Oliver Bruce talks all things startup with Alizé Marchand, co-founder and CEO of Impresm; a marketing company specialising in helping the financial industry build solid online presence in order to engage with millennials and Gen Z in the digital age 💻 📱

Dialling in from Switzerland, Ali’s American charm began at odds with the culture she found herself in, but she quickly started to change conversations in finance and engage with sustainability in the sector 🌍

Ali realised there’s a big difference with how the next generation wants to deal with their money management… In order to “Impress ‘em”, you should be getting tips from Impresm! 💪

https://www.impresm.com/

A PinPoint Media podcast production https://pinpoint-media.global/ 

Ann Perkins, co-founder and CEO of health snack brand Perkier, started out making healthy snack bars with co-founder Steve Turner in their kitchen to help with her gluten and dairy free diet. Jumping ship from global food brand Kraft Heinz to pursue her passion for not only tasty but ethical food, Ann saw the gap in the market and proceeded to launch Perkier into it. 🌍 💚

By managing cash carefully, Perkier turned a profit within a year and their products are now stocked in Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons. Despite bringing in investors to help them double their team in the next twelve months, Ann is determined to maintain the truly independent British business she and co-founder Steve have built up. 

Ann Perkins is in it for the long haul with Perkier; she’s in the name after all! 💪

Perkier is a young independent British company on a mission to make the healthiest snacks on the planet!

https://perkier.co.uk/

A PinPoint Media podcast production https://pinpoint-media.global/ 

From being handed the reins to a business turning over £700k in 1995 and growing it in 4 years to £2.5m turnover, SLG brands (as it's now known) currently boasts a turnover of some £32m+ with over 120 staff and are currently undergoing rapid expansion into the US. 🇺🇸

Oliver sits down with Miles Dunkley owner of SLG and an entrepreneur investor himself to talk about how in 1995 he received a call from his Dad asking him to join the family firm, little did Miles know, he was being pitted against other job applicants for the position.

Miles joined the business and immediately put it all on the line financially (including his Dad's house) to acquire a business which assisted with the growth and name change from Synlatex to SLG. Through the combination of the acquisition, product diversification and a focus on leading with design Miles and his team grew SLG to a turnover of £32m+.

From investing in his staff through one of the biggest open plan offices in the South West to investing in SLG Brands despite the pandemic, Miles leads by example.

SLG Brands is a creator, maker and distributor of some of the high street's most fashionable beauty and male grooming brands.

https://www.slgbrands.com/

A PinPoint Media podcast production https://pinpoint-media.global/ 

Now a Forbes 30 Under 30 alumni and one of 5 children from a migrant family, Jay had a rebellious start to life whilst at school. The born salesman, Jay sold Beats by Dr Dre to his peers for a small markup, however, It was with the support of his mother and this natural ability to sell that saw Jay and his business partner found Imagen Insights, a business harnessing the power of Generation Z to shape, influence and build the brands of tomorrow. 🧠 🚀

Despite not originally fitting the mould of education Jay has managed in 16 months to influence brands such as Gymshark, the NFL, Ebay and BBH through his innovative and influential business model. 💥

As well as his role as CEO, Jay is also a Forbes 30 Under 30 Alumni and Diversity Council Member of Publicis Groupe.

Imagen Insights is trusted by brands such as eBay, Gymshark and PepsiCo.

https://imageninsights.com/

A PinPoint Media podcast production https://pinpoint-media.global/ 

From hiding behind her desk in an operational role, to backing out last minute on a move to Frankfurt, redundancy and entering the male dominated tech world, Lorrin White is a trailblazer! 🔥

Despite texting being her only knowledge of mobiles, over the last 20 years, she has risen through the business to become the CEO of Bamboo Technologies.

As well as her role as CEO, Lorrin is a female leader, mentor, local enterprise board member and NED! 💪  

She's now diversifying even more with Business in Rhyme, where she writes poetry as a digestible and fun way to share her years of experience.

https://www.bamboo.tech/

A PinPoint Media podcast production https://pinpoint-media.global/ 

Having left a comfortable career with a management consultancy business Jay and his co-founder Henry decided it was a good idea to start a last minute travel business in the height of a pandemic.💪

As management consultants Jay's background is analytical, number driven, metric orientated and process led. This analytical and detailed approach however is the backbone to this startup.

Jay and Henry each invested £5,000 before undergoing a bootstrap round. Staze which is still under 18 months old is undergoing an aggressive scale in what looks to be the perfect storm... ☀️

Staze plans your last minute trip for you, unlike so many other holiday get away applications where you need to know where you want to go, Staze thrives on spontaneity! Jay realised that in the UK alone at any one time has 45% of the time holiday rentals sat empty, this was the birth of Staze. 

https://staze.com/

A PinPoint Media podcast production https://pinpoint-media.global/ 

Sophia Proctor who in a former life worked in PR for British Airways before being made redundant just before the 2020 pandemic used her redundancy payoff to change her life forever. 🚀

Sophia conceptualised, designed, manufactured and started to distribute her innovative children's mealtime toy at the hight of a global pandemic using entirely UK manufacturers. With a wealth of knowledge in the PR world for a global brand Sophia's business and startup experience consisted of little more than a book, an idea and a small amount of money! 

With a young child, a new business, a global pandemic and international uncertainty Sophia learnt by just doing. Munchy Play are now one of the Sunday Times Startups to watch in 2021. 

https://www.munchyplay.com/

A PinPoint Media podcast production https://pinpoint-media.global/ 

A PinPoint Media podcast production https://pinpoint-media.global/ 

Becoming the worlds largest podcast collaboration platform wasn't where it all started Audry's co-founders... 

Niklas' initial business idea conceptually was sound, however, in hindsight, one small adaptation from the likes of Instagram and their business would be no more. It was this realisation and acceptance that lead Niklas and his business partner to start the 'Tinder' of podcast platforms - Audry.io and what a decision that was! 

Now with over 8,000 active users and a recent re-brand in 2021 Audry.io will go from startup idea into industry leader in a world that is incredibly up and coming, could this be the next Spotify or Tinder for podcasters? 

Audry.io is the backbone to many of the podcasts you listen to and love including ours! 

From a life in the city to selling second handbags, not the route to entrepreneurialism one might imagine. 

James, since founding Cudoni (luxury goods and fashion resale service)  through the power of LinkedIn and the odd bit of stalking has raised in excess of £7million in seed capital to get his concept off the ground. 

Oliver asks how an idea of selling posh goods, second hand garments and your mothers old necklace can take off in the way Cudoni has? 

How do you instil confidence in those with millions to trust those with an idea? With investors and mentors such as the founder of Capital One and the founder/CEO of Pets At Home James has built a formidable team of advisors in an online world set for great expansion. 

Could this be the next Ebay...?