How To Start Up by FF&M

According to the Office for National Statistics, only around four in ten UK businesses live to see their fifth birthday. And for most of the ones that do make it, the bottleneck isn’t the market - it’s the founder. 

Our guest today learned that the hard way. Thea Brook spent over a decade as a CFO scaling startups into the tens of millions, built her own restaurants and product brands, and then ran the conventional playbook of working harder and growing faster straight into burnout and a brain haemorrhage. 

She rebuilt from scratch, and founded CALMM - now giving more than 250 founder-led businesses senior leadership brains on tap across strategy, ops, marketing, people and finance. 

Her blunt lesson: the skills that got you here are rarely the ones that get you past here. 

Thea's course can be found www.theabrook.com/workshop 

Thea's advice: 

• When scaling, look inside your own business to find solutions: keep looking within
• Make the most of what you have already and your assets
• Recognise that it’s not all about starting a business and being an entrepreneur, it’s about owning a business
• The visionary side of things can be stimulating and fun - but the operating, the actual doing, can be hard
• Allow yourself strategic thinking time: assess your thinking and your doing
• Always accept you’re learning and never be afraid to ask questions

FF&M enables you to own your own PR & produces podcasts.
Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2024 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod. Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

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In this episode I'm joined by Emmie Faust, serial entrepreneur, investor in over 30 women-founded businesses & founder of Female Founders Rise, the 11,000-strong UK community supporting female entrepreneurs. 

Emmie is also the author of the newly published RISE Report, the largest independent study of female entrepreneurship in the UK & this is the first time she's sharing its findings on a podcast.

We talk about why she built Female Founders Rise after a post-COVID breakdown, why she believes peer networks matter more than funding & why she is, very purposefully, a solo founder on her 11th business.

What we cover:

• Why Emmie started Female Founders Rise after a breakdown, and why she never intended it to become a business
• The four pillars of Female Founders Rise: community, funding, fundamentals and awareness
• Key findings from the RISE Report, including the £310 billion opportunity for the UK economy
• Why 80% of young people can't name a female entrepreneur, and what the ecosystem needs to do about it
• Loneliness as the single biggest challenge for one in seven female founders
• Why peer networks outperform family, friends and even funding as the most valuable founder support
• The case against co-founders, and how to build a support structure without one
• Why "networking" is a dirty word, and what to call it instead
• Emmie's advice for first-time female founders: build in public, stay curious, and launch before it's perfect

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. It genuinely helps other founders find the show.

How To Start Up is produced by Fallow, Field & Mason. 

If you'd like help launching your own podcast, or doing your own PR in-house, visit fallowfieldmason.com.

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

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Charles Brun, co-founder of IZIPIZI, talks about how to start a brand from a simple idea and grow it into a global consumer business without losing sight of the initial values.

This episode is about spotting overlooked opportunities, building a brand around design and accessibility and scaling internationally while staying true to the original idea.

Keep listening to hear how IZIPIZI turned an everyday functional product into a global lifestyle brand - and what founders can learn about how to start a brand that truly resonates with consumers.

Charles’ advice:

• Considerations like carbon footprint, sustainable delivery routes, general effect on the environment all contributed to our decisions and led to gaining B-corp certification
• We also find it important to consider the team and the staff and make sure this company is a great one to work for, with a positive atmosphere
• Our customers need good value/good quality product/good design; we need a good place to work
• From the outset we intended to make this product in a good way; we need the team to be happy
• We consider each other and make allowances for each other’s personal needs
• We had great mentors who gave us an education in producing and marketing something
• It’s important to keep talking to each other - sharing both the good things and the problems
• It’s also useful to network and meet other founders
• Always look around and consider other brands and the competition
• Take your time choosing your partners and have a strong partnership agreement in place
• Start marketing your product through the right outlets; be selective
• Every so often take a break with your partners away from the business and discuss long-term plans
• Always put the team before the product

FF&M enables you to own your own PR & produces podcasts.
Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2024 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod. Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

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Nick Croft-Simon, is the co-founder & CEO of White Rabbit, the UK’s largest gluten free pizza brand & the No.1 contributor to growth in the category.  

But this is a conversation about more than pizza.  It’s about how to build a truly consumer-led business.

From building their own gluten free bakery to making the controversial data-led decision to introduce meat SKUs after starting as veggie and vegan this episode is about ownership, agility and listening hard when your customer speaks.

If you want to understand what “consumer-led” really means in practice - not just in a pitch deck - keep listening.

Nick's advice:

• Always listen to the consumer
• Aim high and don’t compromise
• You need your consumer to come back a second time
• Once convinced, your customers will spread the word and be your best advertisement
• Trust is everything
• Trade events can be useful if you choose very specific ones
• A consumer panel has been good for us; invite them to look closely at new products / question them exhaustively / listen to their answers.  Honest feedback is gold
• Always put quality before everything else

FF&M enables you to own your own PR & produces podcasts.
Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2024 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod. Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

In this episode Dan Cray, founder & CEO of PHIZZ, talks about how to scale without losing your North Star, stay focussed and go global.

After raising capital, PHIZZ had the opportunity to go broad early. New markets, new use cases and major international interest created momentum - but also complexity. Dan shares how chasing too many opportunities diluted focus, and why returning to a laser focus became the foundation for faster and more sustainable growth.

This episode is a lesson in timing, discipline and knowing when to say no.

Keep listening to hear how PHIZZ found clarity through focus and what founders can learn about leadership, restraint and long-term growth.

Dan's advice:

• Start with observation, not ambition
• Build credibility early, partnerships with trusted brands created momentum before mass awareness
• Investment creates pressure to scale, but chasing growth too broadly can pull you away from your core
• Focus is a growth strategy, cutting revenue generating products and markets can accelerate long term performance
• Say no more as you grow, shifting from a yes culture to disciplined decision making is key to scaling well
• Nail your home market first, global expansion only works if your core business is strong and stable

FF&M enables you to own your own PR & produces podcasts.
Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2024 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod. Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

Samantha Cusick is one of the most recognisable voices in hair & uses podcasting to deepen brand trust, create community, as well as accidentally open doors commercially & position herself as an authority in a crowded market.

In this episode, we unpack what podcasting really does for you as an entrepreneur once the mic is live: how it supports the brand, drives opportunity, builds long-term equity & ultimately makes you feel less lonely as a founder.  

Keep listening to hear how to use podcasting as a growth lever, not a distraction and what founders should think about before they press record.

This conversation explores: 

• Why Samantha started a podcast despite running multiple salons
• How long-form podcasting creates deeper connection than short-form social media
• The realities of podcast growth, sponsorship, and production
• How podcasting has strengthened her broader business ecosystem
• Overcoming imposter syndrome as a founder
• The importance of understanding your numbers and planning properly when starting a business
• Why founders should “just start” - even without certainty

FF&M enables you to own your own PR & produces podcasts.
Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2024 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod. Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

In today’s episode of How To Start Up, I’m joined by Marie du Petit Thouars and Matthew Berkson - the founders and partners behind Maison Louis Marie, the clean luxury fragrance house that blends centuries-old botanical heritage with modern consciousness. We discuss how they turned a personal passion into a global brand while learning to start, scale and stay married along the way.

Matt & Marie's advice: 

• Divide by strength, not ego
• Respect work ethic above all
• Align on values and definition of success
• Create physical and psychological boundaries
• Trust is the operating system
• Let go before you burn out
• Protect the relationship deliberately
• Say no as you grow

FF&M enables you to own your own PR & produces podcasts.
Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2024 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod. Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

Today on How To Start Up, I’m joined by Sophie Paterson, founder of the internationally recognised design studio Sophie Paterson Interiors. Since launching her studio in 2008, Sophie has completed over 80 luxury projects worldwide  but it’s her strategic use of social media that transformed her business into the global brand it is today.

With more than 1,000,000 followers across Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, Sophie has built a loyal international audience, opened doors to collaborations, and attracted clients around the world. Today, she shares how founders can use social platforms not just to showcase their work, but to grow a business, build credibility and reach global customers.

In this episode, we cover:

• When using social media, it’s all about building a community
• It’s a good idea to share the process - whatever you are producing
• Be consistent about what you share - so your followers know what to expect
• Sharing builds trust
• Be honest: your personal brand is your brand
• A social media manager will enable you to produce more content and reach more platforms
• No need to be too polished; be genuine and don’t over-curate
• Sometimes reveal the bad as well as the good
• Don’t allow negative content from others to touch you

If you’re building a business and questioning how visible you really need to be, this conversation offers reassurance, clarity and practical insight from someone who’s built scale without losing herself in the process.

FF&M enables you to own your own PR & produces podcasts.
Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2024 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

Rhian Stephenson is a nutritionist, naturopath and founder of ARTAH, the practitioner-led supplement brand built around a core belief: performance starts with your health.

In this episode, Rhian shares the realities of building a company in the wellness space, how to stay healthy while navigating the pressures of entrepreneurship & why understanding your physiology is one of the most powerful business tools you have.

We cover: 

• Think of yourself as your business’s most important asset
• Your performance will affect the whole team
• Your health is vital: try keeping a one-month food/energy log
• Know that protein is fuel
• Understand your needs and proactively manage your mind/food/exercise
• Prioritise and be disciplined about doing what you can in these areas
• Try having a mentor, like a sports coach, to help you keep improving
• Being self-employed is both the hardest the most rewarding way of working
• Fibre (we should all be having 30 gm a day) affects mood, energy and immune systems
• Female founders have to accept they are cyclical, and that ageing affects oestrogen levels
• If in any doubt have your hormone levels checked
• Magnesium aids good sleep
• Try to speak to other founders
• Know that constant comparison via social media is simply destructive - try breaks from it

Rhian has seen first-hand, both in clinical practice and as a founder herself, how many people push themselves to the point of burnout while building businesses. Her mission with ARTAH is not only to create targeted, science-backed supplements but also to empower people, especially entrepreneurs, to protect their minds and bodies as they grow their careers.

FF&M enables you to own your own PR & produces podcasts.
Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2024 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

Andy Varley started Insanity at just 17 years old & has since grown it into a multifaceted business spanning artist management, brand partnerships, music publishing and content production.

Stay tuned to hear Andy’s journey from teenage entrepreneur to leading one of the UK’s most respected entertainment companies. We talk about how to find support when you’re starting out & the lessons he’s learned about staying relevant in an ever-changing media and cultural landscape.

Andy's advice:

• Start building networks as early as you can.  Meet as many people as possible in your chosen field to make contacts
• Find your gap in the market, but most of all love what you do
• Entrepreneurship can be lonely; ideally have someone to share the decision-making process with
• Try to surround yourself with with advisors (accountants, lawyers perhaps) who can act as mentors
• There are many mentorship programmes available
• BCorp is a force for good and will be a guiding influence on your employees
• Kindness and sympathy are vital leadership qualities
• Lead in a way your team will respect
• Understand you can’t do everything yourself! Trust your employees

FF&M enables you to own your own PR & produces podcasts.

Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2026, MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  

Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &  Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show