✨ From Bold Idea to Cult Brand: Connie Nam’s Astrid & Miyu Journey ✨

What does it take to turn a quiet vision into a standout jewellery brand loved by thousands? In this episode, I sit down with Connie Nam, the powerhouse founder of Astrid & Miyu, to talk about her fearless leap from finance to fashion, the highs and lows of building a brand from scratch, and how she’s redefining what it means to be a modern entrepreneur.

Connie opens up about the mindset shifts, the hustle, and the moments that made her—and nearly broke her. If you're building something of your own or just need a shot of inspiration from a woman who’s done it with style and soul, this one’s for you.

🎧 Tune in for real talk, smart strategy, and a dose of sparkle.

Ellie joined The Trouble Club as an Intern straight out of University. Imagine joining the workforce for the first time in your life and all the unknowns it brings. We all know an Intern has to do all the bits no one else has time for/wants to - it's a tough slog.

When the business started struggling during the Covid pandemic and decided to close its doors, Ellie felt they could weather it, be bigger and were destined for so much more.... So she took over the business becoming CEO in less than four years. I mean who knows a business better than the intern?

Ellie talks about the fascinating guests she has interviewed at their live and online events, she talks world domination and how she is creating an inclusive space where women from all walks of life can respectfully voice opinions, build lasting friendships and elevate one another with the power of knowledge.

Watch this space, The Trouble Club is going to be the next big thing and Ellie is a prime example of a woman who smashes through the glass ceiling, challenges every stereotype and inspires any woman who is told 'they can't'.

This week I speak to the incredible Jordan Brompton. She is living proof that hard work, raw talent and ambition can take you all the way. Regardless of your socio-economical background, others' opinions and poor academia, you can still make it to the top.

Jordan grew up in a loving home in Grimsby with two supportive parents who had to work incredibly hard to provide for the family, but she never felt like she lacked anything.

Having left school with few qualifications and without a plan in place, Jordan tried her hands at a number of different jobs. From hairdressing to glass collecting in the local pub and using her talent for dance to podium dance. She eventually started working in an admin position for a man called Lee who introduced her to the world of renewables and fuelled a passion she didn't even know she had.

A few years later and one fateful phone call they would end up as business partners. I won't spoil the story as it really is a good one but fast forward over a decade and they have built a business that generates over £50 million a year in the energy space and Jordan is a role model to thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs.

She discusses her natural confidence, relationship building skills and street smart which she harnessed to create an empire. Fired up by her desire to push herself beyond what she or anyone else expected she could achieve, she has reached dizzying heights.

Despite all her success and the respect others have for her in the business world, she is still just 'Jordie from the block'. Humble, vivacious and real.

This week I'm joined by the larger than life; Elissa Corrigan. She has a fascinating story, from missing a job interview to appear on Streetmate, to becoming a hard hitting Journalist, exposing the secrets of the celebrity world and often putting herself in dangerous situations to get the story, to appearing on a reality tv show and subsequently creating 'The Golden Pill'.

Elissa noticed a huge gap in the market when it came to Women's health, there's a huge focus on male libido and little care for Women's satisfaction. Her all natural supplement has been hailed 'the female Viagra' by the likes of Abbey Clancey and a host of A listers. It also contains ingredients to aid women going through the menopause, which is an isolating time for any woman.

She has created a multi-million pound business and not by accident. She is a go getter, you can close a million doors in her face and she'll find a way to open it. She is ambitious, thick skinned and doesn't take 'no' for an answer. Above all she is genuinely passionate about the product she has created and relentless in her pursuit of global success.

Serena Hood is a force to be reckoned with. From designing knickers at College and selling them to local stores, to interning with top Fashion Designers, she found herself climbing the career ladder at Vogue. Working below Anna Wintour, Serena progressed through the ranks before eventually becoming Executive Fashion Director.

From starting from the bottom, flying couture gowns on a private jet to make it to a photo shoot, to gracing Fashion Weeks' all over the world as a trusted expert, Serena gives a view of what it takes to 'make it' at one of the world's most desired jobs. Spoiler alert - it really is as glamorous as it sounds.

Just when you thought Serena couldn't impress with her career expertise anymore, she Co-Founded E-commerce platform; Collagerie with a colleague from Vogue. Collagerie has grown in popularity rapidly, catering to all price points and items from fashion to homewear, it is fast becoming a go-to of the best curated items on the market.

Serena proves that hard work, self belief and a lot of gumption really can propel you to the top.. and she has only just got started!

To shop on Collagerie visit https://www.collagerie.com

Losing a loved one as a child is a complicated process, your brain isn't fully developed and you may not even have an understanding of the concept of someone leaving and never coming back.

How we process grief as a child, affects the entire trajectory of your life. It has been proven that unprocessed and unresolved grief as a child, can lead to alcohol and substance abuse in adulthood as well as forming dangerous relationships.

Suzy Turner- Jones, is CEO of Grief Encounter, a charity that works with younger people and their families when they have experienced a loss, helping them navigate the sadness and complexities in one's grief journey.

Suzy comes from a background of working in clinical roles within child support and social services and has worked tirelessly to ensure the safety and care of thousands of young people.

In this episode we discuss how grief impacts children and subsequently their adult lives, how to navigate helping your child process this event and the dangers of avoiding and not addressing loss.

If you are in need of support or helping a bereaved child following the death of a loved one, visit https://www.griefencounter.org.uk/

TRIGGER WARNING - this episode discusses terrorism, sexual violence, murder and kidnapping.

Following the horrific attacks on Israel on October 7th, many know about the murder, kidnapping, rape and hostage taking, but a little known fact is the large scale agricultural attacks that took place.

Hundreds and thousands of animals were killed, farms destroyed, tractors stolen, vital machinery that aids the production of food and crops were all destroyed.

Danielle is the Founder of Regrow, an organisation that uses Israel's advances in the agricultural industry and shares them with other countries in order to bring them to the forefront of modern day farming and help them grow and flourish. Since October 7th 2023, Regrow's focus has solely been on the regrowth of Israel following the devastation caused the the land.

Danielle always says 'the farmer of the real heroes' quiet, gentle and often unsung, they put their lives on the line to protect animals, land and the vital supplies the country requires from farming.

You will never look at agriculture the same way after listening to this episode.

Anne-Sophie Fluri is a qualified Neuroscientist and Chief Science Officer for for multiple startups and the Founder of REWIRE, a company specialising in working with companies to help their workforce train their brains to aid strength, happiness and health.

She shares her personal journey in realising her passion for finding out how the brain works and subsequently studying Neuroscience and being selected for an elite PHD programme.

We discuss the factors involved in looking after your mental health, how today's world has made things even more challenging, particularly social media influences and the ways in which you can take control of your brain health.

We exercise for our physical health, why are we not treating our mental health the same way?

Annabel Karmel MBE's business was born out of a place of darkness. After tragically losing her first baby; Natasha, she gave birth to her son Nicholas. Nicholas was a very picky eater and as many mother would be; she was concerned and wanted to create delicious meals with nutritional value. She started experimenting and making amazing meals, the local mothers' group she had created started vying for her recipes and realising how successfully they were received by their babies.

She was encouraged to create a recipe book of them and travelled up and down the country attempting to speak to experts to curate knowledge based recipes. Each expert have a different opinion on what was 'good' to feed your weaning baby.

She was rejected by every publishing house in the country but persevered as the book was in honour of Natasha to keep her memory alive. The book was eventually picked up by a huge American publishing house and subsequently Penguin decided to publish in the UK. What happened next was incredible...

She sold over 5 million copies and became the worlds biggest selling childrens' cookery author. But she didn't stop there, she has now published 51 recipe books, has a cult following, has collaborated with the likes of Marks and Spencer and Boots and has developed her very own frozen food range. She has an app, a youtube channel with live cooking demos and designs ranges for cruise lines and luxury hotels around the world - her range has even launched in Australia.

Annabel is an example of turning your pain into passion and she has not only created the most beautiful legacy for Natasha but an empire for her children to eventually take over.

She has remained completely hands on in the business, spending time in factories, dressing up as characters to entertain children and continuously innovate.

As she says 'you've got to love what you do'.

She is constantly learning and evolving and perhaps that is one of the reasons she is so successful, she strives for perfection and has remained humble throughout.

She has built an unbelievably impressive, multi-faceted business and she isn't stopping here.

She is savvy, switched on, curious and overall ethical.

A true female entrepreneur to aspire to.

Nina Briance knows no limits when it comes to striving to achieve more. She graduated from Stanford University, worked for Goldman Sachs, UBS and the UN helping women in poverty start their businesses. If that wasn't enough, she attended London Business School to polish her entrepreneurial skills and launch Cult Mia.

Cult Mia is a fashion platform with a twist. You will find pieces on the site, you have definitely never seen before. Nina has curated an offering with designers from all over the world often who exclusively sell on Cult Mia.

After the filming of this podcast, Cult Mia experienced 191% growth year on year and raised a further £4.5 million investment.

We talk passion, motherhood, priorities and the future for CM, for what it's worth I think this is just the beginning for this powerhouse of a lady.