Most people think successful entrepreneurs spot brilliant ideas.

Sahar Hashemi believes the opposite.

In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Sahar Hashemi, entrepreneur, author, and founder of Buy Women Built. They talk about Sahar’s journey over three decades building businesses, backing herself, and why entrepreneurship is far simpler than most people make it.

Sahar shares the hard lessons from scaling Coffee Republic to 110 stores and what happened when they handed the business to the professionals. What she learned about founders staying close to their customers, why bureaucracy is the silent killer of entrepreneurial culture, and why the moment you lose sight of who you are serving, is the moment a business starts to decline.

Together they explore what a startup mindset actually looks like in practice, how to know when a growing business is quietly losing its edge, and why the single most important thing any leader can do is keep their people connected to the customer. Sahar also makes the case that something done badly is better than if it’s not done at all, and that the best thing any aspiring entrepreneur can do is start somewhere, however small.

Timestamps

3:13 Discovering New York-style coffee

9:30 The decision to leave law

12:19 First Coffee Republic

16:54 Going public

26:39 The tweet that sparked Buy Women Built

35:05 The Rose Review of Entrepreneurship

40:43 The startup mindset

51:17 No plan, just purpose

Links

Follow James Reed on LinkedIn

Follow Sahar Hashemi on LinkedIn

Find out more Buy Women Built

Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE

All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE

This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

60% of the UK diet is ultra-processed. And the food industry is manufacturing your addiction. So why is this public health crisis continuing in plain sight, and what it would actually take to change it?

Two things are clear. Britain's food system is more broken than most people realise. And Gousto is far more interesting a business than its recipe boxes suggest.

In today’s episode, James speaks with Timo Boldt, founder and CEO of Gousto, about building one of the UK's most ambitious food businesses from scratch and why, 14 years and 80 million meals later, he's only just getting started.

Timo shares how he left a career in investment banking to start again. With no money, no network, no customers, he shares what that journey has taught him about fundraising without connections, growing with your customers and building a business around a problem genuinely worth solving.

They also discuss how Gousto has used AI intelligently from the beginning, not as a replacement for people, but as a tool that makes the whole operation sharper; from cutting food waste and optimising factory logistics to building fully personalised menus that 80% of customers now rely on.

Timestamps:

01:37 What Gousto Does

06:23 From Banking to Entrepreneurship

13:24 Scrappy Startup and First Orders

25:35 Affordability Taxes and Transparency

31:16 Healthy Without Preaching

34:33 Factories And Delivery Network

42:12 China Trip AI And Robotics

Links

Follow James Reed on LinkedIn

Follow Timo Boldt on LinkedIn

Find out more about Gousto and their products

Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE

All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE

This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

What does it take to build a luxury brand by accident and keep it thriving for 30 years without ever taking outside investment?

In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Tom Faulkner, award-winning British furniture designer and founder of Tom Faulkner Limited. They talk about the unlikely journey from redundancy at a record label to running one of the UK's most distinctive handcrafted furniture brands, with showrooms in London and New York, and a workshop in Swindon that has been making things by hand since 1996.

Tom shares the story of how a side hustle in hand-painted tabletops became a serious business the moment he discovered what you could do with metal. He talks about buying a Swindon fabrication workshop for £5,000, inheriting two employees, slowly building a loyal team and a global client base. All through organic growth, word of mouth, and relationships with interior designers.

They explore what it really means to build a premium, handcrafted brand in the modern world: the growing appetite among wealthy clients to understand how things are made, why British manufacturing remains a genuine selling point in the American market, and how Tom navigated the early months of US tariffs with a decision that cost him margin but protected his customer relationships.

Together they also discuss the challenge of succession and legacy for founder-led businesses, why Tom has never chased scale for its own sake, and what he hopes to do next.

Timestamps

4:56 From Chrysalis Records to Hand-Painted Furniture

8:40 Buying the Swindon Workshop (The £5,000 Decision)

12:56 The Pimlico Road Showroom & London's Design Cluster

15:53 Expanding to New York

20:24 Staying Artisan: Organic Growth & British Manufacturing

25:20 Signature Pieces: Capricorn & the Collections

36:13 Navigating Business Challenges & US Tariffs

43:01 Future Plans: Collaborations, Sculpture & What's Next

57:04 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs

Follow James Reed on LinkedIn

Follow Tom Faulkner on LinkedIn

Find out more about Tom Faulkner LTD and their products HERE

Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE

All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE

This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

How can a major museum be run with the same entrepreneurial mindset as a high-growth business?

In today's episode, James Reed speaks with Elizabeth McKay, Director and CEO of the London Transport Museum. While many perceive museums as static archives, Elizabeth explains how she applies commercial strategy to ensure one of London’s most iconic cultural landmarks remains financially sustainable and relevant in a modern economy.

Elizabeth shares insights from her unconventional career journey and explains why the museum identifies as the best in the world for urban transport. They explore the evolution of work through the lens of London’s history, from the original "chairmen" who carried sedan chairs to the "navvies" who hand-dug the first underground network.

Together they discuss the balance between preserving heritage and driving innovation, including the story of Harry Beck’s revolutionary Tube map and how it was initially rejected for being too radical. Elizabeth also outlines the realities of leading a cultural institution that functions as both a charity and a successful commercial entity.

Timestamps

01:48 Transport history highlights

09:50 Young entrepreneurs message

20:04 Design DNA of TFL

24:26 Running the museum business

33:27 Leading through uncertainty

40:21 Funding model explained

45:10 Youth skills pipeline

Follow James Reed on LinkedIn

Follow Elizabeth McCay on LinkedIn:

Find out more about TFL Museum and their exhibitions here:

Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE

All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE

This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

Why are millions of jobs going unfilled in one of the UK’s biggest industries, while so many young people are struggling to find work?

In this episode of all about business, James Reed speaks with Sarah Bradbury, CEO of the Institute of Grocery Distribution, about the future of the UK food industry, the growing challenge of attracting young talent, and why the sector may offer far more opportunities than people realise.

Sarah shares insights from her 25-year career across major retailers, before stepping into one of the most influential leadership roles in the UK food sector. She explains how IGD works across the entire food system and how they help competitors collaborate on the biggest long-term challenges facing the industry.

They explore the pressures reshaping food and retail, including changing consumer habits, climate change, AI, automation, workforce shortages, and the potential impact of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, on the future of food consumption.

Together they also discuss leadership, collaboration between rival businesses, and why the UK food industry remains one of the country’s most important, and underestimated, economic forces.

Timestamps

02:00 What IGD does

08:43 Retail tech and AI trends

12:27 UK food system challenges

18:36 Land use and solar farms

23:47 Hidden food careers

31:29 Youth unemployment urgency

43:27 Closing reflections and CEO Forum

Follow James Reed on LinkedIn

Follow Sarah Bradbury on LinkedIn

Find out more about IGD and their impact HERE

All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE

This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

Running a business is hard, but what is it like when your work sits at the centre of people’s most emotional moments?

In this episode of all about business, James Reed sits down with Damian Melville, Managing Director of Melville & Daughter Funeral Directors. Together they explore leadership in one of the most emotionally demanding industries there is.

Damian shares his journey into the family business, reflecting on the responsibilities that come when helping people in their most vulnerable time, and how that shapes both leadership-style and company-culture. He shares what balancing tradition with modernisation means, the realities of running a business where empathy is as important as efficiency, and the discipline required to maintain high standards in sensitive circumstances.

The conversation explores what it means to lead with care while still making clear commercial decisions, how to build trust within communities, and why consistency and professionalism matter more than ever, in a service built on reputation. Damian also discusses the challenges of succession in a family-run business and the importance of supporting both clients and staff through emotionally complex work.

A thoughtful, grounded conversation about leadership, responsibility, and building a business where purpose and performance have to coexist every step of the way.

Timestamps

01:04 Finding a niche market

06:36 Going solo challenges

12:50 Winning trust locally

23:18 COVID shock to the system

36:27 Hiring costs and NI

43:25 A Funeral director day

01:00:26 Memorial innovations and burials

Follow James Reed on LinkedIn

Follow Damian Melville on LinkedIn

Find out more about Melville & Daughters Funeral Directors here

All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE

This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

Is an awkward conversation the only thing standing between you and the salary you deserve?

In this episode of all about business, Connor Scully, Senior Executive Consultant at Reed Specialist Recruitment, sits down with James to discuss how professionals can effectively secure a pay rise in their current role.

Connor shares practical advice on how to move beyond the discomfort of pay discussions by focusing on preparation, timing, and proving your worth. The conversation explores how to assess whether you are truly due a salary increase, emphasizing the need to align your output with business goals and quantify your impact through measurable KPIs. Connor explains why being proactive, taking on extra responsibilities during company hardships, or "saying yes" to complex projects, is key to becoming an indispensable asset.

Whether you feel underpaid or are looking to take the next step in your career, this episode offers a step-by-step guide to navigating pay conversations with confidence and a growth mindset

Timestamps

02:00 Are You Due More

04:42 Prep And Timing Mistakes

09:38 When To Job Hunt

12:19 Ask In Person

15:36 Say Yes More Often

20:22 Employer Perspective on Pay Requests

Follow James Reed on LinkedIn

Find out how Reed can help you advance your career here:

Find out more about Reed Specialist Recruitment here:

Find out more Number Eight restaurant here:

All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE

This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

How do you know if you’re being offered what you’re worth?

In this episode of all about business, Leanne Appleton, recruitment expert at Reed, speaks with James about how professionals can increase their earning potential and achieve a higher salary.

Leanne shares practical insights into what really drives salary growth, from understanding your market value to building in-demand skills and positioning yourself effectively in the job market. She explains why working harder isn’t always enough, and how being more strategic about your career decisions can significantly impact your long-term earnings.

The conversation explores how to approach salary negotiations with confidence, including when to ask for a pay rise, how to benchmark your worth, and why timing plays a critical role. Leanne also highlights the importance of demonstrating impact through measurable results, rather than relying on tenure or job titles alone.

Timestamps

02:10 Know Your Worth

04:15 Recruiter Advantage

05:41 Benchmark Beyond Salary

08:36 Reading Job Ad Salaries

11:14 Negotiation Prep

14:20 Avoid Over Underselling

17:37 Benefits That Matter

19:36 Perks Employers Can Add

21:52 Probation Pay Reviews

24:39 Counteroffers Warning

Follow James Reed on LinkedIn

Find out how Reed can help you advance your career here:

Find out more about Reed Specialist Recruitment here:

Find out more Number Eight restaurant here:

All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE

This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk