Jazz Shapers

Carol Shanahan OBE is the co-founder of Synectics Solutions, the software company countering fraud and financial crime, and co-owner and Chair of Port Vale Football Club. Carol joins Elliot to talk about how moving her company next door to Port Vale's stadium, led to her love of the community and her drive to help transform the struggling club.

Jeff Kofman is an Emmy-winning reporter, war correspondent and Founder of Trint, the automated speech-to-text technology. Jeff joins Elliot to talk about his 30 years reporting some of the biggest stories of our times and how he's turned a long-standing frustration into an international business. 

Matthew Jones is the Founder of Bread Ahead, the artisan bakery and baking school. Matthew joins Elliot to chat about his life and work, from the intense Michelin kitchens of the 80’s and 90’s to starting his first successful business (despite chaos behind the scenes), and  launching the now international Bread Ahead, driven by a passion for teaching the art of baking. 

Mary Bonsor is the  founder and CEO of Flex Legal, a platform connecting law firms and in-house legal teams with lawyers and paralegals on demand. Mary joins Elliot to chat about her mission to make the legal industry more diverse, inclusive, and flexible.

Tony Pepper and Neil Larkins are the co-founders of Egress, the British data security company. They chat with Elliot about how their friendship has underpinned their success and shaped their approach to protecting organisations from ever-adapting security risks .

Max Dubiel is co-founder of coffee business Black Sheep Coffee, and co-founder of Redemption Roasters, the coffee brand and prison roastery aiming to reduce reoffending through coffee. Max joins Elliot to chat about the huge impact of belief and purpose on an organisation and its people.

Molly Johnson-Jones is the CEO and co-founder of Flexa, a platform connecting job-seekers with companies offering flexible working environments.

Molly joins Elliot to chat about how getting fired (after asking if she could work from home 1 day a week due to her auto-immune disease) has led to her revolutionising the way that people find jobs.  

Floyd Woodrow MBE/DCM is an ex-SAS soldier,  founder of Quantum Group (a fintech and security investment incubator) and creator of coaching and development programme Compass for Life.   

Floyd joins Elliot to talk about becoming one of the youngest soldiers ever to have been selected for the elite SAS, and why he believes focusing on your super strengths (more than your weaknesses) is the key to success.   

Rachel Watkyn OBE is the Founder of Tiny Box Company, creating sustainable, ethically-sourced gift packaging. Rachel joins Elliot to share her tales of overcoming incredible adversity and how she's now Dragon Den’s most Successful Female Entrepreneur to date.

Giles Fuchs is the Founder and Chairman of Office Space in Town, the flexible workplace provider,  and founder of ‘No or Low alcohol’ brand, Gunner Cocktails . He's also the owner of the iconic, art deco Burgh Island Hotel. Giles joins Elliot to chat about all of this, and his drive to prove to his dad that failing his A Levels wouldn’t define him.