Virgin StartUp Changemakers

In this live episode of Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Ben Keene is joined by the founders behind Seedlip, Little Moons and The Vurger Co. to explore what it takes to turn a food or drink idea into a brand that can grow.

From spending years perfecting a product to testing ideas at market stalls, winning over restaurant chefs and securing supermarket listings, the founders share very different routes to building successful food and drink businesses. They discuss pricing, product development, branding, bootstrapping and why creating something people genuinely want has to come before chasing scale.

Whether you're developing your first food or drink product, trying to break into retail or working out how to scale an existing brand, this episode offers practical founder lessons on creating a standout product and building a business around it.

Featuring:

• Ben Branson, founder of Seedlip
• Vivien Wong, co-founder of Little Moons
• Neil Potts, co-founder of The Vurger Co.

In this episode:

• Turning a food or drink idea into a viable business
• Knowing when your product is ready to launch
• Testing products and learning directly from customers
• Breaking into restaurants, retailers and supermarkets
• Pricing a product when you're creating something new
• Why strong branding needs an equally strong product
• Bootstrapping versus bringing in outside investment
• Building a bigger business without losing sight of its purpose

Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about.

Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business.

Looking to start or grow your own business?

Find out more at virginstartup.org

Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this live episode of Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Ben Keene is joined by Swim Society founder Montana Brown, NICE co-founder Lucy Wright and producer and podcaster Pilar Nalwimba to explore how founders can turn social media attention into genuine community and business growth.

From choosing the right platforms and creating content people actually want to engage with to working with influencers and turning followers into customers, the panel shares practical lessons from building brands and audiences online. They also discuss why consistency matters, how data can sharpen your social strategy and why authentic connection beats simply chasing follower numbers.

Whether you're launching your first social channels, struggling to turn engagement into sales or trying to build a loyal community around your brand, this episode offers practical advice for making social media work harder for your business.

Featuring:

• Montana Brown, founder of Swim Society
• Lucy Wright, co-founder of NICE
• Pilar Nalwimba, producer, presenter and podcaster

In this episode:

• Turning followers into customers and community
• Choosing the right social media platforms for your audience
• Why consistency matters more than simply posting more
• Creating content that offers value beyond selling your product
• Using data to understand what your audience responds to
• Working with influencers when you have a limited budget
• Why authenticity and direct customer conversations matter
• Protecting your wellbeing while building a business online

Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about.

Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business.

Looking to start or grow your own business?

Find out more at virginstartup.org

Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this live episode of Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Ben Keene is joined by creative and brand experts from Pinterest, Depixym and Untapped Digital to explore how startups can use storytelling to stand out and build stronger connections with their customers.

From defining why your business exists to finding your audience and developing an authentic voice, the panel explores what makes a brand memorable beyond its logo or visual identity. They discuss founder-led storytelling, building a brand with limited resources, using social media to create community and why clarity and consistency matter more than trying to appeal to everyone.

Whether you're building a brand from scratch, struggling to communicate what makes your business different or looking for better ways to connect with customers, this episode offers practical ideas for turning your story into a genuine competitive advantage.

Featuring:

• James Hurst, Global Creative Director at Pinterest
• Alice Rhodes, co-founder of Depixym
• Corrie Jones, founder of Untapped Digital

In this episode:

• Why your founder story can be one of your strongest brand assets
• The six questions that can bring clarity to your brand
• Finding the right audience instead of trying to appeal to everyone
• Balancing the founder's voice with customer-led storytelling
• Building an authentic brand without a big budget
• Using social media to create community, not just broadcast content
• How to communicate during periods of uncertainty and change
• Why understanding your wider competition can sharpen your positioning

Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about.

Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business.

Looking to start or grow your own business?

Find out more at virginstartup.org

Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this live episode of Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Ben Keene is joined by the founders behind The Glowcery, The Plattery and Pieces of the Puzzle to explore what it takes to start and grow a business when the world around you feels anything but certain.

From launching a skincare brand days before lockdown to turning a catering business into a model that also tackles food poverty, the founders share how they tested ideas, managed limited finances, found customers and adapted when plans went off course. They also discuss pricing, ecommerce, influencer marketing and why trusting your instincts matters when there is no obvious next step.

Whether you're sitting on a business idea, preparing to launch or trying to adapt an existing startup, this episode offers practical lessons on starting small, learning as you go and building momentum without waiting until everything feels perfect.

Featuring:

• Roshanne Dorsett, founder of The Glowcery
• Ayesha Pakravan, founder of The Plattery and Vital Meals
• Hannah Adams, founder of Pieces of the Puzzle

In this episode:

• Starting a business when the timing feels far from perfect
• Testing an idea without investing huge amounts upfront
• Managing personal finances while building a startup
• Pricing your product for profit, customers and future growth
• Using Instagram, influencers and ecommerce to find early customers
• Knowing when to trust advice and when to trust your instincts
• Turning setbacks into opportunities to adapt
• Protecting your energy and wellbeing while building a business

Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about.

Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business.

Looking to start or grow your own business?

Find out more at virginstartup.org

Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this live episode of Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Ben Keene is joined by the founders of The Dots, Sanctus and MindBerry for an open conversation about founder mental health and the emotional reality of building a business.

From tying your identity to your startup to recognising the warning signs of burnout, the panel explores the pressures founders rarely talk about. They share their own experiences of failure, anxiety, grief and stepping back, alongside practical ways to protect your wellbeing, build resilience and create a support network when running a business feels lonely.

Whether you're starting a business, leading a growing team or finding it difficult to switch off from founder life, this episode offers a reminder that looking after yourself is part of building something sustainable.

Featuring:

• Pip Jamieson, founder of The Dots
• James Routledge, founder of Sanctus
• Sandra de Monte, founder of MindBerry

In this episode:

• Why your business should not become your entire identity
• Recognising the early warning signs of founder burnout
• Dealing with failure without seeing yourself as a failure
• The relationship between entrepreneurship, anxiety and uncertainty
• Why founders need people they can be vulnerable with
• Setting boundaries and learning when to switch off
• Building a team that supports rather than drains you
• Why looking after your mental health is part of running a business

Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about.

Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business.

Looking to start or grow your own business?

Find out more at virginstartup.org

Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this live episode of Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Ben Keene is joined by leaders from B Corp, FutureX and Futuremade to ask a big question: what should the next generation of founders be building?

From purpose-led business and changing consumer expectations to sustainability, technology and entirely new ways of working, the conversation looks beyond short-term trends to explore the forces reshaping entrepreneurship. The panel discusses why profit and positive impact do not need to compete, how collaboration can create change at scale, and why founders should think much further into the future while taking practical action today.

Whether you're developing a new business idea, rethinking your business model or considering the long-term impact you want your company to have, this episode offers a thought-provoking perspective on building businesses that are ready for what comes next.

Featuring:

• Tracey Follows, futurist and founder of Futuremade
• Bruce Walker, CEO and co-founder of FutureX
• James Ghaffari, B Corp and sustainable business expert

In this episode:

• The trends shaping the future of entrepreneurship
• Why purpose and profit can strengthen each other
• Building a business around people, planet and long-term value
• How technology could reshape where and how we work
• Why collaboration can be more powerful than competition
• Making sustainability part of your business as you grow
• Why founders should think beyond the traditional five-year plan
• Turning a long-term vision into action today

Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about.

Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business.

Looking to start or grow your own business?

Find out more at virginstartup.org

Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this live episode of Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Ben Keene is joined by the founders behind AKT, Baked by Steph and A South London Makers Market to explore one of the biggest decisions an entrepreneur can make: when do you quit the day job and go all in on your business?

From building startups around demanding careers to navigating money, confidence and the pressure to create the perfect product, the founders share what pushed them to make the leap. They also discuss finding the right support, learning new skills on the job and why committing to your idea can fundamentally change the way you think about your business.

Whether you're growing a side hustle, considering becoming a full-time founder or trying to work out whether your business is ready for the next step, this episode offers practical perspectives on making the transition without waiting for a perfect moment.

Featuring:

• Ed Currie and Andy Coxon, co-founders of AKT
• Daisy Tinker, co-founder of A South London Makers Market
• Steph Giordano, founder of Baked by Steph

In this episode:

• How to know when you're ready to quit the day job
• Moving from side hustle to full-time founder
• Why waiting for the perfect product can hold you back
• Managing your personal finances before making the leap
• Building confidence when your professional identity changes
• Finding mentors, advisers and people you can trust
• Learning to understand cash flow and the numbers behind your business
• Protecting your wellbeing while building something on the side

Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about.

Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business.

Looking to start or grow your own business?

Find out more at virginstartup.org

Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this live episode of Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Ben Keene is joined by founders from Lick, Huckletree and Brave Starts to tackle a question almost every aspiring entrepreneur asks: is there ever a right time to start a business?

Recorded during the uncertainty of 2020, the conversation feels remarkably relevant for anyone considering starting up in a changing market. From testing an idea before taking the leap to protecting cash, finding a co-founder and raising investment, the panel explores how founders can make decisions when there is no crystal ball and why periods of disruption can create opportunities for new businesses.

Whether you're sitting on a business idea, wondering if market conditions are right or trying to navigate uncertainty as an early-stage founder, this episode offers practical perspectives on starting small, managing risk and knowing when to move.

Featuring:

• Lucas London, co-founder of Lick
• Gabriela Hersham, co-founder of Huckletree
• Lucy Standing, occupational psychologist and founder of Brave Starts

In this episode:

• Is there ever a perfect time to start a business?
• Testing an idea before making the leap
• Spotting opportunities created by changing markets
• Managing uncertainty and founder anxiety
• Why protecting cash and runway matters
• Raising investment when market conditions are difficult
• What to look for in the right co-founder
• Why starting small can help reduce risk

Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about.

Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business.

Looking to start or grow your own business?

Find out more at virginstartup.org

Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this live episode of Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Ben Keene sits down with Tropic Skincare founder Susie Ma to explore how purpose, persistence and a clear set of values can shape the way you build and grow a business.

Susie shares how selling homemade body scrubs at Greenwich Market as a teenager grew into Tropic Skincare, and the lessons she learned along the way about pricing, selling, building trust and creating a community of ambassadors. She also explores why passion needs to evolve into purpose as a business grows, and why bigger does not automatically mean better.

Whether you're starting your first business, building a consumer brand or deciding how quickly to scale, this conversation offers practical founder lessons on sustainable growth, customer trust and staying focused on why your business exists.

In this episode:

• Turning a homemade skincare product into a business
• What selling face-to-face taught Susie about customers
• Pricing your product with confidence from day one
• Building trust in a competitive consumer market
• Growing a powerful ambassador community through word of mouth
• Why purpose can make difficult business decisions easier
• Building sustainability into products and packaging
• Why founders should focus on profit, not vanity growth

Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about.

Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business.

Looking to start or grow your own business?

Find out more at virginstartup.org

Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this live episode of Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Ben Keene is joined by Oddbox co-founder Emilie Vanpoperinghe, By Rotation founder Eshita Kabra-Davies and sustainability expert Richard Johnson to explore how founders can build positive impact into the heart of a business.

From tackling food waste and changing the way we consume fashion to measuring impact and navigating B Corp certification, the conversation explores what it really means to build a purpose-led business. The panel discusses why impact works best when it is part of the business model from the start, how to balance sustainability with commercial realities, and the role founders can play in changing customer behaviour.

Whether you're starting a sustainable business, defining your impact strategy or looking for ways to make purpose and profit work together, this episode offers practical lessons for building a business that creates meaningful change.

Featuring:

• Emilie Vanpoperinghe, co-founder of Oddbox
• Eshita Kabra-Davies, founder of By Rotation
• Richard Johnson, sustainability and business innovation expert

In this episode:

• Building positive impact into your business model from day one
• How Oddbox turned food waste into a scalable business opportunity
• How By Rotation is using the sharing economy to rethink fashion consumption
• Measuring the impact that genuinely matters to your business
• B Corp certification and when it makes sense for startups
• Finding suppliers and partners that share your values
• Balancing sustainability with the commercial realities of startup growth
• When founders should move from entrepreneurship into activism

Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about.

Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business.

Looking to start or grow your own business?

Find out more at virginstartup.org

Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.