What's Your Stori?

In this episode of What’s Your Stori?, James speaks with Lowri and Claire, mothers and co-founders of The Staging House Wales, a home staging business that prepares and presents properties to look their best for sale. Lowri shares how postnatal depression led her to discover the impact of “visual noise” and the psychology of space, first launching a decluttering and lifestyle management service before the pair realised they were naturally staging homes. After reconnecting again as mums and aligning their strengths, they formally launched Staging House Wales and discuss why staging helps properties stand out, especially vacant homes, by creating emotional connection, justifying price, reducing time on market, and potentially increasing sale value. They describe their process, local partnerships, and hopes to help home staging become standard practice in Wales.

In this episode of What’s Your Stori?, we welcome therapist, author, and copywriter Debra Penrice to explore wellbeing, healing, and the power of listening.

Debra shares how her background in marketing and case study copywriting shaped her belief in “inner stories” and led to founding her therapy practice, Story Healing, focused on unpicking repetitive thought patterns. She discusses experiencing severe sleep problems that contributed to a mental health breakdown, and how rebuilding routine with support from business coach Adam Brooks helped her recover.

Debra explains why she retrained as a therapist, her solution-focused approach, and how different modalities, from CBT to hypnotherapy and body-based methods, can help people. She introduces her book, Untold and Retold: Unblocking the Hidden Stories that Shape Our Lives, featuring 13 authors, and shares where to buy it and how to connect.00:00 Welcome And Guest Intro00:55 Life And Work Today01:49 What Is Story Healing02:28 Copywriting Origins03:49 Connections And Coaching06:40 Power Of Case Studies08:41 Listening As A Skill11:31 Sleep Breakdown And Recovery14:12 Why Retrain As Therapist16:14 Solution Focus Therapy17:14 Book Untold And Retold20:09 Stories Inside Volume One20:27 Debs Three Chapters21:28 Editing Favorites And Collaborators22:09 Future Vision For Story Healing24:40 Empathy Versus Sympathy27:02 Therapy Modalities Explained29:48 Supporting Friends Through Hard Times31:01 Where To Buy The Book31:33 Who The Book Is For32:49 Connect With Debs Online33:32 Whose Story To Hear34:28 Final Thanks And Wrap

In this episode of the What’s Your Stori?, James speaks with Jessica, founder of Spuddy Lovely; a Swansea-based jacket potato business run alongside her mother and best friend, Ebony. Jess shares how she worked in childcare and hospitality from age 15, returned to work during maternity, and how her son Oscar’s diagnosis with craniosynostosis and the financial pressures around his major skull operation became a turning point that pushed her to build a business she could control.

Jess explains how she chose jacket potatoes as a healthier, high-demand alternative to a burger van, validated the idea through local feedback, and began with a converted horsebox (inspired by another local horsebox business). She details sourcing the horsebox from Great Yarmouth, fitting it out with help from Sean and her father-in-law, creating early branding, and developing the name “Spuddy Lovely” from the phrase “bloody lovely.”

They discuss the realities of starting up in hospitality - funding, sourcing stock, navigating licenses, and the lack of formal support. Along with the importance of relationships with other small businesses. After just over a year with the horsebox, Jess moved into a shop in Gorseinon, Swansea, influenced by her dad’s advice to test the waters first and reduce overhead risk. She reflects on learning to improve work-life balance while running the shop, adjusting opening hours around her son, and building customer loyalty through service and a fun, Welsh-culture-led brand.

Jess shares popular menu items like her chicken curry spud and rotating daily specials (including cheeseburger and taco spuds), explains her simple pen-and-paper ordering system, and talks about future ambitions such as opening another shop and eventually operating in motorway services. The conversation also touches on the current economic pressures on UK businesses, staffing challenges, and their shared experience at the Swansea Bay Business Awards, where Jess was Highly Commended for Young Person of the Year. The episode ends with Jess naming Freddie Mercury as the story she’d most like to hear and pointing listeners to Spuddy Lovely on Instagram, Facebook, and Google.

00:00 Welcome to What’s Your Story (Podcast intro)

00:33 Meet Jess from Spuddy Lovely: award-winning spud vibes

01:19 What is Spuddy Lovely? The brand, the team, and the fun factor

03:11 Jess’s backstory: early jobs, childcare, and the pull toward food

06:01 The turning point: Oscar’s diagnosis and the push to go self-employed

08:47 From burger van to jacket potatoes: finding a gap in the market

11:44 Getting the horsebox: the Great Yarmouth mission

14:16 Building the business: fitting out the box, logo glow-up & naming Spuddy Lovely

17:46 Real-world challenges: money, licenses, and learning from other small businesses

22:05 From horsebox to shop: testing the waters, loyal customers, and staffing realities

25:22 Hiring, Team Culture & Why Customer Service Makes or Breaks You

26:07 Keeping It in the Family: Working with Mum (and Wife!)

27:57 How Jess Hires: Personality Over Qualifications

29:23 One Year in the Shop: Winging It, Specials & Daily Problem-Solving

30:56 Lessons Learned: Burnout, Boundaries & Work–Life Balance

33:41 What’s Next? More Shops, Service Stations & Big Spud Dreams

35:35 Menu Talk: Bestsellers, Daily Specials & Old-School Pen-and-Paper Orders

38:01 Awards Night Stories: Swansea Bay Business Awards & “Swansea Paul”

44:18 Networking, Tendering & The Reality of ‘Who You Know’

47:01 Freddie Mercury, Favourite Queen Track & Final Wrap-Up

In this episode of What’s Your Stori?, James sits down with Ioan Bowen-Pickett, founder of Cambrensis, a Welsh designer menswear brand based in Cardiff. Ioan explains the meaning behind the name (Latin for “of Wales”), the brand’s Welsh miners’ lamp logo inspired by industrial heritage, and his ambition to build the number one fashion house in Wales - after already hosting Wales’s biggest-ever runway show.Ioan shares how his love of menswear began through following Cardiff City and being drawn to timeless Italian brands like Stone Island and CP Company, while distancing himself from football “casual culture.” He traces his early creative journey from designing a new PE kit for his school at 14–15 years old, earning a placement in Nottingham with Player Layer (then UK supplier for Under Armour), and learning clothing production and Illustrator, skills that set him on his current path.He describes starting Cambrensis during COVID through trial and error with no mentoring or financial support, funding the brand by working in a Greek restaurant, and learning production details through costly mistakes. He discusses studying at the University of Westminster in London (influenced by Professor Andrew Groves) and shifting focus from branding and product development to marketing and growth.The conversation also covers Cambrensis’ upcoming invite-only London Fashion Week event at the Welsh Centre, including a collaborative collection, “Genoa,” with menswear author Anthony Rivers that honours Italian heritage in Wales and Welsh Valleys café culture, featuring a fashion film shot in an original Italian café. Ioan highlights the importance of celebrating Welsh culture and language, and talks about targeting Welsh cultural figures to wear the brand.Finally, Ioan reflects on being inspired by his late great-uncle, artist Dewi Bowen, whose Welsh-heritage artwork is used in the brand, and shares exclusive news about a planned mural in Merthyr’s new indoor market honouring Bowen’s work. He closes by sharing where to find Cambrensis online (cambrensis.co.uk and @cambrensis).00:00 Welcome to What’s Your Story + Meet Ioan, founder of Cambrensis00:49 What is Cambrensis? The ‘of Wales’ menswear mission & biggest runway show02:10 Falling in love with menswear: football culture, identity, and Welsh roots03:07 Stone Island, ‘casual culture’ & building a premium brand without the baggage05:44 Naming the brand: Latin ‘Cambrensis’, subtle Welsh identity & the origin story08:59 Authenticity & the miner’s lamp logo: honoring industrial heritage (not politics)10:20 First design break: creating a new school sports kit and getting sent to Nottingham14:29 From COVID hustle to London fashion school: logo grind, sampling fails, and launching18:05 Bootstrapping the Brand: Funding It Yourself & Learning Through Losses20:27 Letting Go: Building a Team Without Losing Control22:15 Next 6 Months: Growth Goals & First London Fashion Week Event22:46 Collab Spotlight: The ‘Genoa’ Collection, Fashion Film & Invite-Only Showcase24:31 Welsh Pride & Cultural Icons: From Gareth Bale to Brand Ambassadors26:56 Big Vision: Becoming Wales’ #1 Fashion House (and Why Wales Needs One)28:24 Creative Inspiration: Honouring His Late Great-Uncle Dewi Bowen’s Art31:05 Exclusive News: New Mural Project in Merthyr’s Indoor Market32:25 Wrap-Up: Event Details, Where to Follow, and Final Goodbyes

Welcome to Season 2 of the What's Your Stori? Podcast. It's been a while since we've released an episode, but we're back! In this dynamic episode of What's Your Stori?, James sits down with Dr. Tennessee Randall, a world champion kickboxer and accomplished researcher. Tennessee shares her journey from being bullied as a child to becoming a world champion in kickboxing, all while pursuing an impressive academic career. She talks about her rigorous training schedule, her role as a researcher at the BIOHUB, and the family-run WKO Kickboxing Academy. Hear about the challenges she faced, her inspirations, and how she balances her multifaceted life.

Connect with her:

Instagram: @TennesseeRandall & @wkomartialarts

Website: www.wko-kickboxing-llanelli.co.uk

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:26 Meet Dr. Tennessee Randall

01:21 A Day in the Life of a Researcher and Athlete

02:47 Exploring Consumer Psychology

05:46 The Journey into Kickboxing

10:43 Balancing Academics and Athletics

15:50 The Path to a PhD

18:12 Running a Family Kickboxing Business

20:01 John's Martial Arts Journey

20:12 Kickboxing for All Ages

20:34 The Kickboxing Gym and Community

22:08 Founding WKO Kickboxing Academy

24:39 Challenges and Growth During COVID

28:24 The Move to Swiss Valley

30:59 Tennessee's Competitive Spirit

31:42 Advice for Aspiring Business Owners

33:42 Future Goals in Kickboxing

37:53 Inspiration and Gratitude

40:11 Closing Remarks and Contact Information

In this engaging episode of What's Your Stori?, James welcomes Tracy Pike MBE, Chief Executive Officer of CYCA.

Tracy delves into her extensive career in youth wellbeing, discussing the wide-ranging services offered by her charity, including mental health support, social prescribing, and family therapy.

She highlights the importance of addressing trauma, forming secure attachments, and empowering families. Tracy also shares her thoughts on resilience, the critical role of continued education, and her personal experiences, including receiving an MBE.

Tune in to learn about the impactful work Psych is doing and discover practical insights into improving youth mental health and wellbeing.

Timestamps00:00 Introduction to What's Your Stori? Podcast00:38 Meet Tracy Pike MBE: A Local Charity Leader01:22 James Joins as a Trustee02:24 A Week in the Life of a CEO and Wellbeing Practitioner05:13 Making a Difference in Children's Lives13:40 The Role of Trauma in Child Development16:44 The Importance of Secure Attachments29:06 Continuous Learning and Professional Growth31:55 Reflections on Retirement and Future Goals32:45 Insights from Lifelong Learning and Writing35:41 The Importance of Language in Emotional Health37:32 Recognition and Achievements43:55 Challenges and Strategies in Charity Work45:59 Connecting with the Community and Future Plans52:24 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

In this episode of What's Your Stori?, James sits down with Huw Edwards, the co-founder of Tidy Tea, to explore the journey of creating a sustainable tea brand from West Wales. From farming roots and challenges in the food industry to coming up with the idea during lockdown and navigating the complexities of production, Huw shares the inspiring story behind Tidy Tea. Learn about their unique plastic-free pyramids, the family's involvement, and their ambitious plans for the future. Discover how a small Welsh brand is making a mark on the national and potentially global stage.00:00 Welcome to What's Your Stori?00:34 Introducing Today's Guest: The Tea Boy aka Huw01:28 The Birth of Tidy Tea01:58 From Farming to Tea: A Journey of Innovation03:04 Challenges and Opportunities in the Tea Business03:52 Creating a Family-Driven Brand07:30 The Importance of Welsh Identity in Branding15:03 Navigating the Food and Drink Industry in Wales18:27 Expanding the Product Line: From Tea to Coffee19:14 Exploring Tidy Tea's Unique Products20:27 Exploring Tea Preferences21:05 Sustainability in Tea Production22:52 Innovative Tea Packaging24:02 Business Growth and Challenges28:50 Cybersecurity Concerns33:05 Lessons Learned from Scams35:08 Future Aspirations and Reflections37:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Meet Alun Jones, a self-professed social media geek and business owner, shares his journey in the world of digital marketing.

Alun discusses the inception and growth of his media marketing agency, Libera, founded in 2023, and elaborates on their content creation, paid ads, and strategy services. He also highlights the creation and success of the Social Media Conference Cymru, driven by the need for accessible industry learning within Wales.

He shares his passion for rugby refereeing and its role in maintaining his work-life balance.

The episode encapsulates insights into evolving digital trends, the importance of targeting audiences effectively, and the need for specialised local industry events.

In this episode of What’s Your Stori?, James chats with Celyn Lazenby, owner of The Strength Hub in Capel Hendre, Wales.

Celyn shares her journey from a young athlete dealing with an eating disorder to becoming a successful gym owner and personal trainer. They discuss the challenges and triumphs of opening a community-focused gym, the importance of mental health in fitness, and how her personal experiences shape her approach to coaching.

Learn about the innovative ways Celyn and her team support their clients’ physical and mental well-being, and the incredible growth of The Strength Hub in less than a year.Don't forget to subscribe and like this episode for more stories like this

In this episode of the What's Your Stori? James sits down with 16-year-old entrepreneur Lewis, the winner of the Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 award in the Carmarthenshire Business Awards, Chickwood Poultry. Lewis shares his inspiring journey of starting his poultry business at the age of 13, discussing the challenges he faced, his triumphs, and the various aspects of running a successful poultry farm. From selling eating eggs and breeding groups to expanding his operations, Lewis offers valuable insights into his day-to-day activities and future plans. Tune in to hear how this young business owner manages his time between college, farming, and other pursuits like fishing and football while maintaining a passion for his family's farming legacy. Timestamps00:00 Welcome to What's Your Stori?00:35 Introducing the Young Entrepreneur00:58 Lewis Thomas Early Business Journey01:58 The Birth of Chickwood Poultry03:17 Expanding the Business06:01 Understanding Poultry Breeds and Practices11:26 Challenges and Regulations in Poultry Farming17:57 Achievements and Future Plans21:49 Working on the Farm22:37 Balancing Hobbies and Business23:21 College Life and Future Plans24:41 Learning from Mistakes28:16 Public Speaking and School Life31:25 The Future of Farming41:01 Expanding the Business42:21 Where to Find Chickwood Poultry