How I Crushed It

Dr Samantha Tross is one of the UK's most respected orthopaedic surgeons. In 2005 she made history when she became Britain’s first Black female orthopaedic consultant surgeon. She was the first woman in Europe to use robotic hip surgery in 2018, and she has been regularly recognised as one of Britain's most influential Black Britons in the annual Powerlist .   Listen back to interviews with: Dr Di...

Mike Williams is co-founder of Flake Bake – the UK's most successful Jamaican patty business. In 2024 the business won Channel 4’s Aldi’s Next Big Thing and in the same year Mike won the Black British Business Awards, Rising Star of the year - Entrepreneur🏆.   Website TV Advert   Listen back to interviews with: Ire Hassan- Odukale - Co-Founder of the fine dining restaurant, Ikoyi   ______________...

Sola Akingbola is a musician, recording artist and band member of the Grammy award winning band, Jamiroquai. Across his career he has performed with the likes of David Bowie, Stevie Wonder and he is also an accomplished composer for the stage and screen.   Website   Listen back to interviews with: Kojo Samuel - Music Director   ______________________________________________________________________...

With the domestic football season coming to an end over the next week or so and the FIFA World Cup fast approaching in the summer, we revisit our chat with Skysports reporter, Kyle Walker.   Kyle Walker is a SJA British Sports Journalism nominated Sky Sports presenter and reporter who also regularly works for Manchester City TV, EA Sports and FIFA. On this episode he talks about growing up in Moss...

Leon Francis has been a leader and manager in three of the biggest consumer brands in the UK, Mcdonald's, Sainsbury's and Apple. He also has his own male grooming brand called Nuevo Noir which he started in 2021. In 2024 he won the Rising Star award at the Black British Business Awards in the Consumer and Luxury category.   Website: Nuevo Noir   Listen back to interviews with: Dion Terrelonge - Pi...

Welcome to a special edition of How I Crushed It — #TheElevateSeries — created in proud partnership with the Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards). This partnership celebrates past winners and the powerful impact they continue to make across their industries and communities.   In this episode, we speak with Dr Serufusa Sekidde, BBBAwards 2025 winner in the Senior Leader – STEM category. Serufu...

Darryl Edwards is a globally recognised movement coach, author and pioneer in the intersection of health and movement, renowned for his groundbreaking Primal Play Method.  A former IT Consultant in the investment banking world he's since transitioned his career and he is now dedicating his life to helping others to combat chronic lifestyle diseases. His popular TED talk called, “ Why Working Out I...

With the Oscars 2026 taking place this weekend, we revisit our chat with entertainment mogul Femi Oguns.    Femi Oguns is founder and CEO of both Identity School of Acting and Identity Agency Group and he has become one of the most influential people in the British Film and TV industry. He has shaped the careers of the likes of Michaela Cole, Damson Idris, Letitia Wright and John Boyega. He has be...

Siobhan Copland is a matchmaker and dating coach with over 10 years experience setting people up on dates and consulting them on their dating lives. She is the founder of Cupid In The City and in 2025 it won Best Dating Agency in London & the South East.   Cupid In The City   Listen back to interviews with: Audrey Indome   - The Receipts Podcast   ______________________________________________...

Phyllis Akua Opoku-Gyimah, aka Lady Phyll, is one of the most influential figures in the British LGBTQ+ community. She is widely known as Lady Phyll partly due to her refusal in 2016 to accept an MBE citing her opposition to colonial legacies that have contributed to anti-LGBTQ+ laws in many parts of the world.   Lady Phyll   Listen back to interviews with: Maggie Alphonsi - World Cup winning rugb...

Tobi Oredein is a journalist, public speaker and the founder and CEO of Black Ballad, a media and lifestyle platform for black women.   Tobi Oredein Black Ballad ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Stay in touch: X/Twitter: @howicrushedit Instagram: @howicrushedit Email us at howicrushedit@gmail.com Use the hashtag #howicrushedit on Twitte...

Joelle Owusu-Sekyere is an awarding winning publisher of bold, engaging fiction and non-fiction books at Penguin Random House and Merky Books which is the book publisher created by Stormzy & Penguin Books.   Joelle Owusu-Sekyere   Listen back to interview with: Dorothy Koomson - Bestselling novelist ______________________________________________________________________________________________...

We look back at the favourite bits of the podcast in 2025 including clips with the following guests: Sebastian Thiel Lorna Clarke Akua Gyamfi Bell Ribeiro Addy Dr Daniel Moses Dean Aston Ashleigh Ainsley Cassa Pancho Thanyia Moore Dorothy Koomson Audrey Indome Hope Powell   Thanks for you support and looking forward to shining a light on more talent in 2026! _______________________________________...

Hope Powell is currently Technical Director of the Women's football team at Birmingham City and the former manager of the women's England football team from 1998 to 2013. In her earlier career she also played for the national team appearing over 60 times and scoring over 30 goals. She has also managed Brighton & Hove Albion Women and coached the Great Britain women's football team at the Londo...

Welcome to a special edition of How I Crushed It — #TheElevateSeries — created in proud partnership with the Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards). This partnership celebrates past winners and the powerful impact they continue to make across their industries and communities.   In this episode, we speak with Ken and Mary Okoroafor, BBBAwards 2023 winners in the Entrepreneur Senior Leader catego...

Bayo Adelaja is founder and CEO of Do It Now Now, an organisation which aims to improve social mobility, financial inclusion, and entrepreneurship among Black communities in the UK. She has held positions at many organisations, including work at Google, the London School of Economics and the House of Commons and in 2023 she was awarded an MBE for services to entrepreneurship, social mobility, and...

Welcome to a special edition of How I Crushed It — #TheElevateSeries — created in proud partnership with the Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards). This partnership celebrates past winners and the powerful impact they continue to make across their industries and communities. In this episode, we speak with Jamelia Donaldson, a BBBAwards 2019 winner in the Entrepreneur Rising Star category, cele...

Bola Sol is a personal finance influencer, published author, and Financial Adviser. Her expertise has been featured in prominent publications such as Forbes, the BBC, ITV, the Financial Times, the Telegraph, as well as being the Grazia Money columnist.   If you like this also listen to other personal finance gurus: Emmanuel Asuquo Tayo Oguntonade   Stay in touch: X: @howicrushedit Instagram: @howi...

Welcome to a special edition of How I Crushed It — #TheElevateSeries — created in proud partnership with the Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards). In the lead-up to the 2025 ceremony this October, we’re shining a spotlight on past winners and celebrating the powerful impact they’ve made across their industries and communities. In this episode, we speak with Dorothy Koomson, who won the Image...

Dr Daniel Moses is a Property Investor and Property Educator. As CEO of Property Wealth Corporation he has completed over 30 projects since 2019, mentored over 1,000 individuals, and has a 7 figure property portfolio.   Dr Daniel Moses His latest book   ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Stay in touch: X: @howicrushedit Instagram: @howicr...

Welcome to another special edition of How I Crushed It — #TheElevateSeries — created in proud partnership with the Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards). In the lead-up to the 2025 ceremony this October, we’re shining a spotlight on past winners and celebrating the powerful impact they’ve made across their industries and communities.   In this episode, we speak with Mark Dalgety, a BBBAwards 2...

Dean Aston is the Director of People and Talent at tech company Carwow. Previous to this he worked at Google and he has held senior positions at Babylon Health, Trainline and EPAM Systems.   Dean Aston   ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Stay in touch: X/Twitter: @howicrushedit Instagram: @howicrushedit Email us at howicrushedit@gmail.co...

Welcome to a special edition of How I Crushed It — the #ElevateSeries — created in proud partnership with the Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards). In the lead-up to the 2025 ceremony this October, we’re shining a spotlight on past winners and celebrating the powerful impact they’ve made across their industries and communities. In this episode, we speak with Sebastian Thiel , a BBBAwards 2014...

Bell Ribeiro-Addy is the Labour MP for Clapham & Brixton Hill and has been a Member of Parliament since 2019. She was previously Chief of Staff to former Labour frontbencher Diane Abbott from 2016 to 2019.   Bell Ribeiro-Addy   ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Stay in touch: X/Twitter: @howicrushedit Instagram: @howicrushedit Email...

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Mahari Hay has been at Lloyds Bank for nearly 20 years and has risen from working in the call centre to now being one of their Directors. In 2025 he and is business partner launched the CCC Awards which aims to recognise and celebrate those that contribute to the development and success of others in the community. In 2025 he was also awarded the Freeman of the City of Lo...