Start Somewhere

This week on Start Somewhere, I’m bringing a flavour of Glasgow ahead of COP26 as I speak with the trailblazing Jo Chidley. Jo is a circular economy expert, chemist, herbal botanist and co-founder of Beauty Kitchen, the highest scoring B Corp in the UK beauty industry. I’m also lucky enough to work with Jo on the Sustainable Beauty Coalition Steering Committee.

In founding Beauty Kitchen, Jo has set out to change the face of the beauty industry by creating the most effective, natural and sustainable beauty products in the world. She has been instrumental in developing the world’s first closed-loop solution for beauty packaging and has powered the service behind the ground-breaking Return, Refill, Repeat programme & Refill Stations. A true testament to Jo’s determination and vision, Beauty Kitchen is recognised on the UK’s 50 Most Disruptive Companies list and has won numerous industry awards, including ‘Who’s Who in Natural Beauty’.

In this brilliant episode, we discuss why it’s time to turn, or rather, return to a circular economy, how Jo is championing the entire industry to do better and close the loop, and what her plans are for COP26 and beyond. 

The ask: Starting Somewhere is asking yourself the question ‘what is it for?’

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For this week’s episode of Start Somewhere, I’m so overjoyed to introduce you to my former colleague, the extraordinary Karen Hamilton. Karen is Unilever’s Global Vice President of Sustainability. She works with Unilever’s leading brands, such as Dove, Lifebuoy, Rexona and Sunsilk, to bring their purpose to life and embed sustainability into product innovation. 

Following a career in business and marketing, Karen moved to sustainability to spearhead the creation of Unilever’s groundbreaking Sustainable Living Plan. It was then she established an evidence-based commercial case for the benefits of sustainability, demonstrating how it drives growth and trust while reducing risk and cost. 

In this episode, we hear about how Karen’s Scandinavian roots influenced her early interest in sustainability, how Unilever is leading the charge in committing to business for good, and what we can all learn from being good to people and planet. 

The ask: Wherever you work, try to set an ambitious north star. It’s what will get people out of bed in the morning. Think about how your business can embrace a more equitable and sustainable future in a way that also drives greater success.

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This week I have the pleasure of sitting down with the extraordinary healthcare entrepreneur and engineer, Dr. Ali Parsa. Ali is the founder and CEO of Babylon, the revolutionary digital health company. His entrepreneurial spirit combined with his disruptive thinking makes Ali one of the most extraordinary people I’ve ever met. 

Ali’s fascination with the healthcare -or rather, the sick care- system started when he found himself underwhelmed by the quality of care at a London hospital he went to for an issue with his knee and started reimagining the future of healthcare. This led him to first found Circle, and later the trailblazing Babylon Health. Babylon’s mission is to put an accessible and affordable health service in the hands of every person on earth - a model that has been proven to work not just in the UK but also in countries such as Rwanda. 

In this episode, we speak about why there is a need for a healthcare revolution, how artificial intelligence can improve global access to healthcare, and the importance of providing care before a crisis hits. 

The ask: Dream big, build fast and be brave, while also enabling other people to reach their dreams simultaneously.

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For this week’s episode of Start Somewhere, I immerse myself into the world of British Beauty with retail maven and brand creator, Millie Kendall MBE. Millie is the CEO of The British Beauty Council, which she founded to represent the voices, opinions and needs of the British beauty industry. 

When it comes to her love for beauty, it was always in Millie’s DNA. As a hairdresser’s daughter, she spent a lot of her time as a child on salon floors. In pursuit of her passion, Millie decided to move to New York as a teenager, where she rubbed shoulders with extraordinarily talented hair and make-up artists that would later become her friends, colleagues and partners. 

 In this episode, we speak about Millie’s impressive career path and why she decided to create the British Beauty Council. We also hear about the devastating impact  Covid-19 has had on the beauty industry, and what it means for so many salons to close for the businesses themselves and their direct communities.   

The ask: For those wanting to Start Somewhere in the beauty industry, don’t be afraid to try a few different things. A lot of the jobs are transferable, so just try and kiss a few frogs before you find your prince. 

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For this week’s episode of Start Somewhere, I’m so excited to be speaking to the incredible Ingrid Newkirk. Ingrid founded People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the world’s largest animal rights organisation. She is also the author of the recently published book Animalkind: Remarkable Discoveries about Animals and Revolutionary New Ways to Show Them Compassion.

Even though Ingrid adored animals and nature ever since she was a child, it was when she was working on a case involving abandoned animals as a law enforcement officer that she found herself questioning the double standards regarding animal cruelty. What initially started as a small group of animal activists, is now PETA, a truly global movement.

In this episode, we speak about the moment Ingrid decided to Start Somewhere and become a voice for the voiceless, how the beauty and wellness industry has made strides when it comes to vegan and cruelty-free products, and the things each of us can do to make kinder choices. 

The ask: Realise the power of the purse. As consumers, we are the drivers of the marketplace. If we don’t buy what’s cruel and consciously make an effort, we can turn the whole marketplace around to be more compassionate.

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This week on Start Somewhere I had the pleasure of speaking to my wonderful friend Wilma Mae Basta, founder of DRK Beauty, about mental health, identity, and empowerment. I’ve known Wilma Mae for many years and each time I speak to her I come away humbled and in deep awe of her passion & determination.

In this episode, Wilma Mae takes us on her incredible personal journey, detailing how she started somewhere and found her purpose after going through a mental health crisis. Determined to unmute the shame surrounding mental health, especially in the black community, she founded DRK Beauty, a well-being and mental health platform that helps womxn of colour to discover and craft their own well-being story. 

In this episode we speak about the power of vulnerability, how DRK Beauty helped black Americans cope with the trauma of witnessing the murder of George Floyd and its aftermath, and how drowning out the doubt and listening to her higher self has made her the courageous and extraordinary person she is today.

The ask: Learn how to be still and quiet the chatter in your mind in order to be more in tune with your highest self. 

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Welcome to the first episode of Start Somewhere Series Four! This series will be dedicated to sustainable and purpose-led health, wellness, and beauty, and I cannot wait to have you get to know each of my amazing guests and their unique story of how they started somewhere. 

In the very first episode, I’m joined by the extraordinary duo Yasmin Sewell and Louise Mita. Yasmin, founder of multidimensional well-being brand Vyrao and Louise (you might recognize her from Series 2!), Founder and President of Tao Energy Inc, each found their purpose while searching for ‘the magic’ and were brought together by a wonderful twist of fate.  

In this episode, we hear about how Yasmin and Louise have always leaned into their intuition to build their careers and ultimately find their purpose, and how you have to power within to do so too. 

The ask: 

Yasmin: Take a moment to tune into what you feel. Take a few breaths and listen to that other part of you that isn’t your brain. 

Louise: Stop trying to find your purpose, start doing things ON purpose. Don’t wait for that perfect moment. Put one foot in front of the other and just do it.

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Earlier this year I had the pleasure of speaking to Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Fashion Revolution, for the Start Somewhere mini-series on Clubhouse. Orsola is a true powerhouse and I loved listening to her unique story so much that I decided to release it as a bonus episode. I do hope you enjoy it.

In this incredible episode, we hear about Orsola’s early love for creating and mending fashion that led her to start her own label, why the exploitation by the industry is an issue that (quite literally) touches each and every one of us, and how we can start somewhere to pave the way to a more equitable and sustainable future.

The ask: Create a new set of criteria to use when you next go shopping to ensure you purchase something that truly aligns with your values.

Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial)

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Earlier this year I spoke to the incredible Victoria Jenkins, founder of adaptive fashion label Unhidden Clothing, for the Start Somewhere mini-series on Clubhouse. I was completely floored by what she had to say and decided to release it as a bonus episode. I hope you can take something away from her inspiring story. 

In this bonus special, we hear all about the staggering challenges the disabled community faces when it comes to clothing, the life-changing moment when Victoria decided to create Unhidden, and how the non-disabled can all be better allies. 

The ask: Educate yourself on the issues disabled people face. (Scope UK has a great number of resources). Diversify your social feed to break out of your bubble. Consider buying the Little Book of Ableism.

Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan)  or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial)

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This week on Start Somewhere I have the pleasure of speaking to Saja Elmishri. Saja is a freelance writer, activist and modest fashion expert, and focuses on the intersection of sustainability, retail, fashion and social justice.

Saja’s love for fashion started in Sweden, where she grew up and was encouraged to live independently and discover what she enjoyed doing. She pursued her passion for textiles and sewing and studied Textile Design in university, with a desire to use her creativity for purpose and not for profit. 

In this episode, we speak about modest fashion, why the idea that it’s only for Muslim women is wrong, and how Saja would make the fashion industry more inclusive. 

The ask: Whatever it is you want to solve in society, include the right people into the conversation.

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