Beautiful Misfits

We all need to do our bit to create a better future than the **** show we’ve got right now. Let’s make a commitment to be that bit more conscious, think about how we live, buy, who we bank with, work and vote for. Even the smallest changes knit together to create a greater whole. In this episode of Beautiful Misfits, I’m talking to the wonderful Thomasina Miers. After winning Masterchef, Tommi co-founded Wahaca – the chain of Mexican restaurants that had sustainability baked in from the beginning. They’ve been carbon neutral since 2016 and are forging a new path on how food can be good for planet – and people. In addition to all that, Tommi is a passionate campaigner around all things food. From working to get chefs into schools to create truly nutritious food for children, to campaigning to fix our broken food system – she's passionate about it all – because bad food is literally killing us and the planet.  She’s tireless, inspiring and I loved talking to her. Let's take Tommi's ideas for a better world and run. TW: This episode contains references to mental illness and suicide. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

As a fifth-generation baker from the esteemed Hobbs House Bakery family, Tom Herbert grew up with yeast in his in his genes and a ready-made career to fall into. But after a series of events including a visit to refugee camps in Calais, Tom realised he couldn't just take the easy path, and felt an urgent need to contribute to something more purposeful. He founded The Long Table in Stroud – a project which I love and have eaten at many times myself – that looks at tackling all aspects of food inequality, starting with community dining. Tom is a believer that simple solutions, community spirit, and kindness can change the world. I'll raise my baguette to that! To support The Long Table visit https://www.thelongtableonline.com/donate Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Success isn’t always a straight line. Trinny Woodall burst onto our TV screens on What Not To Wear alongside Susannah Constantine in the noughties. Twenty years on she’s got a million Instagram followers and a beauty business – Trinny London – that turns over something like £50 million a year. Those are the headlines. But there is so much more than that. Because while Trinny has gone through the highs of public success, she’s also experienced the lows of addiction in her twenties, complex bereavement, and a failed dotcom business – with everything in between. And after all of that, she took the leap into the beauty business after decades in fashion aged 53. It took a long time for us to meet. And I’m not sure why we didn’t before. But I’m so glad we finally got the chance to because Trinny is a soulful woman. Join us on today’s episode as we talk about fashion, family and whether to lean into a male-dominated business world.  Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Imagine your daughter being so scared for your safety that she fainted when you took too long popping out for a pint of milk? This is what happened to Gina Miller, the woman who took the government to court in the midst of the Brexit furore. She wasn’t trying to stop Brexit. She was fighting for our democracy. But she was  so abused and threatened for standing up to the system that she feared for her – and her children’s – safety. In this episode of Beautiful Misfits I talk to Gina about her extraordinary story. Her life has been one of many challenges – from a serious sexual assault when she was a teenager to fighting for her daughter who was born with significant extra needs – and yet she is still hopeful. And Gina believes we all have a choice: to give in to all the negatives, or believe in our collective power to create a better future. So now she’s launched a political party to campaign for it. She’s inspirational. I hope you enjoy.  Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

I’m in my 60s. Florence Given is in her 20s. But we came together to chat everything from body image to the new kind of protest movements unfolding on social media. And what I realised is that so many of the issues that older women have faced are still being negotiated by younger women today. The good news though is that they’re getting vocal about them. Florence is an illustrator, artist and author, who’s also got a huge following on social media. And she’s loved by Gen Z women - and older ones too - for her willingness to talk about everything from feminism and sex to her own sexuality and how young women – and men – navigate relationships today. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Fear is a big one isn’t it? The fear of failure. The fear of stepping out of our lane and getting flattened. But in today’s episode of Beautiful Misfits, I talk to Dr Sharon Blackie about why confronting our fears is one of the vital keys to unlocking change in ourselves and the world around us. She did this. She was so afraid of flying - and failing in a big corporate life - that she took the radical step of training a pilot. Today Sharon is an author and teacher whose work centres on how to bring back balance into a world that’s gone so off course in many ways. And the ancient wisdom found in the stories of our past that provide the answers we need for the future. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

On this week's Beautiful Misfits, I'm joined by the general manager UK at Ankorstore. Tarun Gidoomal and I share a belief in the vitality of the relationships at the heart of retail - shops are about emotion, not just buying and selling. I learned about the value of local shops after my mother died. As a teenager, feeling completely lost without her, I’d get off the school bus each day wondering what I was going to cook my dad and brother that night. But it was the local butcher and grocer who helped me work it out, saved me bits, offered me kindness. They were a light in a very dark time. Tarun, like me, has experienced loss in his life and has come to understand that what tests us most can also help us grow. Join us on today’s episode of Beautiful Misfits as we chat loss, moving past the behaviours that protected us in pain but no longer serve us, and the power of shops to create beautiful business for beautiful living.  Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

This week's Beautiful Misfits guest is Ione Gamble. I absolutely loved talking to this intelligent, questioning, energetic and – crucially – hopeful young woman. Ione is a writer, editor, art director and founder of Polyester Zine. She is also, in her own words, a ‘gross girl’. Diagnosed weeks after her birthday with Chrohn’s disease – a debilitating inflammatory bowel disease – Ione’s young adult life has been shaped by illness, and hospital wards.S he channels all this into her work as she questions many of the stories still being told to us as women - particularly about physical beauty. Because despite all the body positivity, beauty is all too often still slim, white and able bodied. But how many of us feel we actually fit these archetypes? Ione joins me to talk about all of this - plus the the world of fashion, social media and how ‘good taste’ is often just about propping up the existing power structures.  Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

From fashion to interiors and retail, Jasper Conran has tapped into his creativity across a range of disciplines to build a glittering career. But his journey to get there has taken many stages of transformation and resistance. We talk about the legacy of coming from a family that ‘has it all’, the loneliness of his childhood, the eating disorder and self-esteem problems Jasper suffered as a teenager – and how he had to carve out his own path by defying expectations of his father (Sir Terence Conran), of himself, and of the industry. He’s a gentle soul, wonderfully funny and, after knowing him for many years, I loved sitting down with him to talk. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Imagine a world in which we had true gender equality, a world in which women and girls could unleash all their power and come together with boys and men to create something new. Jude Kelly founded the Women of the World festival in 2010 to focus on just that – to celebrate the achievements of women and confront global gender injustice. She is also a storyteller, and prior to WoW built a decorated career as a theatre director and producer. Today she mentors, campaigns, and her work has left a huge impact on me personally. At the heart of it all – of course – is a very human story of a woman deeply connected to her creative feminine power, making her way in a world that doesn’t always make that easy. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Candice Brathwaite shares my belief in consciousness, soul, spirituality – the innate power that exists inside us all. She's used it to overcome personal struggles, and to manifest her ideas into reality. All despite the world trying to silence her. Now a best-selling author of titles such as Sista Sister and Cuts Both Ways, and an influential voice sharing her story of black motherhood – Candice has battled through racism, beauty standards, and colourism. She's also received public backlash when she's broached taboos or fought for those made to feel "other" by society. But she approaches it all – the fun, the light, the complex and challenging – with positivity and joy. And this is because she realised she had "the key" to transformation inside herself all along. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

How do you feel about failure? For many of us, it’s one of the scariest places we can go. But the legendary founder of Pret A Manger and Itsu embraces it. We’re too scared of failure, says Julian Metcalfe. We must use it as an opportunity to learn.   In a new episode of Beautiful Misfits, I talk to Julian about everything from the power of empathy to the pursuit of excellence. He talks movingly about the impact of the death of his mother and how striving for excellence inspires him. We need more leaders like him. There’s a shift coming, the world is changing and Beautiful Misfits like Julian can guide us.  Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Lemn Sissay is a poet, a thinker, a rebel. His mother thought she was putting him into temporary foster care as a baby. But he was swallowed up by the system. Then aged 12, he was sent back into it when his adoptive parents kicked him out. Lemn grew up alone in so many ways. But alongside this pain there was beauty and light in the form of creativity. Lemn has built an impressive career, but more importantly, he’s a truly soulful man. This conversation hit me powerfully – and Lemn is a true Beautiful Misfit. As he says, the question anyone who identifies as “unique” should ask is, “do you give yourself the permission to explore that?” Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

My guest this week has been called “the most influential woman in fashion”. We both met starting out at Topshop in our 20s, before Jane Shepherdson went on to put Topshop at the beating heart of cultural relevance in a way no other high street brand had been before. But then – to the surprise of the outside world – she walked away from it all. To me, Jane is a beautiful misfit because we share something very important – she was not driven by money, or growth, but instead by creative instinct. As fast fashion grew, and the internal culture of the company under Philip Green became too much to bear – Jane needed to find distance from the machine she now saw as a monster, and sought out a new way to channel her creative energy.   She explains the anger she felt at having to let go of her “baby”, the protection she had to put around her team, and why she’s dedicated her career ever since, to doing fashion differently.  Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: beautifulmisfits@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Beautiful Misfits don’t accept the status quo. They know instinctively the way we’re living today is broken. But they believe the world can be a better place. And they fearlessly take the imaginative leap to change it. Join Mary as she talks to the authors and businesspeople, designers and poets, who are using their unique perspective to create a better, more beautiful, future. Their life lessons are sometimes funny, at others moving, but always insightful. And one thing is clear: we’ve never needed these beautiful misfits more. New episodes every week – subscribe now.

Emma Jones CBE knows the journey of entrepreneurship first hand – she founded, scaled and successfully sold a home-grown tech company, all before she hit thirty. Ever since she's been on a mission to help other SME's reach their own visions of success. Now running Enterprise Nation – and as a partner of Mastercard's Strive UK platform – she sits at the helm of a vibrant community of small businesses and business advisers that exists to shortcut the route to trusted business support. Speaking with Mary, Emma explains why 'purpose' and 'passion' are crucial factors for anyone looking to start a company that is resilient and can continue to connect with customers through tough times. She also shares tips on how entrepreneurs can stay better connected and share skills in the new landscape of remote and blended working. For more on how Mastercard's Strive UK could help your business, visit www.mastercard.co.uk/strive Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Kelly Devine believes that micro and small businesses are the lifeblood of the UK economy. As part of the team behind Strive UK – an initiative set up by Mastercard as a free resource for small business owners across the country – Kelly is working to help these businesses to navigate the digital economy, build relationships and communities, and ultimately realise their growth ambitions.  Alongside Mary, she discusses the huge potential of the sector, and why these entrepreneurs are the changemakers of the future.  For more on how Strive UK could help your business, visit www.mastercard.co.uk/strive Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Patrick Grant knows that fashion has the potential to be about far more than the clothes we wear: from supporting disadvantaged communities to the ultimate anti-dote to throwaway consumerism.  And he’s working at many levels of the industry to put these ideas into practice: from the Savile Row tailor Norton & Sons to the social enterprise Community Clothing - which works with factories in some of the UK’s most deprived areas.  He’s also helped inspire thousands to reconnect with the increasingly lost art of making and repairing clothes – through his work as a judge on the BBC’s The Great British Sewing Bee and as the driving force behind The Big Community Sew which saw thousands volunteer to make Covid masks.  Join Mary as she talks to Patrick about the huge potential that fashion has for creating a positive impact. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

Dale Vince isn’t your average entrepreneur.  After leaving school at 15, he spent ten years living off grid in buses, trucks and underneath tarpaulin.  In 1996 he founded Ecotricity with one windmill in Gloucestershire. The company now employs over 600 people and supplies green energy to 117,000 homes.  He’s also chairman of Forest Green Rovers - the world’s first vegan and UN-certified carbon neutral football club. And his most recent launch is Sky Diamond – sustainable gems created by taking carbon out of the atmosphere. Dale’s work is inextricably linked with his values. Join Mary as she talks to him about what inspired him to carve his unique path. Follow Mary Portas on: Instagram: @maryportasofficial Facebook: Mary Portas And to get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com and you can subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration.

When Yvon Chouinard became a member of the Southern California Falconry Club in 1953, he was taught how to abseil down cliffs to view the birds’ nests and it sparked a lifelong love of climbing and the outdoors. Twenty years later he founded the clothing company Patagonia. Today it’s a billion-dollar business whose mission statement reads: “We’re in business to save our home planet.” Patagonia is at the forefront of a host of initiatives from recycling to renewable energy. It gives money to grassroots environmental non-profits, repairs garments and supports 64,000 workers through Fair Trade.  They publish films and books, fund environmentally and socially conscious start-ups, campaign and innovate in organic and regenerative farming practices. Patagonia is a living, breathing embodiment of a values-driven business. In this episode, Mary talks to Patagonia’s environmental action and initiatives director Beth Thoren about the brand’s vision for the future - and just how critical good business is to the fight to save the planet. To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: kindnesseconomy@portasagency.com Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provocation insights and inspiration. Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here: Instagram ** Linkedin ** Twitter