Low to Grow

Bayo Adelaja MBE, founder and CEO of Do It Now, Now, joins Annie Wenmiao Yu to trace her journey from LSE researcher to redundancy, life on benefits, and rebuilding as a freelancer before founding a London-based organization that has granted over £3.5 million to Black-led organizations across the UK. She discusses structural racism in funding, the difference between intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs...

Writer, podcaster and comedian Courtney Kocak joins Annie Wenmiao Yu to unpack her memoir Girl Gone Wild, from her small-town Minnesota roots to reinventing herself as a writer at 27 after leaving acting. She opens up about shedding shame around sexual assault, an abortion at 23, and selling t-shirts on the Girls Gone Wild tour, plus the long road to publishing with a small press. Courtney also sh...

Psychological researcher Alice Sibelli, PhD joins Annie Wenmiao Yu to share how her own long medical journey with digestive symptoms reshaped her work in digital health. She unpacks the biopsychosocial model and brain-gut connection, how disorders of the gut-brain interaction are diagnosed, and how evidence-based digital therapies like gut-directed CBT and hypnotherapy can speed access to care. Al...

Eva Kerschbaumer arrived in New York from Hungary on a one-way ticket in 1996 with just $50, no English, and no family. In this candid Low to Grow episode, she shares how she learned English from reruns of Gilligan's Island, opened her first day spa in a renovated walk-in cooler, and built ES Spa into a 7,000 square foot Pittsburgh sanctuary serving celebrities and executives. Eva talks immigr...

Barrister Creanna Dodson joins Annie Wenmiao Yu to trace her extraordinary journey from being homeless at 22 with a newborn to becoming a probation officer, qualified social worker, founder of Soaring Heights Care, and a practicing barrister in criminal and family law. She shares hard-won lessons on resilience, deferred gratification, building a support system, and protecting mental health while r...

In this episode of Low to Grow, I sit down with Kushal M. Choksi, a survivor of the 9/11 attacks whose life has spanned Wall Street, entrepreneurship, and a deeply influential spiritual path. Once a quantitative analyst at Goldman Sachs who later led portfolios at Ethelium and BlackRock, Kushal shares how that single, devastating morning in Manhattan shattered his sense of control and completely r...

In this episode of the Low to Grow podcast, Annie Wenmiao Yu interviews Sam Smith, the first female CEO of a City stockbroking firm and co-founder of Super Scalers. Sam shares her journey of building FinnCap into a leading investment bank for growth companies in the UK, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and empathetic leadership in driving both profit and growth. She reflects on her experi...

Dr. Mitch Abrams shares his transformative journey from a successful radiologist to a holistic health advocate after undergoing open heart surgery. He discusses with Annie the profound impact of his experiences on his understanding of health, wellness, and the importance of heart coherence. Dr. Abrams introduces the Global Heart Sync project, which aims to gamify the practice of heart coherence, f...

In this episode of Low to Grow, Eileen Wada Willett takes us on a heartfelt journey from the world of fashion design to the deeply meaningful work of cultural community building. She reflects on the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, the abrupt challenges brought on by Brexit and COVID-19, and the personal growth that emerged after closing her clothing brand. Through it all, her story is woven wi...

How can an MBA lead to a political career? What is the future of AI in India? What should more youths in India do? In this episode of Low to Grow, investment banking professional and political strategist Dhritiman Mitra shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Bihar to becoming a rising business and political voice in India’s next era of innovation. He opens up about navigating family expe...

How to recover from burnout? Who turns down Google? What happens before a spiritual awakening? In this episode of Low to Grow, Ariel Sit opens up about her profound transition from corporate burnout to a spiritually aligned career that finally felt true to who she is. She walks us through the winding path from her early creative pursuits to entrepreneurship, unexpected pivots, and the emotional to...

How does one deal with getting FIRED FIVE TIMES? In this episode of Low to Grow , Karina Robinson, CEO of Redcliffe Advisory Ltd. and Non-Executive Director on the Board of Atlanti an Anglo-Swiss Fund Management firm amongst other roles, takes us through her extraordinary career pivot at midlife, from high-finance journalism to global security, and the cutting-edge world of Quantum and AI. She sha...

How does the Destiny Pinto Bag and Compression Gloves lead to a feature with BMW and Vogue? Is there luxury accessories for assistive devices? What led to Destiny Pinto's Addison Bag? In this episode of Low to Grow , designer and CEO Destiny Pinto opens up about the deeply personal journey behind By Destiny Pinto —the accessories brand turning medical devices into bold, stylish expressions of...

Why do investors not fund sex-ed? Why is imposter syndrome a lie? In this episode of Low to Grow, advertising industry veteran and long time sex-tech entrepreneur Cindy Gallop takes us inside the bold vision behind MakeLoveNotPorn and the uphill battle of building a sex-positive platform in a world that still treats open conversation about intimacy as taboo. She talks through the leap from her hig...

Why does the world need more IMPERFECT environmentalists? How do you balance building a social enterprise with university? What does moving abroad to study mean for your relationships? In this episode of Low to Grow , climate advocate and social entrepreneur Natalie Chung traces the path from an 11-year-old school project to becoming one of the region’s leading voices in sustainable tourism and cl...

Would you try 6 times to get into medical school? What happens after rejection? In this episode of Low to Grow, future physician and community leader of over 400,000, Aghogho Okpara shares what it really takes to keep going when life keeps saying no. After six attempts to get into medical school, Aghogho opens up about the emotional weight of rejection, the quiet strength she drew from her faith,...

What is undefinable life design with Charlie Rogers? How cycling off a cliff transform a life? Charlie Rogers, entrepreneur, community builder, and founder of undefinables, opens up about what it really means to design a life that doesn’t fit inside a neat box. Charlie shares his winding journey through national level sports, entrepreneurship, and self-discovery, highlighting the power of embracin...

What brings fulfilment to real estate investor Ari Rastegar? For Third Culture Kids, how does language affect the way you think? In this episode of Low to Grow , real estate entrepreneur AriRastegar unpacks the mindset behind building a billion-dollar portfolio and why fulfillment, not just achievement, should be the real target. He shares how a small law-school investment sparked his career, how...

Step inside a special behind-the-scenes episode of Low to Grow . Annie takes you along to South Kensington for the very first Offscript Generation Summit, a fresh, future-facing gathering built for 16 to 25-year-olds who are determined to carve their own paths beyond the traditional career rulebook. Armed with her mic and her usual dose of curiosity, Annie Wenmiao Yu sits down with Calypso Rose ,...

How do you build self-confidence, create workplace equity, and thrive as a woman in business? Geeta Sidhu-Robb, five-time entrepreneur and founder of WCorp, shares how a firing after her child's hospitalisation left her a single mother with 2,000 pounds and three small children to support — how sheer financial necessity drove her to create Nosh Detox, accidentally build a top-tier coaching pra...

What is the true cost of telling the truth? What if AI could help redefine how we diagnose and treat mental health conditions? And how can investors, founders, and startups come together to make care more accessible worldwide? In this episode of Low to Grow , Annie Wenmiao Yu speaks with Shiv Bhavnani, a healthcare investor andfounder of GIMBHI, a global initiativedriving investment into mental he...

Why does healing centred leadership matter in the age of AI? Why did Linda build Gossip Group take off as a hub for founders and investors? Will AI reinforce digital ageism? In this episode of Low to Grow, Annie Wenmiao Yu speaks with Linda Hong Cheng, founder of InfraLabs and advocate for healing-centered leadership in the tech industry. From overcoming a challenging childhood to launching startu...

Ever wonder what happens when a high-performing investor faces burnout and decides to rebuild her life around mental health and purpose? In this episode of Low to Grow, Annie Wenmiao Yu sits down with Caitlin Ner, a global investor turned mental health tech leader and venture capitalist at PsyMed Ventures. Caitlin opens up about her personal experiences with mental illness, the pivotal role of the...

How can AI democratise coaching? Is entrepreneurship really about hustle, or is it more about resilience and balance? In this episode of Low to Grow, Annie sits down with Erika Brodnock MBE, a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, philanthropist, and champion of inclusivity in the tech industry. Together, they explore how knowledge, coaching, and mental health practices can transform not only careers...

Is being the quiet one a disadvantage? Wondering if introversion is holding you back from success? What does black box ai actually mean? In this episode of Low to Grow , Dr. Joyjit Chatterjee shares how he transformed from a shy introvert into a Forbes Under 30 honoree in Manufacturing and Industry . His journey is a story of empowerment, personal growth, and leadership —showing young professional...