Abandoned by his father at a very young age, Mark had a very difficult start in life, ending up living on the streets at 16 and with very little prospects.

However his sheer hard work, determination and following his passion, he founded his first cosmetic brand for his kitchen table, supplying to the infamous Body Shop.

Today Mark and his team are forging the future for retail, with Lush now boasting 928 stores globally, with newest concept stores in Berlin, Milan, Tokyo and most recently Manchester, along with opening the world’s largest Lush store in Liverpool. A highly innovative, creative and conscious brand, Lush is using its power to change the world to be a better place.

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 on Conversations of Inspiration, Holly made the short journey down the road to the beautiful Sipsmith distillery in Chiswick, to meet Sipsmith founders Sam Galsworthy and Fairfax Hall. This is a story that shows the beauty and power of building a company with a close friend, with a shared vision and passion.

Sipsmith's story is a special one - in an industry that has not seen a new independent gin distillery opened in over 200 years, Sipsmith single-handedly changed the entire industry, simultaneously bringing
with it a connection to the traditions of the gin industry, whilst also bringing the fun that its founders embody so completely.

They discuss their startup journey to success, the decision to sell their business after 10 years and their formative years that laid the foundations for building the Sipsmith empire.

Sam and Fairfax share incredibly heartfelt and emotional letters at the end of this conversation, they are not to be missed.

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 on Conversations of Inspiration Holly meets Alan Keery, co-founder of The Cereal Killer Cafe in their awe-inspiring cafe on Brick Lane.

From ignoring the naysayers when launching a niche business to gaining media attention from day one and dealing with a completely overwhelming media frenzy when they were targeted with attacks during the London riots, the Cereal Killer Cafe have been on an extraordinary journey in the last 4 years. They have now overcome that to be the feature of a London musical as well as scaling the business to have a global presence!

Recorded in an immersive cafe, where retail theatre is brought to life in the very truest sense of the word, Alan's kindness, generosity and honesty with which he recounts the most difficult moments along the journey, make this podcast a fascinating listen.

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 on Conversations of Inspiration Holly meets Will Ramsay - founder of the Affordable Art Fair.

With a shared passion for art and supporting creative individuals, as well as a joint belief in the power of curation, this is an episode filled with sage advice and a particularly poignant letter to close the conversation.

In this episode, Will and Holly discuss his unique upbringing, being one part of a military dynasty, with a very significant grandfather, and how that shaped his life as an entrepreneur.

Will founded the Affordable Art Fair just over twenty years ago, with a purpose to democratise the art world, which at the time was deemed snooty and only for the upper elite.  His business has not only made it easier for more people to buy art but given greater opportunities for artists to make a living.

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 was recorded LIVE at St Mary’s Church in Marylebone London, as part of the most incredible day in the small business calendar, The Congregation of Inspiration 2019.

This week’s guest is Rob Ryan, an artist renowned for his intricate papercuttings. His artwork has featured in Vogue, Elle, and Stylist. One year he created 28 Liberty Christmas windows which started a journey where Rob's work began to be seen by the masses. He has collaborated with Alex Monroe, Tatty Devine and none other than Sir Paul Smith.

In this episode, Holly and Rob discuss his childhood, how he discovered his talents at the RCA, to then after a hard 20 years trying to make a living out of his art, the difficult choice he made, to allow his art to be for the masses.

Recorded live, in a London church with the light streaming through the stained glass windows, as he told his story - this episode was personally an extra special and spiritual one.

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 is a LIVE special podcast from The Congregation of Inspiration 2019. The 12 hour day condensed into one podcast, with tips, advice, lessons and laughs from all our speakers on the day - including Fearne Cotton, Sahar Hashemi OBE, Charlie Gladstone, Freddie Harrel & Emily Coxhead. Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, Edward Perry, Pip Murray, Dave Buonaguidi and of course, Holly Tucker herself.

Covering topics from being brave in business, building a brand doing good, to pursuing happiness and what it really means to build an immersive brand, this episode is a snapshot of an extraordinary day. Throughout the episode you’ll also hear from some of the people who attended the day, as well as the sounds of the brilliant Urban Voices Collective who joined us on the day.

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 is highly emotionally charged, as Dame Kelly Holmes discusses the challenges she faced and overcame on her journey to winning two gold medals at the 2004 Olympics. In an extraordinary
conversation, Kelly reveals the dramatic lows and mental health struggles that preceded her dreams coming true.

Kelly also discusses life after achieving her dreams, how a focused passion can fuel success as well some insights into her own winning mentality and how that can translate into business. This episode is a must listen, for anyone who has ever faced adversity; Kelly is a testament to overcoming the odds and the power of belief.

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.

Rosie Wolfenden & Harriet Vine founded their handmade jewellery company Tatty Devine in 1999 very much as a 'side hustle'; selling their first pieces from a market stall in Camden after discovering the discarded fabric and sample books that they would create their first collection from.

Having worked together for the past 20 years, Rosie & Harriet know a thing or two about making collaborations work, having seen successful collaborations with the V&A, Rob Ryan, & Anthony Gormley, to name a few.

In this episode, Rosie & Harriet share their journey from that market stall to the pages of Vogue, their approach to sustainability, and how they found their signature style. A must listen for those dreaming of turning a side hustle into their dream career!

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.

Donna Wilson, aptly named ‘Designer of the Year’ at Elle Decoration’s British Design Awards, has been creating her curious creatures, cushions, knitwear and ever-expanding home accessories since 2003.

Donna’s story began on her parent's farm in rural Aberdeenshire, and it was from these early adventures (and a little push from her inspirational Grandma) that her love for landscapes, wildlife, crafting and of course sustainable practices grew.

In this episode, Holly visited Donna in her incredible East London Studio to hear all about how she honed her homegrown talents into the business it is today. Donna shares with Holly her magical time at the RCA, watching her products popping up all over the globe and the vital importance of UK manufacturing, exploring how true collaboration and a network of talent is key!

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.

Gemma Metcalfe-Beckers, founder of Muthahood, talks to Holly about her business' main mission - empowering women and girls through ethically produced products that have positive, strong and meaningful messages.  In this episode Holly learns how Gemma's incredible 'Strong Girls Club' represents every woman's strength and the need for celebrating self-value.

Gemma's work has grown from only emotional heartache, physical pain and an searingly honest view on the world but wanting to "see" those that need touch of empowerment.   From her journey through childbirth and PTSD, to starting the business on just £400 and building a community - Gemma candidly shares what it means to be an entrepreneur whilst bringing up her young children and how you can navigate the bumpy road of motherhood. 

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.

Emma Bridgewater is known best for her iconic style, mixing Britishness & wittiness with beautiful homeware and china. 

In this episode Holly hears from Emma about how she built her iconic brand over the last 35 years, creating lasting designs, and reviving an industry in Stoke.

With a turn over of over £20 million a year, Holly and Emma explore life as a female entrepreneur in a male dominated industry, discuss their approach to 'mother's guilt' and the strong role family plays within business.

From sharing thoughts on the life span of a product, to discussing the impact her own beloved mother had on her career, this episode is a rare glimpse into Emma Bridgewater and her iconic 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.

Henrietta Morrison of Lily’s Kitchen (a pet food range made from the best of British ingredients) has had the most incredible career in business, spanning over 30 years.

A born entrepreneur, Henrietta started (and sold) a number of businesses before founding Lily’s Kitchen - which now sells 50 million dog and cat meals a year.

In this conversation, Henrietta recounts her happy childhood before a tragic series of unexpected events would turn her life upside down. But it was her terrible loss that became her fuel through her extraordinary life. A life filled with passion, purpose and entrepreneurial spirit.

This is an episode about everything from disrupting an entire market and being a women in business, to money, B corps and doing good in the world.  But ultimately this conversation is about triumph over adversity and how love (for animals or people!) can conquer all.

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.

Owen O'Kane, author of Ten to Zen and a trained Psychologist, joins Holly at the Holly & Co HQ for this week's conversation. This episode centres around Owen's personal path to happiness, as well as how business owners need to put into place simple strategies to help with the stresses and inner critical voice that can hold you back.

Owen has been on an incredible journey through life and this episode is an emotional listen. You'll hear how Owen spent his childhood dodging the violence on the streets of 1970s Belfast, the pain of being bullied as well as Owen's struggle with his sexual identity.  A magical and up and down journey from priest to author, Owen shares his words of advice on how as business owners we can put into practice some of his knowledge on protecting our own mental health.

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 was recorded in front of a live audience in the glorious Edinburgh, with Charlie Gladstone, founder of The Good Life Experience and Pedlars. 
Charlie is hugely passionate about design, provenance, supporting makers, running businesses - but mainly helping everyone to ‘Live the Good Life’, and to do what they love. This is an utterly inspiring episode as Charlie leads us through (his self-described…) “feral” childhood but also what he believes to be game changers for small businesses and his hopes for the future of retail.

In this conversation Holly and Charlie and discuss why you must shop with purpose and a consciousness, how to ultimately harness an overflowing enthusiasm (as a person and as a business owner!) and most of all how love and passion can propel you through this journey.

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.

Holly meets Mindful Chef Founders Myles and Giles this week for a wonderfully inspirational interview. This episode hear's these two founders openly discussing their business highs and lows over the last 5 years, but also how a ‘giving’ mentality can transform a weekly recipe box into a true force for good.

In this conversation you'll hear how these two went from packing their boxes to navigating a successful round of crowdfunding. And how exciting it is as a small business, using the power of your customers and community as your biggest and most powerful marketing tool.

I hope that this episode will inspire just so many small businesses listening. You too can make a difference, and maybe even start that B-Corp journey like us here at Holly & Co - why not even give back to those in need!

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.

It's Holly's best bits! These two extra special bonus episodes are for you to enjoy over the festive season! 

In this two-parter Holly looks back over the past six series and reflects on the incredible guests she's hosted, and the advice they've shared over the past year. These conversations centre around key themes from determination and branding to community leadership and doing good… no small feat!
 
The Christmas Special episodes features highlights from all six seasons, from Richard Reed, Levi Roots and Sir John Hegarty to Jo Malone and Henrietta Morrison recounting the events that led them to build their businesses.
 
This collection of conversations show how courage, determination and good intentions can take you to places far beyond your own imagination, to create positive change in the world.
 
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.

It's the final episode of the year, and the conclusion to this 2 part festive special - concluding with some very special ‘letters to my younger self.’ 
 
In the second part of this special Holly revisits episodes from past six series and reflects on the incredible guests she's hosted, and the advice they've shared over the past year. These conversations recount themes such as female entrepreneurship and how failure can lead you to the path of success.   

The Christmas Special episode features highlights from some of the 60 founders, from Richard Reed, Levi Roots and Sir John Hegarty to Jo Malone, Ella Mills and Joe Wicks and many others - all sharing key moments of highs, lows and their personal philosophy.

This collection of conversations shows how courage, determination and good intentions can take you to places far beyond your own imagination, to create positive change in the world.   

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 a world where the digital landscape gives everyone the opportunity to build a business, how do you harness its power and use it to build the number one brand, in one of the fastest-growing movements of our time?

Ian Theasby and Henry Firth, founders of BOSH! tell us how they built a highly successful business based on personalities, drive and beliefs. Sharing the secrets behind how they’ve now taken the vegan community by storm by creating what’s considered the biggest vegan cookery channel in the world, with more than 26 million views a month and writing the best selling vegan book of all time! Not bad for a business that’s only been going for three years!

In this conversation you'll hear how these two went from childhood friends to navigating the unsteady waters of viral videos, building a brand only through social media and taking on an industry as old as time - helping countless people to eat less meat and become vegan!

This episode will inspire anyone on the journey of building a business as BOSH! have highlighted the force and power visions of small business owners can have, on huge industries. And, how a change in diet can create a ripple effect of good, not only for your own health, the food industry but mostly for the planet we all care so much about. 

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.

Although the future of retail may seem unsure, Alice Mayor (We Built This City) believes now is the time small business can revolutionise and play a huge role in shaping the future.

In this episode, Alice shares her philosophy and approach to one of the biggest issues facing the UK retail sector - the high street.   This week Holly hears sage advice, that will hopefully spur on a new generation of shopkeepers or even those small businesses who’ve been thinking about (but are maybe now going!) to take that leap. Alice is arguably ‘the pioneer of the souvenir’, successfully reviving an industry that hasn’t been moved on in 50 years!     

In this conversation, you’ll hear an incredible insight into the reality of balancing temporary bricks and mortar, pop-up spaces and an online store, plus how to separate yourself from your business to help it succeed.   

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.

Building an international brand selling hundred of millions of pounds work of fashion, from humble beginnings, aged 21 with just £500 - is an incredible story on its own. But what happens on the other side, after being ousted from your own beloved brand - is soul defining.

Roger Saul, founder of Mulberry and his latest venture Sharpham Park, shares his story with Holly, in this emotionally charged interview. Charting his humble beginnings right through to today, Roger tells of a journey filled with pinch yourself fashion moment highs, to the lowest of lows. Roger created a brand synonymous with British fashion and achieved a cult-like status for the label.

This is a conversation filled with vision, passion and future thinking as a golden thread throughout. Now 15 years into his organic product farm at Sharpham Park, and his latest reinvention of rural retail with Kilver Court, Roger Saul reinforces the notion of entrepreneurial thinking and attacking your vision with unwavering energy and determination.

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 pioneer of the fair trade and organic food movement, Jo Fairley launched Green and Black's with the simple premise, that if she loved the product, then others would too. Despite being told the UK consumer ‘will never eat dark chocolate’ Green & Black's fast became the benchmark in 'quality' as well as forging the way in an emerging organic food movement.

Recorded in front of a live audience under the high vaulted ceiling of St Wilfred's in Harrogate, Jo joins Holly on stage to chart her career and guiding business principles.

A serial entrepreneur, Jo started her career in publishing, before co-founding Green & Black's and now an organic and natural food store, Health & Wellbeing Centre and The Perfume Society. In this episode you’ll hear how business highs and lows can define your take on the world. This is especially true for Jo whose moral compass shines through and has been her guiding light throughout her business and personal journey.

From tips and tricks to capture the attention of a journalist, to the challenges of cash flow and how best to (not!) spend an advertising budget - Jo Fairley’s insight is invaluable whether you're just starting out on your journey or looking to move in new directions.

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Dubbed 'Britain's most influential hotelier', Robin Hutson, founder of the iconic PIG hotels, left school with 3 O-levels and few prospects. It was a sideways step into catering college which saw passion, vision and excitement alight for the first time - and would set the scene for Robin’s story to truly begin into becoming one of the most famous hoteliers in the UK.

This episode charts Robin’s career within hospitality, from courting famous faces at The Savoy in his early days to starting his first groundbreaking hotel chain ‘Hotel Du Vin’, before launching ‘The Pig’.
Holly & Robin discuss how to create a distinctive experience at each hotel whilst maintaining the golden thread of ‘brand’ throughout, as well as his philosophy of recruiting staff and the all-important attention to detail.

In his letter to self, Robin aged 63 ¾ speaks to his 15 ¾ self and shares all the things he might need to know in a very special shared moment. Whether you're building a business in hospitality, or just appreciate a brilliant brand with acute attention to detail, Robin’s story is a must-listen!

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The fuel of entrepreneurial spirit can be transformative - this is never truer than in the story of Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton.

Homeless as just 15 years old, Sabrina faced the most difficult, terrifying and tragic set of circumstances. Yet her entrepreneurial mindset burned bright, whilst living on the streets, she not only became a Big Issue seller but completed her GCSE’s too.

At 16 Sabrina found her way back to independence as set her sights on the Fire Service and by the age of 18 she was quickly progressing through the ranks. 

Sabrina is now one of only six female fire chiefs in the UK, she has a Masters and PHD in Psychology and has led on pioneering which has informed national policy.   

Sabrina and Holly discuss life on the streets, true grit and determination and the role of women in a typically male dominated industry.  Heart searingly open and honest, Sabrina is the epitome of an inspirational woman. 

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In a society filled with hidden inequality, how do you a) recognise it and b) make ‘change’?

Best-selling author Caroline Criado-Perez OBE is a feminist activist and led the campaign for keeping a woman on British banknotes. Not only that, but she also spearheaded the movement to install the first female statue in Parliament Square. Caroline epitomises the difference we can make in the world when we see that something needs to change.

In this episode, Holly and Caroline explore how our generation can challenge, and hopefully move on from, the enforced societal “imposter syndrome” and identify the sometimes hidden, but very much rife, inequality within our society.

Caroline and Holly discuss the impact of her award-winning book, Invisible Woman, and how it has highlighted and driven forward, the much-needed conversation around gender and data. No easy feat!

Honest, fearless and a true activist at her core, Caroline Criado-Perez is a force to be reckoned with and this episode is guaranteed to motivate you to do more when it comes to demanding equality.

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What is it like, to be entrusted with the creative legacy, of one of the world’s most famous stories?

MinaLima, aka Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, are the creative duo behind bringing Harry Potter to life on the big screen. Graphic designers with huge imaginations, MinaLima are pioneers within their craft, and after a chance meeting through a mutual friend, they went on to lead the graphic design on all the Harry Potter films and are designers behind everything from The Daily Prophet to the Quidditch posters, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and so much more.

Taking a moment out from their current work on Fantastic Beasts, Holly meets Mira and Eduardo at their latest design adventure - the House of MinaLima, a gallery and store showcasing their entire treasury of graphic works - JK Rowling has called it ‘the place where objects come to life’.

In this conversation, Holly discusses how a "work marriage" can really work, where they find their inspiration, the utter importance of detail and the role their creative upbringings have played in leading them to where they are today.

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Recorded weeks before Covid-19 hit the UK - this episode is even more poignant as Holly and Guy Singh-Watson, founder of Riverford Organic Farmers, discuss the need for Governments to sit up and make real change to support small businesses and our high streets.

Riverford was one of the first businesses to reach the market with an organic online food model and led the way in identifying a new conscious consumer in the UK. But life as a young boy, growing up on a farm and highly dyslexic, meant that his formative school years did not guarantee him an easy transition into the business world.

Holly and Guy explore how understanding yourself, and your own mind and reactions, is the key to becoming a good leader - a lesson Guy learned later in life and is searingly honest about in this interview.

Guy’s philosophy is that good business is common sense, and that we must call on the government, now to make a fundamental change - a sentiment perhaps more apt than ever before. He also explains how selling his business to his employees, not only changed his life for the better but also created a huge positive change for the business too.

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The recent months have moved the conversation around flexible working forward at a dramatic pace, but as employees realise the huge benefits, will businesses change the way in which they ask their most valuable assets to work?

Anna Whitehouse, also known as Mother Pukka has been leading the Flex Appeal campaign for flexible working since 2015, and throughout this conversation she shares her own personal journey, from lawyer, to journalist and then finding her voice leading the campaign for change.

Sharing the insights and statistics that highlight the many benefits of a flexible workforce, Anna also delves into the lows along her own journey and reflects on how these moments led to her being the voice of change for women in the workplace across the UK.

Warning - in this conversation Anna covers the difficult topic of miscarriage.

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A funny, straight-talking and brilliant storyteller, John’s journey will have you enraptured from start to finish, in what must be one of the most iconic social enterprises in existence today.

Lord John Bird’s story is one of the greatest Holly has had the pleasure to share on this podcast.

From his early days in an orphanage, surviving through fighting and stealing, John’s childhood was not an easy one. Poverty-stricken, and in and out of prison, John realised that he would have to make his own path in life.

It was a chance meeting, which developed into a friendship with Gordon Roddick (Anita Roddick’s husband), that would set John off on his incredible journey with ‘The Big Issue’.

29 years later, and over 200 million copies sold, The Big Issue is a social enterprise synonymous with the UK and has supported hundreds of thousands of people on the streets.

This is a story of grit, chance meetings and the belief that poverty and social inequality should be tackled by empowering those so often forgotten in society.

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How does a beauty counter girl, become the beauty industry’s most powerful women at 50?

This week, Holly speaks to Caroline Hirons. Born in Liverpool but her childhood spent in Mississippi, Caroline’s greatest influences on her life were her grandmother and mother both of whom were beauty counter girls. With a love of the glamour and strong memories of the scents and makeup so loved by her heroines, you would imagine that Caroline’s path to beauty industry powerhouse was set. But after many years herself on the beauty counter at Harvey Nichols, it was at 40, when Caroline started her blog, that her life took a dramatic turn.

Fast forward 10 years, 13 million views on YouTube, 120 million views on her blog, and her latest book ‘Skincare’ has topped the Amazon bestsellers list on pre-order alone, Caroline’s success and legions of fans for her no-nonsense approach to skincare continues to grow.

Funny, honest, and truly authentic - this conversation covers everything from harnessing the power of social media and the role YouTube can play in building a brand, to remaining truly authentic and unapologetic for staying true to your own values and views.

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Tough times don’t last, tough people do - are the words shared in this episode by Rob and Paul, the founders of Gandys.

But what do you do, when the very worst happens? How will the experience shape your life, and what will life look like on the other side?

Recounting their experience of the Tsunami where Rob and Paul, were orphaned at a young age, resilience, building a legacy and purpose sit at the very core of this conversation.

This episode follows Rob and Paul's journey to change the lives of children across the world through their foundation, as they share their views on retail, the high street and building a better world through business. 

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.

With a strong mission to empower women in the boardroom as well as the bedroom, Jacquline revolutionised a male-dominated industry. 

Beginning her career at 21 when she started working for her father’s company, Jacqueline quickly saw the potential to change the focus of the business. Using her passion, ambition, and creativity Jacquline developed the concept of at-home parties and forever changed the way women could shop for lingerie and sex toys. 

This episode follows Jacquline’s incredible journey of a young woman bringing sex to the high street, empowering women in business and overcoming personal tragedy. 

Warning - this conversation includes the heartbreaking loss of Jacqueline's son.

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.

What does living with cancer do to your perspective on life? If Deborah James is anything to go by, it gives you a hunger for life, and a drive to make fundamental and long-lasting change to the system.

Mum of two, Deborah James, also known as Bowel Babe, joins Holly in this episode to discuss her formative years, how she navigated the news every person would dread and how she is spending each day driving to make a change to the system.

It is this desire to see a better way and strive to change it, that runs throughout Deborah’s story.  Her open and honest words on riding the roller coaster of life are a testament to the power of the human spirit.

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Ever wondered as a small business if you should share your personal views or keep it strictly business?  For Rebecca Strickson she sees it as one and the same thing.

In this episode, alongside Rebecca’s personal journey to a successful artist, Holly and Rebecca explore the role that political and personal opinion play within building a brand.  They also discuss the barriers facing women entering into the creative industries as well as exploring Rebecca’s own influences and driving force behind her work.

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How does a child’s food brand become the gold standard in innovation and social purpose and a leading example in business across all sectors?

This week Holly speaks to Paul Lindley OBE, founder of Ella’s Kitchen - who is driven by the belief that putting ‘human’ back into business, celebrating ideas and innovation as the key elements to making long term societal change.

Paul’s story started, when as the dad of two young children he felt frustrated by the lack of healthy, tasty and convenient food available for kids. With a growing concern for childhood obesity he set out to build an innovative baby food brand that put purpose at the very core. Holly and Paul discuss what it means to have a mission, how to translate that into a brand, as well as culture, B corps and building a lasting legacy.

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It is rare, in this day and age, that a truly new and innovative product is brought to the market, particularly in the fashion space, but that is exactly what Ade did with her  brand, Nubian Skin, which makes underwear in dark tones for women of colour.

From dreaming of quitting the finance rat race, to Beyonce wearing her products, Ade Hassan has built a brilliant brand and is riding the entrepreneurial rollercoaster.

Filled with highs, lows and crucial lessons she has learnt along the way, in this episode Holly and Ade cover everything from manufacturing and product development to the imposter syndrome and finance.

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If the key to unlocking long term societal change is with businesses who have purpose, then Lucy & Yak are leading the way. Founded just three year ago by Chris and Lucy, the brand has seen exponential growth since 2017 with their cult following for their dungarees.

Their journey started when they made their first 100 pairs of dungarees and set off for India to find their manufacturer. They knew from day one, that they would settle for nothing less that a factory who upheld the same ethical and sustainable values as theirs.

Changing the face of fashion, and building a community of truly conscious consumers, this conversation covers their journey, as well as topical discussion around societal and cultural issues such as fast fashion and working conditions faced by those working in clothes factories is Leicester.

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Founder of the MOBO awards, Kanya King CBE, is an entrepreneur synonymous with breaking down barriers and is a leading champion for social change. Her drive and ambition for a better world, has seen her achieve huge success against all the odds - and her story is truly remarkable.

Growing up in London, the youngest of nine children, Kanya’s long term success was borne out of a need to survive the harsh realities of growing up in poverty before going on to have a child herself aged just 16.

Kanya’s vision, drive and innovation have played a major role in bringing black music and culture to the mainstream, not just in the UK but around the world.

This episode follows Kanya’s truly incredible story, insights and recipes for success as well as her own mantras, plans and ambitions she has for the future as she strives to continue to challenge inequality.

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Hawksmoor is a restaurant built on strong values but how do you experience fast growth and retain those values as you scale?

Described by critics and customers alike as world-class and the best in London, Hawksmoor was founded in 2006 by Will Beckett and Huw Gott with the brilliant philosophy that steak isn’t a dish, it’s an institution!

Right from the start their vision was to offer a superior dining experience in beautifully relaxed surroundings and how an obsessive eye for detail and commitment to their core values has helped build an ethical brand to be truly proud of.

In this episode we discuss building a strong company culture that allows the individuals to shine, the rocky path to success as well as the vital ingredient to any brand - detail!

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What is the secret to entrepreneurial success after success - ‘failure’ says Marcia.
 
From growing up in Canada and losing her father at just 11 years old, Marcia Kilgore talks to Holly about her journey to becoming a serial entrepreneur.

Hailed by Oprah as one of the most inspiring women she has ever met, this episode follows Marcia’s incredible story. Arriving in New York aged just 18, a twist of fate led to her building her first business Bliss, a celebrity soaked spa. But Marcia didn’t stop there and has gone on to become one of the most successful female entrepreneurs of our time.

Building five hugely successful companies, including FitFlop and Beauty Pie, in just two decades, Marcia’s drive, vision and innovation have delivered products that women had an instant affinity with and that have changed the face of the beauty industry forever.

Challenging the status quo, democratising beauty and a personal heroine for Holly, this conversation is truly inspiring.

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Is it really possible to carve a new genre within a sector dominated by huge brands? Well, Taymoor Atighetchi proves it is. Coming from a long line of antique dealers, Taymoor shares his story, from a teenager selling his wares at Portobello Market to building a digital business that would redefine the stationary sector.

Successfully blending the worlds of art and technology, Papier’s luxury personalised stationery connects with every important milestone of a customer's life.

From discussing Taymoor’s vision and his view on creative partnerships to how he has disrupted an industry, Taymoor share’s insightful lessons as he navigates his own journey as he continues to grow Papier.

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How do you navigate being diagnosed with incurable cancer aged just 23? And not just navigate it, but take control of your future and build a legacy...

This is Kris’ story, but instead of being defeated by such devastating news, Kris began working tirelessly to create a movement for change.

We follow Kris’ journey from her own diagnosis through to building Coppafeel!, her incredible charity built for young women by young women as well as putting cancer on the curriculum for the first time.

Kris’ passion, determination and belief that a small group of committed people really can change the world is testament to the remarkable woman that she is.

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Named one of Britain's most influential female designers, Annie has always been passionate about art and creativity.

Annie shares her colourful life, starring in a successful girl band, before becoming a mother and reviving her love of creativity and art. It was when working as an artist and feeling frustrated by the paint that was readily available, Annie started making paint from home with ingredients found around the house, before a chance meeting led her to a factory that would help her to develop and launch her iconic Chalk Paint.

With a mission to help others find their own creativity, to be adventurous with colour and technique, Annie has created a community of like minded people that all share her passion for decorative painting.

In this episode we talk about the core values that are at the heart of Annie's company, the balance of building a business with a young family and her endless enthusiasm for the independents up and down the country.

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.

Purpose and building a brand with integrity is at the very heart of this inspiring conversation with renowned designer Wayne Hemingway. A true example of creativity supporting and championing the strong values and vision that Wayne holds for the future.

Born in the seaside town of Morecambe, Wayne shares his story from the early days selling second hand clothes at Camden Market to building a renowned fashion label that did things differently. We also discuss the valuable work Wayne does with Hemingway Design, and his focus on affordable and social design and the regeneration of British seaside towns all whilst putting community at the heart of every project.

Wayne share’s insights into his attitude and approach, one that actively seeks change rather than waiting for it to happen, all with the mantra that we should use our relatively short time on this earth to make a positive impact.

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Samantha Renke has written her own remarkable story by living with huge tenacity, courage and determination all wrapped up in an infectious personality. Born with brittle bone disease, as a child Samantha knew she was different and recalls all the things she was told she wouldn't be able to do.

Fiercely independent and refusing to take no for an answer, Samantha's determination to fulfil her dreams is a story everyone should hear. Defying the naysayers, Samantha has worked tirelessly as an activist for disability equality, whilst pursuing her love of acting winning numerous awards for her first film role.

Samantha’s bubbly personality and passion for life are completely infectious. This conversation is an inspiring, open and honest conversation about what we can all do to make the world a more equal place.

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A conversation that Holly believes will fundamentally change your life - a brilliant, straight talking and accomplished storyteller, Tim’s journey to building Eden (billed as the 8th wonder of the world) will have you captivated from the very start. So for the first time ever on Conversations of Inspiration, his story will be shared over two episodes.

In part 1, Tim shares his journey from his education studying archaeology to an unexpected career in the music industry. After relocating to Cornwall, a chance meeting led to the restoration of the Lost Gardens of Heligan, some of the world's most magical and untouched gardens. The regeneration of Heligan ignited a spark that fuelled Tim’s vision for a social enterprise that would benefit future generations for years to come.

Filled with twists and turns, opportunities and enthusiasm, Tim’s story is one that is ultimately defined by passion - if ever there was proof needed that one person can make huge change and impact on our world, this is surely it.

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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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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