This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by the fantastic Alison Jones — entrepreneur, publisher, author and coach. 

Alison built her career in senior roles at Oxford University Press and Palgrave Macmillan before stepping away from corporate life to create Practical Inspiration Publishing – a business that deliberately broke the traditional publishing rulebook. 

In this honest and wide-ranging conversation, we explore what it really means to go it alone – from those 3am doubts and cash-flow fears to building a sustainable, values-led and genuinely impactful business. 

In this episode, Alison shares:
• Why writing is one of the most powerful thinking tools entrepreneurs can use
• How her definition of success has changed - and why clarity matters more than ambition
• Why most entrepreneurs underestimate the emotional side of starting a business
• How to turn expertise into a feasible and scalable enterprise
• The realities of cash flow and taking risks

We also discuss entrepreneurship in a world of AI disruption, why books and deep thinking still matter, and how resourcefulness is what really carries founders through. 

If you’re thinking about starting a business, already in the thick of it, or questioning what success looks like for you, this episode is well worth a listen.

Alison Jones:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-alison-jones/
Practical Inspiration Publishing: https://practicalinspiration.com/
Podcast: https://extraordinarybusinessbooks.com/podcast-episodes/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: [email protected]

This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m kicking off 2026 with an inspiring and forward-looking conversation with Jonathan Bowman-Perks MBE – leadership coach, former British Army Officer, author and host of the Inspiring Leadership podcast. 

Jonathan’s career spans 20 years in the British Army, senior roles at PwC, IBM and Penna, and decades working with CEOs and leadership teams at the very top of global organisations. 

In this episode, we explore Jonathan’s journey – from early lessons in humility and resilience to commanding under pressure, navigating major career transitions and ultimately finding his purpose as a coach, author and podcaster. 

In this thought-provoking episode, Jonathan shares: 
⚡ Why leadership in 2026 will demand adaptability, emotional intelligence and the ability to let go.
🎖️ How his time in the British Army shaped his leadership philosophy
🧭 Why great leaders don’t pretend to have all the answers
🚪 How career setbacks, restructures and closed doors pushed him towards entrepreneurship
📚 The story behind “The CEO’s Compass” and how leaders can navigate teams through turbulent times

Jonathan also reflects on his MBE, the mentors who shaped him and why inspiring leadership has never been more important in an age of uncertainty, AI disruption and global change. 

Jonathan Bowman-Perks MBE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanperks/
Website: https://jonathanperks.com/
Inspiring Leadership podcast: https://jonathanperks.com/podcasts/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: [email protected]

This end-of-year episode is a moment to pause and reflect on some of our brilliant guest insights from the past 12 months – completely honest conversations about the entrepreneurial and leadership journey.

So many great insights – and we wish we had the room to include everyone. For this round-up episode, thank you to Bobby Dutton, Assim Ishaque, Zareen Roohi Ahmed, Emily Gill, Richard Barkey, Mindy Gibbins-Klein and Jenny Garrett for your gems and for making this episode a joy to put together. 

From embracing imperfection and learning from mistakes, to knowing when to step back as a leader, their insights are a powerful reminder that business confidence is built over time, not overnight.

🙏 A huge thank you to ALL our guests this year for your brilliant contributions and insights including: Sandra Healy, Katharine Plunkett, Liz Sebag-Montefiore, Karl Pontau, Melitta Campbell, Dani Dufresne, Mark Goyder, Andrew Hill, Kate Handy, , Charles Skinner, Steve Ramona, Suvianna Grecu and David B Horne. 

And thank you to everyone who’s listened and supported the podcast and also, to Charlotte Walter for her brilliant editing – and patience. 

We’ll be back in 2026 with new guests sharing their stories and experiences ✨

Until then, you can catch up on all our 2025 episodes, including this highlights episode via Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts!

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: [email protected]

This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by the inspiring David B. Horne – founder of Add Then Multiply and Funding Focus. 

In this episode, we explore his career, one that spans global finance, corporate leadership, and a mission to level the playing field for underrepresented founders. 

From collecting newspaper payments as a boy in Canada to raising £60 million in funding for AIM-listed companies, David’s journey is full lessons and reflections for anyone starting and growing their business. 

In this inspiring episode, David shares:
• How a paper round sparked his lifelong interest in business and finance.
• The story behind Add Then Multiply and his formula for helping entrepreneur’s scale. 
• The shocking truth about funding inequality and what David is doing about it. 
• The lessons he learned, both from successful exist – and ventures that didn’t go to plan. 

David also talks about his two books, Add Then Multiply and Funded Female Founders, and how writing them gave him clarity, credibility, and a platform to advocate for fairer access to funding.

Tune in to hear David’s perspective on what it really takes to grow, scale, and sustain a business — and why the key to success is knowing when to let go.

David Horne:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-b-horne/
Add Then Multiply (Company): https://addthenmultiply.com/
Add Then Multiply (Book): Add Then Multiply: How small businesses can think like big businesses and achieve exponential growth
Funding Focus (Company): https://funding-focus.com/
Funded Female Founders (Book): Funded Female Founders: How to traverse the uneven playing field and secure funding to grow your business

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: [email protected]

This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m delighted to be joined by Suvianna Grecu – Founder of AI for Change Foundation and DevCraft Agency, and a passionate advocate for ethical, inclusive and human-centred AI. 

Suvianna’s career story is an interesting one. A law graduate turned serial entrepreneur, she first built DevCraft, creating custom AI chatbots, before realising that the conversation around AI needed to change. 

Out of this realisation came AI for Change, a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping individuals and organisations use AI responsibly and build trust through transparency and accountability. 

In this episode, Suvianna shares her journey from law and logic to leadership and learning, the founding of a volunteer-led movement that’s now partnering with IBM and the European Commission and her mission to make AI a force for good and growth. 

Key takeaways from the episode include: 
• Trust is the ultimate currency in AI.
• Why ethics must sit at the centre of innovation.
• The challenges and rewards of building a global volunteer community.
• How to balance entrepreneurial energy with self-care and boundaries.
• The importance of pausing to reflect on what you’re trying to achieve. 
• Balancing optimism with realism – “We overestimate what we can achieve in one year but underestimate what’s possible in five”  

This is a refreshingly human conversation about purpose, passion and practical ethics in the age of AI. 

Suvianna Grecu:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/suvianna-grecu
AI for Change Foundation: aifcf.org
DevCraft Agency: devcraftagency.com 

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: [email protected]

This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by the brilliant Steve Ramona, host of Doing Business with a Servant’s Heart podcast. 

Steve is all about the network – he describes himself as a “super connector” specialising in impactful partnerships through personalised introductions. That doesn’t really cover it though. He specialises in the energy industry and is involved in $5bn dollar worth of projects and $125 million in partner deals. 

From his early days at his family’s health club in California, to mentoring founders and hosting more than 780 podcast episodes, Steve’s journey is a masterclass in building success through generosity, active listening and genuine human connection. 

In this episode, Steve shares:
• Why you can’t do entrepreneurship alone.
• Why it’s vital for entrepreneurs to seek out mentors and guidance.
• His ASLA principle – Ask. Shut up. Listen. Ask 
• Why ‘serving without expecting’ is the key to lasting impact. 
• How his podcast became a business engine. 
• How a moment of kindness at a grocery store changed his outlook on success forever. 

It’s a conversation that will leave you feeling re-energised, re-focused, and ready to serve - because as Steve says, “When you bring value and uplift others, the universe always throws the ball back.”

Steve Ramona:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveramona/
Podcast: https://www.servinginbusinesspodcast.com/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: [email protected]

This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m delighted to be joined by Charles Skinner – CEO of Restore plc.

I first met Charles 30 years ago and I have a lot to thank him for. He was the man who gave me my first job in journalism at Management Today magazine. 

Charles’s own career and entrepreneur journey is as fascinating as it is varied. From an early career in investment banking and private equity, then magazine editor, then CEO of several quoted companies before returning to Restore as CEO in the last few years. 

In this episode, he discusses the zigzags of his entrepreneurial life, the lessons learned when things go wrong and his very candid book - ‘Buy, Run, Build: A Guide to Entrepreneurship through Acquisition’ which is as humble, self-deprecating and funny as Charles is himself. 

Key takeaways include:
• Failure teaches us far more than success. 
• The importance of people-first leadership.
• How acquisitions can work for both small and large organisations.
• Don’t just rely on your advisors, do your own due diligence too.
• Why you must focus on secure revenues first – stability before scale. 

This is a reflective and very human conversation about entrepreneurship, growth and humility in business.

Charles Skinner:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/charles-skinner-43833a1b6
New Book: Buy, Run, Build - A guide to entrepreneurship through acquisition
Restore Plc: https://www.restoreplc.com/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: [email protected]

This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by the fantastic Jenny Garrett OBE – an award-winning Author, Speaker, Thought Leader and Founder of Jenny Garrett Global. 

Jenny’s entrepreneurial journey didn’t begin with a grand plan. It started cautiously, carving out one day a week to test her new coaching path. Now, it’s a thriving business that is 20 years strong. 

Along the way, Jenny has become a leading voice in inclusive leadership and empowerment, helping women and underrepresented groups break through barriers. 

In this episode, Jenny shares wisdom that every entrepreneur and leader can learn from, including: 

• Starting small – Why she began by coaching one day a week before taking the leap into full-time entrepreneurship. 
• Building communities – Creating “jellies” (co-working meetups) to beat entrepreneurial loneliness and launching the UK’s first Diverse Executive Coach Directory.
• Inclusive leadership – How to go beyond the tick-box to create real, long-term impact in organisations
• Empowering the next generation – How and why she’s helped many young people make better choices and grow in confidence. 
• AI as a mirror – Why the real danger is having our own biases reflected back at us and how AI can be harnessed for equity. 
• Advice for entrepreneurs – Such as playing the long game, charging your worth, protecting your holidays, and not waiting too long to delegate.

Jenny’s story is one of courage, clarity, and commitment to making business a force for equity and empowerment.

Jenny Garrett:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jennygarrettreflexion
Coach Directory: https://diverseexecutivecoaches.co.uk/
Podcast: https://aiforequity.world/
Rocking Ur Teens CIC: https://rockingurteens.com/
Website: jennygarrett.global 
Email: [email protected]

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: [email protected]

This week on The Merri-Cast podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Mindy Gibbins-Klein – Founder of The Book Midwife and Giving 1%. 

Mindy describes herself as an “accidental entrepreneur”, but what an accident it turned out to be! Redundancy pushed her into building a career that’s empowered thousands of authors, leaders and entrepreneurs to share their stories with the world. 

In our conversation, Mindy shares powerful insights that will inspire anyone thinking about writing a book, growing a business or leading with purpose.

Highlights include: 
• Books as legacy - A book is a “sacred part of you going out into the world.” Too many people die with their book still inside them.
• The 90-day book process - Forget the myth that writing a book takes years. With the right mindset, structure and accountability, it can be done in 90 days.
• Thoughtful leadership vs. thought leadership - Don’t call yourself a thought leader. Let the market decide. 
• Giving 1% - From her TEDx talk, small and consistent giving can make a huge impact. Could you live on 99% of your income and give 1% to causes you care about?
• Mindy’s advice for entrepreneurs – be clear about where you’re going, check in with yourself often, and don’t let others’ opinions dictate your path.

This episode is full of Mindy’s trademark energy and practical wisdom. If you’ve thought about writing a book, wondered how to stand out as a genuine leader or simply want to make a big difference with small, consistent actions, this conversation is for you. 

Don’t let your story, your book or your leadership stay hidden. 

Mindy Gibbins Klein:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindygibbinsklein/
Giving 1%: https://giving1percent.com/
The Book Midwife: https://bookmidwife.com/
The Thoughtful Leader: https://mindygk.com/
Tedx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_Fft9u69as
Email: [email protected]

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: [email protected]

This week on The Merri-Cast podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Richard Barkey – Founder and CEO of Imparta. 

I first met Richard almost 20 years ago, when his sharp questions about PR effectiveness left a lasting impression on me. Since then, he’s gone on to build and scale a business in a sector that is notoriously difficult to grow. 

How has he done it? With curiosity, resilience and innovation at every turn. 

In our conversation, Richard shared his journey and valuable insights that every entrepreneur can learn from, including: 

• How an engineer’s mindset helped him pivot from McKinsey to founding Imparta.
• Why early investment and serendipity gave him the springboard to build something that would last.
• The importance of reinvention: from the dot-com bubble, through the 2008 crash, to pivoting early during the pandemic.
• His forward-looking approach on AI in sales and coaching, including its potential and the pitfalls of “cognitive offloading”. 
• How he managed to break into the US market and scale globally, in a sector where many others have failed.
• His practical advice for entrepreneurs.

Richard’s story is one of persistence, vision and adaptability. If you’re navigating challenges in your own entrepreneurial journey, this episode is for you. 

Richard Barkey:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-barkey-72604a4/
Imparta: https://imparta.com/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: [email protected]