40 Minute Mentor

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by the founder and CEO of FounderTribes, Gary Stewart.

Gary has had such a varied life and career. Born in Jamaica, raised in the Bronx, educated at Yale. He started his career in law, before moving to the UK to pursue his passion for startups.

Through his work at Wayra UK he helped to launch 185 start-ups, and he has since launched FounderTribes, an app designed to democratise entrepreneurship by providing founders with the right advice, networks and ultimately capital, no matter what their background, nor where they sit on the socio-economic spectrum.

Gary is such an inspiration, and we cover some really important and hard-hitting topics in today’s episode, including:

The importance of not letting other people define you by your race, gender, or sexuality – particularly in business.

How the challenges of starting a business will always be the same, no matter what your social strata.

Plus, what companies need to do to level the playing field, and why adding Diversity and Inclusion ‘window dressing’ isn’t going to change anything.

Gary is so inspiring and passionate about the mission he’s on and it was fantastic to speak to a leader who is so driven to challenge and change the assumptions people have about race and gender in the workplace.

If you’re thinking about launching your own startup or are looking for ways to play your part in pushing D&I forward in your sector, you’ll definitely want to listen to today’s 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 Gary, take a look at his LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/garystew/

If you want to find out more about FounderTribes, head over to - https://foundertribes.com/

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In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by the Founder and CEO of Koru Kids, Rachel Carrell.

After a successful career in strategy and innovation, including working at McKinsey and growing the healthcare company DrThom to 1.3 million paying users in 3 countries, Rachel took the leap and launched her own business, Koru Kids.

The idea for Koru Kids was born out of her own frustration with the lack of affordable childcare options for working parents and is now London’s fastest growing childcare brand.

Not only has the business survived the multiple lockdowns of the past 12 months, but it’s thrived. Navigating the restrictions and changing its business model at pace.

Speaking to Rachel was truly inspiring and we cover some really interesting topics in our conversation, including:

The importance of getting the other areas of your life on track, both financially and emotionally, before launching a startup.

The power of creating a positive working environment, and why you want to focus on ensuring that everyone is on the same page.

And the self-talk that’s helped Rachel through the tough times over the last year, her advice to others and why we all need to find our own “Sasha Fierce”.

Rachel is so passionate and shares so many insights on how to ensure that everyone around her, from her clients to her employees, feel positively about the business.

If you’re thinking about launching a startup, or if you’re looking to build a positive work culture around you, you’ll definitely want to listen to 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 Rachel, take a look at her LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachcarrell/

If you want to find out more about Koru Kids, head over to – https://www.korukids.co.uk/

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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 infectiously optimistic and inspiring former Chief Business Officer of Google X, author of Solve for Happy and Founder of One Billion Happy, Mo Gawdat.

There’s no doubting Mo’s pedigree when you look at his career in tech – he made giant leaps up the ladder at IBM, BAT, Microsoft, and Google – but his real passion lies in spreading happiness around the world and promoting purpose-driven careers.

Following the tragic death of his son Ali in 2014, Mo wrote his book Solve for Happy, applying his skills as an engineer to understanding human emotion. Today he continues to share Ali’s legacy of joy and fulfilment in all areas of life.

Speaking to Mo was an absolute joy. He has such wisdom and clarity about what it takes to make sure you have as rewarding a career as possible and that you don’t find yourself unhappy at work just for the sake of climbing the ladder.

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

The importance of making sure you savour and enjoy the work you are doing while you’re doing it.

Recognising the aspects of your job that don’t resonate with you even if you don’t know exactly what your purpose is yet.

And the importance of being selfless in the workplace.

Mo is someone who has achieved so much in his career, but who talks with such refreshing humility.

No matter what stage of your career you’re in, listening to Mo will inspire you to make positive changes to your life and find what you’re truly passionate about.

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 Mo, check out his LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mogawdat/

If you want to find out more about One Billion Happy, head over to - https://www.linkedin.com/company/one-billion-happy/

If you haven’t read Mo’s book ‘Solve for Happy’ yet, make sure you check it out at - https://www.solveforhappy.com/

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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.

JBM SOS and Spring Partners are proud to be launching this bonus feature of the 40 Minute Mentor podcast.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected every aspect of our lives, including the way we work and how we collaborate with our teams.

To help us answer some of the most burning questions about improving WFH set ups, managing global teams remotely and what the future of offices will look like, we’re joined by an incredible panel in today’s episode, including Nicki Lynch and Joanne Thompson, Founding Partners at Spring Partners and Roger Hassan, COO at TIER Mobility.

We cover some great topics in today’s episode, including:

Whether or not employers and employees have benefited or suffered from the switch to remote working.

How organisations can maintain their pre-pandemic culture and offer inspiration to leaders, like you, on how you can recreate the office experience at home.

And what the future of work will actually look like and how business leaders can prepare for the changes ahead.

This is the perfect resource for anyone looking to plan towards the future and to work beyond a post-Covid world. We are excited to share our insights with you – so please enjoy my conversation with Nicki, Joanne and Roger!

If you want to find out more about today’s panellists, check out their LinkedIn profile at –

Nicki Lynch - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicki-lynch-46907423/

If you want to find out more about Spring Partners you can have a look at their website – https://wearespringpartners.com/

And if you want to find out more about TIER Mobility, have a look at -

Enjoyed this episode?

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In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we're joined by the incredible Aron Gelbard, founder of the rocket ship flower delivery Scale Up, Bloom & Wild.

Founded in 2013 Bloom & Wild has reinvented the flower delivery and gifting industry – using cutting edge technology and predictive analytics, innovative design (their flowers fit through a letterbox!) and guaranteeing the best quality and value for money as their flowers are sourced directly from growers.

Their success has led to them recently securing a $100m Series D funding round from top VC’s which will help then hire more talent, expand their international foot print and launch new propositions and partnerships.

A big part of Bloom & Wild’s success is down to Aron’s entrepreneurial spirit; he spotted a gap in the market, took the lessons he’d learned from his work as a consultant in Silicon Valley and he applied them to the floristry industry.

Talking to Aron about building a disruptive business from the ground up was a real treat. He’s not afraid to share the important lessons he’s learned from his own mistakes, and his ethos of building a business fuelled by kindness is truly inspiring.

We cover some great topics in today’s episode, including:

The importance of being able to communicate clearly and effectively when you’re pitching to investors and also engaging with customers.

How listening to feedback, both good and bad, is so crucial to building a successful business.

And we discuss Bloom & Wild’s Thoughtful Marketing movement – a marketing campaign with the sensitivity of its customers at the core.

Whether you’re a customer keen to hear about how Bloom & Wild’s growth story, an entrepreneur just starting out, or looking at how you can take your business to the next level like Aron has, this episode is packed full of inspiring advice and insights!

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 Aron, check out his LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/aron-gelbard-a075a11/

If you want to find out more about Bloom & Wild you can have a look at their website – https://www.bloomandwild.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.

It takes a certain type of person to trade being in a plush skyscraper in the middle of Manhattan for a trading estate on the outskirts of Leeds.

But that’s exactly what today’s 40 Minute Mentor, Tom Elvidge, did when he moved from Goldman Sachs to Uber at the time when it was a little-known new entrant to the UK market.

Tom played a fundamental role in taking it from a 3 person operation in a windowless room, to becoming one of the most recognisable companies in the UK.

There were a few high-profile bumps along the way, as with every scaleup journey, but that’s what is so great about Tom – he’s not afraid to admit it and in this episode he openly share the lessons he’s learned from both his Uber experience as UK GM and also his subsequent role as EMEA COO at WeWork.

We also got to discuss Tom’s new role as CEO of Arrival Mobility – a tech Unicorn that has set out to revitalise public transportation with cutting-edge, zero-emission electric vehicles .

We cover some great topics in today’s episode, including:

What Tom learnt from his early consulting career, and the lesson he learnt early on about taking your work seriously, but not yourself.

How being open-minded about the roles that have come his way has been so crucial to his career.

And how being a good leader often means trusting others and giving them the space to make mistakes

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Tom for a number of years so I loved talking to Tom about his scale-up career. He’s always so honest and never afraid to attribute his success to the people around him.

This episode is full of priceless golden nuggets of advice. So, whether you’re in consulting or in a high growth scaleup, I’m sure you’ll learn a lot from his experience and brilliant advice.

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 Tom, check out his LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-elvidge-0b2b1514/

If you want to find out more about Arrival Mobility you can have a look at their website – https://arrival.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 incredibly inspiring CEO of Lifted, Rachael Crook.

From early internships working to improve conditions for sex workers in Bangladeshi brothels and campaigning for LGBTQ+ rights in Uganda, to her job advising the Prime Minister on youth unemployment, Rachael has spent her career striving to help people who really need it.

In 2019 following her mother’s dementia diagnosis, Rachael was inspired to co-found Lifted – a company looking to revolutionise home care by using cutting edge tech to improve not just the lives of those in need of care, but their families, and the carers themselves. Something that is more relevant than ever given the impact the pandemic has had on the care industry.

We loved speaking to Rachael about her mission-driven career. She’s one of those enviable entrepreneurs who is always looking to fix meaningful problems, make things better and tackle the big issues in society. We cover some really fascinating topics in our conversation, including:

Rachael’s career shift from Government to Consulting and the importance of getting the right skills to structure a rewarding career

The benefits of having a Co-Founder and building a start up focused on an industry that she is personally connected to

And the importance of being kind to yourself as a start up Founder and to remember to let the ‘fun outweigh the fear’ when you’re scaling.

Rachael’s intrinsic drive and passion is so infectious and inspiring, as you’ll hear for yourself today.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking to take your business to the next level or you’re thinking of joining a mission-driven business and want to know how to find the right one for you, we know you’ll take so much from Rachael’s experience and advice in 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 Rachael, check out her LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-crook-4723373b/

If you want to find out more about Lifted you can have a look at their website – https://www.liftedcare.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.

Happy New Year everyone! We're very excited to be starting 2021 with a brand-new episode of the 40 Minute Mentor. With the recent announcement of Lockdown 3.0 in England, we can all do with some extra inspiration and motivation and that’s exactly what today’s 40 Minute Mentor is here to do.

Just over a decade ago, today’s guest, James Hind, took his passion for cars and turned it into a business that has since grown into one of the Europe’s most popular car buying and reviewing platforms, Carwow. You’ve probably heard of it, or quite possibly used it yourself!

Today, Carwow boasts a team of more than 200 people across London, Munich, and Madrid, and raised over $100m in funding since it launched. It can also lay claim to the world’s most popular YouTube car channel with over 5 million subscribers.

Having jumped straight from university into running his own business, James has some fascinating insights into the life of a tech founder and what it takes to get a new venture off the ground without a ‘big brand’ CV behind him. In this episode he tells all and shares so much great advice including:

How to raise money from VC’s and angel investors when you have no experience and no contacts.

The growth story of Carwow and how his approach to hiring world class talent has evolved over time

And the challenges of expanding into new territories and the importance of culture and communication when scaling

It was such a privilege to speak to James who we’ve got to know well in recent years and respect hugely.

It was great to hear his candid perspectives on some of the top issues that so many entrepreneurs struggle with. In the current climate, it was great to hear his optimism and some of the big positives he thinks have come out of the pandemic.

So whether you’re thinking about starting your own business, are getting ready for your first round of funding or are looking to scale in 2021, this episode is an absolute must-listen.

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 James, take a look at his LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameshind

If you want to find out more about Carwow, have a look at its website and YouTube channel – https://www.carwow.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.

As we’re heading into a very different holiday season this year, today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode on mental health couldn’t be timelier, and we're so pleased to have gathered such an inspiring panel to discuss a topic that touches so many lives.

Although so much progress has been made over the last years, mental health is still a topic that comes with many stigmas, misconceptions, and a discomfort to openly talk about. That’s why it’s so important to actively encourage dialogue, which is something today’s panellists are very passionate about.

Our guests in today’s episode are three people who have all experienced and overcome mental health problems, in different ways. They are: wellness expert, psychotherapist and Balance Media founder Sophie Scott, Benevolent AI HR director and Mind ambassador Rohan Kallicharan and author, presenter, mental health campaigner and James Mitra's former drama teacher Carrie Carlisle.

In today’s discussion we touch on a lot of points I’m sure many of you will be able to relate to and will appreciate insights and advice on, including:

Why silence is so dangerous and why the first step to finding a way forward is by talking to someone you trust

Practical advice on how to maintain your wellbeing and what to do if you feel that you need professional support

And how you can help a loved one who is suffering from a mental health condition, while also protecting your own wellbeing

We may have been talking about a heavy subject, but we left our conversation feeling optimistic that no matter how low you may currently feel it is possible to turn it around and start feeling better again. We hope anyone listening who may be struggling, feels that way too.

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 Sophie, Rohan and Carrie check out their LinkedIn profiles:

Sophie Scott - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-scott/

Rohan Kallicharan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rakallicharan/

Carrie Carlisle - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-and-clarke-carlisle-765aa749/

And take a look at the organisations they’re part of:

Balance Media - https://balance.media/

Benevolent AI - https://www.benevolent.com/

Clarke and Carrie’s Place - https://www.clarkeandcarriesplace.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.

Your Mentor for the next 40 Minutes has had probably the most diverse and interesting career journeys of anyone we’ve ever met.

He’s gone from launching some of the most successful bands in the world like the Jonas Brothers in his early music career, to working with Steve Jobs as part of the team that launched iTunes in Europe taking it from revenues of zero to £500m in three years and in more recent times he is best know as a world renown chef and restaurateur, responsible for Cerviche - a business built on his passion for Peruvian food and culture, which at one point was the fastest growing restaurant group in the UK with a turnover of more than £10m.

Martin shared some truly inspiring stories with me in today’s episode - from having a hugely successful corporate career to the ups and downs from his start up experience, which including scaling, restructuring and eventually exiting Cerviche. He shared some candid advice, including:

How to build a loyal team working towards the same goal, whether that’s launching a singer-songwriter or a central London restaurant

The importance of diplomacy when you are driving change in a big organisation and working with tough, uncompromising characters

And what it takes to turn your passion into a viable business that can attract investors and, most importantly, customers.

Despite his successes Martin is such a humble and lovely man who we’ve had the privilege to get to know a bit in recent times through our respective roles as board advisors at the new for good accelerator Unrest.

Martin’s upbringing saw his family flee civil unrest in Peru when he was 11 and has a big part to play in why he has always remained so grounded. It’s also a background that fuels his passion for sustainability, the circular economy and social enterprise something we discuss further in our chat.

So if you want to know what it takes to reach the top in a variety of competitive industries while sticking to your principles, you won’t want to miss Martin’s advice in 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 Martin, check out his LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinmoraleslondon

If you want to find out more about Cerviche, have a look at their website – https://www.cevichefamily.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.