How to be a CEO

Lily’s Kitchen went from a small operation to feed just one dog, to a hugely successful enterprise, so popular it was bought by Nestle Purina.

The company is run by CEO Nick Magalini who has over twenty years in the pet food industry.

Nick tells us about how they maintain a 'cooked in the kitchen' small business culture, while growing into an international brand, and what it means to be the first UK pet food company with B Corp status.

They have gone from strength to strength, most recently seeing sales in UK grocery growing by more than 27% during the pandemic pet-boom.

Henrietta Morrison is the founder of Lily's, who started the business for her pet dog Lily. The idea was to produce food filled with honest, natural ingredients - unlike many products she found in the shops.

In this episode:

• The story behind Lily’s Kitchen
• How do you contain the ‘cooked in the kitchen’ small business style when growing it?
• The cult following and maintaining loyalty from customers against competition
• Being the first pet food company with B Corp status
• How Lily’s Kitchen conducts business and sustainability
• Do customers care about a B Corp status during a cost-of-living crisis?
• How they formulate new ‘smell good’ recipes
• Who is the Lily’s Kitchen customer – pet or human?
• Exciting new vegan, plant-based, and innovative products

To keep up to date with all the latest business news visit standard.co.uk/business

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The entrepreneur who fired herself as CEO, let her staff decide their wages, and put a psychologist in charge. Sam White is the founder and chair of Freedom Services Group, an insurance firm aiming to 'fundamentally change' the industry for the better. She's dealt with sexism and criticism on top of competition while navigating a hugely male-dominated industry.

In this episode:

• Dealing with sexism in business
• Why did you go into the stereotypically "boring" insurance industry?
• How the industry needs to change
• Why Sam fired herself as CEO
• Sam's interest in psychology
• The changing landscape at work and the impact of 'quiet quitting'

For all the latest business news head to www.standard.co.uk/business

Follow us on Twitter #HowToBeACEO

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Charlie Bryant has been CEO at Zoopla, the property portal, since 2018.

In this episode we talk about: 

• Why he thinks the UK's housing market's holding up in the cost of living crisis
• His advice to new PM Liz Truss, and why keeping mortages affordable should be a priority
• How Zoopla is more than a "find" portal (although he quite likes a rummage around himself)
• The partnership with homeless charity Crisis that's calling on government to invest in housing benefit
• Why hybrid working is here to stay, but in-person crowdsourcing ideas shouldn't be lost
• How to build traction on consumer traffic for a start-up
• Why the process of buying a property needs to be modernised

For the best interviews, news and analysis head to standard.co.uk or check out the Evening Standard newspaper.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve O'Hear is Strategy VP at Zapp, one of the earliest quick commerce companies that bring snacks and groceries to your door.

In this episode we talk about: 

• The complex supply chain that powers instant grocery services 
• Opportunities for disabled people in the post-pandemic remote work environment 
• The “make the moment or save the moment” problem solving of philosophy of Zapp 
• Why they’re expanding from crisps and ice cream to luxury brands and electronics
• Why they limited discounts when rivals were “throwing money” at customers 
• How quick commerce developed before the pandemic made it so popular 
• The $200m Series B funding round that attracted Lewis Hamilton’s attention 
• What’s inside the giant warehouse that keeps all Zapp’s stock 

Find us on Twitter at #HowToBeACEO

For more business interviews, news, analysis and commentary go to standard.co.uk/business or pick up the Evening Standard newspaper.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ann Francke is the Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute, which is celebrating 75 years raising management standards in Britain.

On this episode, we talk about:

• What Ann would tell the first CMI CEO and why today's business world isn't so different
• The huge gulf in those who say they follow diverse practice and those who actually do it
• How homeworking has changed from "skiving" to being recognised as productive
• The impact of having five generations in the workforce for the first time in history
• "Reverse mentoring" and how the young can teach the old a few tricks

For the best news, interviews and analysis, go to standard.co.uk/business or pick up the Evening Standard newspaper.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Timo Boldt founded Gousto when few knew what a meal kit delivery subscription was, now he's running a company valued at $1.75 billion.

In this episode we talk about: 

• Why he left the Dragon's Den with no money, but Duncan Bannantyne became one of their first customers
• How the philosophy of Rocky Balboa got him through the hard times
• The Christmas card that got him dinner with Al Gore
• Advice on how to make an investor pitch 
• The AI that runs behind Gousto and why he's a Tech boss now
• Why they gave their product away for free
• The growth of the global meal kit market

Find us on Twitter #HowToBeACEO

For more business news, analysis and opinion go to standard.co.uk/business or read the Evening Standard newspaper. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From an idea on the back of a napkin in 2011 to one of the fastest growing sports in the world, the Formula E story is one of risk-taking, set backs and extraordinary success. We speak to its founder Alejandro Agag about:

• Getting momentum back after the pandemic
• Secrets of a successful marketing campaign
• How Formula E's innovating commercial electric vehicles
• Why it's "compatible" not "competitive" with Formula 1
• Gigamine and battery recycling 
• How the end of the combustion engine will promote electric racing

For the best business news, analysis and interviews, go to standard.co.uk/business or pick up the Evening Standard newspaper. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SliderCuts, sometimes known as Mark Maciver, is a globally recognised barber and one of the UK's leading black entrepreneurs. He's cut the hair of international superstars like Lebron James and Anthony Joshua, building up a business from his shop in East London. 

In this episode we talk about:

• The rise of a new generation of black entrepreneurs
• How to get financing when banks won't talk to you
• The importance of valuing your business properly
• When to say no to investors
• How to diversify your brand
• And how to deal with rat infestation on launch day 

For the best business news, interviews and analysis, go to standard.co.uk/business or read the Evening Standard newspaper

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

eBay's UK Boss Murray Lambell joins the show to talk about how eBay supports SMEs, and why it teamed up with Love Island.

Also in the show:

• Advice on using eBay for your small business
• How to continually evolve a company to keep up with customers
• Why Gen Z's powering sales of used items
• Ebay's support for black women entrepreneurs
• What to expect from the eBay Business Roadshow

For more interviews, news and analysis go to standard.co.uk/business.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Louise Hill founded GoHenry, the debit card for kids, after one of her friend's children accidentally bought a real truck instead of a toy one on an online store with his mum's card. First coming up with the fintech idea in a curry house in London, the company now has more than two million users in the UK and US, doubled its revenues during the pandemic to $42 million and recently acquired French firm Pixpay. 

In this episode we talk about: 

• The importance of teaching kids about money, including how to use cards
• How the cashless society is leaving children behind
• The success - and failures - of early marketing efforts
• The importance of trusted partners when trying to expand a small business
• Why GoHenry's using different strategies to enter international markets

For more business news, interviews and analysis go to standard.co.uk/business.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.