In the latest episode of How To Start Up, we’re joined by Bruce Poon Tip, founder of G Adventures, the world’s largest small group adventure travel company and a pioneer in community tourism. Bruce started the business 35 years ago with two maxed-out credit cards from his garage in Toronto and has since built a global movement rooted in purpose and impact.

Recently awarded The Officer of The Order of Canada, Bruce returned to the Ecuadorian Amazon, the site of G’s very first trip, to reflect on the company’s legacy and plan for the next 100 years.

In this episode, we discuss Bruce’s approach to leadership, how he built a values-led culture and what it really takes to create a business that changes lives, within his business as well as so many others.

In the latest episode of How To Start Up, we’re joined by Richard White, founder of Fathom, the AI-powered meeting assistant that records, transcribes and summarises your video calls so you can focus on the conversation. Previously the founder of UserVoice, Richard brings deep experience in user-centric product design and has built Fathom into one of the fastest-growing tools in the productivity space.

Listen to hear Richard’s insights on the early product decisions that drove Fathom’s breakout growth, why their freemium model worked from day one, and how they engineered virality into the onboarding experience. We also dig into how to build AI products that people actually want to use, why storytelling matters even in a product-led company and how to stay focused on solving real problems in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.

In the latest episode of How To Start Up, we’re joined by Daisy Bird, founder of BIRD PR, a creative communications agency specialising in luxury travel and hospitality brands since 2010. 

Daisy leads with a deep belief in the power of culture, emotional intelligence and building a people-first business. After 15 years in business, Daisy is cognisant of the investment this takes as well as the invisible skills a founder has to have to make a business succeed with a happy team as well.

Listen to hear Daisy’s insights on the emotional undercurrent of running a business, why understanding personalities is non-negotiable in service industries, how she interviews, the value of psychometric testing and why investing in people is the best way to futureproof your business.

In the latest episode of How To Start Up, we’re joined by Rachel Harris, Co-Founder of StriveX & Founder of Accountant She. Passionate about financial well-being and running values-led businesses, Rachel has created a modern, cloud‑focused accountancy and tax advisory firm for both businesses and individuals alongside a platform for business owners to find accessible, consumable, financial education. 

Listen to the episode to hear Rachel’s advice on  the highs and lows of running a business. Why loneliness is something that you should not ignore, what you should ask an accountant when you are vetting your first one, how they can become your business partner, how to manage people within the business, and so much more.

In the latest episode of How To Start Up we’re joined by Chloë Luxton, founder of Bramley. With sustainability as a top priority, Bramley is providing customers with botanical magic through natural fragrances, bulk refill pouches, and recycled packaging.

Listen to Chloë’s episode to hear how she got started and why slow growth was her friend. Also, her perspective on B Corp and the pros and the cons of getting certified as well as the pros and cons of being a founder and how to manage that isolation that can often feel relentless.

In this episode of How To Start Up, we hear from Caragh Keane, founder of SUPERKEEN. A shock lupus diagnosis in 2021 turned her world upside down and sparked a radical shift in her lifestyle. 

Refusing to settle for a life dependent on medication and steroids, Caragh took matters into her own hands - turning to food as a tool for healing. What followed was not just a personal transformation, but the birth of SUPERKEEN: a brand on a mission to make healthier, natural food options more accessible, supporting gut health and nourishing the body from the inside out.

Tune in as Caragh shares how adversity became her launchpad, why she believes food is powerful medicine, and what it really takes to build a business with purpose.

Starting a business is tough & making sales in a challenging economic climate is even harder. So, resilience is key to keeping on track. 

But how can we manage rejection alongside the expected setbacks? To find out, I spoke with Lauren Currie OBE, Founder of UPFRONT, a global organisation upskilling 10 million women. Teams at Nike and Just Eat have enrolled their teams in UPFRONT’s Bond course to transform their team culture.

Keep listening to hear Lauren’s advice on developing resilience in sales & when to acknowledge you should probably cut your losses.

Welcome to How To Start Up — the podcast that dives into the real stories behind the startups, side hustles, and self-made successes. I’m your host, Juliet Fallowfield, founder of the B Corp PR & podcasting consultancy, and our latest guest is a force to be reckoned with.

Jamila Brown is an American-German powerhouse who moved to London at 21 and after being told her life was “over” when she became a single mum at 24 — proved everyone wrong.

From running Soho House’s global ESG programme to discovering her knack for freelancing during a sabbatical, Jamila’s journey to founding her own impact agency is anything but linear — and that’s exactly why it’s inspiring.

Today, she’s a business owner, a mum of two, a wife, and a sustainability and social impact champion. This is an honest, motivating chat about reinvention, resilience, and knowing your worth.

Welcome back to How To Start Up, the podcast for early-stage entrepreneurs. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Emma and Kenny, the co-founders of HipPop — a gut-friendly drinks brand that’s shaking up the soft drinks aisle. While many might have pigeonholed their product as just kombucha, Emma and Kenny have taken a bold and intentional route: positioning HipPop as a go-to soft drinks brand, not a wellness niche.

We talk about what it takes to enter a new market, how branding beyond a product category can be a superpower, and why really listening to your customer is key. From humble beginnings in a farmhouse to securing shelf space in major retailers, their story is packed with practical insight for anyone launching into a crowded space.

Welcome to How To Start Up, the podcast for anyone looking to start & scale their own business. I'm Juliet Fallowfield & today we’re discussing viral marketing with Lucie Macleod, founder of the TikTok sensation, Hair Syrup.

Founded in 2020 with no prior entrepreneurial experience, Lucie combined her understanding of consumer behavior with social media creativity, to turn a handmade hair oil into THE beauty must-have with over 350,000 engaged TikTok followers & rapid, 1,000% year-on-year growth. 

After an appearance on BBC Dragon’s Den, the brand is now on track to hit £6.5 million in revenue by 2026.

Building a direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand offers an incredible opportunity to connect with customers and foster long-term brand loyalty. But while the rewards can be significant, so too are the challenges and barriers to entry. That’s why I wanted to speak with someone who has successfully navigated this journey for our season focus on sales.

From modest beginnings in a Shoreditch coffee shop in 2011, David Abrahamovitch has built Grind into one of the UK’s leading DTC coffee brands. Having built a hugely loyal customer base, it’s estimated a Grind coffee is enjoyed every 2.8 seconds in the UK. David’s business has also grown through partnerships with the likes of British Airways & Soho House.

Keep listening to hear David’s advice on how to build a DTC brand & how to leverage community-building to generate sales. 

PWC reports that over 80% of consumers are willing to pay higher prices for sustainably produced goods so environmental responsibility is clearly a lucrative business as well as being the right thing to do. 

Laura Harnett is the Founder of Seep, the only B Corp-certified, plastic-free cleaning tool brand in Europe. Having raised a £50,000 Dragons’ Den investment from Trinny Woodall & Deborah Meaden, Laura & her team are on a mission to stop 1 billion plastic cleaning tools from entering landfill by 2030.  

Keep listening to hear Laura’s advice on learning how to sell as a first-time founder & how to make your sales process as sustainable as possible.

How to scale your business to £30m+ of sales with Guy Blaskey, Founder of Pooch & Mutt

Starting a business is a huge effort, but scaling it to new heights takes a great deal of skill. So, I wanted to hear from a serial founder who has not only grown and scaled a multi-million-pound business, but also decided to start from scratch and do it again.

Guy Blaskey founded healthy pet food business Pooch & Mutt in 2007. Having scaled it to £30 million in sales, he sold the business in 2023 for £11.5 million. Since then, Guy has founded Detrash to upcycle waste products into high quality watches.  

Keep listening to hear Guy’s advice on what he learnt about a sales strategy, selling a business & why laying the operational foundations is one of the most important things you can do.