Sound Advice: Entrepreneurs Unfiltered

Kiana Gomes is the creative mind behind the Cocktail Bomb Shop, a product she has designed to elevate your at-home bartending experience and impress your guests. After finding a gap in the market for her fizzy creations during the pandemic, she worked tirelessly on perfecting her formula. Kiana then posted a TikTok video of her cocktail bomb in action, and just like that, she went viral! She reached over 500,000 views overnight and her account has since grown to over 200k followers.  Once her business started to take off, she found herself outgrowing her kitchen table and with that, she knew it was time to scale up. Rather than taking out loans or turning to traditional funding sources, she decided to seek out investors on Dragon’s Den. Join us on the Sound Advice Podcast, for a flavourful journey, as we dive into how Kiana secured major investment while also building valuable business connections. 

Do you constantly doubt your abilities and achievements? Are you haunted by the fear of being exposed as a fraud? Well, listen up entrepreneurs, here’s how to conquer your imposter syndrome once and for all. Clare Josa is a renowned expert in tackling imposter syndrome, from speaking at the IoD to European parliament, and she is here to share her proven strategies to help you break free from self-doubt and step into your true potential. With 10 books under her belt, Clare also runs Soultuitive, a leadership development programme dedicated to overcoming all the barriers that are preventing you from becoming the leader you were born to be.  Stay tuned to discover how to recognise and challenge self-sabotaging thoughts, cultivate self-confidence, and build resilience in the face of criticism. This is truly an episode you don’t want to miss!

Meet Camilla Barnard, the fearless co-founder of Rude Health, who didn't shy away from the critics claiming her branding was "too sexy and extreme." In fact, she saw it as an opportunity to shake up the healthy food industry. In the face of relentless judgment, Camilla and her team rejected the status quo and embraced their unique style, reflected in their fun-spirited, vibrantly coloured packaging. Far from being a setback, their cheeky approach became a customer favourite, propelling their product range to over 60 foods and drinks and raking in an impressive £30 million in annual turnover. Join us on this episode of Sound Advice: Entrepreneurs Unfiltered, where Camilla spills the beans on the invaluable lessons she learned while building a bold million-pound business that customers just can't get enough of. Get ready for a candid conversation about breaking the mold and thriving in the world of disruptive entrepreneurship! 

Founder of the beautiful letterbox flower company Bloom & Wild Aron Gelbard traded in his cushy high-flying career—with his own fancy office and PA—for the uncertainty of starting his own business.  With £30,000 to get his idea off the ground, Aron planted the seeds for his business with 6 am starts at New Covent Garden flower market, and several weeks spent measuring over 1,000 letterboxes to make sure his blooms would fit. And as if there wasn’t enough to learn already, he also had to navigate peak seasons like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, and the logistical nightmares they present. In this episode, Aron will delve into how he had the confidence to leave his stable career to start an innovative business, and how he has since grown Bloom & Wild into a superbrand that is raking in over £100m across 4 countries.  

After already achieving major success at the optimistic age of 26, founder of Gousto, Timo Boldt was nowhere near done with pushing the boundaries and set off on a mission to better his business with the pursuit of technology.  Through sophisticated algorithms and data analysis, he has used AI to successfully create recipe kits that are not only mouth-watering and reduced his company’s carbon footprint, but that have also shielded his customers from the full effects of food price inflation. With Gousto's AI-guided products, customers can now enjoy suggested meals that use planet-friendly ingredients, minimise food waste, and encourage sustainable cooking practices, all at an affordable price. This cleverly combines a desire for healthy eating with making better, eco-conscious decisions. Join us on this episode of Sound Advice: Entrepreneurs Unfiltered, to find out how you can harness the power of technology to propel your business into the future and pave the way for more sustainable living. 

Get ready for an electrifying start to Season 3! Join our fantastic host, Bex Burn-Callander, as she sits down with PR luminary Lynne Franks OBE. Together, they explore the realms of empowerment and confidence, not just for businesses navigating tight budgets, but the enthusiastic entrepreneurs behind them, too. Lynne, a trailblazer in PR and women's empowerment and a legend in the industry, imparts invaluable insights on how even the tiniest enterprises can build confidence and make an impact.Lynne candidly shares her journey and the foundational philosophy that drives her work. With a career spanning decades and a collection of accolades, including an OBE for her remarkable contributions to business, fashion, and women's empowerment, Lynne reflects on her evolution from the heady days of London Fashion Week to the inspiring pursuits that captivate her today.  

It's time for the season finale! Steve Hare, CEO of Sage, is in conversation with Sophie Cornish MBE, the multi-award-winning entrepreneur, author, and founder of the beloved online marketplace, notonthehighstreet.com and chairman of clothing brand Busby & Fox.She started notonthehighstreet.com in 2006 alongside friend and business partner, Holly Tucker, building it up from a network of 95 of Britain’s most creative makers, to a 5,000-strong community selling over 200,000 unique products. After taking a step back from notonthehighstreet.com, Sophie rekindled her passion for women’s fashion, getting involved with Busby & Fox alongside founder Emma Vowles.On this episode of Sound Advice: Entrepreneurs Unfiltered, Sophie and Steve get real about the challenges small businesses face, how to be a well-rounded leader today, and the role adaptability plays in not just surviving, but thriving as an entrepreneur.We’ll explore how embracing change and staying flexible can push you forward as a founder, and pave the way to new opportunities in an ever-changing business landscape, so this is not an episode you want to miss.

Alfie Best is the serial entrepreneur who turned Wyldecrest Parks into a real success story, boasting an impressive 91 locations across the UK.But this millionaire's roots trace back to humble beginnings—he was born in a caravan on the side of a road in Leicester, into a Romany Gypsy family. According to his LinkedIn, he humorously claims his education came from the 'school of hard knocks', waving goodbye to formal schooling at 12 years old. His journey in the world of business kicked off at just 14, buying and selling cars and vans, and he was hooked.That taste of entrepreneurship set Alfie on an unstoppable path to be his own boss. Fast forward to today, and he's a self-made billionaire with an impressive portfolio of 17 different ventures. And if that isn't enough, he's even made appearances on TV and even dipped his toes into the world of film. Tune in to hear Alfie’s story of determination, hard work, and a dash of grit, proving that with the right attitude, you can aim for the stars.

Pippa Murray is the visionary behind Pip & Nut, the wholesome nut butter brand on a mission to make tasty-but-natural treats for all. Pippa embarked on her entrepreneurial journey inspired by her love for running and a quest for healthy snacks. While training for a marathon, Pippa saw a lack of nut butters free from sugars and additives among mainstream options.With no formal background in food or business, Pippa's dream and an unyielding determination drove her forward. A former theatre producer, she embraced the challenges and creativity of starting a business head-on. Today, her products stack supermarket shelves and bring in millions every year. Tune in to this episode of Sound Advice: Entrepreneurs Unfiltered to hear Pippa spill the tea on how she juggled multiple roles and responsibilities, built a business as a solopreneur, and got the funding to turn her delicious idea into B Corp-certified reality.

Rob Law MBE is the mastermind behind Trunki, the ultimate ride-on suitcase sensation for kids. Rob's ride on the entrepreneurial roller coaster has taken him from the jaws of rejection on BBC Dragons’ Den in 2006 to leading a squad that's completely redefined the world of kiddo travel gear. Since then, he’s been on fire crafting innovative solutions that are like magic wands for families on the move.Since Trunki (Magmatic) rolled onto the scene in May 2006, over 4 million of these sweet suitcases have zoomed their way to more than 100 countries. Parents the world over have forked over a whopping $200 million to hop on the Trunki bandwagon. But skyrocketing to popularity comes at a price–Trunki’s design was copied by another brand. The dispute ended up in court, and things didn’t quite go Rob’s way. On this episode of Sound Advice: Entrepreneurs Unfiltered, Rob lifts the lid on how to protect your product, and what it’s like to have copycats come after your design, take it to court, and end up on the wrong side of the verdict. 

 Join us on this episode of Sound Advice: Entrepreneurs Unfiltered as we dive into the captivating journey of Melissa Thom. By day, she is an accomplished voice actor, and the rest of the time, she transforms into a relentless serial entrepreneur.After reaching incredible success with her husband through building and selling SecondSync to Twitter, Melissa's entrepreneurial spirit was ready for the next challenge. Balancing her voice acting career, she came up with the idea for BRAVA, a groundbreaking training academy aimed at empowering aspiring artists to master their craft.In this episode, Melissa shares her insights into building a business fueled by passion and leveraging personal expertise to teach others. Tune in to get invaluable advice on turning your passions into successful ventures, and the transformative impact of mentorship and skill-sharing. 

Harriet Hastings is the fearless founder of Biscuiteers, a successful luxury biscuit company. On this episode of Sound Advice: Entrepreneurs Unfiltered, Harriet shares her journey of resilience, and spills the tea on what it’s like to balance business and family life when your co-founder is also your other half.From investing £80,000 of your family’s savings into a great idea, to striking the right balance between work and home, and overcoming the impact of a devastating flood at the Biscuiteers' production facility in 2022, we’re talking about it all. You don’t want to miss this one.

Dominic Peter and Ella Jade are the innovative duo behind ROOBBA, an affordable luxury furniture brand taking the online world by storm. On this episode of the Sound Advice podcast, they lift the lid on why and how they started ROOBBA, what affordable luxury means to them, and how they’re tapping into AI and AR tech to create a more personalised shopping experience for their customers. They’ll also share their tips for finding the perfect co-founder, creating a membership program for your brand, and how you can finance (and scale) your own startup in a super competitive space.

Award-winning entrepreneur Beth Kume-Holland is the founder and CEO of Patchwork Hub, a pioneering disabled-led employment platform and recruitment consultancy that’s shaking up the industry.As a disabled person, Beth is used to overcoming daily barriers in a world that can feel like it’s not built for her. And although these barriers can be physical ones, often the biggest challenges she faces are attitudinal.Despite graduating Oxford, Harvard, and single-handedly securing FTSE100 clients, Beth still experiences discrimination which impacts her business’ access to funding. She’s previously been in rooms with investors discussing a £300,000 investment, only to have the offer lowered to £30,000 as soon as the nature of her disability was disclosed.At the root of it all lies underrepresentation. Being underrepresented has led to all sorts of misconceptions around Beth’s work. Some mistakenly assume that because her solution is built around disability, it must be a charity-focused model or a lifestyle business.On this episode of Sound Advice: Entrepreneurs Unfiltered, Beth takes us on a deep dive into the kind of discrimination she’s had to overcome, how she did it, and what you can do to build a more accessible, inclusive business for all. 

Dan Scarfe and Mitch Feldman are dream team behind XRAI Glass, the breakthrough technology that turns sound into subtitles so deaf people can see the conversations happening in front of them. Dan came up with the idea for the glasses one family Christmas. He noticed his 97-year-old grandfather, who was hard of hearing, struggling to join in conversations with the rest of the family in real-time, having to sit in silence instead.On this episode of Sound Advice: Entrepreneurs Unfiltered, Dan and Mitch tell us all about the journey to creating a breakthrough product, and the lessons they learnt along the way. 

Melanie Blane is the founder of White Rabbit Skincare, a natural, sustainable, vegan skincare brand built out of the kitchen in her one-bedroom flat.When researching the steroid creams used to treat her psoriasis, Melanie was horrified to learn about the irritants and synthetic ingredients most brands used, which might soothe symptoms temporarily, but could have long term effects.Despite enjoying 9 successful years building her brand and surviving a global pandemic, Melanie found herself muscled out of the market by huge corporations with millions more to spend on marketing.The breaking point came one day as Melanie left the gym and realised she had run out of money. A tearful plea for help on social media saw a surge in support, with more orders and website traffic in one night than White Rabbit Skincare had had in the past 6 months.On this episode of Sound Advice: Entrepreneurs Unfiltered, Melanie shares her raw story of resilience, asking for help, and her advice on building a challenger brand to take on industry Goliaths. 

Meet Lucy Busk, the woman who made it cool to drink wine out of a can. She founded NICE in 2019 with her co-founder Jeremy May, and now they sell a can every 5 seconds. We're talking all about becoming a trendsetter, smashing your crowd-funding goal, and getting your product in with the biggest retailers out there. 

Frankie Thorogood is CEO and co-founder of Pott’d, the crafty clay-kit brand on a mission to help boost your mental health and feed your creativity. He also founded the multi-million-pound sportswear brand TCA with just £100.And he’s an entrepreneur who has come back from the brink of bankruptcy to build a another thriving million-pound brand.On this episode of Sound Advice: Entrepreneurs Unfiltered, Frankie tells all about what it’s like to face and overcome every founder’s financial fear, and come out the other side stronger and more resilient than before.

When it comes to putting a festival on, there’s a lot that can go wrong. Recent disaster documentaries covering the likes of Fyre and Woodstock ‘99 have given us a clear idea of just how bad–and dangerous–things can get without the right approach. But that hasn’t stopped serial entrepreneur Nick Steiert from bringing his vision for a wellness festival to life.On this episode of Sound Advice: Entrepreneurs Unfiltered, we delve into Nick’s world as he ramps up for the launch of Wellnergy Festival. The question is: how do you launch a brand-new festival, without going bust?

Our host Kate Bassett bids us goodbye after 24 inspiring episodes, but before she signs off she’s treating us to a good old catch-up with Bex Burn-Callander, who is back from maternity leave and raring to go with even more incredible guests lined up.