Entrepreneur Episodes

It's Valentines day and so I got to talk to someone about a subject I LOVE! That being, People! I welcomed the quite superb Jo Harley, Co-founder of Korero and Hendrick & Hyde, to the show. Jo was nervous about coming on the show as she's never had the confidence to do this sort of thing before but she needn't have worried as she brought her natural, chatty self and we laid into a lot, including:- Brewdog Waterloo Marketing Measures of success Coming to work What good looks like Leisure M...

A real treat for you this week as I got some time with Alison Cullin-Woodcock who is a Food & equipment development consultant, an area of the industry we have not really explored. And I'll bet that some of this will blow your mind but more than that, Alison really brings the energy and passion so it's very easy to get on board with her journey. We cover:- The dogs in our life Equipment & Innovation Knowing what you want to do Developing the palette College Getting the basics right THE ...

Merry Twixmas to you all! Something a little different for you this week, a monumental story of strength and hope! When Charlie Hodson (Owner, until the end of 2023 at least, of Hodson & Co) reached out to me to see if his story merited an airing on the show, a quick call got me questioning whether this show is big enough for his story. There's a lot to get through in this chat including:- The Cheese Room Being a Chef Opening the smallest restaurant in the UK Community Spirit False econo...

What a cracker of a chat I have for you this week! When Daniel McLoughlin (Owner of Rocksalt Cafe's & Restaurants in Ireland) reached out to me earlier this year to see if I'd have him on the show, a quick bit of research (And some discussion points from Daniel) highlighted what an interesting chat it could be. And it does not disappoint as we get through:- Early Entrepreneurial spirit Shannon College Ironing Finding your feet Tenacity Vincent Madden & Arora Hotel Group David Connell & ...

We are back in the world of tech this week but have added in more than a pinch of creative and entrepreneurial into the story too. I got some time with the awesome Inge Meijs, Co-Founder and Managing Director of the quite magnificent platform Gastronomixs, the inspiring recipe database for professional chefs. Inge has a great story and there are more than enough lessons and stories from her life as an entrepreneur to whet the appetite here, as well as some great insight into Gastronomixs, We g...

I can't quite believe it took me as long as it did to reach out to todays guest, CEO of AES and The Residence Apartments, none other than Stephen Lowy. Being a 3rd generation Hospitalitarian might lead you into believing that Stephen's route was always mapped out for him but how wrong you would be. There are wonderful lessons all the way through this chat and we get across:- Struggling at school Finding hospitality Finding out about Dyslexia Salford University Black Eyes Travelling Anthon...

We wouldn't have had todays conversation had our guest not reached out and asked if she could come on the show. And I'm so glad that she did. I chat to Clare Coghill, Chef & Owner of Café Cùil on the Isle of Skye. And what a chat it is, it's got everything, a great story, so many lessons and some cracking anecdotes. We get through:- Island life and weather Positive Social Media Being born into the industry Formative years Going into TV London and the Spark for food Moving into the kitch...

You'll most likely know today's guest as Co-Founder of Honest Burgers but he's been working away on something transformative and has also Co-Founded another business in the form of Pineapple described as "future proofing hospitality through people data and research". I am of course talking about Philip Eeles. Philip is high on energy from the outset and to the backdrop of his balcony in Brighton, and a Gin & Tonic, we set to getting through his rather wonderful story. There's so much to love, ...

On a sunny Monday morning, a few minutes out of a busy lunch service, I somehow managed to get some time with legendary chef and restaurateur Phil Howard, Chef Patron of the Michelin Starred Elystan Street and co founder of Notto. From the off, it's easy to see why Phil is described as the "Chef's Chef", just get him talking about food and the conversation is easy. He has had one hell of a journey to this point and we cover:- Who is Phil Howard? The changing face of the London food scene Get...

You can't beat a good old chat about all things leadership and that's exactly what you get this week as I welcomed the host of the superb Hospitality Leadership Podcast and Leadership coach, Andy Jones to the show. As you can imagine, there's more than a little chat around leadership but we also get through Andy's journey into hospitality and a whole lot more besides, including:- Leadership The Pre-Hospitality Career Experiencing bad leadership Taking on a cafe Covid, Day one Resourcefuln...

A little sneaky bonus for you all this week as I wanted to showcase one of the wonderful highlights of the Hospitality Calendar, that being The Walk for Wellbeing. So what better way to showcase that than get its founder on the show, Craig Prentice. We also chat through Craigs journey to figure out where this idea came from and cover off:- Starting at a Money brokers Moving to a theatre & Music venues Finding Hospitality Neglecting self care Recruitment Ennismore Mental struggles Starti...

I've wanted to get todays guest on the show for ages and her story does not disappoint. A huge hospitality meets welcome went to Chantelle Nicholson, Chef owner of the Michelin Green Starred Apricity in London and all round force for good in hospitality. We cover:- Apricity Studying law Fate The joy of naivety London Moving to operations The deep end Self Reflection Starting a business Adapting to changing business Looking after yourself Sustaining v Regenerating Following what you...

What a vibrant and energetic chat I have for you this week as we delve into a little corner of hospitality that you may not have even considered as part of the industry. I chat to Rosa Brough, Founder & Creative Director behind 7 Fifty - an un-conventional video production agency that specialises in content for the hospitality industry. I had the joy of working with Rosa earlier this year at HRC, she was a livewire then and she is livewire throughout our chat. We cover off:- Media and Conten...

I've spoken about the importance of networking many times on this show and without that, I may never have met today's guest. And you are absolutely going to love it. I chat to Stephen Trigg, Managing Director and Founder of Lauden Chocolate, a truly world class chocolatier, and all round top bloke. I can't let this pass without a big shout out to Claire Bosi and the team at Chef Publishing for the introduction. There's so much to love in Stephen's story and we get through:- Getting started ...

To say I was a little excited to get today's guest on would be the understatement of 2023. I was so delighted to get some time with total industry legend, and all round top bloke, Robin Hutson OBE - Chairman of Home Grown Hotels. Home Grown hotels look after such well known brands The Pig & Limewood. The conversation is full from start to finish and he does not disappoint as we get through:- The Pig Distractions Going to college with no real plan Acing college Savoy Management programme T...

And so here is part two of Matt's epic journey. In the first part we learned about an incredible amount of adversity that Matt had to deal with. By his own admission, some of it self inflicted. In the second part, there's definitely a transfer over to hope and moving forward. In this part, we get through:- Bluebird Restaurant Re-focussing Energy into the positive Maze Restaurant People Jamie Oliver Learning leadership Giving back Caravan restaurants Covid Extra Curricular Collaborat...

My life have I got a story for you this week. Introducing Matt Burgess (Known as Matt Blak on Instagram) who has a story so epic, a Hollywood writer should pick it up. I made a decision half way through chatting to Matt that I'll just let this one roll for as long as it takes as frankly, there's learning from the outset and all the way through. It's a 2 hour chat so I'm breaking this up into two this week, the first part for you now and the second part on Friday. So here is Part one. And crik...

We've got another epic journey for you this week as I got some time with CEO of Umbrella Training and Employment Solutions (and almighty Apprenticeships champion) Adele Oxberry. And what a story she has, getting involved in hospitality from an early age right through to now, heading up one of the sectors most prominent training and apprenticeship providers. Adele is super chatty and so we get through loads including:- Starting young The lessons of housekeeping Moving to reception Developing...

A big hearty welcome back to every one of you and we are kicking off season 4 in style! I was lucky enough to get some time in the more than hectic diary of rockstar chef and restaurateur Adam Handling (https://www.adamhandling.co.uk/). Not only did he make time for me, but he did it on the day he launched Eve Bar (https://www.evebar.co.uk/) to add into his 3 other amazing places - The 1 Michelin starred Frog by Adam Handling, Ugly Butterfly in Cornwall and Loch & Tyne in Old Windsor. A more p...

In the second of our three chats this week (The main course), I was lucky enough to get some time with the absolutely awe inspiring and industry icon that is Raymond Blanc, Chef Patron at Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons, founder of Brasserie Blanc, author of several books and of course, TV personality extraordinaire. The chat is laden with gold including:- Inclusive luxury The many strings to Raymond's Bow Family & Values Humble beginnings An early understanding of food Le Manoir and future ev...

I love coffee, I mean I REALLY love coffee and coffee tastes even better when it's doing some good (Crediting that line with today's guest 100%). So I thought, let's have a chat with someone in the coffee business as lets face it, where would hospitality be without it? So I got some time with Jonathan Reed, CEO of Coffee Rockstar's and all round doers of great work, Paddy & Scott's (https://paddyandscotts.shop/). This chat is a joy from start to finish as we cover off:- Ambition House The c...

Nestled upon a hilltop in a dramatic location is the setting for today's guest. I chat to Veryan Palmer, Director of the iconic Headland Hotel & Spa in Cornwall. There's so much joy in todays chat including:- The Headland Starting as a chalet Chef The Demands of Dogs Cliveden House Moving to contract catering The role of a director Attention to detail Super Grammar Lady Bridezillas The Art of Hospitality The Thursday Club Community Minimum wage for teenagers And so much more. Very...

This week’s episode is brought to you in partnership with Zero Procure who are here to make procurement simple, offering great value and quality for products and services, all for zero cost. Just click on this link or visit their site at www.zeroprocure.com/podcast to help support both this podcast and your business. One of the many joys of hospitality is that it is a global industry, so imagine my delight when today's guest had his people reach out to my people (I have no people) to see if I'd...

This week’s episode is brought to you in partnership with Zero Procure who are here to make procurement simple, offering great value and quality for products and services, all for zero cost. Just click on this link or visit their site at www.zeroprocure.com/podcast to help support both this podcast and your business. Hosting this podcast has put me in front of so many interesting humans from within hospitality and today's guest is no exception. I got some time with Pix Ashworth, Founder of Lan...