The Boardroom with Richard Farleigh

What was life really like inside the City of London during the financial boom? In this episode of The Boardroom, I sit down with former stockbroker, journalist and bestselling author Geraint Anderson, better known as City Boy, to discuss one of the most controversial periods in modern finance. Geraint shares how he went from selling trinkets on beaches in Goa to earning huge bonuses in investment...

Are Dragons investing in great businesses, or simply backing great stories? In this episode of The Boardroom: Dragons' Den Watchalong, I sit down with comedian Andrew Maxwell to watch another episode of Dragons' Den and break down the pitches from the perspective of a former Dragon. From sustainable skincare and golf gadgets to fintech startups and food brands, we analyse what separates a compelli...

What happens when you spend years working inside an industry and realise the business model itself is the problem? In this episode I sit down with Tayfun Keskin and Efkan Altinok, the founders of Ride Nuff and former Uber drivers who decided to build a different kind of ride-hailing business. After more than a decade working in the industry, they saw drivers earning less, working longer hours and...

What happens when an original Dragon watches modern-day Dragons' Den for the first time in over 20 years? In this episode of The Boardroom: Dragons' Den Watchalong, I sit down with entrepreneur Jon O'Donnell to revisit the Den and analyse whether the show still reflects the reality of investing. As they watch a series of pitches unfold, I share behind-the-scenes insights from his own time on Drago...

In one of the most iconic pitches in Dragons' Den history, Levi Roots walked into the Den with a guitar, a homemade sauce and a dream. What followed became television history. In this special episode of The Boardroom, I sit down with Levi Roots to revisit the Reggae Reggae Sauce pitch that changed both of their lives. Levi shares the untold story behind receiving the invitation to Dragons' Den, wh...

Everyone talks about startup success. Almost nobody talks honestly about failure. I explain the uncomfortable realities behind why most businesses never make it. From survivorship bias and bad valuations to hidden costs, competition, and the psychology of founders… this is a grounded look at entrepreneurship without the fantasy. If you’re building a business — or thinking about starting one — this...

What does it really take to build a successful consumer brand from scratch? In this episode of The Boardroom, I speak with Joanna Jensen, founder of Childs Farm, to discuss the unconventional path that took her from property and investment banking to building one of the UK’s best-known family skincare brands. Joanna shares how personal necessity inspired the creation of Childs Farm after strugglin...

What starts with selling trainers during COVID can eventually lead to private jets, luxury watches and ultra-high-net-worth clients. In this episode, I sit down with Ed Somner Bogard, founder and director of EMJ Exclusive, to unpack the remarkable journey from sneaker reselling to building a fast-growing luxury concierge business. Ed explains how he scaled a shoe reselling operation buying thousan...

What if the way you hire people is fundamentally broken? In this episode of The Boardroom, I sit down with Lee McQueen, winner of The Apprentice UK, who went on to build multiple seven and eight-figure businesses. We break down what actually drives growth in business today: Why hiring based on CVs is outdated What to look for instead (behaviour, mindset, performance) Why most businesses struggle w...

Artificial intelligence is no longer just hype, it’s reshaping economies, industries, and even national sovereignty. In this episode of The Boardroom, I sit down with AI pioneer and founder of founder of BenevolentAI, Kenneth Mulvany to explore the real impact of AI on jobs, business, and global power. From the rise of one-person billion-dollar companies to the prospect of nations losing control o...

In the latest episode of "The Boardroom", I sit down with former PageGroup CEO Stephen Ingham to unpack what it really takes to build a global company and survive life-changing adversity. Stephen shares how he scaled a recruitment firm into a global powerhouse with nearly 10,000 employees, why company culture beats commission-driven models, and how to think long-term when investors demand short-te...

What if everything you’ve been told about financial freedom is wrong? In this episode of The Boardroom, Richard Farleigh sits down with Jason Graystone to unpack the uncomfortable truth behind success, money, and the illusion of freedom. From meeting ultra-wealthy entrepreneurs on Richard Branson’s private island to building businesses designed for lifestyle over income, this conversation challeng...

What would you do if you walked into a meeting expecting to be fired… and walked out as Managing Director? In this episode of The Boardroom, Richard Farleigh sits down with Kevin Gaskell, the man who turned around Porsche after the company lost 90% of its sales and hit rock bottom in customer satisfaction. From cutting half the workforce to rebuilding culture, reinventing strategy, and personally...

What happens when the traditional education system fails a child? In this episode of The Boardroom, Richard Farleigh sits down with Stephen Simpson, founder of Forest Schooling UK — a radically different approach to education designed for children who’ve been excluded, misunderstood, or left behind. Instead of rigid classrooms and strict curriculums, Stephen’s schools focus on trust, emotional reg...

In this episode of The Boardroom, Richard Farleigh sits down with financial educator and entrepreneur Sammie Elled-King, founder of Up The Gains. Sammie shares his powerful journey from spiralling credit card debt and impulsive spending to building a fast-growing financial literacy brand and fintech app designed to help people track spending, save money and earn cashback. The conversation explores...

What does stand-up comedy teach us about business, risk, and success? In this episode of The Boardroom, I sit down with comedian Andrew Maxwell to explore the surprising overlap between comedy, entrepreneurship, and performance psychology. With 35 years in stand-up, Andrew reveals how comedians develop “gold” material, read audiences instantly, and climb the comedy circuit from unpaid five-minute...

Entrepreneurship is often glamorised, but the reality is far tougher. In this episode of "The Boardroom", I sit down with portfolio entrepreneur and founder of No Bullshit (NOBS), Sabrina Shivanes-Denman, to break down what it really takes to succeed in business. We cut through startup myths, fake gurus, and hustle culture to explore the real drivers of long-term business success, from risk manage...

In this episode of The Boardroom, I sit down with Jinesh Vohra, co-founder and CEO of Sprive, the app helping homeowners pay off their mortgages faster, just by doing their everyday shopping. Jinesh shares the full story behind his recent Dragons’ Den appearance, including how he handled tough questioning from the Dragons' Steven Bartlett and Gary Neville and why trust and branding matter more tha...

What happens after you get rejected on Dragons' Den? In this episode of The Boardroom, we sit down with Rob Law, the creator of Trunki, the iconic children’s ride-on suitcase now seen in airports around the world. Rob shares the real story behind his 2006 Dragons' Den rejection, including the infamous moment his prototype was ripped apart on TV, and how he went on to build one of the UK’s most rec...

Welcome to "The Boardroom" In this episode we sit down with Akash Mehta, British entrepreneur, CEO & Co-Founder of Fable & Mane, and founder of the Fable Fund. Akash shares his unconventional journey from engineering at Imperial College to becoming the youngest-ever manager at Estée Lauder, before launching an hair wellness brand that went viral at Sephora. We explore: How a viral singing career l...

Business is often framed as numbers, decks and strategy… But the real game? People. In The Boardroom, I sit down with founders and entrepreneurs for unscripted conversations about: • owning your narrative • building something that actually fulfils you • what really happens behind the success stories No formal interviews. No polished PR answers. Just real conversations that reveal what’s usually le...