How To Start Up by FF&M

Today we have not one, but five, guests! Hannah, Ellie, Ria, Lucianne and Camilla are the founders and members of the hybrid e-commerce consultancy collective A Few Great Women . With a wealth of previous career experience working with renowned brands including Harvey Nichols, Kurt Geiger and Stella McCartney, the team identified that start-up e-commerce businesses could benefit from a unique comb...

Today this episode we’re joined by Carol Han Pyle, founder and CEO of sustainable candle brand NETTE which she launched in December 2020 and has already won Harper’s Bazaar Candle of the Year award. This is Carol’s second business venture, having also launched digital agency CA Creative following a career working with leading luxury lifestyle magazines.  Carol shares why now is the perfect time fo...

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Tom and Chris Hannaway, brothers and Co-Founders of alcohol-free beer brand Infinite Session .  With a passion for great tasting beer but a desire to incorporate some alcohol-free days into their lifestyle, Tom and Chris discovered a gap in the market for a vibrant and confident alcohol-free beer to enjoy during after-work drinks.  Launched in 2018, Infinite Ses...

In this episode, we hear from Melissa Gauge , founder of virtual assistance firm SpareMyTime .  Melissa spent 15 years working in the City and, having two children to balance alongside work, soon found herself pulled in different directions with various professional and personal responsibilities. Determined to create a solution for other professionals in a similar position, Melissa founded SpareMy...

In this episode we hear from Hannah Aykroyd , Managing Director of the award-winning property advisory firm Aykroyd & Co . Hannah has many years’ experience advising high net worth private clients on prime London real estate transactions and now, four years into her own business, has clients ranging from private individuals, family offices, investors and developers, both domestic and internati...

In this episode I chat to two entrepreneurs in the hospitality space, Duncan Stirling and Charlie Gilkes who founded Inception Group back in 2009. The company operates a group of unique bar, restaurant and club concepts in South West and central London.  As a long-standing fan of Maggie ’s (as who doesn’t love a solid 80s soundtrack), I was really interested to learn how they’ve quickly built a mu...

In this episode we are joined by Whitney Bromberg Hawkings, Co-Founder & CEO of FLOWERBX and one of the UK’s most innovative entrepreneurs. Following a career of almost 20 years working for designer Tom Ford, Whitney then identified a market gap within the luxury sector that she set out to fill. She established FLOWERBX in London in 2015 and today Whitney’s company is the leading luxury flower...

In this episode we hear from Rae , Founder of her eponymous brand Rae Feather, a personalised luxury accessories, homeware and versatile resort wear brand. Having founded her company in 2013 following a career in luxury travel marketing, Rae’s brand draws extensively on her passion for travel however it was the monogrammed straw basket with which the brand was propelled to notoriety on Instagram. ...

In this episode we hear from Tom Mercer , Founder of MOMA Foods . Tom started his company in 2005 from a London railway arch, which remains its HQ to this day, with a mission of ‘making oats more awesome’.  Disappointed by the lack of convenient and healthy breakfast choices for his morning commute he decided to solve this gap in the market and began selling oats from a makeshift stall in Waterloo...

In this episode I’m joined by Olga Beck-Friis, Co-Founder and CEO of PocketLaw , a Swedish startup now launching in the UK to enable SMEs to take care of their own legal matters.  Having co-founded PocketLaw with her oldest childhood friend, Kira Unger (CEO), Olga explains how she and Kira separate work from their personal friendship and how they manage this dynamic within a business environment....

Today I am talking to Ben Ivey who, realising that successful people are not necessarily happy people, decided to work directly with entrepreneurs who might be feeling overwhelmed, in order to help them better manage their work-life balance, as well as succeed further in business. Ben has spoken at over 200 events internationally on how to embrace living entrepreneurially via his company, The Entr...

In this episode we hear from Romanie Thomas who founded Juggle , the digital platform for companies to find, onboard, pay and manage experienced yet flexible professionals. Romanie kept coming up against the same problem in her industry.  Witnessing the lack of flexible senior roles was preventing talented professionals from reentering the workforce, so she decided to leave her role in executive s...

This week we hear from Helena Murphy , the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Raising Partners. After receiving poor financial advice and having to wind up her first business, Helena experienced stress which greatly impacted her physical health.  Helena subsequently established Raising Partners to support other early-stage entrepreneurs in raising investment and avoid the pitfalls she had previous...

In this episode we hear from Laura Tenison MBE, the Founder and CEO of JoJo Maman Bébé . As a Certified B Corporation, the company has committed itself to evaluate a “triple bottom line”, putting people and the planet above profit. Laura started her company in 1993 from her London flat-share, following on from an almost fatal accident whilst living in France. Having brought Breton-inspired clothin...

In this episode, we hear from Kenyan-born, Bristol-based Audrey Migot-Adholla who founded jewellery brand Yala Jewellery in 2017. Named after the village in Kenya where her grandmother lived, the brand focuses on creating as little impact on the planet as possible.  I wanted to speak to Audrey about why the mission behind her brand is so important to her plus ask for advice on what new founders sh...

A lot of people in previous episodes have talked about how bringing talent into their businesses has been a game-changer, not only for revenue but for morale as well.  In this mini-series I wanted to cover more practical advice, the ‘I don’t know what I don’t know’.  In this episode, we hear from Will Davies , co-founder of HBD Partners as he not only works in recruitment but has also brought peop...

When a founder is starting a business, they know that at some point they're going to have to tell other people what they’re doing and why, in order to reach their prospective clients and customers.  Word of mouth is key.  However, to reach further afield, marketing and communications will strengthen the launch, brand building and SEO.  As part of the marketing mix, I find that PR is often con...

As this mini-series is a more practical ‘how to’ I wanted to speak to an experienced investor to help understand not only the jargon surrounding this area but key points to consider when seeking investment as a startup.  In this episode we hear from Costas Kalisperas , founder of In Tune Executive Coaching .  Costas is well placed to talk on this given his extensive and diverse advisory experience...

As this mini-series is a more practical ‘how to’, I wanted to speak to someone who has a great deal of experience in creating an ethical and sustainable business.  In this episode, we hear from artist jeweller Ute Decker who simultaneously started her eponymous brand creating unique and limited edition sculptural jewellery, while researching and sharing what she had discovered around creating an e...

Starting a company can be a daunting challenge and many people have a fear around 'I don't know what I don't know'.  In this episode of the mini-series of HSTU we cover the legalities of starting a company with Helen Gerrard who left her career as a city lawyer for the French Alps where she now continues her legal work as a partner for Ignition , a law firm that specialises in...

The one piece of advice every How To Start Up guest has shared unanimously is to find a good accountant.  In this episode, we hear from Chartered Accountant Laurie Borlace on what founders should consider when starting a business from an accounting perspective and what to ask accountants when trying to find the right one for their business. Laurie qualified with the Institute of Chartered Accounta...

In this episode we hear from Liza Urla, business consultant, founder of jewellery destination GEMOLOGUE and author of the book GEMOLOGUE: Street Jewellery Styles & Styling Tips . Liza left her management consulting career to start her business in 2009 when she saw an opportunity for jewellery to be shared digitally and hasn’t looked back. Her current GEM business world includes GEM Kreatives,...

In this episode we hear from Brett Putter who believes that the culture of a company is crucial to its success.  He calls it the missing link.  Brett is an expert in  this field and is consulted by global companies and leaders to help design, develop and build high-performing cultures.    Brett shares advice on when to start working on your own company’s culture, why to consider building your comp...

In this episode we hear from Martine Thomassen who through studying how to be an entrepreneur in her education years, gained the foundations to then launch her own business when she was ready.  Having been a digital marketer as well as an artist, she has now launched her own coaching business specialising in helping female entrepreneurs overcome their limiting beliefs, which is just one area among...

In this episode we hear from Lisa Song Sutton who is a successful entrepreneur, real estate investor, former Miss Nevada United States and former Congressional candidate for Nevada’s 4th District and has been named a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum and a Top 10 Social Entrepreneur to Watch. Lisa shares advice on how to manage your time properly, how hard work can out way talent in the lo...