40 Minute Mentor

“Something that’s often quite misunderstood in mission-driven companies is that you don’t change the world between 9 and 5.” Today’s 40-Minute Mentor is Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen, a Sunday Times Best-Selling Author, the first Nordic woman named a Forbes 30 Under 30, and Co-Founder of Female Invest. Female Invest is a global edTech platform on a mission to close the financial gender gap and smash glass ceilings. To date, Female Invest has raised $23m in funding and is serving over 450,000 paying members in over 120 countries. The Co-Founders also acquired Nordic FinTech company Gaia Investments and have written a global bestseller in ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Funds’. We dive into all of these milestones in today’s episode, plus so much more… Episode Chapters: ➡️ Failing to prioritise health [03:00] ➡️ Growing up in Denmark and developing an interest in finance [04:20] ➡️ From a social group at University to Female Invest [06:30] ➡️ Scrappy beginnings & facing bankruptcy [11:15] ➡️ Facing doubters and negative comments online [15:50] ➡️ More about today’s sponsors, Unleashed [19:00] ➡️ Anna’s hiring approach [20:15] ➡️ Plans for the future [23:15] ➡️ Fundraising experience & advice for Founders [24:45] ➡️ VC vs crowdfunding [29:15] ➡️ The financial gender gap & Anna’s Call To Action [31:30] ➡️ Getting started with investing [35:45] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Anna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-sophie-hartvigsen-46352611a/ ➡️ Find out more about Female Invest: https://www.femaleinvest.com/ 🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors Unleashed, an Amplified Group business, is the people and culture expert for leaders who do business differently. Trusted by the most progressive businesses, the Leadership Institute-accredited Unleashed Development Programmes harness the power of community learning, helping leaders develop the skills, behaviours and relationships they need to cultivate high performance across organisations. Find out more about Unleashed here or get in touch at [email protected]. ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“There are so many limitations put on women in this industry and you have to adopt a mindset where you’re going to challenge that as you move forward.” Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is the brilliant Mary Bekhait, Group CEO of YMU. YMU is a global talent agency representing some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry and beyond, including Fearne Cotton, Clare Balding, Davina McCall, Graham Norton and Simon Cowell, to name a few. Mary has had an amazing career and has risen through the ranks at YMU, since joining in 2012. Since taking over as Group CEO in January 2021, Mary has overseen a radical rebrand of YMU, transforming the agency into a progressive business, spearheaded by women. In this episode, we dig into Mary’s career to date, what it’s been like to rise through the ranks in a male-dominated industry and what it’s really like to work with some of the biggest names in entertainment. Episode Chapters: ➡️ Growing up in central London and nurturing a creative mind [06:00] ➡️ Learnings from her first jobs [07:30] ➡️ Why talent management & how to get into the industry [09:40] ➡️ Being the only woman in the room & not becoming complacent [11:50] ➡️ Leadership inspiration [16:40] ➡️ More about today’s sponsor [20:50] ➡️ Rising through the ranks in talent management [22:00] ➡️ Focusing on Diversity in Hiring [27:00] ➡️ What it’s like to work with the most famous names in the industry [33:00] ➡️ Mary’s vision of the future of the industry [38:30] ➡️ A podcast recommendation from James [43:25] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Mary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-bekhait-35524512/ ➡️ Find out more about YMU: https://www.ymugroup.com/ 🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors Today’s episode is sponsored by Foundation Partners, an Amplified People Group business. Growing technology companies don’t have the financial resources, capacity or experience to tackle the challenges of scaling a business and driving performance. A world-class People, Culture & HR operation is instrumental for this. Foundation Partners have built a blended service, so companies get the experience and support - both strategically and day-to-day - they need to build an exceptional business. Find out more: https://www.foundationpartners.co.uk/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It’s easy to look from the outside in and think ‘wow, what an adventure’ and it is an adventure, but if you’re thinking about going on a startup joinery you need to ask yourself: am I okay if this fails?” For episode 1 in our brand new 40 Minute Mentor season, we’re joined by Clare Jones, ex CCO of what3words and CEO of Polarsteps. Clare has had an impressive career so far, including joining what3words in its very early days as a startup and helping them scale to post-Series C in 8 years. Earlier in the summer, Clare joined Polarsteps, a rapidly growing team building the essential tool for modern day explorers - before, during and after their trips. In today’s episode we discuss the leadership skills that helped her through her tenure as CCO and now CEO, what makes a successful CCO and what it’s been like to join as the first CEO hire, as a succession hire from the Founders. Episode Chapters: ➡️ Her upbringing in an activist household [04:30] ➡️ Early NGO experiences & transferable skills [06:15] ➡️ Joining what3words as a scrappy startup [09:50] ➡️ Lessons from scaling the what3words team [13:45] ➡️ More about today’s sponsors [20:55] ➡️ Becoming comfortable with failure [22:00] ➡️ Deep dive into the CCO role [26:15] ➡️ Why the move to Polarsteps & the origin story [28:30] ➡️ When it’s time for Founders to step back [31:55] ➡️ Making Founder succession work [43:00] ➡️ Learning to be patient [47:25] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Clare: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clare-jones-/ ➡️ Find out more about Polarsteps: https://www.polarsteps.com/ 🔔 Find out more about today’s sponsors Today’s episode was sponsored by Amplified Group - the People services group that supports technology companies from inception to IPO. Together, the Group combines the leading brands in the People, Talent, Culture and HR space to provide the services Founders and Leadership teams need to build high-performing teams and businesses. Find out more at www.amplifiedgroup.com or drop the team a note on [email protected] ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re officially DAYS away from launching Season 12 of our 40 Minute Mentor podcast. And this might be one of our best seasons yet. We have an amazing line-up of 40 Minute Mentors sharing the highs and lows of their entrepreneurial journey - all the way from that initial idea to launching and breaking world records along the way. For a preview of some of the amazing pocket-sized mentorship that will land in a set of headphones near you starting this Wednesday, check out our season trailer. If you like what you’re hearing, make sure you hit subscribe or set a reminder to check back this Wednesday morning for a fresh dose of pocket-sized mentorship. 🤔 Know someone who will enjoy this? Share the trailer with them today! 💡Ideas on how we can make the trailer even better? Leave us a review or drop us a note on [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Everyone needs different things, but if we’re going to spend so much time going to work, at least do something where you feel that you matter and that you make a difference here.” As we’re approaching this year’s Sifted Summit in London, we thought we’d use our final Replay episode as a throwback to our live podcast recording at the Summit two years ago. In this episode, we’re joined by Nikki Wicks (The Body Coach), Emma Steele (Ascension) and Amali De Alwis (ex Subak), to discuss putting purpose over profit and accelerating impact. Gone are the days in which top talent are looking to go into Banking, Consulting or Investing. Now the best of the best are on a mission to find companies and Founders with a strong purpose, to really make a difference in the world… Episode chapters: ➡️ What is purpose and why does it matter [03:00] ➡️ Measuring impact [08:40] ➡️ Accidentally building a purpose driven business [10:45] ➡️ When you should and shouldn’t raise from VCs [16:50] ➡️ Profit vs Purpose - defining what matters [22:00] ➡️ Turning down million pound partnerships [24:55] ➡️ Purpose & Talent attraction [31:20] ➡️ Sacrificing big salaries for purpose [33:20] ➡️ Hiring challenges [37:30] ➡️ Purpose driven investment thesis & fundraising advice [40:00] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Watch the full recording at Sifted Summit: https://jbmc.co.uk/podcasts/live-at-sifted-summit-purpose-v-profit-with-nikki-wicks-the-body-coach-emma-steele-ascension-amali-de-alwis-subak/ ➡️ Connect with Nikki Wicks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-wicks-15065661/ ➡️ Connect with Emma Steele: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-steele-b7a98832/ ➡️ Connect with Amali De Alwis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amali/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Being a mum is my superpower. If a company doesn’t want my superpower, then I don’t want to be in that company.” Whether you’re an aspiring GM, leader in Tech or are navigating the workplace after becoming a parent - you won’t want to miss today’s 40 Minute Mentor. In today’s Replay episode, we’re revisiting our conversation with the brilliant Claire Valoti, prolific angel investor and Founding Partner of Haylo Ventures. When we had Claire on the podcast, she was VP at Snapchat, where she grew Snap’s EMEA region to over 1 billion in revenue with 20x headcount growth and a 5x productivity boost. In today’s episode, you’ll hear more about… Episode chapters: ➡️ Claire’s brilliant career from media and advertising into Tech [01:25] ➡️ The lessons she learned from her parents owning a Hotel [03:50] ➡️ The importance of public speaking in any career [08:55] ➡️ What an early career in agency land taught her [11:00] ➡️ Progression does not mean leaving the company you’re with [15:40] ➡️ Highlights from working at Facebook [18:00] ➡️ Moving to Snapchat & being hired while pregnant [19:50] ➡️ Advice for aspiring GM’s [22:00] ➡️ A typical day at Snapchat [25:50] ➡️ Challenges of scaling a team [28:15] ➡️ Collaborating across different countries and timezones [31:25] ➡️ Driving DE&I from the top down [35:15] ➡️ What Claire looks for when assessing talent [39:30] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow Claire on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairevaloti/?originalSubdomain=uk ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Ability is equally distributed but opportunity isn’t. It’s about giving people the freedom to fail and the right and opportunity to fully participate in all levels of the society we live in today.” Social Mobility has always been an important topic for us on 40 Minute Mentor. Not just as a topic to openly discuss on the podcast, but as a production team to continue to find underrepresented stories to share with you every week. Although a lot of progress has been made across industries in the last 4 years since we initially recorded this roundtable episode, a lot of what our guests have shared is (sadly) still relevant. In this Roundtable episode, you’ll hear from: ✨ Mandy Nyarko MBE, Co-Founder of Startup Discovery School ✨ Lucy McCarthy-Christofides, Fractional Commercial Product Marketing, ex Tails.com ✨ Ezechi Britton MBE, Co-Founder & CEO of Code Untapped, Founding Member of Impact X and CEO of Centre of Finance, Innovation and Technology ✨ Euan Blair, Co-Founder and CEO of Multiverse ✨ Ruth Penfold, Founder & Creator of Bloom, ex Launchpad and Onfido Together, they discuss…. Episode chapters: ➡️ Why social mobility is important [02:15] ➡️ The role of education [09:50] ➡️ Continuous learning and reskilling [15:10] ➡️ Improving social mobility as an employer [25:20] ➡️ Social Mobility in hiring [30:00] ➡️ Building a truly diverse and inclusive team [42:20] ➡️ Social Mobility in VC [52:50] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow Mandy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandy-nyarko ➡️ Follow Ezechi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ezechi-britton-452a893/ ➡️ Follow Lucy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymccarthytails ➡️ Follow Ruth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthpenfold/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The great differentiator of that England team was our ability to never allow ourselves to be consigned to fate. We always believed it was in our hands.” Over the years, we’ve had some absolute legends of the sporting world on 40 Minute Mentor. One of them is England Rugby legend, Broadcaster and Journalist, Will Greenwood MBE. Will is one of the greatest English Rugby players of all time, playing 55 times for his country, representing the British and Irish Lions on multiple tours and including playing a fundamental role in England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup winning team. Not only do we unpack Will’s impressive Rugby career in this episode, but you’ll also hear about… Episode chapters: ➡️ Will’s upbringing and his parents influence [02:00] ➡️ The route to professional Rugby [04:30] ➡️ Making big sacrifices [13:40] ➡️ Winning the World Cup [16:30] ➡️ Removing luck to succeed [18:50] ➡️ What made this team so special [19:55] ➡️ From Rugby to Broadcasting [26:50] ➡️ Facing failure and taking risks [32:00] ➡️ Why we should all be paying it forward [35:30] ➡️ Making Rugby more diverse and inclusive [37:50] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow Will on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willgreenwood/?originalSubdomain=uk ➡️ Check out Will’s book ‘World Class’: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/443223/world-class-by-greenwood-ben-fennell-and-will/9780753558782 ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“We are not expected to all develop in the same direction. Success isn’t the same for all of us and we can’t plan our way to some kind of predictable future.” 40 Minute Mentor is fast approaching its 12th season. With over 250 episodes published, we know that not every single one of our listeners will have been around from the beginning. To share some of our earlier mentorship with you, we’re running another one of our Replay feature seasons. In today’s Replay episode, we’re revisiting our 40 minutes of pocket-sized mentorship with the brilliant Helen Tupper. Helen is the Co-Founder and CEO of Amazing If, a bestselling Author and Co-Host of the popular Squiggly Careers podcast. In these 40 minutes, you’ll find out… Episode chapters: ➡️ Joining for the company, not the job [03:25] ➡️ Working for big brands [04:30] ➡️ Defining your career values [08:30] ➡️ Taking the plunge into entrepreneurship [10:20] ➡️ Building a business with your friend [15:15] ➡️ Defining a Squiggly Career [20:45] ➡️ Building your confidence [26:45] ➡️ Starting the Squiggly Careers podcast [30:35] ➡️ The secret to community building [35:20] ➡️ Advice on career pivots [35:45] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow Helen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helentupper?originalSubdomain=uk ➡️ Find out more about Amazing If: https://www.amazingif.com/ ➡️ Listen to the Squiggly Careers podcast: https://www.amazingif.com/listen/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“There’s a competitive drive and edge that you see in sport that is really important in business. And Teamwork. Dealing with individuals, knowing what helps make an individual tick is really important.” For the final episode in this season of our VC feature, we’re joined by Ruari Bell, Founding Partner at The Players Fund, the UK’s first athlete-led firm, founded to empower the athlete community as investors. The Players Fund brings together a collective of renowned athlete investors, including Ben Stokes, former 40 Minute Mentor guest Jessica Ennis-Hill, Jos Butler, Allyson Felix, Serge Gnabry and many more top athletes. Ruari has had a fantastic career in entrepreneurship and investing and we’ll dig into every part of it and his journey with The Players Fund in detail, in today’s episode. In these 40 minutes, you’ll hear about... Episode chapters: ➡️ Increasing diversity and inclusion in VC [03:00] ➡️ Growing up in the Northeast of England [03:50] ➡️ A love for sport [05:45] ➡️ Transitioning out of professional sport [07:55] ➡️ An entrepreneurial journey [10:50] ➡️ Transferable skills from sport to business [17:40] ➡️ The origin story of The Players Fund [20:15] ➡️ What makes Founders stand out to him [28:00] ➡️ Openness to feedback [29:30] ➡️ Vision for the future [35:15] ➡️ Building a business with family [38:00] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow Ruari on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruaribell/ ➡️ Find out more about The Players fund: https://www.playersfund.vc/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“When a VC gives you a low valuation, it isn’t the fact that your company is worth that much, it might just be because you didn’t pitch it in the right way.” Fundraising can be a lonely process at times. And an endless emotional rollercoaster throughout. In today’s episode, we collated some of the best fundraising advice from Founders who have been in your position and raised some impressive rounds over the years. You’ll hear from: 🌟 Avion Gray, Co-Founder & CEO of Belong 🌟 Alice Pelton, Co-Founder & CEO of The Lowdown 🌟 Christian Facey, Founder & CEO of Audiomob 🌟 Ham Serunjogi, Co-Founder & CEO of Chipper Cash 🌟 Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Olympian & Co-Founder of FemTech, Jennis 🌟 Molly Johnson-Jones, Co-Founder & CEO of Flexa 🌟 Exited Founder Nicolas D’Audiffret of Ankorstore 🌟 Simone Maini, CEO at Elliptic 🌟 Tim Chong, Co-Founder & CEO of Yonder ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Find all of the full episodes used in today’s roundup in the 40 Minute Mentor archives, or by searching ‘Name + 40 Minute Mentor’ on Google: https://jbmc.co.uk/40-minute-mentor/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“This is a long partnership. We’re here to return money to our investors, but we are also here to experience a very unique journey together. So, trust is very important, on both sides.” We’ve been so lucky to have some of the best VCs in the industry, come on 40 Minute Mentor over the years. For today’s episode, we thought we’d collate some of the best VC advice we received on the podcast to date. You’ll hear from: 🌟 Leila Rastegar-Zegna, Founding General Partner of Kindred Capital 🌟 Hannah Seal, Partner at Index Ventures 🌟 Pippa Lamb, Partner at Sweet Capital 🌟 Ian Hogarth, Partner at Plural 🌟 Antoine Nussenbaum, Co-Founder of Felix Capital 🌟 Cleo Sham, ex-Partner at Stride.VC 🌟 Check Warner, Co-Founder of Ada Ventures Episode chapters: ➡️ Hardest part of being a VC [01:30] ➡️ Investing at Seed stage [04:09] ➡️ Mission first VCs [04:40] ➡️ Backing exceptional Founders [08:30] ➡️ Being strategic in choosing your fund [16:20] ➡️ DE&I in VC [22:45] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Find all of the full episodes used in today’s roundup in the 40 Minute Mentor archives, or by searching ‘Name + 40 Minute Mentor’ on Google: https://jbmc.co.uk/40-minute-mentor/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Founders deserve Investors that have relevant operating experience, time to help them and can be impartial and objective in the advice they give.” Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is Gideon Valkin, former Monzo and ClearScore Commercial Leader, Investor and Entrepreneur. Following 15 years as a Founder, Operator and Investor, Gideon is now combining being a Founder and Investor in the launch of Andrena Ventures - a $12m solo GP fund. Andrena is investing $100k-$400k tickets at pre-seed and seed into teams coming from the UK and European ecosystem, focusing on backing the most talented FinTech alumni. In these 40 minutes, you’ll find out… Episode chapters: ➡️ The Investors Founders deserve [03:00] ➡️ Upbringing & values that shape Gideon today [04:00] ➡️ Learning fundamental lessons from Tennis [10:30] ➡️ From Founder to Operator [14:15] ➡️ Overcoming the most challenging times [17:45] ➡️ Working alongside Tom Blomfield and Justin Basini [20:50] ➡️ Raising a solo GP fund [27:30] ➡️ A solo GP approach to working with Founders [29:00] ➡️ Important qualities in a Founder [32:15] ➡️ A look into the future [39:30] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow Gideon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gideon-valkin-05a44823?originalSubdomain=uk ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“If you eventually want to do investing, become an Operator or Founder, don’t go into banking.” We are back with another season of our popular VC Feature series, where we hear from some of the best Investors in the space. Today, we’re joined by Ash Arora, the youngest Partner at LocalGlobe. Before joining LocalGlobe in 2022, Ash was the Investment Lead for Crypto Unicorn, Polygon’s venture arm, with LPs such as Sequoia, Lightspeed, Softbank, Tiger, etc. In this episode, we discuss Ash’s career journey, her transition from banking to VC and her focus on Blockchain and AI investments. Episode Chapters: ➡️ Upbringing & early career aspirations [03:10] ➡️ Career foundations in banking [05:00] ➡️ Reflections on her time at Polygon [07:30] ➡️ The value of an Ops background as a VC [10:30] ➡️ Joining LocalGlobe [13:20] ➡️ Why Blockchain & Web3 [16:00] ➡️ What makes Founders stand out to Ash [18:15] ➡️ What to avoid when pitching to VCs [22:25] ➡️ Raising in a challenging climate [26:50] ➡️ Embracing Failure [29:00] ➡️ The importance of mentorship & becoming a mentor [32:20] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow Ash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aashima-arora?originalSubdomain=uk ➡️ Find out more about LocalGlobe: https://localglobe.vc/ ➡️ Read about Ash’s parameters for finding your next role: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/aashima-arora_how-do-you-find-your-next-job-half-the-activity-7136378080742318081-E6PV?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Dyslexia is a learning difference. There’s nothing difficult about it. You have challenges, but you’re not a difficult individual.” In our final episode in this specialist advice series, we’re joined by Onyinye Udokporo, one of the UK’s youngest education experts, entrepreneur, dyslexic author, neurodiversity consultant and content creator. Onyinye’s entrepreneurial journey started when she was only 12 years old, when she began tutoring children and young people from her local community in her parent’s living room. Following her own diagnosis with Dyslexia, she became an author of ‘Dyslexia and Me: How to survive and thrive if you’re neurodivergent’ and started her own Neurodiversity Consulting firm in 2022, where she delivers training and workshops as well as consulting services to businesses including Google and the BBC. Today we’ll dive into her entrepreneurial journey, from day one in her parent’s living room to using AI for good, and everything in between. Episode Chapters: ➡️ Learning from setbacks [02:15] ➡️ Upbringing & starting a business at the age of 12 [04:10] ➡️ Quitting big 4 consulting on Day 1 [09:10] ➡️ Early entrepreneurial inspirations [18:30] ➡️ Being diagnosed with dyslexia [21:15] ➡️ Making businesses more neuro inclusive [27:50] ➡️ Advice for neurodivergent Founders [30:40] ➡️ Hiring & retaining neurodiverse talent [36:30] ➡️ Education & AI [41:30] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow Onyinye on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/onyinyeudokporo?originalSubdomain=uk ➡️ Find out more about her work: https://www.onyinyeudokporo.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It very often feels uncomfortable for Founders to put themselves out there in that way. But the more you do it, the easier it will get.” In this 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re covering a topic critical for every early-stage Founder - the power of Public Relations. To help us discover the do’s and don’ts and share some of the biggest advice for Founders and Communication teams, we’re joined by Rhiannon Evans-Young, Founder & Director of Crest, Isabella Cookson, Director at Milltown Partners and Hannah Urbanek, Fractional Head of Marketing and 40 Minute Mentor Producer. Episode chapters: ➡️ The Do’s & Dont’s of PR [01:10] ➡️ Building your Founder brand [05:00] ➡️ Common PR mistakes [10:30] ➡️ Navigating a communications crisis [15:00] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow Rhiannon on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/rhiannon-evans-young-0179885b ➡️ Follow Isabella on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/isabella-cookson-03218280 ➡️ Follow Hannah on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/hannahurbanek ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Make networking a daily occurrence. It’s everyday interactions. It’s making a good impression early doors and really taking the time to build meaningful relationships and connections.” In today’s episode, we’ve put our host, James Mitra, into the interviewee seat. James was recently invited on Alembic Strategy’s Strategy Café, hosted by Founder and MD, Nick Mayhew. If you haven’t heard of Alembic before, they’re a team of facilitators and coaches working at board level with family businesses, founder-led businesses, private equity and with developing leaders, in the UK and internationally. Nick and James discuss the unique journey JBM has been on and the key lessons James has learned over the last 11 years of leading JBM. Episode chapters: ➡️ Introductions [01:08] ➡️ The power of networking [04:45] ➡️ Bringing networking into your day to day [08:20] ➡️ Starting JBM at age 25 [14:20] ➡️ Disrupting traditional recruitment [17:40] ➡️ Dealing with competition [20:15] ➡️ Changing lives through recruitment [24:50] ➡️ The mistakes along the way [28:30] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayhewnick/ ➡️ Follow James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmitra-jbm/?originalSubdomain=uk ➡️ Find out more about Alembic Strategy: https://www.alembicstrategy.com/ ➡️ Find out more about JBM: https://jbmc.co.uk/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“[Debating] teaches you to listen, to challenge well, and it teaches you all the skills that you need to be able to be in any room at any time, with anyone.” The world seems more divided than ever before. But is it actually or are we simply shying away from debating and leaning into disagreeing with each other? This is exactly what we’ll explore in today’s episode - the power of debating and the benefits of disagreeing, in business and beyond. To help us unpack this important topic, we’re joined by Scarlett McCabe, Co-Founder and CEO of Debate Mate and Lewis Iwu, debate champion, author of ‘Words that Win’ and Co-Founder and CEO of Purpose Union. Episode chapters: ➡️ 60 second CVs [04:55] ➡️ Finding the right people [13:05] ➡️ Writing your own playbook [16:50] ➡️ Introduction to debating [18:30] ➡️ What debating teaches you [22:25] ➡️ Skills needed to be good at debating [27:50] ➡️ Benefits of debating in business [30:30] ➡️ Getting into debating now [35:00] ➡️ Communicating better [37:50] ➡️ The power of disagreeing [41:30] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow Scarlett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scarlettmccabe/ ➡️ Follow Lewis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-iwu-b3125024/ ➡️ Find out more about Debate Mate: https://debatemate.com/ ➡️ Find out more about Purpose Union: https://www.purposeunion.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The most difficult part [of going fractional] is starting a business. It’s having to wear every hat yourself, from selling, marketing, relationship building, finances, ops and admin. You are everything.” Fractional careers have been on the rise over the last few years. Both, for experienced Operators making the move into fractional work and for Founders who are looking to hire highly experienced Operators, at the fraction of the cost of full-time hires. To discuss how you make the move into fractional work and why you might want to work with fractional leaders, we’re joined by Neda Sahebelm, fractional COO and Carla Hoppe, Founder and CEO of Wealthbrite, the startup educating non-finance people in finance. Neda and Carla are working together on a fractional basis and open up about how they make fractional work in today’s episode. Episode chapters: ➡️ 60 second CVs [06:15] ➡️ Transitioning into fractional work [14:00] ➡️ The most difficult part of being fractional [16:35] ➡️ Hiring fractional talent [22:15] ➡️ Fractional vs Full-time hiring [27:15] ➡️ Defining your fractional scope [29:35] ➡️ The day to day as a fractional COO [34:30] ➡️ Making your fractional talent part of the team [38:30] ➡️ The experience you need to go fractional [41:40] ➡️ Making the switch from permanent COO to fractional COO [43:45] ➡️ What to consider when hiring fractionally [46:20] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow Neda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nedasahebelm/?originalSubdomain=uk ➡️ Follow Carla on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlahoppe/ ➡️ Check out Wealthbrite: https://www.wealthbrite.co.uk/ 🤝 In partnership with Operations Nation 🤝 This episode was produced in partnership with Operations Nation, the community-powered knowledge hub for Operations leaders. You can find out more about Operations Nation and join their community here: https://operationsnation.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“If you’re in a situation where you’re dealing with [a difficult boss], I think the question is - am I actually getting something from this? And if the answer is ‘no, I’m getting nothing’, then it’s time to really think about what could be your next step.” To kick off our brand new ‘Specialist Advice’ series, we’re joined by workplace expert and long-time contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, Amy Gallo. You may have come across Amy on her own co-hosted podcast ‘Women at Work’ or have read one of Amy’s best-selling books, including her latest work ‘Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People)’. In today’s episode, we dig into Amy’s advice on effective communication, conflict management and how we can get along, even with the most difficult colleagues and bosses. Episode chapters: ➡️ Failing every day [02:40] ➡️ Leading by example [06:40] ➡️ An early career in consulting [09:50] ➡️ Getting into Harvard Business Review [17:10] ➡️ Why relationships get difficult [19:55] ➡️ Dealing with difficult bosses [25:00] ➡️ The eight archetypes of difficult people [30:00] ➡️ Embracing conflict in your team [35:10] ➡️ Building resilience to bounce back from conflict [41:10] ➡️ Relationships in hybrid & remote first environments [43:55] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow Amy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyegallo/ ➡️ Grab a copy of Amy’s latest book: https://www.amyegallo.com/books ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That’s a wrap on Season 11 of 40 Minute Mentor and 12 weeks of non-stop pocket-sized mentorship. Our guests over the last 12 weeks have candidly shared the ups and downs of entrepreneurship and shared the advice they wish they would have received when they started out. We also celebrated some 40 Minute Mentor firsts this season, including hitting 1 million+ downloads and welcoming our very first Hollywood actor to the podcast. Although we had such a diverse spread of 40 Minute Mentors joining us this season, there were 4 consistent themes we explored with all of them: Resilience, Fundraising, Hiring and Pivoting. No matter whether you’ve religiously tuned in every Wednesday for the last 12 weeks or you have dipped in and out, we’ve selected the best advice from this season to solidify the mentorship from our guests. Episode chapters: ➡️ Pivoting sectors and careers - the transferable skills for entrepreneurs [01:56] ➡️ Building resilience & navigating failure [08:58] ➡️ Hiring & building the best teams [16:03] ➡️ Bootstrapping & fundraising advice [25:32] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Catch up on all episodes from Season 11: https://jbmc.co.uk/40-minute-mentor/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“80% of your work, no matter what it is, is confidence. It’s the confidence to know that when you go to a door handle, when you turn it, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know whether you pull or push. You just have to see which way it goes and then go with that.” Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is a podcast first. We’re joined by Hollywood actor and producer Jason Flemyng, known for ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’, ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ and ‘Deep Rising’. In this episode, we don’t just get an inside scoop into Jason’s career and experience working alongside Hollywood greats, Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp, we also discuss Jason’s work with The Samaritans and in prisons. Plus, he shares lots of mentorship, including… Episode chapters: ➡️ Acting in a film nominated for 13 Oscars [02:02] ➡️ Upbringing & route into acting [03:27] ➡️ The importance of luck [05:45] ➡️ Building your confidence [08:00] ➡️ Acting alongside Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp and Sean Connery [09:55] ➡️ The lasting success of ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ [12:22] ➡️ Battles with Imposter Syndrome & paying it forward [16:34] ➡️ Speaking up about mental health [21:18] ➡️ Ageing in Hollywood [22:51] ➡️ Audience Question: Common misconceptions of Hollywood [25:30] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ More about Jason’s work: https://www.themoviedb.org/person/973-jason-flemyng ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Had I continued along my path, I could have a very successful private and NHS GP practice. I could be earning multiples of what I’m allowing myself to earn right now. The stability that I can provide for my family is, quite frankly, limited.” Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is Dr Rupy Aujla, Founder of The Doctor’s Kitchen and best selling cookbook author. Rupy is a trained medical doctor turned startup Founder - a path that was never really part of his plan. If you haven’t come across The Doctor’s Kitchen yet, you might recognise Rupy from his cookbooks, his popular podcast, or seen him featured on TV shows across the BBC, ITV or Channel 4. It was a huge honour to have him join us on 40 Minute Mentor and candidly talk to us about his experience as a doctor, what led to The Doctor’s Kitchen, the startup lessons he had to learn quickly and lots of easy to follow advice for all of us to eat healthier and better. Episode chapters: ➡️ Rupy’s upbringing and his parents wanting him to go into business [04:05] ➡️ Finding his love for medicine [07:25] ➡️ The accidental business that became The Doctor’s Kitchen [10:10] ➡️ Dealing with imposter syndrome [12:43] ➡️ Transferable skills from medicine to business [15:10] ➡️ The Doctor’s Kitchen App [17:55] ➡️ Podcast recommendation: Strategy & Tragedy [20:13] ➡️ The Doctor’s Kitchen impact to date [21:50] ➡️ Pivots & bootstrapping everything [25:20] ➡️ Why entrepreneurship should be simple [29:00] ➡️ What a truly well-balanced diet looks like [34:35] ➡️ Audience question: Learning about food in schools [41:50] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Rupy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rupy-aujla?originalSubdomain=uk ➡️ Check out The Doctor’s Kitchen: https://thedoctorskitchen.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Fundraising can be exhausting, so it’s really important to spend time with the right people who just won’t waste your time [...], pay attention and ask the right questions.” Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is Avion Gray, Co-Founder and CEO of Belong, a new wealth-building platform. Avion started her career in investment banking, before working as Head of Product & Commercialisation at industry-leading POS systems and merchant service provider Clover, where she oversaw the launch and expansion of the business in the US and across Europe. Following her deep drive to do something that she could bring every aspect of her being to, Avion is now building Belong, together with Co-Founder and behavioural economist, Samantha Rosenberg. Having only recently come out of stealth, Avion and Samantha have already built incredible traction in the market, including having raised the largest pre-seed round ever raised by female Founders in Europe. We unpack all that and much more in today’s episode. Episode chapters: ➡️ Avion’s upbringing & education being the biggest equaliser [03:57] ➡️ Finding her entrepreneurial spirit [07:00] ➡️ Career foundations [09:00] ➡️ Clover’s expansion to the US and Europe [11:30] ➡️ Taking the leap into entrepreneurship [14:20] ➡️ The paradox of wealth [16:40] ➡️ More about Belong [18:32] ➡️ Nick Hungerford’s mentorship [24:18] ➡️ The sacrifice for entrepreneurship [29:07] ➡️ Raising the biggest pre-seed round in Europe [32:23] ➡️ Practical advice for wealth building [37:40] ➡️ Audience Question: How would you describe Belong’s culture? [41:42] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Avion: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aviongray/?originalSubdomain=uk ➡️ Find our more about Belong: https://www.be-long.co/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“[Having bootstrapped] we get to control our destiny, we can move as quickly as we want and we can go where we want and don’t have to be accountable.” Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is Gurinder Dhillon, Founder of Otto Car, London’s largest community of PCO drivers and Europe’s largest provider of electric vehicles to private-hire drivers. Having recently partnered with Gurinder and Otto Car to deliver a very exciting search for them, it was extra special to sit down with Gurinder and find out more about his incredible journey with Otto Car - from one Toyota Prius in a West London garage to one of the fastest growing startups in Europe…all completely bootstrapped. In amongst the shared ups and downs of scaling a bootstrapped business, Gurinder shares invaluable advice for anyone thinking of starting their own entrepreneurial journey. Episode chapters: ➡️ The cost of entrepreneurship [04:18] ➡️ Gurinder’s upbringing and route into entrepreneurship [07:16] ➡️ Early startup experience [09:40] ➡️ Eternal optimism & navigating failure [13:06] ➡️ Otto Car’s origin story [14:32] ➡️ Losing 75% of revenue in one day - Otto Car’s pivot [17:44] ➡️ Advice on pivoting [19:14] ➡️ Building a business around love [23:22] ➡️ Gurinder’s vision for the future [26:00] ➡️ The benefits & reality behind bootstrapping [28:12] ➡️ Hiring advice [30:30] ➡️ Audience question: What would you do if you wouldn’t have followed the entrepreneurial route? [37:00] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Gurinder: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gurinder-dhillon/ ➡️ Find our more about Otto Car: https://ottocar.co.uk/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“There are days when you wake up and think ‘this is it - we’re going to be the next Google’ and then you wake up the next morning and feel like it’s all over and you’re going to fail.” Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is former VC investor turned serial entrepreneur, Greg Marsh. Following his time as an investor with Index Ventures, Greg went to build pioneering luxury accommodation marketplace, onefinestay, which became a global success with over 700 people and an exit via acquisition by Accor Hotel in 2016 - a deal worth more than $200m. But it didn’t take long for Greg to throw himself back in the Founder seat. In today’s episode, we discuss his career to date in detail, plus find out more about his latest venture, Nous - the smarter way to save on household bills. Episode chapters: ➡️ Growing up in west London and finding his call as an entrepreneur [03:08] ➡️ Becoming an Investor [04:37] ➡️ The origins of onefinestay [10:11] ➡️ Underestimating the difficulty of scaling a business [11:26] ➡️ The collaborative nature of entrepreneurship [13:43] ➡️ Building a support network around you [16:33] ➡️ The emotional rollercoaster of being a Founder [18:46] ➡️ Taking hiring seriously [21:12] ➡️ Why Greg jumped back into the Founder seat [24:59] ➡️ More about Nous [29:26] ➡️ Building traction in a difficult market [34:56] ➡️ Advantages of being a second time Founder [37:23] ➡️ Audience Question: What practical advice do you have for making your money work harder in difficult times? [42:34] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Greg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gmarsh/ ➡️ Check out Nous: https://www.nous.co/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Entrepreneurship feels like a process of torture sometimes because no matter how hard you try and how much you work and how many evenings or weekends that you sacrifice, you’re still only at the very bottom of the hill.” Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is Deirdre O’Neill, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial & Legal Officer at women’s health startup, Hertility. With a background in corporate law and VC law, Deirdre took the leap into entrepreneurship in 2019, alongside twin sister Dr Helen O’Neill and Dr Natalie Getreu. Since then, the three Co-Founders and their team have been revolutionising the future of reproductive healthcare, by pioneering unique diagnostic testing. In this episode, we get a full behind-the-scenes look into their build so far and where the future might take them… Episode chapters: ➡️ Growing up in Cork [07:30] ➡️ Why she feels more like a lawyer now than ever before [10:33] ➡️ Hertility’s origin story [13:14] ➡️ Breaking into a heavily regulated space [18:30] ➡️ Normalising talking about fertility & women’s health [20:27] ➡️ Fundraising & why crowdfunding is a great option [23:11] ➡️ Leaning into pregnancy as a Founder [29:05] ➡️ Why the best talent is focusing on purpose [31:52] ➡️ Are you choosing a steamboat or a speedboat? [33:15] ➡️ Hertility’s team culture [35:23] ➡️ Audience Question: How do you navigate conflict with your Co-Founder and twin sister [40:13] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Deirdre: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deirdre-o-neill-a8bb6a14/ ➡️ Check out Hertility: https://hertilityhealth.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“If we’re not seeing outcomes, we need more visibility. Does visibility mean someone being physically in front of you? Probably not.” Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is Natasha Ratanshi-Stein, the Founder of Surfboard - the next generation planning tools for customer service teams. Before building Surfboard, Natasha spent several years as an Operator and Investor, including her roles as Principal at Piton Capital and Chief of Staff at Bulb. We had a fascinating chat with Natasha, exploring her unique career journey and her mission to make work more human with Surfboard. Episode chapters: ➡️ Her upbringing in Canada [03:56] ➡️ Moving into VC [05:34] ➡️ Why she wishes she had Operator experience before moving into VC [11:02] ➡️ Becoming Chief of Staff at Bulb [12:45] ➡️ Advice for aspiring Chiefs of Staff [16:33] ➡️ When to hire a Chief of Staff [20:02] ➡️ More about Surfboard [22:15] ➡️ Getting customer traction early [30:00] ➡️ Flexible working [34:16] ➡️ Audience question: What are your future aspirations with Surfboard? [39:50] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Natasha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-ratanshi-stein-%F0%9F%8F%84%F0%9F%8F%BC%E2%80%8D%E2%99%80%EF%B8%8F-69333723/ ➡️ Check out Surfboard: https://teamsurfboard.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I think we over index on the significance of education at the cost of other important parts of the social mobility conversation.” This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is Gary Izunwa, Co-Founder and CEO of Tangent. Tangent is an employee referral platform that makes referrals accessible to everyone and NOT just the privileged few with the best networks. Prior to Tangent, Gary worked at LinkedIn and the British Council leading programmes for ‘Generation UK’, a multimillion pound campaign, committed to social mobility. Most recently, Gary has also been named in the 2024 class of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for Social Impact. In today’s episode, we’ll explore his career to date, the journey of building Tangent and the power of mentorship and social mobility… Episode chapters: ➡️ Reframing mistakes & failure [02:39] ➡️ Growing up with an entrepreneurial mind [05:24] ➡️ A successful early career at LinkedIn [07:49] ➡️ Taking a 80% salary cut to drive social mobility [13:36] ➡️ Starting Tangent - the origin [16:44] ➡️ Harsh learnings from building without your customer [23:29] ➡️ The power & gaps of recruitment referrals [29:26] ➡️ Closing social mobility gaps [32:40] ➡️ Gratitude complex of socially mobile people [37:32] ➡️ Audience question: Building your personal brand on LinkedIn [44:40] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Gary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyizunwa/ ➡️ Check out Tangent: https://www.jointangent.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“You work so hard for something you’ve dreamt of for so long and then you achieve it and it’s nothing like you imagined it would be…” This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is Lottie Whyte, Co-Founder and CEO of MyoMaster, the home of sports recovery and a brand on a mission to unlock every athlete’s greatest performance. If you’re an avid BBC Dragons Den watcher, then you’ll have seen Lottie and her Co-Founder and husband, Joe, on the most recent series, where they won an incredible £100,000 investment from Gary Neville and Sara Davies. In today’s episode we not only discuss this latest impressive milestone in Lottie’s journey, but also look back on humble beginnings at their kitchen table and Lottie’s successful career in PR and advertising. Episode chapters: ➡️ Lottie’s upbringing and early influences [02:24] ➡️ Becoming the youngest board member at M&C Saatchi [04:22] ➡️ MyoMaster’s origin story [09:01] ➡️ The power of resilience & fundraising advice [13:20] ➡️ Why VC investment isn’t for everyone [14:48] ➡️ Why Dragons Den & the behind the scenes scoop [16:39] ➡️ Winning over Gary Neville and Sara Davies [21:04] ➡️ Building on the Dragons Den momentum [22:12] ➡️ Advice for applying to Dragons Den [24:51] ➡️ Balancing wellbeing and entrepreneurship [26:13] ➡️ Audience question: How do you navigate being business partners, a married couple and parents with Joe? [31:10] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Lottie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lottie-whyte-07205918/ ➡️ Check out MyoMaster: https://myomaster.com/ ➡️ Watch MyoMaster on Dragons Den: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZsJjuo-QnU ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It’s never felt easy. There’s never been a single day where it’s felt easy. The winds are always hardwired for various reasons, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a lot of fun.” This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is Morgan Fowles, CEO of popular sustainable activewear and athleisure brand, TALA. If you’ve been listening to 40 Minute Mentor for a while, you would have already come across TALA, when we caught up with Founder, Grace Beverley in Season 5. In this episode, we find out more about Morgan’s career in fashion, including her exec role at Thomas Pink Shirtmaker, COO at SPOKE and how she became CEO of TALA in 2023. Episode chapters: ➡️ Growing up across the pond & Morgan’s love for fashion [04:47] ➡️ A career in fashion [06:37] ➡️ Advice for any successful COO [11:13] ➡️ Breaking into the fashion industry [16:54] ➡️ Joining TALA and progressing to CEO [19:47] ➡️ More about TALA [21:40] ➡️ Founder and CEO relationship [28:00] ➡️ Making £1m in revenue in an hour [31:00] ➡️ Hiring for TALA [37:35] ➡️ The future of sustainability in fashion [40:32] ➡️ Audience question: What would you change about the fashion industry? [43:25] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Morgan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganfowles/ ➡️ Listen to Grace Beverley’s 40 Minute Mentor episode: https://jbmc.co.uk/podcasts/scaling-a-purpose-driven-business-whilst-creating-balance-with-grace-beverley/ ➡️ Check out TALA: https://www.wearetala.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“They say all the best businesses in the world have nearly died three times. It’s an inevitable journey you go on when you're creating a high growth business.” This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is Radha Vyas, Co-Founder and CEO of adventure travel startup, Flash Pack. Flash Pack is on a mission to create 1 million friendships through connecting solo travellers in their 30s and 40s to go on adventure trips they'll never forget. Since inception, Flash Pack has been on an incredible journey - reaching £20m turnover with a team of 60. However, with Covid hitting the travel industry the hardest, and with countless refunds from their customers, Flash Pack’s revenue quickly dropped down to zero. Fast forward to today, Radha and the Flash Pack team are quickly exceeding pre-Covid goals, have raised £5m for their expansion in the US and now have a team of 70, spread across the globe. In today’s episode, we’ll dive into every part of Radha’s journey to date and the crucial lessons she’s learned from rebuilding Flash Pack. Episode Chapters: ➡️ Radha’s entrepreneurial aspirations from an early age [4:45] ➡️ Starting Flash Pack off the back of a first date [10:08] ➡️ From idea to early-stage startup - the lessons learned [16:15] ➡️ How a selfie in Brazil became an accelerator for Flash Pack [20:43] ➡️ From flying high to an abrupt stop with Covid [27:07] ➡️ Navigating Founder life & being married to your Co-Founder [34:04] ➡️ Rebuilding after Covid - Flash Pack 2.0 [37:21] ➡️ An honest reflection on building a diverse team [39:20] ➡️ Hiring for values fit vs culture fit [42:14] ➡️ Audience question: Where is next on your travel list? [45:33] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Radha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/radha-vyas-flashpack/ ➡️ Book your next trip with Flash Pack: https://www.flashpack.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Sometimes entrepreneurship is about bending the odds of success and being willing to take on the risk even though it doesn’t make much sense. It’s about going ahead anyway and changing the odds yourself.” In our first episode of Series 11 of 40 Minute Mentor, we’re joined by Richard Robinson, Founder and CEO of Robin AI. Robin AI is a leader in legal AI and empowers legal teams and lawyers all over the world to make contract processes effortless. In today’s episode you’ll find out how Richard has built Robin AI from ideation to 100+ employees, 72+ global customers and $32 million raised to date. Episode Chapters: ➡️ From growing up in Birmingham to starting Robin AI [4:51] ➡️ Becoming a debate champion [6:51] ➡️ From lawyer to Founder [9:06] ➡️ Building an AI legal assistant: Robin AI’s origin story [14:20] ➡️ Building one of the most diverse companies in Europe [17:58] ➡️ The changes in the legal sector [21:40] ➡️ The future of AI in 2024 and beyond [25:14] ➡️ Securing $32 million in fundraising [27:40] ➡️ Why you shouldn’t have to convince investors [29:29] ➡️ The impact of picking the right investors [30:52] ➡️ Hiring advice: Why you shouldn’t add that additional interview round [35:06] ➡️ Audience Question: What do you want the law industry to look like in ten years from now? [39:57] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Richard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardgrobinson/ ➡️ Find out more about RobinAI: https://www.robinai.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Sometimes entrepreneurship is about bending the odds of success, and just being willing to take on the risks…” Welcome back to Series 11 of 40 Minute Mentor - your pocket-sized career mentor. We’ve got 13 weeks of non-stop mentorship from some of the best in the industry, coming up for you. Before we kick off the series with our first 40 Minute Mentor next week, we thought we’d share a few soundbites with you of what’s to come… In this series trailer, you’ll hear from: ⭐ Gary Izunwa, Co-Founder & CEO of Tangent ⭐ Morgan Fowles, CEO at TALA ⭐ Natasha Ratanshi-Stein, Founder of Surfboard ⭐ Radha Vyas, Co-Founder of Flash Pack ⭐ Richard Robinson, Founder &CEO of Robin AI And this is only the start of it. For even more pocket-sized mentorship, make sure you 🔔 subscribe and tune in every Wednesday morning for the latest episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“We scaled way too fast…and the result was that we mis-hired quite a lot. It was not a sustainable way to scale.” This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is Peter Specht, General Partner at Creandum, one of the leading early stage VCs that have invested in over 120 companies, of which 20 are unicorns today. Following career chapters at Rocket Internet Group, Google and Bain, Peter joined the firm as Investment Manager in 2017, as one of the firm’s first hires in the DACH region, building out its Berlin hub. Now based in London, Peter primarily focuses on investing into SaaS and B2B marketplaces, with notable investments led for Factorial, CarOnSale, cargo.one, Timberhub, to name a few. With such a wealth of experience across markets, there’s lots for us to discuss in this final VC feature episode… Episode Chapters: ➡️ The deal he is most proud of: A Unicorn story [2:03] ➡️ Explore in the early days, specialise later on [6:06] ➡️ Scaling lessons from Lazada [9:01] ➡️ Moving into VC [10:40] ➡️ Creandum’s origin story [12:17] ➡️ Multi-local presence and adapting to global markets [15:52] ➡️ The growing Tech scene in Spain [18:35] ➡️ A Deep dive into the London ecosystem [21:34] ➡️ Rising through the ranks & becoming General Partner [25:18] ➡️ Advice for Founders perfecting their pitch [30:04] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Peter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pspecht/ ➡️ Find out more about Creandum: https://creandum.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Team sports are a great proxy for working in companies, where often the power of the collective is way stronger than any individual.” This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is Davor Hebel, Managing Partner at Eight Roads Ventures, the global VC firm backed by Fidelity. Eight Roads backs and partners with game-changing tech and healthcare companies across Europe, Asia, Israel and the US. The platform has 50+ years of venture investing experience, $11bn in AUM, over 300 portfolio companies and they’ve had 60+ IPOs. Reflecting on 18+ years in venture capital, Davor shares tonnes of insights in today’s episode, including… Episode Chapters: ➡️ His proudest deal to date [1:51] ➡️ A realistic view on how many companies raise VC funding [3:25] ➡️ Growing up in Croatia with athletes turned educators [6:02] ➡️ Making the move from consulting to VC [10:37] ➡️ The challenges of a multi-faceted role [12:27] ➡️ Expecting things to go wrong in the Startup world [14:13] ➡️ Characteristics of a great Investor [16:19] ➡️ The history of Eight Roads Ventures [21:58] ➡️ Successful portfolio companies & exits [24:06] ➡️ How to really impress a VC [26:10] ➡️ Entrepreneurs at the heart of company culture [29:27] ➡️ Evolution as a leader and investor [31:22] ➡️ Predictions for the Tech ecosystem in 2024 [32:49] ➡️ Young Generation in Tech survey findings [34:34] ➡️ The impact & future of AI [37:24] ➡️ Opportunities in VC [38:40] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Davor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davorhebel/ ➡️ Find out more about Eight Roads Ventures: https://eightroads.com/en/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“You need to figure out what you really need. Not just the role now, but looking at the future and at the competencies you need in your organisation. Figure out how you build a very complementary team, rather than having people who are all the same.” This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is Sandra Schwarzer, VP C-Suite/Board & EU Talent/Community & Insights Team leader at Index Ventures. Sandra works with Founders and executive teams on people related issues, including talent strategy, culture and DE&I, and advises Index’ portfolio on their most senior hires. Before joining Index, Sandra has had a really varied career, including being a headhunter, leading the Global HR, Security & Facilities functions at Open Society Foundations, George Soros’s $23bn private philanthropy, and led INSEAD’s Career Services. In today’s episode, we unpack the realities of transitioning careers, the complex relationship between recruitment, culture and organisational strategy, and we bust some VC myths along the way. Episode Chapters: ➡️ Why VC is far from transactional [2:01] ➡️ Growing up in East Berlin [3:20] ➡️ Stand out moments from her earlier career [10:56] ➡️ A passion for people [14:25] ➡️ Lessons from being a headhunter [16:19] ➡️ Her perception of VC & why she joined Index [18:54] ➡️ The power of relationship building in VC [20:13] ➡️ How to transition from headhunting to VC [22:54] ➡️ A deep dive into the Index structure [26:01] ➡️ Working with Founders who own their story [29:36] ➡️ Hiring top talent: secrets to success [34:04] ➡️ Getting to know candidates outside of work [39:22] ➡️ Retaining talent in uncertain times [41:19] ➡️ Working with headhunters - the recipe for success [44:54] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Sandra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwarzer/ ➡️ Find out more about Index Ventures: https://www.indexventures.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“This is not necessarily a one-way transaction. Look at fundraising like it’s dating. The VC you’re going to choose, you’ll be stuck with for quite some time, so don’t play games and be honest, the whole way through…” This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is the brilliant Abhishek Lahoti, Head of Platform at Highland Europe, a growth stage Venture Capital firm based in Geneva and London. Within his role at Highland Europe, Abhishek’s focus is to build a strong network of advisors and experts to help the portfolio scale at pace. In today’s episode, we won’t just take a deep dive into the role of Head of Platform, but also discuss Abhishek’s earlier career at Dropbox, how and why he made the move into VC and his advice for Founders navigating this current market. Episode Chapters: ➡️ The most challenging part of being a VC [1:56] ➡️ Reflections on his years at Dropbox [5:30] ➡️ Moving into VC [8:16] ➡️ Transitioning from Operator to VC [11:17] ➡️ Advice for breaking into the world of VC [12:50] ➡️ A deep dive into the role of Head of Platform [17:45] ➡️ Highland Europe’s investment thesis & portfolio [20:04] ➡️ Treating your investors like dating [21:03] ➡️ Team culture & hiring at Highland Europe [24:21] ➡️ The US vs UK Tech markets [27:07] ➡️ Founder advice for expanding into Europe [31:36] ➡️ The biggest mistakes in fundraising pitches [32:53] ➡️ Waterfall resolutions and the power of networking [34:12] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Abhishek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alahoti/ ➡️ Find out more about Highland Europe: https://www.highlandeurope.com/ ➡️ Read the European Expansion Playbook: https://sapphireventures.com/blog/a-startups-guide-for-opening-european-operations/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The whole industry is full of very successful people who have had this very standard path. It’s hard to look at your own [different] background and put yourself on an even level with them.” This week’s 40 Minute Mentor is the brilliant Hannah Leach, Partner at Houghton Street Ventures and Co-Founder of VentureESG. Hannah moved into the venture space after a squiggly career in and around the venture and entrepreneurship ecosystems, including building accelerator programs, teams within Scaleups and starting her own company or two… In this episode we explore Hannah’s route into VC, the partnership between Houghton Street Ventures and the London School of Economics, why VC funding isn’t always the best route to scaling a business, and how VentureESG is supporting the ecosystem with meaningful ESG integration. Episode Chapters: ➡️ Redefining the ‘traditional’ path into VC [04:47] ➡️ Her squiggly route into VC [06:52] ➡️ A love for building communities [09:34] ➡️ Biggest lessons from Founder life [12:19] ➡️ The power of vulnerability and authenticity [13:47] ➡️ The challenges of transitioning into VC [17:54] ➡️ Understanding where you are adding value [19:52] ➡️ Advice for pivoting into VC [21:00] ➡️ Life at Houghton Street Ventures [23:10] ➡️ The do’s and don’t of VC pitching [26:50] ➡️ The power of a unique thesis [29:43] ➡️ Raising a first-time fund [30:55] ➡️ The drive behind building VentureESG [33:40] ➡️ Collaboration over competition [36:40] ➡️ The future of ESG [38:04] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Hannah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahleach/ ➡️ Find out more about Houghton Street Ventures: https://houghtonstreet.com/ ➡️ Discover VentureESG: https://www.ventureesg.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I think 2024 is a great opportunity to back fantastic people and get more attention on things that are undervalued or don’t get enough attention to invest in.” Described as the ‘Queen of British VC’ by Fortune magazine, we are kicking off our new VC feature series with the brilliant Eileen Burbidge MBE. Eileen is a Founding Partner at Passion Capital, the pre-eminent early-stage technology venture fund based in London, where she backed some of the most successful Tech businesses, including Monzo Bank, Marshmallow, and many more. She is currently also Director at Fertifa, the UK and Europe’s leading reproductive benefits provider. Outside of Passion and Fertifa, Eileen has also served as the UK Treasurer's Special Envoy for FinTech for 8 years, was Tech Ambassador for the Mayor of London’s office and served on the former UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s Business Advisory Group. Eileen has extensive operational and investment experience, from roles at Tech giants including Yahoo!, Skype and Apple, so there is plenty to dive into in today’s episode. Episode Chapters: ➡️ Her proudest moment of backing Monzo Bank [2:11] ➡️ Busting the biggest myths in VC [4:33] ➡️ Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago & her perception of ‘diversity’ [7:59] ➡️ Falling in love with Tech and working at Apple [11:33] ➡️ Shazam V Skype: A Tech standoff [15:24] ➡️ Being one of the first employees at Skype & reflections on being fired [17:04] ➡️ Leadership lessons from Niklas Zennström [20:31] ➡️ Journey from Operator to VC [24:00] ➡️ Her early stage investment thesis & focusing on people [27:56] ➡️ Indexing on integrity & trust when assessing Founders [30:59] ➡️ Stepping into interim CEO roles [34:46] ➡️ Why she feels like the board let Tom Blomfield down & succession plans [38:04] ➡️ Stepping back into an executive role at Fertifa [42:26] ➡️ Hiring advice for Founders [47:15] ➡️ Taking a hard look at ourselves to improve DE&I [49:21] ➡️ What to look forward to in 2024 [51:59] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Eileen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileenburbidge/ ➡️ Find out more about Passion Capital: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passion-capital/ ➡️ Explore the work of Fertifa: https://www.fertifa.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Founders often don’t have someone outside of the business that they can be really vulnerable with…that’s where an advisor can help.” For our final episode in our career spotlight feature series, we’re taking a deep dive into an increasingly popular, yet often unspoken about role - the advisory role. To help us cover the ins and outs of the role, how you can land your first gig and the benefits to Founders, we’re joined by JBM Principal, Marina Maxwell and Chris Seigal, Advisor to D2C brands. So, whether you’re already an advisor, you’re starting to think about making the move into advisory work or you’re a Founder thinking about making this hire - this episode will cover some of the most frequent questions we get asked. Episode chapters: ➡️ What is a Startup advisor? [3:42] ➡️ The rise and power of advisory roles [6:02] ➡️ From side-hustle to full-time advisor [8:44] ➡️ The rewards and benefits [9:39] ➡️ What to expect from the day-to-day [11:57] ➡️ How Founders benefit [14:28] ➡️ Positioning yourself when starting out [17:26] ➡️ Being transparent and navigating pricing [18:43] ➡️ Working with headhunters [22:00] ➡️ The value of high-quality advisors [25:24] ➡️ Ready to hire? Advice for Founders [29:44] ➡️ Building a curious culture [31:18] ➡️ Hone the pitch, build momentum, gain confidence [33:28] ➡️ Navigating imposter syndrome [35:24] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ For more career mentorship, follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/?viewAsMember=true ➡️ Find out more about our team and mission here: https://jbmc.co.uk/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“You need to be able to own what you do have, but even more so, what you don’t have.” Following last week’s episode on building a stand-out CV and personal brand on LinkedIn, we’re now focusing on the next crucial stage in the recruitment process - the interview. Very often, the interview stage can feel quite daunting, but a lot of it comes down to preparation and doing the work upfront. In today’s episode, we’ll hear from our wonderful JBM team who lift the curtain on the secret to nailing the interview stage and share some of the most common mistakes they see people make, when it comes to interviews. So, whether you’re job hunting right now or starting to think about the next step in your career, this episode will help set you on the right path… Episode chapters: ➡️ Different methods to prepare for an interview [1:05] ➡️ Communicating your strengths [2:21] ➡️ Getting your questions answered [4:19] ➡️ Bringing relevant experience to the table [5:48] ➡️ Getting the basics right [06:55] ➡️ A reminder on working with your headhunter [07:25] ➡️ Focusing on the human side in interviews [08:17] ➡️ Key skills for Startups [08:48] ➡️ The power of curiosity: a non-negotiable [10:54] ➡️ How to let the conversation flow [13:21] ➡️ Do you feel drained or energised? [13:59] ➡️ Every failure is a redirection [16:58] ➡️ Common interview mistakes [18:45] ➡️ The biggest faux pas: Yes it happens! [20:23] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ For more career mentorship, follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/?viewAsMember=true ➡️ Find out more about our team and mission here: https://jbmc.co.uk/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The CV is not the one thing that will or will not get you hired, there is a whole interview process…” New year, new job? January is a month of reset, refresh and for many, the time to scope out a new opportunity… No matter whether you’re in the middle of hunting for a new role, are just starting to think about it or are looking to hire into your team in 2024, our ‘Career Spotlight’ feature series has something for everyone. For our first episode, we sat down with JBM's team to share their top tips when it comes to building a CV that will help you secure an interview. Plus, we also discuss the importance of building and optimising your personal brand on LinkedIn, featuring a contribution from former 40 Minute Mentor and Founder of personal branding agency, Klowt, Amelia Sordell. Episode chapters: ➡️ Rethinking the purpose of your CV [1:12] ➡️ Communicating your achievements [2:41] ➡️ The winning structure [5:29] ➡️ First impressions and the importance of layout [7:51] ➡️ To tailor or not to tailor your CV [9:16] ➡️ Say goodbye to paragraphs [10:14] ➡️ Numbers, metrics and demonstrating data [10:45] ➡️ Addressing career gaps [11:29] ➡️ Owning the impact you’ve made [12:37] ➡️ How long should your CV be? [15:37] ➡️ Bringing your personality to paper [17:33] ➡️ Harnessing the power of your LinkedIn profile [18:07] ➡️ Getting the most out of LinkedIn [21:29] ➡️ Passion, authenticity and being realistic [23:25] ➡️ Striking the balance between personal & professional [26:40] ➡️ What do you want to be known for? [27:07] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ For more career mentorship, follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/?viewAsMember=true ➡️ The full episode with Amelia Sordell: https://jbmc.co.uk/insights/40-minute-mentor/the-power-of-personal-branding-with-amelia-sordell-founder-of-klowt/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just like that we’re closing another year of 40 Minute Mentor. This year, we surpassed our 200 published episodes mark and are fast approaching 1 million downloads. Before we kick off a brand new feature series in the new year, we asked some of our biggest 40 Minute Mentor fans for their nominations for the best episode of 2023. From scaling teams to Founder mistakes and investment advice, our guests may range across industries but they all align on one thing - sharing pocket-sized career mentorship with you all. So, for one final time this year, join us to discover the best episodes of the past 12 months. We’d also love to know YOUR favourite episode, so feel free to drop our producer Hannah a note on [email protected] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow JBM on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/?viewAsMember=true ➡️ Find out more about JBM: https://jbmc.co.uk/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we’re nearing the end of the year, your 40 Minute Mentor Host, James Mitra, takes a moment to reflect on the last 12 months of podcasting and what the year ahead may have in store. A huge thank you for all your support over the last 12 months - we wouldn’t be where we are without you! If you have any feedback, topic or guest ideas for 2024, please get in touch on [email protected] - we always love hearing from you! For now, all that’s left to say is - Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas (if you’re celebrating!) and see you next Wednesday for more pocket-sized mentorship! ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Follow JBM on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/?viewAsMember=true ➡️ Find out more about JBM: https://jbmc.co.uk/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The thing I love a lot about startups, it’s like a personal self-development course at a rapid rate.” For our final episode in our Replay series, we’re joined by Sharmadean Reid MBE, Founder of The Stack World, a platform for the women’s creator economy to buy and sell from each other. In this candid episode, we chat about Sharmadean’s Founder journey from a nail salon to a global mecca for aspiring entrepreneurs, and ultimately starting The Stack World. We discuss the lessons she learned, the mistakes she’s made and her vision for the future, including: ➡️ How her childhood and education influenced her career [03:52] ➡️ The start of her Founder journey, opening her first nail salon [06:27] ➡️ First time challenges of a startup Founder [10:14] ➡️ The problem with saying yes to everything [11:01] ➡️ Reflections on her time at WAH London [12:14] ➡️ The beauty of failing fast [14:26] ➡️ Business trauma: the realities of starting a second venture [15:48] ➡️ A closer look at VC backed startups [17:54] ➡️ Leadership evolution: being a magpie of information [19:20] ➡️ The core reason for friction in the workplace [20:20] ➡️ Navigating a new business amidst the COVID pandemic [22:42] ➡️ How the pandemic affected women in the workplace [26:36] ➡️ The Stack World: Creating a network of mission-driven women [28:18] ➡️ Gender equality and representation across industries [30:57] ➡️ Finding the balance in mentorship [32:59] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Sharmadean: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharmadeanreid/ ➡️ Find out more about The Stack World: https://www.thestack.world/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The importance of the team around you, having focus and discipline and the awareness of facing setbacks… it’s been great to bring the things I’ve learned from sport into the business world.” From the 2012 Olympic poster girl to Founder of FemTech brand, Jennis… today’s 40 Minute Mentor Replay episode is with none other than Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill. In this episode we talked about the ins and outs of Jess’s phenomenal sporting career and her pivot into the business world with Jennis - a women’s hormonal health platform, with the goal to help women understand what’s happening hormonally. Tune in to the full episode to explore: ➡️ The realistic road to success [04:32] ➡️ Jess’ introduction to sport and falling into athletics [05:52] ➡️ Dealing with pressure and making sacrifices [07:52] ➡️ How to support children without being a pushy parent [09:39] ➡️ Reliving the ups and downs of Super Saturday [13:03] ➡️ Focusing on one event at a time and taking home Gold [15:04] ➡️ Exploring the other side of success [16:40] ➡️ Motherhood and Jess’s motivation to get back out there [17:23] ➡️ Coping with retirement and starting again [23:05] ➡️ From athlete to FemTech Founder, how Jennis began [26:56] ➡️ The Jennis mission - putting women first [29:11] ➡️ Closing the gender data gap in women’s health [30:55] ➡️ Transitioning from sport to Startup life [32:18] ➡️ Aligning personal values with company culture [34:09] ➡️ The emotional rollercoaster of fundraising [36:37] ➡️ Providing mentorship for the England Rugby team [39:13] ➡️ The humble insights into being a role model [43:20] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Jess: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dame-jessica-ennis-hill-a84b5420b/ ➡️ Find out more about Jennis: https://www.jennis.com/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I was most unhappy at work when I was making the most money and the biggest amount of success.” From a successful career at Google, to the journey of making 1 billion people happy.That is the story of Mo Gawdat, the former Chief Business Officer of Google X, author of Solve for Happy and Founder of One Billion Happy. It’s an episode full of wisdom, honesty and candid reflections. In today’s 40 Minute Mentor Replay, Mo shares his incredible story, including spending 25 years in tech and the devastating experience of losing his son in 2014 which set him on a completely new path. Today’s episode topics: ➡️ Heartbreak and loss, finding a new purpose in pain [04:31] ➡️ The beginning of his happiness journey [06:34] ➡️ Going viral with 1 Billion Happy [07:44] ➡️ Committed acceptance in the face of grief [09:29] ➡️ Anger lessons from Gandhi’s grandson [13:26] ➡️ Mo’s work as a happiness engineer [15:27] ➡️ The three ingredients for success [20:14] ➡️ Finding your purpose by knowing what doesn’t resonate [23:12] ➡️ The infinite game called life [25:08] ➡️ Finding micro-purposes in the everyday [27:40] ➡️ The power of making happiness a choice [33:05] ➡️ Definition of happiness is and the golden age of compassion [34:32] ➡️ Allowing yourself to be a mentee, using your circle of support [37:31] ➡️ The problem with being remembered… [39:34] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Mo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mogawdat/➡️ Find out more about One Billion Happy: http://onebillionhappy.org/➡️ Listen to Mo’s podcast, Slow Mo: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slo-mo-a-podcast-with-mo-gawdat/id1508914142 ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Globally, a third of all the food we produce each year gets thrown away. Meanwhile, 800 million people go to bed hungry, who could be fed with a quarter of the food we waste in the Western world.” Did you know that roughly one third of the world's food is wasted? Meanwhile, 1 in 9 people on our planet are either starving or malnourished... This is something today’s 40 Minute Mentor is on a mission to change. In today’s replay episode, we’re joined by Tessa Clarke, the Co-Founder and CEO of the popular sharing app Olio. Tessa’s career has taken her down many paths, including consulting and publishing to MD of eCommerce at Dyson. We first shared this episode three years ago, and the message is as important as ever, if not more so. Tune in to explore: ➡️ Pivoting from consulting to Startup Founder [02:30] ➡️ Creating your path in consulting [05:06] ➡️ Transitioning from consulting to industry [06:40] ➡️ The excitement of feeling the fear in new roles [08:15] ➡️ Taking Dyson on a digital journey [09:14] ➡️ Leadership lessons from James Dyson [12:53] ➡️ The importance of surrounding yourself with people who will challenge you [14:06] ➡️ Building a mission-driven career plan, Tessa’s journey to entrepreneurship [15:20] ➡️ The lightbulb moment that started Olio’s journey [17:08] ➡️ Tackling the food waste pandemic [18:19] ➡️ Ambassadors helping you scale your mission-driven business [19:45] ➡️ We are ‘theoretically more connected’ but more lonely - a focus on community [23:21] ➡️ Championing diversity and prioritising at the board level [24:34] ➡️ Advice for diverse Founders tackling biassed questions in fundraising [27:28] ➡️ Recruiting from your community to tackle the hiring challenge [30:05] ➡️ Top tips: How we can all contribute to combat the global food waste problem [32:54] ➡️ Finding mentorship organically and learning from your peers [35:55] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Tessa Clarke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tecook/➡️ Find out more about Olio: https://olioapp.com/en/ ➡️ Check out Tessa’s ‘Where Are They Now’ episode: https://jbmc.co.uk/insights/40-minute-mentor/tessa-clarke-scaling-olio/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“People often say to me, sport is different from business, it's not. Business is about delivering results through people.” In our first episode of our 40 Minute Mentor Replay series, we’re re-visiting our episode with the brilliant Sir Clive Woodward, World Cup winning England Rugby coach and former Director of Sport for the London 2012 Olympics. After spending his childhood with big dreams of becoming a professional footballer, it was playing rugby at his local club as a kid that started Sir Clive down the path to becoming the first England Coach to lift the Rugby World Cup in 2003. In today’s episode, you’ll discover: ➡️ Sir Clive’s first ever job at Xerox [02:20] ➡️ The power of failures and setbacks [04:13] ➡️ The realities of being the first full time professional Rugby coach [05:34] ➡️ Delivering results through people, in business and in sport [07:03] ➡️ The moment that trumped England's World Cup win, at a pub in New Zealand [11:23] ➡️ Great teams are made of great individuals - the magic formula [14:29] ➡️ Managing a range of personalities when building team culture [16:51] ➡️ Ensuring people in your team feel safe to speak their mind [20:23] ➡️ CTUP - the framework needed for winning and handling pressure [22:29] ➡️ How Clive uses 3D learning to build high performing teams [26:29] ➡️ The simple but powerful habits to build a healthy lifestyle [29:32] ➡️ Staying hungry for learning and following what you love [33:15] ➡️ A leadership lesson: The best ideas come from the team [36:34] ➡️ The importance of creative abrasion [38:13] ➡️ Bringing successful people into a team, shining a light on mentorship [40:03] ➡️ Sir Clive’s legacy: Making it to the top, and being inclusive [43:16] ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Sir Clive: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sirclivewoodward/➡️ Find out more about his Apex2100 Ski Academy: https://www.apex2100.org/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices