Insight with HReSource

A wonderfully insightful, open and frank conversation with one of the UK's most successful and impactful entrepreneurs.

A journey from Morecambe to Blackburn to Wigan (mostly the Casino) and on to London where Kensington Market sparked the flame for winning fashion brand.  

A fascinating story of two highly successful businesses borne out of a strong, dynamic relationship. 

Our guest came to prominence in the 1980’s with fashion brand Red or Dead, created by Wayne and his equally talented partner Gerardine Hemingway MBE.  In this conversation we explore the opportunities, challenges and decisions that shaped a global fashion brand and subsequently the driving force of Hemingway Design, project successes and future plans.

Outline

· Early years, Piers to Casino's

· Finding a Partner in Life and Fashion

· Rent or Debt to Red or Dead

· Growing a Global Brand

· Next Chapter… Hemingway Design 

· Passion in Business and Design

· What fires you up and drives you in your role?

· Advice for Partners in Business

Website: https://www.hemingwaydesign.co.uk

Twitter: @HemingwayDesign

Bio:

Bio - Wayne Hemingway MBE.

One bright day in 1981, Wayne “borrowed” his girlfriend’s (now wife) Gerardine’s rent money to buy practice space for the band he then played in. To recoup the cash, he emptied their wardrobes, which were full of handmade and vintage clothing and to his amazement quickly sold out from his pitch on Camden Market. The realisation that money could be made from fashion suddenly dawned.

Alongside Gerardine, Wayne built Red or Dead into a globally-celebrated label and, after 21 consecutive seasons on the catwalk, sold it in a multi-million-pound deal to the Pentland Group.

In 1999, fresh from the sale of Red or Dead, Wayne and Gerardine embarked on a new adventure: HemingwayDesign.  And the rest, they say, is history.

Wayne qualified from University with a BSc degree in Geography and Town Planning which he has subsequently had an opportunity to put to very good use with collaborations with major builders including Wimpey on an award-winning site, Staiths, in Gateshead.

Wayne spent 6 years as a Design Council Trustee Board and having been with CABE for a decade since its inception (as Chair of Building For Life), has been a Mayors London Leader and currently supports the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan as a Design Advocate. He is an advisor to House of Commons Select Committees on coastal regeneration, got an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list of 2006, is a Professor in The Built Environment Department of Northumbria University, a Doctor of Design at Wolverhampton, Lancaster and Stafford, and an Honorary Fellow of Blackburn College, the University of Cumbria and Regents University.

Hemingway Design deliver the following services

A 5 minute trailer highlighting what proved to be a remarkably engaging and popular podcast.

We thought it worthwhile packaging a short preview of this podcast as a taster for this conversation with Dame Stephanie Shirley a true pioneer, groundbreaker and inspirational individual.

BIO

DAME STEPHANIE SHIRLEY CH is a workplace revolutionary and successful IT entrepreneur turned ardent philanthropist. In 1962, she founded an all-woman software company that pioneered remote working, upending the expectations of the time. It was ultimately valued at almost $3 billion and made 70 of her staff millionaires. Since ‘retiring’, her focus has been on philanthropy, especially autism and IT. Her TED Talk has had over 2 million views, and her memoir, ‘Let It Go’, is being made into a film produced by BAFTA-winning Damian Jones. ‘So To Speak’ an anthology of some 30 speeches from the past 40 years was published in November 2020. Copies of her books can be ordered via www.steveshirley.com – every penny she receives goes to Autistica, the medical research charity she founded.

Our guest in this episode is a driven entrepreneur and philanthropist who’s using his considerable experience to solve one of our most challenging, commercial problems. Trends in recruitment and candidate behaviours have been changing with each generation but the pandemic appears to have accelerated the process. Evan Sohn, CEO of Recruiter.com, calls this period “The Great Resignation” initiated by a period of “Great Reflection” as post holders seek out new roles that offer greater fulfilment.

Average tenures are dramatically decreasing as the once lauded long term employee is considered risk averse and the “job hopper” becomes the norm. Is your business prepared for this new world? Are you seeing a greater volume of unfilled vacancies and a loss of experienced talent?

We explore the phenomenon from a global perspective and discuss the experiences of companies seeking to stabilise their recruitment needs.

Outline

· Early life, education, upbringing, influences

· From Logix to Career lessons and entrepreneurial drive

· Becoming a Hire Authority

· Recruiter.com

· The Great Resignation / Feeling the Churn / US v UK

· Advice to Employers

· Managing a Portfolio of Roles

· Sohn Conference Foundation $90m raised in 26 years

· The importance of passion, advice to anyone in need of inspiration.

BIO: Evan Sohn is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Recruiter.com, an on-demand recruiting platform that combines AI and video job-matching technology with the world's largest network of small and independent recruiters. Sohn is a frequent contributor to CNBC and Yahoo! Finance, and demonstrates expertise in a diverse set of industries, including Wi-Fi, Instant Messaging, data security, customer relationship management (CRM), and much more.

· From Barnsley to Big Breaks and Broadcasting  

· Award Winning Shows, A-list Guests and Angst

· "THE" interview with Stephen Nolan BBC Radio 5 - 2014

· Support, Special Friends the Wider Reaction and Re-Starting the Career

· DJ and MC Life Behind the Mic in 2021

· Passions and Drivers Looking Forward

· Advice for Those Who Feel They’ve Fallen Short of Reaching Their Potential?

Website: https://www.stephaniehirst.co.uk/ Twitter: @StephanieHirst

Bio: Stephanie Hirst

With over 15 awards & 11 years hosting Capital FM’s breakfast show, Stephanie is one of the UKs biggest radio stars. In 2014 she took a break from broadcasting but was eventually lured back after 18 months to the BBC where she now hosts The ARIA Award winning 'Stephanie Hirst Show’ weekday mornings 9-12pm on BBC Radio Leeds and her unique ‘Vinyl Revival’ show every Saturday night on BBC Radio Manchester.

Website: https://www.purplefrog-connections.com

Twitter: @purplewisdom Instagram: @purpleconnectionltd

Bio - Our guest G (Gamal Turawa) is a storyteller with a personal tale of adversity and challenge that shaped the man and his mission.

G is a D+I (Diversity and Inclusion) facilitator, speaker, and coach. Through his company, Purplefrog Connections Ltd, he delivers thought provoking workshops and presentations to both public and private sector organisations as well as making a number of appearances on TV and Radio, including ITV’s Good Morning Britain and making a regular contribution to features on the BBC.

So far the HReSource podcast has brought you.... 

Series 1. Coping with Covid

Series 2. Managing Forward

and now......

Series 3. Passion

In our latest series we meet fascinating guests who've followed their passion to build successful careers and effect a positive influence on the wider world.

These clips feature "G" aka Gamal Turawa, an expert in Diversity and Inclusion who has a compelling story, some may find it a tough one to hear. A remarkable conversation launching our new series.

HReSource is a community network originated to help business owners, managers, executives and leaders seeking trusted support and guidance.

For further details and to join the network click here 

During this lively conversation Sahar shares her experiences, highs and lows and fabulous insights including;

Website: https://saharhashemi.com Twitter: @SaharHashemiOBE  

Bio

Our guest Sahar Hashemi believes if you’re human, you’re an entrepreneur.

Described as a “powerful catalyst to drive entrepreneurship within big corporations” Sahar is the founder of two disruptive businesses and has seen up close how the unique spirit and energy that exists in a start-up can dramatically transform behaviour and performance. This first-hand experience has led Sahar to develop a simple roadmap for those who want to capture some of this start up energy for themselves or their business, no matter its size. Her work has attracted international attention and made her a bestselling author.

A former lawyer, Sahar started the UK’s first chain of coffee bars with her brother Bobby, building Coffee Republic to 110 stores and a £50 million market cap in five years. Later she founded market segment-defining sugar-free sweets brand Skinny Candy, selling it to confectionery conglomerate Glisten PLC in 2007.

Entrepreneurship isn’t an innate personality trait but a step-by-step process anyone can follow. Which is why her book is titled, Anyone Can Do It. If someone, like her, who had never shown a shred of leadership or creative potential could do it, then truly anyone can.

Sahar introduces the start-up mindset to big companies facing relentless change and in need of more agility and innovation. Her most recent book Start Up Forever is the culmination of her work speaking to 400 organisations about the actionable, practical steps that can bring out anyone’s inner entrepreneur. It was named The Financial Times Best Business Book of the Month in March 2019.

Sahar knows what blocks entrepreneurial behaviour in large organisations, and what it takes to unleash it. She offers practical, day-to-day advice, not vague theory. And by drawing on her deeply personal story, she connects with audiences through the heart, not just the head, to bring about real, long-lasting change.  In 2011 she was nominated by Director magazine as one of its Top 10 Original Thinkers, alongside Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Sir Jonathan Ive. In June 2012 she was awarded an OBE for services to the UK economy and to charity. She has been named “Pioneer to the life of the Nation” by Her Majesty The Queen and Young Global leader by the World Economic Forum.

Sahar recently co-chaired the UK government Scale Up Taskforce shaping government policy towards growing SMEs. She currently sits on the board of the Scale Up Institute. She is patron of Child Bereavement Charity UK and on the advisory board of the ECB HUNDRED. 

From playing with Lego to build his own high streets as a child, Graham continued that passion with his degree in Architecture and subsequent blog on all things within the bricks and mortar world of retail.  He's now regarded as one of the UK's leading voices on retail trends offering his support as a consultant to many forward thinking organisations seeking a way forward alongside the growing use of out of town shopping sites and of course online stores.  

In this episode we look back at the evolution of the high street, its current position in facing increased pressures from an exponential increase in online consumer spend and the future landscape for business owners and users of our town and city centres.

A fascinating conversation where Graham highlights case examples of retail success and shares his views on the future outlook for high street retailers. 

Bio: Graham Soult is not only a high-street champion but also a High Streets Task Force, digital marketing expert, respected media commentator and Fellow of the Institute of Place Management (IPM).  Graham also founded and runs the retail consultancy CannyInsights.com.  

Based in Gateshead but operating UK wide, CannyInsights.com works with independent and multiple retailers on the high street and online, as well as with related organisations such as landlords, local authorities, business associations and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), to help them improve their offer and marketing.

Described on BBC Look North as “the region’s best-known retail expert”, and by ITV as “a North East Mary Portas”, Graham Soult is often named as being among the most influential retail people on Twitter.  He has appeared regularly on TV, on radio, and in the press, including BBC’s The One Show, BBC News, The Guardian, Retail Week, Wired and Forbes, and is a frequent speaker on retail and marketing issues at conferences and seminars.

In this episode we take a look at the shape of our evolving high streets and hear how towns, cities, landlords and retailers are adapting to life following the impact of Covid-19.

Website: https://cannyInsights.com     Twitter: @Soult 

Bio - Our guest Natalie Desty, Founder of STEM Returners

After building a progressive career in recruitment, where she was Director of Maritime at a large recruitment company, Natalie was struck by the apparent lack of progress in diversity and inclusion within STEM, and particularly concerned by the insurmountable barriers that returners faced when looking to restart their career after a break.

Natalie created a small pilot returners programme for a group of employers and has now built this into an organisation that supports hundreds of returners in restarting their careers. Natalie has a BA Honours degree in International Relations and Politics and has been working within the engineering sector for her whole career, particularly focused on improving the sector’s diversity and inclusion. Natalie has been awarded the Royal Institution of Naval Architecture’s Eily Keily Award and an honorary Engineering Doctorate from Southampton Solent University for her role in increasing diversity and inclusion within STEM.

In this podcast we explore the STEM Returners Index, looking at the insights gained from this very recently undertaken survey.

o Concept and objective

o Respondents–sourcing the 750 

o Impact of Covid

o Skills Gap

o Diversity

o CV Gap

o Applications

o Feedback from Employers

o In work – confidence and flexibility o Over- qualified conundrum

o Case studies

• Raising awareness within the industries

• Targets to measure success

• Future projects and plans

• Advice for Employers

• Advice for STEM returner candidates

• Contact information

Website: https://www.stemreturners.com/ Twitter: @ReturntoSTEM @NatalieDesty