The Blueprint Podcast

Ocean Basket is a household name in South Africa. In episode one of The Blueprint Podcast, the CEO who runs it talks about heart, ego and the London expansion that lost the group millions.

Helen Nicholson sits down with Grace Harding, CEO of Ocean Basket. They have known each other for about 30 years, which is why this sounds like two friends talking rather than an interview, and why Grace says things most sitting CEOs would not.

They get into the UK expansion that went wrong, the moment the founder told her to her face "Grace, you don't listen", and what she took from it: you must restructure your own self first. She argues that "ego is far more dangerous than imposter syndrome". She names workaholism as an addiction and is open about what it took from the people closest to her. And she makes an argument about AI and what happens to companies when humans stop being the resource.

Chapters00:00 Welcome to The Blueprint Podcast01:14 Twelve years old, in her father's shop03:26 The rosemary on the ready-made chicken04:34 Joining Ocean Basket, and learning from the founder07:05 Imposter syndrome08:14 "Ego is far more dangerous than imposter syndrome"09:57 The failure chapter: London11:22 "Grace, you don't listen"12:56 The South Africans who wanted to hug the staff14:25 Leading on a bad day17:07 Back in the classroom19:06 Scaling a South African brand into 16 countries21:04 Workaholism, and what it costs23:32 Humans are not resources28:20 One non-negotiable principle30:13 A decision that looked reckless32:01 Grace the mother34:57 The 10 rand rule36:33 The hot seat43:56 Better at fixing than founding

Who is Grace Harding?Grace Harding is the CEO of Ocean Basket, the South African seafood restaurant group. She started working in her father's shop at 12 years old because she wanted a television and he told her she would have to earn it. She joined Ocean Basket in 2012 and became CEO in 2014. She is currently doing an MBA, having not studied since 1987.

The Blueprint Podcast is hosted by Helen Nicholson and produced by TNCo, The Networking Company. Recorded at The Edge, DP World Wanderers Stadium.

Listen and watch:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenetworkingcoSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/05P7t1feMPow22N7FPgBqS
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/the-blueprint-podcast/id6810637686

Host: Helen Nicholson
Guest: Grace Harding, CEO, Ocean Basket

Produced by TNCo, The Networking Company

You know Ocean Basket. You have probably never heard from the person who runs it.

This is the trailer for The Blueprint Podcast, a new leadership interview show hosted by Helen Nicholson and produced by TNCo, The Networking Company.The premise is that success leaves clues.

Every episode sits down with one leader and reverse engineers their blueprint: the decisions, the failures and the principles that actually built them. It closes with a rapid fire round and one non-negotiable principle.

Episode one is Grace Harding, CEO of Ocean Basket, on heart, ego and losing millions in London. Out 30 September.

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you catch it.

Also on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenetworkingco

Also on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/the-blueprint-podcast/id6810637686Hosted by Helen NicholsonProduced by TNCo

Success leaves clues. In this short introduction, Helen Nicholson explains why she started The Blueprint Podcast and what she is trying to do with it.

Helen is the founder and CEO of The Networking Company, and she has spent her career on one conviction: that the most useful thing anyone has is the people they know. Blueprint is that conviction put to work. She sits down with South Africa's most respected leaders and reverse engineers how they actually got there, then shares it with everyone who was not in the room.

Here she covers what the show is, who it is for, and how each episode runs: a long, honest conversation, then the hot seat for ten rapid fire questions, and the sauna to finish.

Recorded at The Edge, DP World Wanderers Stadium, Helen's newly founded venue for leadership offsites.

Episode 1 lands on 30 September. Follow The Blueprint Podcast so you catch it.

Presented by The Networking Company.