Meet The Owner

What do you get when you combine a talented pastry chef, a passion for business and a vintage fire engine? A champagne bar unlike anything else!

In Episode 28 of Meet the Owner, Steven Dryden Hall welcomes the man affectionately known as **Champagne Richard**, the entrepreneur behind **Champagne Fire Truck** and **Belly Store**, for a fascinating, funny and refreshingly open conversation about food, business, ambition and the challenges of building something truly unique.

Richard's entrepreneurial journey began long before the champagne started flowing. Growing up in Worcestershire, he knew from the age of ten that he wanted to become a chef. After training as a pastry chef and achieving a distinction in his qualifications, he went on to work in professional kitchens before moving into food product development.

With more than two decades of development experience, Richard has worked on products for major retailers, including Fortnum & Mason, and shares some remarkable stories about creating everything from sweet Scotch eggs to innovative festive dishes.

But working in food development wasn't enough to satisfy his entrepreneurial ambitions. Richard launched **Belly Store**, initially selling chocolate muffins and coffee from a catering trailer. He reveals the difficult early years, the challenge of securing events, the importance of presentation and how one event at Jeremy Clarkson's farm generated £7,000 in sales on its opening day.

Then came an unusual investment: a vintage fire engine.

After years of wondering what to do with it, inspiration finally struck. Why not turn a classic fire engine into a mobile champagne bar? **Champagne Fire Truck** was born, creating an extraordinary centrepiece for events and celebrations.

Richard talks about his growing expertise in champagne, the art of sabrage, the struggle to reach major brands and event organisers, and his ambitions to take the fire engine to prestigious occasions including Royal Ascot, Wimbledon and even Monaco.

There are plenty of laughs along the way, from Richard's childhood nickname of Badger to the extraordinary cost of filling a fire engine with Dom Pérignon, plus his dream of owning not one but two Aston Martins.

Steven also explores the business realities behind the glamorous concept: unpredictable event income, reinvesting profits, managing stock, finding the right contacts and knowing when to take a risk.

Richard finishes by sharing three important lessons for aspiring business owners: **work hard, be passionate about what you do and never give up.**

An entertaining and inspiring conversation about turning unusual ideas into real businesses, the determination needed to succeed and why sometimes the biggest opportunities come from thinking differently.

**Meet the Owner**, hosted by Steven Dryden Hall and produced by Boom 7, brings you the personalities, challenges and stories behind the businesses and their owners.

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In episode 27 of Meet the Owner, Steven Dryden Hall sits down with Helen and Neil Major, founders of Major Fitness in Bletchley, Milton Keynes, to discover the story behind their fitness business and the people who make it special.

From their early days as personal trainers at Virgin Active to launching their own indoor boot camp business in 2011, Helen and Neil explain how they built a successful fitness community, learned the business skills they were missing and grew their turnover to a quarter of a million pounds.

They also open up about their personal journeys, including Helen's career as a professional dancer and ABBA tribute performer, and Neil's experiences of childhood bullying and how they helped inspire his passion for fitness.

The conversation explores the devastating impact of Covid on their business, the importance of balancing work and family life, their approach to weight-loss injections and the future of the fitness industry.

Helen and Neil also share their advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, from following your passion and surrounding yourself with the right people to finding ways to improve on what's already out there.

Discover why Major Fitness is about much more than exercise, with a focus on friendship, support, confidence and helping people transform their lives.

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N Leigh Hunt joins Steven Dryden Hall on Meet the Owner for a fascinating conversation about his unusual journey from radio broadcasting and working at McDonald’s and a cinema, to becoming a published true-crime author.

Nicholas explains how a school shooting in San Diego in 1979, when he was just ten years old, became a defining moment in his life and ultimately inspired his first book, *I Don’t Like Mondays*. The book explores the story of Brenda Spencer, the 16-year-old responsible for the shooting, the events surrounding the crime and the lasting impact it had on those involved.

He talks about his journalism background, his fascination with crime, studying criminology at the University of Sheffield and the remarkable way he established contact with Spencer while she was in prison. He also discusses the challenges of researching and publishing a book, working with publishers, selling books and dealing with criticism from people who believe some stories should not be told.

The conversation then moves on to N Leigh Hunt’s brand-new book, *The Boy Next Door*, which examines the case of America’s youngest serial killer, who began killing at just 13 years old.

Along the way, Nicholas discusses his early life in San Diego, his Vespa collection, working in radio, his passion for alternative music, his scepticism about some aspects of criminal profiling, the realities of school shootings in America, and his work as a true-crime speaker and lecturer.

A revealing and often dark conversation about crime, journalism, publishing and the stories that stay with us for a lifetime.

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What does it really take to build multiple successful businesses while balancing family life, stress, ambition and personal growth?

In this episode of Meet The Owner, Steven Dryden Hall sits down with entrepreneur, property investor and construction expert Parm Bhangal for an honest and inspiring conversation about business, mindset and success.

Parm shares his journey from being a shy and nervous child to becoming the owner of multiple thriving businesses across construction, property, coaching and development. From buying his first property at just 19 years old to growing companies with more than 40 staff, Parm opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship, the pressures behind the scenes and why resilience matters more than people realise.

The conversation covers:

• Building businesses from scratch

Parm also reflects on the difficult challenges faced during the Covid lockdowns, the emotional toll of leading a business through uncertainty and how creating online content transformed his company during one of the hardest periods in modern business history.

This episode is packed with practical advice, honest reflections and motivational insights for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, property, construction, business ownership or personal growth.

Whether you’re starting your first business, growing a company, investing in property or simply looking for inspiration, this conversation delivers real-world lessons from someone who’s built success through consistency, hard work and determination.

Subscribe for more inspiring business conversations and interviews with entrepreneurs, creators and business owners sharing the real stories behind their success.

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A fascinating, down-to-earth conversation with Martin Castleton, Managing Director of Aureum Insurance Brokers, as he joins Steven Dryden-Hall on Meet the Owner. From growing up in Milton Keynes and working on the market as a teenager, to building a successful career in insurance and eventually launching his own brokerage, Martin shares the real story behind the business.

Hear how a chance opportunity led him into the industry, the lessons learned from leadership at a young age, and why stepping out to run his own company was both a risk and a turning point. Martin also explains what insurance brokers actually do, why personal service still matters, and how he’s building a business with long-term vision and national growth in mind.

There’s plenty of humour, nostalgia, and honest insight along the way — including stories from school days, early jobs, and the realities of running a business today. Plus, practical advice for anyone thinking about starting their own venture.

If you’re interested in entrepreneurship, business growth, or just enjoy hearing how real businesses are built from the ground up, this episode delivers.

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In this episode of Meet the Owner, host Steven Dryden Hall sits down with Jeff Hill, a former detective chief superintendent with over 30 years in policing, now co-founder of a specialist security consultancy working with high and ultra high net worth individuals.

Jeff shares a fascinating journey from his early life in the East End of London to a long and varied career in the police, tackling serious and organised crime, leading major investigations, and ultimately overseeing regional counterterrorism and organised crime units.

He opens up about the realities of policing in the 80s, the challenges of leadership, and the pressures of balancing career progression with family life. There are powerful insights into how criminals think, how policing has evolved, and what it really takes to succeed in high-pressure environments.

The conversation then moves into business, as Jeff explains how he transitioned into entrepreneurship, building a consultancy that protects wealthy clients by thinking like the criminals targeting them. From networking strategies to positioning a unique service, he shares practical lessons on starting and growing a business without relying on traditional marketing.

If you're interested in leadership, security, entrepreneurship, or real-life crime insights, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways.

Key topics:

- Life and career in policing

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A remarkable life story of determination, resilience and community leadership. In this episode of Meet the Owner, Steven Dryden Hall sits down with Milton Keynes legend Melanie Beck MBE to explore a journey that began with leaving school with no qualifications and grew into a career spanning marketing, major retail developments, international sport governance and community leadership.

Melanie shares how a single comment from a former boss telling her she would never have a career became the spark that drove decades of success. Her career path took her from secretarial work and public relations to roles with major organisations including Capital Radio, Saatchi & Saatchi and property giants involved in landmark developments like Midsummer Place in Milton Keynes.

Along the way she founded her own marketing consultancy, helped establish the Milton Keynes Business Improvement District, and became deeply involved in international diving through World Aquatics, helping shape the sport globally while supporting British athletes. 

The conversation also covers her experiences during the COVID pandemic, when she personally delivered food and essential supplies to vulnerable residents across Milton Keynes – work that ultimately led to her receiving an MBE for services to the community.

Melanie speaks candidly about leadership, resilience, and the importance of believing in yourself even when others doubt you. She reflects on overcoming breast cancer, rebuilding her life with support from Willen Hospice, and finding renewed purpose in family, community work and mentoring others.

This episode is packed with inspiring insights on business, leadership and life lessons from someone who proves that success doesn’t have to start with perfect qualifications — it starts with belief, determination and commitment.

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Steven Dryden Hall is back with another engaging edition of Meet the Owner, joined by entrepreneurs Samantha Paul and Rachel to talk about the fast-growing Solo Connects singles events business.

From school struggles and unexpected career twists to building a thriving events brand from scratch, this conversation lifts the lid on what it really takes to create momentum in business. Samantha and Rachel share how a simple coffee meeting turned into a £75k first-year venture, why real-life connections still matter in the age of dating apps, and the practical realities of scaling into new regions.

There’s honest chat about entrepreneurship, mindset, marketing, and the challenges of attracting the right audience — plus some entertaining behind-the-scenes stories along the way.

If you’re interested in start-up growth, side hustles, community events, or the dating industry, this episode is packed with insights and personality.

In this episode:

The origin story of Solo Connects

Turning organic marketing into real revenue

Lessons from corporate careers and early jobs

Why in-person dating events are booming

Plans to scale across the UK

The mindset behind successful founders

Subscribe for more real business stories from real owners.

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From telesales and BMW showrooms to smoking ribs in a gazebo, this episode charts the full journey of Harp Gill, founder of The Rub BBQ. He opens up about walking away from the corporate world, starting with a 3x3 tent and family help, selling out his very first event, and learning the hard lessons of growth, burnout and nearly quitting altogether.

Harp shares how sales skills, self-development, and understanding people shaped his approach to business, why marketing and personal branding became a turning point, and how consistency beats quick wins. There’s honest talk about events that flop, handling complaints, the pressure of being responsible for everything, and the reality behind turnover versus profit.

The conversation dives deep into the street food model — prepaid weddings and corporates versus risky public events — and how The Rub evolved from pop-ups to trucks, a rebrand, a production base, and now a national franchise model. Harp explains the systems, training, marketing support and mindset needed to scale without losing quality, plus why knowing your weaknesses and getting help is a superpower in business.

A proper behind-the-scenes look at building a food brand from scratch, staying resilient, and turning passion into a scalable operation.

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Meet the Owner returns with a wide-ranging and inspiring conversation as host Steven Dryden Hall sits down with Gemma, a multi-business founder operating at the heart of the UK beauty and media industries. From her early days managing a major nightclub to building a thriving salon, launching a self-tanning and haircare range, creating a national awards platform and founding a PR and mentorship business, Gemma shares the reality of juggling multiple companies and trusting inspired action.

This episode explores her journey through education, confidence, personal branding and leadership, including how the UK Beauty Awards grew from a 300-person local event into a national ceremony heading for London’s West End. Gemma talks openly about money, delegation, seasonal business challenges, vision boards, wellness trends, digital products, TikTok commerce and why giving back has become central to her work.

There’s also insight into female entrepreneurship, building authority through visibility, podcasting and PR, plus a look ahead to future projects including mentorship programmes, beauty innovation and live events. Honest, energetic and full of practical takeaways for business owners at any stage.

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