Real Startup Stories

A 3-day trip to Spain cost me the same as driving up to the Midlands. In this solo episode I break down the rising cost of UK travel, the proposed 5% tourist tax in Cornwall, and why I'm taking the Real Startup Stories podcast on the road. In this episode we cover: • Why a cheap flight to Palma and Magaluf worked out the same price as a 3-day trip to the Midlands, and what that says about UK holid...

An occupational therapist reveals what really happens working in secure mental health wards - including the moment a psychotic patient hurled a burning oven tray at him and grabbed a knife. In this episode we cover: • What occupational therapy (OT) actually is, and how it differs from physiotherapy or talking therapy • Why mental health remains a female-dominated profession, and what that means fo...

A wellbeing founder explains why nature does more for your mental health than your job, home or income ever will - and how one mindfulness class rebuilt her own life after it fell apart. In this episode we cover: • How a casual day out with friends accidentally became a nonprofit wellbeing organisation (a CIC) • Why nature connection has four times more impact on wellbeing than socioeconomic statu...

Tony watched his granddad, his dad and both his uncles die of Huntington's disease, an incurable, hereditary condition. Then he took the test himself and it came back positive. This is the story of how he turned that into HD Livin, a charity supporting families affected by Huntington's and other neurological diseases across Devon and Cornwall. In this episode we cover: • What Huntington's disease...

A criminology student on a police ride-along in Florida was suddenly pulled into the emergency response to the Pulse Nightclub shooting — and it changed the course of her life. Now she's an identity and confidence coach helping women rebuild themselves after adversity. In this episode we cover: • The night a routine police ride-along turned into responding to the Pulse Nightclub shooting • How tra...

At 19, pregnant and unemployed, Laura Bell opened her first nail salon in under two weeks with £1,000 borrowed from her parents. By 27 she'd gone bankrupt after being manipulated by an ex-husband who lied about owning a house — and rebuilt from a single nail desk in a box room to a multi-salon business, now coaching salon owners across the UK. In this episode we cover: - How Laura opened her first...

A diss track, a viral line, and one flight to Lanzarote - that's all it took to take Callum Marcel from 300 followers to 30,000. In this episode we sit down with Marcel, a UK battle rapper signed to PenGame, to talk about turning chaos into a career. In this episode we cover: • How Marcel got into rap battles back in year 7, freestyling with older kids at school • How he got signed to PenGame and...

Most "organic" skincare only needs to contain 1% organic material to legally use the word on the label. In this episode we sit down with Sarah and Pete from Inlight - a 100% organic, Cornwall-based skincare and spa brand - to talk about greenwashing in the beauty industry, the unusual way their products are actually made, and why they train therapists to treat clients that most spas turn away. In...

In this episode of Real Startup Stories, we sit down with Duncan Schwab, CEO of Sandridge Barton Wines, to explore what it really takes to run one of England’s leading vineyards and wineries. Duncan shares his journey from becoming Head Winemaker to leading the business as CEO, why he chose to step down from the Head Winemaker role, and how the transition has shaped both him and Sandridge Barton....

In this episode of Real Startup Stories, we sit down with Andrea, an international wedding photographer and videographer who’s built a business across the UK and Spain. What started as a hobby photographing families and portraits eventually turned into a thriving career capturing weddings around the world. Now based in Barcelona, Andrea has grown an audience of over 70,000 Instagram followers and...

In this episode of Real Startup Stories, we sit down with the team behind Roskilly’s to uncover how a Cornish family farm evolved into one of the UK’s most recognisable independent food brands. We discuss the origins of Roskilly’s, how milk quotas led to an unexpected business opportunity, the challenges of running a multi-generational family business, and the journey from dairy farming to creatin...

What does it take to build one of England’s most respected vineyards? In this episode, we sit down with Sam from Camel Valley to uncover the story behind one of the UK’s most celebrated family wineries. From studying maths at university before returning to the family business, to helping transform Camel Valley into an internationally award-winning vineyard, Sam shares the lessons that shaped their...

In this episode of Real Start Up Stories, we sit down with Jarrad from Rise & Reign to discuss his journey into the tattoo industry and what it really takes to build a career as a tattoo artist. We talk about breaking into the industry, advice for aspiring tattoo artists, the challenges he’s faced along the way, why tattoo artists often become therapists for their clients, the importance of me...

Welcome to another episode of Real Startup Stories. Joined by Ella, founder of The Prawn Star, who swapped Essex for Cornwall and left her old life behind to build a business around her love of seafood. Ella shares what it was like moving 370 miles away, starting from scratch and building her brand through pop ups and restaurant takeovers while working full time and raising two children. She talks...

🎙️ Welcome to another episode of Real Startup Stories. This week, we’re joined by Hogi, an independent rapper from Barnsley who’s been making music for years but only recently decided to take it seriously. We dive into his journey into music, balancing his passion alongside a full-time job, and what it’s really like trying to build a career as an independent artist in today’s industry. Hogi shares...

Jam & Meme: How a Cornish Meme Page Turned Into a Movement In this episode, I sit down with the creator behind Jam & Meme to discuss how a simple Cornish meme page evolved into one of Cornwall’s most recognisable community brands. We talk about the unlikely story of becoming DJs after being handed a festival set, learning to DJ from scratch, the growth of Pard Card and Pardcast, staying an...

In this solo episode, I'm sharing a few things that have been on my mind lately. I talk about the growing support behind VATISTHEPROBLEM.co.uk , why I believe VAT is holding back small businesses across the UK, and what we're doing to push the conversation forward. It's also Men's Mental Health Month, so I wanted to speak openly about the importance of checking in with ourselves and the people aro...

In this episode of the Real Startup Stories Podcast, I sit down with Barnsley rapper Kie5 to discuss his journey into music, how he developed his sound, and the work that’s gone into building his career from the ground up. We talk about setting up his own recording studio, organising shows for other up-and-coming artists, gaining recognition around his hometown, and why representing Barnsley is su...

In this episode, we sit down with Manchester rapper $corpiodadon to discuss his journey into music, the story behind his name, what inspired him to start rapping, and where he sees his career heading in the future. We dive into whether talent is something you’re born with or something you build, the artists who have influenced his sound, his dream collaborations, the best advice he’s ever received...

In this episode, we sit down with Rema the deadline defence lawyer, from Cornwall legal centre. A barrister based in Cornwall, one of the only CIC organisations of its kind tackling access to justice in the region. We discuss the growing legal aid crisis in Cornwall, often described as a “legal aid desert,” and what that actually means for real people trying to access legal support. Rema shares he...

In this solo episode, I break down a big shift - the rebrand of the podcast to Real Start Up Stories Podcast and why it matters. This isn’t about polished success or overnight wins. It’s about real people building real businesses, making mistakes, figuring it out as they go, and showing what actually goes on behind the scenes. I explain why this direction benefits not just the guests, but anyone w...

Sat down with Sammy, founder of the Cornwall Hair and Beauty Awards, to break down how she turned a simple idea into one of the most recognised hair and beauty industry events in Cornwall. In this episode, we dive into the full startup journey - from the moment the idea wouldn’t leave her alone, to launching the first awards event, dealing with unexpected problems on the night, and growing it into...

In this episode, I sat down with the Empress beauty salon owners to talk about their journey through the beauty industry and the challenges that came with building their business. We talked about: Getting started in the beauty world Growing the brand and building a loyal client base The realities of running a business behind the scenes Dealing with an unfair landlord and eviction drama Taking the...

Sat down with Eddie from Spray Station - a painting and decorating business doing things differently. We dive into how he went bankrupt in his 20s, took time out travelling Thailand, and came back with a completely new approach to the trade… swapping traditional methods for spray painting. Fast forward to today, he’s built a team of 25+, working on luxury homes and high-end properties - including...

In this episode, I sat down with The Aussie Smoker - a guy who turned a love for backyard BBQs into a full-blown smoked meat business. We dive into his journey from growing up in Australia, where BBQs were a way of life, to coming over to the UK and building something from scratch. Starting out by wholesaling smoked meats, he then took a bold step - running a venue just one night a week on a presa...