Anouk Agussol, Founder of Unleashed, an Amplified People Group business, joins us on today’s 40 Minute Mentor Where Are They Now series. 

Following her initial appearance on the show, in Season 9, Anouk joins us today to share how Unleashed has evolved since almost going into administration and being acquired by Amplified People Group. 

Plus, she shares actionable advice on building high-performing teams in 2025, and beyond. 

📚 Episode Chapters: 

➡️ The Evolution of Unleashed - [01:50] 

➡️ Joining Amplified People Group - [05:10] 

➡️ Growing as a Leader - [15:20] 

➡️ Building high-performing teams - [22:10] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Listen back to Anouk’s original episode: 40 Minute Mentor

➡️ Learn more about Unleashed & the upcoming open cohort: Unleashed

➡️ Learn more about Amplified People Group: Amplified People Group

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

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Happy New Year and welcome back to 40 Minute Mentor!

For our first episode of 2025 we’re taking one last chance to look back on the fantastic year of pocket-sized mentorship we’ve had.

At the end of last year, we asked YOU to vote for your favourite 40 Minute Mentor of 2024. 🌟

For the first time ever, we collected votes across three categories:

🏆 Top VC of the year

🏆 Best topic covered

🏆 Best 40 Minute Mentor of the year

Tune in to find out who the big winners are for each of the categories.

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Listen through 260+ episodes in our archives: https://jbmc.co.uk/40-minute-mentor/ 

➡️ Follow JBM on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/ 

➡️ Find out more about Amplified People Group: https://www.amplifiedgroup.com/ 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 

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Before the 40 Minute Mentor team heads into hibernation until 2025, your Host, James Mitra shares a short festive message with you. 

Tune in to hear some of James’s favourite moments on the podcast this year and some of the biggest milestones the JBM team have achieved this year. 

🥂 Happy Holidays from all of us at 40 Minute Mentor, JBM, and Amplified People Group! 🥂 

See you for more pocket-sized mentorship in the New Year! 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Listen through 260+ episodes in our archives: https://jbmc.co.uk/40-minute-mentor/ 

➡️ Follow JBM on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/ 

➡️ Find out more about Amplified People Group: https://www.amplifiedgroup.com/ 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

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For the final episode of Season 12 of 40 Minute Mentor, we are looking back on the last 10 weeks of pocket-sized mentorship and revisiting some of James’s favourite moments. 

If you haven’t fully caught up on this season yet, or you’re a brand new listener, make sure you check out each of the episodes after this roundup episode and our 40 Minute Mentor archives of 260+ episodes. 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Listen back to all of Season 12: https://jbmc.co.uk/40-minute-mentor/ 

➡️ Follow JBM on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode is brought to you by the Leadership Unleashed Open Cohorts. 

Leadership Unleashed Open Cohort is your chance to join a diverse cohort of leaders from different organisations, industries, and parts of the world to build the most critical behaviours and transform into a high performer. 

Split into seven remote workshops, the Open Cohort follows a coaching-led approach where you’ll be actively involved and turn your learnings into habits in your day-to-day. 

To find out more about the programme and how you can sign up for the next cohort starting in January, get in touch with Logan and Anouk at [email protected] 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 

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“[We’re] actually using TikTok in a positive way. The whole reason we exist is to combat misinformation, which there is a lot of on TikTok, but it can be used positively.” 

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Jas Schembri-Stothart, Co-Founder of luna, the world’s first digital health companion for teenage girls. 

Working with leading health and education institutions, Jas and her Co-Founder Jo Goodall are building a digital companion enabling teenage girls to have a healthier and happier teenhood. 

To date, the app has over 100k members in over 100+ countries, was featured as app of the day across app stores and has seen them raise £1.2 million from Octopus Ventures, Syndicate Room and prolific Angel Investors. 

In today’s episode, we uncover all the highs and lows along the way so far… 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ Foundation in consulting [05:50] 

➡️ Deciding whether to get your MBA [08:30] 

➡️ The Origin story behind luna [11:30] 

➡️ Growing through community [19:30] 

➡️ More about Leadership Unleashed [21:20] 

➡️ Spending to grow & hiring mistakes [23:00] 

➡️ VC vs Angel Investment [27:20] 

➡️ Getting to know Gen Z & Generation Alpha [33:20] 

➡️ Embracing Founder Communities [41:30] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Jas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasschembri/ 

➡️ Find out more about luna: https://weareluna.app/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode is brought to you by the Leadership Unleashed Open Cohorts. 

Leadership Unleashed Open Cohort is your chance to join a diverse cohort of leaders from different organisations, industries, and parts of the world to build the most critical behaviours and transform into a high performer. 

Split into seven remote workshops, the Open Cohort follows a coaching-led approach where you’ll be actively involved and turn your learnings into habits in your day-to-day. 

To find out more about the programme and how you can sign up for the next cohort starting in January, get in touch with Logan and Anouk at [email protected] 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 

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“If you’re not learning something new every day, even if it’s the smallest thing, you can start to almost become stationary. Find ways to push yourself out of the limits of what you feel comfortable with.” 

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Dr Dupe Burgess, Founder & CEO of Bloomful. 

Launched in 2021, Bloomful is a HealthTech on a mission to close the gender health gap and improve access to gynae care for women, globally. 

Dupe and her team have been on an incredibly successful journey so far, having reached over 4,000 women with their first triage tool in just a few weeks and receiving equity-free funding from both, Google and KPMG. 

With a background in medicine, working at some of the busiest NHS hospitals in the UK and strategy consulting at BCG, Dupe brings a wealth of first-hand knowledge and experience to tackle the problem Bloomful is solving today. 

Find out more in today’s episode… 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ Upbringing and landing in a medical career [04:15] 

➡️ Spending eight years in the NHS [08:15] 

➡️ Transitioning from being a Doctor to a Big 4 strategy consultant [12:15] 

➡️ Bloomful’s origin story [18:20]  

➡️ More about Leadership Unleashed [21:30] 

➡️ Closing the gender health gap [23:00] 

➡️ Securing investment early on [28:00] 

➡️ The importance of storytelling in fundraising [31:15] 

➡️ Hiring for the sake of hiring & other lessons learned [33:50] 

➡️ Advice for growing your personal brand on LinkedIn [38:00] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Dupe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dupeburgess/ 

➡️ Find out more about Bloomful: https://www.bloomful.io/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode is brought to you by the Leadership Unleashed Open Cohorts. 

Leadership Unleashed Open Cohort is your chance to join a diverse cohort of leaders from different organisations, industries, and parts of the world to build the most critical behaviours and transform into a high performer. 

Split into seven remote workshops, the Open Cohort follows a coaching-led approach where you’ll be actively involved and turn your learnings into habits in your day-to-day. 

To find out more about the programme and how you can sign up for the next cohort starting in January, get in touch with Logan and Anouk at [email protected] 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It’s really important to sell your business when there’s still a lot of growth left. You really shouldn’t be looking to sell it at its absolute peak.” 

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Mary Bonsor, Founder of Flex Legal, a bespoke online platform created to connect law students with law firms and in-house legal teams on a flexible on-demand basis. 

Mary has been on an incredible journey from Lawyer to LegalTech Entrepreneur, driving diversity and social mobility with Flex Legal. 

Alongside her successful build of Flex Legal to exit, Mary has been named Management Today’s 35 under 35, won Entrepreneur of the Year at the Women in Law Awards and was also an Entrepreneurship category winner at the European Women of Legal Tech Awards. 

In today’s episode, we’ll dive into her journey of building Flex Legal, all the lessons she learned along the way and her step away from the CEO role through her exit, 7 years into the journey. 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ Becoming a lawyer & the initial idea for Flex Legal [07:00] 

➡️ Entrepreneurship - a behaviour or a skill you can learn? [09:00] 

➡️ From concept to business - the evolution of Flex Legal [14:00] 

➡️ Find out more about Leadership Unleashed [15:00] 

➡️ Transitioning from Lawyer to Tech Founder [17:15] 

➡️ Finding Product-Market-Fit & navigating pivots [20:15] 

➡️ Hiring lessons [28:15] 

➡️ Navigating Covid & the route to exit [33:00] 

➡️ Transitioning out of the CEO role [35:30] 

➡️ Social Mobility in the Legal space [38:15] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Mary on LinkedIn

➡️ Find out more about Flex Legal

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode is brought to you by the Leadership Unleashed Open Cohorts. 

Leadership Unleashed Open Cohort is your chance to join a diverse cohort of leaders from different organisations, industries, and parts of the world to build the most critical behaviours and transform into a high performer. 

Split into seven remote workshops, the Open Cohort follows a coaching-led approach where you’ll be actively involved and turn your learnings into habits in your day-to-day. 

To find out more about the programme and how you can sign up for the next cohort starting in January, get in touch with Logan and Anouk at [email protected] 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Feedback is the only way you will develop as a Leader. It is the only way people develop, full stop.” 

If you’ve been following JBM’s journey or been listening to 40 Minute Mentor for a while now, you will know that we’ve recently joined forces with Amplified People Group - the people services supergroup, supporting tech companies from inception to IPO. 

That’s what makes today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode so special. 

In this episode, we are joined by Andrew Richardson, Amplified People Group’s Co-Founder and Director. 

Not only will you find out the ins and outs of JBM’s acquisition and what the future holds for the Group, but we also cover Andrew’s impressive career journey, why VC simply wasn’t for him and where his passion and love for Sales really comes from. 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ Upbringing in an entrepreneurial environment [04:00] 

➡️ Foundation in recruitment & joining La Fosse [10:30] 

➡️ The power of mentorship in Andrew’s early career [12:20] 

➡️ Growing a passion for Sales & why it’s such a good grounding for anyone’s career [15:20] 

➡️ More about today’s sponsor [20:00] 

➡️ Moving from Recruitment into VC [21:00] 

➡️ The challenges of building a new fund [23:15] 

➡️ The beginning of Foundation Partners & the evolution to Amplified Group[28:00] 

➡️ Fractional support for early-stage Founders [33:50] 

➡️ The hallmark of success [38:00] 

➡️ Building a high-performance business & attracting the right talent [40:50] 

➡️ Why feedback is so important [46:00] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Andrew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-richardson-34404b33 

➡️ Find out more about Amplified People Group: https://www.amplifiedgroup.com/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Unleashed, an Amplified Group business, is the people and culture expert for leaders who do business differently. 

Trusted by the most progressive businesses, the Leadership Institute-accredited Unleashed Development Programmes harness the power of community learning, helping leaders develop the skills, behaviours and relationships they need to cultivate high performance across organisations.

Find out more about Unleashed here or get in touch at [email protected]. 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“People think VC is about chasing the next big thing…but actually, it’s not about making quick money. It’s about the long game and deep relationships.” 

We often talk to Investors on 40 Minute Mentor, but today we’re taking a deep dive into an increasingly important role within VC, the Platform role. 

To help us explore what a Platform role can look like, why it’s so important and how you can get into the role, we’re joined by Leah Sutton, Chief Portfolio Talent Officer at Balderton and Charlotte Van Reyk, VP of Platform at Lightspeed. 

On top of taking a deep dive into Platform, we also discuss Charlotte and Leah’s incredible careers before VC and their predictions for 2025. 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ From Google to VC [08:30] 

➡️ Act like an owner and think like an entrepreneur [12:00] 

➡️ Building businesses through People roles [13:20] 

➡️ Lessons from scaling high-growth businesses & navigating Covid [18:40] 

➡️ More about today’s sponsors [21:45] 

➡️ Learning resilience from parenthood [23:30] 

➡️ Squiggly routes into VC [26:30] 

➡️ Biggest misconceptions about VC [31:30]  

➡️ Relationships vs Networks [34:30] 

➡️ Day-to-Day of a Platform Leader [36:40] 

➡️ Advice for moving into VC and Platform roles [41:20] 

➡️ Trends & predictions for 2025 [51:00] 

➡️ A podcast recommendation [56:30] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Charlotte: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-van-reyk-8a4481b5 

➡️ Connect with Leah: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/leahsutton 

➡️ Find out more about Lightspeed: https://lsvp.com/ 

➡️ Find out more about Balderton Capital: https://www.balderton.com/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode is sponsored by Foundation Partners, an Amplified People Group business. 

Growing technology companies don’t have the financial resources, capacity or experience to tackle the challenges of scaling a business and driving performance. 

A world-class People, Culture & HR operation is instrumental for this. Foundation Partners have built a blended service, so companies get the experience and support - both strategically and day-to-day - they need to build an exceptional business. 

Find out more: https://www.foundationpartners.co.uk/ 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 

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“I have more than 70% of equity in the business. Unfortunately, female Founders are actually encouraged to give up more equity in the early stages, which I would have never agreed with…” 

The fashion industry is the third most polluting industry in the world. 

Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is on a mission to change that. 

We are joined by Eshita Kabra, Forbes 30 Under 30 and Founder and CEO of By Rotation. 

Often dubbed as the Instagram for fashion rental, By Rotation has achieved amazing milestones to date, including building a community of over half a million like-minded Rotators, saving over 100k meters of textile waste from going to landfill in 2023, and raising £2.55 million in seed funding. 

We cover all the highs and lows along the way and Eshita’s exciting plans for the future. 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ Growing up as a third culture kid [03:40] 

➡️ Why the leap into entrepreneurship [09:00] 

➡️ Finding the right people & navigating Covid [12:45] 

➡️ More about how By Rotation works [18:00] 

➡️ Learn more about today’s sponsor [20:00] 

➡️ Purpose vs Profit & By Rotation’s environmental impact [21:30] 

➡️ Prioritising equity over huge fundraises [22:55] 

➡️ Fundraising advice [28:00] 

➡️ Landing big partnerships & famous ambassadors [33:00] 

➡️ Hiring traps to avoid [35:45] 

➡️ Expanding into the US market [38:20] 

➡️ A podcast recommendation [41:45] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Eshita: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eshitakabra 

➡️ Find out more about By Rotation: https://byrotation.com/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode is sponsored by Foundation Partners, an Amplified People Group business. 

Growing technology companies don’t have the financial resources, capacity or experience to tackle the challenges of scaling a business and driving performance. 

A world-class People, Culture & HR operation is instrumental for this. Foundation Partners have built a blended service, so companies get the experience and support - both strategically and day-to-day - they need to build an exceptional business. 

Find out more: https://www.foundationpartners.co.uk/ 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

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