Pip Murray, founder of Pip & Nut, joins us to share how a simple idea inspired by marathon training became Britain’s number one nut butter brand. What began with a £5,000 loan from her parents and a blender in a North London kitchen has grown into a business generating more than £40 million in annual revenue, stocked by every major UK retailer. It’s a masterclass in building a brand, staying patient, making better products, and proving that execution will always beat ideas.In this episode:◼️ Starting Pip & Nut with a £5,000 family loan◼️ Building Britain’s number one nut butter brand◼️ Why execution matters more than having a great idea◼️ Growing to £40M+ revenue after raising only £4M◼️ Why founders shouldn’t obsess over investment headlines◼️ The biggest product mistake that nearly derailed the business◼️ How to protect your brand as your team grows◼️ Remaining CEO while scaling beyond £40 million◼️ Choosing investors who back your long-term vision◼️ Why purpose, culture and creativity drive sustainable growthFrom early failures and difficult fundraising rounds to becoming the market leader, Pip shares the lessons she’s learned over more than a decade of building one of Britain’s best-loved food brands.If you’re building a consumer brand, raising investment, or simply trying to create something people genuinely love, this episode is packed with practical advice and honest founder stories.Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite and Lovey!Chapters00:00 – From Marathon Runner to Pip & NutHow a love of running and food sparked the idea for Britain’s number one nut butter brand05:30 – Building a Brand From ScratchLaunching with a £5,000 family loan, creating the first recipes and why execution beats ideas 10:30 – Putting Your Name on the ProductThe story behind Pip & Nut, building trust with consumers and the power of founder-led brands14:20 – Becoming Britain’s Number One Nut Butter BrandCreating healthier products, challenging the category and staying hungry after reaching the top19:30 – Scaling Without Losing Your IdentityGrowing the team, protecting the brand, building culture and avoiding creative drift23:00 – Raising Just £4M to Build a £40M+ BusinessChoosing the right investors, staying in control and why growth matters more than fundraising headlines 27:45 – The Biggest Business MistakeThe failed product launch that cost hundreds of thousands and the importance of focusing on your core business32:20 – Learning to Lead as CEOOvercoming self-doubt, growing with the business and why Pip nearly hired someone to replace herself35:30 – Building a Brand People LoveCreating distinctive brands, obsessing over quality and why purpose drives long-term success40:50 – Last OrdersFundraising failures, biggest lessons, founder advice and the realities of entrepreneurship

Lucy MacLeod, founder of Hair Syrup, joins us to share the remarkable story of how a homemade hair oil mixed in her parents’ conservatory became one of the UK’s fastest-growing beauty brands. What started as a personal mission to repair years of damaged hair quickly became something much bigger.Lucy never planned to start a business. She simply created a product that worked, shared her own hair transformation on TikTok, and woke up to hundreds of thousands of people asking if they could buy it. The rest is history.In this episode:◼️ Repairing years of damaged hair with homemade natural oils◼️ Going viral on TikTok before founder-led brands became the norm◼️ Building Hair Syrup from a single table in her parents’ conservatory◼️ Growing a multi-million-pound business while studying at the University of Warwick◼️ Why being rejected on Dragon’s Den became the best thing that ever happened to the brand◼️ Building one of the UK’s biggest beauty communities through social media◼️ Turning criticism into one of the most successful marketing campaigns in the company’s history◼️ Bootstrapping a business without investors or a blueprint◼️ Why authenticity beats strategy on social media◼️ Learning to embrace criticism and lead with confidenceToday, Hair Syrup sells a bottle every few seconds, is stocked by major retailers across the UK, and has become one of the country’s most recognisable beauty brands.But behind the awards, viral videos and rapid growth is a founder who simply wanted to solve her own problem first.And in doing so… Ended up solving it for millions of other people.Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite and Lovey!

Stu McDonald, founder of ManiLife, joins us to share how a chance trip to Argentina led to one of the UK’s most loved food brands. What started with a bedroom full of peanuts and a delayed accounting job offer quickly became a mission to reinvent peanut butter.After discovering a family-run peanut farm in Argentina, Stu returned to the UK convinced there was a better way to make peanut butter. One problem... His production partner pulled out the day the first shipment of peanuts arrived. So he rented a rugby club kitchen, recruited friends, and started making jars by hand.In this episode we cover:◼️ Turning down a career in accounting to start a peanut butter company◼️ Finding the Argentine family that still supplies ManiLife’s peanuts today◼️ Building a brand from a bedroom full of peanuts◼️ Landing Waitrose and scaling into the UK’s biggest retailers◼️ Growing from £1M to £4M during lockdown◼️ The burnout that nearly broke him◼️ Why founders should operate from love, not obligation◼️ Building a manufacturing business from the ground up◼️ Raising money without traditional institutional investors◼️ The biggest mistakes, failures and lessons along the way◼️ Why great products create communities, not just customersToday, ManiLife is stocked in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and thousands of independent stores across the UK.But for Stu, the mission has always been bigger than peanut butter. It’s about bringing people together, building something meaningful, and creating products that people genuinely love.As he puts it: “If it wasn’t for peanut butter, I would be single, childless, and probably still an accountant.”Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite and Lovey!Chapters00:00 – Why Peanut Butter Changed My LifeFrom accountant to entrepreneur, and how a trip to Argentina changed everything03:00 – The Bedroom Full of PeanutsMeeting the peanut farmers, bringing peanuts back to the UK, and making ManiLife by hand in a rugby club kitchen 07:45 – Landing Waitrose & Scaling the BrandThe Gusto breakthrough, meeting his future wife through ManiLife, and growing from a startup into a national brand 11:00 – Growing Too Fast & Founder BurnoutCOVID growth, scaling from £1M to £4M, panic attacks, and the dangers of operating through obligation instead of love 16:30 – The Mindset Shift That Changed EverythingHow Stu rebuilt his role, found his energy again, and learned to focus on what only a founder can do18:30 – Building Their Own FactoryWhy ManiLife took manufacturing in-house and the advantages of controlling the entire process 22:00 – Getting Into Retail & Building a CategoryWinning supermarket listings, category storytelling, and how to make products fly off the shelves25:00 – Becoming the UK’s Number One Peanut Butter BrandThe long-term vision, international expansion, and why ManiLife believes it has the best product in the market28:00 – Raising Investment Without Losing ControlCrowdfunding, angel investors, and avoiding the pitfalls of traditional institutional funding31:30 – The White Peanut Butter DisasterThe biggest mistake in ManiLife history and what happened when unroasted peanut butter hit the shelves 35:00 – Building Demand, Community & Brand LoveCreating loyal customers, working with chefs, and turning consumers into advocates40:00 – Why Independent Retailers MatterThe importance of local shops, community, and building emotional connections with customers42:00 – Final Reflections & Founder LessonsThe highs, the lows, and why entrepreneurship is both the best and worst thing you’ll ever do

Varun, co-founder of Magic AI, joins The Unemployables to share the story behind building the world’s first AI personal trainer and why nearly 150 investors rejected the idea before it became a multi-million-pound business. After transforming his own health, Varun realised personal training hadn’t evolved in decades. That insight led him to build Magic AI, an intelligent fitness mirror that analyses your form, tracks your progress and uses AI to deliver personalised coaching from home. But the journey was anything but straightforward.From running out of cash and pitching investor after investor, to scaling into the US and navigating one of the toughest funding markets in recent history, Varun shares the reality of building a disruptive technology company from scratch. In this episode:◼️ The idea behind the world’s first AI personal trainer◼️ Losing 30% body fat and discovering an outdated industry◼️ Why 150 investors rejected Magic AI◼️ The importance of grit over talent◼️ Raising millions in one of the toughest funding climates◼️ Scaling a hardware business with AI at its core◼️ Why founder intuition matters more than expert advice◼️ Expanding into the US and doubling revenue◼️ Building a lean team in the age of AI◼️ The future of fitness, health monitoring and artificial intelligenceThis conversation is about resilience, innovation and trusting your instincts when nobody else believes in your vision.Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite and Lovey!Chapters00:00 – From Overweight to EntrepreneurHow Varun’s own fitness transformation inspired the idea for Magic AI05:20 – Building the World’s First AI Personal TrainerLeaving corporate life, spotting a gap in the market and creating a completely new category08:30 – Raising £5M After 150 RejectionsWhy grit matters more than talent and the lessons learned from constant rejection13:00 – Trusting Your Instinct as a FounderInvestors, intuition and why expert advice isn’t always right17:30 – The Reality of Building a Tech StartupScaling a lean team, hiring experienced people and dealing with daily chaos20:00 – The Future of AI & Personal HealthHow Magic AI uses computer vision and where the technology is heading next24:00 – Expanding Into the USDoubling revenue, launching overseas and building a global business27:30 – Founder Mindset & LeadershipDelegation, trusting your team and growing into the CEO role29:30 – The Biggest Mistakes Along the WayBroken products, supply chain disasters and learning the hard way32:15 – Last OrdersWork-life balance, sacrifices, advice for founders and why intuition beats everything

James Noble, founder of MyFirst, joins us to share the incredible story of building one of the UK’s fastest-growing insurance businesses from absolutely nothing. Starting with just £10,000 from investors he met while caddying at Wentworth Golf Club, James left behind a career in professional golf to tackle one of the biggest frustrations facing young drivers: understanding insurance.What followed was a decade of relentless growth, setbacks, reinvestment and an obsession with building something truly category-defining.Today, MyFirst is on track to write tens of millions in insurance premiums each year, employs almost 90 people and has become one of the fastest-growing businesses in the country. In this episode:◼️ Going from golf caddy to founder◼️ Raising the first £10,000 from Wentworth members◼️ Why focusing on one niche changed everything◼️ Building a culture where work feels like spending time with friends◼️ How COVID almost destroyed the business overnight◼️ Turning a £10,000 investment into an £800,000 exit for early backers◼️ Learning from Gymshark co-founder Lewis Morgan◼️ Why James turned down investment and acquisition offers◼️ The danger of chasing money instead of mission◼️ What it really takes to build a business that dominates its marketIf you’re building a business, hiring a team or trying to create something that lasts, there’s a huge amount to take from James’ journey.

Frankie Bridge and Leah Meredith, founders of Faves, join us to share how they turned an engaged audience into one of the UK’s fastest-growing fashion, beauty and lifestyle communities.This isn’t just a social media success story.It’s a story about belonging.After years of working in industries where people often felt judged, excluded, or not “cool enough” to be part of the conversation, Frankie and Leah wanted to build something different. Something more welcoming. Something more inclusive. Something that made people feel like they belonged.In this episode we cover:◼️ The origins of Faves and how the idea first came about◼️ Turning an engaged audience into a thriving community◼️ Building a business alongside one of the UK’s most recognisable public figures◼️ The reality of dealing with criticism online◼️ Why social media can impact confidence, no matter who you are◼️ Creating spaces where people feel welcomed and included◼️ Building a business with your best friend◼️ Managing disagreements while protecting the friendship◼️ Why authenticity matters more than perfection◼️ The importance of putting yourself out there, even when it feels uncomfortable◼️ Building genuine community in a world obsessed with vanity metrics⸻Faves was built on a simple belief:You don’t need millions of followers to create something meaningful.

George Taylor, founder of FRIVE, joins us to share how he went from addiction and chaos in East London… to building one of the UK’s fastest-growing healthy food brands.This isn’t just a meal prep business. It’s a company built around a much bigger mission: Fixing Britain’s relationship with food.At 23, George was at rock bottom.Struggling with addiction, lacking direction, and spiralling without purpose, he found himself searching for something bigger. A boxing bootcamp in Ibiza changed everything. That experience introduced him to nutrition, mindfulness and discipline… and ultimately led to the idea that became FRIVE.In this episode we cover:◼️ Growing up in East London and wanting more from life◼️ Addiction, ADHD and destructive behaviour without purpose◼️ Discovering the power of food and nutrition◼️ Building Lions Prep before rebranding into FRIVE◼️ Why George believes “food should be medicine”◼️ The truth about ultra-processed food in the UK◼️ Scaling to £75M revenue with 500 employees ◼️ Why the rebrand nearly broke the business◼️ Bootstrapping growth without major outside capital◼️ Hiring leaders for high-performance cultures◼️ The pressure and sacrifice behind fast growth◼️ Why content is now the centre of modern business growthToday, FRIVE delivers millions of healthy meals across the UK, with a mission far bigger than meal prep.George wants to build a bridge between British agriculture and British people through healthier eating.

Eoin Keenan, founder of Goodrays, joins us to share how a personal struggle with anxiety led to the creation of one of the UK’s fastest-growing functional drinks brands.After discovering CBD during his time studying, Eoin became obsessed with understanding the science, policy, and potential behind it.That journey took him across the US and Canada, living out of the back of a Jeep, learning directly from hemp farmers and helping shape the early CBD industry in the UK. In this episode we cover:◼️ Using CBD to help manage anxiety and sleep issues◼️ Travelling across America learning the hemp industry from the ground up◼️ Why Goodrays was built to challenge the stigma around wellbeing◼️ Launching a completely new drinks category in the UK◼️ Getting listed in Tesco and Waitrose early on◼️ Growing into every major supermarket in the UK◼️ Raising £5M and scaling towards £20M+ sales◼️ The changing relationship people have with alcohol and health◼️ Why consumers are becoming obsessed with ingredients and wellbeing◼️ Massive founder mistakes, including printing 100,000 unusable cans◼️ The relentless reality of building a consumer brandToday, Goodrays is stocked nationwide and sits at the centre of one of the fastest-growing categories in food and drink.Chapters00:00 – Intro & Meet Goodrays01:35 – Anxiety, Sleep & Discovering CBD03:00 – Studying Drug Policy at University04:00 – Moving to the US & Living Out of a Jeep05:50 – Learning Hemp Cultivation & Supply Chains07:00 – Finding Purpose at 2408:30 – Legalising CBD in the UK09:40 – Why Goodrays Was Created11:40 – Creating the First Goodrays Drinks13:20 – Getting Into Retail Stores15:00 – Launching in Tesco & Waitrose16:40 – Scaling Across the UK & Europe18:40 – Growing Towards £20M Sales20:00 – Winning Retail Buyers Over21:00 – The Fear of Failure as a Founder22:50 – What Retailers Actually Care About23:30 – Why Alcohol Consumption Is Changing26:00 – The Rise of Wellness Culture28:20 – Wellness Burnout & Social Pressure29:50 – Taste vs Functionality31:00 – Raising £5M for Goodrays33:20 – Advice on Raising Investment34:30 – The Future of Goodrays35:30 – Mental Health & Purpose36:30 – Biggest Founder Mistakes38:20 – What Excites Owen Most Now40:20 – Quickfire Questions43:10 – Thoughts on Quitting & Final Reflections

Charlie and Dan, co-founders of EXALT, join us to break down how they built one of the UK’s most exciting fresh nutrition brands… from a scrappy shed setup to supplying Premier League teams.This is not your typical “clean eating” brand.It’s a business built on:real ingredientshands-on productionand refusing to cut cornersEXALT started with a simple frustration… No genuinely fresh, healthy options on the go.Everything was either ultra-processed… or inconvenient.So they built their own.In this episode we cover:◼️ Building a food brand from scratch (literally in a shed) ◼️ Why most “healthy” products aren’t actually fresh◼️ The truth about ultra-processed foods and preservatives◼️ Scaling from chaos to supplying Premier League teams◼️ Creating bespoke nutrition for elite athletes◼️ Why doing everything in-house changed the game◼️ The power of customer service (and turning mistakes into opportunities)◼️ Building a high-performance team and culture◼️ Why being founders AND partners is actually a superpower◼️ The reality of entrepreneurship… and why it’s not for everyoneChapters00:00 – Intro & Meet EXALTCharlie & Dan introduce the brand and how it all started01:00 – Why EXALT ExistsThe problem with “healthy” food on the go03:15 – The Origin StoryFrom personal experience to business idea06:45 – Taking the Leap (2019)Quitting jobs and going all in08:30 – Fresh vs Ultra-Processed FoodWhy most “healthy” drinks aren’t actually fresh10:00 – What’s Actually Inside the ProductReal ingredients and whole food philosophy12:00 – Early Days in the ShedManual graft, chaos, and figuring it out15:00 – Innovating Food Science (HPP)How they preserve freshness without preservatives18:30 – Working With Cambridge UniversityPotential breakthrough in food preservation20:23 – The 80/20 Lifestyle PhilosophyBalance, nutrition, and real life22:00 – Getting Into the Premier LeagueHow Spurs became their first big breakthrough24:30 – Scaling Into Pro SportCustom drinks for elite athletes27:00 – Building a DTC BusinessGrowth strategy and channels29:00 – Customer Service That WinsTurning mistakes into major opportunities31:00 – Growth & Retail StrategyDTC vs wholesale vs physical stores34:30 – Early Mistakes & LessonsPackaging fails, overcomplicating, learning fast37:00 – Building as a CoupleWhy founders in a relationship can be an advantage40:00 – Culture & Team PhilosophyHiring, pay rises, and looking after people46:30 – The Future of EXALTUS expansion, sport growth, and scaling50:00 – Reality of EntrepreneurshipHow hard it really is52:00 – Quickfire QuestionsFinal thoughts and lessons

Charlie Robinson, founder of Water2, joins us to break down how he built a £20M business with just 3–4 people… and why 1% of the UK now drinks filtered water through his product.It’s a business built on simplicity, leverage, and obsession with growth.Charlie dropped out of university within weeks…Started multiple failed ventures…And then found a problem big enough to build a generational company around.In this episode we cover:◼️ Building a £20M business with a team of just 3–4 people ◼️ Why “keeping the main thing the main thing” scaled everything◼️ The DTC model that allowed massive growth with minimal overhead◼️ How one ad can outperform thousands of hours of work◼️ The importance of leverage in modern business◼️ Why most founders chase distractions instead of growth◼️ Turning customers into repeat revenue through subscriptions◼️ The reality behind rapid scaling (and why it’s not as complex as people think)◼️ How Water2 is tackling a problem that could define the next decade◼️ Why Charlie is obsessed with making money… as a scoreboard for impactWater2 isn’t just about better tasting water.It’s about solving a real, growing problem around contaminants, microplastics, and outdated infrastructure…And building a company that could last for decades.