Tell Beyond with Heloise Finch

Clem Schoutenden began her career in genetics research — on a path that is demanding, defined, and difficult to leave. Raised in France, she also grew up within a set of expectations about what a successful life looks like, and how a woman is expected to behave within it. She went on to a high-status corporate role. And still, something didn’t fit. Clem left both to build a business of her own — s...

What does it take to move from outsider to leader? In this episode of Tell Beyond , Sara Wajid MBE reflects on growing up as the only non-white family on her street, learning early how to read a room, and understanding what it means to belong. Or not. She shares how those early experiences shaped her instinct to question systems, build alliances, and eventually step into positions of real influenc...

On Tell Beyond, presenter Heloise Finch speaks with Kav Tanna, founder of Discount Fabrics, about the tension between security and ambition — and what happens when those forces collide.  Kav grew up in a British Asian family shaped by stories of displacement, survival and starting again. His parents arrived in the UK after being forced to leave East Africa, carrying a deep belief in...

What happens when the life you planned no longer fits?  Mark Todd’s story begins in hospital corridors. Born with scoliosis, he missed school, endured painful surgeries, and was once laughed at for daring to imagine university. Against the odds, he became a solicitor. But something still felt unfinished.  So Mark did something quietly radical. He left the courtroom for the coast.&nb...

In this episode of Tell Beyond , Heloise Finch talks to Nina Metson , whose life has taken her from a childhood spent in her parents’ lively hair salon to a career across journalism, marketing and HR. After losing her mother, Nina found a new kind of clarity: the kind that makes fear feel smaller and bravery feel possible. So when her mentor unexpectedly offered her the chance to buy the business...

What does it take to turn fear into fuel and ambition into action? Jacqueline Taylor-Foo knows. From a challenging childhood to making her mark in the toy industry, she shares the hard lessons, bold moves, and unexpected moments that shaped her journey.  This episode is full of candid insights on chasing your dreams, embracing risk, and finding your own path—even when the way isn’t ...

What do you do when the world makes it clear you don’t belong? 💭  Matt Southgate knows. From being told  “We’ll only accept you at your funeral”  to being refused service because he was “a foreigner,” he’s faced rejection head-on.  And yet… he kept going.  From the funeral industry to becoming a TV presenter, Matt’s journey wasn’t planned, bu...

How do you keep going when the people closest to you don’t understand your dream? 💭  That’s something so many founders and creatives face.  And it’s exactly what Sam Feller, co-founder of Popcorn Shed opened up about in our latest episode of the Tell Beyond Podcast with Heloise Finch.  From starting a side hustle to running a premium popcorn brand sold across the UK, Sam shares wha...

What would you start if you stopped worrying it was “too late”? At 55, Christie Jennings co-founded Top Bird Coaching to help people communicate with real confidence — not just through words, but through what the body feels. Now at 60, she’s only just getting started. In this episode, Christie shares how her father — 1950s journalist Paul Jennings , once as famous as Jeremy Clarkson — taught her t...

Jon Shave: The Musician Behind 21 Billion Streams With over 21 billion streams to his name and millions of record sales, Jon Shave has been shaping the sound of modern pop music for two decades. From his early days at Xenomania—where he worked on tracks for Girls Aloud and Sugababes—to co-founding The Invisible Men and producing for some of the biggest artists in the world,  Jon is known for...