Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia

Turn your sales conversations into your competitive advantage with Gong.io:https://www.gong.io/demo/?utm_campaign=demo&utm_medium=tpv&utm_source=ceo-st-podcast Ben Coomber is a multi-award winning high performance coach, bestselling author of 'How to Live an Awesome Life,' and the Founder & CEO of Awesome Supplements. (Strategy & Tragedy listeners get an exclusive 15% off all orders with the code S&T15*: https://awesomesupplements.co.uk/discount/S&T15)Tune into hear about:- Ben's viral open letter calling out health misinformation from Steven Bartlett on his show, Diary of a CEO- Personal brand strategy in 2025, Ben's consistency rule, and lessons building successful businesses in FMCG health- Ben's health crisis pivot, and much more.Get involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!*Valid for 60 days from episode publish date

Ready to turn your sales conversations into your competitive advantage? Check out Gong.io and see why thousands of revenue teams trust their growth to Revenue AI.https://www.gong.io/demo/?utm_campaign=demo&utm_medium=tpv&utm_source=ceo-st-podcastDigital Voices was named the 13th fastest-growing agency by AdWeek, and is officially the fastest-growing Influencer Marketing agency in the world. Starting out with just £500 personal investment, Digital Voices now turns over more than $20M in annual recurring revenue with 94% ownership retained by founder Jennifer Quigley-Jones, Digital Voices is the only UK-based influencer agency of its scale led by a female CEO. Tune in to hear about...Starting a business aged just 26Revenue-funded growth to $20MThe secret to hyper-scale growthBuilding a proprietary tech platform as a non-technical founderEthics in influencer marketingAnd so much more.Book recommended in the interview:'No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention' by Reed Hastings & Erin Meyerhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49099937-no-rules-rulesOther episode mentioned: Stephanie Melodia’s interview with Daniel Hegarty of Habito:https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ccUscX1U5AkFelntshArs?si=90fb3a71d3e64b08https://youtu.be/ZnZVxTXf27E?si=PJkLa5hoGgQN-kNNGet involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Power up your commercial strategy with AI-powered insights driving every sales decision for predictable revenue growth with GONG: https://www.gong.io/demo/?utm_campaign=demo&utm_medium=tpv&utm_source=ceo-st-podcastIn this week's episode, Stephanie Melodia interviews Yang Li, the Co-Founder of Cosine - a multi-agent AI tool designed to do compound tasks in complex codebases with a 72% SOTA score on SWE-Lancer.In this episode, Steph and Yang cover:Is AI a bubble? And when will it burst? Yang's hot takes Meeting Tom Blomfield, Sam altman, Aaron Levie, and Michael SeibelBest advice for entrepreneurs in AI (hint: building for AI's "mediocre zone")HONEST thoughts on Y CombinatorHow we manufacture luckAnd more.Discover more about Cosine here: https://cosine.sh/Get involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Power up your commercial strategy with AI-powered insights driving every sales decision for predictable revenue growth with GONG: https://www.gong.io/demo/?utm_campaign=demo&utm_medium=tpv&utm_source=ceo-st-podcastIn this week's episode, Stephanie Melodia interviews Tash Rebuck, the sales expert and founder of TR Sales Consultancy, specialising in B2B sales strategy and training for growth businesses whilst strengthening commercial teams. We cover:👉 The BIGGEST traps people fall into making sales👉 Cold-calling techniques (put to the test LIVE ON THE AIR!)👉 The art of the follow-up - how to get an edge over others👉 How acting helped Tash overcome sales blockers👉 And so much more sales goodness.Learn more about Tash's sales consultancy here: https://trsalesconsultancy.co.uk/Get involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Crush sales with one tool that puts your LinkedIn & email outreach on autopilot with Dripify: https://try.dripify.com/hdoriziho14rIn this episode, Stephanie Melodia interviews Kat Thorne; the positive habits queen whose high-flying career made her crash & burn, forcing her to reassess how she was treating her own body. She now helps other high-performers achieve success in a sustainable way.Tune in to learn about:👉 The "untouchable" trap - High performers thinking they're superhuman👉 Move your body vs. exercise - The reframing that makes movement more accessible👉 The morning phone trap - Why checking emails immediately isn't effective👉 Success without sustainability fails - The core message about unsustainable success👉 The productivity paradox - How self-care actually improves performance👉 The 80/20 self-promise rule - Building self-respect through keeping commitments to yourselfWant more? Follow Kat on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katthorne/🎬 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Automatically turn long videos into viral shorts in just one click with Opus: https://www.opus.pro/?via=dcec02In this week's episode, Stephanie Melodia interviews Saba Yussouf, exited founder and investor specialising in STEM revolutions - from reinventing food systems to democratising infection prevention and battling environmental threats. As a high-agency venture capitalist, Saba bets on founders who rewrite industries, not rules. Worked with institutions such as Cambridge University, American Express, and Harrods.Steph and Saba cover:- What it means to be high agency, how to get there, and what it looks like in practise- Saba's own entrepreneurial journey and how much market timings can affect success or failure- From founder to investor - how Saba developed her own investment thesis and what she looks for in a deal (Hint: High agency founders for one 😉) - Saba's "unhinged" neuro-backed time management hack- And so much more entrepreneur-focused goodness.Get involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/🎬 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Automatically turn long videos into viral shorts in just one click with Opus: https://www.opus.pro/?via=dcec02Crush sales with a single LinkedIn & email autopilot tool - Dripify: https://try.dripify.com/hdoriziho14rBest known as the founder of Trunki, the iconic ride-on suitcase for kids, Rob Law turned one of the most famous rejections on BBC's Dragons' Den into a global success, selling over 5 million units across 100+ countries. He scaled up the business over 17 years (winning 120+ awards along the way) and exited in 2023.In this interview, Steph and Rob discuss:- Overcoming setbacks - from ridicule on national TV and a luggage ban - to deeper, personal issues like cystic fibrosis and losing his twin sister aged just 16- GTM strategy, positioning, and growth levers- The failed attempt to create a “tween” version of Trunki that intentional businessmen ended up wanting!- How Rob exercises his resilience muscle- The path to selling Trunki and what life looked like post-exit - Answering the questions he’s NEVER been asked in an interview before- New ventures and advice to his younger selfBook Rob to speak at your event: roblaw.com Help your children go to sleep with zeepy.coGrow your brand on Amazon with aphelion.agencyGet involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🎬 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

This episode is dedicated to Kieran!Jodie Cook is the Forbes 30 Under 30 Founder of Coachvox, following the 7-figure exit of her own social media agency which she started fresh out of uni. Jodie is a Forbes senior contributor with 19M+ article reads. She has also competed in powerlifting for Team GB 9 times and lived in 35 cities as a digital nomad. (Everything she own fits in one suitcase!)In this interview, Steph and Jodie discuss...- Five surprising ways to achieve your goals- Jodie's business journey and key lessons learnt- The power of manifesting- Playing your ace cards- And so much more.Ready to scale beyond your time? Make the AI version of you at: https://coachvox.ai/Get involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Get involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Mona Tiesler is an investor at tokentus, a leading VC firm in the German blockchain ecosystem, where she invests in startups that leverage blockchain technology globally. She has several years of experience in venture capital, and has been involved in pre-seed to Series A deals across Europe, USA, UAE and Asia.With a background in strategy consulting, venture building, and entrepreneurship, Mona has a passion for supporting innovators who are building the decentralized future of the internet.She has co-founded and led companies in Fintech, Edtech, and Foodtech, and has an MBA from INSEAD.In this episode, Mona and Steph discuss:- How to re-invent yourself while navigating huge career changes- The mental reframe required when facing rejection (after rejection, after rejection...) - Practical tips on learning the key skill *every* entrepreneur needs; SALES!- The importance of strategy and how each step helps the next- PLUS! What Mona looks for now as an investorMona is passionate about breaking down barriers to access - both for fundraising founders and equalising gender opportunities. In-line with her mission, Mona is a member of Global Women in VC, the world's largest community for women in venture capital to connect, collaborate, and create opportunities for each other. Discover more here:https://www.women-vc.com/Mona is also the Co-Founder of Distributed Funding, a platform for underrepresented founders in the Web3 space to submit pitch decks and a short survey in just a few minutes.Learn more here: https://roomy-tailor-258.notion.site/Distributed-Funding-b49508c6d2484d62b3c0calab286a132Fundraising? Learn more about what tokentus looks for in their investments here:https://tokentus.com/targetsEnjoyed this episode? Subscribe, rate, review, and share it with a friend!Want more?Follow Steph:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/videosSupport the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517

Olivia Parkes is the Founder & CEO of Persi, making fashion personalisation actually personal! With Persi, retailers can deliver highly personalised product recommendations based on what each customer owns, loves, and actually wears.In this interview, you'll hear about...👗 The £176K post: How Olivia raised almost £200k from a single LinkedIn post for her female-first cap table👗 Resilience amidst a triple pivot to SEIS disaster recovery👗 Scrappy MVPs and non-technical founder success (before meeting her perfect co-founder match!)👗 Balancing motherhood & startup life (including pitching while pregnant and breastfeeding in the boardroom - normalising what it really takes to make it work as a working mother)👗 And so, so much more inspirational wisdom and practical tips...Discover more about Persi here: https://www.yourpersi.com/Get involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🎬 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Stuart Trevor is the founder of AllSaints, the high street brand he launched in 1994 and scaled to £15M turnover business & household brand name. Now, the fashion entrepreneur is on a mission to create the world’s most sustainable fashion brand, clothing brand that doesn't produce any clothes.Discover more here: https://stuarttrevor.com/In this interview, Steph and Stuart cover:🖤 His journey from fashion student to AllSaints founder🖤 How creative constraints led to an *iconic* brand identity🖤 Organic growth without traditional investment🖤 Surviving a near-fatal business crisis🖤 ADHD as an entrepreneurial superpower🖤 Stuart's mission now for sustainable fashion - building "the world's most sustainable fashion brand that doesn't produce any clothes"Get involved in the conversation. What resonated most with you from this interview? What did you learn? What made you go, huh, I never thought about it like that? We want to hear from you!🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🎬 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Andy Ayim MBE is the founder of Angel Investing School, which has trained over 500 angels who have invested $5,000,000 globally, including the Black Angel Group's run out of Google's Black Network, which has invested over 3,500,000.0 in over 30 startups. Andy himself has personally invested in 17 startups, including Farmland, Patch, and Unplugged with 70% led by diverse founders. In this interview, you'll hear about...💸 From Tottenham to Windsor Castle: Andy's incredible journey from a working-class kid whose dad traveled to neighbouring boroughs just to get him copies of the Financial Times, to receiving an MBE and training 500+ angel investors globally💸 The £10K mistake that changed everything: How Andy's costly early investment blunder (putting more money than he could afford into a startup he didn't understand) led him to create Angel Investing School and democratise access to investment education💸 Why angel investing is "one of the fastest ways to lose money": Andy reveals the non-financial benefits that matter more than returns, and why understanding your intrinsic "why" is crucial before writing any checks💸 The Instagram success secret: How Kevin Systrom's £100K angel investment gave him the runway to pivot from restaurant app "Burbn" to Instagram - and why most startups fail because they don't have time to experiment💸 Silicon Valley vs UK: Why American investors take bigger risks on consumer plays while UK investors stick to "predictable B2B software" - and what needs to change for Britain to compete globally💸 The personal cost of entrepreneurship: Andy opens up about losing his father suddenly, how grief transformed his approach to life and business, and why he now optimises for family time over rapid growth - plus his 7-year digital journal practice that's like "Google Analytics for his personal life"Learn more about Angel Investing School here: https://angelinvestingschool.com/Get involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🎬 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Trisha Wing is the Co-Founder & CEO of SuLe (https://www.sule.io/), a first-of-its-kind legal platform supporting startups at every stage of their growth. SuLe is the smart legal hub that cuts legal costs 90%. Book a free call here: https://calendly.com/d/cq55-w8f-wsg/introductory-call?month=2025-07In this interview, Steph and Trisha cover:👩🏼‍⚖️ Jargon-free legal wisdom - from company ownership to IP👩🏼‍⚖️ The most common legal traps to avoid👩🏼‍⚖️ Managing co-founder partnerships👩🏼‍⚖️ Practical help for entrepreneurs👩🏼‍⚖️ Trish's own entrepreneurial journey - from building a tech product as a non-technical founder, meeting her perfect match, and how she fundraised to scale impactDiscover more about SuLe here: https://www.sule.io/ Book a free call here: https://calendly.com/d/cq55-w8f-wsg/introductory-call?month=2025-07Other episodes mentioned in this interview:Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen of Female Invest- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFx6rPcEAC0&t=2188s- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ycHdY40jdUmwRKTM28WBe?si=661c5d8936b442beThomas Panton of Endgame Capital (former Canopey co-founder)- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scpY7W_bOdU&t=267s- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1OkQX9hzbbzcWNzgkQycZy?si=07cd5caa47154264Share your thoughts:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🍿 Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@stephmelodia/videos🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Get £50 off your Unplugged stay: UPMSTEPHMELODIA50Hector Hughes is the Co-Founder & CEO of Unplugged, the platform for digital detox cabins as featured in The Times, Cosmopolitan, The Telegraph, and Evening Standard with over 12,000 guests served to date.In this interview, you'll hear about:🏕️ The benefits of digital minimalism🏕️ Contrarian takes on the Lean Startup model🏕️ Hector's transformational entrepreneur journey🏕️ The importance of brand positioning (especially in our AI marketing world)🏕️ How a commitment to a vision and even creating friction has paid off🏕️ Fundraising challenges and securing angel investmentGet £50 off your next digital detox with Unplugged using this code: UPMSTEPHMELODIA50-Get involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🎬 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Claudia Gasson is a Business Psychologist & Talent Strategist at the psychology-backed culture consultancy, Bailey & French. She is also a seasoned recruiter and former founder, with her own talent consultancy, Ortus.In this interview, host Stephanie Melodia and Claudia cover:- Insights from 10+ years in recruitment (including the top reason people leave their jobs 👀)- The psychology of motivation and how to attract top talent- Practical tips on how employers can increase engagement & reduce burnout- How to create a culture of success - Claudia's own entrepreneurial story (and why running your own business isn't ALL it's cracked up to be... )Want to boost your employee experience? Check out Bailey & French: https://www.baileyandfrench.com/ or connect with Claudia directly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiagasson/Get involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@stephmelodia/videos🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Steve Peralta is the Co-founder of Unmind, helping over 2.5M employees prioritise mental health and build cultures where people thrive. He is also a keynote speaker and coach, helping purpose-driven leaders bring out the best in themselves and their teams.Tune in to hear about:👉 The moment that changed everything for Steve👉 Why human-centred leadership is the way forward in an AI world👉 Connecting mission-driven business with the pressures of VCConnect with Steve here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peraltasteve/Get involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🎬 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Thomas Panton is a serial entrepreneur and now Venture Fellow at Endgame Capital, investing in early-stage 'climate-change-denier-proof' tech startups.In this interview, Steph and Thomas discuss:- What happened with the eco marketplace he co-founded, Canopey- The key lessons from Canopey's post-mortem - and how he's applying them to his new stealth startup- Co-founder alignment - red flags / green flags - and the best way to test them- How being a serial entrepreneur has helped him be a better investor now- What Endgame Capital looks for in their investment deals- How to help remove some of the unconscious bias in VC- What makes a 1% founder(Psst! Here's the Matt Lerner interview mentioned in the conversation: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6i0oJnpsNDgW0JF8ZkKu3R?si=652d59ea50d14c30 )Fundraising? Head to Endgame Capital's website, here: https://www.endgamecapital.vc/ or drop Thomas a message here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaspanton/I'd LOVE to know, what resonated most with you here?Get involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🎬 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen is an award-winning entrepreneur, bestselling author and TedX speaker. She's listed on the Forbes 30 under 30 list, and closing the gender investment gap with FemaleInvest by educating women on investing and personal finance through educational events, e-learning and strategic partnerships.In this interview, Steph and Anna cover:💰 Why getting more women into investing helps *everyone*💰 What makes women better investors and where they can start💰 Anna-Sophie's founder story, meeting her co-founders, and starting FemaleInvest💰 From the brink of bankruptcy to being listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 - overnight!💰 Top lessons learnt from fundraising $24M - and the biggest surprise💰 Creative marketing tactics💰 And more.Learn more about FemaleInvest here: https://www.femaleinvest.com/en-gbGet involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XFx6rPcEAC0🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!

TW: Contains themes of mental health including depression and suicide.Founder of StoryCast®. Leadership Communication Expert. Global Keynote Speaker. Award-Winning Author of GLOW IN THE DARK 💡Mark Leruste helps leaders harness the power of their stories to build trust and inspire action. He’s worked with the likes of Google, Microsoft, and Nike to communicate and connect in a way that resonates and drives real impact.His TED talk, ‘What they don’t tell you about entrepreneurship,’ has amassed 1.3M views, and Steven Bartlett listed it as the number 1 TED Talk every entrepreneur should watch.In this interview, Mark and Steph discuss:🎤 Why storytelling matters🎤 Practical frameworks (like the 3 C's) to help you become a better storyteller 🎤 Inspirational examples from Mark's time at the Movember Foundation🎤 The blurred lines between storytelling and the truth🎤 Entrepreneurship and mental health🎤 And so much more.Transform your story into your most powerful asset through engaging talks,  masterclasses and coaching programmes for business leaders to leverage the power of personal storytelling to connect with their audience, build trust and inspire action with StoryCast®: https://www.storycast.co/Book Mark to deliver a talk to your organisation: https://www.markleruste.com/Get involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🎬 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!