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The Naked Founder
The Naked Founder episodes
- James Laithwaite: How rugby league's unluckiest player won in business
James Laithwaite has been described as rugby league’s unluckiest player after fracturing his left leg four times and breaking his neck during a career that saw him play for Warrington Wolves, Toronto Wolfpack and Bradford Bulls.
However, from the depth of despair, he launched premium meal prep delivery firm FuelHub in 2019 with his wife Michelle.
Today the company is working with some of the UK’s most talented sports stars and clubs and now makes 20,000 meals a week.
FuelHub has now grown turnover to £6.5m and forged a partnership with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.
In this episode of the Naked Founder podcast, James and Michelle Laithwaite discuss:
· Fearing he was paralysed after breaking his neck
· How his spells out injured inspired FuelHub· How love blossomed after an online date and turned into a business· Raising £1.2m from AJ Bell founder Andy Bell and former director Fergus Lyons· Partnering with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom· How their son was born on their launch day· The secret of working with your partnerThis episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle – The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
To sponsor the show, email [email protected]
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction – Michelle & James Laithwaite, founders of Fuel Hub0:20 What didn't they tell you about founding a business?0:51 From 10,000 meals to £5 million – how the weight of responsibility grows1:50 The story: single mum meets rugby player, and an unlikely partnership begins3:10 Watching James break his leg at the AJ Bell Stadium on their second date4:22 Wanting to eat healthy but not being able to find the quality – the light-bulb moment5:37 Launching Fuel Hub eight months pregnant – and Stanley arriving early6:31 Brand story, green identity, and the three pillars: premium, trust, quality8:49 Starting with £20k, a £20 eBay desk, and a red swivel chair10:34 Selling the family home, moving into a two-bed flat, and taking no wage11:11 The landlord connection: how Fergus Lyons led them to a £1.2m investment from Andy Bell12:41 Warrington Wolves, Chelsea, England Rugby – leveraging James's sporting contacts14:08 Eddie Hearn ordered off his own back: how the Matchroom partnership came about17:19 Never racing to the bottom – why staying premium builds loyal subscribers18:51 The subscription model and the power of authentic LinkedIn storytelling20:08 Michelle reads their five-year anniversary LinkedIn post live22:15 The reality of being a female CEO – school calls, tiredness, and raw honesty24:04 Co-founder dynamics: CEO vs COO, and why being so different makes it work25:50 Drawing the line between work and home life with kids and a clear 8pm rule27:48 Date nights in the Lake District and trusting the team enough to switch off28:59 Michelle on public speaking, BBC Radio 5 Live, and getting comfortable being visible30:32 James's turn: Michelle doesn't like being told what to do (he nods vigorously)31:38 Transitioning from professional rugby to business – resilience, injuries, and broken necks34:53 Starting from scratch: learning emails, invoicing, and everything from the ground up36:33 An insatiable appetite to learn – podcasts, people, and being a sponge37:27 Advice for couples thinking about co-founding: sacrifice, hard work, and plan A only37:54 Vision for Fuel Hub: 100,000 meals a week, a forever home, and B2B growth41:24 Letter to a younger Michelle: always trust your gut and never deviate41:59 Wrap-up43 min - Jonathan Fitchew: ‘I still think about my late business partner every day’
As the co-founders of Pareto Law, Jonathan Fitchew and Andy Sawer were inseparable.
For 26 years they shared the same office and, when away on business trips, even shared the same bed rather than book separate rooms.
One look at his best friend’s empty desk after he died in 2021 was enough to convince Fitchew that he could never work there again.
In this episode of the Naked Founder podcast, he discusses:
• The grief of losing your best friend and business partner• Going again with the launch of Apprentify• Growing Apprentify to £25m turnover and 250 staff• His regrets at selling Pareto Law to Randstad• Being kicked out of school for being rebellious• Relaxing by keeping chickens and building LegoThis episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle' - The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
To sponsor the show, email [email protected]
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Jonathan Fitchew & Apprentify00:28 What They Don't Tell You About Founding a Business00:53 Would You Do It All Over Again?01:39 Losing a Co-Founder: The Story of Andy Sawyer02:25 Andy's Illness, COVID & Keeping the Business Alive04:00 Friend First, Founder Second: How Andy & Jonathan Met05:11 You Can't Force a Business Partnership05:47 Risk Taking vs. Gambling: The Entrepreneurial Mindset07:03 Borrowing 15 Grand & Pitching a Bank Manager07:47 Why They Named It Pareto Law09:52 Hiring Graduates Over Experienced Salespeople10:07 Starting in a Broom Cupboard in Salford (1995)10:51 Sharing a Room, Sharing a Business: Life with Andy11:57 Did You and Andy Ever Disagree?12:45 Pareto Law Grows to £40M & 400 Staff13:25 When Randstad Came Knocking (2008)15:02 Selling Part of the Business: The Air Was Sucked Out16:06 Visiting Andy in Hospital While Running a Business17:52 Do You Still Think About Andy? Every Single Day18:27 Leaving Pareto Law & Going Again: Launching Apprentify18:52 The Embryo of Apprentify Started Before Andy Died20:38 Still Hungry: The Eye of the Tiger21:18 How Apprentify Grew to £25M & 250 Staff23:25 AI: The Biggest Opportunity Jonathan Has Ever Seen25:27 AI Won't Replace You If You Add Value26:23 Top Tips for Anyone Thinking of Starting a Business27:51 Getting Kicked Out of Boarding School28:13 The Itch That Always Needs Scratching29:44 The Chickens: Mary, Latte & Cappuccino30:57 Chickens as a Decompression Valve31:21 Building Lego as a Switch-Off: 4,000-Piece Ferrari & Concorde32:12 Whatever You Do, You're a Builder32:43 Letter to His Younger Self35 min - Holly Bennett (Moore): Rubbing shoulders with De Niro and Kylie and living with OCD
In the events industry, Holly Bennett (Moore) is almost as big a name as the stars she rubs shoulders with.
From Robert De Niro to Kylie Minogue, and from Gary Barlow to McFly, Moore has worked with them all.However, behind the confident exterior, Moore has wrestled with crippling OCD.
At one point, on New Year’s Day 2012, Moore was unable to carry on and rang the Priory to be admitted.
Moore has battled back from the depths of despair to build a multi-million-pound turnover business, partly thanks to a chance call with billionaire Fred Done.
Professional success has been matched by personal happiness, and she talks about falling in love with a member of her team and their fairytale wedding.
This episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle – The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
To sponsor the show, email [email protected]
Chapters0:00 Introduction – Holly Moore, founder of Make Events
0:36 Opening question: what didn't they tell you about founding a business?1:30 Living with OCD – how it really manifests and what it feels like4:33 Pure OCD: rumination, reassurance-seeking, and intrusive thoughts5:20 OCD relapses – the tornado that pulls you back in6:21 The darkest moment – calling the Priory on New Year's Day 20118:09 Becoming OCD-free and the new lease of life that followed9:11 Handing in her notice at AstraZeneca and testing herself12:26 Launching Make Events in 2012 – spotting the gap in Manchester13:27 Pounding the pavement: giving out business cards to venues14:26 The Fred Done call – landing a billionaire's 70th birthday party16:35 Working with Robert De Niro, Kylie Minogue, Gary Barlow and more19:10 Behind events and the mindset behind never cutting corners20:15 Building the right team and trusting them to deliver21:34 What kind of founder is Holly? Leadership style and high standards23:56 The 5am Club – early mornings, discipline, and wine with Lily Shippen25:09 Is she a workaholic? The constant fear of a clean slate each year26:44 Bootstrapping to a multi-million pound business – looking back with pride28:32 COVID and the events industry – pivoting with gift boxes and creativity30:37 Marketing through the downturn: the 10X mindset31:19 Social media, LinkedIn, and changing her name to Holly Bennett32:38 Meeting Joel – falling for someone from the team35:29 "Anything is Possible" – her personal development brand and podcast36:22 Burnout, health scares, and an OCD relapse37:30 Acquiring the PA Club with Joel and the vision ahead39:56 The importance of networks and why she's saying yes to more in future42:33 Letter to a younger Holly: work in the industry first and hire well early43:36 Wrap-up44 min - James Cole: Building a £100m company without the b*llocks
James Cole is the straight-talking founder of Panache Cruises.
He founded the luxury cruise retailer during Covid and believes in authenticity and honesty, and is partial to the odd swear word.
A two-time founder, he’s on track to build his second £100m turnover company, but this time it won’t be at the expense of his family or by turning to drink.
In this episode of the Naked Founder podcast, he discusses:
• How he nearly lost it all with his first startup Cruise118
• How stopping drinking on New Year’s Eve 2018 transformed his life• Launching Panache Cruises during Covid• Turning 50 by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for charity• Growing to £50m turnover in five years• Why his family will always come first• Meeting his hero Sir Richard BransonThis episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle – The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
To sponsor the show, email [email protected]
Chapters
0:00 Introduction: James Cole & Panache Cruises00:35 What They Don't Tell You About Founding a Business02:09 Christmas Day & Drinking to Cope: The Cruise 118 Crisis03:24 Launching Into Lehman Brothers: Nearly Going Bust04:26 Giving Up Alcohol: New Year's Eve 201805:40 Building Panache on Better Foundations06:52 How to Build a £100 Million Turnover Company07:21 The Entrepreneur's Playbook Is Bollocks08:21 Launching Cruise 118 With Everything on the Line08:49 Hour to Hour Survival: The Early Years11:17 Why Launching Panache During COVID Was the right move11:39 Leaving Cruise 118: Was There Any Sadness?12:59 What James Did Differently Second Time Around14:27 Vision 2020: Colleagues, Customers, Cruise Lines15:12 A Tour of the Panache Cruises Office16:09 What Is a Connoisseur? The Panache Sales Model16:46 Top 40 Customers: £8 Million in Bookings17:05 Thriving With Your Back Against the Wall18:20 Turning COVID Into an Opportunity: 12,000 Leads19:21 Influencer Marketing & Richard and Helen Tallew20:58 Anna Perra, CCO: Why Panache Is Different21:42 Giving Customers the CEO's Mobile Number23:18 A More Content James Cole: Family, Balance & Growth24:14 Work-Life Balance Is Bollocks — Life Balance Isn't25:47 Being Authentic on LinkedIn as a Founder27:15 Turning 50 & Climbing Kilimanjaro for Rubens Retreat28:52 Reaching the Summit: What It Meant30:07 The Road to £100 Million & Going Global30:40 Expanding Into the US, Australia & Canada32:14 Meeting Richard Branson on Necker Island33:14 The 5km Open Water Swim: Visualise It First34:31 Staff Perks, Pensions & Doing the Right Thing36:53 Long-Term Goal: World's Biggest Luxury Cruise Seller38:53 Letter to His Younger Self: Look After Yourself40 min - Hayley Roberts: I had it all until my divorce
Hayley Roberts had it all. And then she didn’t.
She founded cybersecurity business Distology in 2015 and has grown it to £63m turnover, 50 staff and offices in the UK, Netherlands and Germany.
Roberts is one of a growing number of female founders who get divorced and has opened up on the price she paid for going it alone.
In this episode of the Naked Founder podcast, she discusses:
• Why female founders can’t have it all• Why women and mothers always put themselves last• The shock realisation that having three amazing kids wasn’t enough to fulfil her• The cost of divorce, both financial and on the business• Launching Distology and why the business has never been in a better place• Why she’d tell her younger self not to worry and celebrate the little winsChapters00:00 Introduction: Hayley Roberts & Distology00:28 What They Don't Tell You About Founding a Business00:57 Childhood Dreams: Wanting to Be an Actress01:28 Dad's Influence & the Academic Route01:53 Divorce, Growth & Evolving Apart03:43 Being a Mum vs. Being a Founder05:56 Can You Have It All?08:24 How Divorce Impacted the Business09:57 Masking Your Emotions as a Leader11:00 A Hard Father & Never Feeling Good Enough12:35 Resilience: The Gift of a Tough Upbringing14:09 Mum: The Stay-at-Home Opposite14:36 First Jobs: From IBM to Toiletries16:50 The Road to Founding Distology (2015)18:29 Telling Dad She Was Starting a Business20:11 The Founding Years: Easy Bit, Hard Reality21:10 Building the Business from Scratch23:04 Juggling Three Kids & Running a Company24:11 Giving Up a Six-Figure Salary25:00 Raising Private Equity Investment (NorthEdge, 2021)27:03 The Investment Process: Did It Hurt the Business?28:17 Navigating Divorce & a PE Round at the Same Time30:34 Where Is Distology Today?31:33 How Far Ahead Does Hayley Plan?32:46 Setting Goals, Not Resolutions33:18 Key Lessons for Founders34:36 The Friday Night Review Ritual35:47 Mindset: Stop Attracting the Negative37:14 Letter to Her Younger Self: Don't Worry38 min - Peter Cliff and Jos van der Steen: From arch-enemies to best friends
Peter Cliff and Jos van der Steen hated each other when they first met but went on to launch one of the UK’s most exciting companies.
They are co-founders of CONDUCTR, which creates world-class ‘kick-ass attractions’ from its Manchester HQ.
In four years, the startup has grown turnover to £26m and staff numbers to 100, with studios in the UK, US and Middle East.
In this episode of the Naked Founder podcast, they discuss:
• Acting with Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe• Going from arch-enemies to best friends and co-founders• Risking everything to deliver a £1.6m contract for Alton Towers• Launching their two latest ventures – Game Volt and Originals• Remembering to enjoy the rideThis episode is a product of BusinessCloud. It was sponsored by ‘Financielle – The Home of Money for Women’ and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
To sponsor the show, email [email protected]
Chapters
00:00 The Naked Founder On Location at CONDUCTR, Manchester
00:35 What do you wish you'd known before launching?01:05 The reality of being a founder – relentless pivots and risk02:12 The Alton Towers deal – a £1.6M contract with 8 staff03:05 The Curse of Alton Manor – delivering the full show package04:30 No service lift, no warehouse: finding a solution on the fly06:20 Peter's backstory – trained actor, Daniel Radcliffe & drama school07:45 Leaving acting: the agent ultimatum & joining Merlin/Alton Towers08:31 Rising to Global Creative Director at Merlin09:29 Meeting co-founder Jos at Holovis – friction at first11:02 Founding CONDUCTR in 2022 with just 6 months of self-funding13:16 Early doubts, lost contracts, and a trademark dispute14:26 CONDUCTR today – £24–26M turnover, 100+ staff, global offices15:28 Game Vault & Originals – why they launched two new brands17:00 Game Face at Printworks Manchester – opening April 202617:36 How Peter & Jos handle co-founder disagreements18:28 Interview with Jos Van der Steen – co-founder perspective19:18 Friends first, founders second – the co-founder relationship20:34 Jos' backstory – IBM consultancy, South America22:12 Risk taker vs. cautious thinker – how they balance each other24:06 Vision for CONDUCTR, Game Vault & Originals26:09 Behind-the-scenes warehouse tour – arena products & interactive tech27:41 Final question: letter to your younger self28:28 Peter's advice – enjoy the journey29:30 Jos' advice – prioritise company culture30:09 Sign off31 min - 1 min
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