Real Startup Stories

A wellbeing founder explains why nature does more for your mental health than your job, home or income ever will - and how one mindfulness class rebuilt her own life after it fell apart. In this episode we cover: • How a casual day out with friends accidentally became a nonprofit wellbeing organisation (a CIC) • Why nature connection has four times more impact on wellbeing than socioeconomic status • The moment a mindfulness teacher changed her life by pointing out her inner "me, me, me" chatter • Why she deliberately keeps prices low, and the costly early mistake of undercharging • How a community fund lets local people request a fully funded space at every event • Growing from 200 to 400 attendees a year without chasing profit or scale • Why she turned her own burnout into launching an annual wellbeing festival • Simple, free ways to build "wellbeing" into a normal daily routine If you enjoy honest conversations with people building something real, make sure to subscribe and follow along. 00:00 Who Is Betty & What Is Sowena? 01:14 How Sowena Started By Accident 02:47 Why She Chose to Become a CIC 04:07 Building Sowena While Working Full-Time 06:50 The Real Reason Behind Sowena 08:05 Making Wellbeing Accessible in Cornwall 09:35 Learning Not to Undercharge 12:10 Why Wellbeing & Nature Matter 14:47 Betty’s Personal Drive to Help People 15:33 Why Sowena Is a Non-Profit 16:08 The Community Fund & Funded Spaces 17:33 How Sowena Makes Wellbeing More Accessible 19:01 What Actually Counts as Wellbeing? 20:25 Holding Space for People at Their Lowest 22:19 Creating a Safe & Non-Performative Community 23:41 You Don’t Have to “Believe” in Wellbeing 25:46 How Mindfulness Changed Betty’s Life 27:25 Can Wellbeing Actually Change Your Brain? 28:30 Simple Ways to Practise Mindfulness Every Day 30:28 What Betty Disagrees With in the Wellbeing Industry 31:18 Making Wellbeing Businesses More Accessible 32:24 What’s the End Goal for Sowena? 34:09 The Sowena Wellbeing Festival 35:36 The 2027 Two-Day Festival 36:42 What Sowena Offers Throughout the Year 38:45 What Chapter Is Betty In? 40:01 How to Find Sowena 41:08 Sowena on Social Media

Tony watched his granddad, his dad and both his uncles die of Huntington's disease, an incurable, hereditary condition. Then he took the test himself and it came back positive. This is the story of how he turned that into HD Livin, a charity supporting families affected by Huntington's and other neurological diseases across Devon and Cornwall. In this episode we cover: • What Huntington's disease is, and why it's often described as MND, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's in one • The 50% "coin toss" every child of a parent with Huntington's faces • Why specialist respite care cost his family £2,000 to £2,500 a week, and what happened when a care home couldn't cope • The 12 month genetic testing process, and how three siblings handled it in completely different ways • What it's like when symptoms finally start, and the mental health battle that comes with it • Living life now when you know what the next 15 years look like • Skydives, Three Peaks, Everest Base Camp and Land's End to Plymouth, all for charity • Raising £130,000+ towards a £1 million respite centre in Cornwall, plus free counselling for affected families Find out more, get support or donate to HD Livin: https://www.hdlivin.org.uk If you're struggling, you can call Samaritans free, any time, on 116 123. If you enjoy honest conversations with people building something real, make sure to subscribe and follow along. Business enquiries: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

A criminology student on a police ride-along in Florida was suddenly pulled into the emergency response to the Pulse Nightclub shooting — and it changed the course of her life. Now she's an identity and confidence coach helping women rebuild themselves after adversity. In this episode we cover: • The night a routine police ride-along turned into responding to the Pulse Nightclub shooting • How trauma reshaped her identity, and how EMDR therapy helped her recover • Why life coaching is different from therapy or counselling, and how to spot a coach worth paying for • Her three-pillar "Lighthouse Method": identity, resilience and confidence • A live coaching demonstration using the "Wheel of Life" exercise • Why free coaching sessions fail while paying clients get results • The books she recommends for anyone working through trauma or rebuilding confidence • How to set realistic, bite-sized goals instead of chasing an all-or-nothing transformation If you enjoy honest conversations with people building something real, make sure to subscribe and follow along. 00:00 Intro: Who Is Michaela? 01:54 What Actually Is Life Coaching? 04:45 The Lighthouse Method 07:03 How Long Does Coaching Take? 07:59 Coaching Success Stories 10:38 Finding Your Niche as a Life Coach 13:43 Michaela's Personal Story 14:54 Experiencing the Pulse Nightclub Shooting 16:17 Trauma, EMDR and Rebuilding Her Identity 18:42 How Michaela Recovered and Changed Her Life 20:07 The Best Self-Help Books 21:06 Why Should You Invest in Yourself? 22:50 Does Everyone Need a Life Coach? 24:50 Can Coaching Help If You Don't Know What You Want? 25:50 The Wheel of Life Exercise 28:27 Applying Coaching to Real Life 32:14 Turning Goals Into Action 34:26 The Upward Spiral 35:32 How Coaching Fits Around Real Life 38:44 Why Small Steps Matter 40:42 Final Thoughts & Where to Find Michaela

At 19, pregnant and unemployed, Laura Bell opened her first nail salon in under two weeks with £1,000 borrowed from her parents. By 27 she'd gone bankrupt after being manipulated by an ex-husband who lied about owning a house — and rebuilt from a single nail desk in a box room to a multi-salon business, now coaching salon owners across the UK. In this episode we cover: - How Laura opened her first salon in two weeks with just £1,000 - Being coerced into bankruptcy and losing her house at 27 - Rebuilding from a box room with one nail desk - Why switching from self-employed to employed staff added an extra £70k a year - Running a salon while pregnant and working 12-hour days - What she'd do differently if she lost everything and had to start again - Her advice for salon owners choosing between self-employed and employed teams If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more real founder stories. Business enquiries: [email protected] [email protected] 00:00 Intro: Laura Bell 01:15 From hating school to discovering the beauty industry 03:15 Opening her first nail salon at 21 05:45 Building a seven-person salon while pregnant 08:00 Becoming a young mum and struggling to balance work 10:30 Opening a second salon, debt and losing everything 13:30 Moving to Cornwall and starting again from a box room 16:00 Building a successful salon in Cornwall 18:30 Creating her dream salon in Falmouth 21:00 Why Laura switched from self-employed to employed staff 24:00 The £70,000 difference between self-employed and employed teams 27:00 How Laura became a business coach 29:30 Could Laura rebuild a six-figure salon with £500? 32:00 How she'd get her first clients from scratch 34:00 Laura's advice for aspiring salon owners 35:30 Where to find Laura

A diss track, a viral line, and one flight to Lanzarote - that's all it took to take Callum Marcel from 300 followers to 30,000. In this episode we sit down with Marcel, a UK battle rapper signed to PenGame, to talk about turning chaos into a career. In this episode we cover: • How Marcel got into rap battles back in year 7, freestyling with older kids at school • How he got signed to PenGame and what the audition process actually looks like • The "Seven Sizzling Sausages" line that went viral - and how he flipped it into a diss track that blew up overnight • Going from 300 to 30,000 followers during a single flight to Lanzarote • What a month of battle prep actually looks like, and how he researches opponents • How dark battle rap is allowed to get, and where he draws the line • What it's really like performing in "The Dungeon" - PenGame's live battle venue • His upcoming clash against Monroe on 5th July at PenGame London If you enjoy honest conversations with people building something from nothing, make sure to subscribe and follow along. Follow Marcel's journey Instagram, TikTok & Spotify: Callum Marcel Business enquiries: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 00:00 Meet Marcel – Rapper & Battle Artist 00:45 How Rap Started in the School Playground 02:10 Staying Dedicated to Music for 15 Years 03:20 Joining Pen Game 04:45 The Pen Game Audition Process 06:20 How Battle Rap Has Evolved 07:30 Early Battles & Learning the Craft 09:15 The Clash That Changed Everything 10:30 From 300 to 30,000 Followers Overnight 12:10 Turning a Viral Moment Into Opportunity 13:20 Preparing for a Battle Rap Clash 15:10 Inside the Pressure of Performing in the Dungeon 17:20 How Far Is Too Far in Battle Rap? 18:30 The Future of Pen Game & Artists to Watch 19:50 Battle Rap vs Making Music 20:40 Where to Follow Callum Marcel 21:10 Final Thoughts

Most "organic" skincare only needs to contain 1% organic material to legally use the word on the label. In this episode we sit down with Sarah and Pete from Inlight - a 100% organic, Cornwall-based skincare and spa brand - to talk about greenwashing in the beauty industry, the unusual way their products are actually made, and why they train therapists to treat clients that most spas turn away. In this episode we cover: • Why 100% organic skincare is nearly impossible to make - and why most "organic" claims in the industry are misleading • How Inlight's products are actually made: a 28-day lunar maceration cycle using light, sound and heat • Why the brand trains therapists in oncology massage so cancer patients aren't turned away from spas • How a small Cornwall skincare brand ended up selling in spas across Dubai, Prague and Naples • What it's really like exhibiting at international spa trade events like W3 in Portugal • The real difference between a cheap and an expensive moisturiser • Advice for anyone wanting to break into the beauty industry If you enjoy honest conversations with people building something real, make sure to subscribe and follow along. Business enquiries: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 00:00 Introduction & Meet Sarah and the Team 01:10 How the Business Started 02:30 Sarah's Background at Clarins 05:40 Why Most Spas Turn Away Cancer Patients 08:20 Creating Safe Spa Treatments for Cancer Care 11:00 Building Trust Within the Spa Industry 13:40 Training Therapists Across the UK 16:20 The Challenges of Growing the Business 19:00 Educating Customers & Changing Perceptions 21:40 Developing Products That Make a Difference 24:10 Marketing a Specialist Wellness Brand 26:50 Advice for Anyone Starting a Business 29:10 Building a Brand in a Competitive Industry 31:50 Social Media, Awareness & Business Growth 34:30 Future Plans for the Company 37:10 Quick Fire Questions 39:00 Final Thoughts & Where to Learn More

In this episode of Real Startup Stories, we sit down with Duncan Schwab, CEO of Sandridge Barton Wines, to explore what it really takes to run one of England’s leading vineyards and wineries. Duncan shares his journey from becoming Head Winemaker to leading the business as CEO, why he chose to step down from the Head Winemaker role, and how the transition has shaped both him and Sandridge Barton. We also go behind the scenes of modern English winemaking, from growing grapes and producing award-winning wines to the challenges of running a vineyard in the UK. We discuss the move from the original Sharpham site to Sandridge Barton, how the relocation transformed the business, the future of English wine, leadership, scaling a premium wine brand, and what it takes to build a successful winery in an increasingly competitive industry. Whether you’re interested in entrepreneurship, business, wine, farming, hospitality, or the stories behind successful British brands, this episode is packed with insights. If you enjoy the episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review to help more people discover Real Startup Stories. #SandridgeBarton #EnglishWine #Winemaking #Vineyard #WineBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #CEO #Wine #Cornwall #Devon #RealStartupStories

In this episode of Real Startup Stories, we sit down with Andrea, an international wedding photographer and videographer who’s built a business across the UK and Spain. What started as a hobby photographing families and portraits eventually turned into a thriving career capturing weddings around the world. Now based in Barcelona, Andrea has grown an audience of over 70,000 Instagram followers and regularly travels between Spain and the UK for destination weddings. In this episode, we discuss: How she discovered her niche in wedding photography Building a business across two countries Growing to 70,000 followers on Instagram The biggest mistakes she’s made and what they taught her What really happens behind the scenes on wedding days If she lost everything and only had a camera, exactly how she’d start again * Advice for anyone looking to become a photographer or videographer Whether you’re a creative, entrepreneur, or just enjoy hearing how successful businesses are built from scratch, there’s something in this episode for you. Let us know in the comments: If you had to start your business from scratch tomorrow, what would you do first? If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode of Real Startup Stories.

In this episode of Real Startup Stories, we sit down with the team behind Roskilly’s to uncover how a Cornish family farm evolved into one of the UK’s most recognisable independent food brands. We discuss the origins of Roskilly’s, how milk quotas led to an unexpected business opportunity, the challenges of running a multi-generational family business, and the journey from dairy farming to creating an award-winning ice cream brand and visitor destination. We also explore entrepreneurship, diversification, sustainability, branding, the realities of modern farming, and what it takes to build a business that stands the test of time. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, foodie, or simply love hearing the stories behind successful brands, this episode is packed with valuable insights and inspiration. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe and leave a review. New episodes of Real Startup Stories are released every week.

What does it take to build one of England’s most respected vineyards? In this episode, we sit down with Sam from Camel Valley to uncover the story behind one of the UK’s most celebrated family wineries. From studying maths at university before returning to the family business, to helping transform Camel Valley into an internationally award-winning vineyard, Sam shares the lessons that shaped their success. We discuss: How Camel Valley began Growing the business year after year Why they reinvested profits instead of chasing rapid growth Learning from New Zealand’s wine industry Winning world-renowned wine awards Supplying wine to the Royal Family * Why they chose 150,000 bottles a year instead of chasing an 8 million bottle vision Whether you’re interested in entrepreneurship, family businesses, wine, or building a company with long-term vision, this episode is packed with valuable insights. If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe for more conversations with inspiring business owners and industry leaders. #CamelValley #EnglishWine #WineBusiness #Entrepreneurship #FamilyBusiness #Cornwall #BusinessPodcast #Winemaking #Vineyard #SuccessStory