Shows
The Growth DiaryThe Woman the Ultra-Wealthy Call When No One Else Can Be TrustedSonia Felfli spotted the same problem everywhere she looked: people were being treated like a booking number.That frustration became the foundation for Savoir Vivre Lifestyle, a boutique luxury villa rental, private events, and lifestyle management company operating across Mykonos and Ibiza. Her clientele are ultra-high-net-worth individuals who expect total discretion, bespoke service, and someone who genuinely cares. Sonia built the business to deliver exactly that.In this episode, Sonia shares:Why being treated as a number in luxury hospitality inspired her to build something completely differentHow she earns the trust of...
2026-04-2329 minThe Growth DiaryHow Jack Dawson Turned a Trowel Into the UK's Biggest Bricklaying EventJack Dawson didn't come from a boardroom. He came from a building site.Starting work alongside his dad at age four, competing as a natural bodybuilder, and eventually landing in a teaching role at the same FE college where he trained, Jack's path has always been shaped by craft, discipline, and a deep love for the trade. Then in 2022, an idea sparked that would change the construction industry's relationship with competition, community, and pride.SuperTrowel is now the UK's largest bricklaying competition, drawing hundreds of spectators, dozens of exhibitors, and competitors...
2026-04-1618 minThe Growth DiaryHow Matt Hughes Helps Hotel Owners Make Better DecisionsHow Matt Hughes Helps Hotel Owners Make Better DecisionsIn this episode, Keith is joined by Matt Hughes, CEO and Founder of Accommodate Consulting. After more than 20 years at Marriott International, most recently as Vice President of Owner Strategy for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Matt stepped away from one of the world's biggest hospitality brands to build something entirely his own.They get into the real reasons major hotel decisions go wrong, why owners don't need more data, they need better decisions, and how Matt's registered framework, The C...
2026-04-1522 minThe Growth DiaryPeople Over Property: How Charley Hall Is Rebuilding What a Letting Agent Should BeCharley Hall didn't set out to run a property agency. She set out to fix one.After years in corporate customer service, working with clients like Shell and Co-op, and then experiencing first-hand what poor agency management actually costs a landlord, she and her husband decided to build something better. Mocha Property Management launched in Liverpool three years ago with a simple but non-negotiable standard: treat landlords like partners, not portfolios.In this episode, Charley shares:The Section 21 disaster that became the catalyst for starting MochaWhy proactive communication is the foundation of everything they...
2026-04-1320 minThe Growth DiaryHow Hospitality Tech Is Broken And How We're Fixing It - With Luke IrelandLuke Ireland is the co-founder and CEO of Creventa, the event management platform quietly powering some of the biggest names in UK hospitality, including every major hotel chain running events in the country, over a dozen Premier League football clubs, and cricket venues. In this episode, Luke breaks down how he and co-founder Andrew built Creventa from a scrappy pandemic QR code project into an end-to-end platform saving venues approximately six hours of admin per event. We talk about why hospitality software has such a bad reputation, how Creventa is winning deals through emotional demos...
2026-04-0914 minThe Growth DiaryUltra Luxury: Gregory Patrick's DreamMaker Blueprint for Serving the World's Most Exclusive ClientsGregory Patrick didn't build a travel company. He built a dream factory.For nearly four decades, Gregory has been crafting once-in-a-lifetime experiences for the world's most accomplished people, from private castle buyouts in Scotland to 48-seat private airliners flying groups to destinations most people can't even find on a map.It started with a newspaper article about a struggling Texas rancher and a bold idea: flip the model, send wealthy Americans to play royalty in Great Britain. What followed was a career spanning 80-plus countries, a client list that doesn't do...
2026-03-2813 minThe Growth DiaryBuilt in Crisis: How Raja Naveed Turned Lockdown Into a Multi-Million Pound Construction FirmDuring lockdown, Raja Naveed resigned from a stable nine-year career in financial services and launched a construction business from his kitchen table.With no revenue for nine months, a newborn on the way, and the Green Homes Grant scheme collapsing mid-delivery, EEH Solutions was built under extreme pressure. What followed was rapid growth, regulatory chaos, scaling mistakes, hospitalisation with COVID, and hard lessons about systems, leadership, and trust.In this episode, Raja shares how he:• Secured £3.5m in orders within weeks of launching• Survived sudden gover...
2026-02-1325 minThe Growth DiaryThe Psychology Behind Home Staging, And Why It Works - with Natasha CollierNatasha Collier started Dressing Rooms Home Staging straight out of university, originally as a practical move alongside property investing. What began as a “makes sense” idea turned into a business she genuinely loves, and a service that’s quietly changing how properties sell across the North of the UK.In this conversation, Natasha breaks down what home staging really does beyond cushions and artwork. We talk about the psychology of first impressions, why furnished rooms often feel bigger than empty ones, and how staging creates demand that can drive price and speed, especially for awkward layout...
2026-01-2226 minThe Growth DiaryBuilding A Service Accommodation Business Without Losing Control with David LeightonService accommodation looks simple from the outside. List a property, get bookings, collect profit.But behind the scenes it is a 24 hour, high pressure, and can be a noisy business where one missed message can trigger bad reviews, lost ranking, and a constant feeling that you are on call.In this episode, David Leighton, founder of Honest Apartments, breaks down what it actually takes to run a successful SA operation, and why most people burn out. We talk about the systems that prevent disaster, the channel manager mistake that causes double...
2026-01-0218 minThe Growth DiaryTurning Ocean Plastic Into Homes with Johnny MateparaeConstruction is one of the hardest industries to change, especially after Grenfell. But Johnny Mateparae is building a completely new way to create walls that are fire safe, fast to install, and made from recycled plastic and textile waste.After a moment on his boat in Liverpool’s Albert Dock, where ocean plastic destroyed his holiday and jammed his prop, Johnny decided he couldn’t ignore the problem anymore. That frustration became StrucLock, a modular wall system that clicks together like LEGO, with ducts built in for plumbing and electrics, and a simple “build as you go...
2025-12-3129 minThe Growth DiaryThe Truth About Real Estate Agencies with Georgina HenfreyMost people think estate agency is glamour, fast commissions, and a quick sale.Georgina Henfrey says that’s fantasy, and the real job is pressure, process, psychology, and dealing with 50 moving parts at once.In this episode of The Growth Diary, Georgina, co-founder of Kestrel Estates, breaks down why she walked away from the corporate estate agency machine, and what she built instead. A people-first model where clients aren’t treated like numbers, and teams aren’t burned out chasing targets created by someone who’s never been on the front line.
2025-12-3143 minThe Growth DiaryThe Housing System Is Failing And No One Is Talking About It - with Marko HozjanIn this episode of The Growth Diary, Keith Atkinson is joined by Marko Hozjan, co-founder and CEO of Lynxcraft, a construction technology company using AI to fundamentally change how homes are designed, planned, and built.Marko shares how Lynxcraft was born from a simple but radical idea: modern homes should be treated like products, not one-off prototypes. Drawing parallels with industries like automotive and manufacturing, he explains why construction has struggled to modernise, and how a lack of standardisation has held back quality, speed, and scalability for decades.The conversation dives...
2025-12-3116 minThe Growth DiaryWhy Architecture Is A Beautiful Career, But A Brutal Business - with Amadeo BassiIn this episode of The Growth Diary, Keith Atkinson sits down with Amadeo Bassi, founder of ABDS, an architecture-led practice operating across design, coordination, planning, tendering, and development management.Amadeo shares his journey from studying architecture to building an independent, multidisciplinary practice. He speaks candidly about the realities of coordinating complex projects, managing competing priorities between design, engineering, and cost, and the less-visible work that goes into running a sustainable business.The conversation explores how ABDS brings alignment across multiple disciplines, why coordination and negotiation sit at the heart of successful delivery, and the challenges...
2025-12-3113 min
DevReady PodcastGlobal Startup Success: Tahreem Shah on Scalable Tech and Ethical AI | Ep 247 | DevReady PodcastIn this episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Anthony Sapountzis sits down with Tahreem Shah, an accomplished entrepreneur, Regional Business Advisor at Odoo, and Co-Founder of Scailr. With a career spanning architecture, tech sales, and social entrepreneurship, Tahreem brings a unique perspective on building impactful ventures across borders. From her early days working in Norway to her current base in Dubai, she has dedicated herself to empowering marginalised communities and creating technology solutions that bridge the gap between business and innovation. This candid conversation explores her inspiring journey, the realities of scaling startups in emerging markets, and her latest...
2025-07-3034 min