Secret Leaders with Dan Murray-Serter & Chris Donnelly
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Dan Murray-Serter and Chris Donnelly are two serial entrepreneurs who've built, sold, scaled & failed companies worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In Secret Leaders we get inside the greatest minds and greatest moments in business, because we believe the best way to learn about business is to hear from the people who make it happen.
Sponsored by Wise Business and Vanta.
Contact: hello@secretleaders.com
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Discover how Tom Kerridge went from washing dishes to building a £40M hospitality empire. In this episode of Secret Leaders, we dive into the raw truth behind restaurant success (and failure), why most places don’t make it, and how Tom hustled his way to the top—without any business background, investors, or MBA.
Pre-order Tom’s new book: "The BBQ Book: 80 Delicious Recipes for Fire and Coals"..
What You'll Learn:
The real economics behind restaurant pricing and margins
How Tom built the world’s first 2 Michelin-starred pub, The Hand & Flowers
Secrets to turning passion into profit in the hospitality industry
Leadership lessons from the heat of the kitchen
Why most restaurants fail—even when the food is great
Hosted by Dan Murray-Serter & Chris Donnelly, this interview breaks down the mindset, risk-taking, and raw resilience it takes to thrive in one of the toughest industries on earth.
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Andy Coulson was once the face and leader of the most powerful newspaper in the country, News Of The World, and later became the Prime Minister’s right-hand man as Director of Communications. Then he lost it all.
After scandals and a prison sentence, Andy founded his own consultancy, Coulson Partners, helping people navigate personal crises and reputational attacks.
In this episode, Andy shares his unique insights into managing a crisis, drawing from his own experiences. He breaks down what a crisis really is and the steps you can take to protect and rebuild your reputation when under attack. From public figures to everyday individuals, Andy’s approach offers invaluable lessons in handling life’s toughest moments.
Join us for a powerful conversation about resilience, crisis management, and the art of recovery.
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In this episode, we sit down with Nicola Kilner, former CEO of The Ordinary, to dive deep into the unique story behind her journey in building a $2 billion company. Nicola shares the highs and lows of her path to success, including the challenges she faced as a leader and the pivotal moments that shaped her career.
We discuss why her Co-CEO fired her and what that experience was like as well as revealing her leadership superpower and why she decided to pay everyone in C-suite the same salary as herself for a period of time.
Additionally, we explore her thoughts on why women suffer the most from working from home and the impact it has on their careers.
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In this episode, we sit down with the entrepreneur who built the UK’s biggest company, worth an astonishing $176 billion, from an initial $50 investment.
He shares the exact steps and strategies he used to scale a small startup into one of the world’s largest companies, proving that massive success can come from the smallest beginnings.
He also reveals how he played a pivotal role in saving Apple, and what it was really like working with Steve Jobs during that critical time in the tech giant's history.
The entrepreneur also gives his verdict on the 4 breakthrough technologies that have the power to change the world. From his firsthand experience of building a tech empire, he offers rare insights into the future of innovation and what it takes to succeed at the highest level.
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Discover how entrepreneur Simon Squibb is taking the world by storm with his unique approach to business. With billions of views on TikTok and over a million YouTube subscribers, Simon is breaking all the rules by investing in total strangers, helping them achieve their dreams.
In this episode, we dive into Simon’s inspiring mission, his strategy for generating viral content, and why he believes this is the future of entrepreneurship.
If you’re curious about how to create viral videos, invest in people, and build a purpose-driven business, this is the episode for you. Don’t miss Simon’s incredible insights on the power of generosity, creativity, and community.
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Thanks to HP our sponsor for this episode. For 10% off the HP Omnibook UltraFlip with built-in AI, use code 'HPLOVEWORK'.
Valid until 31st January 2025, UK only. T&Cs apply. https://bit.ly/HPOmnibook-SLQ424
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From pouring tea to billion-dollar deals — Frank Smith's rise to CEO of Matchroom Boxing is nothing short of legendary. In this exclusive podcast, Frank opens up about building global stars like Anthony Joshua, sealing game-changing partnerships with DAZN, and navigating boxing’s Saudi-powered evolution.
We dive deep into:
The making of Connor Benn vs Chris Eubank Jr
Saudi Arabia’s billion-dollar impact on global boxing
Dana White’s entry, Jake Paul’s influence & Matchroom’s future
Secrets behind Matchroom’s mega-events (and their $25M darts empire)
Whether you're a fight fan, entrepreneur, or sports business geek — this episode is your ringside seat to the future of boxing.
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What does it take to go from thinking "I’m not the type to start a company" to building a $2.5B startup that serves over 10,000 businesses? Christina Cacioppo, founder & CEO of Vanta, shares her raw and remarkable journey in this episode of Secret Leaders
In this candid interview, we dive into Christina’s path from Stanford to Silicon Valley royalty—funding startups like Twitter and Etsy, then jumping into the deep end to teach herself to code. Learn how she went from solo builder to unicorn founder, the scrappy early days of Vanta, why she waited until $10M ARR to raise funds, and the lessons she picked up alongside the founders of OpenSea and Substack at Y Combinator.
Topics We Cover:
Leaving a dream VC job to learn to code
Building failed side projects and what they taught her
Working at Dropbox during hypergrowth
The real story behind launching Vanta
Why “doing things that don’t scale” worked
AI at Vanta and what’s next
Overcoming imposter syndrome as a young female founder
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From the first banner ad in 1994 to programmatic mobile ads, the internet as we know it was built on one thing: advertising. In this explosive episode of Secret Leaders, we break down the untold story of how ads didn’t just fund the web—they engineered it.
You will learn:
The birth of banner ads with AT&T’s legendary 44% CTR
Google AdWords’ rise and the search ad revolution
How Facebook’s targeting reshaped elections
Mobile & programmatic ads that track your every move
The next frontier: Ad-powered payments
Watch our full interview with Philip Belamant on our feed now. He runs Zilch - the fintech redefining payments and ad performance. With a model that's 26.5x more efficient than Google Ads, Zilch is pioneering the future of attention-based commerce.
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Is this the man who could end the global credit card crisis?
In this explosive episode of Secret Leaders, we sit down with Philip Belamant, the visionary founder of Zilch — the UK fintech unicorn that’s rewriting the rules of credit, debt, and how we pay.
Most people know Zilch as a "Buy Now, Pay Later" app — but it’s way more than that. It’s an interest-free payment model that flips the credit card industry on its head… all while quietly becoming 27x more effective than Google Ads
What we cover:
Why credit card debt is a trap — and how Zilch is helping people escape it
The shocking truth: The average UK citizen takes 16 years to pay off a credit card
How Zilch funds 0% interest payments without hurting consumers
The new payment system that could replace traditional credit
What it takes to fight against billion-dollar legacy lenders
Why Zilch's advertising model funds debt relief — and beats Google in the process
The UK’s role in the global fintech revolution
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You've seen them—the red-faced, power-tripping, emotionally disconnected CEOs barking orders while morale sinks. But how did we get here? And more importantly… how do we fix it?
This isn't just another workplace rant—it's a deep dive into the dark psychology of leadership, the gendered traits that dominate boardrooms, and the systemic bias that keeps emotionally intelligent leaders out of power.
In this video essay, we expose, why toxic traits like dominance & cold toughness get rewarded, how history, stereotypes & corporate pipelines keep weak men on top and roadmap to build better leadership—without sacrificing results.
This week, we’re dropped an interview episode with Sam Conniff—serial entrepreneur and the mind behind the #HardAsNails campaign. He’s shaking up outdated norms about what it means to be a man and a leader. We unpack how to spot toxicity in yourself, your colleagues, even your friends—and how to build something better. It’s raw, real, and packed with insights.
Watch Sam Conniff Interview on our profile now..
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What does "toxic masculinity" really mean?
In this powerful episode, Sam Conniff dives deep into the crisis of modern masculinity, exploring how society has shaped a generation of men caught between weakness and toxicity.
Sam shares his growing concern for younger men, especially after experiencing Andrew Tate’s controversial online course first hand. With Tate’s influence surging, amplified by the recent Netflix hit Adolescence, a show that exposes the dark side of online radicalization, Sam questions how these messages are shaping vulnerable minds.
Drawing from personal insight and time spent researching the topic, Sam reveals why we’re failing men and offers a bold roadmap to fix it, redefining strength, purpose, and connection for the next generation.
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Ever wondered how Burger King pulled off one of the slickest marketing stunts ever—racking up 1.5 MILLION app downloads in just ONE WEEK by targeting people standing INSIDE McDonald’s stores?
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Are your daily habits killing your motivation?
Neuroscientist TJ Power, once a self-confessed dopamine junkie reveals how phones and quick fixes tanked his focus and ambition.
He broke free from phone and alcohol addiction with his D.O.S.E framework (Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, Endorphins) which has helped him reduce stress, boost sleep by 54%, and turned ambition into action with his 30-minute rule to reboot your brain and reclaim your drive.
In this episode TJ provides you with science-backed hacks that help you ditch the morning scrolls, master flow state, and feel peace as an entrepreneur.
Trust us when we say that TJ’s raw story and practical tips will hook you instantly!
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Imagine losing 8,000 Bitcoins—now worth over half a billion pounds—because someone threw out your hard drive.
In this episode of Leaders Chat, Dan and Chris dive into this jaw-dropping story, dissect Tony Khan’s daring strategy to keep AEW a family-run powerhouse, and dish out must-know entrepreneurial tips for aspiring business owners.
What’s your opinion on family businesses—smart move or risky gamble?
Hit subscribe and drop your thoughts in the comments!
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Savile Row is one of the most prestigious shopping streets in London, and with just £10,000, Sean Dixon transformed his brand, Richard James, into one of the city's most sought-after tailors.
From designing Sir Alex Ferguson's iconic coat to hosting Elton John and Oasis in his shop at the same time, Sean shares the journey of relentless hard work and dedication it took to break into such an elite market.
He reveals how Richard James became a magnet for A-list celebrities and the pivotal moments that helped shape the company's success in the world of luxury fashion.
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Has anyone seen how CASUAL Elon Musk's text messages were when trying to convince billionaire to invest in X?
We will be discussing how common this actually is as well as how Elon's Grok 3 has emerged has the top AI platform despite behind 5 years behind ChatGPT
Then Dan and Chris finish of by answering some of your business questions to help you on your entrepreneurial journey
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Want to build a killer marketing campaign?
Look no further than our interview with PR expert Emily Austen who does exactly that for global giants Red Bull.
She takes us some through some of the most successful PR campaigns ever including how Barbie and Oppenheimer clashed on purpose?! and the powerful hacks that you can start using right now to make your campaigns go viral and stand out from the crowd.
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Rolex is one of the most iconic and prestigious brands in the world, generating an incredible $11 billion in annual revenue. But here’s the shocking twist—Rolex doesn’t make a single dollar in profit.
So, where does all that money go? And how does Rolex continue to dominate the luxury watch industry without traditional profits?
In this episode of Secret Leaders, we uncover the fascinating truth behind Rolex’s unique business model, its non-profit ownership structure, and why it reinvests billions instead of pocketing profits.
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Meet the man behind CRAFTD, the Shopify hit that has made him $100 million.
This is a man who has experienced it all on his entrepreneurial journey. From car boot sales, to buying out his bosses, creating the iconic Cristiano Ronaldo billboard and ending up in $300k worth of debt.
He will be sharing with us everything he has learned along the way and the unique steps he has taken to build an E-commerce powerhouse in CRAFTD
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Did you know Domino’s used to give out Rolex watches to top-performing franchise owners? Or that LEGO rewarded its employees with solid gold bricks? Some companies go above and beyond to take care of their people. In this episode of Leaders Chat, we break down some of the most surprising employee perks—from Airbnb’s $2,000 annual travel credit to Zappos’ bold “Pay to Quit” policy.
Dan also shares his full-body health analysis, covering everything from vitamin tests to cancer screenings. How does this all tie into Brian Johnson’s quest to live forever? Watch to find out.
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