June 13, 2022

How Sarah Willingham Built A Multi Million Pound Hospitality Empire and Became a Dragon: Pizza Express, Bomaby Bicycle Club, London Cocktail Club, Tonkotsu

1 hour 9 minutes

An electric pudding of nerves - pacing and pacing and pacing.

Foiled in ferocious imposter syndrome.

Barrages of self-doubt pinged and zinged around my nut like furious pinballs.

"My first EVER DRAGON on the poddy!??!”

“I CANNAE do this, Dan-ae?!"

Sarah Willingham's career sparkles:

- Head of International Expansion at PizzaExpress and Planet Hollywood

- Bought, built and sold the UK’s largest chain of Indian Restaurants, Bombay Bicycle Club

- 2015 - 2017: Sarah was a Dragon alongside Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Nick Jenkins

- Founded and floated Nightcap PLC with net sales of £15.5 million in their FIRST YEAR (The London Cocktail Club)

- Investor and chair at TONKOTSU (best ramen this side of Japan) and The Craft Gin Club

My goal?

Peel back the veneer of Sarah's conglomerate business success.

Sarah is warm, kind, extremely balanced human being.

Apres our convo,

Utterly bamboozled, brain bulged and bubbled with life-changing-wisdom.

ON THE MENU:

1. WHY FOOD AND DRINK FOUNDERS WILL FIND THEIR BUSINESS MODEL BY DOING: TAKE ACTION. TAKE ACTION.

2. WHY FOOD AND DRINK FOUNDERS *MUST TAKE HOLIDAYS* - ALL YOUR BEST IDEAS COME ON WEEK THREE OF A HOLIDAY

3. WHY FOUNDERS MUST DITCH THE *CAREER PATH* AND BUILD THEIR OWN *LIFE PIE CHART*

4. WHY ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF STRATEGY:

- WHAT DOES GREAT LOOK LIKE?
- IF SOMEONE GAVE YOU A MILLION POUNDS TODAY. WHERE WOULD YOU SPEND IT?
- DOES THIS ACTUALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE?
- DO MORE OF THE SAME.

5. WHY FOUNDERS *SHOULDN’T RAISE* UNTIL THEY CREATED SHARE HOLDER VALUE: JUST SELL. SELL. SELL