From wielding equations in a lab to crafting mouthwatering curry kits in her kitchen, Shelly Nuruzzaman’s career path took a very unexpected turn in her 40’s.  Armed with a PhD, but in need of a change and a new purpose, Shelly traded her lab coat for an apron and began using her scientific background to fuel her culinary creativity.   With the mission of bootstrapping her business, she rolled up her sleeves and started testing recipes herself, building her business and website from scratch. She has since achieved a multi-6-figure turnover and sold over 750,000 kits within the firs ..read more

Imogen Partridge shares her journey from interior architecture to pursuing her passion of illustration and how her love of places and storytelling fuels her artistic work.   But more than just sharing her artistic journey, she also delves into the power of kindness in business and how being kind can benefit your personal life, your customers, and your bottom line.  She explores how adding thoughtful gestures to orders can engage customers, how being kind to others can inspire a ripple effect of kindness, and why giving back to charity is a win-win for everyone.   Join us as w ..read more

When clubbing and partying were on hold during the pandemic, a lot of us found ourselves hosting good old-fashioned game and quiz nights.  Well, Nicola Robinson and Tolu Abisogun took this opportunity to create their cheeky and fun drinking games brand, Berserk Games, which soon became a thriving disruptive player in the industry.   We're going to delve into their remarkable journey and uncover how their resilience and creativity propelled them to create an incredible impact in the UK and US.  Stay tuned as we explore how they overcame challenges, embraced their unique backgr ..read more

Join us on this episode of Sound Advice, as we discover how the dynamic power couple, Jim and Dannii Mee, captured their love for travel and transformed their passions into a thriving international events business, driving Rat Race Adventure Sports to new heights.  Learn from their resilience in adapting through the challenges of the pandemic, pivoting from obstacle races to offering exhilarating expeditions in once in a lifetime destinations.   From the Namib Desert to the Panamanian jungle, discover their story of passion, perseverance, and the unbreakable foundation of their mar ..read more

Becoming homeless and jobless at 15 wasn't enough to stop Simon Squibb from dreaming big. Instead, this was the catalyst to his extraordinary entrepreneurial journey. Today, he is a multi-millionaire, founder of 19 companies, and investor of 78 more.  With a personal mission to help others achieve similar dreams, Simon created HelpBnk. Alongside his social media channels, this investment platform aims to give 10 million people the funds, advice, and motivation to kickstart their own ventures.   So, whether you're a startup founder or curious about how to take your business to the n ..read more

If you wanted more advice on how to overcome your fears of finance, then you're in the right place, as Julie Wong is back with more tips and tricks in this 2-part episode special. Get ready to explore how finance and marketing are intertwined, giving you valuable insights into how you can adjust your strategies to get the best out of both. Discover how AI technologies are making it easier than ever before to start a business and learn how to maximise your resources when bootstrapping. We are also trying something a little different in this episode, as we put Julie on the spot to answer some ..read more

Does the idea of looking at your finances leave you with sweaty palms and an overwhelming feeling of dread? Then look no further, this 2-part episode special is for you!  In the chaotic early days of starting a business, it can be easy to overlook the numbers. You place all your focus on marketing, branding and manufacturing, and before you know it, you have lost track of your finances.   You might not even know what “good” looks like when it comes to cashflow or profit margin—or where to begin when it comes to managing your money.  Well, Julie Wong is here to give you a mast ..read more

In a world where magic and adventure come to life, Harry Potter fans have cast a spell of their own, creating a wave of business opportunities and immense growth.  Phil Pinder and Ben Fry found a way to capture this enthusiasm for all things wizardry and created their first business, The Potions Cauldron—a place where fans can immerse themselves in the universe and enjoy an enchanting brew or 2!  In June 2023, with a vision to scale, they took their business to Dragon’s Den and after being offered quite possibly the largest sum to date of £200,000, they simply refused to part with a ..read more

In a bold move, Christopher Money persuaded bona fide Spice Girl, Emma Bunton, with an idea too good to miss. Seven years ago, they formed a formidable partnership and embarked on a thrilling entrepreneurial journey together.     After both struggling to find products that were gentle on their babies’ skin, and that cared about their environmental impact, they merged their passion for creativity, entrepreneurship and sustainability to launch a groundbreaking business that rocked the industry.   Kit & Kin was born in 2017, providing eco-essentials that are kinder to your fami ..read more

Solo-founder of Kiddiwhizz, Zoë Chapman, shares how risking it all for her invention led to double investment on Dragon’s Den.  After noticing a vast gap in the market during the pandemic, the 39-year-old mum of  one rolled her sleeves up to fill it. Her genius idea: A portable kids’ toilet—aptly called the Whizzer.   Taking a huge financial risk from her 1-bed council flat, she turned a need into a solution, in part thanks to her neurodivergent brain. And now, she has singlehandedly turned her idea into an award-winning, eco-friendly solution that parents simply can’t leave t ..read more