In this special 20th episode, Greg and Andrew have an inspirational chat with Laura Tenison MBE, founder of JoJo Maman Bébé.

Like many born entrepreneurs, Laura's entrepreneurial tendencies were there for all to see from her tender years when she would make a few pennies selling cold drinks and cakes behind her house. 45 years later, JoJo Maman Bébé, the company she founded, was making £70m in annual revenue and employing 1,000 people, on the way to becoming one of Britain's best loved brands.

In 2022, Laura sold JoJo to retail giant Next, in partnership with a private equity firm. And she now runs Wonderful Escapes which offers a venue for extraordinary group or family holidays, yoga retreats and mindful business bonding at Wern-y-Cwm Farm, Abergavenny.

A joy to listen to and share a room with, Laura is Welsh business royalty, a generational talent, and an inspiration to us all.

We talk about;

• Being one of the few people who came out of the student experience with more money than when she started!
• The power of being unapologetically yourself
• The early ventures that bred the confidence for the big success
• How breaking 20 bones in her body led to the idea that became JoJo
• The importance of not believing the hype
• What it takes to create and run a company that cumulatively generated sales of almost £1bn...
• ...and what led to her finally deciding to sell it
• JoJo's groundbreaking inclusivity, and being one of the first B Corp's
• Always treating your people with respect, and the loyalty you get in return
• Why we all need to spend more time in human contact (and have more sex!)
• How "doing well whilst doing good" has always been Laura's mantra

Laura:

https://www.wonderfulescapes.co.uk/

Us:

www.linkedin.com/in/greg-vartoukian

www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwainstein

www.boxlist.com

https://www.andrewwainstein.com/

In this shorter form episode, Andrew has a one on one chat with the brilliant Irene Graham OBE. 

Irene was identified as a leader from a young age, with her "can do" mindset and collaborative approach being the cornerstones of a senior career with Standard Chartered, where she harnessed her entrepreneurial spirit to create and lead a range of global projects and businesses, eventually resulting in her being an architect of the UK "open banking" revolution. Irene now sits on the Board of Creative UK, and as founder and CEO of the ScaleUp Institute, has supported for the last 10 years the UK's growing businesses and start-up economy.

She is also a Visiting Professor of Entrepreneurship at Strathclyde University and holds a variety of other non executive director and advisory roles across the creative, business and finance communities, and was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to business and the economy.

It’s an absolute pleasure to welcome Irene, a truly impressive and inspiring guest.

We talk about:

• Growing up surrounded by strong female role models
• Being asked to take leadership roles from a age
• The traits of leaders - born or bred?
• Bringing her entrepreneurial flair to developing new businesses within banking
• Meetings challenges with the question "how can we solve", rather than "can we solve" 
• The value of building inclusive, collaborative relationships
• Innovation and intrapreneurship
• Our choices and attitudes in the face of AI
• Her creation of ScaleUp Institute and its broad mission in supporting the crucial thousands of growing UK businesses
• The importance of following your instincts and being true to yourself
• Her innate drive and openness to make a difference in everything she has done

Irene:

https://www.scaleupinstitute.org.uk/

Us:

www.linkedin.com/in/greg-vartoukian

www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwainstein

www.boxlist.com

https://www.andrewwainstein.com/

In this episode, we chat with the dynamic and creative Hanne Kristiansen. 

From riding horses at 4 years old, to fixing the farm roof soon after, and wilfully not reading out loud until she was older than 10, Hanne has always done things her own way and proudly so. Her journey took her from being the daughter of hippy parents in provincial Denmark to eventually taking significant corporate roles in the UK including the Head of Innovation at Kellogg's. She then started her own consultancy and has worked with academics over many years to develop an innovative framework for creativity that she now shares with the world. Hanne is incredibly talented, a true force of nature, and an example to us all.

We talk about;

• Life growing up on a farm in provincial Denmark
• How being left to discover her own way shaped her life
• The power of genuinely not caring what people think
• How at 16 when asked what she believed in, she replied 'myself'
• Why we needn't be in such a rush to find our 'purpose'
• The importance of 'making the dots' before you can 'connect the dots'
• The fictional best before date stamped on her shoulder that she couldn't quite make out
• The sudden and tragic loss of her mum and how this drove her into action
• How she created the 'Creative ID' and the different creative archetypes that make it up
• How business and creativity mix like oil and water
• The importance of not asking 'Am I creative?' but 'How am I creative?'
• How all of us have creativity within us - and if you don't think so, have you ever lied?

Hanne:

https://www.yourcreativeid.com/

https://www.wearecreativecreatures.com/

Us:

www.linkedin.com/in/greg-vartoukian

www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwainstein

www.boxlist.com

https://www.andrewwainstein.com/

In this episode, we chat with the accomplished and thoughtful Stephen Page OBE. 

Starting his working life in a bookshop he soon realised he wanted to be "nearer to the story", and found his way into his first role in publishing.  Cutting his teeth in sales and marketing, Stephen's relentless, enterprising approach saw his career rise with successes at Transworld and Third Estate before arriving as CEO of Faber, where he steered the business for 20 years.

Now Chair of Faber he is establishing himself as a leadership coach, on the Board of Creative Access, a member of the Creative Industries Council and lecturing on publishing and creative writing.  

We hear Stephen's reflections on his own story and the creative forces that have shaped his career and life as a whole.  

We talk about:

• How he was drawn to imaginative places in childhood
• How growing up as a twin shaped him
• Falling in love with books when inter-railing in the 1980s
• Finding the thing he wanted to move towards and going after it
• How a grounding in sales and marketing taught him about all aspects of publishing
• The importance of always adding skills in developing your career
• How by not knowing the rules, you can break them without noticing
• What emerges when you allow yourself to see things through the corner of your eye
• The creative process of walking down the road to see down the cul-de-sacs
• Recognising your ambition and not being shy to act on it
• What it takes to be a leader, "being in the room"
• His sense of duty working and contributing towards opportunities in the creative sector
• How he is working with creative leaders, and leaders in general, as an executive coach

Stephen:

https://stephenpagecoaching.com/

https://www.faber.co.uk

Us:

www.linkedin.com/in/greg-vartoukian

www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwainstein

www.boxlist.com

https://www.andrewwainstein.com/

In this episode, we chat with the wonderful Australian singer and songwriter Frances Madden.

Described by the Australian Institute of Music as "one of Australia's most talented young singer/songwriters and piano players", we hear about Frances's journey from a six year old who became obsessed with piano, to eventually playing live in front of tens of thousands of people.

She tells us about the challenges of truly putting yourself out there, the journey of pursuing a career in music, and how when the magic moments do happen, it makes everything worthwhile.

This is a conversation about fulfilling your destiny, whatever it takes.

We talk about:

• Her super-strict piano teacher that helped her fall in love with music
• Having a mum and dad that truly believe in you
• The discomfort and vulnerability that is part and parcel of creating
• How you sometimes have to shoot lots of arrows before one hits
• The incredible journey and leap of faith that ended up with her opening the Australian Open
• Why authenticity is so fundamental to successful creativity
• How sometimes we only see what wasn't quite right in the rear view mirror
• Belief and the 'confidence cycle'
• Her dream to sing in a Disney movie
• Trusting every idea or instinct even if it sounds crazy
• Morning pages, and the importance of giving it time and space

Frances:

https://www.francesmadden.com

https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/frances-madden-band

@francesmaddenmusic

Us:

www.linkedin.com/in/greg-vartoukian

www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwainstein

www.boxlist.com

https://www.andrewwainstein.com/

In this episode we chat with energetic changemaker, and Charity CEO, Sandra Schembri.

As the daughter of immigrants, Sandra inherited a fierce work ethic which has been one of the superpowers propelling her inspiring career journey.  From a TV runner to Bloomberg and Ronnie Scotts, hard work and an unrelenting desire to learn and grow led her to become the CEO of Soho members club with a social impact twist House of St Barnabas, and now the CEO of Nordoff & Robbins, the UK’s largest music therapy charity.  With her boundless energy and curiosity she enjoys "creating order out of chaos", inspiring and evolving organisations from within.

From this invigorating conversation we get to see this generous, open person in full flow.

We talk about;

• Growing up in modest surroundings, with an abundance of love (and food)
• Seeing the evidence of hard work, and the results it can get, in her early career
• Gaining an astute awareness of her place and role as a leader
• Understanding her gift for bringing order out of chaos
• The importance of holding yourself lightly and being proactive
• Embracing her nature as an open extravert, and the difference between 'Radiators' and 'Drains'
• Sensing and responding to what different organisations need in a leader, and when it's time to move on
• How being open, curious and humble can open all the doors of life

Sandra:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-schembri-4b621720

https://twitter.com/sandraschembri

https://www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk  

Us:

www.linkedin.com/in/greg-vartoukian-07789a1

www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwainstein

www.boxlist.com

https://www.andrewwainstein.com/

In this episode we chat with leader, innovator and entrepreneur James Scroggs.

We hear both James' own odyssey through the world of work - from Marketing Director at MTV, to re-establishing workwear brand M.C. Overalls, and music entrepreneur - through to his drive now to empower people towards fulfilling careers, as creator of education venture New Working Class.

Now also the Chair of CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), Chairman of One Question, and lifelong Prince fan, James is one of the UK's cultural leaders, and this is an episode not to be missed.

We talk about:

• The influence of Prince on his life
• The series of strong women that have defined his career
• Why nobody talks about philosophy any more
• The 'stigma' around mental health 20 years ago and how that is different today
• His work with CALM and what it means to 'Not Live Miserably'
• Why everybody should take a 'point of view', the lens through which they decode the world
• How the world of work is broken, and his vision with New Working Class
• How we all simply need to take a little time every day to reflect

James:

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/james-scroggs-48802b6

https://www.newworkingclass.co.uk/

https://www.thecalmzone.net/

Us:

www.linkedin.com/in/greg-vartoukian-07789a1

www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwainstein

www.boxlist.com

https://www.andrewwainstein.com/

In this episode, we chat with the inspiring artist Svante.

Discovering an early passion for art, Svante's life took a different turn as he shifted his creative talents towards business.  Success came quickly and with all the trappings, but it was soul destroying and through a challenging process of self-discovery, Svante found his way back to art.

Now establishing himself as a respected artist, Svante's first major exhibition runs in London on October 4th-5th.

This is a conversation about doing what you're meant to do, and the journey we sometimes have to take to get to know our truest self.

We talk about:

• His upbringing and provincial life in Leighton Buzzard
• A year studying in Italy where he fell in love with art
• How he returned to England to take the path expected of him
• How being an entrepreneur allowed him to express his creativity
• Finding significant success at a young age
• How despite the success, he knew he could not go on
• How art became his refuge
• The internal battles to understand how he was changing
• Reflections on the dialogue between his conscious and unconscious

Svante:

https://www.svante.co.uk/

@svante.art

SVANTE [In The Spaces Between] opens on Thursday 5th October 2023 at 55 Exhibition Road a few paces from the Victoria & Albert Museum. Spanning a three year period from 2020 to 2023 and featuring six pieces from the collection In The Spaces Between and six from a new series entitled Hell Is Other People, inspired by Jean-Paul Sartre's insights and most notably the play No Exit, the exhibition invites you to explore the interstitial spaces where art, emotion and self intertwine.

Us:

www.linkedin.com/in/greg-vartoukian-07789a1

www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwainstein

www.boxlist.com

https://www.andrewwainstein.com/

In this episode, we chat with one of Britain's best known film writers, Ian Nathan.

From filling in for the entertainment column at his student newspaper, to just a few years later becoming Empire magazine's youngest ever Editor, and now a successful bestselling author and TV regular, Ian has always had a knack for knowing the right move, and the courage to take it.

Now with more than 15 books under his belt, Ian takes us through his amazing life including;

• His love of film from a young age
• Bonding with Dad through trips to the cinema
• The algorithm used by the school careers office that suggested he become a "medical photographer"
• The twist of fate that got him into film writing
• The importance of doubling down and going for it once you find the thing you love
• Rapidly rising through the ranks to become the youngest ever Editor of Empire
• Dealing with Empire's front cover when Speed II turned out to be a stinker
• Why the Coen brothers are a nightmare to interview
• Why books are more special than anything else
• How writing always begins by laying out the building blocks
• Why creativity often needs to be accompanied by practicality to truly reap the rewards

Ian:

https://www.audible.co.uk/author/Ian-Nathan/B00845NB9K

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ian-nathan-a6611840

Us:

www.linkedin.com/in/greg-vartoukian-07789a1

www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwainstein

www.boxlist.com

https://www.andrewwainstein.com/

In this episode, we chat with the accomplished journalist and writer Kate Maxwell.

From the age of 8 Kate dreamt of becoming a novelist.  Leaving Oxford with a degree in English she embarked on a successful career which took her to J Walter Thompson, Conde Nast, Soho House and Facebook, via a start-up in New York.  Yet the dream of becoming an author was finally realised in her 40's with the the publication of her debut novel Hush, shortlisted for the Bridport Prize First Novel award. 

Now working on her next book, Kate talks us through her creative journey, including;

• As a quiet, creative eight-year old dreaming of creating worlds
• Enjoying the opportunities of studying at Oxford
• Navigating her way from advertising to journalism
• Moving to NY to work for six years with Conde Nast Traveller magazine, rising to Editor roles
• Being on the leadership team of a start-up, from inception to exit
• How turning 40 provided the catalyst to finally reconnect with her dream of becoming an author
• The feeling and experience of writing her first novel
• How she sees the craft of creating a novel
• How she sees herself as a writer, how it feels to put your work out into the world
• Whether what she achieves will ever be enough

Kate:

https://www.katemaxwell.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-maxwell-34a12612/

Us:

www.linkedin.com/in/greg-vartoukian-07789a1

www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwainstein

www.boxlist.com

https://www.andrewwainstein.com/