Shows
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP08: Lessons from a 5X serial entrepreneur | Dom Fendius, KiirshDom Fendius, now the Founder & CEO of Kiirsh, is a 5X serial entrepreneur - with the battle scars to show for it! But the truth is, despite experiencing some real tragedies, Dom retains a surprising amount of kindness, patience, and optimism to keep going. In this episode, Dom and Steph recap his venture timeline - from starting a magazine at uni to getting recognition for an exciting fashtech, from going into business with a risky partner, and everything in between. We discuss the realities of entrepreneurship, what to...2023-12-1354 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaSTART HERE | EP00 IntroductionTune in and subscribe to Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia, the new business podcast which spotlights the highs, the lows, the strategies and tragedies of what it *really* takes to build a successful business today. ***THANK YOU GIFT DETAILS BELOW***About Strategy & TragedyThis podcast is created based on three core beliefs: 1. The world of entrepreneurship has been overly glamorised...and the truth is that building a business is often far from glamorous! Within this is the belief that often the best lessons can...2023-10-0906 min
fail_succeedMan sues Apple, and the huge success of esportsOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – the man suing Apple – and a success – the world of esports.2019-10-1110 min
fail_succeedSambucaneers and Jason Donovan's underpant heroicsOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – the crazy Sambuca drinking game – and a success – Jason Donovan, underpant-wearing, fire-fighting hero!2019-10-0409 min
fail_succeedStrange place names and hidden treasuresOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – strange UK place names – and a success – the French woman who found a £5m painting in her house.2019-09-2706 min
fail_succeedMan takes clown to redundancy meeting, scientists cure the common coldOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – the man who took a clown to his firing – and a success – scientists may have found a cure for the common cold. We also discuss an overly flamboyant T Rex.2019-09-2008 min
fail_succeedTrump doughnuts, alien life and Neanderthal space travelOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – a guy who did dougnuts on a Trump golf course – and a success – the discovery of water on a distant planet. We also discuss Neanderthal space travel.2019-09-1311 min
fail_succeedDeepfakes and Quentin TarantinoOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – a terrifying future of deepfakes – and a success – the box office success of Quentin Tarantino's new film. *Update* As some of you spotted, we got the name of the new Tarantino film wrong - it is of course "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood".2019-08-1609 min
fail_succeedChinese streamer's filter drop, animal-human hybrids and what H learnt in the ShetlandsOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – the Chinese streamer whose real age was revealed – and a success – the animal-human hybrids that could save lives. We also hear what H learnt in the Shetlands.2019-08-0210 min
fail_succeedViolent seagulls, a preserved Swedish ship and what H learnt in IcelandOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – a delinquent, dog-abducting seagull – and a success – the Swedish ship perfectly preserved for 500 years. We also hear what H learnt in Iceland.2019-07-2708 min
fail_succeedFaceApp, brain-hacking with Elon Musk and what H learnt in FranceOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – FaceApp's privacy issues – and a success – Elon Musk's new brain-hacking company Neuralink. We also hear what H learnt in France.2019-07-1911 min
fail_succeedIceland's Instagrammer issue, Zack Mcleod Pinsent the Dandy and what H learnt in LatviaOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – Instagrammers in Iceland – and a success – Zack Mcleod Pinsent the British Dandy. We also hear what H learnt in Latvia.2019-06-2809 min
fail_succeedJeremy Kyle, Adam Savage's Iron Man suit and what H learnt in SpainOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – Jeremy Kyle and the DCMS Committee – and a success – Adam Savage and his Iron Man suit. We also hear what H learnt in Spain.2019-06-2111 min
fail_succeedBieber v Cruise, SoulCycle and what H learnt in MongoliaOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – Justin Bieber's MMA challenge to Tom Cruise – and a success – SoulCycle opening in London. We also hear what H learnt in Mongolia.2019-06-1410 min
fail_succeedThe fertility/beauty paradox, Lynx brings boy out of coma and what H learnt in TasmaniaOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – infertility caused by the pursuit of beauty – and a success – the boy woken from a coma by his Lynx deodorant. We also hear what H learnt in Tasmania.2019-05-3112 min
fail_succeedJamie Oliver closures, Robert Smith's student gift and what H didn't understand in CornwallOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – Jamie Oliver's restaurant closures – and a success – Robert Smith $40m gift to students. We also hear what H didn't understand in Cornwall.2019-05-2411 min
fail_succeedFarmer amputates own leg, Infinite Tucker and his superman dive and what H learnt in IndiaOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – the Nebraska farmer who amputated his own leg – and a success – the hurdler who had a novel approach to winning. We also hear what H learnt in India.2019-05-1709 min
fail_succeedAustralian bank note fail, seasteading and what H learnt in the UAEOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – the Australian bank note mistake – and a success – seasteading in Thailand. We also hear what H learnt in the UAE.2019-05-1010 min
fail_succeedSpecial forces whale, the Yeti and what H learnt in SerbiaOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – the special forces Beluga whale – and a success – evidence of the Yeti. We also hear what H learnt in Serbia.2019-05-0308 min
fail_succeedCantona's Instagram, Extinction Rebellion and what H learnt in BavariaOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – Eric Cantona's Instagram post – and a success – Extinction Rebellion's fortnight of action. We also hear what H learnt about life in Bavaria.2019-04-2600 min
fail_succeedNotre-Dame, the Headington Shark and what H learnt from a Zen masterOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – the Notre-Dame fire – and a success – the Headington Shark. We also hear what H learnt about life from a Zen master in Kyoto.2019-04-1900 min
fail_succeedUmbilical cord art, the first pic of a black hole and what H learnt from the CossacksOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – umbilical cord art – and a success – the first ever photo of a black hole. We also hear what H learnt about life from his time with the Cossacks.2019-04-1200 min
fail_succeedMacron's wine, Fortnite Sceptic and wisdom from Hong KongOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – the French alcohol directive – and a success – Fortnite gamer Sceptic. We also hear a tip from Hong Kong on how to win at life.2019-03-2900 min
fail_succeedMike Thalassitis, the Wetherspoon's app, and Egyptian wisdomOn this week’s episode we bring you a failure – Mike Thalassitis’ tragic suicide – and a success – the Wetherspoon’s app and some unforeseen uses. We also hear an Egyptian tip on how to win at life.2019-03-2200 min
fail_succeedSeungri K-pop scandal, climate change solution and Pakistani wisdomOn this week's episode we bring you a failure - the Seungri and Jung Joon-young K-pop scandal - and a success – geoengineering to beat climate change. We also hear a Pakistani tip on how to be successful.2019-03-1500 min
fail_succeedEp 11, Professor Damien Ridge - Dom talks to Professor of Health Studies Damien RidgeOn episode 11 we speak to Professor Damien Ridge, Professor of Health Studies at the University of Westminster and a psychotherapist in private practice. Professor Ridge’s areas of expertise are mental health, depression, suicide and men’s issues. He has a unique academic perspective on the topic of failure and success, and in our conversation we look at how people can cope with the failures in their lives, as well as topics such as yoga, mindfulness, suicide, goal-setting and depression.
RUNNING ORDER:
PART 1: Professor Ridge introduces himself and tells us about his research into mental health, depression, suicide and men’s heal...2019-03-1300 min
fail_succeedLion eats man, one step closer to an HIV cure, and Greek wisdomOn this week's episode we bring you a failure - the man who was eaten by his own lion - and a success - the man who has beaten HIV and cancer. We also hear a Greek tip on how to be successful.2019-03-0800 min
fail_succeedDUI dancer, NASA discovery and Turkish wisdom - fail_succeed round-up episode 6On this week's episode we bring you a failure - the guy who tried to dance his way out of a sobriety test - and a success - NASA's amazing genetic discovery. We also get a Turkish tip on how to succeed.2019-02-2200 min
fail_succeedWill Smith's Aladdin trailer, David Bowie, and Italian wisdom - fail_succeed round-up episode 5On this week's episode we bring you a failure - Will Smith and Guy Ritchie's terrifying Aladdin trailer - and a success - David Bowie's inspirational pursuit of success. We also get an Italian tip on how to succeed.2019-02-1500 min
fail_succeedLiverpool FC, cougar attack man and Bill Belichick - fail_succeed round-up episode 4On this week's episode we bring you a failure - Liverpool's failure to capitalise on Man City's slip-up - and a success - the man who fought off a cougar by strangling it. We also get a French tip on how to win, and we hear what Super Bowl supremo Bill Belichick's favourite quote is. Apologies for the slightly loud microphone!2019-02-0800 min
fail_succeedFyre Festival, James Charles and Jürgen Klopp - fail_succeed round-up episode 3In the third of our weekly round-up episodes we bring you a failure - the Fyre Festival - and a success - YouTube sensation James Charles - and we discuss what you can learn from them. We also get a German tip on how to be successful, and hearJürgen Klopp's advice on winning.2019-02-0100 min
fail_succeedDigger man, Chris Evans and Piers Morgan - fail_succeed round-up episode 2In the second of our weekly round-up episodes we bring you a failure - the man who drove a digger through a hotel - and a success - Chris Evans - and we discuss what you can learn from them. We also hear a Polish tip on how to be successful, and get Piers Morgan's views on being a loser.2019-01-2500 min
fail_succeedAndy Murray, David Beckham and The Beatles - fail_succeed round-up episode 1Welcome to the first in our new series of regular mini-podcasts where Dom discusses the latest in the world of failure and success. In today’s episode we tell a story which illustrates perfectly why you should never give up, as well as learning what Andy Murray’s career can teach us about achievement, and we discuss whether or not David Beckham is a failure (spoiler alert – he’s not).2019-01-1800 min
fail_succeedEp 10, Samara Morris - Dom talks to photographer Samara MorrisOn episode 10 we talk to Samara Morris, a photographer and entrepreneur with an incredible story that’ll give you goose-bumps and make you gasp! After graduating from the London College of Fashion Samara’s first two jobs were shooting Erdem and Playboy, which led to many more high-profile jobs and a stint heading up the photographic department of a major agency, before starting her own agency. After years of overwork, stress, and a diet of cigarettes and red wine Samara booked a holiday to Sri Lanka to get some much needed rest. It was on this holiday that Samara’s life w...2018-11-2100 min
fail_succeedEp 9, Will Bax - Dom talks to real estate expert Will BaxOn episode 9 we talk to Will Bax, a guy who got to the top of the London property world, and then gave it all up! We find out how he got there, and why he’s now decided to take a step back. We also talk about some seemingly trivial events in Will’s life that have shaped how he views success and failure. Will also tells us a heart-breaking story of how a skiing trip went tragically wrong when he saw his friends swept off a mountain by an avalanche, and how this fundamentally changed the way he views his...2018-09-2700 min
fail_succeedEp 8, Nick Clark Windo - Dom talks to author of The Feed, Nick Clark WindoOn episode 8 we talk to Nick Clark Windo, author of The Feed, “a chilling dystopian page-turner with a twist that will make your head explode” that is being turned into a $40 million tv series. But Nick’s journey has been far from easy. After graduating from RADA, Nick landed the lead role in a multi-million dollar budget film and thought acting was his destiny. But as the roles and auditions dried up, Nick gave up on his dream career and found himself questioning what to do with his life. We discuss all of this and how Nick found became a publis...2018-09-1100 min
fail_succeedEp 7, Stephen Barlow - Dom talks to opera conductor, Stephen BarlowOn episode 7 we talk to opera conductor, Stephen Barlow. Stephen was a boy chorister at Canterbury Cathedral‚ Organ Scholar at Trinity College‚ Cambridge and studied at Guildhall School of Music and Drama. During his 40 year career he has been resident conductor at English National Opera‚ and has worked with Scottish Opera‚ Dublin Grand Opera‚ Opera North and Royal Opera House and was Artistic Director of Opera Northern Ireland.
RUNNING ORDER:
PART 1: Stephen tells us that his whole life has been one of competition and how he felt he had let everyone down when he failed an audition at seven years old (02m 0...2018-08-0700 min
fail_succeedEp 6, Alex Hirst - Dom talks to Alex Hirst, founder and CEO of The Hoxby CollectiveOn episode 6 we talk to Alex Hirst, CEO of The Hoxby Collective, a start-up bringing a flexible new approach to the working world. Alex tells us how his own experience of burn-out led to a realisation that there must be a better way of working, and ultimately the founding of Hoxby. We talk about burn-out, gender equality in the workplace, family life, work/life balance and the future of work.
https://hoxby.com/
https://twitter.com/hoxbycollective
RUNNING ORDER:
PART 1: Alex introduces himself and tells us a bit about the idea behind The Hoxby Collective and how the 200 year old...2018-07-1900 min
fail_succeedEp 5, Nick Whitfield - Dom talks to Nick Whitfield, founder of CityUnscripted.comOn episode 5 we talk to Nick Whitfield, founder and CEO of CityUnscripted.com, an innovative new travel experience start-up. Nick tells us about how after years working in finance he felt he needed to do something he really loved that gave him a purpose. We discuss how tough Nick has found the process, how challenging it has been to leave behind the salary and comfortable lifestyle that his previous career provided, and the impact that has had on him and his family.
https://www.cityunscripted.com/
RUNNING ORDER:
PART 1: Dom introduces Nick, who tells us a bit about the idea...2018-07-1100 min
fail_succeedEp 4, Max Niederhofer - Dom talks to Max Niederhofer, venture capitalist and tech entrepreneurOn episode 4 we talk to Max Niederhofer, general partner at Sunstone Capital, a European venture capital fund managing more than $500 million. Prior to Sunstone, Max founded and sold Myblog.de, Germany’s largest blogging platform and Qwerly, a kind of Cambridge Analytica 1.0. He’s invested in some of the best known European start-ups including Last.fm, Onefinestay, Skimlinks and Dubsmash. I really enjoyed talking with Max – on the face of it, his story is one of huge successes, but as is so often the case the truth is somewhat more complex. Max tells me about his biggest regret as an entrep...2018-05-1700 min
fail_succeedEp 3, Segun Lawson - Dom talks to Segun Lawson, CEO of gold mining company Thor ExplorationsOn episode 3 we talk to Segun Lawson, CEO of Thor Explorations, a mining company that specialises in gold mines in West Africa. Segun’s story is the classic entrepreneur’s tale…on steroids. I think Segun should sell the rights of his story as a film, it’s real Boys Own stuff. Give it a listen to hear stories of how Segun lived in the Nigerian jungle, how he had to find $250,000 in 30 days for a Senegalese businessman, and what happened when a tribal chief in Burkina Faso invited him for dinner, plus much more. Enjoy!
RUNNING ORDER:
PART 1: Segun introduc...2018-05-1100 min
fail_succeedEp 2, Tom Edmunds - Dom talks to Tom Edmunds, writer and film directorOn episode 2 we talk to Tom Edmunds, writer and film director, about how he made his first feature film Dead in a Week (Or Your Money Back). When Tom started out five years ago he had no money, no actors and no studio backing - all he had was a script, an idea and a dream of making it happen. It's an incredible story of the power of belief, determination and sheer force of will. We discuss assassins, suicide attempts, the importance of family and how Tom convinced Oscar-nominated superstars to take a chance on him and be part of...2018-03-1200 min
fail_succeedEp 1, Sébastien François - Dom talks to Sébastien François, CEO of InduoOn episode 1 we talk to Sébastien François about the struggles of starting and running his smart fabric business, Induo. It's an inspirational tale that will be familiar to every entrepreneur - massive highs, crashing lows, sleepless nights, tearful moments and incredible achievements. Sébastien talks about reaching the bottom and fighting his way back; how his wife and family helped him in dark times and how he applied a mindset he learnt in trail-running to overcome adversity.
RUNNING ORDER:
PART 1: Sébastien introduces Induo with an amusing anecdote (00m 42s)
PART 2: Sébastien tells us how he first got I...2018-03-0500 min