Evolve to Succeed

What happens when the business you've poured everything into is suddenly taken out of your hands? In this episode of the Evolve to Succeed Podcast, Warren is joined by Ian Elliot, co-founder of Elliot Brown Watches and one of the entrepreneurs behind iconic lifestyle brand Animal. Ian's business journey started with a homemade watch strap, £250 in a bank account and plenty of instinct. Animal went on to grow rapidly, developing a hugely loyal following across surfing, mountain biking and action sports. But behind that success was an increasingly demanding business that Ian and his co-founder were ultimately forced to sell after their bank withdrew its facility. Ian talks openly about the emotional impact of losing a business, rebuilding his identity afterwards, moving into the creative agency world and eventually returning to product with Elliot Brown Watches. The conversation explores brand building, cash flow, entrepreneurship, ambassadors, product versus service businesses, knowing your audience, controlled growth and why a little naivety can sometimes be an advantage. It's a refreshingly candid conversation with an entrepreneur who has built, sold, started again and learned plenty along the way. If you enjoy the episode, subscribe, leave a review and share it with another business owner or entrepreneur. What The Episode Covers How a homemade watch strap became the starting point for Animal Growing Animal from £250 into a major lifestyle brand Building a brand around community, athletes and authenticity The cash flow pressures created by rapid growth Why Ian and his co-founder were forced to sell Animal The emotional impact of losing your identity as a founder Reinventing yourself after exiting a business Building and running creative agency Salad Why Ian believes service businesses can feel like a "hamster wheel" The difference between scaling product and service businesses Why product businesses require "blind faith" How Elliot Brown Watches was conceived Building products that are deliberately difficult to replicate Why relevant audiences matter more than large audiences Using credible ambassadors and storytelling to build a brand What Ian learned about funding, cash and controlled growth Why complacency can kill a business The importance of naivety, tenacity and continuing to evolve Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:25 How did Animal begin? 06:20 What happened when you were forced to sell Animal? 11:29 How do you rebuild after losing a business? 14:19 What did running a creative agency teach you? 19:59 How different are product and service businesses? 26:39 How did Elliot Brown Watches begin? 29:00 How do you break into a crowded watch market? 34:25 How do ambassadors and storytelling build a brand? 38:21 What did Animal teach you about growing differently? 45:10 How do you keep innovating without becoming complacent? 55:06 What advice would you give entrepreneurs starting today? 59:40 What does personal success look like?  

What happens when the opportunity to own the business you've been working in suddenly lands in front of you? In this episode of the Evolve to Succeed Podcast, Warren is joined by Jess and Nick Bain, the husband-and-wife team behind Halo Associates, to share the story of taking over the Bournemouth creative agency through a management buyout in 2022. They unpack what the MBO process really looked like, from funding the deal and managing the risks of a highly concentrated client base to communicating with the existing team and deciding what needed to change. Since taking ownership, Halo has grown from around 12 to 13 people to a team of 20, while evolving from a predominantly delivery-led agency towards a more strategic marketing partner. Jess and Nick also discuss the realities of running a company together as a married couple, learning to delegate, separating work from home, developing their individual leadership styles and creating a people-first culture. The conversation also looks ahead at AI, creativity, sustainable growth and their ambition to build a business that can thrive independently of them. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe to Evolve to Succeed, leave a review and share it with another business owner or aspiring entrepreneur. What The Episode Covers Why Jess and Nick always wanted to own a business together How the opportunity to buy Halo came about What a management buyout actually involves Funding the acquisition and taking on the risk Buying a business where one client represented around 75 to 80% of the work Bringing the existing team through a change of ownership What they would do differently if they went through an MBO again Growing Halo from around 12 to 13 people to 20 Running a business together as husband and wife Learning to delegate and transition from doing to leading Why business ownership can be lonely and the value of peer support The impact of AI on marketing, creativity and junior roles Building a business that can eventually operate without its founders Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:02 Did you always want to own a business? 02:45 How did the management buyout happen? 05:58 What does an MBO actually involve? 11:03 What did you get right and wrong? 15:07 What did becoming owners feel like? 19:01 How has Halo changed since the buyout? 24:55 How has peer support helped you? 27:04 How have you changed as leaders? 33:00 How do you run a business as husband and wife? 43:54 How will AI change creative agencies? 46:12 What's next for Halo?  

On this episode of the Evolve to Succeed Podcast, Warren Munson welcomes back award-winning nutritionist, wellbeing expert and author, Barbara Cox-Lovesy. Returning more than six years after her first appearance, Barbara shares how attitudes towards health, wellbeing and workplace culture have evolved and why business leaders can no longer afford to ignore them. Drawing on lessons from her new book, Land of the Rising Lifespan, Barbara explains how Japanese culture has shaped her approach to leadership, productivity and longevity. From preventing burnout and creating healthier workplaces to embracing imperfection, slowing down and building sustainable habits, this conversation is packed with practical advice for business owners and individuals alike. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who would benefit from the conversation. What the Episode Covers How corporate wellbeing has changed over the past six years Preventing burnout in high-performing teams Why leadership sets the culture for wellbeing Measuring employee wellbeing and engagement Lessons from Japanese culture and longevity The inspiration behind Land of the Rising Lifespan The Japanese concept of embracing imperfection How wellbeing creates a competitive business advantage Nutrition, supplements and healthy eating habits The importance of community and slowing down AI's role in improving productivity without increasing burnout Living longer while maintaining quality of life   Chapters 00:00 – Intro 01:28 – How Has Workplace Wellbeing Changed? 03:40 – Are We Heading Back Towards Burnout? 07:02 – What Does Great Corporate Wellbeing Look Like? 11:30 – How Can Small Businesses Prioritise Employee Wellbeing? 16:35 – Why Did You Write Land of the Rising Lifespan? 18:15 – What Can We Learn from Japanese Culture? 24:20 – Which Japanese Habits Should We Adopt? 29:10 – Is the Japanese Diet Really Healthier? 33:40 – Do We Really Need Supplements? 36:35 – What is the Biggest Lesson From Your Book? 40:45 – How Can AI Support Health and Wellbeing? 47:00 – Are We Living Longer or Living Better?  

On this episode of the Evolve to Succeed Podcast, Warren Munson is joined by Krista Cartlidge, CEO of MYTIME Young Carers, to explore her journey from secondary school teacher to leading a nationally recognised organisation supporting young carers. Krista shares how frustrations within the education system led her to discover the hidden challenges faced by young carers, and why that discovery completely changed the direction of her career. Since joining MYTIME, she has helped grow the charity into a nationally respected voice, influencing policy, collecting groundbreaking data, and helping drive changes within schools and Ofsted frameworks. This is an honest, insightful, and deeply human conversation about leadership, purpose, resilience, and creating long-term impact. If you enjoy the episode, make sure to subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who would find the conversation valuable. What The Episode Covers Krista's journey from education into the charity sector Why the education system was failing young carers The hidden realities faced by young carers Transitioning from teacher to CEO Building and scaling MYTIME during Covid Leadership lessons learned while growing a charity The similarities between charities and startups Managing culture, governance and growth The importance of data in driving systemic change Lobbying Ofsted and influencing national policy Sustainable income models for charities The emotional impact of leading purpose-driven organisations Creating long-term systemic change for young carers   Chapters 00:00 – Who is Krista Cartlidge and what does MYTIME do? 01:10 – What drew Krista into teaching and education? 05:01 – Why did Krista leave the education sector? 07:10 – How did discovering young carers change everything? 09:37 – What were the early days of leading MYTIME really like? 14:14 – What leadership lessons came from building a growing charity? 18:18 – How did MYTIME influence Ofsted and national policy? 29:28 – What challenges come with scaling a purpose-led organisation? 31:32 – How did MYTIME create sustainable income streams? 43:39 – How do you build a strong culture inside a charity? 49:28 – What legacy does Krista want to leave behind?  

On this special episode, we bring together real conversations with founders and leaders who have built, scaled, and successfully exited their businesses. From early-stage ambition to the final signature, this episode explores what the journey actually looks like behind the scenes. You'll hear honest reflections on the realities of selling, from the pressure of due diligence and deal fatigue, to the emotional weight of stepping away from something you've spent years building. These are stories of resilience, tough decisions, timing, and the often-overlooked question: What comes next? Whether you're actively planning an exit, thinking about succession, or simply curious about what the future could look like, this episode offers valuable perspective from those who've been through it. If you found this useful, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who's on their own business journey.   What The Episode Covers Why selling a business is more complex than expected The reality of due diligence and deal fatigue Managing emotions during the exit process The importance of having the right advisors around you Knowing when the time is right to exit Understanding "how much is enough" financially Building a business that operates without the founder The impact of exit on identity and personal life Choosing the right buyer, not just the highest offer Life after exit and transitioning into the next phase Chapters 00:00 – Introduction 01:10 – Brian Parker  08:20 – Jimmy & Suzie's Iced Coffee 15:48 - Anthony Woodhouse 18:59 - Lincoln New 25:32 - Declan O'Toole 42:23 - Final Reflections