40 Minute Mentor

Since we started the 40 Minute Mentor podcast, we had the honour of speaking to so many mission-driven founders who have shown that business can be a force for good.

They’ve been full of insights and inspiration, which is why we’re excited to bring you this compilation of our favourite moments from our conversations.

You’ll hear from 11 amazing people who are all making a positive difference in a variety of ways:

Alex Stephany, on what inspired him to start Beam, the world’s first online platform that crowdfunds employment training for homeless people.

Jenny Costa, who discusses how her company, Rubies in the Rubble, creates condiments with a conscience from unwanted fruit and veg.

Tessa Clarke on how she scaled up her free food sharing app Olio with no budget into a global success story.

Kresse Wesling CBE, and how her mission to stop the nation’s landfills overflowing has become an award-winning business creating luxury goods from reclaimed material.

Mo Gawdat on the tragedy that shaped his mission to spread joy through the One Billion Happy movement.

Rachael Crook who was inspired to create a better caregiving system both for carers and those providing care, through her Lifted platform.

Sophie Adelman Co-Founder of White Hat, now Multiverse, on how they’re helping to unleash potential by providing apprenticeship programmes.

Henry Faber and Walter Kerr on the thinking behind Oppidan and the transformative power of a platform that pairs pupils with mentors.

Juliet Davenport, the brains behind green energy supplier Good Energy, on the small changes we can all make to have a big impact.

Dan Murray-Serter, Founder of supplement provider Heights, who gives the low down on the nutrients your brain needs to stay healthy.

And Martin Morales on how his success in the music business, as a restauranteur and setting up social enterprises, has been influenced by his life experiences.

Whether you run your own social enterprise or are thinking of starting one, you won’t want to miss this compilation of inspiring stories in this episode.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch at [email protected]

Offer for our listeners:

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In the second part of our 40 Minute Mentor Series Five compilation, we delve a little deeper into the inner workings of some of the most successful businesses.

In this episode we hear from Mo Gawdat, former Chief Business Officer of Google X and Founder of One Billion Happy, Andy Davis, Founder of 10x10, Roberta Lucca, Co-Founder of Bossa Studios, Grace Beverley, CEO of SHREDDY and TALA, Brett Wigdortz, Founder of Teach First and Co-Founder and CEO of Tiney, Juliet Davenport CEO of Good Energy and Gary Stewart, CEO of FounderTribes.

We look at the importance of nurturing a positive team culture, with an emphasis on diversity from the boardroom down. We find out how you can make your business environmentally friendly in a bid to counter climate change and with a growing shift towards purpose-driven careers, we look at how you can find personal fulfillment through your work.

It was such a pleasure doing these interviews and if you enjoyed this special two-part roundup, make sure you check out the full episodes in series 5.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do 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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.

Our 40 Minute Mentor Series 5 was packed to the brim with candid advice and insights from some of the most inspirational leaders across industries. To relieve some of our favourite parts, we’ve decided to release a special 2-part ‘best bits’ compilation episode.

In part one you’ll hear from:

Sir Clive Woodward and the importance of creating an environment where your whole team feel comfortable enough to speak up and disagree

Andy Davis, Co-Founder of 10x10 and his journey to becoming an entrepreneur.

Alice Bentinck MBE, Co-Founder of Entrepreneur First on the characteristics and traits she looks out for when choosing Founders to invest in.

Gary Stewart, CEO of FounderTribes on why businesses should be looking to hire proven entrepreneurs.

Juliet Davenport, CEO of Good Energy and the importance of getting exactly the right people in place to build a successful business.

Grace Beverley, Founder of SHREDDY and TALA on her entrepreneurial journey and her experience of being such a young CEO.

Rachel Carrell, Founder of Koru Kids, shares how Koru Kids adapted to the pandemic.

And Mo Gawdat, Founder of One Billion Happy and Host of the Slo Mo podcast, shares why mentorship is so important.

It was such a please to sit down with these inspirational 40 Minute Mentors, so if you enjoy today’s compilation episode, make sure you listen back to their full episode in series 5.

Thanks to our sponsors

A big thank you also to this episode’s sponsors – Treedom. Treedom is a B-Corp delivering social, economic and environmental benefits by working in partnership with local NGOs and smallholder farmers, enabling people and companies to plant trees remotely.

They’ve generously given us a 20% discount code* for all of our listeners. Simply enter ‘40MINUTEMENTOR’ at checkout over on the Treedom website to redeem the offer.

*This offer can be used once per person and it expires at the end of 2021.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do 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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by the World Cup winning England Rugby coach and former Director of Sport for the London 2012 Olympics, Sir Clive Woodward.

After spending his childhood with big dreams of becoming a professional footballer, it was playing rugby at his local club as a kid that started Sir Clive down the path to becoming the first England Coach to lift the Rugby World Cup in 2003.

What people don’t always know is that rugby only went professional in the late 90s. And while Sir Clive was playing for England and the British Lions in the 1980s, he was also doing his ‘day job’, running his own Finance & Leasing company. As you’ll hear in this episode, he has since applied much of what he learned in the boardroom to his sterling work on the pitch.

During our conversation, we cover some really fascinating topics, including:

How running a successful business is fundamentally the same as coaching a winning Rugby team.

Why you need to become comfortable with pressure if you want to be able to handle it effectively.

And the importance of creating a culture where everyone feels comfortable enough to contribute, no matter how controversial their ideas might be.

Sir Clive has achieved so much over the years and it was an absolute honor to speak to him for this podcast.

No matter whether you’re an avid Rugby fan or you’re simply hungry to succeed in your career, we know you’ll benefit to much from Sir Clive’s advice and insights throughout this episode.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch at [email protected]

If you want to find out more about Sir Clive, take a look at his LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sirclivewoodward

If you want to find out more about Sir Clive’s Apex2100 Ski Academy, head over to – https://apex2100.org/

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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Co-founder of Bossa Studios and Host of the Hyper Curious Podcast, Roberta Lucca.

As her podcast title suggests, Roberta has built a career on her curiosity and it’s paid off in spades. Bossa Studios is a huge multimillion-dollar Games business, which won a BAFTA in 2012, and resulted in Roberta being named on the Forbes Top 50 Women in Tech in 2018.

Roberta’s success is testament to her drive and commitment, but as every entrepreneur will be able to relate to, it hasn’t come without its struggles.

She talks with refreshing honesty about being a high achiever dealing with a tricky inner critic and battling burnout at various times during her career.

During our conversation, we cover some really interesting topics, including:

The importance of luck in business and how you can adjust your sail, but you can’t control the wind.

The benefits of being strict with the time you allocate to different projects and the importance of being a person first and an entrepreneur second.

And how we should all challenge companies on their initiatives to drive diversity and create an inclusive culture.

It was such a pleasure to have Roberta on the podcast. She talks so passionately about her work, and about the emphasis she puts on being a good role model and a good person.

If you’re a founder or an aspiring entrepreneur yourself, we know you’ll get a lot of great insights and advice from this episode.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch at [email protected]

If you want to find out more about Roberta, take a look at her LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertalucca/

If you want to find out more about Bossa Studios, head over to – https://www.bossastudios.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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by the CEO and Founder of Good Energy, Juliet Davenport OBE.

From childhood dreams of being a racing driver, to becoming one of the leading voices in tackling climate change, Juliet’s been on an incredible journey and we’re so excited for her to share it with us in today’s episode.

Juliet launched Good Energy in 2002, and almost 20 years later, Good Energy now supports over 73,000 homes, businesses and communities, which has led to Juliet being rewarded with an OBE for services to renewables.

We cover some really fascinating topics in this episode, including:

The lessons Juliet and the team have learned while building a successful mission-driven business and how they’ve adapted their growth plans in the face of the global pandemic.

The importance of getting hiring new talent right and making sure the whole team (old and new) share a similar mindset and ultimately get behind the mission of the business.

And how you can make changes in your own life, focusing on where you live, what you eat, and how you get around, to help move towards net-zero emissions.

Juliet is so passionate about Good Energy’s mission and making sure everyone enjoys the journey that they’re on. She talks with refreshing honesty about the hurdles she’s faced, and the tricky decisions she’s had to make over the years, which we know many founders will resonate with.

If you’re thinking of building a mission-driven business yourself, you definitely won’t want to miss this episode and Juliet’s crucial insights from her own journey with Good Energy.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch at [email protected]

If you want to find out more about Juliet, take a look at her LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliet-davenport-643564/

If you want to find out more about Good Energy, head over to – https://www.goodenergy.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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Angel Investor and Co-Founder of 10x10, Andy Davis.

From early employment as a presenter on Nickelodeon to being named one of Business Insider’s 100 People Transforming Business, Andy’s career is a truly inspirational one, which has found him enjoying success as both a founder and an investor.

Interestingly, Andy doesn’t see himself as an entrepreneur, but as a “problem solver” – whether that be in the form of his own startups or in helping first-time black founders find investment through 10x10.

In 2020, in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement Andy also released the Black Report, which examines the landscape facing black founders in the UK. While much of it makes for grim, but unfortunately unsurprising, reading, it also points to a brighter future for D&I, with black founders more likely to build refreshingly diverse teams.

We cover some really eye-opening areas in our conversation, including:

How vanity won’t help your business, but honesty will.

How the word “and” can sound the death knell for a startup, with too many add-ons overshadowing the real point of interest.

And why Andy looks for obsession in his founders – the willingness to run through walls to get the end result.

If you’re thinking about launching a startup, particularly as a black founder looking for investment opportunities, you won’t want to miss this episode.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch at [email protected]

If you want to find out more about Andy, take a look at his LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrandydavis/

If you want to find out more about 10x10, head over to – https://10x10.fund/

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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Grace Beverley, the CEO and Founder of sports tech brand, SHREDDY and TALA, a clothing brand specializing in sustainable sports fashion.

At just 24, Grace has achieved so much already, from founding her two massively successful businesses to writing her book “Working Hard, Hardly Working”, which was subject of a nine-way auction with publishers champing at the bit to get their hands on it.

And it’s easy to see why. Grace is the epitome of the modern entrepreneur – she understands the new business landscape and how you need to think quickly to adapt to it, and to be unafraid of making big changes to move your brand forward.

We cover some really interesting topics in our conversation, including:

The importance of modern brands being purpose-driven.

How collaboration is the key to running a successful business, as well as knowing precisely where your own strengths lie.

And why it is important that you invest well in the hiring process, and making sure to find the right people to join your business.

We loved talking to Grace. She has found the path that is right for her, and her passion for her work really shines through in today’s conversation.

If you’re thinking about launching your own business, or are looking to join a purpose-driven business, you won’t want to miss this episode.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch at [email protected]

If you want to find out more about Grace, take a look at her LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-beverley-574a10102/

If you want to find out more about SHREDDY and TALA, head over to – https://www.shreddy.com/ and https://www.wearetala.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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by the Co-Founder of Entrepreneur First and Code First: Girls, Alice Bentinck MBE.

Frustrated by a business landscape that found latent talent shackled by predetermined career paths, Alice set out to challenge cultural norms when she co-founded Entrepreneur First in 2011 – an accelerator that celebrates and invests in talented, ambitious individuals, and looks to match-make Co-Founders to launch successful businesses.

Almost 10 years later, Entrepreneur First has launched over 300 companies with a value of well over £2billion, which is testament not only to their passion for the work they do, but also to their tenacity in the face of adversity in those early years.

During our conversation we cover some really interesting and insightful areas, including:

The most important traits to look for when you’re investing in talent and how to shift culturally pre-determined career paths.

The many benefits of having a Co-Founder with a different skill set to you and how you can make the most of this relationship.

And the importance of diversity in the workplace, and what businesses need to do to get through to diverse candidates.

It was such a pleasure talking to Alice. She talks so openly about the importance of learning from your mistakes and always moving forward.

If you’re thinking about launching a startup from scratch or are looking to attract a more diverse talent pool, you won’t want to give this episode a miss.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch at [email protected]

If you want to find out more about Alice, take a look at his LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicebentinck/

If you want to find out more about Entrepreneur First, head over to – https://www.joinef.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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by the founder of Teach First, and co-founder and CEO of Tiney, Brett Wigdortz OBE.

Driven by a sense of fairness, and a belief that all children should have access to the best education possible, Brett launched Teach First in 2002, convinced that it would ultimately become one of the biggest graduate recruiters and charities in the UK. His instincts were right.

After 15 hugely successful years, he stepped down as CEO in 2017 and went on to set up Tiney, a digital startup aimed at positioning small nurseries in homes all around the country.

As Brett explains in today’s episode, he saw an early years’ educational system that was completely broken, and made it his mission to fix it.

During our conversation we cover some really interesting areas, including:

Why resilience and self-belief are key when you’re starting a new business.

The importance of getting a full picture of potential hires by talking to as many references as possible.

And how to seek out the right mentors and use their knowledge and guidance in a way that suits you.

Brett talks with great honesty about the lessons he has learned along the way, and how he might have done things differently – which is so inspiring and insightful from such a successful entrepreneur.

If you’re thinking about launching a startup yourself, there are few people better placed to give you a full view of the business landscape – you won’t want to miss this episode.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch at [email protected]

If you want to find out more about Brett, take a look at his LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-wigdortz-obe-5ba64b

If you want to find out more about Tiney, head over to – https://www.tiney.co/

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 most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review.